D&D 5E As a Player, why do you play in games you haven't bought into?

[Raunalyn]

Yeah, I did approve the character concepts because, well, what else am I supposed to do when every player ignores explicit instructions (don't make a character before the session) and comes to the table with a character they just HAVE to play?

Well, you were there as we were discussing player concepts. You were there when we brought up what we wanted to play. You were there when we asked questions like what classes were allowed, what was the generation method, etc. I fail to see how creating a character's attributes, class, skills, spells, and equipment beforehand, but leaving the background alone until session zero, is a problem. Seems to me it would save time. It wouldn't be difficult for me to bring in one of the other players to the conversation for validation, but I don't think it's necessary.

If you didn't like any of the concepts or characters, most of us in the group are adults and wouldn't feel persecuted or victimized if you were to pull one of us aside and say, "You know, I like this, but I'm having a hard time connecting it to the game. Can you help me figure out how to tie this all in?"

As to the concept coming out of left field and you doing nothing with it? Sure, something may have happened. But considering that the same thing happened in previous campaigns...

Now, in your defense, it is more difficult to organically tie in a character background in an adventure path like Ghosts of Saltmarsh, and I do appreciate the effort it takes to make the characters care about the setting. I have found that doing my own campaigns and writing my own stuff allows me to create scenarios where each character shines. And this may be true in your new campaign.

And, yes, I didn't quite have a chance to do anything with the concept that came completely out of left field, had nothing to do with the campaign, and only had about, as you said, three sessions to work with. Yup, totally on me. And, let's be honest @Raunalyn, you dropping the game had nothing to do with me and everything to do with real life stepping in the way, considering you dropped your own campaign as well, or more or less had since you would cancel more than half the time without warning.

Since we're being honest and all.

Since we're being honest, what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? I mentioned that I left the game early, and even went so far as to mention that things happened after I left. Why I left is irrelevant.

And, frankly, if that's what had happened, I'd be shutting up right now. If the five characters had ANYTHING tying them to a ship in any way, shape or form, then I'd be a happy person. But, as @Raunalyn has pointed out, his character is a perfect example of what I was given to work with. An illusionist charlatan. Nothing nautical about the character at all. Nothing tying him to the town at all. And, a character that was created whole cloth BEFORE our session 0 despite knowing (and I know he knew because I have the forum posts) that I had specifically asked that characters be created as a group.

I can see a lot of ways to use the concept.

"Old Lady Simpleton thinks that Marcold character is a fraud and a charlatan. Well, Marcold wants to try to prove them all wrong by saving the town and using that goodwill to sell more of his "goods." Maybe later, he can expand his empire by conning someone out of a ship."

And while we're at it, I seem to recall you mentioning that the concept was good and that you could work with it.

I don't know actually. I'm sure they've moved on to greener pastures. The advantage to online gaming is that it's far, far easier to find a group that fits your style than in face to face games. We're all veteran online players, so, that's not an issue. I'm sure they've found other groups if they wanted to by now.

I do want to be very clear here. I'm not saying my players were wrong. They weren't. They most emphatically were not wrong. They were just a wrong fit for me. That does not make them bad players or bad people or anything like that. I'm quite sure there a groups out there that will be very happy to have them as players. I know they will. This is not me pooping on anyone. It's simply a case of mismatched expectations and frankly my own bloody fault for not stepping away sooner.

They have, and are greatly enjoying their time. Thank you.

And the sentiment is appreciated, though it lacks sincerity.

 

[Hussar]

And the sentiment is appreciated, though it lacks sincerity.

You can believe that all you like, but, I do mean it in all sincerity. I hope you guys are having a blast. I honestly do. A lot of this was my fault for not simply walking a lot earlier and letting this bug me. I should have probably left after I ran that first campaign. I see now how incompatible I was with the group and it would have saved a lot of time and annoyance had I made that decision a lot earlier.

Live and learn. But, I certainly have no hard feelings towards them. They wanted a completely different game than I did. It happens.

 

[Oofta]

You can believe that all you like, but, I do mean it in all sincerity. I hope you guys are having a blast. I honestly do. A lot of this was my fault for not simply walking a lot earlier and letting this bug me. I should have probably left after I ran that first campaign. I see now how incompatible I was with the group and it would have saved a lot of time and annoyance had I made that decision a lot earlier.

Live and learn. But, I certainly have no hard feelings towards them. They wanted a completely different game than I did. It happens.

I think it bears repeating. There is no way a DM can be the right one for every player. No player will be a good fit for every DM or game.

That's not a negative reflection on DM or player, it's just recognizing that different people want and need different things.

 

[Raunalyn]

You can believe that all you like, but, I do mean it in all sincerity. I hope you guys are having a blast. I honestly do. A lot of this was my fault for not simply walking a lot earlier and letting this bug me. I should have probably left after I ran that first campaign. I see now how incompatible I was with the group and it would have saved a lot of time and annoyance had I made that decision a lot earlier.

Live and learn. But, I certainly have no hard feelings towards them. They wanted a completely different game than I did. It happens.

Considering the amount of time you have spent bashing these same players, then you can see where I'm coming from.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

It seems that in this specific instance (as usually with these sort of things) it is about failure to communicate.

 

[happyhermit]

This thread has me semi-seriously considering always having a couple "pointless" chargen restrictions when recruiting players, to weed out the ones who; are contrary, have control issues, would rather be playing a game with a different GM/Player dynamic, are not on "the same page", don't ask for clarification when needed, etc.

Kind of like the "no brown M&M" clause that I always found rather obnoxious, if clever. The main reason I am not 100% on it is that I haven't really experienced these issues to any degree.

 

[Oofta]

This thread has me semi-seriously considering always having a couple "pointless" chargen restrictions when recruiting players, to weed out the ones who; are contrary, have control issues, would rather be playing a game with a different GM/Player dynamic, are not on "the same page", don't ask for clarification when needed, etc.

Kind of like the "no brown M&M" clause that I always found rather obnoxious, if clever. The main reason I am not 100% on it is that I haven't really experienced these issues to any degree.

When recruiting new players, even people I've met through public gaming I send them to a quick paragraph talking about the campaign that sets up main restrictions (allowed races and so on) with more details following.

Seems to work reasonably well. For example if someone wants to play a drow they know right up front that it's simply not allowed; I do my best to be responsive to players desires but sometimes the answer is a simple "no".

 

[glass]

All I can say is that I would not want to play a slaver, I do not want to play a PC that does things I consider inherently evil. I've quit campaigns because the other players were, for example, perfectly okay with burning down buildings with innocents inside. Could I separate my personal opinions from my PC? Sure. I do it on a pretty regular basis. But I also try to put myself into their mindset and it's not something I enjoy as a player. Which I guess is kind of weird because I have no problem with it when I DM.

I also do not want to play a slaver PC nor play alongside other PCs who are slavers, but I have no issue with slaver villains (either played as a GM or opposed as a player). I have put a bit of thought into why, and I think I have a partial explanation: We spend months or years with the PCs, so I want them to be people I am confortable spending that much time with - whereas idividual villains (even if they are important) spend a lot less time "on screen".

Probably not the whole thing, but it goes some way to explaining it I think.

_
glass.

 

[Dire Bare]

And the sentiment is appreciated, though it lacks sincerity.

Huh? Why you so mean? Sigh.

If a DM invites you to his game, and asks you to not create characters until everybody meets for "Session 0" to create characters together . . . . and you ignore that . . . .

I'm not sure Hussar is the DM for me, and likely vice versa, but that part of his frustration I'm fully understanding of.

 

[FrozenNorth]

This thread has me semi-seriously considering always having a couple "pointless" chargen restrictions when recruiting players, to weed out the ones who; are contrary, have control issues, would rather be playing a game with a different GM/Player dynamic, are not on "the same page", don't ask for clarification when needed, etc.

I’m having fun trying to imagine what kind of pointless chargen limitations in the “no brown M&Ms” vein you could implement.

“No lefthanders!“
“You can follow any deity except Olidamma!“
“Your character can be from any FR city except Luskan!“


“If you play a halfling wild magic sorcerer, they must have hair of at least two different colours!”
“What if their hair is one colour but their eyebrows are a different colour?”
“Get out!”