D&D General Do you like LOTS of races/ancestries/whatever? If so, why?

[Reynard]

Ok, let's run with this example.

Now, we do need some more information. Why is the DM saying no to a Warforged? Is it something in the campaign? Again, I mentioned things like survival themes. A war forged, since it doesn't eat or drink, has a significant advantage in the setting that I can totally see being a solid reason for not including.

But, is the DM simply saying "No warforged" out of some sense of canon loyalty? There were no warforged in 2e, thus we don't have warforged in our current game? That's a bad DM.

No. Just no. That is not a bad GM.

What if the player asked to play a Vulcan Jedi? Or an anthropomorphic boot?

The GM curating available player options does not make them a bad GM. That's ridiculous on its face.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

And, we go right back around to the same old refrain - I did the work so you have to do what I say.

Noooo, I did the work and this is the game I'm running. That guy, Hussar, right over there is running the game you'd like. So you'd be better served sitting at his table.

"I showed up to your game so you have to do what I say." Bleh.

And, yes, I noticed you so blissfully skipped the part that said, "And it's not what I'm serving. It's not what I said I'd serve."

None of my friends would ask me to cook a hotdog when I'm making Korean Food because it'd be rude.

 

[Bernese]

depends on if they are creative and well thought out.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Look. I'm not beating them with a stick and calling them names. Snatching their books from their hands and grinding their dice under my boot. I'm just setting the parameters of the game I'm willing to run. It's a simple as that.

Them showing up in no way dictates what I can and cannot run. Just like my running a game does not in any way dictate what they can or cannot play... in someone else's game.

It's not like my online game is the only online game in town! Go play with a group/DM/GM that better serves their taste. Geez. You'd think I'd taken their insulin from them.

Again, I'm flabbergasted by the implication that going to another game is some sort of draconian measure I'm imposing on people. I do it myself when a game or group doesn't sit well with me.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

IOW, the DM is choosing his imaginary friends over the player sitting at the table for no reason other than the DM happens to like his imaginary friends.

Fortunately, I play with real people and not imaginary friends.

I really think that that particular player would be much better served finding a group that meshes better with their playstyle than trying to alter the play of a group to fit them. There's just too many games out there that can make that fit possible.

Myself, I've found that once I find a group that meshes with my particular playstyle, I'm much happier than when I try to stick it out with a group that doesn't quite mesh.

 

[Xamnam]

Ok, let's run with this example.

Now, we do need some more information. Why is the DM saying no to a Warforged? Is it something in the campaign? Again, I mentioned things like survival themes. A war forged, since it doesn't eat or drink, has a significant advantage in the setting that I can totally see being a solid reason for not including.

But, is the DM simply saying "No warforged" out of some sense of canon loyalty? There were no warforged in 2e, thus we don't have warforged in our current game? That's a bad DM. There are so many perfectly legitimate ways to include warforged in Dark Sun. And, it's not like it doesn't fit thematically. It fits perfectly thematically in a Dark Sun game. Dark Sun has a bunch of golem type monsters and constructs are hardly out of place.

IOW, the DM is choosing his imaginary friends over the player sitting at the table for no reason other than the DM happens to like his imaginary friends. Yes, I am being incredibly dismissive here because it absolutely is one of the most toxic things you see in gaming. This is why edition wars happen. This is why you see all sorts of crap happening at tables. This notion of the importance of world building or canon. It's ludicrous.

Why are you asserting that none of the other players at the table care about the canon? That that might be the reason they signed up to play this game in the first place?

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Here's how I typically look for a game over at startplaying.games:

I look at the system. I look at the description of the game. I think... hmm, is this something I'd like to play in? And then I choose yay or nay.

I do not look at the system, look at the description of the game and go, hmmm, that game would be great if I can just change it to better suit me.

If the description isn't something I'd like to play, I move on to the next game. There are literally hundreds of games on startplaying.games. Why in Heck would I pick a game that doesn't match my expectations or needs? That's just ludicrous! (to use your word).

I expect my players to do the same. Look at what I'm serving and then decide if they want to be a part of it. If so, come play. If not, please keep looking!

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Deleted. Argumentative for no reason.

 

[Hussar]

No. Just no. That is not a bad GM.

What if the player asked to play a Vulcan Jedi? Or an anthropomorphic boot?

The GM curating available player options does not make them a bad GM. That's ridiculous on its face.

Ahh, the good old slippery slope argument. Haven't seen that one in a while.

Noooo, I did the work and this is the game I'm running. That guy, Hussar, right over there is running the game you'd like. So you'd be better served sitting at his table.

"I showed up to your game so you have to do what I say." Bleh.

And, yes, I noticed you so blissfully skipped the part that said, "And it's not what I'm serving. It's not what I said I'd serve."

None of my friends would ask me to cook a hotdog when I'm making Korean Food because it'd be rude.

Why? Note, you've now changed your example from a restaurant to home cooking for friends, which does change the dynamic. But, why is it rude? Maybe I don't like bulgoggi. Maybe I'm allergic to gochujang. Maybe what you've cooked is really, really spicy (which Korean food often is) and my stomach just can't take it. But, I'd like to hang around with my friends. Maybe I just really, really like hotdogs.

Again, you're insisting that your "what I said I'd serve" is more important than the real person sitting at your table.

 

[Hussar]

Why are you asserting that none of the other players at the table care about the canon? That that might be the reason they signed up to play this game in the first place?

Again, those people are choosing their imaginary friends over the living person sitting at the table. Granted, I pointed mostly to the DM, but, it doesn't really matter either way.

Choosing your imaginary friends as being more important than real people is a very, very bad idea.