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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 7908591" data-attributes="member: 6971069">There is a wide spectrum here.  The recent campaigns that I have run, the backstories have been critical.  But to make them relevant does require ground rules;   It has to match the setting, it has to be level appropriate (since I never start games at level 1 as a general rule, and I can nix portions that don't make sense.I try to also take it to the next step as well, collaborating and assisting.  An example is a player wanted to do a vigilante in a city, but didn't know Eberron at all.  Gave him a recommendation for Sharn (and why) and gave him references to the gangs there.  Separately another player wanted to be a criminal...so I tied it to Sharn, and part of the game plot became a discovery that one was the hunter and the other the hunted.  And both players loved this direction, as did the others as it help create dynamics.On the flip side as a player, coming up with a back story allows me to explore dimensions of a character during play.  I set out some general ideas, and as the campaign grows I fill in gaps.  Thinking about how a character reacts happens during the game.  The rationalization of why might need an addition in the backstory, especially if it seemed out of nowhere.  You can see a bit of this in my PoV character in my <a 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nd%20other%20metal%20objects.%20%20I%20stared%20at%20them%20a%20moment,%20and%20they%20turned%20to%20look%20at%20me%20and%20shrugged.%20%E2%80%9CI%20don%E2%80%99t%20care.%20%20Don%E2%80%99t%20touch%20my%20stuff.%20%20Or%20me,%E2%80%9D%20I%20said%" target="_blank">Story Hour</a>.  So, I never have seen it as a burden as a DM in my games.  I have seen it gone too far in other DM's games.  I remember in one group in high school where one player was always the "Prince of X," and the DM of the group kept letting it happen.  It was disruptive, and I found it to be unfun as the peer player (because I was never a peer, I was a subject of the prince).  I have also seen the blank slate and the story coming up on the fly; some good some bad.  Mostly bad.  Players with a general plan seemed to work better than random improv.Bottom line is that DM does need to set the rules, and be willing to say no.  As a player, you might need to accept no and make changes.</blockquote>

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