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Message: <blockquote data-quote="1StrangeFellow" data-source="post: 139834" data-attributes="member: 3954">This could be a hoax, but I've seen DMs with worse problems so I'll take it at face value.  Face it, just about anything on the internet could be a load of crap, but we're here to discuss and help each other so April Fool's joke, troll, gag or not for the sake of arguement one might as well just take it as real.That said, it's time to start again.  If you don't know what is on the character sheets, you haven't known for the past sixth levels, and you have a player that is overly protective of them they are hiding something.  They are most likely cheating and it would be difficult to backtrack and find out where.First, kill all of the PCs, but teach the players a lesson while you do it.  Lure them into a dungeon with a legend of a cavern filled with magical springs that spout healing waters.  I don't think this party would resist the temptation of free healing potions.  Give them the chance to go out and spend a ton of money on empty flasks, skins, barrels - whatever their greedy hands can carry.When they get to the dungeon, it is filled with evil foes that can use hit-and-run tactics.  If they get hurt, they run, use a healing spring and come back at them.  Here's the twist:  the cavern was created by a god of healing for his followers, but has been corrupted by a rival god whose followers took the cavern and its healing springs over... it now only heals for the inhabitants of the cavern (or a certain alignment, or followers of that evil god, etc.)  Now trap them inside (or get them lost) and watch as the enemies have unlimited healing and are out to stop the PCs from taking the magical fonts away from them.Yes, it's mean.  It's meant to be.  As DM, you have lost control and the best way to reassert yourself as the game authority is to come down hard before you start over.In the future, always at least have a copy of the character sheets and keep track of the characters' advancement.  If the characters are not created with a 25 point-buy method, then run a couple of practice combats on your own using the player's common tactics and keep going until you find something that is really, appropriately challenging.  Try to keep yourself around the recommended wealth level for characters of their level.  Every once in a while, hit the characters with their own tactics or situations where their tactics don't work so that they have to get creative.Edit - A few words on getting screwed:Over the past week, I've had to deal with some fairly shady people and the best way to keep yourself from being taken advantage of is to let them know right off the bat that you don't like being screwed or deceived.  Two of my so-called "best friends" thought they could be slick and lie to me, I called them on it right away.  I made it clear that if it happened again they shouldn't bother coming around any more.   I work in bars as a Karaoke DJ and you'd be surprised the things people try to do.  On the minor side, someone stole a somewhat expensive pen and lighter from my table and then had the audacity to have it sit out in plain sight in front of me.  I stared at them, then walked right up and said "Oh, did you find my things?  Thank you."  Took them back and walked away.  I mentioned it to someone working in the bar... they got terrible service and quite a few dirty looks the rest of the night until they left.  Later, an acquaintance thought he would be slick and get back on stage quicker by putting up a different name on the request slips every time and having different people hand them to me.  We try to keep a strict rotation so everyone gets their turn.  I got on the microphone after the first song he sang under a psuedonym and announced that there had been a change to the rotation, that this person was getting bumped to the very bottom of the pile, why this was happening, etc and then he wound up not getting back up for the rest of the night.The point is that you could very well be getting taken advantage of in your situation as DM.  If they won't let you have character sheets there is something they haven't wanted you to notice.  You have to lay down the law - hard to prevent this from happening on a regular basis if you want to keep playing with these people.  Lately I've gotten sick of people playing games and trying to be 'slick'.  You have to put a stop to that kind of thing early on in a relationship - personal, professional or gaming.Be firm with your players.  If they are mature, they will accept it, concede your point and hopefully behave themselves in the future.  If not, it's no big loss.</blockquote>

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