Convincing DM to use new books

[Sammael]

Eh, the 3.0 splatbooks are way more overpowered than most of the 3.5 stuff.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Truth to be told, I can really understand your DM's side.

DMing is lots of work - so much work that many DMs simply won't have the time to wade through all the new material that players would like to use. Every new supplement brings an increase in complexity in the rules, and he doesn't just have to understand the rules how it will affect single PCs, but also all those NPCs as well.

In my last campaign, I basically allowed the players to use whatever supplements they wanted, but only because I trusted them not to abuse the privilege. And personally, I stuck with the Core Rules for NPCs. And I can understand every DM who wants to restrict everything to the Core Rules.

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

Totally understand where your GM is coming from -- I did a similar thing myself in 2e when the kits etc from the various handbooks were very badly balanced. 3.x is not as bad though and I allow most WotC stuff and a fair bit of 3rd party d20 stuff too.

I would suggest sticking with just one thing from one new book first -- a class, feat, spell or whatever, providing the GM with a copy of whatever it is and stressing that it's on a trial basis. It's all about trust -- I am playing a totemist from Magic of Incarnum in one game and the GM does not have and has not read the book.

Good luck!


Richard

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I was wondering if there was any way to convince my DM to allow our group to use the PHB 2, or any new book for that amnner. Because for once in my entire time of playing DnD we actually have a player who is willing to buy new books. Now, his reasoning for not using any new books is because he automatically assumes all new books are overpowered and will not allow any of them, aside from the old 3.0 splatbooks.

There was quite a lot of broken stuff in the 3.0 splats, too. He might just be using that as an excuse.

Another reason he cites is that everyone would have to read the book in order for us to use it, and since my group has other things to do, and some of them can not even bother to read a PrC they want to take and make me read it to them, it would be too much. Another reason is just plain stuborness as he is set in his ways.

Well that means you can't change his mind.

I suggested that we look over the book and choose what to allow, but then he said that this wont work as players would ask why they can use this but not that in the book. I would love to use the new material, and I was DM just a session or so ago, but he REALLY likes DMing, so I am letting him do it again.

This happens to DMs all the time. A player buys a new book, shows him a new PrC or something, and asks to let it in. They even offer the DM time to read the book. They forget that analyzing a PrC or whatever takes a lot of time, and unless your DM is a genius they can't guarantee they'll catch whatever might be wrong with it. It's hard to remove some things from the game (eg a new race or class) once they've been introduced, even if it's causing a problem. Finallly, you're making his game more complex.

I suggest running your own game with the same group.

 

[Kesh]

Eh, the 3.0 splatbooks are way more overpowered than most of the 3.5 stuff.

Quoted for truth. If this is a 3.0 game, he should be replacing those splatbooks with the Complete … series.

 

[Delta]

Your brother is right, and you are wrong. Take your beating like a man, don't come here to cry about it.

 

[Umbran]

Another reason he cites is that everyone would have to read the book in order for us to use it, and since my group has other things to do, and some of them can not even bother to read a PrC they want to take and make me read it to them, it would be too much.

This one is a valid reason. The rules used should be chosen for the group.

IMHO, new rules are not an important end, in and of themselves. You don't get new rules just for the sake of new rules. You get new rules to do something specific in a game. You have to figure out what you expect to get out of new rules. What can they will bring to the game that you cannot get easily otherwise? Being clearly elucidate this would give you a more powerful argument. However, what you want must be in reasonable accord with what the other players want.

This causes a lot of strain sometimes, especially when I am DMing because he can feel free to do things, such as when there is a rules dispute, as demanding the PHB to look up the correct rule and even physically taking it from me.

This is unacceptable behavior, even from a brother. If he's willing to get physical over it, he's no longer interested in negotiation, which is not a good sign.

This is why I dont like to have him as a player, and which is why I often play as I dont mind him as DM, despite the abovementioned points.

There's always the option of going and playing or being DM in another group. I hope your brother is not so controlling as he wont' allow you to play wiht other people.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Your brother is right, and you are wrong. Take your beating like a man, don't come here to cry about it.

Awww, that makes me a sad panda.

Anywho, thanks for all the advice guys and gals. Not only did I get to vent a bit, I got to up my post count.

 

[Ranger REG]

Quoted for truth. If this is a 3.0 game, he should be replacing those splatbooks with the Complete … series.

*spits soda on monitors*

Yeah, right.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Let him know you'd like to play X and then show him what X can do so he can judge for himself whether or not it'd unbalance his game. Or fits in with the campaign/setting/flavor. That's what we do with our DMs who question X; show it to him/her and see what they say. Granted two of them own all the books so they can look it up themselves if need be. Granted, they'd be amongst the first to use it in another DM's game.