D&D General DM Authority

[Maxperson]

Being angry at someone for pulling the rug out from under you is perfectly natural.

Getting that angry is a problem, yes, if you are getting to that point there is more going on.

Getting angry at all is not a problem, and would still qualify as taking a hostile stance.

I don't agree. Being upset is perfectly natural. Getting angry is a problem. It's a matter of degree.

 

[prabe]

I don't agree. Being upset is perfectly natural. Getting angry is a problem. It's a matter of degree.

Do you think it's possible that what you're describing as "upset," someone else might describe as "angry?" I don't think anyone is saying that rage is acceptable in this situation (to pick a more extreme emotion).

 

[Maxperson]

Do you think it's possible that what you're describing as "upset," someone else might describe as "angry?" I don't think anyone is saying that rage is acceptable in this situation (to pick a more extreme emotion).

Maybe. I look at upset as the first tier. Anger as second. Rage as third. If you're more than upset at something so minor as an unexpected game change, I think something is wrong.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Next time on ENWorld: DM Authority.....the gang gets into a discussion about the definition of hostile....and it gets HEATED! 8 Eastern/7 Central. Be there!

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Next time on ENWorld: DM Authority.....the gang gets into a discussion about the definition of hostile....and it gets HEATED! 8 Eastern/7 Central. Be there!

THIS ISN'T EVEN MY FINAL PARAGRAPH!

 

[FrogReaver]

I agree with most of that. I do think that there are times when getting upset is a valid response to the situation. I don't think that outright hostility is ever an appropriate response.

All i know is I'd rather have hostile than passive agressive.

 

[FrogReaver]

The problem is this objection assumes there's never a clear-cut consensuses; we aren't usually talking here about questions with five different answers for five different people; we're often talking about two, and its not exactly hard for five people to decide between two options (assuming neither no one wants to decide, or its not so self-evident no one needs to decide)

Now, you can have a situation potentially where five different people strongly want different things in terms of basic campaign issues--but there's good reason to question whether they should be playing together in the first place.

(This is why I keep repeating that discussing how easy it is to make rules decisions collectively and campaign decisions collectively is not as useful as it could be because they're not really the same question.)

That kind of assumes everyone is informed enough to have an opinion on the rules in question, or that the most informed persons opinion only counts as much as the least informed. Or that player Bob has a strong personality and voting against his opinion will make him aggravated at you - especially if it's a 3/2 split decision.

 

[FrogReaver]

I don't agree. Being upset is perfectly natural. Getting angry is a problem. It's a matter of degree.

Yea. I think I agree. There's a fine line between aggravated, upset and angry that's not easily explained.

 

[Helldritch]

Again, the whole point is that "hostile" doesn't necessarily mean all of that.

It can just be strong words and anger, no need to assume any violence or screaming.

Strong words can hurt as much as physical violence depending on cirucumstances and the person receiving them. Verbal and physical violence are not acceptable means of conveying your frustrations. Even more unsettling is the calm voice menacing you. Then you know that the person means serious business.

Except for the one that was in a divorce, the worst I got was about 50 dice thrown at me for rolling three 20s in a row in a critical fight. One of these dice was a d30... Got a lump, but I was laughing a lot as I understood their frustrations. At least I got a few beers for my troubles .

 

[SirGrotius]

This may sound pompous, but I walk in and out with a quiet authority. I suppose the word of the DM, mine, is never questioned and there is an unspoken agreement that it shall not be questioned for the sake of the game. There's an alignment with Stephen King's mantra in On Writing regarding the suspension of disbelief. It's an idea that should be light and and omnipresent at the same time.