DM Schticks That Grind Your Gears

[The Shaman]

The only thing that pops to mind for encounters with consequences other than death are non-trap, non-combat, non-threatening encounters. In short, a roleplaying encounter without death as a consequence. Those are great. And safe. But eventually the characters are going to want to do more (most likely combat), and that sort of encounter has death as a consequence.

I've found other options, too, like a natural hazard that's an inconvenience but not necessarily lethal. For example, the characters in one of our d20 Modern games were forced to negotiate a steep slope - at worst they could get knocked around a bit for failed Climb checks, but death wasn't a factor. It was a challenge that encouraged them to work together, and offered opportunities for novel approaches to scaling the side of the canyon.

Another example from our three-point-oh D&D game was landing a boat in high surf. The characters weren't at risk of drowning, but they needed to keep the boat upright in order to safely land their supplies. (They didn't succeed, by the way. ) The characters in our Modern military game will get a taste of this as well, dealing with travelling through chest-high water and needing to keep their gear dry.

There are non-lethal encounters other than roleplaying that can test both characters and players, IMX.

 

[The Shaman]

Just like dice-roll fudging doesn't make combat any less intense or entertaining.

...for some gamers.

 

[IcyCool]

For example, the characters in one of our d20 Modern games were forced to negotiate a steep slope - at worst they could get knocked around a bit for failed Climb checks, but death wasn't a factor.

If it caused damage, then believe me, death is a factor. The players will find a way.

That doesn't make any of them less character-driven or roleplay-intensive.

...for some gamers.

 

[The Shaman]

If it caused damage, then believe me, death is a factor. The players will find a way.

Non-lethal damage is handled differently in d20 Modern than in D&D - the worst that could happen to them was getting knocked cold.

 

[Agent Oracle]

Non-lethal damage is handled differently in d20 Modern than in D&D - the worst that could happen to them was getting knocked cold.

except, it IS possible to NL someone to death, I'm not sure if this is a house rule, or a real one, but if you NL them to the point where their NL damage > their total HP+10, they start taking L damage.

kicking someone when he's down, if you will.

 

[The Shaman]

except, it IS possible to NL someone to death, I'm not sure if this is a house rule, or a real one, but if you NL them to the point where their NL damage > their total HP+10, they start taking L damage.

kicking someone when he's down, if you will.

House rule.

 

[shilsen]

Incidentally, taking death out of the equation isn't necessarily due to narrative protection. In my case, it began because I had a group of people who really, really hated creating and introducing new PCs.

Why?

They just hate the minutiae and mechanics of creating characters. They also like to have their characters grow and develop over a significant period of time, so the benefits of a game where their characters have a fair chance of dying are highly outweighed by the benefits of a game where they won't. As you noted, different strokes.

 

[Fishbone]

The Enforcer: Every encounter seems like its meant to punish somebody for being successful. The fighter is contributing a lot to the group and actually is the MVP, going against DM expectations and wishes? All of a sudden every encounter has at least one improbable creature like a Shadow Denizen Max Diced Huge Elite Rust monster with Ability Focus meant to stick it to him.

 

[sniffles]

Oh, and you all level, heck, you level twice.

The GM abhores letting players know about their experience points. It's just so much simpler to toss them a freaking level whenever he feels like they are getting antsy.

Actually, I like this. I hate keeping track of my XP, at least in D&D.

Well, Jim called and said he won't be here tonight. oops! he's dead.

How rude of Jim, thinking a vacation/wedding/funeral/hospital stay is more important than his weekly game session! I know! I'll just have his character do something suicidal and reckless so that he dies. So what if I don't have his character sheet, his AC is low, right? The Titan hits...

I hate the opposite of this as well - Jim can't be here tonight so we'll have his character suddenly vanish in the midst of the adventure, unexplained, because the GM doesn't want to run the character as an NPC. Or worse, the GM lets one of the other players run Jim's PC, but won't let the character actually do anything useful.


Another peeve of mine: the evil laugh. Quit telegraphing your plot points!

 

[Dagger75]

The Literal DM

Thief (1st Ed days): Okay, I throw my grappling hook up to the balcony, test the rope and make sure it sticks.

DM: Okay the grappling hook lands on top of the balcony. I didn't hear you say you tied the rope to it.

That was a long time ago but it still makes me laugh to think about it.