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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AlanSmithee" data-source="post: 2841095" data-attributes="member: 40593">Yes, I know it's only a game, and my PC did get resurrected, but it's still pretty stupid. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f641.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":(" title="Frown    :("  data-smilie="3"data-shortname=":(" />  Here's what happened at my game yesterday:GM: As you get closer to the cabin, approaching from the rear, you see it has an open window with a bag of gems in it.Me, the rogue: <gestures the other PC's to halt> I carefully move closer and look through the window.GM: Make a Reflex save DC 22.Me, with a 4 Reflex save: Failed.GM, to the other PCs: You see Dusty's head fall off.Others:  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f631.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":eek:" title="Eek!    :eek:"  data-smilie="9"data-shortname=":eek:" />  What happened?  Is there an invisible enemy nearby? Help! I don't know what to do!Now, quick informal poll for all you GM's out there:When a player says "I look through the window" do you a) think they mean "what can I see inside?"b) assume the paranoid rogue is physically sticking his head through the window and into the cabinc) ask for clarificationTurns out that while I thought, as did the other players, that I was asking what I could see inside, the GM decided that this would be a great opportunity for the guillotine in the window, designed to chop off my hand as I took the bag, to actually decapitate me. (On which note, isn't level 7 a bit low for a save or die effect?)I didn't argue at the time, I think the other players were more upset about losing their most experienced player and the only party mage and I didn't want to slow the game down.  But I'm still a little upset and annoyed, because this is the second time in three weeks this has happened - the first time, I said "I approach the door, checking for traps".  In retrospect, I should have said "I approach the door, checking for traps all around, on the floor as I get closer, on the door, ceilings and walls".  The GM didn't give me a save against the pit trap in front of the door because he thought I meant I was only checking the door for traps.I guess basically I feel like my intelligence and my PC's intelligence are being insulted.  And also, the other players are relatively new, while I've been playing for years and years -  I think if it had been one of the others he would have said "Are you sure you want to put your head through the window?"  Is it fair for him to be harder on me?  Now, the GM is, in many ways, an excellent GM, by far the best I've played with (which isn't too many, but still).  I'm not doing this to b*tch behind his back.  He is very imaginative and original with his plots, an accomplished actor for the NPCs and has a lot of experience.  But he is a killer GM, and I've spoken to him before about it.  He feels that it is important for things to be difficult, so when we manage to complete one of his campaigns it is a real acheivement.  I feel the story is more important and it is very unsatisfying to, as has happened in the past, die in a random encounter and never resolve the storylines.So I don't think speaking to him about this would do much good.  Maybe I should just be grateful that I got raised, but I'd like to hear any suggestions, please! how to prevent this happening again.  The only thing I can think of is to be as pedantic and explicit as I can be in describing what I'm doing, but this would be a) boring and b) slow the game down.  And I play to relax, I don't want to have to be constantly alert for putting one foot wrong.  I don't want to not show up if I'm feeling tired or distracted and unable to give my full attention.  Maybe I could summon a monster and use divinations all the time, that will soon get old.  But how else can I avoid being exposed to cheap shots like this?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f621.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":mad:" title="Mad    :mad:"  data-smilie="4"data-shortname=":mad:" /> *breathe* Relax.  It's only a game...</blockquote>

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