Fighter/Psion

[Nail]

Either his DM gets the message that removing PC healing from the game is a boneheaded move....

If that was this DMs only failing, it'd be forgivable....even fun. But there's more......so much more....

 

[IcyCool]

Poor?

It's brilliant advice. Caeleddin is in a win win situation with it. Either his DM gets the message that removing PC healing from the game is a boneheaded move and will adjust, or the game will disintegrate and Caeleddin no longer has to put up with that crap.

See, the thing that makes this advice poor, IMO, is that it completely disregards the opinions or feelings of the other players.

But hey, it's just advice.

 

[Caeleddin]

IcyCool - They don't mind playing a game like this. They die. *shrugs* When you bite a ancient red wyrm in the ass, be prepared for for a whole can of whoop-ass on your head.


Nail - We didn't do much. Did the intro, wandered around. He did a little scene about a stolen sword that will be significant later, but for now, it is just a waste of time. He did have a hawk attack the party while we were going to the local training spot by a lake. 2 magical arrows bounced off it at attack roll 30 and then it raked one of the newbies for 7 points of damage. It was apparently never meant to die because when I said I wanted to blast it out of the sky with an invisible ray of cold, he raised holy Hell. I guess he forgot to put SR on the thing. He started bringing up visual displays (he knows it would be out of character for my guy to use displays when using psionics) and all that. Apparently, the ray must be visible for people to dodge out of the way, but correct me if I am wrong: Energy Ray is a ranged touch attack with no saves?

*shrugs*

Wait till I entangle someone. It should be fun.

 

[KarinsDad]

See, the thing that makes this advice poor, IMO, is that it completely disregards the opinions or feelings of the other players.

But hey, it's just advice.

It's a game. Games are played to have fun.

If a player is not having fun and for some reason the DM appears to be the root cause, the player should discuss this with the DM. Or minimally with the other players.

However, Caeleddin is not willing to discuss this with the DM or the other players.

Hence with this restriction, this leaves two reasonable in game possibilities:

1) Do nothing. The problems will probably just get worse and the game will probably self destruct anyway.

2) Do not be a team player. The other PCs will die quicker, but the DM will get a clue quicker as well.

So from what you are saying, #1 is preferable to #2. Maybe for you, but other people want to have fun at their games and aren't willing to put up with an abusive DM. If the other players are also willing to put up with an abusive DM (or are willing to play in a game where the DM appears to favor some players over others), they get what they deserve. IMO.


If this were a reasonable game, then I would not be giving atypical advice.


Btw, not being a team player is a reasonable roleplaying decision as well. If the other players cannot come to grips with a PC who looks out for number one and is not a team player, there is something wrong with their gaming maturity level as well and again, they get what they deserve.

 

[Caeleddin]

KarinsDad - More fun and games from this DM:

From me:
"Xxxxx, the beam can be invisible.
Energy Ray
Psychokinesis [see text]
Level: Psion/wilder 1
Display: Auditory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None <------
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 1
It is a ranged touch attack, a Conjuration effect. There is no saves. So, if I point my finger (or eyes) correctly, he gets smacked regardless of his saves. A ray of cold or sonic is invisible. The others can be argued to be visible (fire, lightning, acid), but not those two. I can even snuff the auditory display, making a sonic ray a silent attack.

If that bird had attacked me, it would have been a frozen chicken on the wing and no one will be the wiser."


His reply:
"As your example depicts there is only an Auditory component to this spell. There for there is no visual Display to suppress. The effects of a spell are not considerd a Display, they are considerd a spell. You cannnot just change a spells effect by hiding the display.

The display is caused by you drawing on your reserve of mental strength and it is natural for the psionic energy to manifiest as sounds(Aud), smells(Ol), ectoplasim (Ma), thought patterns (Me) and In your case the side of your head (the crystals) glowing. These are the things you can supress nothing else.

I note you didn't include the text which refutes what you suggest.
"Upon manifesting this power, you choose cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. You create a ray of energy of the chosen type that shoots forth from your fingertip and strikes a target within range, dealing 1d6 points of damage, if you succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray."

Firstly IF you could (and you can't) make the Ray invisible it would specify this - you can't dodge an inviible ray so it would strike as an invisible attack gaining a +2 to hit and negating the opponents dexterity bonus (which is pretty damn good for a Touch attack).

Secondly it comes from your finger tip so it is very clear YOU are doing something when manifesting THIS power. You have a number of powers which you can use without obvious signs but none of the ray ones are included in that number.

Cold isn't invisible, Neither is a sonic ray, both distort light as the energy passes through the air and in the case of sonic if it makes no sound, it does no damage...not so useful to supress that one..."


Anyone ever seen cold (or sound for that matter)?

 

[IcyCool]

If a player is not having fun and for some reason the DM appears to be the root cause, the player should discuss this with the DM. Or minimally with the other players.

Agreed.

However, Caeleddin is not willing to discuss this with the DM or the other players.

Hence with this restriction, this leaves two reasonable in game possibilities:

1) Do nothing. The problems will probably just get worse and the game will probably self destruct anyway.

2) Do not be a team player. The other PCs will die quicker, but the DM will get a clue quicker as well.

Agreed on both counts. My issue was with the suggestions of going out of your way to ruin the other players fun.

If the other players are also willing to put up with an abusive DM (or are willing to play in a game where the DM appears to favor some players over others), they get what they deserve. IMO.

So if you aren't having fun, then nobody should be?

Btw, not being a team player is a reasonable roleplaying decision as well. If the other players cannot come to grips with a PC who looks out for number one and is not a team player, there is something wrong with their gaming maturity level as well <snip>

I agree. It sounds like you are under the impression that I didn't agree with this, is that the case?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Anyone ever seen cold (or sound for that matter)?

Your DM is right in this matter.

Upon manifesting this power, you choose cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. You create a ray of energy of the chosen type that shoots forth from your fingertip and strikes a target within range, dealing 1d6 points of damage, if you succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray.

Ray of Frost
Evocation [Cold]

A ray of freezing air and ice projects from your pointing finger. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to deal damage to a target. The ray deals 1d3 points of cold damage.

Polar Ray
Evocation [Cold]

A blue-white ray of freezing air and ice springs from your hand. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to deal damage to a target. The ray deals 1d6 points of cold damage per caster level (maximum 25d6).

 

[Caeleddin]

Patryn - So long as I don't mention you, please get out and stay out of my threads. I will extend you the same courtesy. The reason being I don't want nor need your arrogant snarkiness. You can reply if I ever mention your name beyond this once to get your attention.

 

[KarinsDad]

So if you aren't having fun, then nobody should be?

Everyone should have fun.

The DM should not create a game where a player is not having fun. Granted, some people at good at hiding that they are not having a good time, but I suspect that is the exception as opposed to the rule for a decent DM who pays attention.


Plus, the DM should stop telling the player what to do and just let him run his own PC.

 

[Taren Seeker]

Patryn - So long as I don't mention you, please get out and stay out of my threads. I will extend you the same courtesy. The reason being I don't want nor need your arrogant snarkiness. You can reply if I ever mention your name beyond this once to get your attention.

First of all, this is a public forum, yadda yadda yadda...if Patryn wants to post he has full rights to do so.

Second, while I think your DM has made some boneheaded decisions from the info in this thread and the last one, on this particular call he, and Patryn, are right on the money.

Even if the sonic beam is invisible which is not supported anywhere, hiding the manifestation portion of the power does not cancel out the ray, so at the very least the sonic ray itself would make noise even though the auditory display (bells chiming, etc) is supressed.

There are better powers than Energy Ray to use if you want to stay circumspect. Concussion or Dominate for example.