D&D General Fighting Law and Order

[Micah Sweet]

Normally, sure.

But this is a different situation - with a guest DM that unintentionally derailed things (well, the players derailed but under the guest DM).

It merits an examination and discussion of where the group/campaign wants to go from this point.

And one, not TOO out there option, is essentially a save point. The actual DM looks at the players (or the OP if he keeps DMing) and says ok folks we've just had a couple sessions of your mirror universe murderhobo selves and how they would take on the situation. If that's how you want to continue, alright we'll go from there. But if you want to revert to your non-mirror universe versions and play it out differently, we can try that too. Thoughts?

Obviously the murderhobo comment etc. would only work for the right group and would have to be modified depending on players involved. But there are definitely options other than scrap everything and start over (though that too is an option, especially if the old DM doesn't actually want to come back for a while).

Well, the question was how should it be handled. That's how I would handle it. We would keep going with the situation as it stands, unless the players don't want to continue that way, in which case we can begin a new campaign, with a new session 0 where the game expectations will be clearly established. Or someone else runs the game. Or we part ways. Any other option would be unsatisfying to me.

 

[hawkeyefan]

It merits an examination and discussion of where the group/campaign wants to go from this point.

And one, not TOO out there option, is essentially a save point. The actual DM looks at the players (or the OP if he keeps DMing) and says ok folks we've just had a couple sessions of your mirror universe murderhobo selves and how they would take on the situation. If that's how you want to continue, alright we'll go from there. But if you want to revert to your non-mirror universe versions and play it out differently, we can try that too. Thoughts?

Yeah, I don't think that having an open discussion about the game when something's gone awry like this is ever really a bad idea... especially when it was during the regular DM's absence. There's also no reason you can't just rewind and start again. I realize that's not to everyone's preference, but it's not like the other options are ideal.

I recently read a game and there was a great bit of advice... "Character generation never ends" (from the DIE RPG by Kieron Gillen). I think a related thought is that "Session Zero never really ends". There's no way you'll address any and all possible complications ahead of play, so touching base from time to time is probably a good idea. Even if everyone's loving things... it's good to get feedback and there's always room for improvement.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

The only mistake I see was leaving witnesses.

 

[Mort]

The only mistake I see was leaving witnesses.

In a world where communicating with the dead is a thing, that's pretty tough to avoid!

Especially if you're in a hurry (like runnng from the law).

 

[payn]

In a world where communicating with the dead is a thing, that's pretty tough to avoid!

Especially if you're in a hurry (like runnng from the law).

In Carrion Crown AP by Paizo the death cult uses an item that dissolves the head if you go under 0 HP preventing speak with dead. Makes combat a lot more nerve wracking for those cultists!

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

See, if at this point the players or the GM don't want to to play it that way, then campaign's over in my view. To do otherwise is to ignore the consequences of the player's choices. TTRPGs don't have save points, generally speaking. You keep going from where you are or you call it.

Why?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Why?

Because in my view the world and the PCs actions in it are the reason we play, and to retcon PC actions takes away their agency and, in my opinion, cheapens the emerging narrative.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Exactly. Either you toss your ideas into the wind and go on the players whims, or you need a reset with a detailed session zero and discussion about expectations. Neither is the best/only way to do it, but thinking you can reset a campaign that went off the rails in game, is usually a recipe for disaster.

Agreed. But my understanding with this situation is OP was a 'guest DM' covering for a session when the other DM was out. It's on the original DM, sadly, to fix this.

 

[payn]

Agreed. But my understanding with this situation is OP was a 'guest DM' covering for a session when the other DM was out. It's on the original DM, sadly, to fix this.

I lol'd when the op gave the session report and GM suddenly remembers another conflicting engagement. I imagine they will keep occurring until the game collapses

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Because in my view the world and the PCs actions in it are the reason we play, and to retcon PC actions takes away their agency and, in my opinion, cheapens the emerging narrative.

So can we retcon all the blatant railroading? lol.