Gamebreakers

[Reynard]

The "Do you use XP" thread got me thinking -- because all the "level up when I say so" got me saying "no way" -- what would be a gamebreaker for you? What aspect of a campaign would have you saying "thanks but no thanks" even if everything else seemed right? Also, let's assume the people in the group are okay.

For me, aside from the aforementioned ad hoc XP thing, it would be an Evil campaign. I wouldn't mind a mercenary campaign, or an evil character or two, but a campaign centered around reprehensible PCs holds no interest for me.

 

[anest1s]

Nothing at all.
Except of unacceptable behavior from someone on the table. I would say goodbye then.

 

[Celebrim]

I'm pretty open to stuff and I have pretty few rule or theme issues. I do however expect social, fun, and mature play.

a) A 'vile' campaign where brutal or replusive acts are described and acted out in full detail. I don't mind an 'evil' campaign provided there was a certain anti-hero or at least anti-villain vibe to it, and I don't mind the existance of truly vile evil in the world that must be opposed but any thing above PG-13 tends to veer suddenly into mind rape. Face to face intimate role-play just magnifies the yuck factor way beyond even a movie, and way far far beyond a book. I don't at all mind mature themes (I prefer them) but I expect mature themes to be handled delicately and well maturely, as opposed to being puerile. In fact, any table that seems to be getting off primarily on mysogyny, occultism, senseless violence, profanity, lewdness, etc. is probably just going to turn me off. It will probably be, "Thanks for the game" at the end of the night, but I'll find an excuse not to show up again.
b) Any campaign were the DM refused to respect the wall between the setting and the character. That is, any campaign were the DM continually assumed the right to narrate my character's feelings and actions. Some groups are ok with this. Not me.
c) Any campaign were the DM appeared unwilling to invest any effort on his part, showing up without notes and relying totally on my efforts and imagination to provide ideas. I don't enjoy that game, no matter how much some do. If that's going to be how it is, then can I just DM please? And if not, then I'm just not interested.

 

[Diamond Cross]

I've been in an evil campaign before. There is absolutely no teamwork and nothing can get done because all the players want to do is do anything they can to be the alpha male and will stop at nothing in putting your character down to subservience to them.

And that is just not fun.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

I could deal with an evil campaign that respected those social boundaries you mentioned. I just wouldn't expect it to, unless done tongue in cheek.

The thing that would probably drive me away is the DM and/or other players using the game as a vehicle to gratuitously insert their opinions on some modern issue that really had nothing to do with the game as such.

 

[Gilladian]

Evil, grossness, real lewdness, and toilet humor will all turn me off completely.

Also, a game which is either so heavily railroaded that I don't get to play my character my way at all, or so heavily sandboxed that I spend the whole night roaming in a circle hunting for a clue to SOMETHING to do....

 

[Tanstaafl_au]

I've been in an evil campaign before. There is absolutely no teamwork and nothing can get done because all the players want to do is do anything they can to be the alpha male and will stop at nothing in putting your character down to subservience to them.

And that is just not fun.

Like any campaign, not all evil ones play out the same.

An all lawful evil party can be way easier to run in terms of player teamwork than that group with the paladin, barbarian and thief.

Having a NPC overlord can help with unifying a bunch of more disparate evil characters.

On topic: I wouldnt play any campaign that I wasn't have fun. Thats my main deal breaker. That probably is if the players are cut throat competitive with each other and more interested in PvPing/Maniulplations, I doubt I'ld play in the evil game described above.

A GM (or a player the same that wouldnt leave) whose stinky to the point of having to hold breath would put me off

 

[Redshirt]

A game based on any type of Anime. I'd rather stick a fork in my eye.

 

[howandwhy99]

My dealbreakers are based upon what the players actually do. If I find that behavior abhorrent in life, I'm not going to go play a game where that kind of behavior is the focus.

Still, that RPG quiz came back for F.A.T.A.L. Who knew?

 

[Stormonu]

Oddly for me, it would be a game that started at say, 14th level or higher. I personally have no desire to play in high-level games, especially if they start at such levels.

And, as others have stated, a vile game would turn me away as well.