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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rune" data-source="post: 5640765" data-attributes="member: 67">I am a Rat Bastard DM.  A Rat Bastard DM has no qualms about putting PCs in situations that seem un-winnable, nor giving PCs plenty of rope to hang themselves.  A Rat Bastard DM makes the PCs squirm.BUT, a Rat Bastard DM does it to highten the players' experience.Your DM does not appear to be a Rat Bastard; he just seems like a jerk.Allow me to elaborate:There's nothing wrong with expecting your PCs to use creativity to overcome seemingly impossible situations, but the mocking indicates that that isn't really his expectation, at all.  Rather, it seems as if he expects what he gets, and wants to illustrate his other group's superiority by highlighting your inferiority.Again, it seems as if he really just wants to make sure that everyone at the table knows that he knows things.  As I will discuss later, the power of knowledge seems to be a theme with this guy.As an aside, if someone feels the need to point out that they are being subtle (subtlety, by the way, is a very useful DM tool), they are missing the point of using it in the first place.But that is not central to the point.  Here, again, the DM is using knowledge (or lack thereof) as an opportunity belittle his opponents (that is, you).  Which brings up another important point.  This guy seems to view the role of the DM as purely adversarial.If you're playing 3.X (as I think you are), Weapon Finesse (or Point Blank Shot) should help.  You should go out of your way to set up look-out positions and ambushes as a group, especially out of the dungeon.  If your DM is fair, this should, at the very least, give you a few encounters that start at range.  If your DM is not fair--well, you'll know it soon enough!Don't ask permission to roleplay.  Just do it.  If he's actually running your character, I suggest you give him the character sheet and have him roll the dice, as well.  Then get some popcorn and watch the show.  This is a classic foible of the DM who is under the misconception that this is his game.Depending on the circumstances, this might be okay.  Were you given warning that you were straying into very dangerous territory?  Was there even a slim chance to eke out some sort of victory in the situation?Well, first of all, you can only take 20 on a skill check when there are no consequences for failure.  But, nevermind that.  This gets back to the knowledge=power theme.  This guy seems to get off by providing information, or, rather, being asked for information.  It also seems as if this guy enjoys being the reason you guys get out of jams--your benefactor.  If he truly believes that you all put yourselves in these messes (he might be right, to some extent), he should give you all the opportunity to find your own way out.If you really had no reason to suspect anything, this illustrates the knowledge=power theme better than anything, yet.  He has the knowledge, you don't, now you get to sit through several hours of getting executed.  Now you're dead, ha ha!Kind of surprised you even started it.That's not surprising, if you were a mixed group of players he respected and players he did not (as indicated in the start of your post).It kind of sounds like you want to give DMing a try.  You should.  You already know some of the pitfalls to avoid.I've gotta say, this "experienced" DM sounds pretty inexperienced to me.  These types of power-trips are the kind of stuff I used to do when I ran games in high-school (lo these many years ago).I got better.  Which is why I mentioned that Rat Bastard stuff at the beginning.  The thing about it is; you've gotta keep 'em coming back.  And to do that; you have to drop the antagonistic arrogance and acknowledge that it is not the DM's game; it is everybody's.If you run a game and the PCs find themselves in a situation that sucks, but the players think it's awesome, you'll know you've done something right.</blockquote>

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