Meh. Maybe we won't.

[fanboy2000]

I think the major problem with the first post is that there, in fact, DMs who do have Immensely Powerful Beings who have no other purpose but to send PCs on unimaginative hack and slash adventures. (This is to differentiate between imaginative hack and slash adventures, like RttoEE. ) The post isn't worded like it's supposed to be taken literally.

 

[tetsujin28]

It vanishes into a special Hell reserved for clumsy and heavy-handed plot devices and is replaced by a subtle, character-driven motivational technique.

Word.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Those of you who say the opening example is bad DMing: was it bad playing for the Players to have their PCs say "no" to the IPB?

Note: Saying "yes" to the IPB does not necessarily mean the PC *will* pursue the adventure.

That completely depends on the PCs in question.

 

[Mad Mac]

Well, I don't know how other people would do it, but if it was my uber-powerful being, it would go something like this...

Ubie: No? Well, I guess I understand...but think it over, will you?

PC: Yeah, yeah, whatever.

(Crack of dawn the next morning)
*Banging noise*

PC: The He..? Someones at the door?
(Opens door, see's the uber powerful being standing there with slightly mussed up hair)

Ubie: Hiyah fellas! Care for a doughnut?

PC: You have got to be kidding me.

Ubie: So about that Mcguffin...

PC: No! *slams door*

Other PC: You could at least have taken the doughnuts...

PC: Shut up! So now what do we do?

Other PC: I dunno. Lets go look for a new, non-mcguffin related job.

(PC's trek down to the employment center.)

PC: Hey, this one pays pretty well.

Other PC: Yeah, what's it say?

PC: Kind of vague..."Exciting, non-railroaded adventure, no McGuffins. Promise!"

Other PC: Doesn't sound bad. "Meet Bob in Inn for details" You want it?

PC: Well, there is one other assignment. "Wererat infestation in sewers"

Other PC: Is there any other kind? You'd think people would learn. How's the pay?

PC: Lousy. not suprisingly. You'd think they'd just give maintance workers silver knives and be done with it.

Other PC: What, and raise taxes? Screw that. Lets do the first job.

(Party treks over to Inn)

PC: *Peeks inside, then throws buddy up against the wall and presses his finger up to his lips.* Sshhhh

Other PC: *yelling* Get off me you nutcase, what's wrong with you!

PC: (Panicked expression) He'll...hear...you

Ubie: *Waving* Hiyah boys! Come on in!

PC: Oh, no...we aren't setting foot in that...Hey what are you doing? Traitor!

Other PC: Sorry dude, suggestion...

PC: Dang nabbit.

*PC's sit across the table from uber-powerful being, now wearing a "Bob" nametage.*

Ubie: I'm so glad you've accepted this quest...

PC: We, uh, can't do it, sorry.

Ubie: Oh?

Other PC: Yeah! we got this wererat quest lined up and..

Ubie: That hackneyed sewer deal? Already done.

PC: What?

Ubie: Oh come on, it was easy. Took me 5 minutes.

PC: But why?

Ubie: Just wanted to make sure you had room in your schedule for my McGuffin problem.

Other PC: *Waving Paper* Hold on now! This flyer clearly states "No McGuffins!" If you're lying, so help me, we'll have you brought up on false-advertising charges so fast...

Ubie: Did I say McGuffin? I must have mispoke. I meant to say, uh...MacGuffin, yes, that's the ticket...

PC's: *Groan*

But you know, we all have our own DMing styles. And no, I wouldn't make them do it, but I probably would have "Bob" harassing them for the next couple months, just for kicks. He could even come up with new non-so-dire problems every week.

 

[Ds Da Man]

No...No....No.....You guys aren't DMing right!!! Can't you see that this has an uber-baddie asking Pcs to do a quest? Shame on you, and every DM like you!!!! You are in no way more superior to the rest of the DMs on this sight!!!

Jesh...not every group has super-pcs, that can come up with the creativity to actually have a serious role-playing game. Once again, you do it your way...I'll do it mine! He just asked for help.

Now, I have to agree with above and say that maybe baddie would negotiate a deal PCs, or bother them too death.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Well, I don't know how other people would do it, but if it was my uber-powerful being, it would go something like this...

*MUCH SNIPPAGE*

But you know, we all have our own DMing styles. And no, I wouldn't make them do it, but I probably would have "Bob" harassing them for the next couple months, just for kicks. He could even come up with new non-so-dire problems every week.

Heh, heh, heh! Why do I picture Ubie sounding like Robin Williams? Or possibly Jim Carey?

The Auld Grump

 

[Wild Gazebo]

Scenario one

Complete PC control.

PCs roam around a wonderfully developed world delving into their own personal motives and aspirations. Collectively, after defeating several Big Bad Meanies, they quest out the great wizard, Wonderboy, to create a wonderful item for them, the Mighty Handy Bag of Everything. They bang at Wonderboy’s tower three days and three nights before they gain an audience. Going into intense negotiations, Wonderboy agrees to create the Mighty Handy Bag of Everything if at some time in the future they do one favour for him. Heartily agreeing with Wonderboy, they watch in amazement as he whips up the marvellous item before their eyes. Handing them the Mighty Bag of Everything, Wonderboy says “I only want one thing, please fetch me the McGuffin from the depths of the Useless Plot Device Mountains.”

PCs “Um, we’d rather not. Thanks for your time though. Bye.”



Scenario two

Complete lack of PC control.

The PCs are sitting at a bar. Wonderboy, the mighty wizard of Terribledmland dramatically sweeps in to the room squinting his eyes at the ruffians and rogues that frequent the establishment. Pausing on a couple of brutish looking individuals, he sets his gaze and stalks over. Whispering harshly to the two thugs who had handily thrown out the PCs the night before, he stands back sharply. “How dare you refuse…maggots.”
He then, with a negligent wave, disintegrates the two of them. Turning around with another quick glance at the establishment he stalks over to the PCs. “I only want one thing, please fetch me the McGuffin from the depths of the Useless Plot Device Mountains.”

PCs “Um, we’d rather not. Thanks for your time though. Bye.”



Isn’t it amazing how the question and the answer remained the same? Both are extremes for a reason. A little benefit of the doubt goes a long way.

 

[Terwox]

With regards to the original question:
The Immensely Powerful Being reacts as its alignment and motives dictate.

My most successful game so far was a game where there were no immensely powerful beings -- the entire world incarnated as amnesiacs, and all of them incarnated at about level 1. The only people who could make someone more powerful than the PCs were the PCs themselves -- and they did choose to do so once.

So, yes. Removing the idea of "immensely powerful beings" works pretty well for me, as a GM.

So, in essence, my answer to what the immensely powerful being says, if the players say no, is, "whoops, I don't exist." Then he'd vanish in a puff of logic. Or a puff of burlap. Whichever.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Scenario one
....They bang at Wonderboy’s tower three days and three nights before they gain an audience. Going into intense negotiations, Wonderboy agrees to create the Mighty Handy Bag of Everything if at some time in the future they do one favour for him. Heartily agreeing with Wonderboy, they watch in amazement as he whips up the marvellous item before their eyes. Handing them the Mighty Bag of Everything, Wonderboy says “I only want one thing, please fetch me the McGuffin from the depths of the Useless Plot Device Mountains.”

PCs “Um, we’d rather not. Thanks for your time though. Bye.”

I call "shennanigans" on this option. Player driven plots still have consequences. If you go bother the great mage Wonderboy, banging at his door for days on end, agree to his terms, get your doodad, and then refuse, they will still pay up in on form or another.

Lawful Wonderboy should proceed to kick the sorry carcasses of the players throughout the depths of the UPD Mountains. An Evil Wonderboy may be miffed at his loss of XPs and will exact retribution from the PCs either by killing them so they lose levels or by performing experiments to "extract" the XPs from them. Chaotic Evil Wonderboy may stuff them in the MBoE so they become the minions of the adventurers he does send to the UPD Mountains.

Either way, "Thanks for your time though. Bye.” does not suffice.

 

[Harmon]

Any DM that puts a Geas on me so I will go on his adventure is railroading, I would get up and walk out of the game, and not come back.

First off- never done that to a PC, however I have done things like it to NPCs that are friends of the PCs. The PCs can bail out any time they want to the NPC has to stick to it though.

When the Player have revolted against my campaign plans- "we're not going into that dungeon, we're going to the Inn in search of another adventure," generally I let them do some things in town then when things look like the Players actually had not idea- well I stop there and- "okay, next GM up, I only had the one campaign planned, and you guys avoided it."

As for being a Player- I would not walk out on a railroad campaign unless the railroading was too strong, or the villians were beyond us.