Meh. Maybe we won't.

[Quasqueton]

A plot that is a railroad, and a cliche, with an immensly powerful being telling the PCs what to do all in one big package? Take a hike, or at least listen when your players tell you 'NO!'

So, do you dump the DM when any one of these items pops up, at any time in the campaign? Or only if they all show up all the time?

You've taken one example (taken out of thin air), without context or history, and extrapolated it into a horrible DM and campaign.

If I were to give an example of a creative NPC, would you then applaud the DM as a complete wonder with imagination and intelligence? "Keep that DM! He's terrific."

Quasqueton

 

[Andor]

Many folks here answered the question in the way it was asked. But some seemed confused.
Notice that the question was "What does the immensely powerful being do?" Not, "What does the DM do?"

And some of you guys, well, I'd hate to be your DM. You sound like you consider everything a DM does with an eye toward dumping him.

"That's a cliched plot. You're fired."

"That's a railroad setup. You're fired."

"That's an annoying NPC. You're fired."

"We're meeting for the first game session in a tavern. You're fired."

"We've stumbled into a plot where an immensely powerful being is issueing us orders. I don't like to be ordered around. You're fired."

Quasqueton

Well the question as asked is unanswerable. The correct response is "Who is the IPB, and why is he issuing orders?" Then maybe we can offer relevant advice.

He can:

A)Threaten the PCs.

B)Threaten something the PCs value.

C)Threaten something they don't value by mistake.

D)Attempt to bribe them.

E)Try to flatter/charm/con them.

F)Try to convince them they should do it for (Whatever motivates the party) reasons.

G)Kill them.

H)Harm them.

I)Nothing

J)Find other to do his bidding.

K)Do it himself

L)Ask the PC to do something else.

M)Find a changeling hooker.

As to needing a new character, I don't ever go into a campaign without asking the GM what kind of character is suitable. If he wants me to make a character who is swayable by threats, I will. If not... Well then clearly I needed a character more suited to his style of campaign anyway.

The one time I did look a godling straight in the eye and tell him no, the GM chose option F and the godling talked my character around his ethical block. It was a great session.

But in the generic scenario provided it is a serious error for the IPB to assume that a group of Heros are going to do what he asks just because he has a hairy chest.

 

[Quasqueton]

However I am going by his own example - the characters have already said no, which indicates lack of interest on the parts of the players. And given that most players have at least a little patience in regards to such things it is unlikely to have been the first time.

TheAuldGrump, read this carefully, as I've stated it at least twice already:

The example I gave is completely made up. Pulled out of my butt. Not an example taken from my game, nor any game I have ever been a part of.

Quasqueton

 

[TheAuldGrump]

So, do you dump the DM when any one of these items pops up, at any time in the campaign? Or only if they all show up all the time?

You've taken one example (taken out of thin air), without context or history, and extrapolated it into a horrible DM and campaign.

If I were to give an example of a creative NPC, would you then applaud the DM as a complete wonder with imagination and intelligence? "Keep that DM! He's terrific."

Quasqueton

Considering that you started of with the situation described - yes, I supplied a context from my own experiences. It comes too close to something I have seen too many times over the years. And the fact that you had the characters already saying 'no' shows that the players had a problem. My sympathies in cases like this lie with the players not the DM.

Now I will admit that I could be wrong, perhaps the whole idea is to make the PCs so ticked off with the BBEG that they will eventually come knockin' on his door with a shotgun, but from that little scrap? Too much experience with bad DMs, with that set up being the most common. (The absolute worst was a DM who allowed his best friend to charm person everyone in the party, then tell people who were charmed not to try and save against the charm when he cast it again before it ran out the first time.)

I have been the DM who tried that schtick as well, I didn't lose the group, but that was because I listened when they said that they had a problem with the set up. Coming up with how the BBEG can force them to do it anyway means that the problem just got bigger.

Players want the freedom to choose their characters actions.

The Auld Grump

 

[Aust Diamondew]

He shrugs and goes to find a group more heroic/deserving. This lot of clowns obviously isn't up to the task.

Sorta like how the crappy DM isn't up to the task of designing an adventure that doesn't involve railroading.

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

"That's a cliched plot. You're fired."

"That's a railroad setup. You're fired."

"That's an annoying NPC. You're fired."

"We're meeting for the first game session in a tavern. You're fired."

"We've stumbled into a plot where an immensely powerful being is issueing us orders. I don't like to be ordered around. You're fired."

Plot cliches like an OSB issuing diktats involving quests which Thou Shalt Accomplish? Yep, personally I'm hitting the road at that point - I'd rather watch TV.

Seriously, a DM who can't think of something better than that - even on the fly - is just so far below standard that I couldn't play with him/her.

 

[KenM]

Geas/Quest

Saving Throw- None

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.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

The last time I tried something even remotely like this was a corrupt priest of Menoth blackmailing the party. From the DM viewpoint the point was to make them want to kill the sucker, and eventually they did. So it can be done, but it should never be for the sake of the GREAT QUEST (tm).

The Auld Grump

 

[Haradim]

Such resistance has happened on occasion in our group. Generally, the quest giver need not do anything unusual, since most of the party usually goes along with the situation as presented - any dissenters tend to cut themselves out of the game, though they often return to the party if encounters go badly.

I suspect that if the majority of the players decided not to take the bait, the game would swiftly end, likely permanently. I also think (well, know) that if we were to dump GMs who railroaded or stuck to cliches, that we would likely not game again for a very long time, if ever (we have little enough time for it as it is).

 

[Hand of Evil]

TheAuldGrump, read this carefully, as I've stated it at least twice already:

The example I gave is completely made up. Pulled out of my butt. Not an example taken from my game, nor any game I have ever been a part of.

Quasqueton

You have to know your players and you as a DM have to know the types of games they will be interested in (questions to ask players before games). Players will always do something the DM does not expect, if a DM can get his plots down to a yes or no flow chart he is doing good and it is always a good idea to have two backup plans. You also have to think about presentation, so railroading does not work, what will get the players to the dungeon anyway? Little girl asking the players to find her mommy, who just happens to be in the same place, or a man with a big purse saying I am paying for orc heads there are here or the players get a letter from home saying your brother has disappeared in that dungeon! All, will get you to the dungeon, if you think railroading is not working you have to turn it around so your players think it is their idea and something else. What motavates your players to game?