Need hellp with character creation for an intractible DM

[Caeleddin]

KaeYoss - I don't know if I will go that far. I can see where you are coming from, but I have played with him as a DM before, although it was in a World of Darkness system. The thing is, he wasn't like that in that system. Only in this system, for some bizarre reason.

Yes, he rolled my stats. From the stats of the other 2 new players (he sent them all on the same e-mail), I had the lowest stats, with the lowest total stat bonus and the lowest number of odds (which means nothing to them).

He started off with saying "low divine, so no clerics", and proceded to outlaw Wizards and Sorcerors and more or less outlawed Soulknives for me. He knows I hate having to roll up monsters and keep track of half-a-dozen summoned stuff at a time, so he can safely rule out Druids for me. He also knows I hate playing Bards and Rogues. So, I guess he is more or less picking the classes for me.

I wanted to play the heroic type, probably Half-Celestial of some description, with a wife and a kid. The wife was to be like that lady in Tiberian Sun, so that we get a child with wings and crystals gowing out of her head (I actually started the character concept with the kid rather than with my character). He ruled that quarter-Celestials are Aasimars and so have no wings. Thus, he ruled that I would have to be the one with the crystals growing out of me and my wife will be the full Celestial. Then, he changed the description so that instead of just a few crystals along the forehead, I'd have large swathe of crystals everywhere. I also HAVE to take the Leadership feat in order to have this wife "effectively" (ie., have her give me advice on things she knows, etc., which would be determined by him, since he is playing her as an NPC). He has warned me that he is thinking of a plot device that would keep me in the city involving my wife (the campaign centres around a city and my character's family are outsiders that had just settled in it). I have no idea what it is or what to expect.

I really want to give him a chance as (as I have said before), he usually ain't this bad *sighs* Day after tomorrow is the briefing session, where he will tell us the history, we get to create characters, etc. I will be going to it to see how things will go. I'll report on the events here and see what happens. If your advice is still "get the Hell out", I will very seriously consider it. I just want to give him a chance first.

Thanks for your comments. The boiling seas was particularly nice

 

[Seeten]

What about Artificer? Or Paladin? how about Str 12, dex 8, con 12, int 9 wis 14 cha 15. First attr bonus in str, second in cha, power attack, divine might and the mount related charging feats.

As a Paladin, you'll be terrible at front line combat, but you'll have great saves, and well, he rolled your stats, so he wanted you to be terrible at something. This gives you a character that can still be devastatingly effective(Charges...wow) and who somewhat fails his primary purpose. If he considers you a munchkin, though, you might ask if you can play a Noble. go level 11 Aristocrat, or something, with the leadership feat, and get a decent cohort that doesnt suck.

 

[Caeleddin]

Seeten - He will allow classes in the Player Handbook and Psionics Handbook only, so Artificer is out (unless Artificer is in the Psi Handbook? This shows how much I know). Also, no Prestige Classes. He also said there will be about 50% combat and 50% social interaction. That practically means you need at least a +ve Int bonus to get enough skill points to be effective outside of combat for a class with 2 skill points base. Either that or get a class with more base skill points. The Paladin you suggested would be bad outside of combat and bad inside of combat, especially since it revolves around the city and so will not have a lot of mounted combat.


After all of the above, do you think he would give me a decent cohort?

 

[RigaMortus2]

I don't think you are being persistent enough. I would tell the DM, "These are the characters I made and I want to play, if you don't like them, then you make the character for me. If you do not want to make the character for me, then choose one of these characters I made and let me play it. Otherwise, we are at a stalemate and what is the point of me playing?"

Other than that, if you are stuck with a Fighter build, go the cheesy Spike Chain + Trip feats way (make sure you get Combat Reflexes too). That will show him!

 

[Seeten]

Yes, I bet he would, especially if you say, I'd like my cohort to do (broad and mildly interesting thing here) and HE gets to make it. So he can make it fit his world, and use it to bludgeon you into behaving the way he likes. Since he can use it to do that, I bet you get a good one.

The aristocrat idea seems like a good one.

 

[Caeleddin]

RigaMortus2 - Now that you mention it, in that game with my screwed up Sorceror, HE is playing a Bard/Barbarian/Fighter 5/1/2 with Spike Chain, Combat Reflexes, Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Disarm, Trip. And HE is calling me a munchkin.....


Seetan - He wants me to take the Leadership feat just to keep my wife.....!

 

[Seeten]

Is the wife a level 9 NPC? If so, thats cool, it means she adventures with you. Your DM sounds like a dink, really, no offense.

I play in one game with friends where the game sucks and the DM is a dink, I play a barbarian, and I roll the dice when asked, aside from that I sit in a comfortable chair, and chill. Make barbarian sounding noises from time to time, and move my miniature on the battlemap.

 

[Caeleddin]

Seetan - No. She gets to advise us from time to time IF I take the feat. She stays at home to look after the apothecary. I wanted to start one of my own and let her be in charge of it when I go adventuring (that was part of the original backstory). He nixed it and says there is too many of those. She'll only get to work in one. Also, my 4 year old kid has to go to school. I mean.... 4 years old???!!!
The Barbarian idea has merit. I will just have to throw out the entire backstory altogether, but that sounds like fun for the 50% of the time he promises us we'll be in combat. I'll bring my laptop to the sessions and just write out plots and stories while they have their balls or whatever.

No offense taken. I have stronger words than that to describe him, but this is a family forum.

 

[Thanee]

Heh. Build a character that is pretty much exactly like a character he has in another game.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Liquidsabre]

If it's hard to find a good game in New Zealand it's also a bit hard to fidn good players too I imagine. The DM laid it out there and what he is asking for during character generation. If you find this unacceptable (I most certainly would - especially as this DM exhibits all of the classical behaviors of a control-freak/story-hog DM) then simply and politely tell the DM and group: "Alright. I'm going to have to drop out of this one fellas. I'll see you later."

If they press for a 'why', honestly let them know but try to at least be polite in the phrasing (unlike so many posters here - myself included!) hehe. If they accept that, they are good gaming buddies and you'll see them next campaign. If they don't, these gaming buddies are the kind you want to let go.

In the meantime keep an eye out for other games and start up your own fledgling game. Good games are either created or stumbled upon. Unfortunately playing in alot of bad games first to get to other gamers is often a prereq for either a) finding good players for forming a good group, or b) finding a good game to join.

You already know these gamers so move along and keep networking! It'll eventually workout! No sense playing with a total story-hog, the selfish DMing git.