Options: when DM and Player Collide

[TheUnknownSoul]

Heya.

Ok, my DM and I have been gaming since High School, pretty consistantly. We started in 2e, and eventually moved up to 3.5 (actually skipping 3.0). However, two rifts have begun to develop.

First, he's been shifting games with alarming speed. He is currently DMing no less than seven (7) different games, switching between them when inspiration hits. Most of these games have second edition roots, and vary in level from 1st to 18th level, and in a variety of settings (homebrew, planescape) and rulesets (Star Wars, Mutants & Masterminds). In addition, we've had false start games (abandoned after 1-2 sessions) and replacement PCs (for those that died). All in all, I've probably rolled up 15 characters for this DM in the last three years. (Its like playing AD&D on ADD).

Now, I could almost live with this, but here's the stickler: He dislikes optional rule-books. To be more blunt; he dislikes anything that didn't exist in 2e. He only allows the normal seven PH races (with subraces, and planar races in Planescape) and the eleven PH classes (and sometimes Dragonlance's mystic). Anything from outside sources (feats, prcs, spells) he must review ahead of time and he will ban it if he things its remotely powerful, fallsafes be damned (currently, he's allowed-then-banned the knight class, aesthetic/devoted X feats, the fate domain, arcane strike, divine feats, and warlocks).

Here is where we come to heads. I've been playing D&D for 12 years now, through Cyclopedia, 2e, 3e, and 3.5. I've played elf mages, dwarf fighters, half-elf bards, etc. I want to try new things now. I want to try swashbucklers, warlocks and favored souls. I want to be a goliath, or an aventi. Or a Frostmage or Dragonslayer. Or build a summoner with every summon spell in the game. I'm not looking to powergame or build "uber-brokan" Pcs, just something different than the traditional tropes I've been playing forever.

So if/when I have to roll up yet another PC, I'm always stuck for new, evocative ideas. I've done all the iconic ideas, and a few unconvential, but now I can't come up with yet-another-cleric that isn't just like one I've already played, etc.

Is there anyway to get him to lessen his draconian hold and allow some stuff beyond the core?

 

[Umbran]

Is there anyway to get him to lessen his draconian hold and allow some stuff beyond the core?

The #1 solution to any player-DM conflict is communication.

I don't know the guy, but I'd not be surprised if he's actually a bit of a mirror of yourself. Perhaps he's jumping amongst games because he himself can't find one single one that's evocative enough to hold his own interest for very long. But that's speculation.

My advice - ask him why he's hopping around. Inform him that it is less fun for you. diskcussions that start with, "Dude, I'm not having a whole lot of fun with same old 2e stuff. We've been using it for yearts, and I feel I've exhausted all the options. Please let me try something else..." sometimes work wonders.

It probably helps if you have a specific idea or two in mind - if he doesn't like letting new things in, he's not going to want to suddenly open up 17 books worth of stuff. So, look for one or two well-balanced options, and ask him if one of them might be appropriate.

The hints here - don't be confrontational, as if everything is all his fault. Don't demand or give ultimatums. Simply ask, and listen to the answers. If you want him to be open to your new stuff, you ought to be open to his opinions as well.

 

[Gargoyle]

Umbran is 100% right.

But I'll add that it sounds to me like your DM might want to play for a change, and may be in as much of a rut as you.

Have you considered being the DM for once? I'm guessing that he hasn't played much. Even if that doesn't work out, it can give your current DM an eyeopener on what it is like to play the game, and may make him a better DM in the future.

 

[frankthedm]

Have you considered being the DM for once? I'm guessing that he hasn't played much. Even if that doesn't work out, it can give your current DM an eye-opener on what it is like to play the game, and may make him a better DM in the future.

Yep!

Warlock is a class that is balanced in a game that is pretty close to treasure levels suggesting in the DMG. In games that fall short, the Warlock feels too strong but has no way of helping the party out at all, which casters need to do when the front line is short on magic.

Goliaths have such a tremendous damage output, they "take the game up a notch", which not everyone appreciates.

Divine feats turn an ability that might be used [turning] into an ability that will be used daily. That is a big boost.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

What the others said. Talk to the guy.

One very important thing: Be respectful. Talk to the guy, explain your position, but don't talk down to him. Don't sound like a brat, or anything else.

But tell him that you're not having fun. I understand how it isn't fun for you: Since you're swapping campaigns like mad, it should be very hard to keep track of plots and parties.

Combine this plethora of different games with the fact that he doesn't allow many, or even any, optional choices, should mean that between the old editions and the current campaigns, you have played anything that you find interesting. If I were in that position, I would love to try a psion, a swordsage, a shadowcaster, a warlock, a ninja, or anything else new.



If it doesn't work, you have to decide whether you want to try to make the best of it or leave this DM behind.

It can work, though: try odd combinations, multiclassing, unconventional roles for races.

Try a half-orc bard - a skald with fighting prowess, keeping the oral traditions.

A Dwarf Rogue/Wizard - the trapmaker who keeps the kobolds and orcs and goblins occupied (with dying) when they try to trespass.

A human druid/barbarian - Shifting into real wild animals.

A halfling monk or monk/rogue - the perfect acrobat.

 

[VirgilCaine]

A Dwarf Rogue/Wizard - the trapmaker who keeps the kobolds and orcs and goblins occupied (with dying) when they try to trespass.

Dwarves are amazingly good Rogues--if you're going to be underground at all.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Excellent advice, Umbran.

This jumping around in so many different campaigns may be a sign of a DM who is stuck in a creative rut and is desperate for that feeling of freshness, it may be a sign of the world's best DM being crazy and creative, or it may be both. But that is just guessing.

If you want to inspire a (perhaps) tired DM, nothing like offering him a chance to play while you DM.

Does not even need to be a long campaign or anything like that. Find a decent module that will last a few sessions.

 

[Arnwyn]

Is there anyway to get him to lessen his draconian hold and allow some stuff beyond the core?

Yes. Somebody else can DM. (That's what I offer to my players if they don't like the number of options I allow. No surprise, there has never been a taker.)

 

[Belen]

Yes. Somebody else can DM. (That's what I offer to my players if they don't like the number of options I allow. No surprise, there has never been a taker.)

QFT

 

[TheUnknownSoul]

Good stuff so far...

1.) I DO dm. I run a game every other week, while he runs his weekly. In my game, there is pretty much anything goes (so far, I don't allow a couple PrCs, 6-7 feats, and some whole-rulesets like Incarnum). Interestly, few of my players seem to take me up on my offers and stick to "traditional" stuff. My group consists of 1 mutal player, said DM, and two exlcusive players. (His is likewise, me, mutual player, two exclusives). I just got back into DMing, so my game has taken a bit to find its groove, but its working so far.

2.) His campaign jumping is probably from the same thing; he runs out of ideas quickly and then gets bored, but doesn't like to abandon things. He's also influenced by pop-culture; Superman Returns kicked off a M&M flurry, Star Wars on DVD will probably get us back into SWd20.

Here is another question: what do you do when a PC comes to you with a nonstandard idea like a goliath or a warlock (to keep the examples)? If you allow it, why and how do you justify it (assuming neither has been given a previous place in your world) if not, why don't you?