Pathfinder 1E Player Dilemma: How to bow out of a campaign you don't like.

[frankthedm]

Some folks like the railroad, especially since store games have tight time constraints. Saves time in a game where combats can take way too long and prevents "That One Guy (or Girl)" from driving the game on a unrelated tangent away from the dungeon.

 

[the Jester]

Generally, talking about it with the dm out of game is a good, civil way to handle it.

The whole "Just start showing up late... then miss half a session... etc" thing is ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE, in my opinion; if you are going to drop out, just drop out. Playing that kind of gradual "maybe I'm in, maybe I'm not" game is pointless and all it does is extend the agony for everyone involved.

 

[Kobold Boots]

Tell the GM after a session that you won't be returning because you're not enjoying yourself. Don't do it in front of the other players.

If the GM cares and is worth your time, he will ask why and you'll have a good chat. Maybe he fixes things. Maybe you reinforce the reasons that led to your decision.

The thing is, he's running a game at a game store. These always need to be tighter games due to time constraints and the nature of people to come and go. They're not the same animals as a game where you know everyone and the same people show up for years.

Another is, that your GMs personality may make it such that no matter how you deal with it, he may just tell people you're a jerk for leaving anyway. Be careful not to superimpose your super-nice personality on to him just because it's how you're perceiving things from your point of view. All you can do is leave nicely.

Then talk to the store owner about starting up your own game at the game store at a time that doesn't conflict with the other GM's. Put up an ad, and go at it. It's a store and you're not the first person to not like something there. Trust me.

Good luck.

 

[MichaelSomething]

E-mail the DM with a link to this thread?

 

[katcitrus]

Thanks everyone, for your advice. I will think on it, and I'll post again to tell y'all how it goes.

 

[DnD_Dad]

Good luck!

 

[doghead]

...[The GM] is nice enough, but he isn't usually very well prepared and he tends to railroad us into whatever the mod says we should be doing. I don't have anything against him personally, but I'm used to GMs knowing the rules better and letting the players feel as if they have some effect on the course of events (even if the GM is just taking us to where he wants us anyway). I like the mod itself, and I really enjoy my character and the other players characters. I just don't enjoy his GMing style. To make matters more complicated, we just moved to this area and we'd like to keep playing at this store, or at least with some people who frequent the store. Does anyone have any advice on how to gracefully bow out of this campaign? Or how to talk to the GM about the railroading issue? Help!

There has been a bunch of good advice posted about gracefully bowing out. I'd like to look at the alternative; stick with it. There are a number of good things about the game, you like the mod, your character and the party. But from what you wrote, there appear to be two issues.

1. The GM is inexperienced and doesn't know the rules very well. This problem should work itself out with time. Meanwhile, you could assist the situation a number of ways; quick reference guides, special ability summary sheets, character initiative cards, pocket spell books, etc., can reduce the administration burden.

2. The GM tends to play to the module, railroading if necessary. This one may be a result of the GM's inexperience, but it may not. As has been mentioned, it may be more deliberate given that he is running an in a store game. The solution might just be a change of thinking. "I hate being railroaded" is a lot harder to shrug off than "I prefer having more character freedom to act". From my own experience, I like house sharing. But inevitably somethings about my housemates would drive me to distraction. So I would have a rant, reassess my thinking, get over it and get back to enjoying the positives of the arrangement.

I don't know exactly what you are thinking, so maybe this isn't of any value. But I thought I would share my two cents worth just in case it proved useful.

Good luck and good gaming.

thotd

 

[sheadunne]

If he's running a Pathfinder AP it's expected that you follow the course of the AP. When I run Or play in them there's an expectation for railroading. It's part of the enjoyment of them. Sometimes it feels like you're just along for the ride, plot wise, but they're great for busy people who don't have the time to devote to more freestyle forms of play.

It's possible that this is the expectation for the game and it may well indeed be not what you're looking for. This doesn't mean he's a bad DM or you're a bad player, there's just different expectations. I would just say thanks for the fun and move along if its not the mode of play you want.

On the other hand, he might just be too busy to properly prepare and run the game. Happens to all of us at one time or another. I doubt though that its a fixable situation.

 

[timASW]

" they changed my hours at work, I cant make it anymore"

If you dont want conflict dont half ass around avoiding conflict. Either have it or dont. But dont listen to any of these passive aggressive solutions. All those do is fail at both passive and aggressive.

 

[DnD_Dad]

Right, lie... Lol