Should a DM assume your character does something?

[Zappo]

Here's what I do:

- If a player says "We go upstairs" and noone says "I don't" within a few seconds, I assume everyone goes upstairs. However, I'm a master at reading my players' faces, and if I see someone is doubtful I ask him what he's doing, or I ask the group "Everyone goes?". Just in case.

- If a player says "I go upstairs", I may ask everyone what they do, or assume only that character is going. I always ask when I know position may become an issue, and I randomly ask or not when I know position is irrelevant (so that players can't tell when a trap is about to spring).

In general, whenever a player states something about his and only his character's actions, I never assume anyone follows.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

But really, which one of us do you think was being unreasonable here

Salutations,

It is hard to say- should the dm check with every person at every moment on such a matter? Especially when in the dungeon-crawl mode?

I think it would be annoying if every moment is stopped to do an individual compliance check.

However- when traps, ambushes, and/or entering a new room/area is concerned.. then perhaps asking a question "is everyone going with him/her?" is a good idea.

Though it could be tipping the dm's hand.

If the dm has not learned from this session that you want to be consulted on every such movement, then you should go out of your way to speak up and make it clear you are NOT going with a pc.

FD

 

[Darklone]

We could give a lot of advices now how you could handle it, but I think it's more important to handle the situation you had now.

We usually did it like: Ok, you assumed this time I followed... I do it this time but don't assume it next time for me, I tell you if I do it.

Another method: Marching order. Put the miniatures in a marching order on the table. You see at once if someone walks ahead or not.

Besides: I haven't had a DM in years who asked where everyone is AFTER he told the group that they FOUND a trap.

 

[Ashtal]

Hmmm ... I try to clarify when I am GMing, something akin to "Um, did everyone follow Joe up the stairs?", especially if I know it has a direct impact on their livelihoods. Granted, this tips off the players that 'something is up' but as long as they don't metagame it, no harm, no foul.

That said, I would have let the matter slide if your DM had ruled you went up the stairs (just so the game doesn't get disrupted with a disagreement), but followed it with something along the lines of, "Okay, but you know I'm generally good about saying whether or not I follow someone. I'll try to be consistent about this in the future, and I hope that you don't always assume that I'm following the group's every step."


Ashtal

 

[danzig138]

Unreasonable? Probably both of you Whenever someone IMG says "I'm going upstairs", or "I'm going through that door", I always ask "Who's following?" to specifically avoid situations like that you described. From the way you described it, he assumed things he probably shouldn't have IMO. Is this the first time a situation / misunderstanding like this has come up in the game?

 

[JacktheRabbit]

The DM knew full well that there was at least one trap in the tower. This meant it was his duty to know where everyone was at any given point in the game.

He CANNOT do so by merely assuming everyone is a Lemming.

The DM was completely in the wrong here.

 

[Leopold]

I'm a fairly ruthless DM, but in that situation, when Dylan said he was going up the stairs, I would have paused to ask what everyone else was doing. I don't think your DM should assume that your characters do anything.

i concur..i ask ALLL the players what they are doing always. i assume NOTHING..just ask them. They will tell you. When they go into a room it's loot mode, when one person finds a chest, they all dash over to it, and if a trap goes off they all suffer.

They have sinced learned that everything stops when a box is found and normal search,disable Device, open locks, pattern ensues while everyone is away from the chest by 10ft.

Beyond that whence one person goes up stairs I ask if they are following as some like to wander elsewhere.

 

[Oracular Vision]

If the party has previously agreed to stick together, then fine. Otherwise, since it is important to know where everyone is, players have to be given a chance to say what they are doing. All it takes is, as above, a simple question, "what is everyone else doing?".

There are times, especially when travelling, when a the group will be together and there is no reason to ask what everyone is doing, and they will usually encounter things at the same time.

 

[Tsyr]

Is this the first time a situation / misunderstanding like this has come up in the game?

No. Part of the reason I blew up was this was the second time that night he assumed something for my character. Previosly, after we had done some other stuff in the town, I said I went to our inn and ordered a goblet of wine... when we were ambushed in the night, he tried to assign penalties to me for being drunk, having 'assumed' that I kept drinking until I passed out, like my compatriots.

 

[Andor of the Blade]

We have a fairly simple method of determining what all the PCs are doing. Whatever the player said their character is doing, that is what their character is doing. It doesn't change until the player states a new action for their character.

IMO, in this case, the DM was 100% wrong. The DM should never assume a character's action - good or bad.