Should this be fixed

[eamon]

I'm going to go against the flow here and say the DM does have a bit of a responsibility here. Not to replace the lost treasure, but to manage expectations and for her part in the miscommunication.

So the dwarf hates necromancy, but in the DM's world this doesn't make sense. Before the dwarf killed the LG wizard, the DM should have pulled the emergency brake and discussed things. It's quite possible that the dwarf would still have killed that wizard, but that should only have happened with the out-of-character understanding that while the dwarf is justifiably traumatized and hates necromancy, that the PC's behavior is out of line. The players should agree with that - regardless of the characters. I get the feeling that might not be the case based on the fact that you're surprised by the latest destruction of skeletons.

The ideal solution would probably have been to deal with the dwarf after the murder. The dwarf's player should understand that the dwarf's inevitable downfall is not the player's downfall. In fact, he might like the dramatic resolution of what sounds like a key part of his character.

Beyond that, it sounds like a fun bit of in-character gaming - hilariously fun from my uninvolved perspective!

 

[ExploderWizard]

I think I have more sympathy for the player of the dwarf PC than most of the other posters here.

If one of the players in the game has made it crystal clear that his PC is resolutely opposed to all necromancy (and even if not all necromancy is metaphysically evil, that is presumably a tenable position - it's not as if toying with the remains of the dead is an act that it would be irrational for a person to have a strong evaluative response to), then by placing such a valuable necromantic treasure the GM seems to me to have set up this situation.

I'm not sure that the GM is therefore obliged to compensate for it. But equally I'm not sure the player of the dwarf deserves punishment (whether out of game or in game, by having his PC ostracised).

The DM placed valuable treasure that was consistent with the game world as the players knew it to be. Just because one player refuses to accept certain realities of that world does not mean the DM has an obligation to alter that world to better fit the deluded view of a single PC.

I'm going to go against the flow here and say the DM does have a bit of a responsibility here. Not to replace the lost treasure, but to manage expectations and for her part in the miscommunication.

I don't see any miscommunication here. There was no mention anywhere that the player was not made aware of how the game world in this campaign operated. A choice was made to personally ignore what was acceptable to the rest of the world and act upon personal beliefs. Thats all well and good as long as the player understands that actions have consequences and doesn't complain when having to face them.

 

[Raven Crowking]

I don't see any miscommunication here.

Agree.

Indeed, from my reading, the DM went out of her way to ensure that the player understood the norms. She informed the players that the items were not evil. She gave the player the option to make a Wisdom save before taking his action (which, in any group I've ever been in, means you're doing something you might want to reconsider). Ever indication is that she was as clear as is humanly possible.


RC

 

[jasper]

...It is just something I have to deal with in game. We have been playing together for 16 years and in real life he is a wonderful friend the type who would give you his last bit of money if you needed it. So I just cope with his gaming style.

So he is PITAG. As in PITA Gamer type. You have two choices. One which you are doing is just sucking it up. Two tell PITAG you will not play with him unless he chills out.
I have did both. But as I got older and had less game time found that choice two does improve my enjoyment of the game.

Can I swap your roommate for a dog and two cats? I have a spare room and need a decent DM.
But if I was DM I would not give the group any extra treasure. And maybe have the law on the dwarf for murder.

 

[Elf Witch]

I started this thread to give my roommate some support. She really does not have the time to be on the computer. I wanted her to get some opinions besides mine on what she should do.

The issues I have with some of the things that the player does in game is something I learned to deal with several years ago. I had to make a choice to either adapt or quit the group. So I adapted. I will admit that there are times I feel stifled as a player. But most of the time I look forward to gaming and seeing my friends.

It is hard to find groups in my area gaming seems to be dying a slow death.

It really does not matter what the DM says to the player about her world he does what he wants to. Most of the time it is not an issue. And she does adapt things for example knowing him she would never try to introduce a good drow.

The reason she didn't think it would be an issue with the skeletons was because they were small animals and not a danger. The player has not attacked or tried to kill the NPC necromancer since he went to jail and the subject has not come up.

She is going to adapt the game further and not make the mistake of introducing anything else like this in the game.

 

[Mort]

It really does not matter what the DM says to the player about her world he does what he wants to. Most of the time it is not an issue. And she does adapt things for example knowing him she would never try to introduce a good drow.

The reason she didn't think it would be an issue with the skeletons was because they were small animals and not a danger. The player has not attacked or tried to kill the NPC necromancer since he went to jail and the subject has not come up.

She is going to adapt the game further and not make the mistake of introducing anything else like this in the game.

This is quite sad. From the way you phrase it, this player seems to be holding the rest of the group hostage to his way of playing (and his worldview, regardless of the DM).

The simple fact that his actions have caused the DM to shy away from rewards like this in the future (and while she probably means necromancy, she'll probably double think any non-standard reward now) is itself a bad outcome.

Is your group really so small that the DM can't risk alienating the player by having a talk with him - specifically to stop imposing his worldview over that of the actual world as presented(which is clearly metagamey and not "roleplaying" anyway) to the detriment of the DM and other players?

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I've changed my mind. Just kill his character. While he's asleep and you're (improved) invisible. And if he brings in another delusional character, do the same. And keep on doing it until he gets the hint. He can either play in the world the GM has made for all of you to play in, or he can go play somewhere else.

PS: He is not your friend. At least, not on game night.

 

[GSHamster]

I think this is an out-of-game problem that needs to be handled out-of-game.

The player of the dwarf (the player, not the character) is a jackass. He is deliberately playing in a manner designed to inflict annoyance on the other players (not the characters, but the players), and justifying it in the name of "roleplaying".

"Roleplaying" is not a license to annoy the rest of the gaming group.

In my mind, you need to sit him down outside the game and tell him to play nicely with others. Call him out for his behavior, and refuse to accept "roleplaying" as an excuse.

 

[Aeolius]

It really does not matter what the DM says to the player about her world he does what he wants to. Most of the time it is not an issue. And she does adapt things for example knowing him she would never try to introduce a good drow.

I would tell her not to change her DMing style one jot. A DM should not run a game they do not enjoy. The player sounds inflexible and selfish, like a thief who would steal from their own party.

I also have problems with players who expect standard dungeon crawls, standard treasures, and monsters run verbatim from the Monster Manual. What's wrong with a good drow, a neutral troll, or an evil treant?

Have fun with it. If a player does not enjoy the DM's style, the player should leave.

 

[baradtgnome]

Since this is a group of friends, a non-confrontational discussion about how the others feel about this kind of action might be enough to change the way he plays. Something like, "You know, we were really disappointed in not getting any treasure. The other characters could role play their reaction in ways you might not like. Such as demanding compensation, or doing things behind your character's back. We don't want this to turn into bad feelings."

I understand you are trying to make your DM feel better. I think there was enough reinforcement in this thread that the community felt it was a clever and desirable way to offer treasure. The reality is, even with the reinforcement, the DM is now going to alter her style to avoid offending people. That is unfortunate. Good luck with the game & your friends. It is, after all, the friends that matter most.