Story Designing and GM Authority Help

[chubbyloremaster]

Recently I got into a really troublesome issue with my gaming group. We played a large variety of indy and mainstream rpgs and it was always I who was the GM and the one who introduced new games. Some projects lasted years , some a couple of sessions, some failed at the first game and finally some didn't even pass the character creation segment.

Untill now I enjoyed playing the games I prepared but now players demand from me to designe the story to their liking or there will be no game at all. This demands feature things like: setting the starting power level, choosing the setting, designing their own equipment without me butting in and simmilar.

In conclusion I was made to designe a story for Pathfinder set in the Faerun's Dragon Coast about a 15th level party set on ruling the city with a potent guild of assasins.

When I asked them why are they doing this, they said it was because this way they will get the most of what they want to have rather than waiting for the occasion to earn it which may never come.

Please, give me some advice on how should I aproach them and somehow mend this situation. I don't want to lose this gaming group as this one was my first durring my career as a GM.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Recently I got into a really troublesome issue with my gaming group. We played a large variety of indy and mainstream rpgs and it was always I who was the GM and the one who introduced new games. Some projects lasted years , some a couple of sessions, some failed at the first game and finally some didn't even pass the character creation segment.

Untill now I enjoyed playing the games I prepared but now players demand from me to designe the story to their liking or there will be no game at all. This demands feature things like: setting the starting power level, choosing the setting, designing their own equipment without me butting in and simmilar.

In conclusion I was made to designe a story for Pathfinder set in the Faerun's Dragon Coast about a 15th level party set on ruling the city with a potent guild of assasins.

When I asked them why are they doing this, they said it was because this way they will get the most of what they want to have rather than waiting for the occasion to earn it which may never come.

Please, give me some advice on how should I aproach them and somehow mend this situation. I don't want to lose this gaming group as this one was my first durring my career as a GM.

I think I need a little more information to give solid advice, but it sounds like your expectations and the players in this game may differ. When I GM I prefer a game without player wishlists, without players determining factors outside their characters (but I honor player freedom and let them do what they please within the setting), etc. However I also tailor my GMing style to the gaming group.

I don't know much about your players, but it sounds like they have a clear idea of where they want their characters to begin and end. So I guess if they want to acquire a sword +3 of lifestealing, they would expect you to supply it in game. This is one style of play. But it sounds like you like a more objective setting that doesn't respond to things like this (which is my preference as a player and gm). If you want to continue playing with this group it may be worthwhile to ask them what they want in game. Look for specific things: what matters most to them, role of the GM, role of the player, etc. From there you can decide to either bend your style to match theirs, or look for a new group if their preferences don't suit you.

On a sidenote, while I don't like wish-list, optimizing play. I did run a campaign for a group of self-described optimizers a few years ago. At first I was banging my head against a wall trying to get around their style. Once I embraced it and worked to give them the style of game they were looking for, things went much better. Plus I learned how to optimize in order to provide them with challenging encounters.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Recently I got into a really troublesome issue with my gaming group. We played a large variety of indy and mainstream rpgs and it was always I who was the GM and the one who introduced new games. Some projects lasted years , some a couple of sessions, some failed at the first game and finally some didn't even pass the character creation segment.

Untill now I enjoyed playing the games I prepared but now players demand from me to designe the story to their liking or there will be no game at all. This demands feature things like: setting the starting power level, choosing the setting, designing their own equipment without me butting in and simmilar.

In conclusion I was made to designe a story for Pathfinder set in the Faerun's Dragon Coast about a 15th level party set on ruling the city with a potent guild of assasins.

When I asked them why are they doing this, they said it was because this way they will get the most of what they want to have rather than waiting for the occasion to earn it which may never come.

Please, give me some advice on how should I aproach them and somehow mend this situation. I don't want to lose this gaming group as this one was my first durring my career as a GM.

They've given you great feedback. Mull over it, make it your own, and proceed to GM the best campaign ever!

It's good that they've told you what they want. There is still room for you to maneuver. If you enjoy the group you will enjoy the game.

 

[Umbran]

To me, agreement from the players on system, power level and setting seem reasonable. A certain amount of freedom in choosing gear for higher-level characters is also reasonable.

Mind you, if they choose such things that I don't have any interest in running, I'd just tell them why, and offer an alternative or two that would meet my own needs.

 

[delericho]

As DM you should always seek input from your players about the sort of game they want to play. However, you should always run the game that you want to run. If nothing else, that the only way you're going to do your best.

As DM, you can never simply impose your preferred game on the group. The players will just walk out.

Conversely, your players shouldn't be giving you ultimata of the type you describe here. If they want a high-level FR/PF campaign, they should ask for it, and you should strongly consider running it. But they shouldn't demand it.

This is a game, intended for fun. If it's not fun for you, or it's not fun for them, you shouldn't play.

 

[Mark CMG]

I don't run evil PC campaigns which I assume "set on ruling the city with a potent guild of assasins" means? If I am misreading this, I might have some advice.

 

[Storminator]

You're about to run the most awesome game ever! Grab the ideas they've given you and run with it. If they want to run the city, let 'em. Make enemy cities, roving bands of adventurers that want to wreck the market square, pirates and brigands that threaten the city's trade, invading armies, Zhents, Red Wizards, etc.

Give them high level adventures, and awesome treasures, and let them assassinate their enemies all over the place.

Sounds like a blast.

PS

 

[S'mon]

You're about to run the most awesome game ever! Grab the ideas they've given you and run with it. If they want to run the city, let 'em. Make enemy cities, roving bands of adventurers that want to wreck the market square, pirates and brigands that threaten the city's trade, invading armies, Zhents, Red Wizards, etc.

Give them high level adventures, and awesome treasures, and let them assassinate their enemies all over the place.

Sounds like a blast.

PS

That was pretty much my reaction too - but although it sounds cool to us, the big question is does it sound cool to you? If not, you need to say no. You are not their GMing-slave. You can only run what you want to run.

 

[Barastrondo]

The good news is that your players' enthusiasm is a great thing. The not-so-good news is that you have to be enthusiastic to run the game or it's not going to go anywhere exciting. If you look at the game model they've proposed and you feel that it's more daunting than anything else, then you need to let them know that. Yes, if they don't have fun there is no game; the same's true for you, unless someone else volunteers to run it.

My question to you is: How much do you like the proposed game model? Would you say you're excited to run 80% of what they propose? 20%? Do you have specific reservations like "I would be happy to run a Pathfinder game, or a game that starts at higher level, but I don't want to run a 15th-level Pathfinder game?" Or just general reservations like "I don't enjoy assassins as protagonists?" It would be easier to give advice if we knew if you liked anything about this proposal, or if you just don't like any of it.

My most successful D&D campaigns have been those where I put together a list of game ideas I wanted to run (sometimes quite a long one), let the players express interest in the ones they found most interesting, then put it to a vote. They got to pick from stuff I already knew I had lots of ideas for, and they customized the game greatly. But the important thing was that we played a game I knew I had lots of ideas for. For some DMs, the level of structure they're giving you would inspire a lot of ideas -- if it makes you feel like you have fewer ideas worth exploring, you need to talk with them about that.

 

[Rechan]

Like everyone here, I would love a group that gave me such specifics in terms of campaign direction. Although I would find equipment worrying.

Like everyone else, I think the question is whether you like it or not. I for one would be uncomfortable with the level. I know that I for instance would be uncomfortable with players asking me to run a naval campaign (since I know and care little for ship-related things).