Waaah! We broke our GM!

[jasper]

I think issues like this stem from people playing D&D with people they don't like.

The winner. thread is now close. move along now.

 

[Nightfall]

Since when has anything even remotely resembling that line been "the Gamer's Motto"?

Uhm maybe if they are taking Valium like its going out of style?

 

[tauton_ikhnos]

Playing with people we don't like: We don't. I like all of these people, as people and as gamers. If I did not, I would not be upset by this.

All for one mentality: Think Gnimish88 and Joshua Dyal hit it on head - GM was trying for different play style, cleric got "into" new play style, rogue did not. Disagreement isn't really over death of character, but over "how to play". Plan to take GM out to lunch today, talk about that.

However mostly we do not play "all for one". Anti-heroes, differing allegiances, mostly-reformed villains, and paragons of virtue who keep close eye on rest of us . In 25th level game, characters are several different factions. In common, dragon/fiend threat, keeps us from each others' throats. Barely.

Nightfall: Would like to, but... online play, not so fun for me. Type too slow.

Joshua Dyal: Started 5th level (GM wanted politics right from start), advanced +5 levels first 2 months. After that, GM scaled XP way back, 15 levels, 20 months. Also, inveterate munchkins. At 12th level, fight CR 16-20 critters, almost never face our CR - part of why GM scaled XP back .

Anyway, lunch in few hours, feed GM martini, northwest "mexican" food, shoulder to bitch on. See how it turns out. I'm feeling much better now, just need to see what can be salvaged.

Thanks.

 

[Indigo Veil]

Sorry to hear about your problem. Keep us (or me, if no one else cares ^_~) updated on how this progresses.

I actually posted a semi-response to you on seasong's AdD thread (page 16) on ezboard, but I figured I'd give your thread a holler here in case you happen to miss it over there.

 

[tauton_ikhnos]

Thanks for comments. Really helped.

Talked about styles of play, why cleric's player got so mad, etc. Also talked about burnout. Our GM's been running 25th level campaign for 2 years, with maybe six weeks that were missed here and there.

Stupid of us, to expect that to continue. Stupid of him, not to say something sooner .

Determined:
- GM wanted heroism, valor, teamwork in lower level campaign.
- GM got us instead , cept for cleric, who did right
- When cleric got killed for doing right thing, got almighty hacked off
- rogue didn't see what he'd done wrong
- GM burned out anyway, throws baby & bathwater out

Plans:
- I will talk to rogue's player; maybe smooth over, maybe not
- GM will talk to cleric; maybe smooth over, maybe not
- I'll GM... something. Don't know what, yet.
- When/if itch comes, GM will start up high level campaign again
- Alternate me & him for a while, see how it works

So... like I said. This really helped. Sometimes someone outside needs to tell you before obvious things become evident

Pure side note: Damn. Martinis expensive. Note to self: buy GM beer next time

 

[Gnimish88]

Glad to hear things working out at least thus far. Hope the rest of the smoothing goes equally well.

 

[Desdichado]

Martinis expensive. Note to self: buy GM beer next time

Where's the fun in that? You don't want beer to be shaken or stirred.

 

[Kichwas]

typically i would just advise you to find a replacement player and continue.

but i don't know how the new player would react to starting at God Level.

I tried joining in on a 9-10th level game once, and despite -at the time- great players I could never connect to my character and all of the issues in the game.

Once a game's been underway for a certain amount of time it gets very caught up in it's own mini tales. Coming in on that as a new person is very tough.

If the GM doesn't want to continue the worst thing a group can do is talk that person out of it and continue - the GM will burn out, and that will cost you more than just starting a new game.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

Since when has anything even remotely resembling that line been "the Gamer's Motto"?

In most games I've played with, it's been "All for me, or at least as much as I can get away with." I'm really surprised at the folks who chime in and moan about D&D being a "group activity" and they'd throw out anyone who acted like that... have you been reading any of the posts? It's been made abundantly clear that this group doesn't operate like that, and since there is no "right" way to play, your advice is both condescending and irrelevent.

OK... So maybe not everyone agrees with the/my motto. I feel sad for them. In the group I have played with we have always understood that OUT OF GAME we are all working for the fun of the whole group not just to see who can one up the others in game. Maybe that's why I've been gaming with them for 15 years. We all know what keeps the game moving and fun for everyone. Sure there are inter-party conflicts. Just read the Savage Sword of Meepo story hour and you will see that My character and Zads are never in agreement over anything. As players we are fine together and know not to take the "issues" our characters have in game to the point that it stops the game. Maybe it's playing with people you really like outside of the game. Maybe I'm just freeking lucky. I don't know but if this group really wants to continue playing together them they need to approach the issues with more diplomacy.
What I mean by "All for one and one for all" is the idea that no one person should be allowed to take away from the enjoyment off the rest of the group. not what the characters do... the players.

 

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

OK... So maybe not everyone agrees with the/my motto. I feel sad for them. In the group I have played with we have always understood that OUT OF GAME we are all working for the fun of the whole group not just to see who can one up the others in game. Maybe that's why I've been gaming with them for 15 years.

Well said indeed! (doffs helmet and bows)

tauton_ikhnos: as to solving the problem...

Obviously, your GM is going to make his own decisions about whether or not he'll scrap the campaigns, and what it will take to make him want to stay.

But as a player, I have been in very similar circumstances and I'll offer this:

I spoke to the perpetrator privately, not-on-game-night, one-on-one, face-to-face with a cool head, and a rigid spine.
I was careful to make it clear that I was speaking for myself, not as some kind of face-man for the group or for the GM.
I also made it clear that nothing we said was going to leave the room we were speaking in.
I told him that his behavior was no different than peeing in a swimming pool and to please stop being a knucklehead before it wrecked our good thing.

He showed up at the next session just to tell us what a pack of wankers we were and put on a big dramatic show of book-slamming, sheet-tearing indignation.

Problem solved. 14 years now since he quit and our group has been Fun For All/All For Fun ever since. If he had decided to check himself and stick with us, then that would have also been a welcome outcome. But someone had to make him choose - and make it clear that there was no going on without a change.

tauton_ikhnos, I'll bet your guys are higher-caliber friends than that - here's hoping that your group sticks together with your GM and all you guys will be still be together many, many years from now, rolling dice in your rocking chairs on the front porch of the retirement home!