Whining & Complaining

[Oryan77]

despite your categorizing those who don't agree with you as childish whiners.

Keep in mind, this thread wasn't about people's opinions about the way I choose to run the game. But I'm being bombarded by criticism over one piddly issue even 8 pages in and even to the point where I'm being accused of machoism.

I'm not complaining about it, I can take the heat. But you better believe that I will be critical right back. If people want to tell me what they think about those who have a restriction on names, then I'll tell them what I think about people that use those silly names.

The point of the silly name story was that I set forth a reasonable rule (no silly names please) and she fought with me about it. I'd never argue like that with a DM.

Hell, I just remembered that she went as far as to tell everyone that she would require us to make silly names in the game she wanted to DM for us. She thought that would irritate me, but I'm perfectly ok with doing that if that is what the DM wanted. I may not last long in a campaign like that & I definitely wouldn't take it seriously, but I'd give it a shot.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Spike, Harley, Duke, Dozer, Killer, Blaze, Ace, Hotrod, Switchblade, Thunder, He-Man, Champ, Mustang, Ron Jeremy, Budweiser, or Hulk.

You heard it here first: my next Animal Companion will be named Spike Harley Duke Dozer Killer Blaze Ace Hotrod Switchblade Thunder He-Man Champ Mustang Ron Jeremy Budweiser Hulk von Marshmallow.

 

[Krensky]

You heard it here first: my next Animal Companion will be named Spike Harley Duke Dozer Killer Blaze Ace Hotrod Switchblade Thunder He-Man Champ Mustang Ron Jeremy Budweiser Hulk von Marshmallow.

, the Third.

 

[Oryan77]

, the Third.

Shouldn't there be a Mc[Something] in there also? Maybe McMarshmallow?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You heard it here first: my next Animal Companion will be named Spike Harley Duke Dozer Killer Blaze Ace Hotrod Switchblade Thunder He-Man Champ Mustang Ron Jeremy Budweiser Hulk von Marshmallow.

, the Third.

, Esquire.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Shouldn't there be a Mc[Something] in there also? Maybe McMarshmallow?

Well...perhaps for a Familiar.

Mad Mac McMayhem, the Macaw?

 

[Krensky]

Shouldn't there be a Mc[Something] in there also? Maybe McMarshmallow?

'The Third' makes it redundant. Mc and Mac mean something like the son of the son of.

So yeah, add a Mac'O'Snodgrass in there for good measure.

And a Joyce.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I just feel the need to say, I think a Lion named Mittens is awesome.

It's not unusual for a PC to stay in the room and not participate in the "tavern" scenario. My players do that on occasion (usually the PCs that don't drink or enjoy the tavern atmosphere. But to complain that you didn't get to do anything that session when you chose to do that is definitely odd.

As one of those players who would avoid tavern stuff since my PCs don't drink or want to deal with people when they do, I'd be annoyed if the ENTIRE session ended up being in the tavern scene and I didn't get to do anything. Part of a DM's "job" is to make sure players have fun and to give them "spotlight time," usually a chance to shine but in this case...a chance to do anything at all.

I've had sessions where it ends up being a long combat that eats up most of the night and I get frightened or paralyzed or something early on in it. Coming to your once per week (at best!) game and ending up sitting it out kinda really sucks.

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't think she was upset because she chose to do nothing, she was upset because the DM didn't provide her with anything to do. "Go join the party in a social situation that you/your character will hate or do nothing at all" isn't a real "choice."

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I just feel the need to say, I think a Lion named Mittens is awesome.

Better than Lion-o, to be sure!

Hey, this reminded me of two assassins from DC Comics: Sabre and Cannon. Cannon was the blades & melee specialist, while Sabre was the sniper.

So what about an Awakened or Anthro tiger named Dotty and her similar Leopard buddy named Stripes?

 

[Doug McCrae]

No, the player doesn't have the right to do whatever he/she wants. Sorry, I disagree with that 100%. A player can't name a Dark Sun character (or pet) Darth Vader just because it's his character and he has the right to do so.

The player has the right to do whatever he/she wants in the boundaries that a DM sets in the game that he runs (if that is the way he wants to run the game).

I don't think I do anything unreasonable as a DM and I am actually very open to player choices. But I refuse to let a player make a mockery of the game. I may let a dumb name slip by here and there if it doesn't bother me too bad. But idiotic names are not allowed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a DM asking players not to use silly names.

I agree with you. In many games one is going for a specific flavour and tone, names are very important in establishing this. Luckily the players in my neck of the woods all take rpgs at least somewhat seriously, and make an effort to understand, and get on board with, the general scheme.

D&D is a game where I normally wouldn't be as strict, because I don't believe that default D&D has a specific flavour, it's very kitchen sink. However one could, and many DMs do, use the D&D rules to run a tighter game, such as one set in a fantasy version of 14th century England for example.

That said, a PC called Darth Vader would for me be right out, even running kitchen sink D&D. It just sucks. I almost certainly wouldn't invite that player back, I want players who are way better than that at being creative.