I used to frequent a fairly popular gaming forum until we
had a disagreement about things. I do still read it occasionally to see if the
board culture has changed for the better. Which means I still see some of the
questions people ask about different things in gaming. So now I’m going to
provide my wisdom to the masses concerning these questions.
The first one depends on to whom it is
addressed to (Players or GM?):
“What do you do with
the gear of a dead PC?”
This point came up
the other night and created a LOT of aggro from one of our players. So, I'm
just wondering what you guys do with the equipment/money/magic gear from dead
PCs?
One of our GMs rules
that the stuff just vanishes. A little weird in-game but does make things fair.
The above is stupid. Any GM that does that should stop.
Period.
Another rules that
money is shared between the remaining PCs and the magic gear likewise. Anything
very appropriate to the new PC would be gifted to him.
The first part of the above is fine if decided by the
players, but stupid if decided by the GM. The second part is also kinda stupid
either way. PCs should not show up with a flashing “NEW PLAYER CHARACTER” sign
over their heads.
The
"aggro" player wanted his new PCs to keep everything his former PCs
lost no matter what. Not only does this make no sense to me in game, it's a bit
crappy out of game since there's no penalty to dying at all. Doesn't help that
this particular player is the most greedy of any of the PCs, grabbing any magic
items he sees regardless of their use to him.
That player would probably get very annoyed at all the
laughing I’d do at that idea.
So, how do you guys
deal with loot and PC death?
As a GM, I do nothing to deal with loot and PC death. That’s
not the GM’s job. Deciding that is up to the players, and will often depend on
the game being played. If it’s game with resurrection being a possibility, usually they will use the loot to go
toward the cost of resurrection and expenses, and return what’s left to the
returning character.
If resurrection is not a possibility, then they will
typically divide the loot between themselves. But in some games, if appropriate
to the character, such as the Oriental Adventures game I used to run, they
would make a strong effort to return the gear to the deceased’s family.
Next up is
“My GM just banned my
class, is he allowed?”
Yes. So long as that
power is granted to him by the table.
But what I would
like to know is, is this just a GM rant that turned bad or is he right about
this?
Again, as long as said power has been granted by the table,
they yes, he is right.
This kind of thing is exactly the kind of thing that the
players and GM should discuss before starting the game. If the character is a
late entry into an already existing game, the GM should have already explained
to the player that he can and will ban classes as necessary, so the player can
enter being fully informed.
Some tables will have a group discussion about such things,
and that’s fine. As long as all of this is explained before play starts. Gotta
talk to each other people, helps to keep you all on the same page.
“So who wants to talk
about Original D&D?”
I’m sure lots of people do. But you’re a douchebag, so fuck
off.
“Who uses real life
science to twink out?”
Heh heh heh. Sorry, I’m old enough that “twink” doesn’t have
anything at all to do with gaming.
“30+ years retired
and I had to come back and play with all noobs and under a nood DM”
So I retired my
books and game folders some 30+ years ago, last year a friend convinced me to
come back to the game and play.
It was old school
AD&D so it kinda sparked my interest, I thought because they were all noobs
it would be as close to core as one could get....
sadly no, as the DM
cannot stay to his story line, i'm virtually fed up and wanting to head back
into retirement.
I am playing a
female (not a slut) but a swashbuckling pirate, she fights, she drinks rum, and
she can shoot double pistols.
The DM has a problem
keeping the storyline on target, and these are Xbox people who fight like fully
energized warriors up to 0 hitpoints.
They never find
themselves dragging their battered characters out of the battlefield, hide
under a bus or behind a tree until they can patch themselves up to fight
another day.
These kids fight
with full packs and full vider up to 0 HP then fall down, even at 1 HP.
I am from old school
and when you've lost 95% of your life force, you are battered and bloodied.
your character is
barely able to stand, let alone carry that pack you've been toting around with
150 pounds of crap in it.
I should have stayed
retired, its players like this that infuriated me way back when.
the last session was
really bad.
two of the members
of this group were dating each other but had broke up two sessions ago, ever
since the DM has been punishing the female of the couple he has finally killed
her.
Get this; first we
play -10 is dead.
A goblin deflected
an arrow with its crude sword, shattering the arrow sending the tip of said
arrow into the female character, who was laying at its feet, said female
character was at 3 HP, the arrow tip took more than 13 HP damage, "this
was just the tip of said arrow".
I hate this bromance
and how tit is affecting the game play.
Contemplating my
future, should I stay in the game demand core rules or look for another group??
You’re a douchebag fuckwit and should go back into
retirement. Even OG says you’re full of shit.
“Gonzo. What does it mean?”
Over the top and unbelievable.
“What does your
world's elf hate looked like?”
Heads on pikes.
Now stop asking stupid questions.
“Do you allow
magic-users to trade spells?”
For 70s and 80s
D&D, as DM, do you allow magic-users to trade spells?
Yes. Unless you have it written down that magic spells are
somehow unique to the caster, they should absolutely be ble to trade if willing
to do so.
This issue has come
up in my homebrew Olde School D&D Sword & Sorcery campaign, as there are
now *two* PC magic-users.
I’m pretty sure you don’t know what Sword & Sorcery is,
dipshit.
Normally, I only
allow magic-users to add spells that they find (or steal or whatever) in game
(i.e., they don't automatically gain new spells by leveling). I prefer this, as
it adds a very real sense that the PCs need to fight for whatever they can get.
Very Sword & Sorcery.
It’s been a while, but that’s how it was in old school
D&D. That’s NOT how it was in S&S though. In S&S it didn’t matter
since sorcery was typically the realm of the villain. If you were actually
going for “Very Sword & Sorcery” you wouldn’t have any spellcasters in the
party, let alone two. So stop trying to use Sword & Sorcery as an excuse
for being a douchebag.
However, as pointed
out by one of my players, this also means that she only gains the spells that I
(as DM) allow her to acquire. >>There was a stupid smiley face
here as if the person thought this was a great thing<<
Except you should be determining those spells randomly.
“Player Wants to
Retcon a Particularly Disastrous Deed...”
This is a long post that is mostly irrelevant, so here’s the
important part:
“so I was wondering
if I could just retcon what happened last night when I raged out on the
pirates?"
No. Don’t be stupid. But as others pointed out, retconning
the reason the action was taken is
fine. But what happened happened.
“Have I been
railroaded?”
So in the game my
wife and I play in the current adventure has been incredibly boring. We are on
an expedition to a fantasy arctic and our two characters are investigating a
series of possible murders/disappearances. I am playing a Rogue/Spymaster and
she is playing a Factotum. Last game session we were pretty sure we knew who
did it. I went to talk to the person and she asked me to come into her tent.
Before entering I mentioned that I fully expected to be attacked. I followed
her into the tent and with no initiative check or anything she managed to throw
a rug at me which turned out to be a portable hole prison. No attack roll, no
save-nothing. I didn't even have time to shout a warning. Meanwhile, my wife's
character had gotten a 40+ on Move Silently. She burst in, got no surprise
round, and had to make a save to avoid the same thing. She failed, and now we
are both prisoners.
We have both felt
like we are bit players in whatever story the DM is trying to tell and neither
of us want to continue in the game. Are we overreacting or have we been aboard
the DM railroad for just a bit too long?
Yes, you have been. You should have punched the GM in his or
her groin for this bullshit. I’ve given
up on games for shit like this.
“What if.......the
Empire is the Good Guys?”
Normally I don't
like interpreting the Good Guys being
really Bad Guys but this case I agree just enough that the Jedi are actually kind of scary when you think about it that I
can't stop asking myself the question "So if the Emperor got rid of all
the Jedi does that make the Emperor 'Good'?"
The bolded parts were links to articles. The first something
on TVTropes which is a useless fucking site, and the second to a recent Cracked
article that was complete shit. And the answer to the question at the end is “No,
you fucking moron”. But then, this
poster is a fuckwit.
Obviously based on
his methods "No", but that doesn't mean making the Jedi Order go
kaput is automatically a bad thing. If I have to choose between "Having
Jedi Order" and "Not Having Jedi Order" I know which one I'm
picking. "Empire with only two Jedi-like guys" sounds to me like
"fixer-upper".
That’s because you’re a dip shit.
If we start with the
premise of "We don't want the Jedi Order around (regardless of whether we
want Force Users)" what do we get in the Star Wars Universe?
You get A New Hope,
The Empire Strikes Back, and Return
of the Jedi, you imbecile.
“How I can improve at
stealing plot elements?”
Stealing ideas from
media for your campaign is a great way to make life easier on yourself, and
come up with some nifty ideas you probably wouldn't have otherwise.
However, I find it
quite challenging. In spite of voraciously consuming books and TV shows, I've
only been inspired a few times by something I've encountered. In fairness, I
don't tend to burst with game ideas in the first place.
Any advice on how to
improve my "plagiarism" ability?
Yes. Stop waiting to be “inspired”. Just steal shit that’s
vaguely interesting. If you’re inspired, you’re not really stealing. And when
possible, steal from things that the fewest of your players are familiar with.
Finally, to address a common post type:
“Sell Me On/Off x”
No. Fuck you. No one pays me to promote a product. Look for
a quick start version or friends that have a copy and give it a read and maybe
a quick test play. Stop being lazy.
Until next time
#REALGAMERSTHROWDICE
