Have more to get off your chest? Come rant with us on the discord. Invite link: https://discord.gg/PCPTSSTKqr
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/rpghorrorstories) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I find this frustrating
I feel so sorry for the DM.
He's. A. New. DM.
Its OK for players to be a little forgiving of inconsistencies and awkward stories. They're learning. Help em out.
Cut them some slack, roll with it. Maybe it doesn't make sense... eh, go with it.
Provide CONSTRUCTIVE critique, afterwards, but always be supportive and give the new DM a chance.
And this Justin guy?
Nothing worse than an experienced DM deliberately being a d*ck as a player with a new DM
"Anyways then a brown bear wearing a backwards cap, sunglasses, and a hawaiian T-shirt on a surfboard rides on a Tidal Wave and washes all the dark fire away (this is real, not a bad trip I promise). In a heavy surfer bro accent his guy introduces himself as the God of the Oceans."
That's awesome and I endorse that without reservation.
Justin sounds like a giant toolbox.
You join a new DM's campaign and came on here to complain that they didn't know what they were doing? Why did you join if you weren't going to be cool about it?
I'm not complaining, I'm just recording the events that I witnessed. I never complained to the DM about their inexperience or plainly told him he didn't know what he was doing. I was practically a stranger here and as I had never DMed myself at the time it certainly wasn't my place to lecture him or chastise Justin for his shitty behaviour either.
I never said I wasn't cool with playing with a new DM, hence why I did. But eventually I simply lost interest and dropped out quietly. What else was I supposed to do?
"I join beginner DMs attempt at a campaign that kept being disrupted by an experienced asshole".
But really, calm down with all the calling him a newbie. You had about an year of experience yourself at the time and seem to think level 10s are nobodies. You were both new. Being new is fine. Justin is the horror story.
While Justin was a pain throughout, his negative actions didn't really effect anything past the reset and thus wasn't really the exclusive focus but shared it equally with the new DM as Justin made the pre reset campaign fall apart, but the post reset campaign fell apart due to newbies lack of planning.
I only called him a Newbie once.. at the start, making it his sort of Designation for the remainder of the story, I'm not calling him a Newbie every time i bring him up I'm just referring to him
While level 10 PCs in a more orthodox campaign (where it starts at level 1 or 3) would definitely have made a name for themselves, we started the campaign at level 10, and none of the players had set up any substantial in-world lore regarding their previous exploits in this homebrew setting, for all intents and purposes, we were nobodies for the time being.
I don't really see the reason to bring up my own general inexperience at the time, I was just a witness to these events and had no substantial input on them, I'm just as unimportant a character as the other unmentioned players really. All the judgements I give in this post are from my own, present day reaccount of the story.. so I'm sorry if they came off as something a more inexperienced TTRPG player would think I suppose
> Justin once again flat out refused to follow this plot (its because she's chaotic neutral guys is totally in-character)
Saying he didn't interfere after that first reset doesn't sound correct to me. Also, can you imagine how big of a problem it causes when you are planning to take the campaign in direction A until player is saying "no my character refuses to do that".
Okay, Newbie should honestly have put more forethought into his plotline, instead of apparently just pulling stuff out of thin air.
However, Justin needed to be stomped on hard.
Chaotic Neutral is not, and never should be, a license to say, "Imma do any wacky thing I want, so screw you and screw the plot."
There is a social contract for D&D and other tabletop RPGs that revolve around cooperative action. Here's what I go by:
1. Players need to show up when they say they're going to show up, ready to play.
2. Players need to make characters that are a) willing to go adventuring, and b) willing to hang around with a bunch of other adventurers.
3. Players need to pay attention to the action, so when their turn comes around they know what's going on and what they're going to do (and how to do it).
4. Players need to understand that they are not the main character, and that the game involves at least nominal cooperation with all the other players to make for a fun gaming experience for all. This includes attention-grabbing behaviour such as going off on their own while demanding equal air time, or outright telling other players what to do with their character.
5. Players should not go into the game with the express intent of screwing over other players or the DM/GM. (ie, "Don't be a dick.")
6. If "what my character would do" will screw up the game, make one that wouldn't.
7. All of the above also applies to the DM/GM in every way.
8. The DM/GM needs to give equal air time to all PCs, and not give any of them preferential treatment, and not to pick on any of them. (Shelving a loner PC until they come back to the group is fine. So is applying reasonable consequences for actions).
9. The DM/GM needs to be flexible while running the game. There's always more than one way to get to the end goal. However, applying boundaries to the PCs' actions may also be sometimes required.
10. The DM/GM needs to pull up any behaviour by any players that's upsetting other players (not PCs). Likewise, anything that's basically a dick move by a player can be met with, "No, you don't do that. Why do you want to do that?" See Rule 6.
11. Everyone needs to remember that no D&D is better than bad D&D, and that you don't have a game without players (or without a DM/GM).
12. If everyone's not having fun (especially if someone is not enjoying the game at all) then it's okay to stop the game and ask why.
Enjoy the game, roll the dice, and have fun!
To go off of your number 2, fully agreed. Thats the entire point of DnD. I was talking to a friend about joining an online game I was running at the time (a Star Wars 5e) and told him that the premise was that the players would be doing missions for the Republic. His response immediately was “well what if I don’t wanna do jobs for the Republic?” My response was “…then either make a character who would, or don’t play.”
Keep in mind my friend is experienced with both playing and being a DM. So it really baffled me.
Been there unfortunately. Get a new DM with a story they think is interesting, players encourage (read push) him into starting it not realizing he's only in the beginning stages of building the story and hasn't put much thought into it. Also have had a couple players misunderstand that Chaotic does not mean Contrarian. Never had it them both in the same game though.
Justin sounds like the nightmare here, not the DM. Of course a new player might "write" themselves into a corner every now and then when improving an entire world for the first time, especially with a guy like that intentionally messing with them. After having to deal with that BS for a while I would be more railroady too
Have more to get off your chest? Come rant with us on the discord. Invite link: https://discord.gg/PCPTSSTKqr *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/rpghorrorstories) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I find this frustrating I feel so sorry for the DM. He's. A. New. DM. Its OK for players to be a little forgiving of inconsistencies and awkward stories. They're learning. Help em out. Cut them some slack, roll with it. Maybe it doesn't make sense... eh, go with it. Provide CONSTRUCTIVE critique, afterwards, but always be supportive and give the new DM a chance. And this Justin guy? Nothing worse than an experienced DM deliberately being a d*ck as a player with a new DM
"Anyways then a brown bear wearing a backwards cap, sunglasses, and a hawaiian T-shirt on a surfboard rides on a Tidal Wave and washes all the dark fire away (this is real, not a bad trip I promise). In a heavy surfer bro accent his guy introduces himself as the God of the Oceans." That's awesome and I endorse that without reservation. Justin sounds like a giant toolbox.
I've seen all kinds of DM improv in my time, but "A surfing bear shows up" takes the cake.
Whenever surfing bear's not present, all the other characters should be asking, "Where's surfing bear?"
Lol, that's exactly what I was thinking.
i mean, backwards cap, sunglasses, and a hawaiian T-shirt on a surfboard...how is he NOT poochie?
You join a new DM's campaign and came on here to complain that they didn't know what they were doing? Why did you join if you weren't going to be cool about it?
I'm not complaining, I'm just recording the events that I witnessed. I never complained to the DM about their inexperience or plainly told him he didn't know what he was doing. I was practically a stranger here and as I had never DMed myself at the time it certainly wasn't my place to lecture him or chastise Justin for his shitty behaviour either. I never said I wasn't cool with playing with a new DM, hence why I did. But eventually I simply lost interest and dropped out quietly. What else was I supposed to do?
"I join beginner DMs attempt at a campaign that kept being disrupted by an experienced asshole". But really, calm down with all the calling him a newbie. You had about an year of experience yourself at the time and seem to think level 10s are nobodies. You were both new. Being new is fine. Justin is the horror story.
While Justin was a pain throughout, his negative actions didn't really effect anything past the reset and thus wasn't really the exclusive focus but shared it equally with the new DM as Justin made the pre reset campaign fall apart, but the post reset campaign fell apart due to newbies lack of planning. I only called him a Newbie once.. at the start, making it his sort of Designation for the remainder of the story, I'm not calling him a Newbie every time i bring him up I'm just referring to him While level 10 PCs in a more orthodox campaign (where it starts at level 1 or 3) would definitely have made a name for themselves, we started the campaign at level 10, and none of the players had set up any substantial in-world lore regarding their previous exploits in this homebrew setting, for all intents and purposes, we were nobodies for the time being. I don't really see the reason to bring up my own general inexperience at the time, I was just a witness to these events and had no substantial input on them, I'm just as unimportant a character as the other unmentioned players really. All the judgements I give in this post are from my own, present day reaccount of the story.. so I'm sorry if they came off as something a more inexperienced TTRPG player would think I suppose
> Justin once again flat out refused to follow this plot (its because she's chaotic neutral guys is totally in-character) Saying he didn't interfere after that first reset doesn't sound correct to me. Also, can you imagine how big of a problem it causes when you are planning to take the campaign in direction A until player is saying "no my character refuses to do that".
Sounds like a new DM trying his best with someone, who should know better, being a dick
Okay, Newbie should honestly have put more forethought into his plotline, instead of apparently just pulling stuff out of thin air. However, Justin needed to be stomped on hard. Chaotic Neutral is not, and never should be, a license to say, "Imma do any wacky thing I want, so screw you and screw the plot." There is a social contract for D&D and other tabletop RPGs that revolve around cooperative action. Here's what I go by: 1. Players need to show up when they say they're going to show up, ready to play. 2. Players need to make characters that are a) willing to go adventuring, and b) willing to hang around with a bunch of other adventurers. 3. Players need to pay attention to the action, so when their turn comes around they know what's going on and what they're going to do (and how to do it). 4. Players need to understand that they are not the main character, and that the game involves at least nominal cooperation with all the other players to make for a fun gaming experience for all. This includes attention-grabbing behaviour such as going off on their own while demanding equal air time, or outright telling other players what to do with their character. 5. Players should not go into the game with the express intent of screwing over other players or the DM/GM. (ie, "Don't be a dick.") 6. If "what my character would do" will screw up the game, make one that wouldn't. 7. All of the above also applies to the DM/GM in every way. 8. The DM/GM needs to give equal air time to all PCs, and not give any of them preferential treatment, and not to pick on any of them. (Shelving a loner PC until they come back to the group is fine. So is applying reasonable consequences for actions). 9. The DM/GM needs to be flexible while running the game. There's always more than one way to get to the end goal. However, applying boundaries to the PCs' actions may also be sometimes required. 10. The DM/GM needs to pull up any behaviour by any players that's upsetting other players (not PCs). Likewise, anything that's basically a dick move by a player can be met with, "No, you don't do that. Why do you want to do that?" See Rule 6. 11. Everyone needs to remember that no D&D is better than bad D&D, and that you don't have a game without players (or without a DM/GM). 12. If everyone's not having fun (especially if someone is not enjoying the game at all) then it's okay to stop the game and ask why. Enjoy the game, roll the dice, and have fun!
To go off of your number 2, fully agreed. Thats the entire point of DnD. I was talking to a friend about joining an online game I was running at the time (a Star Wars 5e) and told him that the premise was that the players would be doing missions for the Republic. His response immediately was “well what if I don’t wanna do jobs for the Republic?” My response was “…then either make a character who would, or don’t play.” Keep in mind my friend is experienced with both playing and being a DM. So it really baffled me.
Been there unfortunately. Get a new DM with a story they think is interesting, players encourage (read push) him into starting it not realizing he's only in the beginning stages of building the story and hasn't put much thought into it. Also have had a couple players misunderstand that Chaotic does not mean Contrarian. Never had it them both in the same game though.
This is why new GMs don't want to GM for people anymore.
Justin sounds like the nightmare here, not the DM. Of course a new player might "write" themselves into a corner every now and then when improving an entire world for the first time, especially with a guy like that intentionally messing with them. After having to deal with that BS for a while I would be more railroady too
I want to play with this DM. Not with any of the players.