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View Full Version : How have you made your DM regret decisions?



root9125
2009-10-13, 09:48 AM
As the title says, how have you made your DM regret decisions he has made?

For examples:

1) I once confirmed with him that Fell Animate metamagic was legal. From then on, I used Fell Animate cantrips as a replacement for a coup-de-grace (Warmage and Extra Edge means I add 5 to every damage-dealing spell I get), eventually gaining a massive undead army without ever actually having the ability to command or turn undead. Including one undead illithid. :D

2) He doesn't use XP. Instead, any time we'd pay an XP cost for an item or spell, we lose an arbitrary amount of BAB for a period of time. So, there's nothing stopping me from sitting in town spamming Scrolls of Fell Animate Magic Missile and selling them for money...

3) He lets us create our own cohorts. Combined with #2 above, I created a character properly named "Magic Item Factory" who can cast any divine spell ever (archivist), while I can cast any arcane spell ever (MotAO). Combined with his many item creation feats and archivist's free magic feat (item creation included) every 10 levels, our party will be EXTREMELY well equipped.

So, these are not things you do to break games. These are things the DM just didn't see coming when he approved your maniacally planned actions. :D

sambo.
2009-10-13, 09:57 AM
i made a Drow in a core-only PbP campaign and the DM initially said i could use Craft: Alchemy to make drow sleepy poison and even gave me a +2 racial bonus on it. the deal was, the craft DC was the same as the save DC of the end-product.

at level 1, i brewed up some DC20 sleepyjus and played merry hell. the jus took out a lvl5 half-orc (possibly a paladin, possibly a fighter, we never did find out exactly) with one slash from the dagger of our friendly skill-monkey.

we've since modified the rules somewhat and are currently fighting a poison immune whatsit which is making a mockery of mah vaunted abilities.

valadil
2009-10-13, 10:07 AM
My biggest GM regret is that I let there be rape in a game. In my defense, it was my first game and I didn't really grok where boundaries should be drawn. I'd rather not get into detail though because there was already a thread on this topic fairly recently.

Next biggest regret is letting a relatively new player be the assassin who isn't actively out to kill the party, but may eventually turn on them. The problem wasn't that the player was a ****, but that he couldn't follow his own story. When the players caught and questioned him, it was impossible to say if the tale he was spinning was a cover story he made up or what he actually thought happened. When I asked the player he'd just laugh. This made sense motive very, very difficult.

This isn't really a regret. I tried making my own campaign setting in my first game. I think this is a mistake, but it's one I'm glad to have learned. I had a very difficult time communicating the setting to my players. They had no background or reference. Even if I did come up with a lot of material, they didn't absorb it. Unless you're investing several campaigns into a setting (so the players have years to pick it up) or doing a game where the premise is that the setting is new and unfamiliar, prepublished settings are IMHO the way to go.

Zaq
2009-10-13, 10:24 AM
In the 3.5 game I'm in, we recently had to face a guy with an epic spell on him that turned him into a massive gravity well. Gravity near him was five times greater than it was normally, and it had a radius of, well, lots. We managed to get immunity to it ourselves, but not get rid of it. When we killed him, our GM foolishly ruled that the gravity effect stayed in place.

So, we picked up his body and started carrying around our own personal gravity well. This caused the GM no end of headache as he tried to figure out how it would interact with the surrounding architecture (the room he was in had been reinforced. No other rooms had been.), furniture, fixtures, creatures, and so on, particularly as it moved around. Oh, and did I mention that this did NOT require line of effect? Yeah. Solid stone wouldn't stop this effect.

He eventually retconned it away, but he learned a valuable lesson, or at least I hope he did: If you give the PCs something, they are going to use it, no matter what.

jiriku
2009-10-13, 10:25 AM
Our DM created a custom spell allowing you to essentially sacrifice willing allies to turn them into living suicide bombers for one of his villains, and allowed us to gain the spell as loot after defeating the villain. He figured it would be useless to us, since we'd never kill each other with the spell.

He forgot that several adventures before, we'd picked up a rod of rulership as randomly generated treasure, and kept it. I should mention that our enemies were a nation of fanatics who were willing to live and die for their god-king.

So, umm, rod of rulership + custom spell = turn your enemies into bombs. We wiped out whole armies this way. He never saw it coming.

sambo.
2009-10-13, 10:33 AM
So, umm, rod of rulership + custom spell = turn your enemies into bombs. We wiped out whole armies this way. He never saw it coming.

that's awesome. :smallcool:

hell, you could make use of that sort of spell in so many, many ways. rod of rulership makes it easier, but a simple Charm Peasant would have the same effect.

root9125
2009-10-13, 10:56 AM
As a DM ... I loaned one of my players Libris Mortis.

In a campaign where most enemies were undead. And those who weren't were necromancers or working closely with them.

That worked out well. /sarcasm

Being afraid of things is not so viable when one of the players knows what it is and has no good reason not to shout it to his allies.

Random832
2009-10-13, 11:07 AM
As a DM ... I loaned one of my players Libris Mortis.

In a campaign where most enemies were undead. And those who weren't were necromancers or working closely with them.

That worked out well. /sarcasm

Being afraid of things is not so viable when one of the players knows what it is and has no good reason not to shout it to his allies.

Books are books, there's no real point in assuming your players haven't or won't read them, and they may need it for something else. This isn't the 2nd edition era where the DM was expected to strictly control the players' reading material. If you feel your players are using out-of-character knowledge inappropriately, your options include saying "You don't know that." [allow them a knowledge (usually religion for this) check if you think there's a chance for them to know it], and assigning XP penalties if they continue to act on it.

If on the other hand the problem is that he's ruining the mood - well, talk to the player about it, and assign XP penalties if he persists.

kalt
2009-10-13, 11:14 AM
He actually let me use a planar shepard once. I think that is pretty much speaks for itself.

Akal Saris
2009-10-13, 02:03 PM
The DM decided to try and strongly enforce requiring Spot/Listen checks for everything. My friend and I both made 8-wisdom characters with the Inattentive flaws and two traits to reduce our checks, so we were making those checks at -8 or so.

He couldn't get the plot moving because we had no possible way of making the spot checks to see whatever DC 10 crud he wanted us to see :P

Eventually, I think he caught on that it would be better if our characters just saw what we needed to see for the adventure to move on, and we didn't have to make as many checks. But the game ended pretty soon as we had to head back to our respective schools and whatnot.

Loxagn
2009-10-13, 03:44 PM
The DM ruled that one could enchant 5 projectiles (crossbow bolts, arrows, shuriken) for the same price as one large weapon.

When asked, he also ruled that one could enchant a single projectile for 1/5 the price of a weapon.

Two sessions later my bard had 10 +2 arrows, all with different enchantments, and was wreaking absolute hell in the battlefield.

The fighter in our group has what basically amounts to magical automail legs. He had them enchanted to give him a bonus to jumping, which also drastically reduced fall damage. These added about a hundred pounds of weight to his character, as well.
Cue the fighter leaping off of a tower and onto the roof of a castle below him.
He ended up demolishing half of the castle and killing an assload of guards with the rubble. He went through four floors before stopping, and still had more than enough HP to stand up and put his fist through a major enemy's face.

Another one I'm fond of: The DM ruling (logically so) that being elevated above your target adds to the range of a ranged weapon. This was quickly regretted as I sniped an enemy from a tower that was probably almost three times my bow's natural maximum range. I critted on that shot, to add insult to injury. 4[W] plus Charisma with a +4 Vicious Greatbow, which came out to be something like 8d12+fifty-something. (exact same bard as before).

Godskook
2009-10-13, 03:58 PM
The DM ruled that one could enchant 5 projectiles (crossbow bolts, arrows, shuriken) for the same price as one large weapon.

When asked, he also ruled that one could enchant a single projectile for 1/5 the price of a weapon.

Wow, you have quite the expensive ammunition there.


Two sessions later my bard had 10 +2 arrows, all with different enchantments, and was wreaking absolute hell in the battlefield.

For the price of those 10 +2 arrows(consumed when used, right?), you could've gotten a +2 returning spear, and had them last more than one encounter...I'm confused as to how you wreaked absolute hell with it, especially since they're costing you a lot more than they'd normally cost.

root9125
2009-10-13, 04:17 PM
Wow, you have quite the expensive ammunition there.

I'm betting on a typo (5[0] projectiles). And a returning spear wouldn't have exactly the right enchantment on it for any particular enemy. Oh, it's a fire elemental? Let me get out my cold-enchanted arrows. :D

Loxagn
2009-10-13, 04:21 PM
Wow, you have quite the expensive ammunition there.



For the price of those 10 +2 arrows(consumed when used, right?), you could've gotten a +2 returning spear, and had them last more than one encounter...I'm confused as to how you wreaked absolute hell with it, especially since they're costing you a lot more than they'd normally cost.

No. An argument had been presented earlier about throwing daggers that projectiles could be recovered. After the first few encounters, he started having enemies break the arrows I hit them with. I very quickly stopped using enchanted arrows and started just pouring funds into more bows.

(Then I just started dipping all my arrows in poison, but that's a whole 'nuther ball game...)

Tyndmyr
2009-10-13, 04:41 PM
I once had a DM that seriously gave us...wait for it....a laser cannon. I should mention that this was in an extremely low magic universe. I did what any cheesemongering munchkin would have done. Stuffed it in the bottom of the backpack while mentioning "this might come in handy", and waited for the DM to forget about it.

One day, there was a massive, powerful fleet of pirates...the classical "Kill everyone they meet, yet still we've heard stories about them" type. Chasing us down...clearly, we were meant to have a chase scene at this point. We ran for a bit, he had them get nice and close to let the tension build...then we shot them all.

Myou
2009-10-13, 05:08 PM
I once had a DM that seriously gave us...wait for it....a laser cannon.

What were the stats?

Tyndmyr
2009-10-13, 05:11 PM
7th Sea, so it probably wouldn't make much sense in D&D terms. I should note that laser cannons are about as out of place in 7th Sea as they are in D&D...if not more so due to the lack of comparable magical effects.

It did 5k5 damage to everything in a ray. For comparison, I believe the best available non-unique weapon does 3k2 damage.

TelemontTanthul
2009-10-13, 05:22 PM
My PCs have made ME regret decisions.

I was sending them through an Egyptian-esque region, where they soon came upon a forgotten tomb.

It was guarded by a couple monsters, and in the deepest room, they found a solid gold sarcophagus.

It weighed EASILY a thousand pounds.

Problem was, one of the people in my group was playing a Warforged barbarian.

Thus, you can see my problem.

They used the Warforged to push the sarcophagus into a portable hole.

Then brought it to town, sold it for like 7 million gold.

I probably should have made the gold melt or something.

Tyndmyr
2009-10-13, 05:28 PM
Oh yeah...it's now assumed in my usual group that no matter how big, heavy, or awkward an object made of gold is, it'll end up being in the party loot somehow. It's never been a bad assumption yet.

Douglas
2009-10-13, 05:31 PM
No. An argument had been presented earlier about throwing daggers that projectiles could be recovered. After the first few encounters, he started having enemies break the arrows I hit them with. I very quickly stopped using enchanted arrows and started just pouring funds into more bows.
Did you not even bother trying to find the actual rules for that? They're not exactly hidden.

Generally speaking, ammunition that hits its target is destroyed or rendered useless, while normal ammunition that misses has a 50% chance of being destroyed or lost. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#ammunition)

When a magic arrow, crossbow bolt, shuriken, or sling bullet misses its target, there is a 50% chance it breaks or otherwise is rendered useless. A magic arrow, bolt, bullet, or shuriken that hits is destroyed. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#magicAmmunitionandBreakage)

Also, for the cost issue:
This price is for 50 arrows, crossbow bolts, shuriken, or sling bullets. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#tableWeapons)

So, your arrows were 10 times as expensive as they should have been and the breaking should have been happening automatically from the beginning without your targets even trying to do it.

Loxagn
2009-10-13, 06:06 PM
Really? We looked over the rulebooks for the longest time and we found nothing on that. We're playing 4e and it was both ours and the DM's first full campaign, if that matters.
Regardless, it's been a very long time since and we're less apt to attempt stupid things like that.

Now the only things I really get in trouble for are abusing a damn high bluff score and an Ioun Stone of Perfect Language in combat.

Godskook
2009-10-13, 06:12 PM
4e? We've been assuming 3.5.

Loxagn
2009-10-13, 06:19 PM
Therein may be our problem.

Foryn Gilnith
2009-10-13, 06:39 PM
4[W] plus Charisma with a +4 Vicious Greatbow, which came out to be something like 8d12+fifty-something. (exact same bard as before).

The 4[W] notation could have clued a fellow in to this sort of thing.

Temet Nosce
2009-10-13, 06:41 PM
One DM gave me a custom item of +30 to bluff on a Beguiler with Glibness. Do I really need to say more?

Tar Palantir
2009-10-13, 07:47 PM
As a DM I made the regrettable decision of sending the party, whose most powerful character was a MM-abusing sorcerer/elemental savant (Fire), into a necropolis full of mummies. Mummies that each had +1 weapons. The party had a bag of holding. *facepalm*

On the other hand, they very nearly didn't survive the boss fight of the dungeon, a lich druid who had a Flame Ward spell up. Baleful Polymorphed the the savant (who teleported out), killed the fighter, killed the ranger, sent the knight/dwarven defender into single digit HP, and knocked the rogue unconscious (although he did get in a few good hits due to his ability to sneak attack undead). The only reason the cleric lived is because the sorcerer accidentally surrounded him with a Blade Barrier from his Impervious Vestment, then teleported out before he could dismiss it, thus making the gimp heal-bot even more useless (all he cast the whole fight was Prayer and a Searing Light). Still can't believe they pulled it off, but they did, and the loot was enough to True Rez everyone who died, even without pawning the +1 weapons. I have to say that was one of the best fights I've ever DMed. It could've gone either way right up to the very end, and they won, fair and square. Helluva fight. But I digress.

EndlessWrath
2009-10-13, 08:01 PM
My DM gave my fighter two +3 weapons...as opposed to my +5 weapon idea.

I made a two weapon fighting fighter that weapon specialized and everything with improved crit. My weapons of choice? Two +3 Prismatic bursting Kukris. It did not help that he was a gnome. Huge crit range, lucky die.

My enemies met their well deserved rainbow-y fates.

Tyndmyr
2009-10-13, 08:03 PM
Monday night, I made the mistake of having the Absent Minded Wizard who gave them the quest misplace his notes on what he'd promised to pay them. Notes that the party had previously seen. It was supposed to be a throwaway bit in the nature of his character, but I'd neglected to remember a few things.

1. The rogue had maxed forgery and bluff.

2. The rogue also had skill focuses in both(cmon...who takes Skill Focus: Forgery?)

3. The rogue also had maxed slight of hand.

Some very unfortunate rolls later, the wizard was explaining to the party how very sorry he was that he'd forgotten to have so much gold on hand and was so happy they were understanding enough to arrange a payment plan.

MickJay
2009-10-13, 08:17 PM
My PCs have made ME regret decisions.

I was sending them through an Egyptian-esque region, where they soon came upon a forgotten tomb.

It was guarded by a couple monsters, and in the deepest room, they found a solid gold sarcophagus.

It weighed EASILY a thousand pounds.

Problem was, one of the people in my group was playing a Warforged barbarian.

Thus, you can see my problem.

They used the Warforged to push the sarcophagus into a portable hole.

Then brought it to town, sold it for like 7 million gold.

I probably should have made the gold melt or something.

Classic mistake: never put objects made of solid precious metals anywhere near the PCs. They'll always find a way to drag that adamantium door or gold statue away and sell it. If they didn't have a warforged, they'd just cut it to pieces or melted it. Solution? Make everything plated with those materials, not made of them. Solid gold sarcophagus turns out to be a stone box with 300gp worth of gold on it, medium-sized gold statue turns out to be gold-plated silver worth 10x less than expected and so on. :smallwink:

KillianHawkeye
2009-10-13, 08:40 PM
This is why the ancient Egyptians put curses on all their tombs. :smallamused::smallbiggrin:

Stabby
2009-10-13, 08:42 PM
In 2nd Ed. I had a DM who liked to toss out random one use enchanted items. Well, I had a kender ranger (yes, a kender ranger) who had found a +2 spoon of silence. Well, about four months of real time later, our party encountered the BBEG that we were supposed to run from. It was a big nasty lich. Well, my first reaction was to put the spoon in the hoopak and pop the lich in the face with it. Then the party charged!

The DM's face was priceless. Particularly when I showed him my campaign journal. Which had the date with notes on what happened and what treasure we had found.

Yes, I've kept campaign journals ever since I started playing, back in 97. One day, I might actually type them out.

Thajocoth
2009-10-13, 09:11 PM
Really? We looked over the rulebooks for the longest time and we found nothing on that. We're playing 4e and it was both ours and the DM's first full campaign, if that matters.
Regardless, it's been a very long time since and we're less apt to attempt stupid things like that.

Now the only things I really get in trouble for are abusing a damn high bluff score and an Ioun Stone of Perfect Language in combat.

4e's ammo rules are in the Adventurer's Vault in the alchemy section. One shot of Level 2 ammo, for example (flat 1d20+4 to hit, 1d10-ish damage plus an effect, half on a miss) costs 25gp and loses it's magic after one use. For most bonuses, you enchant the bow, not the arrows.

Superglucose
2009-10-13, 09:23 PM
Sadly my old GM doesn't regret any of his decisions, but that's because he's fairly convinced that when I am consistently and without challenge shredding his encounters apart is due to "good luck" on my part rather than inherent flaws in his houserules.

It was supposed to be a "playtest" for his homebrew system, so I was encouraged to try to break the game. I did. Repeatedly. He has only changed the rules TWICE (and one of the rule changes didn't make any sense at all, while the other one wasn't in response to something I did that broke the game, but rather something I did that was absolutely hilarious).

Dusk Eclipse
2009-10-13, 09:40 PM
In our second-to last session after saving Aerenal froma Quori Invasion, the elfes gave our party (levels 10-12) FIVE wondrous items per character, we could swap some lower level items for higher levels one, so instead of getting some 5 minor woundrous items, my Spiked chainer rogue got a decanter of ENDLESS poison[custom magic item] (Black lotus extract FTW) and some wings of flying, next level I took Ninja Spy from OA (Poison Mastery or something like that AFB) and fly by attack as a feat, the next session I poisoned EVERYTHING I hit, but sadly my DM learned from his mistake and we finished that session with a Cadaver Collector in-front of us.

I made him regret the Decanter of endless poison, he made ME regret switching my combat style to poison everytihing

Gametime
2009-10-14, 03:30 PM
I regretted my decision to roll up some treasure on the fly after my party had infiltrated a camp of orcs to assassinate their chieftain. The camp was one of many that were preparing to converge on the city the PCs were tasked with defending, and the players were systematically eliminating the leaders of the invasion before they could move their armies into position.

Having forgotten an item or two in the pile of loot they were set to receive, I decided to just roll it up on the table, and got a Lyre of Building...which would prove quite useful in the siege encounter that followed the next day.

Haven't rolled up a random item since.