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MightyTim
2011-03-29, 10:14 PM
As a whole, my group is pretty laid back. We've just about all taken turns as DM at one point or another (with varying degrees of success), and campaigns don't generally last more than 3-4 sessions (for a variety of reasons that aren't really important. We enjoy hanging out and have fun anyway, and that's what matters).

Now, this usually isn't a problem, but our original DM (who introduced us all to D&D, and also happens to be my roommate), decided that our next campaign was going to be capital "E" Epic. He told us that he wanted to continue on this one for a while, and to have rounded characters with backstories and plots that are relevant to us. I've got no problem with this (I'd like it actually, since I've tired of DMing of late and it'd be nice to let someone else take the reigns for a while, and a continuing story that actually gets a conclusion would be a nice bonus).

The problem is. How to put it nicely... he really isn't very good at it. I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but I've definitely learned a lot as a player and a GM since we started, and since the last time he tried to run a campaign, and I've realized that he tends to do a lot of things that end up hamstringing his overall effort. It's probably easier to give examples.

Hidden behind spoilers, because WallOfText.

Setting is 3.5. On character creation, he handed us the PHB and told us to make characters, and was clear with his intention that this be a long(er) running campaign and he wanted us to have backstories and real motivation. I rolled up a half-elf sorcerer, deciding that my character most likely had an inferiority complex as a result of being shunned by his elven relatives for being half human and being not accepted by general human society because he was different. I pegged him initially at CG, thinking it would be interesting if his "ends justify the means" attitude might conflict with the party paladin.
Anyway, It takes us more or less a session to complete character creation (this is our first time in 3.5, we're used to 4e with the character builder). Before the next session we were talking, and he asks me what my character was and I get as far as half-elf sorcerer when he tells me "No, it's a human only campaign." Ok. Character identity and backstory out the window. No biggie. I ask him if he can give me some more information about the game world so I can create something that fits better. He doesn't really give me an answer, more or less saying that he hadn't thought all the details yet.

Next session (the first gameplay one) comes around and I'm informed that my character was an orphan, but was granted admission to the Mages Guild for the Imperial Army and training was paid for by a mysterious benefactor. So... essentially I got my backstory written for me. I don't care so much about the content for it. I'd have been happy with him saying "Sorry, it's a human only setting. You're character is going to be in training at the Imperial academy so make a backstory that fits that." It's the fact that he took away the process from me that I'm a bit peeved about.

But back to my main point. We finish the session and graduate the academy, ending up on the bankroll of the Imperial Army. On the plus side that means getting cash money. On the downside, we're dogs of the state and basically have to do whatever we're ordered to by the King or whatever superior officer the DM puts in charge of giving us quests. It turns out there's a rogue mage who stole some sort of scroll from the archives and it's going to unleash some unspeakable evil over the kingdom. Apparently the entire kingdom is after him and being part of the Army, we're assigned to look for him in a small northern village. There's practically no chance that we'll find him there, being 2nd level adventurers and all.
We do. :smalltongue:
Anyway, we get there, and the entire place is deserted save a single girl trying to fight off some wolves. We save her, and she informs us that the rogue mage is at a temple on the outskirts of town, he kidnapped all the villagers and he's going to try to unleash Cthulhu or something. (Who could have foreseen this?) We barely even get the pleasure of saving her when a samurai comes along, apparently working with said rogue mage. (This samurai knows one of our party members, also a samurai.) He uses what's apparently a 20th level Samurai ability and causes fear on the entire party so we're helpless to save her and rides off the temple.
By this point it's painfully clear, to me at least, that we're not going to be able to stop him and even trying is likely going to result in a TPK. (My friend emphasized before this campaign how much easier it was to kill characters in 3.5 than 4.0). So we go off to the temple anyway, manage to kill a few of the guards and steal their clothes so we can sneak into the temple (our DMPC helpfully notified us of that possibility). There aren't enough disguises for everyone, so two of the party need to pretend to be captured villagers who escaped that the rest were bringing back. We're given a note from the head guard to take them down where the ritual is being performed. (There were apparently too many NPCs here for us to take on by ourselves anyway). We get down there, and another guard basically tells us "Nope, don't need any more. The ritual is starting." And we see all the villagers start being obliterated. We fight a meaningless encounter with the guards there, can't stop the ritual. The aforementioned samurai sees us and uses his ability again to compel us to come up over to him. Ritual completes. A balor is summoned and the depths of hell open. The ground starts to fissure. Everyone but me fails a jump save and ends up falling into the depths of hell. I'm informed that a bunch of hellhounds have been unleashed and are tearing through everyone else. Again, it's pretty obvious at this point what's going to happen, so to save everyone the time, I just jump down into hell with the rest of the party.

That pretty much sums up the campaign so far.


So.. for anyone who's still awake after that long rant, the point I'm trying to get across is that he railroads, a lot. I'm not particularly confident that this is going to get any better next session, since our new goal is to get back into the material plane, and very likely we will be introduced to exactly as many NPCs as will be needed to fulfill that goal.

Now, I like the guy, he's my roommate, and I can tell he's genuinely trying to make a cool and interesting campaign. He just isn't very good at letting us do anything that isn't exactly what he's got planned. At the top level, the story is great so far, bu from my perspective, the only real choices I've been able to make is when to cast which spell during combat. Everything else, I just feel along for the ride.

Does anyone have any pointers as to how to tactfully broach this subject?
If I'm being unreasonable or something, let me know that as well.

DukeofDellot
2011-03-29, 10:37 PM
So... do you... more importantly, does he play computer games?

That said, I'm guessing he's more of a Final Fantasy, and you're looking a little more for Baldur's Gate. Now, I enjoy both and crave each at different times. Sometimes I want to sit back and be told a story, but usually...

Before I start ranting, I guess here's where I get to the point.

He's your roommate, right? If you own a gaming console, pick up some role-playing games that emphasize choice. Talk about them (assuming that's something you casually talk about wherever you're from...) and get him into them.

It's a subtle thing, changing his influences, and it probably won't help the current campaign, but later games probably will.

Talakeal
2011-03-29, 10:45 PM
This is really more of a psychology issue than a gaming issue, but I will see what I can do. Learning not to rail road is not something that is quick or easy, it is a long process that takes most GMs years to overcome, and most never do, at least not completely. Honestly talking to him might help, but it will make people defensive. You might want to just let it happen naturally, people will get fed up with it and will start not showing up for the game or perhaps leaving the group for good, or more likely just losing enthusiasm. Eventually he will get the hint and might ask what is the matter, then give him suggestions rather than accusations.