BiblioRook
2011-04-14, 01:08 PM
When it comes to table-top games I have a tendency to roll well, almost unusually so. Granted, I probably roll quite as well as I or the people I play with actually think, but it's the way with these things to over-empathize them whenever they happen and give them the illusion of happening more frequently.
For some reason, this also frustrates DMs.
Some system/game explanation
At this point I would like to point out that the current game I'm in is a d12 system where the max ranks you could put into anything is 4; however you can still buy into the skill, just any points you spend buys you extra dice instead in that you roll all of them and pick the highest (needless to say, increasing the odds of a critical success). This game also has an in-game ranking of who the main character is based on nothing more then how man points one bought into a certain single skill.
My character ended up with a few more points them most due to an unexpected but legitimate loophole, so I joked about what my DM would say if I maxed out the 'main character' points. My character is a bird, my DM wasn't thrilled at this idea (this might have been my first warning). I didn't do it, but what I did do instead was max out most of my skills (and by max out I mean added anywhere from 2-5 extra dice to the roll, so regardless what I did I would probably do it very well).
So the game I'm in is a pseudo-super hero game that puts an empathis on silliness. While I have really good stats, I basically had to sacrifice having any actual 'super hero' abilities to do so (My character is a girl-detective with a bird 'animal companion', I make no illusions I consider the bird to be my actual character). The DM picked this system for a reason because she loves elaborating on goofy things players try to do, expessially accidentally due to misses and fumbles. Because of my tendency to roll fairly well (and due to the multiple safeguards against rolling poorly), I not only don't tend to have many moments of utter failure but ultimately accomplish what it is I set out to do.
Last night's game however I was doing so well even for me and it got to the point I was basically being blocked from action by the DM due to my high frequency of high rolls and crits. She would ether 'delay' responding to whatever I tried to do ( often making me reroll due to the time that passed saying she needed to see it to be sure or 'didn't remember' the original roll (despite me not touching my dice since)), pretend she didn't hear me, or outright override my action all together. She said it was because she didn't want me overshadowing the 'main characters' of the story, despite not ever actually doing things that would 'steal glory' I guess you can say.
One such example I actually critted, but the other person did so as well; but despite my full ranks in the skill she opted that the opposing roll won. It wasn't for anything major and I was just goofing around so I didn't want to make a big deal about it, but still it was annoying.
Strangely enough, this sort of thing happens alot with games I'm in. I always figure that my DMs must think I'm cheating or fudging my rolls... but I'm not! I also realize that in the current game I'm in she might see 'consistent success' being boring and not along the lines of the goofy game she was hoping for, but honestly what does she expect from a game that has built-in rerolls?
For some reason, this also frustrates DMs.
Some system/game explanation
At this point I would like to point out that the current game I'm in is a d12 system where the max ranks you could put into anything is 4; however you can still buy into the skill, just any points you spend buys you extra dice instead in that you roll all of them and pick the highest (needless to say, increasing the odds of a critical success). This game also has an in-game ranking of who the main character is based on nothing more then how man points one bought into a certain single skill.
My character ended up with a few more points them most due to an unexpected but legitimate loophole, so I joked about what my DM would say if I maxed out the 'main character' points. My character is a bird, my DM wasn't thrilled at this idea (this might have been my first warning). I didn't do it, but what I did do instead was max out most of my skills (and by max out I mean added anywhere from 2-5 extra dice to the roll, so regardless what I did I would probably do it very well).
So the game I'm in is a pseudo-super hero game that puts an empathis on silliness. While I have really good stats, I basically had to sacrifice having any actual 'super hero' abilities to do so (My character is a girl-detective with a bird 'animal companion', I make no illusions I consider the bird to be my actual character). The DM picked this system for a reason because she loves elaborating on goofy things players try to do, expessially accidentally due to misses and fumbles. Because of my tendency to roll fairly well (and due to the multiple safeguards against rolling poorly), I not only don't tend to have many moments of utter failure but ultimately accomplish what it is I set out to do.
Last night's game however I was doing so well even for me and it got to the point I was basically being blocked from action by the DM due to my high frequency of high rolls and crits. She would ether 'delay' responding to whatever I tried to do ( often making me reroll due to the time that passed saying she needed to see it to be sure or 'didn't remember' the original roll (despite me not touching my dice since)), pretend she didn't hear me, or outright override my action all together. She said it was because she didn't want me overshadowing the 'main characters' of the story, despite not ever actually doing things that would 'steal glory' I guess you can say.
One such example I actually critted, but the other person did so as well; but despite my full ranks in the skill she opted that the opposing roll won. It wasn't for anything major and I was just goofing around so I didn't want to make a big deal about it, but still it was annoying.
Strangely enough, this sort of thing happens alot with games I'm in. I always figure that my DMs must think I'm cheating or fudging my rolls... but I'm not! I also realize that in the current game I'm in she might see 'consistent success' being boring and not along the lines of the goofy game she was hoping for, but honestly what does she expect from a game that has built-in rerolls?