Drove 250 miles to play D&D and this is what happened!

[Warlok]

I made arrangements to join a game with a group my brother was involved in down in DC. I cleared my character with the DM ahead of time and I was very clear in asking him that I be able to join the party right away when we began as I was driving 3.5 hours and obviously did not want my trip to be a waste. He said it wouldn't be a problem.

Well, I arrive and everyone is nice and excited to play. The first thing the DM says to me is you can join up with the party as soon as they exit the dungeon they are in. Thinking this would take 10 minutes, I agree. 3 hours later and they finally exit the dungeon. My Paladin meets them at a tavern (yes, how realistic).For the rest of the session, I am the most angry, belligerent Paladin ever. I think I got in a total of 1.5 hours of playtime for 3.5 hours of driving. I think I got to swing at one enemy.

My question to all of you is this: Is it really that big of a deal just to let a character join in a game right away? (especially considering the circumstances) I've been playing this game a long time and as DM I have always been creative enough to work in a new character on the fly. It's not that hard, and most of the other players understand. I mean, here we are, bunch or dorks sitting around pretending we are medieval characters killing monsters, but somehow having another character stumble into the party is somehow unrealistic?

I have never played with them again, and never will.

[Zonugal]

Well...

First things first, I don't think I'd drive 3.5 hours for a game of DnD.

But as a DM, if a player had invested that time, I might just have them show up. The other players are in a dungeon? They run into a Paladin who is down there as well. Adventurers do cross paths every once in a while.

[Flickerdart]

In case anyone is ever in a similar situation, let's come up with some ways one can integrate a new PC into a party while "inside" an adventure:

New PC got to the dungeon first, is after the same thing, joins forces with the party.
New PC is being held as a captive in the dungeon by the dungeon's owner, or just very lost, and joins up with the party to get out.
New PC lives in the dungeon, agrees to travel with the party because he's tired of picking kobolds out of his food.
New PC is overlord of dungeon, repents.
New PC is sent by the party's boss as backup because a ragtag bunch of misfits is not terribly reliable, well-informed, or anything, really.
One of the characters accidentally spills a suspicious magic potion that she found on her sword, transforming it into a handsome new PC.
New PC is guardian of macguffin, he must travel where it goes, but finds the party righteous enough to give it to them. After they use it for whatever, he is freed from his destiny.

[Warlok]

Well...

First things first, I don't think I'd drive 3.5 hours for a game of DnD.

But as a DM, if a player had invested that time, I might just have them show up. The other players are in a dungeon? They run into a Paladin who is down there as well. Adventurers do cross paths every once in a while.

Well, I did get to see my brother on the trip at least. He had driven up here to play with my group so I was sort of returning the favor. Not a great idea...

But thanks. That's what I think too.

[Warlok]

In case anyone is ever in a similar situation, let's come up with some ways one can integrate a new PC into a party while "inside" an adventure:

New PC got to the dungeon first, is after the same thing, joins forces with the party.
New PC is being held as a captive in the dungeon by the dungeon's owner, or just very lost, and joins up with the party to get out.
New PC lives in the dungeon, agrees to travel with the party because he's tired of picking kobolds out of his food.
New PC is overlord of dungeon, repents.
New PC is sent by the party's boss as backup because a ragtag bunch of misfits is not terribly reliable, well-informed, or anything, really.
One of the characters accidentally spills a suspicious magic potion that she found on her sword, transforming it into a handsome new PC.
New PC is guardian of macguffin, he must travel where it goes, but finds the party righteous enough to give it to them. After they use it for whatever, he is freed from his destiny.


Thanks! That's what I'm sayin!!! That DM was a ****.

[molten_dragon]

I made arrangements to join a game with a group my brother was involved in down in DC. I cleared my character with the DM ahead of time and I was very clear in asking him that I be able to join the party right away when we began as I was driving 3.5 hours and obviously did not want my trip to be a waste. He said it wouldn't be a problem.

Well, I arrive and everyone is nice and excited to play. The first thing the DM says to me is you can join up with the party as soon as they exit the dungeon they are in. Thinking this would take 10 minutes, I agree. 3 hours later and they finally exit the dungeon. My Paladin meets them at a tavern (yes, how realistic).For the rest of the session, I am the most angry, belligerent Paladin ever. I think I got in a total of 1.5 hours of playtime for 3.5 hours of driving. I think I got to swing at one enemy.

My question to all of you is this: Is it really that big of a deal just to let a character join in a game right away? (especially considering the circumstances) I've been playing this game a long time and as DM I have always been creative enough to work in a new character on the fly. It's not that hard, and most of the other players understand. I mean, here we are, bunch or dorks sitting around pretending we are medieval characters killing monsters, but somehow having another character stumble into the party is somehow unrealistic?

I have never played with them again, and never will.

That's definitely pretty rude. I understand a DM not wanting to break the suspension of disbelief by just having a new character appear out of nowhere, but that shouldn't trump letting someone who drove 3 hours to be part of your game actually play in it.

I have asked new players who were joining a game to wait a couple sessions before showing up for the first time before if we were in the middle of something that would be hard to work them in.

[ryu]

Thanks! That's what I'm sayin!!! That DM was a ****.

Just be glad no one got arrested, had their getting someone arrested story stolen, or was stabbed. DnD has gone to darker places on this very board.

[Arael666]

Just be glad no one got arrested, had their getting someone arrested story stolen, or was stabbed. DnD has gone to darker places on this very board.

I really hope you're joking. The very idea of someone getting stabbed or arrested over a DnD game is utterly ridiculous.

[The Glyphstone]

I really hope you're joking. The very idea of someone getting stabbed or arrested over a DnD game is utterly ridiculous.

He's not. Do a targeted search for 'Lanky Bugger' on the forums here, or wait for someone to supply the links to the stories. Technically, neither the stabbing nor the arrest were actually about the D&D games themselves, but D&D is prominently featured in both stories and serves as a key catalyst.

[ryu]

I really hope you're joking. The very idea of someone getting stabbed or arrested over a DnD game is utterly ridiculous.

Someone never read the lankybugger stories did they?

Edit: Mod saged.

[ZeroSpace9000]

I really hope you're joking. The very idea of someone getting stabbed or arrested over a DnD game is utterly ridiculous.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23784

Indeed, reality is stranger than fiction.

[elonin]

If absolutely nothing else works the dm could have let you run some mooks. I had that happen once with a game i'm playing when my pc was incapacitated. Played a small group of hobgoblins we were allied with which was more fun than doing nothing.

[Arael666]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23784

Indeed, reality is stranger than fiction.

... I'm speechless. I've seen games end badly. Dam, I've played games that ended badly (cursing my whole generation and ancestors), but this is on a whole new level.

[Dawgmoah]

In case anyone is ever in a similar situation, let's come up with some ways one can integrate a new PC into a party while "inside" an adventure:

New PC got to the dungeon first, is after the same thing, joins forces with the party.
New PC is being held as a captive in the dungeon by the dungeon's owner, or just very lost, and joins up with the party to get out.
New PC lives in the dungeon, agrees to travel with the party because he's tired of picking kobolds out of his food.
New PC is overlord of dungeon, repents.
New PC is sent by the party's boss as backup because a ragtag bunch of misfits is not terribly reliable, well-informed, or anything, really.
One of the characters accidentally spills a suspicious magic potion that she found on her sword, transforming it into a handsome new PC.
New PC is guardian of macguffin, he must travel where it goes, but finds the party righteous enough to give it to them. After they use it for whatever, he is freed from his destiny.


There is very few times a new PC should not be allowed into play immediately; no matter the distance covered to participate. I have had a new player want to join in when I told him it would be best for him to wait till next game. He insisted and then was angry he had to sit and wait. But he was warned....

New PC could be petrified and either the group could have a handy stone to flesh potion or find one in the dungeon.

New PC could be the only survivor of a group that came in the dungeon from the other way, the day before, and was ill-prepared. The New PC can repeat over and over, "I told you guys."

New PC could be from the other side of country, the world, another plane, and either step through a portal trap or a poral malfunction drops him into the dungeon with the group.

Endless possibilities. Or they can meet in a tavern.

[mregecko]

... I'm speechless. I've seen games end badly. Dam, I've played games that ended badly (cursing my whole generation and ancestors), but this is on a whole new level.

Oh, that's not even the best Lanky story! How about this one:

New Worst Session: How Lanky got hisself stabbed! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95189)

[Shining Wrath]

I made arrangements to join a game with a group my brother was involved in down in DC. I cleared my character with the DM ahead of time and I was very clear in asking him that I be able to join the party right away when we began as I was driving 3.5 hours and obviously did not want my trip to be a waste. He said it wouldn't be a problem.

Well, I arrive and everyone is nice and excited to play. The first thing the DM says to me is you can join up with the party as soon as they exit the dungeon they are in. Thinking this would take 10 minutes, I agree. 3 hours later and they finally exit the dungeon. My Paladin meets them at a tavern (yes, how realistic).For the rest of the session, I am the most angry, belligerent Paladin ever. I think I got in a total of 1.5 hours of playtime for 3.5 hours of driving. I think I got to swing at one enemy.

My question to all of you is this: Is it really that big of a deal just to let a character join in a game right away? (especially considering the circumstances) I've been playing this game a long time and as DM I have always been creative enough to work in a new character on the fly. It's not that hard, and most of the other players understand. I mean, here we are, bunch or dorks sitting around pretending we are medieval characters killing monsters, but somehow having another character stumble into the party is somehow unrealistic?

I have never played with them again, and never will.

Me as DM: "You turn a corner - and there's a Paladin lying on the floor with a surprised look on his face, having just been teleported here by accident".

Problem ... solved.

[killem2]

That's just a poor dm.

And incredibly inconsiderate.

[PetterTomBos]

There is very few times a new PC should not be allowed into play immediately; no matter the distance covered to participate. I have had a new player want to join in when I told him it would be best for him to wait till next game. He insisted and then was angry he had to sit and wait. But he was warned....

New PC could be the only survivor of a group that came in the dungeon from the other way, the day before, and was ill-prepared. The New PC can repeat over and over, "I told you guys."


+1. First thing I thought when I read "Paladin character" was "Those guys are really good at surviving." Come to think of it, Paladins are like super easy to put into a party. Especially if the party fights evil! They can charge headlessly at evil. Babysit weaker parties on a duty from the church. He could even be sent from the church as a token of help!

DM should be sorry :/

[Segev]

I am now amused by the idea of a party coming across a statue that is frozen in the act of desperately trying to pull the stopper off of a glass vial with a potion inside.

Wasn't fast enough with that anti-petrification elixer!

[Ortesk]

Geez ive had some sessions where me and my best mate didnt speak for a week, and weve gotten in scraps, but nobodys been arrested or put in the hospital. Just wow....

[Psyren]

My question to all of you is this: Is it really that big of a deal just to let a character join in a game right away? (especially considering the circumstances) I've been playing this game a long time and as DM I have always been creative enough to work in a new character on the fly. It's not that hard, and most of the other players understand. I mean, here we are, bunch or dorks sitting around pretending we are medieval characters killing monsters, but somehow having another character stumble into the party is somehow unrealistic?

It's definitely not a big deal at all, and that DM was both inconsiderate and unimaginative.


http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23784

Indeed, reality is stranger than fiction.

Ouch. Poor guy. Gotta be careful around some screw-loose folks.

[Telonius]

Ah, Lankybugger. I hope he's had some better luck recently.

But yeah, that's really a terrible move by the DM (not to mention the players). Respecting the other people at the table (and the time they're spending) is one of those things that has to happen, or it always turns out badly.

I'm not sure how much good it would have done there, but have you considered joining a gaming session remotely via Skype (or a similar service)? I've had pretty good luck with it the last few campaigns. One person started out with the group in person, then moved to a new time zone for work, and he still managed to hang in there for the whole Shackled City adventure path.

[ryu]

Geez ive had some sessions where me and my best mate didnt speak for a week, and weve gotten in scraps, but nobodys been arrested or put in the hospital. Just wow....

Yep. DnD is occasionally a terrifying experience. Don't even get me started on what it's doing to overly superstitious people the world over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM7YhMfN0v4

[Ortesk]

Yep. DnD is occasionally a terrifying experience. Don't even get me started on what it's doing to overly superstitious people the world over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM7YhMfN0v4

Ah lemme guess, whole devil worship schtick Lmao. Been there done that and had half my family disown me for playing, but i digress. Dnd is just a game, some people take it way to serious. Its like getting in a brawl over losing at CoD or hop scotch

[Killer Angel]

My question to all of you is this: Is it really that big of a deal just to let a character join in a game right away?.

Mandatory link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCgUsBxziHA&feature=player_detailpage#t=1783). :smalltongue:

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Shining Wrath
Me as DM: "You turn a corner - and there's a Paladin lying on the floor with a surprised look on his face, having just been teleported here by accident".

Problem ... solved.

I've seen this done. It's hokey, everyone knows it's hokey, but it gets the new guy in the game.

When I joined my first 3.5 gaming group, I was introduced to the party as an orc captive. Cue some really bad acting on my part. But it also got the job done.



Also, others have made this point, but yes, it was incredibly inconsiderate of that DM to not appreciate the distance you were driving to join his game.

Sometimes people don't stop to realize that while they've been chatting, eating and finally gaming over the course of the evening, you were driving several hours just to reach them. Almost like your character, you magically appear out of nowhere, and where you were before that just doesn't matter.

Hope you find yourself a better gaming group closer to home.

[Fitz10019]

I am now amused by the idea of a party coming across a statue that is frozen in the act of desperately trying to pull the stopper off of a glass vial with a potion inside.

Wasn't fast enough with that anti-petrification elixer!

Don't forget to add "oil can" to the label of the vial.

My DM did something very like this to bring in a new PC, after a character death.

[Equinox]

If a player is willing to put 2.5 hours just getting to the game, he deserves the same level of commitment from the DM. In this case, seems like the DM was giving more respect to his faux 'realism' than he was willing to give you.

[danzibr]

One of the characters accidentally spills a suspicious magic potion that she found on her sword, transforming it into a handsome new PC.

Haha, I love this one! Totally using it at the next natural opportunity.

[Captnq]

There is a deck of cards on the floor. When you pick up the first card, there is a picture of a knight. There is a flash of light and the deck of many things is gone. You (Point at paladin) have been summoned and are now the loyal friend of you (guy who dared to pick up card from deck of many things). Think of it as a two way charm person spell. You have free will and can learn to hate each other, but for now, you are good friends.

The Deck of Many Things:
Is there any plot it cannot fix?

[Barstro]

The Deck of Many Things:
Is there any plot it cannot fix?

Things like this are why I am not automatically against railroading. Move the damn plot along, don't leave that one guy in the corner eating all the cheetos.

[Psyren]

Or have the players walk past a torture chamber with the paladin chained up inside and his gear lying in the corner. A pair of bugbears are giggling and prodding him with hot pokers. The paladin, naturally, isn't afraid.

[Carth]

A nice mechanism I've seen used for within a dungeon is that we find the joining person petrified via flesh to stone, with the hacked remains of their party and a gorgon in the vicinity. Conveniently, the new person could have been frozen for only a day, or hundreds of years, depending on whether you want it to be plausible for anyone left in civilization to have heard of them, for instance. The incoming party is retconned to have been carrying a stone to flesh oil if need be, because that's a plausible thing people dungeon delving would do anyway.

[nedz]

Things like this are why I am not automatically against railroading. Move the damn plot along, don't leave that one guy in the corner eating all the cheetos.

Oh I railroad shamelessly in getting the party together, outside of that: not so much.

You might also need to railroad a backstory to explain why the Paladin was in the card, or you could just leave it up to the player to roleplay that ? This depends on the player really.

[Psyren]

Oh I railroad shamelessly in getting the party together, outside of that: not so much.

You might also need to railroad a backstory to explain why the Paladin was in the card, or you could just leave it up to the player to roleplay that ? This depends on the player really.

I like to leave little loose ends/hooks like that scattered around when I write. You don't have to come up with something on the spot; it's a mystery, but it's not important. (Yet.)

[danzibr]

The Deck of Many Things:
Is there any plot it cannot fix?
Finally, a good use for that thing!

[Warlok]

Ah, Lankybugger. I hope he's had some better luck recently.

But yeah, that's really a terrible move by the DM (not to mention the players). Respecting the other people at the table (and the time they're spending) is one of those things that has to happen, or it always turns out badly.

I'm not sure how much good it would have done there, but have you considered joining a gaming session remotely via Skype (or a similar service)? I've had pretty good luck with it the last few campaigns. One person started out with the group in person, then moved to a new time zone for work, and he still managed to hang in there for the whole Shackled City adventure path.

Yes, I have considered this. But not for me, but for my brother to join our group here in PA. I would never play with that a-hole DM again. Apparently he isn't the worst one either. Just about everyone in that group is a rule monger, questioning every minute detail of your character. He puts up with it because that's just who he knows down there in DC.

[Warlok]

Yep. DnD is occasionally a terrifying experience. Don't even get me started on what it's doing to overly superstitious people the world over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM7YhMfN0v4

That's funny! Reminds me of something. Just about every time I tell someone I play D&D, the first thing they say is "Do you dress up?". Jeez... just goes to show that there really is a stigma attached to D&D, even to this day. I think the general public still has no clue what D&D really is. They really do believe we dress up and run around the woods with wooden swords.

I have been playing for 32 years, and i have played with many different groups over the years. Not one of them "dressed up". Lol.

[ryu]

That's funny! Reminds me of something. Just about every time I tell someone I play D&D, the first thing they say is "Do you dress up?". Jeez... just goes to show that there really is a stigma attached to D&D, even to this day. I think the general public still has no clue what D&D really is. They really do believe we dress up and run around the woods with wooden swords.

I have been playing for 32 years, and i have played with many different groups over the years. Not one of them "dressed up". Lol.

That would be called D&D larping, and it's a real thing. I've never done it though.

[Legendxp]

Personally, I've been waiting the past 4 weeks for my DM to work me into the game. I've been making one character per week because I'm so bored. The main problem is that our party is 10 people (including the DM) one round of combat takes FOREVER and there's always at least one spellcaster who wasn't paying attention and has to spend five minutes looking up a spell during his turn. The characters I've made so far are, a rouge/bard, monk/fighter, warmage/bloodmage, and a Necromancer/Dread Witch.

I've had some horrendous DM's in the past. One DM always said stuff like "You can't do that." whenever I tried to melt a lock with acid or break through a wall or even go down a different direction on a street. Another would always get pissed when I brought up one of his mistakes in his rulings and just say that they were house-rules and he was the DM so he could do whatever he wanted. Later, my character would "just so happen" to fall into a trap or wander into a group of trolls. (etc, etc...) The best I've had so far is a guy that is new to D&D, doesn't know any of the rules, but has alot of ideas and a good imagination. His campaigns usually lack battles and turn out to be rather long and boring.

[Shining Wrath]

I've seen this done. It's hokey, everyone knows it's hokey, but it gets the new guy in the game.

When I joined my first 3.5 gaming group, I was introduced to the party as an orc captive. Cue some really bad acting on my part. But it also got the job done.



Also, others have made this point, but yes, it was incredibly inconsiderate of that DM to not appreciate the distance you were driving to join his game.

Sometimes people don't stop to realize that while they've been chatting, eating and finally gaming over the course of the evening, you were driving several hours just to reach them. Almost like your character, you magically appear out of nowhere, and where you were before that just doesn't matter.

Hope you find yourself a better gaming group closer to home.

Hokey works, that's why people do it.
Could've met the Paladin in a tavern - hokey.
Could've come across the Paladin overmatched but fighting bravely to save children from monsters - hokey.
Since they were already in the dungeon, the usual tropes apply:
1) Rescue captive Paladin
2) Come across Paladin fighting alone
3) Paladin arrives looking for them having been sent by stereotypical benevolent figure
4) Paladin arrives without understanding how he got there
5) Paladin was a monster, got religion, is trying to find good people to adventure with

[SowZ]

There is a deck of cards on the floor. When you pick up the first card, there is a picture of a knight. There is a flash of light and the deck of many things is gone. You (Point at paladin) have been summoned and are now the loyal friend of you (guy who dared to pick up card from deck of many things). Think of it as a two way charm person spell. You have free will and can learn to hate each other, but for now, you are good friends.

The Deck of Many Things:
Is there any plot it cannot fix?

Just remember there is also nothing it cannot destroy.

[Jon_Dahl]

Warlok, your story got me angry at your ex-DM. That was terribly inconsiderate. If I had been the DM, I would've simply spent 20 seconds explaining your situation to other players (before you got there), and then got you into the game within 15 minutes. If, for some miracleous reason, I hadn't been able to do that, I would've given you some meaningful assistant DM assignment until your character's appearance. But seriously, I would've gone out on a limb to get you there.

There's another option: I have something against the player. He/she has been inconsiderate towards me, or I simply don't like him/her. Screwing the person like this is a good way to make sure that the player doesn't come back, and I don't have to explain why (It's messy to explain that you don't like someone). Yes, I can be quite passive aggressive sometimes. Thank you for asking!

[Warlok]

Warlok, your story got me angry at your ex-DM. That was terribly inconsiderate. If I had been the DM, I would've simply spent 20 seconds explaining your situation to other players (before you got there), and then got you into the game within 15 minutes. If, for some miracleous reason, I hadn't been able to do that, I would've given you some meaningful assistant DM assignment until your character's appearance. But seriously, I would've gone out on a limb to get you there.

There's another option: I have something against the player. He/she has been inconsiderate towards me, or I simply don't like him/her. Screwing the person like this is a good way to make sure that the player doesn't come back, and I don't have to explain why (It's messy to explain that you don't like someone). Yes, I can be quite passive aggressive sometimes. Thank you for asking!

Since we had never met before that day, I hope he had nothing against me. His actions did gaurantee that I would never return, so if that was his goal, mission accomplished. Don't forget I reached out to him prior to the trip to voice my concern about getting into the game quickly. I even politely said I'd understand if he felt he could not get me into the game quickly, and if that were the case I would not venture down there.

[Firechanter]

Since we had never met before that day, I hope he had nothing against me.

Well, you read Lanky Bugger's "Cops were called" account, but did you get to the part in a followup post where he found out why the Psycho-DM treated him so atrociously?

Turns out it was because he didn't like the style of the character portrait. Lanky had drawn it in manga-style, and iirc Psycho-DM carried a grudge against all things manga/anime because of something to do with his ex-gf (she left him for someone she met at an anime convention or somesuch). But Lanky learned about that only months or years later; I forget.

Just saying that in extreme circumstances, antipathy can be completely irrational. Anyway, probably nothing of the sort was the case here, and that DM of yours was just an inconsiderate **** with all the social aptitude and empathy of an amoeba.

I haven't experienced anything of that scale personally, but I do know a few blokes who drove maybe 200km+ for a gaming weekend or even -week that turned out rather disappointing. Like, you drive there because you are promised that you'll play 8-10 hours per day for four days or so, and then it's like
Day 1: yah man take it easy we're just settling in. Let's order pizza.
Day 2: Playstation / Eggsbocks. Man, Through the Fire and Flames is _hard_!
Day 3: okay let's roll characters. Hey dudes check out this DVD box.
Day 4: stalling, eventually 3,5 hours of low-intensity play before people get distracted again.
Day 5: time to go home.