Need help playing my role! Please!

[CR8TVhooligan]

I'm hoping to get some help with the game. DM is playing a mixed bag of 5e, 3.5e and 2e since he and one of the PCs have been playing D&D since its inception.

My boggle is that I'm trying to play an 11th level dwarven War Wizard, which the DM specifically said "I'm going to use your character as comic relief for this game" My character is chaotic good, but when he called a good character out for doing a wanton evil act, my character was put into the buffoon box for the rest of the game :smallredface:

The characters she's playing were albino drow, but has recently been permanently transformed into high elves and neutral good. Yeah good. I really don't see a good aligned high elf going about rummaging in the pockets of petrified creatures who weren't a threat and our group was trying to heal.

My own idea was to create a character that's exactly opposite of my chaotic good 11th level dwarven War Wizard into a chaotic evil 11th level duergar War Wizard (or equivalent) and the next time she pulls a wanton act of evil, my original character will turn Hyde style into the murder hobo they seem to want to play.

Have a week to think up other ideas of how to be either taken seriously as the character/alignment I'm playing or to countermand the DM and his confused minion(s).

Would love help and advice from any and all in the playground that vote for that solution or bring a new one to the table. :smallsmile:

In the meantime, I'll be researching Underdark and Menzoberranzan, which is where we're obviously being led.

Copious blessings to all who take the time!!
CR8TVhooligan

[meandean]

I'm honestly confused as to what you're trying to say, but I do think being "taken seriously as the character/alignment I'm playing" is a right that you should just have. It sounds like your character's race and alignment were changed? If so, did you want that to happen?

[LecternOfJasper]

How I parsed this:

"I'm hoping to get some help with the game. For context, the DM is running a mixed bag of 5e, 3.5e and 2e since he and one of the PCs have been playing D&D since its inception.

My issue is that I'm trying to play an 11th level dwarven War Wizard, and the DM specifically said "I'm going to use your character as comic relief for this game," which is not the role I want to play. For context, my character is chaotic good, but when he called a good character out for doing a wanton evil act, the DM decided that my character would be comic relief, which I do not want.

The characters she's playing with are an albino drow that has recently been permanently transformed into a high elf and neutral good. This character previously has rummaged through the pockets of helpless petrified creatures while we were trying to heal them. I really don't see a good aligned high elf going about rummaging in the pockets of petrified creatures who weren't a threat and our group was trying to heal.

My current plan to solve this issue is to create a character that's exactly opposite of my chaotic good 11th level dwarven War Wizard: a chaotic evil 11th level duergar War Wizard (or equivalent). The next time the "good" high elf pulls a wanton act of evil, my original character will turn Hyde style into a murder-hobo to fit the style that the party seems to want to play.

I have a week to think up other ideas of how to be either taken seriously as the character/alignment I'm playing or to respond in kind to the DM and his confused players (?).

Would love to have help and advice from any and all in the playground. Either vote for that solution or bring a new one to the table.

In the meantime, I'll be researching Underdark and Menzoberranzan, which is where we're obviously being led.

Copious blessings to all who take the time!!
CR8TVhooligan"

If I understand you correctly, your DM is being rude and describing your failures/actions as those of an idiot when you wanted your character to be a more serious one, while the rest of your party is acting like murder-hobos and being generally not very nice while having "good" on their character sheets.

Of the options I see, if simply asking your DM to not paint you as the comic relief does not work, changing your character to fit the style of the game is not bad. If everyone is playing a murder-hobo game and is strongly opposed to [S]being reasonable other styles of play, I'd say the best course of action is to either start playing a murder-hobo as well or find a new group.

Of course, there is a chance based on what you said that they're enjoying trying to annoy you, too. If you're the only one trying to play a certain way and the DM is deliberately messing with you and forcing your character to be comic relief when you don't want them to be, that's toxic. Just something to keep in mind.

[Anonymouswizard]

My boggle is that I'm trying to play an 11th level dwarven War Wizard, which the DM specifically said "I'm going to use your character as comic relief for this game" My character is chaotic good, but when he called a good character out for doing a wanton evil act, my character was put into the buffoon box for the rest of the game :smallredface:

Ah, I see the problem. You're trying to play this character seriously, while the GM is intent on making you the comic relief. I suggest talking to your GM and outright stating that you don't want your character to be the comic relief.


The characters she's playing were albino drow, but has recently been permanently transformed into high elves and neutral good. Yeah good.

As a side note I hate this character already. Albino drow is the worst combination of words since 'everybody picked an elf'.


I really don't see a good aligned high elf going about rummaging in the pockets of petrified creatures who weren't a threat and our group was trying to heal.

Technically it is, by word of God, something good characters do. ****ing kender.


My own idea was to create a character that's exactly opposite of my chaotic good 11th level dwarven War Wizard into a chaotic evil 11th level duergar War Wizard (or equivalent) and the next time she pulls a wanton act of evil, my original character will turn Hyde style into the murder hobo they seem to want to play.

Have a week to think up other ideas of how to be either taken seriously as the character/alignment I'm playing or to countermand the DM and his confused minion(s).

Would love help and advice from any and all in the playground that vote for that solution or bring a new one to the table. :smallsmile:

You can do that if you think it'll be fun. But I have a radical option that, although rarely thought of, tends to lead to problems being solved.

Talk to your GM and group like you're all functional adults and try to come to an agreement or compromise.

Maybe the GM is outright ignoring how you want your character to be treated in a serious game. Maybe you brought the wrong character to a group that wants to play muderhobos. Maybe the GM just really dislikes dwarves and refuses to treat them seriously. There's a number of potential causes, but trying an in-game solution, especially a radical one, is more likely to escalate the problem than solve it.

[CR8TVhooligan]

I'm honestly confused as to what you're trying to say, but I do think being "taken seriously as the character/alignment I'm playing" is a right that you should just have. It sounds like your character's race and alignment were changed? If so, did you want that to happen? :smallcool: Thank you meandean - actually another player had changed but I thank you for your interest and help :smallsmile:

[CR8TVhooligan]

Thank you LecternOfJasper. You're close to it. Sadly, they've always played mostly murder hobo games but I'm more of a puzzles and intrigue, better quests and not so much just about winning, but the journey with the friends. I'll just have to take it beyond their level by showing what the character can do in terms of spells, might in terms of intellect and so forth, but I can murder hobo if I have to get their attention. Where we live is super small and not really anyone since after Covid has formed up any groups, but as socialization opens up, maybe a new group will be an option. The next best thing, I guess, is to be the DM next time. I can get them the gratuitous kill scenes they need while having them maybe actually complete an object quest with at least some elements of intrigue.

[CR8TVhooligan]

Thank you, AnonymousWizard. I agree, it would be wonderful if I could converse amongst them all as functional adults, but I've tried that in the past and have come up against a wall. I'm taking into account everyone's responses here and have decided to take the high road if I can, but if not, I'll move into their territory of shoot first, question never. Also believe that by becoming the DM in a future game, I can see if I can steer it towards a more intriguing level, but as one person suggested here, it might just need to be the change of group. :smallsmile:

[Slipjig]

Eh, rummaging through people's pockets is much more Chaotic than Evil.

But if most of the people at your table are playing zany free spirits, the serious character is probably going to end up being the butt of the joke fairly often. Practice your harrumph-ing and go with it.

[Anonymouswizard]

Eh, rummaging through people's pockets is much more Chaotic than Evil.

What does alignment mean anyway? The fact is its biggest impact on the game has been arguments other whether X characters would do Y, and its second biggest impact has been Paladins falling.


But if most of the people at your table are playing zany free spirits, the serious character is probably going to end up being the butt of the joke fairly often. Practice your harrumph-ing and go with it.

I mean, I think part of the issue is that OP wants to play the straight man, but has been relegated to the position of chief fool. There's many ways a serious character in a zany group can go, from team parent to exhausted snarker, but the one being used is one OP isn't comfortable with.


Plus who completes quests these days? In my experience adventurers primarily bumble around until they find The Bad Guy and kill him

[CR8TVhooligan]

Eh, rummaging through people's pockets is much more Chaotic than Evil.

But if most of the people at your table are playing zany free spirits, the serious character is probably going to end up being the butt of the joke fairly often. Practice your harrumph-ing and go with it.

Thank you, Slipjig, I fear what you say is true. We've also been struck with the plague (Covid) since last week, but should be over it soon and then people can visit again and the game can resume and I can release the harrumphs at will along with other tomfoolery.

Tom Fool was not truly to be laughed at, oh he may have sat 'neath the tree strumming his lute making crude songs for visiting travelers to laugh at, but if they were rude, he misdirected them right into the boggy quicksand of death below the manor house. Yet, I feel that's evil too, so I wouldn't go that far, but maybe make up pitfalls that teach their character a moral.

Of course, I'm also considering bringing in a murder hobo of my own and bowing Ragnavald M. Eldonar I (“Tronk”) out for play in a serious game or hopefully a live tournament I've heard about.

[CR8TVhooligan]

What does alignment mean anyway? The fact is its biggest impact on the game has been arguments other whether X characters would do Y, and its second biggest impact has been Paladins falling.



I mean, I think part of the issue is that OP wants to play the straight man, but has been relegated to the position of chief fool. There's many ways a serious character in a zany group can go, from team parent to exhausted snarker, but the one being used is one OP isn't comfortable with.


Plus who completes quests these days? In my experience adventurers primarily bumble around until they find The Bad Guy and kill him

--Interesting, Anonymouswizard, interesting. I believe the adventure relies on the DM and the players, the maturity level, the experiences and ability to use imagination. We've been debating here at home, while in plague (Covid) quarantine, how to approach this. We've been playing with the same people for so long we know their level and desires, so we're thinking about either using my character to teach the other PCs moral lessons every now and then or taking him out all together and just bringing in a murder hobo that can hack and slash with the best of 'em. We'd heard about a live tournaments at a hotel that would give a fresh experience (http : // adventureawaymd . com ) There are always options.

Questing is fun because it's component worthy with puzzles, pitfalls, thinking and group effort and helps everyone grow in learning, we'd started out this way, but maybe we all just need a fresh perspective to get the excitement back into the game. My thinking is that they're going to need props, terrain and solid maps as game aids since a lot of the trouble also stems from everyone visualizing differently when they only use a grid and a grease pencil. We have a 3D printer and aren't afraid to use it. :smallbiggrin:

Thank you for helping me with my dilemma and here's to good gaming for all! Huzzah!

[Tawmis]

What I don't care for (personally) is the DM taking away YOUR ability to play your character how you want.

Saying that they intend to use your character as "comic relief"...

What the DM SHOULD do - is allow the dice to tell that story.

I run a bi-weekly Tuesday game ("The Work Game" - since it's mostly comprised of co-workers, or it was) that's a little more on the serious, epic tale side - but the dice tell the comedy.
In the off week game (the opposite Tuesday which has three of the people from that game) - it's all comedy, with the bantering, and how they take things. But it was their choice. It was intended to be a dark story - but they ended up turning it into a bit of comedy - so that whole game, I make all kinds of unnecessary rolls (like when the rogue is off trying to signal the rest of the party - I have him roll a performance check, to see how well he's conveying his message from across the field - something I normally wouldn't do - but for the sake of that game, allows me to inject more comedy with these rolls ... and with it being 3 people as opposed to my "Work" game being 6 to 7 people... it works out)

I turn critical fails (Natural 1's), for example into fun events (stabbing a team member for half the damage rolled, weapons slipping out of the hand, etc).

And it's all done in fun.

Your DM should try that instead of taking away your choice to play how you want.

[Rynjin]

Smack 'im upside the head and tell him to cut that **** out.

[Trafalgar]

As a side note I hate this character already. Albino drow is the worst combination of words since 'everybody picked an elf'.


I was thinking the same thing. It would be as if the player wanted to be the "worlds tallest halfling".

[Anonymouswizard]

I was thinking the same thing. It would be as if the player wanted to be the "worlds tallest halfling".

Carrot Ironfoundersson. Who admittedly is only a dwarf culturally.

[KorvinStarmast]

My Boggle (game) is missing a letter die. :smallsigh: Used to be one of our favorite games, but someone lost/ate the die

The characters she's playing were albino drow As I understand Drow society, that one would have been fed to a large spider sometime shortly after being born ... :smalleek:

[animorte]

There seems to be a misunderstanding here. Alignment is the result of how your PC lives and the decisions they make. It is rarely a preemptive standard that dictates your actions (for some PCs it can be). Use your PC's experiences and goals to drive their course of action (you know, role-play). This is a much more accurate depiction of alignment.

[Jay R]

The crucial issue is to make sure that you are in charge of who your own PC is.


My boggle is that I'm trying to play an 11th level dwarven War Wizard, which the DM specifically said "I'm going to use your character as comic relief for this game"

At this stage, you should at least consider saying, "OK, here's the character sheet for your new comic-relief NPC. Do I roll up a new character, or am I out of the game?"

And stick to it. "No, I didn't want to play comic relief. When you changed him, he stopped being my character."

"No, when you decided his character, he became an NPC. He's only a PC if I decide his character."

Obviously, it's too late to do that. [And that's overstated in any case. I exaggerated to make sure I got my point across] But whatever you decide to do with your new character, you decide what his character will be, and each time the DM (or anybody else) tells you it's something else, just quietly and politely correct them.

[Trafalgar]

What does alignment mean anyway? The fact is its biggest impact on the game has been arguments other whether X characters would do Y, and its second biggest impact has been Paladins falling.


I have been playing a lot of OSR lately and I have found that reducing it to Lawful vs Neutral vs Chaotic makes alignment a much more useful for roleplaying.

[Phhase]

Two options: Either don't play into it and just be a stalwart bastion of good in a mad world such that making fun of you over and over simply won't stick, OR play into it really hard and start clowning around to caricature the actions of others. Make your spells silly and embarrassing for others. Stuff your pockets with rats illusion'd as gold and gems so would be pickpockets get bit. Clumsily spill ball bearings when other "good" people act evil. Oh no, I'm so clumsy! I didn't mean to give away your <bad thing>! Who fights a fool risks being seen as one, after all.