Newb about to play with evil DM

[Lycan 01]

Here's the scoop.

I'm a newb. I've never played DnD, but I researched a bit of it, talked to some players, and read OotS (very funny, btw!). I just signed myself up for a game of DnD with my GF's best friend's brother. Apparently, he's a self proclaimed "evil DM," like the type I've been told to avoid. He bends the rules to his advantage, randomly reveals important pieces of info waaaay after they were needed, "forgets" to mention helpful things like Saving Throws, and overall just doesn't play fair. And he's going to be in charge of my first DnD game ever. Yaaaaay...

So, it'll be me, my GF, and her best friend verses a psychotic and megalomaniacle (did I spell that right?) DM. What should we do? Try our best to survive? Let him toy with our Souls and not complain? Or should we do our best to make his DM-ing experience miserable?

Personally, I want to make him miserable. I've heard of the Gazebo Incident, and I intend to see how far his patience can stretch. :D

Anybody got other torture ideas? Or should I just sit back, shut up, and let him have his way with my poor character?

[Jayabalard]

don't play; seems like the best option to me.

[Nohwl]

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=587555

find out what splat books are allowed and pick your favorite build out of the usable ones.

i suggest something by LordofProcrastination or Khan the Destroyer.

[Dode]

don't play; seems like the best option to me.

Yeah, this.

[Nohwl]

how does not playing accomplish the goal of finding out the limits of someones patience?

[Lycan 01]

I live in the middle of nowhere. He's the only DM I know or have access to. I need to play with him so I can learn how to play, then later on get the game myself so I can host for my GF and our other friends who can't/won't play with us right now for various reasons...

Its a Catch-22. Either play and suffer, or don't ever play at all. Ever.

[Nohwl]

then ignore that link i gave. that would pretty much destroy the game. i wouldnt be surprised if it got you kicked out of the group either. get someone here to build a character for you or give you advice on what to do. you want it to be slightly stronger than the rest of the party, so find out what they are going to be, write it down, and that will give people an idea of around where your character should be power wise.

[Lycan 01]

Power, shmower. I know I'm gonna get raped no matter how strong I am. His sister (GF's best friend...) playe with him once. She got all the way to the end of the game he'd set up, and without warning he killed her with some super move his character had been saving up his sleeve all through the game. So no matter how strong or skilled my character is, I know he won't survive the game.

So I intend to make him strive to kill me...

[Behold_the_Void]

Honestly, don't play. The guy sounds like a jerk, I'm of the school of thought that it's better to not waste your time doing something you won't enjoy than doing it just for the sake of "being in a game."

[quiet1mi]

do what i did and play a post by post game instead of having a lousy Dm

[Lycan 01]

Well, I've gotta learn how to play somehow. My logic: If I learn how to play and get an understanding of the basics, then it will have been worth it in the long run. Plus, I want to torture him. My GF has a few ideas on how to do so, too. I dunno if they're possible, but still... they'd be hilarious if implimented.

And I'm going to college this fall, and I figure I'll meet a few other DnD players. And by then, it'll be 4e, and I can learn the new stuff in-depth, while having gotten the basic info from the evil DM dude.

[Bob the Urgh]

Play, but don't play. show up, talk, build a character, etc. but instead just talk to your girlfriend and her friend, have each battle last about 5-6 hrs. That way, when he does kill your character, it will be meaningless.

[Solo]

How about instead of you and your GF (and her friend) playing with a power hungry jerk who gets a hard on by screwing people over (cause, you know, there's no way he'll ever actually screw people by virtue of his personality) , we set you three up with a game on these boards?

[Dode]

Or via Telnet MUSH.

[Citizen Joe]

Step 1: Make characters that you don't care about. You may as well just roll randomly and take whatever you get. If you spend more than two minutes making your character, then it is too long. Alternatively, ask the DM for all kinds of help during character creation.

Step 2: Throw all care to the wind and get everyone killed.

Step 3: Make up new characters, again making sure that you monopolize the DM's time getting him to essentially 'make' the character for you.

Step 4: Get killed again.

Repeat until the DM figures out that killing off characters is counter productive to telling a good story. The trick is to NOT get attached to your characters.

[Lycan 01]

Yes, these are the sort of plans I like. Go to learn, but don't actually play to win. I still want to torture him...

Btw, RPing is a major part of DnD, right? Can you play as a character who's got phobias, or other problems? Like Acrophobia? Aquaphobia? Or Necrophilia...?


Edit: Playing on internet is out of question. GF's best friend doesn't web browse much, and if GF's dad saw her on a DnD related site (he doesn't know we're going to play...), he'd freak out and ban her from it.

[Nota Biene]

Well, you do have an interesting third option here. Wait till 4th edition comes out in june- or play the intro adventure they are releasing early. With a new edition, everyone will be in the same boat, so you can start your own game without any preconceived expectations on anyone's part, everyone will be equally qualified to DM- and all the support from now on will be for 4th anyway. This will allow you to get started in DnD without having to deal with the jerk. It may still help to have someone who's played before, but your gf fills that role, no?

Making an evil construct to destroy the game may be funny for one session, but I'm betting it will get old fast. Try to play for the long term.

[Vella_Malachite]

Try looking at this thread:

Things I am No Longer Allowed to Do While Gaming.

Should give you some ideas.

[Bob the Urgh]

What DnD about roleplaying? Who's been telling you these lies? Go with the third option.

[Lycan 01]

Hm. How different is 4e from the current one? I figured it would only be a few rule tweaks...


And I've just heard that people give their characters quirks and stuff for flair and humor. And a lot of DnD experiences I've been told of are kinda RP-ish... I dunno, I'm just a poor newb!




Edit: Hm. Texting the best friend right now. Apparently, her bro is strict, too. I said I would do things to get on his nerves, like eat the hearts of my fallen foes in (fake) hopes of regaining health. She said the game (his game, is more like it...) doesn't allow things like that. Ummm... I've heard of people pouring barrels of latern oil into caves then lighting it on fire to clear out all the monsters. Why can't I eat a friggin' heart?!

[Kizara]

Hm. How different is 4e from the current one? I figured it would only be a few rule tweaks...


And I've just heard that people give their characters quirks and stuff for flair and humor. And a lot of DnD experiences I've been told of are kinda RP-ish... I dunno, I'm just a poor newb!




Edit: Hm. Texting the best friend right now. Apparently, her bro is strict, too. I said I would do things to get on his nerves, like eat the hearts of my fallen foes in (fake) hopes of regaining health. She said the game (his game, is more like it...) doesn't allow things like that. Ummm... I've heard of people pouring barrels of latern oil into caves then lighting it on fire to clear out all the monsters. Why can't I eat a friggin' heart?!

Ever play World of Warcraft or Diablo 2? It's more like that.

And yes, it's massively different then 3.5ed.

[Lycan 01]

Well, I knew you went through dungeons and killed stuff. But I heard you could talk to NPCs (you voice your character, DM voices NPC) and describe your characters actions and other RP-ish stuff.

So no heart devouring for me?

[Dode]

Oh, be sure and bring transparant dice with hard to read numbering, then roll it away from the DM and say you rolled really well because he can't tell. Also, begin all your statements with "Yeah whatever, I-"

[Kizara]

Well, I knew you went through dungeons and killed stuff. But I heard you could talk to NPCs (you voice your character, DM voices NPC) and describe your characters actions and other RP-ish stuff.

So no heart devouring for me?

I was describing 4ed's rule set.

As for the game itself, its designed as a cooperative storytelling experience between you and the others at the table. Yes, you talk to other people. Yes, you go into dungeons and kill stuff (generally). As for the amount of time spent on character actions, motivations and RPing that depends on the pacing, tone and general style of the group.

Don't go there expecting to have the epic journey of your character, where you fulfill all his hopes and dreams and such. With a garbage DM, it will likely be crap and you shouldn't get too 'into' the game, as it will bother you alot more when he screws it up for you.

As for eating someone's heart, there's no reason you couldn't do that. Assuming you have the Strength to rip it out and the Fortitude to deal with eating raw meat in such a fashion. No, you don't gain HPs.

[Behold_the_Void]

Ever play World of Warcraft or Diablo 2? It's more like that.

And yes, it's massively different then 3.5ed.

Damn it, I thought we were past these comparisons.

[Bob the Urgh]

I was joking about the RPGing thing, if you really want to go ahead with this make your characters name Bob (the something), and dont bother writing in a backstory.

[chiasaur11]

Pun Pun.

You know you want to.

[Solo]

Damn it, I thought we were past these comparisons.

Oh, no. It is totally like some sort of MMORPG. We can trust Kizara's evaluation because he has seen the real 4th edition core material extensively.

At least I hope he has, for to make that kind of declaration without any supporting evidence would be highly presumptuous, to say the least.

[Kizara]

Damn it, I thought we were past these comparisons.

The skill and talent tree systems are similar to those presented in Diablo 2.

The class structure and game design is similar to World of Warcraft.

Whether you take these comparisons as being derogitory is your own perogitive.

Edit: As for Solo's 'post', I have seen the skill and talent tree system (there was a thread on that recently).

I have seen both the previews of the class structure and an interview with the designer of Eberron concerning its roots in WoW in regards to game design.

Finally, I'm not trying to derail this thread, I was trying to explain to this 'newbie' in a very concise way how 4ed is different then 3.5ed to the best of my ability. I don't have to have an encyclopedic knowledge of 4ed to do this.

[Solo]

The skill and talent tree systems are similar to those presented in Diablo 2.

The class structure and game design is similar to World of Warcraft.

Whether you take these comparisons as being derogitory is your own perogitive.

Don't forget, 4th edition has elves, dwarves, wizards, demons, and rogues, all of which can be found in WoW.

Clearly, 4th edition is no better than a MMORPG. Quests will be given by NPCs with giant yellow exclamation marks over their heads, bosses will respawn again and again, leading to loot runs, and the most famous character in the game will be LEEEEEEEROY JENKINS!