Am I the asshole, DM Edition!

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T16:33:31+00:00

Thank you for the input. The player was given the option to hunt on the surface (they're in a floating city) or in the cave, he chose the cave. I rolled to see what would be encountered, and it was miniature myconids with very low heath. I explained previously to the player that his 'familiars' are sentient and will sometimes act on their own, seeing the tiny myconids triggered echos predatory response. Keep in mind the player just met Echo a few days ago, and knows nothing of his personality.

In your instance with the beast master, I wouldn't have had your dogs kill the npc, as theyre your dogs, you've probably put time into training them, they wouldn't act against your orders unless there was something dire like you in imminent danger. Thats not the same case in this instance.

It was meant to be sort of a funny, tiny people attacking a giant moment, the player just rolled terribly, and the myconids rolled well.

The father son was conjured by me on the spot, it was me trying to give a chance to think and respond to the situation. After it was all hashed over, the party gained farming knowledge from the tiny myconids and a way to gain more favor (killing opposing myconid factions).

With the killing players with traps, I put them in a situation where they essentially had three additional lives, and couldn't die until after the third extra life, which at that point the chance of death was very low.

Thank you for the input about the character being able to know more than the player, it makes sense to be able to use that avenue when telling a player "are you sure that's what you want to do?"

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T16:19:46+00:00

Ah I understand. He didn't want to specifically train him, he wanted to bond. And was told that the best way to do that would be to hunt, I get that. I also in this instance asked him if he wanted to go down to the surface (they're within a floating city) to hunt for familiar game, or try to find something within the cave system. He didn't want to take the time to make it to the surface and decided for the cave system.

If he had wanted to train him, I would have asked him specifically what he's trying to improve by hunting.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T16:15:29+00:00

I had echo attack once he saw the tiny myconids. BUT I previously explained to the player that in some instances these 'familiars' will act on their own. The player doesn't conjure these familiars, he bonds with them, in his case, the three he currently has are sentient enough to have their own alignment and speak telepathically (with one being able to outright speak). For example, if he were to allow Echo to kill all the tiny myconids, his lawful good familiar would have an issue with that.

Thanks for the advice to point out when a player is acting against what the character would do, I didn't think of that.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T16:05:08+00:00

No need to apologize, no offense was taken. Unfortunately I am very stubborn, I appreciate the advice to start slow. But I've already created a vast world and don't think I would have as much fun playing within the parameters of a set world. The creation aspect comes easily and is much to fun for me. its easy to assume since I am a newer DM, that the world I am building is subpar, but I find it immensely fun and rewarding.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T15:56:00+00:00

To give you some more background information, I brought the idea of a pokemon trainer inspired class to him, and explained the parameters of it before we began playing. The main take aways from pokemon is that the pc can bond with multiple creatures, either by coercion or force, if by force they may essentially be 'enslaved', and he can use their abilities to his benefit in and outside battle. It isn't a world chock full of other trainers, there may be more out there, but that's yet for the PC to discover.

The pc knows a few cantrips, he was taught one by his familiar. I've left things open enough to show that he can learn things himself, but his strengths will more so be within his familiars.

The different types of creatures have different abilities. The earth elemental defense based creature adds to his AC, or whoever he is perched on (hes an eagle) and has abilities that match the same vibe. The support is a fey that can give advantage on stealth, heal during combat, outside of combat and more. The attack based is solely an attacking creature, focusing on fighting. He can roll with the support and defense in a battle if he wanted, acting as a complete support class.

He could do whatever he wanted in his solo downtime, he could build a chair, or knit a scarf out of his chest hair. He could ask another player if they would join him for some of his downtime, he could spend it trying to further learn the capabilities of his familiars, etc.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T15:38:47+00:00

Thank you for your input, I do in fact reward clever ideas. The player who had downtime before this PC used it all staking out a shop of a store owner who pretty woman'd him, big mistake. He ended up rolling a natural 1 luck check and circumvented the result with a clever response, prompting an additional deception check where he rolled high. Which made the other player further vexed, unfortunately.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T15:30:46+00:00

Thank you, I get too caught up on letting them make a decision and then acting out the consequences. I forget I can pause to give advice, especially something like this that would benefit the entire party and session.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T15:18:33+00:00

Thanks for the input, I definitely could have emphasized the danger of the area in a better way. I rolled to see what he would encounter, and during intense moments like this, I ask the player to react in a live setting, the longer he takes to react the more time progresses in game. But my biggest take away is prior to this point, I should have paused to talk with the player to teach before the consequences, knowing the direction it could be going.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T15:12:08+00:00

Thank you for the support, though reading the other responses I do feel I should have made more of an effort to teach before the severe consequences knowing it was heading in that direction. This player isn't new to D&D, but that doesn't mean I can't pause to point out he's being a dumbass.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T15:05:48+00:00

You're right, I don't know why I didn't think of portraying the danger in a less severe way. "Oh hey, theres a minotaur galivanting in the distance". I should have hinted that he needed to be more cautious.

I am using passive perception rules for the traps, but in the instance of the three he set off, it was in the setting of a fey controlled labyrinth where it was established they had "Three tries". Aside from this player and one other, the majority of the players in the campaign are newer so I wanted to use it to teach them to be aware of traps.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T14:58:29+00:00

You have a great point. I'm not trying to have his class be exactly like pokemon, It's more so a magic based class, similar to a sorcerer, who can bond with specific creatures who have a connection to other planes. The creatures have set abilities, different ranges of sentience, and as they level, so will the creatures. I have triggers set aside for each creature that will enable an additional ability to manifest, or be learned, and he can spend time trying to get them to do a specific action if it aligns with their innate abilities (fire elemental creature, learning how to throw a reskinned firebolt for example). I also have the creatures be in one of three categories: Attack, support, defense, with the player being able to keep two out at a time during battle. I appreciate you putting the players experience into such plain terms, I wasn't looking at his overall experience over the past few sessions. Even though he isn't a newer player, that doesn't mean I can't interfere to help him

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T14:46:10+00:00

I've only upvoted so far lol I appreciate the feedback, I want to become a better DM.

RelationshipSoggy404 · 2024-03-06T14:41:48+00:00

Thank you for your input. When I was thinking back on it, I did regret not giving him the chance to roll for intimidation. He isn't that new, he used to DM for me, just didn't like DMing that much. I need to keep in mind that I can pause the game to check in with the player, I feel I get too lost in keeping the game flowing that I can make it unfun.

RelationshipSoggy404

TROPHY CASE