I've been in this campaign for 5 sessions, and the DM likes to throw almost impossible battles at us. We can't avoid them, like for example we're captured by lizardmen and have to escape, he puts us up against a few hard fights, which I actually enjoy, but then we have an impossible fight after that. What inevitably happens is an NPC he controls warps into the room and saves the party from a TPK. It's happened in 4 of the sessions we've had. So is there a name for a DM who gives players almost impossible battles so he can bring his NPC in there to save the day.
I often put encounters my players can't beat or are close to impossible to beat. They have never forced encounters and are usually wondering encounters in which the players can choose what to do.
Basically, it's a deadly encounter if they make it a deadly encounter, but most of the time I try to make it clear they are outmatched, manned or not ready. In only one instance have my players pushed their luck and ended up in a fight like this. Basically, they ended up attacking a peaceful settlement of werewolves deeps inside a magical forest. They were given a quest and instead of questioning a single person they encountered they sneaked up and attacked everyone. They felt terrible when they learned what they did and asked me if they could have done anything to avoid the position they ended up in. I told them, they could have talked to basically anyone they attacked to get more information. One player was like, we did and I reminded her that no she didn't. The one person they debated on talking to they cast silence on and murdered in one round.
I don't think it makes me a crappy DM however, if you are being put into these positions with little to no control I would recommend you either talking to your DM or finding a new DM or group.
It sounds like you're having trouble with the dreaded DMPC. Has anyone in the group talked to him about this? It could be that either One, he's not aware how this affects the player's enjoyment of the game and just thought it looked "cinematic," or Two, he's suffering from DM fatigue and and wants to be a player.
Talk to your group, see if they share in your feelings. There's always the possibility that this is part of their group dynamic that they enjoy and you're the odd one out, but you won't know unless you speak up. If this is a concern that the group shares, then it needs to be brought up with the DM.
Communication is always key, nothing will be fixed if you don't talk.
Back when I ran 2nd edition I was DM and I had a PC, he was the Hireling that followed orders, didn't stick his neck far out and never rescued the party. If the DM is doing the swoop in and save the day with a NPC all the time yes you need to talk with them or find another one.
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I've been in this campaign for 5 sessions, and the DM likes to throw almost impossible battles at us. We can't avoid them, like for example we're captured by lizardmen and have to escape, he puts us up against a few hard fights, which I actually enjoy, but then we have an impossible fight after that. What inevitably happens is an NPC he controls warps into the room and saves the party from a TPK. It's happened in 4 of the sessions we've had. So is there a name for a DM who gives players almost impossible battles so he can bring his NPC in there to save the day.
A crappy DM.
"We're the perfect combination of expendable and unkillable!"
You should make him an ex-DM by picking someone else to DM.
Professional computer geek
I often put encounters my players can't beat or are close to impossible to beat. They have never forced encounters and are usually wondering encounters in which the players can choose what to do.
Basically, it's a deadly encounter if they make it a deadly encounter, but most of the time I try to make it clear they are outmatched, manned or not ready. In only one instance have my players pushed their luck and ended up in a fight like this. Basically, they ended up attacking a peaceful settlement of werewolves deeps inside a magical forest. They were given a quest and instead of questioning a single person they encountered they sneaked up and attacked everyone. They felt terrible when they learned what they did and asked me if they could have done anything to avoid the position they ended up in. I told them, they could have talked to basically anyone they attacked to get more information. One player was like, we did and I reminded her that no she didn't. The one person they debated on talking to they cast silence on and murdered in one round.
I don't think it makes me a crappy DM however, if you are being put into these positions with little to no control I would recommend you either talking to your DM or finding a new DM or group.
It sounds like you're having trouble with the dreaded DMPC. Has anyone in the group talked to him about this? It could be that either One, he's not aware how this affects the player's enjoyment of the game and just thought it looked "cinematic," or Two, he's suffering from DM fatigue and and wants to be a player.
Talk to your group, see if they share in your feelings. There's always the possibility that this is part of their group dynamic that they enjoy and you're the odd one out, but you won't know unless you speak up. If this is a concern that the group shares, then it needs to be brought up with the DM.
Communication is always key, nothing will be fixed if you don't talk.
Back when I ran 2nd edition I was DM and I had a PC, he was the Hireling that followed orders, didn't stick his neck far out and never rescued the party. If the DM is doing the swoop in and save the day with a NPC all the time yes you need to talk with them or find another one.