Does anyone else have a fear that the DM will do something to your character as part of the campaign or mean sense of humor to ruin the kind of character you where trying to play?
I left one campaign after first session, my character died fighting a monster that turned into my double, but was brought back, then cursed by the double even after I beat it, which makes me glad I didn't use my Bard, it would have ruined my goals for that character if he had become an undead homebrew. Though that's not why I left, I was starting to become the butt of their jokes through the week because I didn't pick up on their slangs and cringed at some of their dirty posts. They seemed happy that I gave my farewell, especially the one player who was pushing her dirty fantasy's.
I've watched light hearted and mild adventure DnD game story's on youtube, are those rare or just a fabrication giving the wrong impression about how campaigns and players really are? The two video story arcs at the bottom are what made me seek to play, but I'd been waiting so long I was ready to give up until I finally did find a group...but it went south fast.
There are, but you should be posting in the looking for players and groups. I would suggest that you make sure that you ask questions before joining a group, make sure it is age appropriate and the maturity level is appropriate. I assume that you joined a group mostly with complete strangers? Do you have a group of friends that you could game with? I don't click on random internet links so don't know what those games are, but D&D is not a video game, and most of the things that you see on line such as Critical Role or that other Coleville guy is not really what d&D is. They are mostly actors who jumped on the trend to try and make money during lockdown. I hate them all with a passion for what they have done to the game.
I found the group on this forum, they where all strangers as I don't know of anyone who actually plays DnD coming from MMO's, but the tone seemed to change and be set around one of the players and her out of game...requirements, for her needs and interests on the discord channel I was invited too for game sessions.
That's also frustrating to hear that "All things DnD" is misleading.
EDIT: Im in another game atm too, but its undead themed too...I played that first session a few days after the other one, it was a better experience but to be safe, my Bard is set as a backup for it incase Strahd is too tough for my Warforged fighter.
Don't pay as much heed to salty folks who hate YouTube D&D. D&D became popular on YouTube because of things like Critical Role, not the other way around. All Things D&D, to the best of my knowledge, takes submissions and accounts from people's actual games and recounts them on YouTube for others to enjoy. It's not misleading by any means, but it's also not the whole truth because "D&D" is such a wide game. Remember - for every video ATD&D posts of a transcendently cool moment, there's an equivalent snarling, campaign-exploding ***** fight that ruined a game and potentially a friend group.
There are absolutely kid-friendly games out there without character-twisting stakes. You'll have to find them, though. The importance of getting to know your group at least a little before you play can't really be overstated. If a group is unwilling to hold Sessions Zero (yes, 'sessions', plural if needed) to establish a common tone for the game, that group is unworthy of your time. Frankly, I'm a big believer in the idea of dry-run games - throwaway one-shots prior to playing a long campaign together that let everybody get their feet wet and figure out if they like playing with other folks. It's especially important when trying to band a bunch of Internet strangers together.
Honestly? One way you might look for your game is simply posting on the forums. Talk and chatter, get to know people around here, and extend an invitation to people you decide you trust to play games. Turning a friend group into a D&D group typically has a better success rate than turning a D&D group into a friend group. The latter can absolutely happen, the game is cool like that
and most of the things that you see on line such as Critical Role or that other Coleville guy is not really what d&D is. They are mostly actors who jumped on the trend to try and make money during lockdown. I hate them all with a passion for what they have done to the game.
Critical Role has been online for over 5 years, and their first game was going for a couple of years before they starting streaming it. And if you are talking about Matthew Colville, hes been uploading D&D content for years, I just checked his youtube, and his first video on his channel is about D&D4 (and was uploaded 10 years ago), and his 'Running the Game' series started 4 years ago, and whilst it hasn't been a constant upload thing, he had done 73 episodes of it before lockdown started, and is only on episode 94, so most of it was before lockdown even started.
Whilst I agree the representation of D&D in things like CR is very different to an actual game of D&D, as this is something they do for a living and are voice actors and Matthew Mercer can spend a long time creating the world, NPCs and encounters, this isn't a lockdown cash grab thing.
You are not going to find a game where the players or DM is like CR, it doesn't mean that you cant find the right group for you, but expectations of what the players want, and how the game is going to be should be sorted in a session 0, and it could take time.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren't in charge. You're the DM, and you are in charge of the game" - Dungeon Masters Guide
I totally get that. Playing is great fun, and nobody wants to prepare extensively to have fun - they just want to have fun.
But finding the perfect D&D group is like finding the perfect set of drinking buddies, or the perfect book club, or the perfect garage band, or the perfect pirate crew. It takes time, work, likely a few false starts, and often a willingness to convince some of your other friends that they should totally give this tabletop roleplaying thing a shot. Once you find a group that gels together and understands, that all want to play the same kind of game you're looking for? Then the magic happens. That's the thing that happened in front of every one of ATD&D's videos, I guarantee it. None of those stories would've happened had the table not put real effort into ensuring it was all on the same page.
I run a campaign with people ages 13 to 38 and sexual preferences that may not be the same as their gender.
I run my campaign very open minded and take their sensitivities into account.
Besides it is role playing, the DM should not be dicating how a character acts or what they do. If they do not want to do something that goes against their beliefs that then changes the direction of the session.
Some people are jerks, and some of those people play D&D. Some people are great, and some of those play D&D too. It's not always easy to find the right group, but it's out there.
Does anyone else have a fear that the DM will do something to your character as part of the campaign
I'd be careful how much of a character arc you have already mapped out before actually playing the campaign as even without a "mean" DM it might just not fit.
You might do better leaving charcter open to happen naturally as you play so that you can fit into the campaign rather than fighting agaisnt it. Otherwise you require a campaign tailored exactly to how you want you character to progress, and that wouldn't be an adventure...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
All posts come with the caveat that I don't know what I'm talking about.
Does anyone else have a fear that the DM will do something to your character as part of the campaign
I'd be careful how much of a character arc you have already mapped out before actually playing the campaign as even without a "mean" DM it might just not fit.
You might do better leaving charcter open to happen naturally as you play so that you can fit into the campaign rather than fighting agaisnt it. Otherwise you require a campaign tailored exactly to how you want you character to progress, and that wouldn't be an adventure...
I see the point you are making, but there just doesn't seem to be any adventurers anymore that have a noble and aristocratic persona about them. The old fashioned heroes and inspiring legends from old tales just aren't what people are into anymore...everyone wants to be a bad guy or an anti-hero. Acting crazy or vulgar instead of refined and classy gentlemen.
Someone as cool, collected and wise as Ramirez
...or Picard was written to be, and given good actors to make them work.
I'd have fun "trying" to play such a roll. Who knows, maybe when the time comes I can think my way out of a situation, or come up with something witty during a successful roll.
Well, it’s hard to vibe with strangers. Escapism is different things to different people and one party’s wise, cool, collected Captain America type is another party’s stick in the mud chaperone telling the youngsters to mind their language. It’s not a bad dynamic, but if they’re not including you in the group it’s not okay.
It can be a colossal pain to find the right group, but keep at it.
Does anyone else have a fear that the DM will do something to your character as part of the campaign or mean sense of humor to ruin the kind of character you where trying to play?
I left one campaign after first session, my character died fighting a monster that turned into my double, but was brought back, then cursed by the double even after I beat it, which makes me glad I didn't use my Bard, it would have ruined my goals for that character if he had become an undead homebrew. Though that's not why I left, I was starting to become the butt of their jokes through the week because I didn't pick up on their slangs and cringed at some of their dirty posts. They seemed happy that I gave my farewell, especially the one player who was pushing her dirty fantasy's.
I've watched light hearted and mild adventure DnD game story's on youtube, are those rare or just a fabrication giving the wrong impression about how campaigns and players really are? The two video story arcs at the bottom are what made me seek to play, but I'd been waiting so long I was ready to give up until I finally did find a group...but it went south fast.
https://youtu.be/vyIq6aLoy7g
https://youtu.be/FuVbY8_wF78
There are, but you should be posting in the looking for players and groups. I would suggest that you make sure that you ask questions before joining a group, make sure it is age appropriate and the maturity level is appropriate. I assume that you joined a group mostly with complete strangers? Do you have a group of friends that you could game with? I don't click on random internet links so don't know what those games are, but D&D is not a video game, and most of the things that you see on line such as Critical Role or that other Coleville guy is not really what d&D is. They are mostly actors who jumped on the trend to try and make money during lockdown. I hate them all with a passion for what they have done to the game.
I found the group on this forum, they where all strangers as I don't know of anyone who actually plays DnD coming from MMO's, but the tone seemed to change and be set around one of the players and her out of game...requirements, for her needs and interests on the discord channel I was invited too for game sessions.
That's also frustrating to hear that "All things DnD" is misleading.
EDIT: Im in another game atm too, but its undead themed too...I played that first session a few days after the other one, it was a better experience but to be safe, my Bard is set as a backup for it incase Strahd is too tough for my Warforged fighter.
Don't pay as much heed to salty folks who hate YouTube D&D. D&D became popular on YouTube because of things like Critical Role, not the other way around. All Things D&D, to the best of my knowledge, takes submissions and accounts from people's actual games and recounts them on YouTube for others to enjoy. It's not misleading by any means, but it's also not the whole truth because "D&D" is such a wide game. Remember - for every video ATD&D posts of a transcendently cool moment, there's an equivalent snarling, campaign-exploding ***** fight that ruined a game and potentially a friend group.
There are absolutely kid-friendly games out there without character-twisting stakes. You'll have to find them, though. The importance of getting to know your group at least a little before you play can't really be overstated. If a group is unwilling to hold Sessions Zero (yes, 'sessions', plural if needed) to establish a common tone for the game, that group is unworthy of your time. Frankly, I'm a big believer in the idea of dry-run games - throwaway one-shots prior to playing a long campaign together that let everybody get their feet wet and figure out if they like playing with other folks. It's especially important when trying to band a bunch of Internet strangers together.
Honestly? One way you might look for your game is simply posting on the forums. Talk and chatter, get to know people around here, and extend an invitation to people you decide you trust to play games. Turning a friend group into a D&D group typically has a better success rate than turning a D&D group into a friend group. The latter can absolutely happen, the game is cool like that
Please do not contact or message me.
Critical Role has been online for over 5 years, and their first game was going for a couple of years before they starting streaming it. And if you are talking about Matthew Colville, hes been uploading D&D content for years, I just checked his youtube, and his first video on his channel is about D&D4 (and was uploaded 10 years ago), and his 'Running the Game' series started 4 years ago, and whilst it hasn't been a constant upload thing, he had done 73 episodes of it before lockdown started, and is only on episode 94, so most of it was before lockdown even started.
Whilst I agree the representation of D&D in things like CR is very different to an actual game of D&D, as this is something they do for a living and are voice actors and Matthew Mercer can spend a long time creating the world, NPCs and encounters, this isn't a lockdown cash grab thing.
You are not going to find a game where the players or DM is like CR, it doesn't mean that you cant find the right group for you, but expectations of what the players want, and how the game is going to be should be sorted in a session 0, and it could take time.
"The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren't in charge. You're the DM, and you are in charge of the game" - Dungeon Masters Guide
I understand, thank you. I allowed my over eagerness to play get in the way of thinking ahead.
I totally get that. Playing is great fun, and nobody wants to prepare extensively to have fun - they just want to have fun.
But finding the perfect D&D group is like finding the perfect set of drinking buddies, or the perfect book club, or the perfect garage band, or the perfect pirate crew. It takes time, work, likely a few false starts, and often a willingness to convince some of your other friends that they should totally give this tabletop roleplaying thing a shot. Once you find a group that gels together and understands, that all want to play the same kind of game you're looking for? Then the magic happens. That's the thing that happened in front of every one of ATD&D's videos, I guarantee it. None of those stories would've happened had the table not put real effort into ensuring it was all on the same page.
Please do not contact or message me.
I run a campaign with people ages 13 to 38 and sexual preferences that may not be the same as their gender.
I run my campaign very open minded and take their sensitivities into account.
Besides it is role playing, the DM should not be dicating how a character acts or what they do. If they do not want to do something that goes against their beliefs that then changes the direction of the session.
I just don't write in moral dilemmas into my game
Some people are jerks, and some of those people play D&D. Some people are great, and some of those play D&D too. It's not always easy to find the right group, but it's out there.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I'd pick up on
Does anyone else have a fear that the DM will do something to your character as part of the campaign
I'd be careful how much of a character arc you have already mapped out before actually playing the campaign as even without a "mean" DM it might just not fit.
You might do better leaving charcter open to happen naturally as you play so that you can fit into the campaign rather than fighting agaisnt it. Otherwise you require a campaign tailored exactly to how you want you character to progress, and that wouldn't be an adventure...
All posts come with the caveat that I don't know what I'm talking about.
I see the point you are making, but there just doesn't seem to be any adventurers anymore that have a noble and aristocratic persona about them. The old fashioned heroes and inspiring legends from old tales just aren't what people are into anymore...everyone wants to be a bad guy or an anti-hero. Acting crazy or vulgar instead of refined and classy gentlemen.
Someone as cool, collected and wise as Ramirez
...or Picard was written to be, and given good actors to make them work.
I'd have fun "trying" to play such a roll. Who knows, maybe when the time comes I can think my way out of a situation, or come up with something witty during a successful roll.
I'd say that is just unlucky randoms. I'm sure there is plenty that still aim for that.
All posts come with the caveat that I don't know what I'm talking about.
Well, it’s hard to vibe with strangers. Escapism is different things to different people and one party’s wise, cool, collected Captain America type is another party’s stick in the mud chaperone telling the youngsters to mind their language. It’s not a bad dynamic, but if they’re not including you in the group it’s not okay.
It can be a colossal pain to find the right group, but keep at it.
The principles are simple (despite any complexities of negotiating where they overlap).
• DM controls world.
• players control characters.
he / him