Whenever I take on a new group, like I did recently, I always print out a quick half page synopsis of the area the adventurers are in, and what situation they are starting out in. I also add a note on what-they-can-expect-with-me-as-DM. It's always some form of the following. I recommend it to any new DMs, because problem players will usually reveal themselves after reading it. Feel free to plagarize as you will.
Players.
A few notes on what to expect from my game. These might make me sound like an ******* but I can live with it.
I am here to tell a story and to entertain. Your characters are the protagonists in my story. It is not a competition, DM vs. players.
Adventuring is a team sport. Create a character that’s going to be okay with that thought. If your character doesn’t want to chase after the marauding orcs with the rest of the party for whatever reason, see yourself out. Any obvious attempt to derail my campaign or otherwise destroy the work I’ve done will get you ejected from the game, no saving throw. I enjoy DMing and am happy to do it. Please don’t change that.
Sometimes you will fall down a hole, or be otherwise redirected in some fashion. No reactions, no ability checks, no saving throw, no preventing it. It’s because THE STORY IS DOWN THE HOLE. There will be plenty of opportunities for player decisions and actions, AFTER YOU ARE DOWN THE HOLE.
Everyone is here to have a good time. Any player conflicts that cause us to not have a good time, will be dealt with. I mean a character can have a heart attack or something, just like that!
Role play is encouraged. But if you just like to take your attack and shut up, that’s fine by me. But be advised I give experience bonuses for role play, critical thinking and strategy. Not my fault if you end up a level behind. Having said that, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. If your role playing is taking up inordinate amounts time, or shutting down other players, we’ll have a talk and come to a happy medium.
I prefer to use the PH for characters. Anything else has to be okayed by me. Home brewed character stuff will be the exception, not the rule and it has to be okayed by me. Character balance is important.
DM’s roll nat 20’s too. No, I’m not going to roll out in the open like a player.
The monster stats in the sourcebooks are more like guidelines, than actual rules.
I think it's great that you are laying out the ground rules ahead of time for your players. It's very important to set expectations to make sure if it's a not a good fit they can find another game/table. I would caution you however on the tone you are taking as it plays as not being a very collaborative experience but rather, my game my world deal with it. As you stated though you can live with it and it's your table.
I think that your idea is a very good one, as Dos said, you are laying down the rules. However, as Dos had said, your tone is powerful and intimidating to those who don't know you personally, or new players. New players don't know how to roleplay very well, I reccomend you mention something along the lines of "I'll teach you things you need to be taught."
The hole idea is iffy, because that would be considered railroading, which is frowned upon. However, the way you state it makes it seem like just a necessary step in the campaign, which doesn't necessarily need to be stated. And, the fun part about being a DM, is that (Usually) everything happens with a purpose. Everything (arguably) needs to happen with a reason, BUT you don't have to share that reason with the players. Many think that sharing with the players is good unless it is essential for the campaign that they don't know. So take their advice.
A player falls down the hole. "Can I make a reaction?" You shake your head. "Nope." Another player steps up. "Can I roll to catch him?" You shake your head. "Nope." He sighs. "Why not?" You only giggle. "Because the hole was big. You all fall in it."
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I love roleplaying, message me so we can set something up.
I talk everything D&D, message me for questions, chat, arguements, or roleplay!
I am here to tell a story and to entertain. Your characters are the protagonists in my story.
Sorry, I'm not here to be in your story or movie. I'm here to interact with your world, to put MY mark on it.
Sometimes you will fall down a hole, or be otherwise redirected in some fashion. No reactions, no ability checks, no saving throw, no preventing it. It’s because THE STORY IS DOWN THE HOLE. There will be plenty of opportunities for player decisions and actions, AFTER YOU ARE DOWN THE HOLE.
Sorry, you don't get to simply choose to take away player agency. Once again, your story is not why the players are there, their story is why they are there, the DM sets the setting, casts the villains, and arbitrates the mechanics. Deus ex machina sucks balls in a DnD game. If the "hole" was a natural consequence of player choice, no problem. If the "hole" appears no matter what the players do, then why should they bother playing at all. People do not like knowing they are pawns.
I mean a character can have a heart attack or something, just like that!
So basically, I, the DM am so insecure in my ability to manage anything that I will simply kill characters for perceived threat to what I believe needs to happen. The DM can't handle any emotional (temporary or not) tensions and will be the only one deciding if "we are having a good time" or not.
There are quite a few good things as well, but they are far outweighed by the above.
XP for roleplay, definitions of races/classes, DM rolls, statblocks as guidelines, etc.
Sorry, I'm not here to be in your story or movie. I'm here to interact with your world, to put MY mark on it.
I have a plot, characters (pc's and npc's), and a goal. Story. I really don't care why you are there. However, I do nothing to prevent players and their characters achieving their characters goals, at the same time.
Sorry, you don't get to simply choose to take away player agency. Once again, your story is not why the players are there, their story is why they are there, the DM sets the setting, casts the villains, and arbitrates the mechanics. Deus ex machina sucks balls in a DnD game. If the "hole" was a natural consequence of player choice, no problem. If the "hole" appears no matter what the players do, then why should they bother playing at all. People do not like knowing they are pawns.
The "hole" is a plot device that I use occasionally, usually at the campaign outset. Alice in Wonderland would have been a short story without one. Surprises happen. In this particular case, a subteranean bridge was destroyed with the party on it, plunging the party into an underground river, leading to level 5 of Undermountain. Everything that happened prior and afterward is on the players. Their decisions, actions, etc.
So basically, I, the DM am so insecure in my ability to manage anything that I will simply kill characters for perceived threat to what I believe needs to happen. The DM can't handle any emotional (temporary or not) tensions and will be the only one deciding if "we are having a good time" or not.
That's an awful lot of assumptions there. For the record, it's never happened. But giving players the understanding that I'm not going to put up with much shenanigans, is important.
I understand that some of these are iffy and seem overly controlling. I've been DMing off and on for 30 years or so. I've played with the best sort and the worst sort of players. It is important for players to understand me, as it is for me to understand them. Very few players have had issues with me or my gaming style. When there was an issue, a simple discussion solved it.
Most of what you wrote make a lot of sense, and looks like something I more or less could have written myself.
The hole-exaple is a little "weak", but I would certainly say something along the lines "sometimes I too make decisions on where the campaign is going".
I would have no problem with playing in a campaign with you with those rules, but I agree that they might sound a little bit intimidating to newer players. I think there is quite a little humor and irony in your post that I understand from playing RPG for decades, but I unexperienced players might be a little frightened by the "heart attack" since you don't say you'll give them a heads up (which I really think you should).
I think there is quite a little humor and irony in your post that I understand from playing RPG for decades, but I unexperienced players might be a little frightened by the "heart attack" since you don't say you'll give them a heads up (which I really think you should).
Thank you for noticing. So far, I have not heard of any issues from our new players (2). We're all adults, they seemed to get it just fine. I've recently taken over DMing for my sons group (ages 24-42) and we're getting along very well. No issues at all, aside from a woman who desperately needs a volume control.
I think there is quite a little humor and irony in your post that I understand from playing RPG for decades, but I unexperienced players might be a little frightened by the "heart attack" since you don't say you'll give them a heads up (which I really think you should).
Thank you for noticing. So far, I have not heard of any issues from our new players (2). We're all adults, they seemed to get it just fine. I've recently taken over DMing for my sons group (ages 24-42) and we're getting along very well. No issues at all, aside from a woman who desperately needs a volume control.
Hahaha. Good luck with the volume control :-) Hope it doesn't go to 11...
If I read your intentions rightly, and they are delivered by you to the players in a way that make me sure that your first point is the most "important" (it's not DM vs players). I think face to face, most people will understand your other points.
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Ludo ergo sum!
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Whenever I take on a new group, like I did recently, I always print out a quick half page synopsis of the area the adventurers are in, and what situation they are starting out in. I also add a note on what-they-can-expect-with-me-as-DM. It's always some form of the following. I recommend it to any new DMs, because problem players will usually reveal themselves after reading it. Feel free to plagarize as you will.
Players.
A few notes on what to expect from my game. These might make me sound like an ******* but I can live with it.
I am here to tell a story and to entertain. Your characters are the protagonists in my story. It is not a competition, DM vs. players.
Adventuring is a team sport. Create a character that’s going to be okay with that thought. If your character doesn’t want to chase after the marauding orcs with the rest of the party for whatever reason, see yourself out. Any obvious attempt to derail my campaign or otherwise destroy the work I’ve done will get you ejected from the game, no saving throw. I enjoy DMing and am happy to do it. Please don’t change that.
Sometimes you will fall down a hole, or be otherwise redirected in some fashion. No reactions, no ability checks, no saving throw, no preventing it. It’s because THE STORY IS DOWN THE HOLE. There will be plenty of opportunities for player decisions and actions, AFTER YOU ARE DOWN THE HOLE.
Everyone is here to have a good time. Any player conflicts that cause us to not have a good time, will be dealt with. I mean a character can have a heart attack or something, just like that!
Role play is encouraged. But if you just like to take your attack and shut up, that’s fine by me. But be advised I give experience bonuses for role play, critical thinking and strategy. Not my fault if you end up a level behind. Having said that, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. If your role playing is taking up inordinate amounts time, or shutting down other players, we’ll have a talk and come to a happy medium.
I prefer to use the PH for characters. Anything else has to be okayed by me. Home brewed character stuff will be the exception, not the rule and it has to be okayed by me. Character balance is important.
DM’s roll nat 20’s too. No, I’m not going to roll out in the open like a player.
The monster stats in the sourcebooks are more like guidelines, than actual rules.
No, you can’t have a unicorn mount.
I think it's great that you are laying out the ground rules ahead of time for your players. It's very important to set expectations to make sure if it's a not a good fit they can find another game/table. I would caution you however on the tone you are taking as it plays as not being a very collaborative experience but rather, my game my world deal with it. As you stated though you can live with it and it's your table.
I think that your idea is a very good one, as Dos said, you are laying down the rules. However, as Dos had said, your tone is powerful and intimidating to those who don't know you personally, or new players. New players don't know how to roleplay very well, I reccomend you mention something along the lines of "I'll teach you things you need to be taught."
The hole idea is iffy, because that would be considered railroading, which is frowned upon. However, the way you state it makes it seem like just a necessary step in the campaign, which doesn't necessarily need to be stated. And, the fun part about being a DM, is that (Usually) everything happens with a purpose. Everything (arguably) needs to happen with a reason, BUT you don't have to share that reason with the players. Many think that sharing with the players is good unless it is essential for the campaign that they don't know. So take their advice.
A player falls down the hole. "Can I make a reaction?" You shake your head. "Nope." Another player steps up. "Can I roll to catch him?" You shake your head. "Nope." He sighs. "Why not?" You only giggle. "Because the hole was big. You all fall in it."
I love roleplaying, message me so we can set something up.
I talk everything D&D, message me for questions, chat, arguements, or roleplay!
Let's go over the problem statements:
Sorry, I'm not here to be in your story or movie. I'm here to interact with your world, to put MY mark on it.
Sorry, you don't get to simply choose to take away player agency. Once again, your story is not why the players are there, their story is why they are there, the DM sets the setting, casts the villains, and arbitrates the mechanics. Deus ex machina sucks balls in a DnD game. If the "hole" was a natural consequence of player choice, no problem. If the "hole" appears no matter what the players do, then why should they bother playing at all. People do not like knowing they are pawns.
So basically, I, the DM am so insecure in my ability to manage anything that I will simply kill characters for perceived threat to what I believe needs to happen. The DM can't handle any emotional (temporary or not) tensions and will be the only one deciding if "we are having a good time" or not.
There are quite a few good things as well, but they are far outweighed by the above.
XP for roleplay, definitions of races/classes, DM rolls, statblocks as guidelines, etc.
I understand that some of these are iffy and seem overly controlling. I've been DMing off and on for 30 years or so. I've played with the best sort and the worst sort of players. It is important for players to understand me, as it is for me to understand them. Very few players have had issues with me or my gaming style. When there was an issue, a simple discussion solved it.
In that case, it did not translate well from your intent to my understanding of what you wrote. Good to know that it works in practice.
Most of what you wrote make a lot of sense, and looks like something I more or less could have written myself.
The hole-exaple is a little "weak", but I would certainly say something along the lines "sometimes I too make decisions on where the campaign is going".
I would have no problem with playing in a campaign with you with those rules, but I agree that they might sound a little bit intimidating to newer players. I think there is quite a little humor and irony in your post that I understand from playing RPG for decades, but I unexperienced players might be a little frightened by the "heart attack" since you don't say you'll give them a heads up (which I really think you should).
Ludo ergo sum!
Thank you for noticing. So far, I have not heard of any issues from our new players (2). We're all adults, they seemed to get it just fine. I've recently taken over DMing for my sons group (ages 24-42) and we're getting along very well. No issues at all, aside from a woman who desperately needs a volume control.
Hahaha. Good luck with the volume control :-) Hope it doesn't go to 11...
If I read your intentions rightly, and they are delivered by you to the players in a way that make me sure that your first point is the most "important" (it's not DM vs players). I think face to face, most people will understand your other points.
Ludo ergo sum!