This isn’t a problem stemming from Critical Role - for all Mercer’a faults as a DM, rolling for initiative and playing out hours-long combat encounters are a major part of the show. I think this is a case of rather bad luck on your part - you tapped into a group of friends who all have the same wrong ideas and who are going to reinforce their friends’ incorrect notions rather than trust an outsider. That’s a pretty miserable position to be DMing for - if you don’t have any real connection to their group, it isn’t really your obligation to keep playing with them.
Regarding your other question, I think it still makes sense to give folks the benefit of the doubt - if they say the have been playing, no reason not to trust them. Quite frankly, there’s always been a learning curve whenever new players join with a new group - they might have incorrect notions from house rules, different ideas of what a game should look like, different topics they like to explore or avoid, etc. The rise of streaming is just another iteration of the “we all started with different expectations and understandings and need to come together” issue which has been part of the game since its inception.
I agree calling them out on their "ideas" is definitely the harder (Possibly impossible approach).
I would say firstly set your Minimum viable rules and hold to them. If they want to play "their dnd' that isn't 5e tell them your not interested. any one willing to pick one of the rules sets you are willing to run can stay ..........every one else can build their own group.
I have a couple of other minimum rules (when character building is done, when to submit concerns, ect) but you Cant play if systems are not in place. I also add a couple of rules preferences that are not absolutes but I will make sure they understand when I make exceptions that its temporary. (PG or PG13 talk depending on the group as an example)
as a dm you need to set the general expectations.
I also had some players dead set on Adventures league that only wanted one type of play. The Table limit rule actually helped me encourage players to try a more narrative PBTA system as its easier for larger groups. We met up for our weekly game and The Numbers of players was just over the line. I had a back up PBTA character sheets Ready(not filled out just available) . I just apologized and said because of circumstances to day I am offering to run this system any one who wants to try it can otherwise we cancel for this week. We had a few join and had a lot of fun. Eventually we were running 2 5e tables on the regular and a third flex table with different options.
I suggested some other systems we could play that I thought would fit closer to their idea of role-playing, but they want to play Dungeons & Dragons...and I have apparently been playing it wrong for 40 years.
If they're dictating to you that you are wrong and refuse to consider the evidence placed in front of them, if they're denying 40 years of played experience over however long they have supposedly 'watched' Critical Role, then I think it's safe to say you can indeed pack up your things and leave. It's one thing to be at odds with one-another on the type of game you want to play, it's OK to want to play D&D with anything from simple house rules to heavily hacking the game into something completely different, but what's not OK is gaslighting you.
I feel this has gone beyond a time-out between-session discussion, and were I in your shoes I'd thank the players for their time, but the game they want to play is not the same one as I'm running, and that I wish them all the best in finding another. If they want to play their flavour of D&D then they can choose amongst themselves who will be the Dungeon Master and go from there. Alternatively they can try to find someone else to entertain their behaviour, and while they may have takers, it's unlikely things will stay that way for long (case in point, this fiasco). Maybe they'll learn the game, maybe they'll get bored and move on.
Is this a rare instance where I have unfortunately gathered more of these types of players than usual in one spot? Or is this happening more and more, especially with the increased marketing lately, that I should start treating all players (that I've never seen at my table) as fresh new players to RPGs...even if they say they've been playing for years?
I think it's a rare instance, and it's happened for a lot longer than Critical Role's been around. People brag in plenty of hobbies and like you've seen for yourself, whenever the mask slips they start the blame game rather than admitting to their farce. My dice have air bubbles, the deck's not been shuffled properly, I had lag, I pulled a muscle... you get the idea. Perhaps they worry about being bullied for their inexperience, but instead of saying "I'm new, and I appreciate this may be an inconvenience but could you teach me or point me in the direction of some helpful resources," they make ludicrous claims and then act hostile when they can't back them up.
I wouldn't treat all players as brand spanking new players, but rather than ask if they've had any experience with RPGs, I'd ask them what experience they've had, but in such a way that displays interest rather than trying to interrogate them. If you're OK with playing with newcomers, encourage them to be honest about it (I for one prefer running games for newbies than experienced ones I've never played with before). It's also fine to outline your experiences and expectations, even if it's going over the bare necessities. It's apparent you've had to point out the fundamentals of the game, and if told with a smile the story behind it could help break the ice with new groups.
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
There are a few questions to ask yourself. The first is: Why are you running a game for this group in the first place? If it is just for fun then you should be able to find some folks who actually want to play D&D 5e rather than an interactive role playing game where everything is resolved without dice rolls.
I'd also add that they haven't been watching critical role as their source of information for a gaming style like this since critical role uses dice, initiative and all the other game elements. Maybe they were watching "The Legend of Vox Machina" and thought that was how the game was played rather than being a cartoon? :)
Anyway, if you want to try to move forward with these folks then I would back up to session 0, go through explaining the mechanics of D&D, tell them that this is how the game is played and this is what is covered in the books (you've already tried this somewhat), if they still continue to believe their idea of what the game is then I would just bail and find folks actually interested in playing 5e, since either they aren't understanding you at all for some reason or they are intentionally trying to troll you.
How did you connect with these folks in the first place? Are they sincerely interested in playing? It doesn't sound like a good fit since it sounds like you want to play completely different games.
D&D has become a generic term referring to any RPG with a Game Master. I know a surprisingly large number of young &D players who have never seen actual D&D rules. They go on social media and tell a group story. Some include dice rolling.
I would let the modifier discussion slide. It is difficult for many experienced gamers to not talk game mechanics. Almost impossible for new players to use generic terms instead of numbers.
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To be honest, it doesn't sound like they've been watching Critical Role that closely either!
This isn’t a problem stemming from Critical Role - for all Mercer’a faults as a DM, rolling for initiative and playing out hours-long combat encounters are a major part of the show. I think this is a case of rather bad luck on your part - you tapped into a group of friends who all have the same wrong ideas and who are going to reinforce their friends’ incorrect notions rather than trust an outsider. That’s a pretty miserable position to be DMing for - if you don’t have any real connection to their group, it isn’t really your obligation to keep playing with them.
Regarding your other question, I think it still makes sense to give folks the benefit of the doubt - if they say the have been playing, no reason not to trust them. Quite frankly, there’s always been a learning curve whenever new players join with a new group - they might have incorrect notions from house rules, different ideas of what a game should look like, different topics they like to explore or avoid, etc. The rise of streaming is just another iteration of the “we all started with different expectations and understandings and need to come together” issue which has been part of the game since its inception.
I agree calling them out on their "ideas" is definitely the harder (Possibly impossible approach).
I would say firstly set your Minimum viable rules and hold to them. If they want to play "their dnd' that isn't 5e tell them your not interested. any one willing to pick one of the rules sets you are willing to run can stay ..........every one else can build their own group.
I have a couple of other minimum rules (when character building is done, when to submit concerns, ect) but you Cant play if systems are not in place. I also add a couple of rules preferences that are not absolutes but I will make sure they understand when I make exceptions that its temporary. (PG or PG13 talk depending on the group as an example)
as a dm you need to set the general expectations.
I also had some players dead set on Adventures league that only wanted one type of play. The Table limit rule actually helped me encourage players to try a more narrative PBTA system as its easier for larger groups. We met up for our weekly game and The Numbers of players was just over the line. I had a back up PBTA character sheets Ready(not filled out just available) . I just apologized and said because of circumstances to day I am offering to run this system any one who wants to try it can otherwise we cancel for this week. We had a few join and had a lot of fun. Eventually we were running 2 5e tables on the regular and a third flex table with different options.
I think it's a rare instance, and it's happened for a lot longer than Critical Role's been around. People brag in plenty of hobbies and like you've seen for yourself, whenever the mask slips they start the blame game rather than admitting to their farce. My dice have air bubbles, the deck's not been shuffled properly, I had lag, I pulled a muscle... you get the idea. Perhaps they worry about being bullied for their inexperience, but instead of saying "I'm new, and I appreciate this may be an inconvenience but could you teach me or point me in the direction of some helpful resources," they make ludicrous claims and then act hostile when they can't back them up.
I wouldn't treat all players as brand spanking new players, but rather than ask if they've had any experience with RPGs, I'd ask them what experience they've had, but in such a way that displays interest rather than trying to interrogate them. If you're OK with playing with newcomers, encourage them to be honest about it (I for one prefer running games for newbies than experienced ones I've never played with before). It's also fine to outline your experiences and expectations, even if it's going over the bare necessities. It's apparent you've had to point out the fundamentals of the game, and if told with a smile the story behind it could help break the ice with new groups.
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
- The Assemblage of Houses, World of Warcraft
There are a few questions to ask yourself. The first is: Why are you running a game for this group in the first place? If it is just for fun then you should be able to find some folks who actually want to play D&D 5e rather than an interactive role playing game where everything is resolved without dice rolls.
I'd also add that they haven't been watching critical role as their source of information for a gaming style like this since critical role uses dice, initiative and all the other game elements. Maybe they were watching "The Legend of Vox Machina" and thought that was how the game was played rather than being a cartoon? :)
Anyway, if you want to try to move forward with these folks then I would back up to session 0, go through explaining the mechanics of D&D, tell them that this is how the game is played and this is what is covered in the books (you've already tried this somewhat), if they still continue to believe their idea of what the game is then I would just bail and find folks actually interested in playing 5e, since either they aren't understanding you at all for some reason or they are intentionally trying to troll you.
How did you connect with these folks in the first place? Are they sincerely interested in playing? It doesn't sound like a good fit since it sounds like you want to play completely different games.
D&D has become a generic term referring to any RPG with a Game Master. I know a surprisingly large number of young &D players who have never seen actual D&D rules. They go on social media and tell a group story. Some include dice rolling.
I would let the modifier discussion slide. It is difficult for many experienced gamers to not talk game mechanics. Almost impossible for new players to use generic terms instead of numbers.