PsychoticWarrior's page

One thing that I have noticed is that the people who gripe the most (sulk, get angry, etc.) are the ones who never DM. Give them an opportunity to DM. Give them a little bit of appreciation for how much work a DM has to do to make the game balanced, fun, and fair.

Actually both of them have DMed in the past one as recently as a month ago.

Just a few random thoughts. Most importantly though -- it really sounds like people need a break. I have really found that "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". The more that gamers are away from the game, the more they will want to play and get back to having fun.

Good luck.

It might be as easy as that (I can only hope!). Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Instead of running the game in the next session, talk to them. Start with how you feel about the game and the environment and put it in the context of what you want to achieve. Start by taking responsibility for letting things get to a point where it is now. I'm not saying your solely responsible only that as DM you're the linch pin of the game and so it starts with you.

Start with yourself and say exactly how you feel. Don't accuse anyone of anything or project words into the player's mouths. Just say "I feel this. I think this. My goal is this. I like these things. I don't like these things." When you're done, ask each of your players in turn to share their feelings. Again, ensure they do not project words or feelings onto the other players or you. As soon as you hear, "So-and-so did this and so I did this." Someone is going to be on the defensive for being accused of something. That isn't the goal here. Its just to get everyone talking about it. In part you're trying to share ownership of the situation with them, and also have them become an active part of the solution as well.

When everyone is done, ask how to improve things and ask for the players to help you make the gaming session better at the table.

This might be a little too 'touchy feely' for my group. But believe me I am open minded enough to try most anything. I admit the last time we talked about it was handled about as badly as could be expected (mainly from my end of it - I lost my temper momentarily and began the discussion on far to angry a tone).

I'd be curious if these behaviors extend beyond the gaming table or is everything fine until they sit down and game? Often times there are underlying issues that may not even be related to the game itself. Players and DM's alike use gaming as a way to exercise stress from their lives (a bit of irony for the DM eh?).

On last suggestion: Get together for reason's other than gaming. Have a pizza party or some other social gathering not centered on gaming and see how everyone interacts. It could be telling.

The really hard part with this is that 3 of the players (neither of the problem players mentioned) drive 2 hours just to be in my game. They are very reluctant to come if D&D isn't being played. For that matter the 2 prob players probably wouldn't show either.

Hmm ... what ages are we talking about, here?

-The Gneech

Sorry I took so long to get back here - I had to go to work unexpectedly.

28 to 36 years old (I'm the oldest). The two 'problem' players are both 30.

Hi. I've not been part of this community for long but I've read quite a bit of the post on here and figure you guys might be able to help me. I'll try to be brief.

My gaming group has becoem increasingly hostile as of late. People arguing with one another over anything from politics to game rules to the 'crappiness' of character current and past. Last session went poorly as one of the players, after his character was knocked out in a battle, went into the living room to sulk for 2 hours. Another player yelled across the table at my wife about her 'crazy' idea to have the PCs enter a swamp to rescue some hostages. He was visiblity angry and while you could say it was 'role playing' this player is like this all the time now. Shouting down others and belittling poeple constantly (except me - I'm the DM). This has been going on, slowly escalating, for months now. I've brought this up in the past when things seem to get sour and it impoved - slightly. Things are now worse than ever (the angry player and sulky one will completely 'zone out' if the game isn't focused on them - to the point that one has this loud, irritating fake yawn he use 3 or 4 times in a row). I do not want to boot them but beyond smashing the group and forgetting about it I really don't know what to do.

Any advice would be helpful. I know I have to talk to them but I am completely at a loss as to what to say. Both of them can be, surprisingly, very sensitive to criticism.

This is one of the main reasons I really like the Scarred Lands campaign setting. Elves there have lost thier god (killed in the Divine War) and are, effectively, a lost people, unable, thanks to a dying curse inflicted upon them by the titan Chern, to bear children. They have taken to kidnapping humans and interbreeding with them producing a sizable race of Half-elves in the elf kingdoms.

Unfortuantely SS&S brought out a supplement that brought back their god and suddenly all the crimes the race had committed were swept under the rug - I hated that supplement and ignore it in my games.

This is simply brilliant. I am going to try this on my group when they get to this part of the AoW. OF course, knowing them, they'll just draw steel and try to fight their way out *sigh*

Thanks Orcwart, this is the reason I come to forums!

I must admit though, I have used your advice a few years ago and the game was total chaos (not the mercenary company game but a different one). All the players ended up doing was going at each other and getting mad at each other. My current issue may be PTSD or sumptin' from that last experience.

I will straight-up ask my current group if they actually want to be in the mercenary company though.

PTSD?

WHile it is always good to be upfront with your players something tells me asking them if they want to be in the merc company might not be such a good idea. Chances are you'll get a lot of "Oh sure."'s. Be careful that you are getting honest feedback (emphasize you want it and won;t be upset if they say 'no').

I was at a Half Price Books, looking through stuff, and I scored Dungeon #70 for like 4 bucks.

I think it is a true testament to Dungeon's utility that one can almost NEVER find used backissues anywhere. It was the only issue of Dungeon there; in 2-3 years of gleaning at this store I've only ever seen 2 or 3 issues that I all ready had.
Issue #70 has the Kingdom of the Ghouls, and the Maze of the Morkoth; I am esstatic.

Dang! One of the few I am missing! My FLGS seems to have a near unending supply of Dungeon back issues - I was there just yesterday and found 4 more issues I didn't have before (#14, #41, #42 & #46). They sell them for $5 each and have had single digit issues in the past.

Yes. Affiliations will be part of the Savage Tide adventure path. Not exactly sure where the information for them will end up yet though...

As an aside: How interested would people be in seeing some affiliations tailor made for an Adventure Path?

Ummm...very? I would personally love to see tailor made affiliations - to me that is about the only way to go. I see the PHB 2 affiliations as examples - each affiliation should be custom made to fit an individual campaign, imo.

That said it would be good if these affiliations were known about and detailed as quickly as possible - ideally in conjunction with or just before the first adventure from the Savage Tide AP hits Dungeon. It would give every DM a chance to include them at character generation.

Of the three adventrue paths we've done so far, guns would probably fit the best into Savage Tide.

That said, there won't be any cannons or pistols in the adventure, so if you want them in there you'll have to tackle that yourself. (Although the thought of a gorristro demon with a cannon is amusing...)

I do have to say that i am glad guns are not going be in there by default. Far easier, imo, to add things than take them away.

I would be tempted my Savage Tides to add guns into the game. The long load times (3 rounds at least) and good but not scalable damage would mean they be early-mid level weapons at best.

However, for those of us who were not priveledged enough to be part of the original D&D crowd or play those classic adventures (my DM back then had a horrible monotone reading voice so we all threatened to walk if he ran a pre-made adventure as they drove us insane due to how he ran them) we just don't get the draw from that.

In fact, now going back over some of those original adventures I am turned off by the lack of role-playing that written into them (sure you could make it up yourself, but they didn't give you much to work with, it was all you). So, for me, I don't find them inviting to go back and play again.

That is a shame your previous DM didn't have the time/experience/whatever to really do up Isle of Dread properly. It is true that those old modules had very little to none RP elements in them. Back then you were expected to do that yourself and make up the personalities, background and motivations of the NPCs yourself. I was a lot of work and I for one am glad new adventures give a lot of help in those areas. I still think Isle of Dread was one of best untapped gold mines of adventure and intrigue and feel, if you can let go of the past bad experiences and rename the dinos, this could be the best AP yet.

I would also like to thank everyone who has posted in this thread for taking this seriously and respectfully and not just writting me off as a nay-sayer (I was a little afraid of that and almost didn't post). You guys rock!

Hey you wouldn't have brought it up if you didn't care. I think that goes a long way for most people (and you didn't start off with "Savge Tidez SUXX0RZ!!1!1) ;-)

Finally, the Isle of Dread is one of the oldest adventuring sites for D&D; it's also one of the most well-known. The original module sold in excess of a million (possibly more than 2 million) copies, so it's hardly untested waters to set a D&D campaign in a non Eurocentric location. D&D is not just about knights on horses or orcs; it needs to go to exotic locations to keep things from stagnating.

The Isle of Dread is my number one most loved 'old school' adventure module. I am absolutely stoked about the new AP and I hope people can climb out of their pigeon holes long enough to give it a try.

Darrell - I can understand wanting to support your local games store too (and it is awful to hear about another one closing shop :-( ) but I try to spread my support to worthy companies as well. That is the reason I subscribed to Dungeon & Dragon (2/1 - I couldn't quite afford 3 years of Dungeon and a year of Dragon) through paizo but will still buy 95% of my gaming books/supplies from ym LGS. Throw the love to paizo, mang!

Hi Scott:

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Paizo would like to replace the Age of Worms Dungeon issues that you lost, and I think we can find copies of the Faerun map for you also. Send me an email at lisa@paizo.com and I will get those sent out to you right away. Hopefully the rest of the stuff will be replaced in time.

-Lisa

*Jaw hanging open catching flies*

That's it! I am signing up for a 3 year subscription right now! OUTSTANDING thing to do. Bravo!

I suggest you let them do it. Retool the campaign to one of managing a hotel in a remote location where the main attraction is a walk through the nearby mines. Have them clean it up and recraft the elemental showers then start booking some guests and maybe even some events, perhaps a gaming convention. Really push the minutea of running the place. Challenge them to market the hotel and provide superb service to ensure repeat business, maybe they can even expand into a chain of fantasy hotels.

Okay, hopefully they get bored of running a hotel instead of adventuring but if sim-hotel is what rolls your dice go for it.

You left out a few key parts

Have the PCs hear some crazy rumours about the Free City being turned into a festering pit of undead with thousands of wights running loose.
A black dragon shows up and gives them 1000gp for helping her cause.
Worn infested Zombies become such a hinderence that the PCs are forced to provide protection to their guests to and from the hotel. A few guests don't make it and business starts to drop off.
Finally, as their business venture stands in ruins great green worms, the size of castles, descend upon them and devour the world.
Then ask them if they really want to play Hotels & Bellhops or Dungeons & Dragons?

I have the mag here and the prereqs are as follows

Must have suffered 4 points of Intelligence damage from a worm of Kyuss these need not be all at once or from the same worm. Also the PC must have read from the Apostolic Scrolls.
Finally the PC must meet two fo the following 5 criteria
BAB +7
Able to cats 4th level divine spells
Knowledge(religion) 10 ranks
Base Fort save +4
Sneak Attack +4d6

Name: Niar 'Jesus' Alavander Fighter4/Ranger4/Scout2
Location: Battle Temple of Hextor (Chardun in the Scarred Lands)
Adventure: 3 Faces of Evil
Catalyst: Caught between Rogues

The party is much higher level than is recommended for the adventure so i ramped up most of the encounteres to reflect this. The Tiefling guard were Fighter4/Rogue3 and they managed, while the 4th level commoner horde distracted the tank fighters of the group, to cut Niar and an NPC with the party to pieces through flanking. The NPC managed to stabalize at -8 but Niar blew his DC 19 Fort save (I use a varient stabilization rule which allows a Fort save DC = 10+positive version of whatever negative you are at) even with his +10 in Fort. The barbarian cleric went nuts and brought down flame strikes and hold persons on the remaining tieflings, ruining their s**t. The party was pretty upset about the death of this, the longest standing memeber of the group, but decided to enact rigtheous vengenace upon these false worshippers of Chardun (think Hextor but more attitude and better tactics). When Theldrick locked the doors of the battle temple the 1/2 Orc Monk said "Good, now their locked in here with us." The PCs got their vengenace is spades and not a single cleric escaped the ensuing carnage (which brought 3 of 5 PCs to single digit hit points). An epic stuggle to be sure!

Why would anyone want to go through all the trouble of this? Don't they actually want to play D&D? Give them all 100Xp for being "brilliant" and say they spent all the money on ales and whores and get on with the real game.

You know, I'm a little surprised that no one has said Scarred Lands yet. It is a great setting, one that is actually quite well suited for this path. I would imagine that Kyuss would be a great minion of Chern, or perhaps it is Chern himself manipulating events in the background.

Well I am one (and it looks like the only one) who is running Age of Worms in the Scarred lands. Actually I've got the party (currently at 9th level) on a heavily modified Isle of Dread area and added in most of the elements from the first adventure there (it dovetailed nicely with a colony of Dark Elves who appeared to have created a replacement god for their old one currently trapped in the body of an iron golem). They will be leaving the Isle soon though and the adventure can get into full swing as they begin to encounter elements of the Ebon Triad (trying to combine Chardun (LE), Belsameth (NE) and Vangal (CE) into one god to overthrow the good-aligned gods)on Termana. With there being so few true gods (there are many demi gods around SL) this is an even more catostrophic event than normal. The Ebon Triad is going to be populated by true loonies :-).

I really hope Erik Mona just replaces Wil Save with a blank page. Some of you whiners and complainers really deserve it.