We play DnD a few times a week and have for several years. Slowly the other players have been driving me crazy with their actions. I definitely think there is a problem with characters listening to each other. The one player's character repeats me about once every session or two. I called him on it once and he denied I ever said anything and accused me of ripping off his idea. (We have a group of three players) both other players agree with whatever the latest "trusted" NPC tells us. Then if another "trusted" NPC conflicts the story it falls into a mass of confusion.
Backstory- The Dm uses many NPCs, he is good at playing them and bringing them to life. He uses NPCs to have information enter the group. Sometimes the NPC who should have information are not helpful-(when the DM wants us to learn something on our own) or the NPC should have no idea but the DM does not want the story to go off track. Also if the PCs are headed in a direction the DM does not want us to go, every NPC will disagree with our decisions, instead of prodding we get the sledhammer approach. So NPCs are very important. I feel that I am the only player who understands that NPC could have reasons for differing viewpoints; they could have had a dispute in the past, they could have been told something negative about a person, they could just be having a bad day. NPCs are like people in real life, or should be if you are doing a good job.
To give you an example- We enter a city and meet a nice guy he is helping us out because we know someone he is related to. He has quite a few fey friends and has a personality similar to theirs, he does not feel the law should be followed if it is not fair and just. So he tells us the there is a group of mercenaries he wishes to take out. We have been getting attacked by mercenaries and this group could be one of them. He tells us they are a bunch of rednecks. This gets character B's blood flowing. "Rednecks lets take them down." So word gets around and one of their members confronts us. He speaks well enough and tells us we are misinformed about their group, although many of them are failed farmers most are retired guards who don't have great skills in farming. Character B is dumbfounded. How can our friend have lied to us? So he jumps in the friend's face about lying. The friend gets upset at the lack of trust and tells us the bottom line is some of the mercenaries klled his friend's mother. The others are protecting him from persecution. I realize that he does not like these guys and his impression is quite negative. Character B is told your (all of us)help is no longer wanted. I have been trying to convince character A and character B the whole time that we should not be getting involved because our sponsor in the city told us to avoid conflicts until the mercenary attacks were taken care of. The mission is done by other characters and is a huge success. Character B holds a grudge against my character for not letting him do the mission. I understand that often the DM is giving us information and it helps when we agree to advance his plot hooks, at the same time he wants us the think in character and honor our commitments. I feel as though I have Mr. Repeat on one shoulder and a split personality over the other.
One thing our DM does that I disagree with is keep NPCs out of character disputes. I think this is so players do not feel as though they are being browbeat (I am the most experience player, in fact I brought the DM into DnD). I feel it would help correct problems. If you are talking to someone and someone repeat what you just mentioned 5 minutes ago someone besides myself may take notice. Again the DM is not trying to hurt anyone's feelings or make anyone look stupid but when it comes time for important missions we are often overlooked because it would be an embarassment. I know this from private conversations but the other characters seem convinced otherwise, we get lesser missions. My frustration comes from our group never being taken seriously. Now has anyone had any situations similar to any of this? I do know of someone writing about a group that started hating the Harpers because they felt misinformed. I feel like the Harper. lol Please only write about your own tales. Don't try to psychoanalyze the situation. Either I have not given enough information or it has been gone over in my mind too often.
First.:
You can only control actions that are your own. If you find yourself in the middle of arguments in every game, then you're part of the problem. Remember, it takes two to argue.
Second.:
Being a DM myself I can tell you that, most probably, you're not really getting "lesser missions" like you think you are getting. The missions you are getting have been planned by your DM with the intent to have you go through it.
Third.:
I too, as a DM, use NPCs to give players information. I'd say that only 25% of what the characters hear is true. The rest is rumors, stories and folklore told by first level commoners that don't exactly know what their talking about. It's up to the players to decide what is true and what is not. My players start off with the idea that everything they hear is a rumor until proven otherwise.
Fourth.:
Just remember that the primary goal is to have fun. If your group gathers a few times a week only to argue and point fingers at each other, you've sort of missed the point. Ask yourselves if you would argue as much over a game of tic-tac-toe. D&D is just another game (ok, with a little more rules...).
Ultradan
Yep, that'd be me whose group decided to hate the Harpers due to percieved misinformation (which it wasn't at all). I've got some plans for the next campaign to hopefully turn their views around a bit....
I say play their ignorance against them. Start doing what the NPCs do, giving information for unknown motivations, with unknown authenticity (sp?). Sounds like you've tried to explain things to them logically, but if they still don't get it, this might be a good way to vent and prove to them by real-life experience what you mean. Plus, you may be able to dupe the party into making you the de facto leader. :) Then you can guide them through intelligent courses of action, and improve your fun, while they don't even realize it's happening, so their fun isn't impeded, either. Just be confident and make BS up about how you know what the secret objective of thje NPC is, and if he says this thing, it really means that thing, etc. Tell your DM that you're doing it (I got the impression he is sypathetic to you) and hopefully it will work out fine!
Just a (slightly warped?) opinion :)
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I have no real advice that I could legally give that doesn't involve pain (for them) or alcohol (for you). Sorry!
Wait, check that! You say you're gaming a few times a week. Maybe you're all spending a little too much time together. I'd try cutting back to maybe one game a week for a while and see if that helps.
Or you could just have a nervous breakdown..they're FUN!
First.:
You can only control actions that are your own. If you find yourself in the middle of arguments in every game, then you're part of the problem. Remember, it takes two to argue.
Second.:
Being a DM myself I can tell you that, most probably, you're not really getting "lesser missions" like you think you are getting. The missions you are getting have been planned by your DM with the intent to have you go through it.
Third.:
I too, as a DM, use NPCs to give players information. I'd say that only 25% of what the characters hear is true. The rest is rumors, stories and folklore told by first level commoners that don't exactly know what their talking about. It's up to the players to decide what is true and what is not. My players start off with the idea that everything they hear is a rumor until proven otherwise.
Fourth.:
Just remember that the primary goal is to have fun. If your group gathers a few times a week only to argue and point fingers at each other, you've sort of missed the point. Ask yourselves if you would argue as much over a game of tic-tac-toe. D&D is just another game (ok, with a little more rules...).
Ultradan
First: I don't look to argue. I am frustrated because I am not arguing and getting it off my chest. How would you feel in my situation. One guy repeats you ideas and claims them for his own, both change their minds with the wind when another option is presented by an NPC.
Second: If the person high up in the kingdom talks to you aside and tells you important missions are off limits and why but something can be found for your group to do, I tend to believe him.
Third: I take things as rumors. The others jump on any suggestion with relish.
Fourth: Not a bad idea.
Yep, that'd be me whose group decided to hate the Harpers due to percieved misinformation (which it wasn't at all). I've got some plans for the next campaign to hopefully turn their views around a bit....
I say play their ignorance against them. Start doing what the NPCs do, giving information for unknown motivations, with unknown authenticity (sp?). Sounds like you've tried to explain things to them logically, but if they still don't get it, this might be a good way to vent and prove to them by real-life experience what you mean. Plus, you may be able to dupe the party into making you the de facto leader. :) Then you can guide them through intelligent courses of action, and improve your fun, while they don't even realize it's happening, so their fun isn't impeded, either. Just be confident and make BS up about how you know what the secret objective of thje NPC is, and if he says this thing, it really means that thing, etc. Tell your DM that you're doing it (I got the impression he is sypathetic to you) and hopefully it will work out fine!
Just a (slightly warped?) opinion :)
I have tried to be the leader, sometimes it works sometimes not so good remember I am the Harper. Psycho-change his mind guy has been told (by NPCs) he does not have a good disposition to be a leader. So he wants an NPC since they seem to have a good idea of what is going on. As to your idea, it has merit.
I have no real advice that I could legally give that doesn't involve pain (for them) or alcohol (for you). Sorry!
Wait, check that! You say you're gaming a few times a week. Maybe you're all spending a little too much time together. I'd try cutting back to maybe one game a week for a while and see if that helps.
Or you could just have a nervous breakdown..they're FUN!
I suggested cutting back to the DM. He said if players have trouble remembering what is said now, how bad will it be having longer gaps between sessions. He does not want to spend half the time catching up.