First time GMing and a weredolphin?

[Nerwen Alacrin]

It's going to be my first time GMing a game that my husband and his friends are playing in. The problem is my style differs a lot from my husband's style. This is where we come to the problem...

I told the players up front that I was going to run the Legacy of Fire campaign. Printed off and gave them the player's guide. They all know it's set in mostly desert-like conditions. I'm fine with players playing races that are rare in the environment, so long as they have a plausible back story to go along with that character.

The players have come up with ideas and we tend to bounce them off one another. Just to work out some kinks and bugs that might pop up for later in the campaign. (I play with this group too, but it's my first time being in charge)

I make it a point to let the players know what my style is for GMing. I did GM for a while during deployment, so I have a feel for how I like to play. I also let the players know what my house rules are for when I play. They all agreed that it was okay with them about the style and house rules (not so much different than my husband's).

The problem came when one of the players asked about being a weredolphin. I didn't think such a thing was possible, but he insists that it is. I told him I wasn't comfortable with that kind of character in the campaign, hell the rest of his character was awesome!

The story he gave me was this: 'Lurdis was bitten while on a trip to the sea for a mercenary mission. He didn't realize what was going on until after the first full moon, and luckily he was by a body of water.'

That's all I've gotten on the history of the weredolphin... The other players are all for it despite the fact that I mentioned this was a desert campaign in the beginning. It's definitely set in some environments that would be unfriendly for water-based creatures...

I asked him if he meant it as a joke, but he is totally serious about playing this character. My husband warned me that he was thinking of doing a character like this, I just wish I'd listened!!!!

I definitely need some help in figuring out what I'm going to do. The bottom line is: the guy has an awesome character for the campaign except for the whole weredolphin part... I liked playing with him before I left for deployment, but I just don't know how to smooth this over!

[Mortifier]

I think he is messing with you. I would just say no.

[mdt]

Lycanthropy is a disease spread by a natural lycanthrope who bites someone else. Thus, a lycanthropic dolphin is possible, if extremely rare. So from a rules standpoint, it's possible.

So, to me, you have two possibilities:

A) Let him do so, but be sure to enforce the Monsters as PC rules from the bestiary. A Dolphin is CR 1/2, so a +1 CR makes it a +1 CR creature, so he is always going to be one class level behind the rest of the party. He's an afflicted creature, so he has less DR than a bred creature. So, he could only play this if you are starting at 2nd level, and he'd be a 1st level in whatever class he is. Then, it's up to him to keep track of the phases of the moon and deal with the water issue. He knows he's in a desert, if he wants to travel a desert as a weredolphin, it's his responsibility to take care of that issue, not yours as GM to take care of it.

B) Sit him down and explain that you are rusty as a GM. Tell him you need to get your feet under you GMing again, and would prefer to stick with core rule book stuff, and not have monstrous PCs at first. Explain that it's especially difficult for you due to his being a dolphin in the desert, and you feel pressured to keep him alive during a full moon by putting in wierd coincidences of water at a full moon.

[Hintz]

mdt wrote:

Lycanthropy is a disease spread by a natural lycanthrope who bites someone else. Thus, a lycanthropic dolphin is possible, if extremely rare. So from a rules standpoint, it's possible.

So, to me, you have two possibilities:

A) Let him do so, but be sure to enforce the Monsters as PC rules from the bestiary. A Dolphin is CR 1/2, so a +1 CR makes it a +1 CR creature, so he is always going to be one class level behind the rest of the party. He's an afflicted creature, so he has less DR than a bred creature. So, he could only play this if you are starting at 2nd level, and he'd be a 1st level in whatever class he is. Then, it's up to him to keep track of the phases of the moon and deal with the water issue. He knows he's in a desert, if he wants to travel a desert as a weredolphin, it's his responsibility to take care of that issue, not yours as GM to take care of it.

B) Sit him down and explain that you are rusty as a GM. Tell him you need to get your feet under you GMing again, and would prefer to stick with core rule book stuff, and not have monstrous PCs at first. Explain that it's especially difficult for you due to his being a dolphin in the desert, and you feel pressured to keep him alive during a full moon by putting in wierd coincidences of water at a full moon.

If anything I think option A would dissuade him from becoming a weredolphin. He's going to be our primary melee fighter. I've tried talking to him first about not playing a lycanthrope. That I am extremely uncomfortable with one in the game at this point, with my being so new a GM to this group. I think I'll tell him about the Monsters as PCs rule like you described.

Thank you for that. I'd completely forgotten to check the Beastiary for Monsters as PCs!

[Ravendark]

There is no reason to stop him or feel uncomfortable with him making this character. If he wants to play him let him do so and you might have some unexpected,fun,roleplaying experience with him trying to be creative on how to survive.

You should not be afraid of cases someone wants to play a weird character quite the opposite.In fact I can't think of many people who would want to play such a character so it's a rare fun opportunity to break the cliches that shouldn't be passed on.

[Demon9ne]

You should tell the player no, and explain that it isn't good for the campaign. If your player is roleplaying the character maturely, things are still going to occur that subtract from the enjoyability of the game for everyone. Consider these questions:

- Do you want to take time out to write up and discuss stats for a weredolphin race?
- Do you want to put the game's story on hold while your players deal with the consequences of the character's actions during a full moon?
- Have you considered that the player could bite NPCs (resulting in a desert suddenly full of weredolphins)?
- The character will want to know more about the species he is a member of. It's likely this information won't be found in a desert. Are you prepared for the possibility of a character wanting to leave the setting?
- It's also possible the character will want to learn about the people that bit him. Are you interested in sacrificing prep time to consider weredolphin locations/culture?

I could probably continue asking you questions like these.

If you're a new or rusty GM, I recommend that you don't make a single player (or a single character) an exception. Allow him to play a race from the Core Rulebook, as your other players are.

[Senjen]

In your shoes I would not allow it. Not because it is a weredolphin, which is fine if everyone is on board with the idea, but because you as the DM are not on board.

The character as described does not fit the campaign. You as DM have the right (responsibility) to run the game in a way that makes it fun for everyone, including yourself. Since this obviously makes you uncomfortable, the answer should be no.