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Teaching my kids to drive a manual. There was a lot of gear grinding, I tell you.
Also: GMs that tell one payer they can't do something but then let their girl/boyfriend do them. Look, I get that you're dating but for game purposes be fair to all the players. And stop bringing your partner to game night if they really don't want to play.
I'm not talking about the girl/boyfriend that shows up to honestly give it a try then later finds that gaming isn't really for them. They tried and that's cool. I'm talking about the players that arm-twist their partner into joining the game when they so obviously don't want to play. I love my wife. I love that she loves us geeks. I don't mind that on game nights she slips up stairs to her computer and watches TV. She doesn't want to play and that's cool. You do not have to share every hobby or interest with your significant other. When you push them into joining the game when they don't want too they wind up making all of us uncomfortable or even miserable through no fault of their own.
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Conversely, being the only girl at the table and having to sideline and backbench my characters so I don't get seen as being favorited. Having to purposefully nerf my characters because to do otherwise means I'm getting gf/wife privilege. >.<
I'm more of a gamer enthusiast than most folks at our table and would game seven days a week if I could (and have-though I think my record is nine). I do enjoy gaming thankyouverymuch-in fact, without gaming I tend to feel listless and disinterested. :P
Here, here!!! Well spoken, dkonen. I have known couples that want to game together and they have always been awesome. It would really stink if one of them had to nerf their character to keep others from feeling like they're getting special privileged.
The ones that I have seen that were a problem have always been the GM arm twisting his girlfriend to play, then juicing up her character to try and get her interested when she isn't. I haven't run into a female GM arm twisting her partner yet but have heard of it too. Players that aren't interested don't learn the rules and don't pay attention. The few times I have run into this I left the group before it completely imploded (which is always did shortly after).
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In fact we have two couples in the RotRL game I play Qakisst in. Everybody playing is playing because they want too so it's awesome. The only problem we have is that with 6 players schedules sure are hard to coordinate; even though we have two couples.
And that's my next pet peeve. Why can't our bosses understand how hard it is coordinating our schedules for RPG time!?!
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Low magic. Looks like we need to burn feats on item creation feats. Yippie...As opposed to never having a reason to select those feats, ever, 'cause Magic Mart? :P
Item creation feats totally have a place even if you, as the GM, allow the Magic Mart. They save money (my least favorite aspect of them as a GM) and they make customization of equipment way easier for the players.
As for my personal gripes?
- One player using the power options for his class when it is clear to everybody (including himself) that he is outclassing all the rest of the group.
- Badly playtested products (coughtMythicAdventurescough). Companies who then refuse to patch those products in a manner which doesn't require an archeological timescale. And then repeat the same pattern of bad behavior in future products, despite promising to do better.
That's enough for the moment. If I get more into it, I'll probably kill the good mood I'm currently in.
And also +1 for item creation feats still being good investments. I use it to give me something to do in between games, but it's good for making sure you get what you need, rather than say, an intelligent sea shanty singing collapsible boat (an actual item we got a campaign or two ago)-while entertaining, not so useful.
Yes, but they should be something you choose to do, not a feat tax 'cause the GM feels that items the game requires you to have in order to meet the minimum CR expectations should not be found on enemies' bodies or able to be purchased at the store.
I once had a GM who never liked non-standard races and classes. He often banned them. Or modified them until no one wanted to play them.
Then when he was player, he showed up with a half-drow, half-construct, samuri, psion kineticist. {Zero warning or discussion with the new GM.)
Then got mad at all of us when we couldn't stop laughing at him.
Personal critique of his build...
half-drow (is a half elf in Faerun... not that special other than the odd feat acquisition. power = normal. rp = odd[/dangerous as most will try to kill him.])
half construct (Monster Manual II [3.0]. There's no listed level adjustment. For some reason I think LA transition from 3.0 to 3.5 is Hit Die + CR + 1. Which ANY LA on a casting class is a bad idea. [with LA] power = a little weak on a combat class and the kiss of death on a caster. rp = odd[to suck if he fails his will save upon attaching the limb. Make him roll that puppy in front of everybody.])
Samurai. (Depends. If it is the Oriental Adventures Samurai, it's a slightly better fighter. If it's the Complete Warrior samurai, it's a fighter with it's feats picked for it, and they don't have a lot of synergy. power = weak to horribly weak. rp = sad flute [because nothing says crap than the inability to perform the shtick you are supposed to be good at.])
Psion. (Thou shalt not lose caster levels. power = Good [if not getting LA and multiclassing] to absolute garbage [with the LA and multiclassing]. rp = River Tam ["I can kill you with my brain." except you can't, because of all the other bad choices.])
If I were to do something with half golem, I'd ask the DM if it could be like Level Adjusted Races as Class Levels and tack it on a punching barbarian or a grappling monk, chrome out the arms, and say my name is Jax. Other than that, it's an absolutely, positively, unabashedly horrible idea.
(If, however, the DM isn't making the golem limbs add a level adjustment AND not making him roll the will save, then it's kind of stupid in the powerful direction. Natural Armor + Special Attacks + DR + Strength Bonus? FOR FREE? Yes, please!)
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When I'm used to grind down a game's "situation" even if I'm not interested in actually playing in it.
hehe, I got here before the horse for a change
I once had a GM who never liked non-standard races and classes. He often banned them. Or modified them until no one wanted to play them.
Then when he was player, he showed up with a half-drow, half-construct, samuri, psion kineticist. {Zero warning or discussion with the new GM.)
Then got mad at all of us when we couldn't stop laughing at him.
It is frequently true that the things we hate the most in others are the things we would do ourselves if given the chance. I mean there are notable exceptions but nine times out of ten if someone is hating on whatever, "power gamers" to pull a random example, then that is probably what they are when they are sitting in the other seat.
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Extended hiatuses to gaming due to real life. Today marks 4 months since my last game.
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When players don't read the player's guide, just happened this evening. They didn't know what the hell was happening and made wildly inappropriate characters because of it. And then got uppity when I complained about it.
So i just simply dropped the game and went home.
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Extended hiatuses to gaming due to real life. Today marks 4 months since my last game.
This. I've gone as much as a year because of real life stuff.
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** spoiler omitted **...
Never said it was a good build. It wasn't too horrible compared with some of the others, but no powerhouse.
However he always hammered on everyone else for anything not simple, unless they had a really amazing backstory to logically and sensibly cover it. It couldn't just be some wierd set of facts. You pretty had to right a fairly legit story. And clear it all with him ahead of time. Which you would almost never get the all clear form him before game times, so no. Something normal.
Then he went about 12 miles on beyond what he would have thrown a fit about anyone else doing to him.
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It is frequently true that the things we hate the most in others are the things we would do ourselves if given the chance. I mean there are notable exceptions but nine times out of ten if someone is hating on whatever, "power gamers" to pull a random example, then that is probably what they are when they are sitting in the other seat.I once had a GM who never liked non-standard races and classes. He often banned them. Or modified them until no one wanted to play them.
Then when he was player, he showed up with a half-drow, half-construct, samuri, psion kineticist. {Zero warning or discussion with the new GM.)
Then got mad at all of us when we couldn't stop laughing at him.
Probably true. But that is the kind of hypocrisy that really tends to tick me off. Even if I had wanted to do something like that I would not of because it would have looked so bad. I would have at least run a short any wierd builds mini-campaign first, just so it wouldn't be so hypocritical.
He really didn't see anything wrong with it. He actually said something close to "I'm almost always the DM so it's ok if I do it."
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What grinds my gears:
Having to cancel a game because one player out of a group of six won't be able to make it. There's a GM in my group who hates to play when everyone isn't at the table. I understand that. I do. But it's frustrating when one player has lots of family obligations and can't always make it. It can cause us to go weeks without a game.
If we do play with someone missing: Pretending that the absent player's PC has just conveniently gone to look after the horses. Why can't we let him have some actions, at least during combat? I know it's difficult to run someone else's character. I'm not expecting the PC to act as it would if the player was present. But let him aid another, or cast some buff spells, or flank with someone even if he doesn't actually attack. Let him be present and participate.
Losing my suspension of disbelief. Yesterday our group found something in a dungeon controlled by a lich. We think it might be the lich's phylactery. But there's a part of me that really thinks we shouldn't know much about liches, or especially about phylacteries. I would think that's top-secret information that liches wouldn't want publicly known. Our PCs should have had to succeed at huge-DC Knowledge checks to know that such things as phylacteries exist. But because we, the players, know about phylacteries, we forget that maybe our PCs don't know that.
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...
Having to cancel a game because one player out of a group of six won't be able to make it. ...If we do play with someone missing: Pretending that the absent player's PC has just conveniently gone to look after the horses. Why can't we let him have some actions, at least during combat? ...
Some players really hate to let anyone else run their character. I personally don't care.
When I'm GM I usually give the player the option.
If you leave me your character sheet, we'll have it follow along and take part. It won't have any game changing genius inspirations, but can take normal actions. Which also means it has some risk of being attacked.
Otherwise, because of your dysentery you were left back at camp to care for the horses.
And that's my next pet peeve. Why can't our bosses understand how hard it is coordinating our schedules for RPG time!?!
I'm sorry, this is grinding gears. Pet peeves is across the hall.
I started hating others run my characters when I wasn't available when a person ran the entire party (He and the DM had time where they spent the same time at events while others had to work or other items), and everyone DIED except for the one person running the rest of us.
After that, I've not really liked others playing games.
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I've actually enjoyed participating in and reading this thread, so I'd rather not see it get locked out. So could we leave that mess behind us, people who I am choosing not to point out here?
Okay, on topic.
This happened to me recently, and it ground my gears to a screeching halt.
Unattended children in my local FLGS. (Unattended kids in general GMG, but this did happen at the FLGS during a PF game, so it's relevant.)
I was playing a PF game at my FLGS at the same time as a pokemon tournement was going on. Suddenly, someone's unattended child came up and started to beg members of my group for money to buy cards or some crap like that.
Like, dude, first off, rein in your kid, wherever you are. We're trying to play a game here. Second, way to win crappy-parent-of-the-year. You don't know what kind of people are hanging out in this shop; we could be sociopathic child molesters for all you know (totally am not, but geeze, way to trust strangers)!
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What grinds my gears is trying to figure out the difference between a pet peeve thread and a what grinds my gears thread.
Pet peeves I think are the 'little things that bug you often' while things that grind your gears are probably the ones that occur less often but upset you significantly more.
People who come up to us when we are playing at a FLGS and then after 30 minutes of looking at us intently start asking idiotic questions that have nothing to do with the game.
There was a guy like this at the FLGS where we used to play (he wasn't the reason we quit going there, btw). But he'd actually leave his PF game when it wasn't his turn and walk around asking people what they were playing (even though it might have been obvious in some cases), offering advice, telling us about his half tiefling/half lizardfolk/2 2/3 something something else right in the middle of whatever we were doing.
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People being inconsiderate of others time and effort.
"Per your request, I've made that rumor into a serious quest."
"Oh, we decided a while ago not to bother with it."
People that show up 15-30 minutes late then spend the next 30-45 minutes getting their character ready. Keep interrupting your intro for questions about leveling up, how much exp they got last time, and what magic items were found last time.
"That's ok, we don't mind, you can just run over to make up the time we've lost."
"Uhmm... No. My wife and I have to get up for work at 5am tomorrow. Time for you guys to leave."
"Well that sucks. We didn't get very much done!"
People that don't bother calling when they aren't going to make it.
Yes, emergencies happen, but usually you know at least a little bit ahead that you won't be there. Please leave a message or send a text.
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Why can't our bosses understand how hard it is coordinating our schedules for RPG time!?!
Solved that one by organizing a game with my co-workers, calling it a "team-building exercise"!
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Why can't our bosses understand how hard it is coordinating our schedules for RPG time!?!Solved that one by organizing a game with my co-workers, calling it a "team-building exercise"!
Good show! They've done XP for GP in some editions of D&D, so if you can, why not get $ for XP?
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Falling into a clockwork golem really grinds his gears.
Someone else petting my peeve without asking first. He doesn't like being touched!
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Man, I'm pretty sure I'd grind the gears of at least 3/4s of the people posting here, if not everyone on at least one occasion.
Sorry, all.
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I try to avoid grinding gears... but when I do it's probably because I am trying to drive my brother's manual transmission car.
What grinds my gears, teeth and grinds the game to a halt.
Players that cheat at dice (yeah I rolled four 19s in six rolls with the other two being both 17) and hide their dice. Should be a hanging offence.
Then, having to remind them to roll in the open, where everyone can see.
Then, having to remind them to use dice where the numbers are actually visible, and to stop hiding the rolls (again).
Magic item crafters and a lot of game time spent on (lol) filling every slot. Get out there and find the treasure "hero", rather than wasting everyone's time customizing your loadout to your exact boring specifications.
** spoiler omitted **
Okay, on topic.
This happened to me recently, and it ground my gears to a screeching halt.
Unattended children in my local FLGS. (Unattended kids in general GMG, but this did happen at the FLGS during a PF game, so it's relevant.)
I was playing a PF game at my FLGS at the same time as a pokemon tournement was going on. Suddenly, someone's unattended child came up and started to beg members of my group for money to buy cards or some crap like that.
Like, dude, first off, rein in your kid, wherever you are. We're trying to play a game here. Second, way to win crappy-parent-of-the-year. You don't know what kind of people are hanging out in this shop; we could be sociopathic child molesters for all you know (totally am not, but geeze, way to trust strangers)!
I was part of a gaming group that played at our local gaming store on Saturday afternoons. A Pokémon group decided to start playing on Saturdays at about the same time. We were trying to play when the Pokémon group started getting loud and rowdy. Our DM stood and, in a loud voice, said, "Hey all, try to keep it down, we're try to play a good wholesome game of D&D over here!"
It really grinds my gears when I want to play a rogue and everyone has to chime it about how crappy it is and there a "better way" to do whatever I wanted to do with my rogue. Then, when I say its what I want to play, then spend the rest of the month (we only played monthly, time permitting) making a "better rogue," then having their original character killed off to bring in the new "better rogue" to show me how mine is bad/wrong/etc. (Saddest part of all, I continued to have fun and they all wanted to switch back.)
-Doomn
Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere
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When enemy bosses flee. I got nothing against mooks running away in fear, but I really hate it when in our campaing the boss-level characters flee from battle and always via way that we can no way follow. And it is made abundantly clear that we will not see them again. It is really anti-climatic.
At least they didn't flee and heal to full. Withdrawing behind a line of defence and ranged allies.
At least they didn't flee and heal to full. Withdrawing behind a line of defence and ranged allies.
Ah, 2e, how I miss your coherent enemies with skills in tactical planning and interest in self preservation... Back when failing a morale check actually meant running away instead of 'continuing to let you kill it with yet another bonus'
We do things a little differently here in happy-town.
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People making monk-barbarian or Barbarian-paladin builds before the game starts assuming they will just switch alignment whenever their build demands, without a proper in-game reason for the change. Mechanics should not trump fluff in my opinion.
Which is kinda the reason the alignment restrictions are such b~$~#*$@. These classes are just mechanics—why force subjective flavor like this? If I want to play a half-orc barbarian/paladin who struggles with her orcish rage issues...not that I get to play anyways, but I mean, it's the principle of the thing.
Being a level 2 dex based swashbuckler really grinds my gears. If you don't want to either play human or take the inspired blade archetype, you either have to invest in strength that won't be worth anything at level 3 and is just the wrong flavour for my gripply and imo swashbucklers in general. But now the first two levels I'm a full martial character dealing 1d4-2. Am I missing something or is this really meant to be the class design?
Ps. I'm not really in melee but throwing alchemist fire. Not dying but also not getting anything from my class options.