TOPIC: What to do about bad DMs?

I do not think the mind flayer room was done quite correctly. Which killed us and we did not survive or get our treasure stamp...

Round one: Our monk uses stunning fist (and hits)

Round two: Our Rouge (me) backstabs (With viper set and improved backstab) spins maximum damage on +3 viper fang, bard singing, +CRIT (natural 20).

Should have been 110-112 damage.

DM: I rolled a 1, you missed...

bs.. he was stunned.

2nd bad room.

Seasoned DM. Saturday morning. Grub and Spider room.

Talks to the players as if it is there first day of grade 2, very slowly. Completely misses putting the grubs and spiders on us, and then argues about the various turns it takes to pass a torch..

Lordoftherealm wrote: I do not think the mind flayer room was done quite correctly. Which killed us and we did not survive or get our treasure stamp...

Round one: Our monk uses stunning fist (and hits)

Round two: Our Rouge (me) backstabs (With viper set and improved backstab) spins maximum damage on +3 viper fang, bard singing, +CRIT (natural 20).

Should have been 110-112 damage.

DM: I rolled a 1, you missed...

bs.. he was stunned.

That does sound like an error - he should have been stunned and unable to use his psychic blur ability.

bpsymington wrote:

Lordoftherealm wrote: I do not think the mind flayer room was done quite correctly. Which killed us and we did not survive or get our treasure stamp...

Round one: Our monk uses stunning fist (and hits)

Round two: Our Rouge (me) backstabs (With viper set and improved backstab) spins maximum damage on +3 viper fang, bard singing, +CRIT (natural 20).

Should have been 110-112 damage.

DM: I rolled a 1, you missed...

bs.. he was stunned.

That does sound like an error - he should have been stunned and unable to use his psychic blur ability.

I want my token! lol

Lordoftherealm wrote: I do not think the mind flayer room was done quite correctly. Which killed us and we did not survive or get our treasure stamp...

Round one: Our monk uses stunning fist (and hits)

Round two: Our Rouge (me) backstabs (With viper set and improved backstab) spins maximum damage on +3 viper fang, bard singing, +CRIT (natural 20).

Should have been 110-112 damage.

DM: I rolled a 1, you missed...

bs.. he was stunned.

Maybe psychic abilities work through stun?

I don't know the room just making something up to try to explain.

But that does not sound right.

Lordoftherealm wrote: Round two: Our Rouge (me) backstabs (With viper set and improved backstab) spins maximum damage on +3 viper fang, bard singing, +CRIT (natural 20).

Should have been 110-112 damage.

Not sure how you're arriving at that damage total (tho I agree it should have been a hit, if Stunning Fist was effective the previous round)... Are you doubling the Sneak Attack damage? Remember, that doesn't double on a crit (unless you're using Nightshades Shortsword) or did you somehow outfit yourself with +30 to damage?

Raven wrote:

Lordoftherealm wrote: Round two: Our Rouge (me) backstabs (With viper set and improved backstab) spins maximum damage on +3 viper fang, bard singing, +CRIT (natural 20).

Should have been 110-112 damage.

Not sure how you're arriving at that damage total (tho I agree it should have been a hit, if Stunning Fist was effective the previous round)... Are you doubling the Sneak Attack damage? Remember, that doesn't double on a crit (unless you're using Nightshades Shortsword) or did you somehow outfit yourself with +30 to damage?

Perhaps in my head I doubled it, none of it counted so I guess it does not matter

Our experience involved a DM who repeatedly targeted one player. He tried to justify by saying that the monster recognized the threat the player posed. Unfortunately for this 'theory,' the player hadn't slid against the monster at all.

After a particularly brutal series of 'hits' on the player, the DM asked 'how many hit points you got left?' That's when I intervened and asked the DM how he (as the monster) would know this? Sadly, two more players will not return since they feel they wasted their money.

I recognize that DMs should have full control over the reactions of the monster, within the bounds of the description. But shouldn't they consider rolling a die to determine who gets attacked if no character makes an 'impression' upon them?

TJRat wrote: Our experience involved a DM who repeatedly targeted one player. He tried to justify by saying that the monster recognized the threat the player posed. Unfortunately for this 'theory,' the player hadn't slid against the monster at all.

After a particularly brutal series of 'hits' on the player, the DM asked 'how many hit points you got left?' That's when I intervened and asked the DM how he (as the monster) would know this? Sadly, two more players will not return since they feel they wasted their money.

I recognize that DMs should have full control over the reactions of the monster, within the bounds of the description. But shouldn't they consider rolling a die to determine who gets attacked if no character makes an 'impression' upon them?

Actually depending on the monster they make focus on one class first. The spider in Underdark focused on the Cleric Paladin and one other class I am forgetting because he was evil.

Sure - that's what I meant about reacting in the context of the monster's description. Unfortunately for this DM, when asked he clearly stated that he felt the 'monster would perceive the barbarian as the biggest threat.'

How, when the barbarian hadn't even attacked this monster? I've dealt with DMs who check the player card before declaring attacks - looking for the lowest AC or saving throw. In the role playing world, how would a monster be able to detect this information?

Sadly, I believe it's the symptom of a DM looking to kill players.

TJRat wrote: Sure - that's what I meant about reacting in the context of the monster's description. Unfortunately for this DM, when asked he clearly stated that he felt the 'monster would perceive the barbarian as the biggest threat.'

How, when the barbarian hadn't even attacked this monster? I've dealt with DMs who check the player card before declaring attacks - looking for the lowest AC or saving throw. In the role playing world, how would a monster be able to detect this information?

Sadly, I believe it's the symptom of a DM looking to kill players.

This is exactly why I like to let my NPC (if I have one) choose who to attack. The NPC doesn't usually know the Character Cards and therefore cannot discriminate. What the NPC does is pick the player that is taunting him/her or pick the person that just hit her/him for a lot of damage.

Ro-gan wrote:

TJRat wrote: Sure - that's what I meant about reacting in the context of the monster's description. Unfortunately for this DM, when asked he clearly stated that he felt the 'monster would perceive the barbarian as the biggest threat.'

How, when the barbarian hadn't even attacked this monster? I've dealt with DMs who check the player card before declaring attacks - looking for the lowest AC or saving throw. In the role playing world, how would a monster be able to detect this information?

Sadly, I believe it's the symptom of a DM looking to kill players.

This is exactly why I like to let my NPC (if I have one) choose who to attack. The NPC doesn't usually know the Character Cards and therefore cannot discriminate. What the NPC does is pick the player that is taunting him/her or pick the person that just hit her/him for a lot of damage.

Yep I've seen this happen, and I quite like it. Salamadar room, Drow room, the DM would ask the NPC and they would say, that one or name the class without information of AC/Saves/etc. I do think though DM's should tell the NPC, that mage just hit you with a spell that hurt like crazy..etc... to let the NPC know who was the big hitter to help determine if they are going to attack via "Village idiot" syndrome (attacking the thing that hurt the most).