I have a problem with how my DM (D&D 5e) treats PCs that either have their players absent or are a retired character.
First, the latter:
When I retired my Monk, he said "Right, this character is now going to become my NPC", I was switching characters in the middle of a mission (which he forced) and assumed he just meant that he would controll her actions for the rest of the mission since I couldn't play both (which I personally felt was a stupid rule).
However, as I missed the sessions after that, I later found out that, rather than having the character leave the party in the way I had described I was going to hqve her to (Explain some information she has, then turn over the 50 or so healing potions she was keeping for the party), the DM simply had her qalk aqay while no-one was looking. They even tried to contact her, which ended up being pointless.
Ontop of that, if a player isn't on, he plays them and has them often make decisions and say things that are completely against what the character would normally do and/or simply has bad shit happen to them (he likes PCs being captured).
The Roleplayibg community I come from has one sinple rule. "If the player isn't online, don't fuck with their characters or the things they made." My DM seems to ignore this basic rule.
My questions are, is this normal DM behaviour? He watches a lot of Podcasts, is some Roleplaying Source telling people to do this?
>>47095680
I should also note that I have discussed my characters actions and noted my displeasure on it, but he is refusing to let me retcon it or otherwise mitigate the sheer stupidity.
>>47095680
>D&D 5e
There's your problem.
It's no 3.PF but it still fucks with people's heads.
But seriously, your DM is a retard on a power trip.
There are various conflicting sources of advice, but adversarial GMing should be a very rare piece of advice because it's utter shit.
>>47095680
>My questions are, is this normal DM behaviour?
It's not normal in the sense that the majority of DMs do it, but it's more common than it should be, yeah. It's this passive-aggressive way DMs deal with player absence/players compulsively switching characters, which can be big problems if left unchecked. Thing is it's the bad way to deal with it, which a DM should really do, person to person, addressing the player, outside of game.
As for mandating your character switch and then taking over as a DMPC, that just sounds shitty. Your DM a twat.
>>47095775
What on earth does the system have to do with how the DM is treating characters? That's a total non sequitur.
>>47095680
No it's not normal behavior. Not puppeting somebody's character or fucking with them when they're not around is common fucking courtesy.
>>47096008
I don't know why he said that, but game books often include advice on how to run the game. Advice may differ depending on the writer.
So, nothing to do with the system by itself but it can be linked to what books the DM has read.
>>47096008
Mechanics inform play.
The way GM advice is written in the books informs play.
The way player advice is written in the books informs play.
D&D is notoriously bad at explaining things.
>>47096156
Can you provide a quote from the rulebook, that instructs DMs to do what OP's does?
>>47095680
Have you tried discussing the issue with your DM like two mature adults?
Have you explained to him in details how you intended the retirement to go beforehand?
And no, this isn't normal behaviour; but we have only one side of the story.
>is some Roleplaying Source telling people to do this?
John Wick (Play Dirty) probably would.
>>47095775
>D&D books mindcontrol people into being bad RPers!
pic related.
>>47096248
I have talked to him in person both before each event and afterward. I expressed my distaste for switching characters partway through a mission, having to turn over my character for him to control and then my dislike for hot he treated my character action.
Doing this has done nothing. He simply didn't listen to the concerns I raised.
>>47096342
Telltale sign of a shit GM.
He may be the master in name, but in practice he is just a fellow participant in the game with a different set of abilities and responsibilities.
If he is actively compromising the players' enjoyment of the game solely for his personal power trip, he is an abject failure as a GM and you'd do well to let him know that.
>>47096409
Is there a better way for me to say that? I really doubt he's just going to take that.
>>47096441
Print off that post and give it to him in an envelope.
>>47096464
This. He's not going to listen to any player anyway, judging by your description.
>>47096897
I'm thankful for the feedback and I think it's time I confronted him about it. But just to make extra sure I can properly confront him, are there any forums where I can get further advice? He's the type that listens to multiple sources.
![Werewizard[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/UM2kyrF.jpg "Werewizard[1].jpg")
>>47096441
I disliked the way you handled my character retirement.
I have the feeling that we have different expectations concerning role-playing, collective storytelling, and the role of a GM.
Your stance on the matter is diminishing my enjoyment in the game.
I have the feeling that you have disregarded my concerns entirely and that a compromise is impossible to find in the current situation.
I bid you farewell.
>>47097391RPG.net
More seriously, check the pdf share thread, they have some docs about roleplaying theory.
That aside, rule 0. "I'm not enjoying myself despite my efforts, you have failed as a GM from my point of view". In the end, it's all that matters.
>>47097391
RPG.net and ENworld.org, I guess?
However, it all boils down to one simple fact: You're all at the table to have fun.
If one of you denies the others the ability to enjoy the game, they have no place at the table.
>DM forces you to reroll in the middle of a session
Okay, it's your fault for not walking out right then
But other than that, I don't see the problem, keep to your commitments or let the DM play your character.
>>47097921
He didn't force me to reroll in the middle of the session, I had the charafter building up for a couple weeks and we'd discussed switching ahead of time.
Rather, it was him forcing me to make the switch in the middle of the session and in the middle of a mission that bothered me.
It forced me to get into character very suddenly and my roleplaying was hampered because of this.
