How should I deal with my DM being an idiot?Ally.., Ally spirit issues...... Options

[toturi]

The GM isn't doing his job. You are supposed to be having fun, every single one of you. You ought to take his BBB and shove it up his candy ass.

[DocMortand]

Yeah, that is categorically a probe job that he's doing on you. I'd talk to him once more, then either kill the adept or TPK the group. Pulling that sort of crap with no justification is the worst sort of GM.

[Dawnshadow]

The adept should die. Preferably in a particularly brutal way. So should any of the other characters that are particularly close to the adept. The ones who aren't particularly close to him I'd leave alive -- but that's only for roleplay reasons. It's always better if the others survive, and know exactly why.

Personally? It'd leave all their bodies arranged in the safe house. If any are cybered, the cyberware should be removed, and any foci gone as well. A good investment if you decide he's not worth continuing with -- sell their stuff and retire.

As for the GM? I doubt he's worth it. Yes, he's created a storyline, but he's doing it by taking a karma expenditure and making it a handicap. I would never really have any faith that he wouldn't try and just maliciously ruin everything.. like make a specialization you've just bought up 3 levels worthless.

A good GM is trusted by players to not screw with them for no reason. It's meant to be fun, and maliciously screwing characters over is probably the best way to prevent that.

[Cynic project]

If I were you,I would point out that the game is not about winning.The GM doesn't have to beat the players,and the player do not have beat the DM. I would also think long and hard as too why I am in the game.

But in the end, if anything is easy to do then why haven't others done it? Yes a force 3 spirit can have a lot of power. But it unlikely that it would get a group a half dozen "free spirits" to follow it within in a week. It would be highly unlikely that any would be above force 5. What the group he has now, is about the worst plot I have ever seen. I mean, that group is as bad as the rats that could only be killed by being fed to a live dragon. By the way, I have seen better plots in the dragonheart books. I mean Ryan and burnout are better characters than what your GM has made out of steve.

So, do you want to play in a game that is clearly set up for you too have no fun? I mean, really if you really want a game so bad you would put with this sort of shit, why not try a play by post one?I mean you clearly can put up with bullshit and can write.

[Aqua]

[Dog]

Maybe send him an e-mail that says "Hey Mr. GM, I think there's a thread about you on dumpshock. Why don't you check it out?"

I think he should read what's here. Probably means you lose a couple of buds in the meat world, but hey, you got us!

And if the GM in question does happen to end up reading this: What's with you man? Geez, make amends with your parents already.

[Sandoval Smith]

Passive aggression is rarely the best way to go.

Aqua, carry through with your plan. It's the best thing you can do at this point.

[Cynic project]

ANd Aqua, what area do you live in?Cause I think there may be more sane players in your town.

[FrostyNSO]

Please say he goes to Cal Poly......

[Edward]

First I have seen threads like this take a hard turn when another player r the GM gives there side of the story. Rarely is one side the howl story, almost never is the complainant entirely wrong. Ask your GM to respond to this thread.

Arrange a time to talk to your gm about it. Go up to him when he is not in a rush and ask “when can we sit down and sort out this ally spirit situation”

Effectively you have a rating 4 enemy (knows exactly where you live, multiple force 8 free spirits mess they can get to you any wear, and motivation is simmering)

And ask him why.

The most likely reason I can think of is some unrelated perceived (or actual) offence, if you know of something try to set it right, if not ask him what you have dome to offend him. Even if there is no preserved offence asking that (with a strait face) should get across how much the situation bothers you without risking a friendship.

If that is not the case

Explain to your GM that you payed a year’s earned karma and a point of magic rating tor a free spirit because it is supposed to be an asset. You treated it well and it is being far more difficult than the rules sagest is possible.

He my say he doesn’t like dealing with the second character (witch to an extent is what it is) in witch case suggest that your character be returned to its state before the spirit was summoned. You should not be punished because he didn’t realise he disliked an option when you asked permition to take it.

If he clames your char has goten to powerful (aside from the spirit) ask him how so. The way you described your character you have not spent any karma other than the ally, certainly no initiations witch I find to be the biggest power booster. If it is equipment making it to powerful then suggest a run with significant expenditure of cash and gear for no pay, (favour for a friend)

If you cant come up with a solution during one calm meeting or the meeting degenerates into a shouting mach stand up take a deep breath and say “I am leaving the campaign” and walk away.

As to the group I cant see him making one, assuming he was that sentient joining one of several that already exists would be plausible but if he tried to create one somebody would just hand him the time and place for the next meeting of one that was established

Then their is the IC issue of what to do about a team member that OFFERED to kill you, he is a real threat and should be eliminated. My preference would be for an efficient kill but some would prefer a display of brutality, do whatever matches your character.

Edward

[hyzmarca]

It does sound like your GM is an asshat. However, he was right no to give you a mulligan on the conjuring of the Ally. Your character made the choice to create the Ally without initiation and he can't go back and change that.

It sounds like the GM doesn't understand what an Ally spirit really is. You said yourself that he was unfamiliar with the rules and the concept. All he knows is what you have told him. It would be best to make sure he understands exactly what an Ally is and what it can and cannot do.

As for the legality of this group, there is nothing illegal about being a force 8 spirit just as there is nothing illegal about having a magic rating of 8. Nor is it illegal to associate with a high force spirit. It is only illegal to summon or control a high force spirit.
Also, a spirit can't legaly commit a crime. A spirit is consdiered to be entirely controlled by the conjurer and that is true for the msot part. When a spirit does something legaly it is the conjurer that did it since the spirit lacks the ability to disobey. If your ally does something stupid you could very well find yourself in prsion because of it. Because many of the members are free spirits it is possible that your character could be charaged with conspiricy if the group plots to do something illegal.

I don't know about the UCAS but it is a crime to bellong to any group that advocates the necessity of to violent overthrow of the goverment in the US. Even if the group doesn't go that far it could stir up enough attention to warrent an investigation and few trumped up charges

[CircuitBoyBlue]

I'm with the "no mulligan" crowd. If I were the GM, assuming I had a problem with the ally spirit and not something else, I think I would try to get you to just set the spirit free and make it up to you in some other way over time.

However, since I'm not your GM, I'd suggest you talk with the group, and keep an open mind. Having gone to a college where I couldn't find more than one other gamer to save my mind, I wouldn't make the assumption that you can find saner group mates; you might need these people if you want to keep the hobby. I'd try to negotiate something. If the GM doesn't like powerful characters, you might have to say 'fair enough.' But if that's the case, get your GM to lay out what he thinks constitutes a character that's too powerful, exactly. It might be a different karma level for a mage than it is for a street sam, but the important thing is that it isn't different for you than it is for the other players; fight for that. It won't save this character, but you have a right to know when your next character will be retired, so you can plan a story arc without it getting unexpectedly cut (unless you get shot, but nobody has sympathy for chumps).

I might second the thought about asking your GM to read this thread, though you have to be careful. Even if you tell him up front that you started the thread, it can seem like you're ganging up on him by bringing in all these strange internet people.

Last, I don't know what your priorities are. It could well be that your friendship with these people is more important to you than Shadowrun, and while I feel a certain obligation to preserve all SR groups everywhere for dork solidarity purposes, I would also wonder about you big time if you picked SR over your friends (not to judge, though, I've done it myself before). Just be careful, and make sure you know yourself where your priorities are. Just because these guys are puckwallows doesn't mean you should piss them off. Some of my best friends are puckwallows. I wouldn't role-play with them. But I also wouldn't discard their friendship. I don't know how close you are to these guys, but cutting and running might not be the best solution. As loathsome as it sounds, you may have to respectfully resign from the group and wish them well in their travels. Although conversely, if you're not that close with them, making a scene will feel really good. Just remember that if they're really stacked against you, you won't be killing any characters on the way out, the best you can hope for is an exit at a dramatic time.

[CanvasBack]

Of course, you must realize by now Aqua, that if the situation is at a loggerhead (and it seems to be) and you make no progress finding out what the deal is or finding a resolution, you're not in for a fun time. If you openly rebel and try to take out the conspiring adept, you'll probably just enrage your GM and all past fiats will probably pale in comparison with what he comes up with to punish you and your character after that. One way or the other, you probably need to retire the character and unfortunately, if you want to do it on your own terms you'll probably end up leaving the group.

I think walking away is probably a better choice, even if you can't play SR for awhile afterwards...

[fistandantilus4....]

Did your GM read that part where it says ALLY spirit?

I agree with Dog that if he doesn't at least think about what you're saying, have him check out this thread.

Third, yes, kill the Adept. If he wants to play rough, hell, you're a conjurer. Just pound him with spirits.

Also, it's a force 3 spirit. So it's intellignce is 3. The avergage persons intelligence is 3. The average person cannot organize a group of 300 people in 2 months, much less two weeks.

[Jrayjoker]

Aqua, let us know how the discussion goes. And now my 3 year old will apply many smilies for your enjoyment.


:D

[Jrayjoker]

Apparently the board doesn't allow 300 emoticons.

[Critias]

That's a shame.

[Jrayjoker]

LOL

[Eyeless Blond]

[Edward]

When in a tight spot summoning a force 9 city spirit is a valid option. As a starting character you have a 40% chance of successfully summoning one and you are only soaking 9S or 9D stun (spending on charisma, probably 9S for a player mage)

There is a not insignificant chance when you do this that you will loos concessus ether due to the drain or some other factor (you are in a situation to weren’t summoning a force 9 spirit to defend you. If this happens the spirit roles force dice target 4 to decide to stick around as a free spirit. That is a 99.8% chance of sucses.

With it being this easy for a powerful free spirit to come into existence I find it strange that they are represented as being so rare. I would expect 50-100 in Seattle. Not common by any stretch of the imagination, just the 5 or so that are listed in the books are not the entire population.

Edward

[Charon]

Just because they go free doesn't mean they stick around the physical plane. Can't they just go back to their metaplane?

I don't see why they would all be interested in toying around with humanity. If you just summon a spirit of level 8-9 and he immediateley goes free, maybe he will want to kill you for your insolance, most likely he will quickly go back to wherever he comes from. IMO spirits who remain here have had some time to get accustomed to humanity before going free.

Think of it as a slave gaining freedom. In most instance he'll want to return home unless he has spent so much time out here that he has taken roots.

[Aqua]

[Arethusa]

So... Wisdom's a stat, now. Ok. That makes sense.

[Aqua]

Lol typo ;). I play alot of another game that has a wisdom stat.... it has 7 willpower, like the summoner.

[Eyeless Blond]

He obviously meant Willpower, but has spent so long assimilated by the Borg--er, d20, that he didn't even realize what he was saying. :P