DM Banned Me From Playing As A Cleric Because I'm Not Religious In Real Life | Narrated D&D Story

It really is wholesome that DND, a fun fantasy game of wizards, warriors, and dice can change a person's perspective on the real world and the people coexist alongside us. Kudos to this DM for really helping his players see this differently in a positive way. The argument about playing a woman and not being a woman was absolutely brilliant.
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Credits
Story Source: Reddit
Video Editor: Shawn Kadian
Editors: Lonny Foran ([e-mail])
Narration: MyLo (Twitter/VoMylo)
Thumbnail Art & Channel Artwork: NalaFontaine (Twitter/@nala_fontaine)
#dndstories #dnd #dungeonsanddragons

[@derpityderp1631]

wow can't believe the gm force the guy in story 1 to be a fighter, bold of him to assume the dude could fight like a fighter

[@DwarfDaddy]

“How dare you play an orc! You are committing green face!” I’m joking but I guarantee people like this exist

[@Omega_Comics]

That DM was in the wrong. How a person is in real life shouldn't have any bearing on the character one chooses to play. SMH!

[@craigtucker1290]

Exactly. This is one of the cornerstones of role playing in that one can be anything they want to be without having to be that thing.

[@0Super0Manuel0]

Yeah I wouldn’t have been able to play 99% of my characters because I enjoy to play characters that are very different from me.

[@Omega_Comics]

@@0Super0Manuel0 Exactly! By that logic, I can't play a warlock because I haven't given my soul to an extra planar being or a devil in real life. So stupid.

[@H240909]

I love how the first DM throws out the words “cultural appropriation” like all religious people of all faiths share the same cookie cutter culture. 😂😂😂

[@TexMeta]

Also like he's never been in a deeply religious area. Them zealous clerics aren't far off the mark.

[@singletona082]

As a christian i am offended. Church of Satan is way more interesting. :) Then there's the discordians.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

That is how everyone uses cultural appropriation.

[@rodrigossgardelis7384]

Woke culture has infiltrated tabletop rpgs it seems. Sad day for our community.

[@MrZeldafanX]

So if I don't have a deal with a demon IRL, I can't be a warlock? Seems lame

[@BoeseFlueche]

Skill issues...can pick Warlock just fine. :D

[@Lrbearclaw]

So you have never worked in retail?

[@chrisbuek]

Can't play as an elf because you aren't an elf. Can't use magic because you aren't a real wizard. Can't play in a fantasy world because you live in Baltimore.

[@troperhghar9898]

"DM banned me from playing a warlock because i wont sacrifice a goat at the table"

[@CruciferWarden]

Same! Now I'm just forced to play a Human commoner.

[@singletona082]

DM banned me for bringign a sledgehammer to the table to show that yes... i can actually wield a 'warhammer.'

[@kevinelston404]

Same

[@tatersalad76]

DM: "Oh, you go to therapy? Sorry, you can't play a Barbarian then!"

[@funnyblog100]

The idea of a Barbarian attending anger management is fucking hilarious.

[@LawfulBased]

By the same logic you must ban every single player for not being his character and having the same skills & profession IRL. 😏

[@lucasm.3864]

I’m guessing a Draconic Sorcerer would also be off the table (unless he has a *very* interesting family).

[@MovieMakerFanVersion]

So if I can't transform into a bunny at-will for an hour, I can't play a druid? I don't have a sugar daddy IRL, so I can't play as a warlock?

[@dragonicstarblade2049]

Just by the title alone: ummmmm what? Stay away from that nut of a dm if you can't play a cleric because you're not religious enough irl.

[@GM-lx7ji]

Pretty good advice.

[@DaniMartVTen]

My Character Sheet (if I were unlucky enough to play at this table): Level 1 Webcam Warlock, cantrips in "Create Account" and "Live Streaming", my Spellcasting Focus is "Virtual Model", my Otherworldly Patron is "Chat".

[@pallydan893]

You joke but this would blend well with an urban fantasy game

[@nvfury13]

@@pallydan893Would blend so well with a Shadowrun inspired Urban Fantasy D&D campaign or a couple of the PbtA Urban Fantasy games I’ve seen.

[@Wbfuhn]

Story 1: I'd immediately walk away from that table and GM. Story 2: This has a good outcome. I've learned to not clump the worst under one label to a group.

[@SageDarkwind]

To the first DM: "Well, you can't be a DM because you aren't the master of a dungeon. And if you are, stay the hell away from me!"

[@mikaeltheinsane1465]

Yeah, that whole "Banning a player from playing a Cleric because they weren't religious irl." is ridiculous, heck, I'm an Ignosist (A person who is unsure of what to believe religiously.) & my very 1st character was Tiefling Paladin serving a Holy Deity.

[@VaterUnser19951]

no one ever gets to be a magic class then, rip

[@bakedbeanqueen111]

such a shame that I can't be authentic to my tabaxi character because i am not a cat 😔

[@CrashCraftLabs]

thats when your fighter becomes a murder hobo and you kill his main quest giver lol

[@Midnight3Wonder]

I am really glad the OP of the first story realized the DM's decision to ban them from playing cleric for not being religious in real life was not acceptable. Yes, if you were intending to make fun of religion by playing a cleric, it can be bad. However, if you are just interested in the class and think it'd be fun without any bad intentions, then there's really no reason to ban a player from playing cleric. I myself am not religious (the closest religion to my own personal beliefs may be Paganism), yet my very first D&D character I ever played was a cleric simply because I thought playing the party healer would be a nice first step as a player. I didn't enjoy the class myself, but I think it was more of the class not vibing well with me personally than anything about the class itself. Maybe the class just didn't fit the character I was playing, so I might give cleric another try with a different character concept. I personally don't think you HAVE to be restricted to fighter as your first D&D class. I've played a fighter before, but I got so confused by their combat mechanics and ended up multiclassing into warlock with that character as my brain just understands magic spells and curses better than whacking things with a sword. Yes, I realize how stupid that sounds. But what can I say? I just understand the mechanics for magic better than I do for melee combat. That's just how my brains works. For the second story, I'm really glad that the party become more open-minded and less phobic against different kinds of people. I LOVE exploring different kinds of people with my characters and stories! It not only helps educate us to the different kinds of people there are in the world but also allows people who are often depicted in negative ways to have healthy and positive outlets of exposure that can make them really happy to see. This was a nice story!

[@TheMightyBattleSquid]

Always glad to see a glory story that balances out the horror.

[@GM-lx7ji]

The DM of the first story is definitely on the crazy side.

[@OyBoy413]

I cannot believe I've finally read a story before All things DnD haha

[@triedtherest]

So, does that mean if you don't work in the entertainment industry you can't play a Bard?

[@silver4831]

I'd walk away from the table, beyond stupid DM.

[@projektaquarius]

That is a big ick. Play what you want. I just give people some "direction" if they don't get it. Like when my atheist buddy pre-made cleric in the starter set. He was like "I'm gonna preach the word of the one true god" and I was like "nah. The gods are known to exist in D&D." He just said "oh okay. That's easier."

[@nils-peterwihlney8732]

"DM banned from playing a rogue because I don't have criminal record"

[@demonzero677]

Yeah, that DM is the toxic one. I'd have asked em "so that guy over there can't be a female character cuz hes not a girl in real life? What about being anything but human?cuz none of us are non human." before leaving fux yeah, to hell with that crap.

[@YourBoyNobody530]

I take the approach of if it looks like a person, and talks like a person its probably a person. I have a friend who is gay, and I've worked with former felons. If there is one thing I've learned from those experiences its that people are people, and most of the time people just want to live their life freely. When I found out my friend was gay my response was neat followed by casually moving on. Its funny because I've had people rant and rave about their sexuality like I should treat them differently because it makes them special or something.

[@mwhearn1]

I am the complete opposite of the first DM. I am religious and my players are not. I ask them all what god or gods their characters worship as I intend to use that as part of the plot. Several have had visons and dreams from their gods already. It's all good fun.

[@micahjones1451]

I can't cast a fireball irl but I still play Wizard all the time XD

[@ezrahendog5837]

Yeah he shouldn't have done that. We got a new player At my table who's playing a druid. Druids are kind of complicated in game. Especially for newer players but do once to try and we have applauded this guy for choosing what I consider the most complicated class and sticking with it.

[@dragonmasterknight7]

The first store was a dm trying to be an idiot. Real life doesn't reflect fantasy. And if someone had an issue then they could bring it up and solve it civilly. As for the fighter thing I can agree. But only if the player was new. As far as I am aware, BG3 is strongly similar to DND in the sense you can get the basics of gameplay easily.

[@claudiamcfie1265]

One of my players (who is religious) tells the story that their first DM always had their prayers succeed because they were the only one at the table who had ever talked to a real god.

[@singletona082]

Christian here: That's fucking lame. Just because I talk to God does not mean he answers, or I'm able to understand when he does. That's just being an asshole and using faith as excuse. Walk away from the table.

[@mrjamieb1899]

I could understand the first DM if the player had been playing their Cleric as if they belonged to a real world religion and using that to mock or belittle the religion, but that wasn't what they were doing. Cleric's don't exist irl and you could apply their mindset to so many things in DnD. Can't play a bard if you're not a musician, can't be a Paladin if you don't have military experience, can't be a Rogue if you haven't been involved in criminality etc. If you can let someone play as a non-human Sorcerer than you can let them be a Cleric.

[@angramainyu4599]

1:30 Personally as a DM that DM is an ass. Giant red flag.

[@Zeromegas]

Is the Opposite situation that happen in a story few days ago. That Player was force to be Cleric

[@suziwolf4830]

Story 1: DM make skull meat go ow Story 2: from someone whose table is at least 3/5 LGBTQ+ 👏👏👏👏

[@guyfawkes8873]

I guess I'd better stop playing my female eladrin warlock---- I'm a male human and I've never made a deal with the devil irl...

[@Chaotix010]

Second story, as I appreciate a good story from a table. I like how the argument of “I play female NPCs but I’m not female,” was a quick go-to. As a person who plays a lot of female characters despite being a cis male, I enjoy such because it’s how I always wanted to see a girl in a big story. Laughing, crying and fighting with the others in the main cast with just as much importance as everyone else despite all the tropes in modern media. -Plus being one of the heaviest hitters in the party is pretty fun too-

[@timwoods2852]

I find it interesting how everyone hearing the first story is saying that reality shouldn't influence fantasy, but everyone from the second story seems to be happy that the fantasy was influenced by reality. Just pointing that out.

[@clericofchaos1]

Of course cleric was your favorite class, cleric is objectively the best class in D&D. So says the mighty cleric of chaos! It's so overpowered that a team of 4 of us at max level could conquer entire planes of existence and dethrone archdevils, demon lords, and false gods...I forget where i was going this but LONG LIVE THE CLERICS!...of chaos!

[@Shadowblader98]

In the words of jocat "you can make a party of purely priests, call yourselves the A-men"

[@clericofchaos1]

@@Shadowblader98 exactly, and then the multiverse is yours.

[@Shadowblader98]

@@clericofchaos1 I'm a light domain cleric main myself, crystal dragonborn race, the undead have horrible nightmares about me

[@clericofchaos1]

@@Shadowblader98 The Chaos domain is old and unfortunately it never made it into 5e. So, the closest 5e comes is probably the twilight domain and that's usually what i play. Before them i mostly played war or forge, or depending on the campaign i would go full healer as a life domain, but i always rp the full healers as weird or evil people. Dr. Feelgood was a full healer nature cleric who was a pot smoking pacifist hippy, and Zoltar the oppressor was just a dick. He demanded the best loot and to be the party leader and if anybody denied his sovereign will they were denied healing. That one was in an absurdly hard game too, so the rest basically just accepted it and knelt before the might of Zoltar.

[@QuixoteBadger]

That first dm is such a hypocrite. I mean, really? A human fighter? If the player can't swing a 10 lb broadsword 8 times in six seconds while wearing full plate armor, chain mail, and a cloth gambeson, while chugging a bottle of cough syrup, they shouldn't be playing the class!

[@kishinasura1989]

Personally i was surprised on how lore accurate BG3 lore is to a point

[@montanaminuteman]

It's not fear, it's righteous disgust.

[@Amayawolf_01]

My brother's first ever character was a tabaxi rogue named after his cat. Would he have been banned from that by this DM because he's not a cat or a criminal? My first character ever was a tiefling bard. I can play an instrument irl, but I'm not a demon-looking creature so I guess that's banned too. This guy must run campaigns that are humans only with just fighters, even though most irl people aren't very skilled at fighting 🙄

[@JacobL228]

The first DM clearly doesn't know what the RP in TTRPG stands for. If you're character isn't different from you, you're not playing a role, you're being a schizophrenic isekai weeb. For the second story, putting aside how accurate someone's portrayal of a gay guy can be if he's never had any interactions with real gay people, I still don't think it's right to confront someone with something they're uncomfortable with just because you don't think they should feel uncomfortable with it. The players are the ones that deserve a pat on the back for playing through this breach of trust and not letting a sudden character rewrite change how they act.

[@XeroDragoon17]

How good at music and dancing do I have to be to play as a Bard?

[@jonathanstern5537]

I would wonder more what would happen with the wizard now that he's home. I mean, will he just become a homebody? What's his job otherwise?

[@amoctheflock1364]

*Angry Paladin Noises*

[@soupforthefamily8378]

I bet DM doesn’t worship Selune or whoever irl either

[@RavenCoyote]

what the craft with the 1st DM?

[@blasphemeewe]

DM#1 sounds like the satanic panic with extra steps, if you worry about offending your personal God with the game, don't play it.

[@singletona082]

So let me get this straight. By this DM's logic I'dh ave ot play an out of shape nearly blind man with only middling knowledge in carpentry and would be an outright liability in a fight and few social graces so a liability in the social spheres the group wouldh ave to navigate.

[@danamccarthy5514]

I do tend to use a basic fighter to learn any new system as my first character just because it usually has simpler mechanics, but this DM is an ass.

[@benpearson49]

Either the DM's nuts, or OP was an r/atheist.

[@spoonmoneyking]

So every character is a human? Could you be an authentic Elf?

[@silver4831]

Thing is gods literally exist in the d&d world. Is it faith when a god can literally give you magical powers?

[@CommanderM117]

First story DM was 100% wrong the Player has the freedom to create whatever character they want as long as it does not Impact the Enjoyment of the Entire group or effect the game Negativly, Being a person of faith or Not should not restrict you from playing any class of that Nature, it wrong, it may of bean an Issue if you played old DnD and had real world gods still in game but it would and Should not Impact the game in any way.

[@Amarok410]

by that logic even a religious person cant be a cleric because they arent polytheistic and may offend the traditions of such.

[@the_multus]

Are you a god in real life? Cause, as a DM, you appropriate their culture, so you should step down, and let me take the reigns. WTH was that move from the DM? Why would fantasy religions be similar to the real deal?

[@TheTaintedeclipse]

Please make your videos louder, even with max volume its whisper quiet.

[@thenerdbeast7375]

People need to seriously do more thorough research before joining groups, like I know players are sometimes desperate for groups but no dnd is better than bad dnd.

[@absolutezero6423]

I would be wary of someone who can not separate fantasy from reality. That dm has issues.

[@TheZMage]

Man, the wording is sure awkward on that last story

[@timothydavis422]

Yeah your first DM was an ass and shouldn't be a dungeon master if he can't deal with people playing characters that are different from themselves in real life, that is one of the entire points to role-playing games is to step out of yourself IRL and be whoever you want to be in the fantasy world.

[@whitefox3189]

Wow, I heard christians denying pagan aspects of TTRPG's a lot and Atheists ruining fantasy games for being fantasy. But this is the first time I hear an Atheist, who accepts DnD being wronged in such a way.

[@TonySamedi]

Ok, DM in the first story is so weird to me. Like, in the main setting of D&D, and many other settings, the gods are pretty much known entities. It's not "Oh you have to believe" everyone kinda knows all the gods exist. It's not like our world where you ask someone to prove Jesus or Allah or Vishnu exists and they start talking about how nice sunsets are to look at. You ask a cleric of Selune to grant you the ability to see in the dark better than even the Drow do and they can do it. Yeah, the Gods may not answer EVERY prayer, but I'm just saying if Jesus actually just granted all his followers one casting of "Cure Wounds" a day, the vast majority of atheists would be Christian within the month.

[@craigtucker1290]

First story, the DM is wrong and who cares if some players that are religious are offended about a nonreligious person playing a character of faith. Why should this matter? Second story, is the country the US?

[@KhaoticKiNG]

First dm is very trash. Your rl has nothing to do with your character. Anyone starting out avoid weirdos like that. You have agency and can play whoever you wish.

[@benpearson49]

Well, just from the title alone, that's really stupid. Many players that are religious in real life, aren't comfortable roleplaying as clerics. Which is understandable, depending on the setting. Religion in a typical generic setting, has a very Catholic feeling, so a Catholic player might feel like their faith is being mocked.

[@Lucky-Nick123]

Really now, getting banned cause of religion, this is ridiculous, this dm in story one is toxic and it's for the better to avoid people like them in games but also in everyday encounters

[@autumnsilverwinds4990]

I miss when this channel had good subtitles

[@davidtherwhanger6795]

So I'm guessing the DM in the first story doesn't allow other races as no one IRL is other than human. And doesn't allow wizards at all as magic doesn't exist IRL. What game is this DM running again? 'Cause it doesn't sound like D&D, or any game like it, to me.

[@pallydan893]

Could you play as a half orc if you could provide proof that you have neanderthal DNA?

[@auroraackley227]

Your not religious so you cant play as a cleric! That would be like telling me because Im not a professional music player in real life I wouldn't be able to be a bard despite the fact that Im published!

[@williamchandler2937]

Heres hoping you get back to your roots,stories of games.

[@timmyshroyer5628]

A minute and a half into this video and I can tell that person has no business playing D&D. To be honest, I personally avoid "people " who use words like "appropriation."

[@JuC5574]

In both stories the DM is trying to force their own beliefs on their players.

[@karsonkammerzell6955]

Ah yes. Nothing like appropriating the wide spread and well traveled Earthly religion of... **checks notes** ...Ilmater?

[@troll5262]

...The second story is odd. Why would he say that he wouldn't have changed the adventurers sexuality all of a sudden when he did change their sexuality all of a sudden? It really sounded like he was planned to have a wife, but it was suddenly changed to 'teach the players a lesson'.

[@JackBlackler]

I believe what they meant was: because they had only established that the NPC was married and not what gender his spouse identified as, they were able to make it seem like he was gay all along. They wouldn't have changed the NPC's sexuality if it had already been established because they don't enjoy that kind of thing in media.

[@GreaterGrievobeast55]

As a christian i'm rather Baffled by such a train of though that thr DM's displays. In some case i feel like Religious people are less inclined to play out followers of Religons in a fantasy anyhow, it's an arbitray train of Logic he's using to Stiffle their player. Like the whole "you can't olay a hard if you're jot a musican." But actually far worse....oh yeah Yirbel Lives and stuff

[@piotr7805]

"appropriating religion" - of course the DM's argument is some woke, mindless gibberish.. It's sickening how vile and shortsighted people become in their strive for self-righteousness..

[@ringspecies]

When people start talking about appropriation, etc. , run away.

[@gl8172]

Appropriating religious culture... for a fantasy religion that no one follows IRL? Good gravy. Some people take the concept of "appropriation" way, way too far. If the only people who would be offended are fictional people, you're probably safe.

[@---tr8fx]

just banning the cleric?! such weak dm, i would had all the full casters banned. for no real reason, i just hate full casters in all of their presentations.

[@snypes38]

If your real world ideals can be changed from a fictional experience, you're an NPC.

[@nvfury13]

If a DM unironically uses the phrase "cultural appropriation" walk away from that game, quickly.

[@user-ut5nx6hm9d]

You cannot appropriate a fictional religion made for a fictional game world. Nor is the very concept of religion gatekept from people.

[@CMAzeriah]

Enough of this "cultural appropriation" nonsense. This is a fantasy roleplay game and I wlll do what I please so long as its within the AGREED rules of the canpaign.

[@bartlester591]

Unfortunately, for you, your dungeon master is woke SJW, I pity you

[@libertyordeath1640]

Sounds like a total BS story!!!!!!

[@lkuhhdsfgasdgvdadfg]

Story 1: for the love of god, run away. That DM isn't someone you wana be around, never mind play with Story 2: dm is just as bad as dm 1. Just in a different way. Just garbage