My DM Thinks Turn-Based Combat Isn't A Game Mechanic, But Something We Do | Narrated D&D Story

[@MadnessStalker]

I'm a little distressed that that first DM doesn't know that a turn only lasts 6 seconds. If that golem never ends its turn, time isn't moving and no one is in danger moving

[@The_Gardara]

The DMG even addresses that a turn is only 6 seconds and in universe an entire round happens simultaneously, and this is actually rather important for some rulings on how to interpret the timing of effects or how long spells last in combat.

[@SaberusTerras]

Sounds more like he got petty to me.

[@benjackson-ellery4267]

Next time a.combat starts that player should just be like 'I do nothing, my turns doesn't end, this universe is now frozen. Anyone want to go do something else?'

[@Tyggs42]

I'm hoping the and the rest of the players "fired" the GM after that.

[@swordcrab3181]

@@benjackson-ellery4267 Nah, it's even more exploitable than that because the DM ruled that only the people in combat are stuck, things around them are still happening... that would be so easy to exploit! Start by having a character that has as high as possible for Initiative, then have that character start combat *alone*, and refuse to move on his turn. Whole groups of enemies could be stuck in place while the rest of the party can move around and do whatever they want because they aren't in combat.

[@basbarbeque6718]

"Nappa what are you doing?" "It's his turn Vegeta, I have to wait for him."

[@docmaly2178]

"You okay, Vegeta?" "Yes, just an aneurysm out of sheer stupidity."

[@basbarbeque6718]

"Wow, didn't think you were that stupid Vegeta"

[@TigerW0lf]

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHGG!!! 9 minutes 18 seconds, 9 minutes 18 seconds!"

[@denhanced5278]

I do so love to see a DBZA quote out in the wild.

[@vrcommandoata5403]

"What's that, Vegeta?" "Happiest moment of my life."

[@USJAPANUK]

Even in turn-based combat, we scream over each other like wild animals.

[@Silverserri]

Usually at the dice for not rolling a high enough number. XD

[@alexplayer8367]

The difference is that you scream together, not against each other. Last session I was screaming with my players in the hardest fight of my campaign until now hoping them to don't get TPK. The tension was so high and the luck was so bad, that we felt genuely stressed (In a funny way), at the end somehow no one died and we screamed in celebration.

[@josh4601]

Roll a warforged rogue with alert and as many bonuses to initiative , split from party, start combat with the king. Refuse to take your turn, causing all the soldiers and king to stand there paralysed for eternity while you do not age.

[@chunmunsgoel3633]

works in BG3

[@tatersalad76]

​@@chunmunsgoel3633 eventually the whole world will be consumed by the combat spreading and everyone being added to initiative

[@devoteeofmediocrity821]

⁠I’d think the rest of the party would spread the word for folks not to enter. As years turn to decades, decades turn to centuries, centuries into a millennia, the area is covered in a thick wood. The Forest of Silence, a place where even the wind ceases to blow. No one who enters, returns. But if one uses magic to scry for the source, they’d find an army of knights facing a statue, weapons drawn. And despite it all, the statue was smiling.

[@ss5gogetunks]

One of my favorite DMs in a theater of the mind style game used to have everyone, in reverse initiative order, describe what their characters do, then have it all happen at once. So those who won initiative got to react to what the other characters and enemies did. It worked really well in his games, but I've never been able to pull off the same style

[@fonze5664]

I love the idea of satirizing/flipping tropes on their heads, particularly when it's executed creatively and as flavor to the game, but turning the golem into a plagiarized sans to negate a player's agency as in the first story here is beyond whack lol. Glad to see more uploads allthingsdnd, hope everything has been well for you ❤

[@xtrem5428]

Yeah, the only reason it worked well for Sans are 1- the 4th wall breaking being build over time during the game and 2- the player still gets to hit him eventually.

[@turtlemine4613]

​@@xtrem5428Additionally, the game not letting you experience it as normal is an aspect of the no mercy route that you accept when you play it. If you just, don't let people play the game for absolutely no reason, that's a bad move.

[@HorizonStronghold]

Even if it’s a plagiarized Sans fight, just break the rules and walk out. Chara did.

[@stm7810]

@@xtrem5428 and 3 it makes sense with his actual space time powers. he's basically Dio spamming the world over and over again.

[@LH0KY]

How do you role death saves if it’s not your turn?

[@matty4z]

golem is crushed and dies next turn lol but honestly that was stupid of the DM :/

[@Cyko67]

I feel the need to throw this out there for the first dm “who do you think you are? Sans undertale?”

[@ShineDark]

This Golem story makes me sort of want to introduce a construct enemy to my players who does nothing but sit and think on his turn. Players shrug and attack him, and the golem complains that he hasn’t taken his turn yet. I clarify that this golem is just behaving weirdly and the players can do whatever they want.

[@MitchT97]

Skeptic kinda reminds me of a quote from the Greatest Showmen. James Bennett: “Tell me, Mr. Barnum, does it bother you that everything you're selling is fake?” P.T. Barnum: “Do these smiles seem fake? It doesn't matter where they come from. The joy is real.” I get he probably just wanted to feel secure and his intelligence was a way of doing that, but had he just took a step back he might’ve seen that to others fun wasn’t about being smart and realistic. Just enjoying what’s right in front of you.

[@PartyWipeGames]

“I don’t believe it so it’s not real!” “That’s cool, but you’re not the storyteller so it’s not real for you but still real for everyone else.”

[@nvfury13]

Dude decided to roll up a Flat Earther equivalent.

[@ryanfladung8490]

Skipping your turn being a trap is absurd like wtf

[@honestkyn718]

It's literally the Sans boss fight

[@Ego-the-darkness0]

Dnd combat is actually meant to be 6 seconds long for a round sooo…..😅

[@HorizonStronghold]

If time is completely frozen while the character waits for his turn, why would the building continue to collapse? Is the building somehow not in combat while the people inside of it ARE? Just attack the floor once as your reaction and demand the DM add the temple itself to the initiative order. If it’s collapsing, surely a part of it moved out of your threat space, right? If it’s in initiative, just wait out your turn and laugh as the entire damn building is frozen in time while you wait for your companions to solve the problem.

[@zeehero7280]

"Can we fight now? Boo is not used to this taking of turns."

[@ashleyappleby3505]

Ok, I would just like to say that these type of groups that force acceptance on the majority ultimately hurt the the people they are trying to help by, in fact, encouraging behavior that should NEVER be allowed. Society has to draw the line somewhere! What these groups do instead should be to help teach appropriate behavior to help the child adapt. We ALL have obstacles to overcome, and we all have a responsibility to overcome those obstacles.

[@taluca8474]

dude literally watched a lot of those mobile game ads and thought bragging about IQ is the same as those ads about mobile players entering a restaurant or cutting in line because they got more power in Rise of Kingdoms or some shit

[@geethenerd]

Bragging about an IQ that if I remember correctly is only a handle of points above average is the wildest shit ever

[@Mark73]

He probably didn't realize that it's not that impressive.

[@zterrans]

I could see the turn based thing working if it was set on a magical board game, like the player wandered onto a living chess board that held enchantments to force people to follow the rules until the end of the game.

[@lostbutfreesoul]

See, you know how to do it right! This is called the Sans Maneuver, and it requires some setup before you can employ it. Just pulling it out of the blue and demanding your players respect the play... that really is bad form. One needs to lay the ground work before you play with expectations or it just doesn't make sense! So... this enchantment you mention, does it work on more then chess sets?

[@frantisekvrana3902]

@@lostbutfreesoul I imagine it would work for any turn-based game that uses figures to represent people. Chess, checkers, ludo, warhammer, etc. If I was a wizard making the enchantment, I'd make it in two variants. For Fun and Judical Duel. For Fun variant would be cheaper. It could be terminated at any time by any player saying "I quit". It would ensure any attacks within the game deal non-lethal damage. If any player took real damage, or if the game was somehow interfered with, the enchantment would simply be disabled. Judical Duel variant would be stronger. It could still be terminated, but only by an outside person, specifically the same one that activated it. It would deal real damage, in cases where that is applicable. It would stop any direct effect from outside from going inside, and any from inside going outside. There would also be a clause that if a player tried stalling or messing around in another predictable way, they would be punished. Either with direct damage, or with loss of turn.

[@RakabooEntertainment]

Story 1: If you don’t do anything on your turn and time is still passing, that means you skip your turn and it goes to the next persons turn in initiative. Story 2: It is dangerous to force people to let others in their group, if they are uncomfortable with it. This just teaches them that their feelings don’t matter, because of someone else’s feelings. This is how abusers and victims are created. Acceptance and tolerance is important, but there are limits and exceptions to this. If an entire group of people is unhappy with the actions and statements of one person, they have every right to exclude that person.

[@charlesr7269]

Story 2: join a DND group meant for people with autism and then bully someone for having autism

[@elhoteldeloserrantes5056]

​​@@charlesr7269 Neurodivergence is not an excuse for being a dick... Also second stort sounds fake as fuck

[@MegabombGamer-rb5kh]

Story 2 is a prime example of the "paradox of tolerance." If you tolerate intolerance (such as Skeptic's Reddit Atheism) the net result is no different than intolerance.

[@notoriouswhitemoth]

A turn in which the character does nothing is still only one turn. Delaying your action doesn't affect anyone's else's action economy. 'I am the smartest, therefore I'm always right', insists the person who demonstrably doesn't understand what _fiction_ is, meaning they lack a cognitive ability the average four-year-old has.

[@janschievink1586]

No I think you'd probably have to explain that turn based combat is an abstraction of real time and not literal actually a four year old probably wouldn't get it a six year old most likely would but I can imagine that conversation taking way too damn long.

[@notoriouswhitemoth]

@janschievink1586 in D&D, canonically, a round of combat is six seconds. The golem doing nothing doesn't stop time. Typically, children start to understand the difference between fiction and reality - and are therefore able to understand that fantasy isn't necessarily realistic - at about three years old.

[@janschievink1586]

@@notoriouswhitemoth "in D&D, canonically, a round of combat is six seconds." I know. "The golem doing nothing doesn't stop time." Obviously. "Typically, children start to understand the difference between fiction and reality - and are therefore able to understand that fantasy isn't necessarily realistic - at about three years old." The concept of time dilation seems a bit more complicated than dragons aren't real. I don't think I've ever met someone below the age of six who knew what a metaphor/simile was.

[@notoriouswhitemoth]

@janschievink1586 Okay first of all, this is two unrelated conversations about two different stories, please stop conflating them. Second, understanding the nuances of figurative language is a completely different conversation from understanding what _pretend_ is, and that when you're playing make-believe, you can _pretend_ magic is real. According to developmental psychologists, children start to understand what it means to pretend and how that's different from objective reality at about three years old. Given that I didn't say anything about comparisons, you've turned _three_ different conversations, one of which I had _nothing_ to do with, into one.

[@janschievink1586]

@@notoriouswhitemoth It just looked like commentary about story number one to me, that was certainly the only thing I meant to be talking about anyways.

[@hartthorn]

By the gods, I *want* the Skeptic story to be fake, but I've known enough people close to that to know it's at least happened once. And honestly, the mom just backing everything up when she HAS to know how much of that kid's routine is bullshit is verging on abusive. Just setting up Skeptic for a LIFETIME of misery. It's honestly depressing. But what's funny is that if he had been even just a LITTLE more of a team player, it would absolutely make for great stories to have this nigh-delusional science bro trying to grapple with magic but ALSO giving him the occasional win with a Scooby Doo plot. Something where people were FAKING supernatural stuff as part of a ploy. Have his science know-how come in clutch alongside these heroes of legend.

[@acewmd.]

lets be honest, they don't know anything about science, they just wanted to be annoying.

[@stm7810]

I just think they'd prefer a grounded game like Cyberpunk 2020, GURPS low tech without the rules for magic, or if they want a bit of strangeness traveller which is hard other than the FTL or Call of Cthulhu where the supernatural stuff is rare and a bad thing.

[@hartthorn]

@@stm7810 Yeah, the idea of just running them in a more grounded game would be another option, especially if it made them actually engage with the mechanics and see the GAME part of gaming. I'd also recommend the Expanse TTRPG, or even the various Modiphius books for Star Trek, Fallout, or spookier stuff like Achtung Cthulhu!

[@stm7810]

@@hartthorn thanks, I should check out the expance, I chose not to say fallout since the premise is that the science of the 50s was true instead like psykers, freeze rays and lasers. Cyberpunk is full realism, using military data for the rules of armor and balistics. I still managed the unrealistic with a few good rolls and stats to john Wick through a fight.

[@hartthorn]

@@stm7810 Yeah, the Expanse adaptation is tight as hell. Uses the AGE system, which I adore, and was even consulted on by the series creators, since the books/shows were all based on their own TTRPG home game. Fallout gets some leeway on their science since it's still sort of normalized as "this is how it works here" for the more fringe stuff and largely follows the basics for just shooting people and basic abilities.

[@fhuber7507]

I actually have a method for simultaneous (game time) turns, that works. at initiative,there's a 2 minute egg timer. Hand in a note with your plan for your PC before the timer runs out. You can waste time discussing and arguing if you want, the timer is running. Notes not turned in on time = the PC is confused. at the same time the players write their notes, the DM writes the plans for each creature in the encounter. (I do this on a dry erase whiteboard made for the fridge... for up to 20 creatures in 2 minutes.) Resolve the notes in turn order. I ran a 9 player campaign for 3.5 years using this method. Combat rounds go FAST. There's no opportunity for "rules lawyer" or "Optimizer" to take over the other players' PCs. There just isn't time. They try it once and their PC is standing confused. They don't like that... Too bad.

[@TheBritishArtificer]

Perfect story. Destroyed that wretched players life with his own hands. Including everyone is a noble sentiment but not everyone fits in everywhere for personal, factual or emotional reasons. Some people just need to find their place elsware. There will be a group this guy can join somewhere and more then likely he will only find it after he's sorted out his horrible personality. But until then it's idiotic to force 2 pieces together that don't fit. Especially if one piece won't learn to be better because others have to become worse to fit with them

[@almostideal1306]

The second story, I don't know if Sceptic realised that boasting about a 118 IQ is like being super proud of getting a C+ grade, it's okay but not impressive.

[@guyfawkes8873]

Not really… traits and accomplishments are incomparable. A C+ means you did something, and might be worth bragging about under certain circumstances (say if it’s the first time you’ve ever gotten beyond a failing grade in a subject you find difficult). A 118 IQ, simply means that you are a human being that has had their IQ measured at some point. There is nothing to brag about, no matter what the number is.

[@goncalocarneiro3043]

​@@guyfawkes8873Right, potential is only as good as how well it comes to fruition.

[@wesleystockford2616]

Seen this story before and argued the 6 second turn then. Also if DM wanted the rules to work like this I'd reroll a character and next combat say "I do nothing forever" never end my turn therefore bad guys plans can never be completed and everyone lives- the world is frozen forever as I don't end my turn

[@SamuSeen]

"How? it's quite simple really. You see, Skeptic, you think you got me all figured but there's one thing, you didn't account for: my numbers, are bigger that yours"

[@JoshtheOverlander]

Kirito would have a fucking field day with the Skeptic. I wish I could show this story off to SWE and pay the money to write up a script of what Kirito would say or do to utterly destroy this person.

[@chazgray4284]

I won't end my turn, therefore you can't take yours. That makes no sense....

[@OfHollowMasks]

7:44 is the perfect time to apply that meme with the blue haired girl telling the table that its too hard, and the other players say that its always how they played it, then the blue haired girl outbursts "why are you excluding meee" 😂

[@OGEdger]

Dude's so smart he needs his mommy to help him out every time. 😂

[@lostbutfreesoul]

I would have looked at him and just said: You are not sans.... This isn't a case of the storyteller not realizing turn based combat is a mechanic, it is a story of someone poorly ripping off Undertale.

[@XaryLoon]

As an Italian, I accept Besanzio as our new King... surely he will be better than any of the "prince" pretending to be descendant of our last king

[@Dash_Rendar2050]

I would have to say that skeptic definitely got what they deserved. I don’t like it when players get too full of themselves there truly is a difference between being smart and playing smart.

[@factstheseare3682]

Finally, a longer video. I missed these.

[@ramirezthesilvite]

"They believed he was entirely at fault but we still need to apologize and cater to his whims" Uhh... No. How about no? Like... No. That's not how things work. If he doesn't like how the rest of us are playing, he doesn't need to be there. He's welcome to play with the group, but he has no right to dictate how the game is played to the detriment of everyone else. If he doesn't want to play the game being played, then he can find another game. I took an IQ test when I was in middle school. Obviously not my idea, the school wanted to know. They wouldn't tell me the results, but apparently they were impressed. They actually wanted to put me in a gifted program, but I declined. Kinda wish I hadn't in retrospect, but here we are. Point is, I completely understand why they don't tell the kid the results. If it's low, that can damage their self-esteem. If it's high, that can result in shit like THIS. Kid gets a swelled head, and thinks he's better than everyone else. There's a reason INT and WIS are two different stats. Besides, those tests are bullshit most of the time anyway. Mine was at least administered by a licensed psychologist. And I'm pretty sure they don't measure what most people think they do.

[@RagnarokAvatar]

Be careful for what you wish for, this bad player learned this lesson the hard way. He wanted a realistic session, well he got it!

[@ericsmith1508]

Speaking of the Turn Based GM, having my first experiences with RPGs being things like old school Final Fantasy (NES and SNES) and such, where combat literally is expressed in turns where all participants on both sides just stand there patiently waiting their "turn" i struggled at first with turn based combat in D&D. I wondered why everyone would just stand there and wait their turn!😅 But i did at least know that if someone chose to not do anything it didn't put everyone else on pause, it just meant they skipped THEIR OWN turn. It was a few years later that it dawned on me that everything in a round was all happening within the SAME 6 seconds and thus all at once, and that even in FF this was meant to be assumed as happening. Now as to Skeptic. I had a "neuro divergent" player in my group a couple years back. He was with our group for about 2 years...maybe 3? Anyway, his antics eventually wore our patience too thin and memebers of the group were privately expressing to me their desires ti leave. I had to ask him to leave the group and i basically told him "We understand that you are on the spectrum and that you don't perceive or process social ques the same way everyone else does. But you can't expect us to just keep putting up with how you act and the way you say things to people and then you just get to keep saying 'I didn't mean it, I'm neuro divergent' as some permanent get-out-of-jail-free card. You've been spoken to about this on a few occasions before and nothing has changed. I gotta ask you to leave the group before the whole group falls apart." Now this guy wasn't anything nearly as bad as Skeptic in the story is described, but still, same basic principle. You absolutely can...and you absolutely SHOULD!...put your foot down with people who are "neuro divergent"!

[@stm7810]

I'm schizophrenic and for each game I was in other than 1 ran by a right winger who didn't understand the setting of Cyberpunk 2020, the game master and all players enjoyed having me around, I'm very happy to lean into what the setting is and go along with what other players are doing. this isn't a neurodivergence thing but a being a dick thing.

[@evilallensmithee]

0:00 😂 I remember commenting on this on Reddit

[@TexMeta]

That first story is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. As for the second, fantasy and magic are cool as hell. Being smart doesn’t mean you always know better and you definitely don’t know everything. Another part of intelligence is recognizing your shortcomings. Also, IQ is not a very good intelligence measurement, and it’s hilarious that kid was bragging about a just barely above average IQ.

[@xientau9028]

Doing nothing does not mean that time stands still, the DM's character is still doing something: he's doing nothing. I'd be repeatedly asking the DM "does [character] do anything?" If the DM says "no": then I proceed to take my turn as usual. If the DM doesn't say anything: "I'll take that as a 'no'." and then proceed to my turn. - "Hey, you can't do that!" - "Is [character] doing anything?" - "No, but-" - "Then they obviously have something fiendishly clever planned, like some form of combat cross-counter move, and I'm not taking the bait."

[@levisays7676]

24:47 😂 lol Mr 118IQ was out there playing checkers whilst Mr 142IQ was playing 3D chess

[@agoddamnferret]

the 2nd story baffles me the whole point of d&d is to suspend your disbelief so you can enjoy the game.

[@TheEgoAndItsPwn]

I had to suspend my disbelief to listen to the story

[@Maddin1313]

These 'inclusive-at-any-cost' places sound like hell. Once an a-hole joins, your best move is to leave, until the a-hole leaves or maybe forever. Wew.

[@pauliepizzo8633]

In all honesty the bs with skeptic and his comeuppance was completely well deserved, personally I would never compromise my other players enjoyment just to satisfy some A holes over inflated ego

[@GarrettFruge]

Good heavens! Sceptic was like a mix of Sheldon Cooper and Cartman 😂

[@DrazeA]

Except both of those characters enjoy fantasy RPGs.

[@atjatkatkaktark]

That first DM is so dumb I wouldn't even allow them as a player at my table after that let alone run a campaign

[@edgarlarios4718]

DM tried to pull a Sans with the Golem. 😂 Not how that works.

[@John-lz2bs]

God darn it this video made me google what the popper paradox was XD

[@rolanvern2281]

The first story is just a story of a GM that doesn't know how combat works and most likely didn't actually care if the players where having fun, because as a GM myself, to do what they did just wouldn't be fun for anyone.

[@EldritchKhaotic]

The satisfaction of the second story is beautiful 😍

[@Meipmeep]

As a autistic parent of autistic teenagers…. Oh hell no. And my son actually flipped a solid oak conference table at 10.

[@curabletoxin]

I find it ironic that Sheldon from BBT, who is made to be Satire coated in Satire, would retort and rightfully so at how "Skeptic" can't use their imagination during a DnD game.

[@stm7810]

yes, he'd say: under string theory there are an infinite number of universes including those with different physical laws, vampires, teleporting and elementals are as much a fact as gravity and light speed.

[@razorbliz]

Skepdickhead really deserve that good job to the players for banding together

[@karlgrimm3027]

Be a warlock take a short rest every turn. If a spell says it takes ten minutes to cast have your friend take ten minutes on his turn.

[@kcollier2192]

I don't know if the second story is actually real, but if so I have only one thing to say to OP" Bravo!!

[@StathMIA]

What setting is that 1st DM playing in? Erfworld?

[@DBArtsCreators]

(1st Story): What was he trying to do, treat this like Undertale? That's a sucky DM.

[@StarShadowPrimal]

I love the "genius" keeping his IQ test results on hand, and then they turn out to be 118. That's just above average (average being 85-114), and not even close to genius, which is usually around 160. If his mom didn't pamper him like that and had been honest about his intelligence, he could have had more contentment and friends.

[@MeepChangeling]

Slight correction. Any IQ over 140 is genius level.

[@stm7810]

@@MeepChangeling as someone with an IQ of 142 no it's not, I'm just as ignorant on many topics as anyone else, the whole idea of IQ was invented for racism and ableism.

[@shadenox8164]

@@stm7810 I mean originally it was supposed to test to see if French children were ready for school which it was also bad at. But yeah, that's what it gets used for now.

[@stm7810]

@@shadenox8164 the only thing the test showed is that I was fast at it and can make random connections because I'm schizophrenic. that and maybe ramen counts as a breakfast.

[@clericofchaos1]

so, i'm guessing the second story takes place in a nut house? That's pretty much the only place i can think of that operates the way they describe.

[@nElozEro]

So, by the first DM's logic, you could make a character guaranteed to go first in initiative and then just wait the rest of the session, barring all other characters from acting? I'd do it just to see how long they would keep to that line of reasoning, beforely bailing after amd trying to recruit any promising players to another group/game.

[@commonviewer2488]

That first DM is running entirely on video game logic. If you, in any tabletop game, decide to do nothing, then we don't wait in real time for something to change, we just skip you!

[@stm7810]

not even game logic, the only time that happened was 1 spoiler moment in 1 4th wall breaking game and even then the character doing that had already shown they can freeze time and teleport so it's not even a turns thing.

[@TheRPGenius]

So the first story's DM wants to be Sans, and the second story's problem player wants to be Berdly. It's a weirdly Toby Fox day today.

[@Rawkwilder]

DND pro tip:... "don't invite d-bags back... Their player- character always has "accidentally" fallen down a giant set of stairs." It's not worth the bad experience and DM can always adjust encounters.

[@annabarich4712]

First story sounds like they wanted to recreate San's final fight, but in a situation where it lacked any of the emotional weight.

[@The.Stalker]

I saw this one in the wild. Player should play a Warforged who pulls the same trick, making all enemies die of thirst after three days. Or just die of starvation, exposure, what have you.

[@riddlesthecat]

Interesting story but I need more info on the first one. The second was a good horror story of ttrpg but I need more on the first story.

[@JangoFox]

I think the DM in the first story took Undertale's Sans fight a little too literal.

[@JacobL228]

I wish I could meet people that awesome. The only fellow autistic people I've met have been convinced that being vindictive to people that insult you and then lie about you is pointless and doesn't actually yield any positive results. Is there a place I can go to to find out if a place like this exists near where I live? I'm tired of paying nearly $40 a week to play online with people nothing like me, half of which live on the other side of the country.

[@KhaoticKiNG]

.. that first story the campaign would end right there. Cause that's just dumb. If it stopped its action the turn is done.

[@ronstewart5945]

Omg Sheldon joined their group.

[@ohgeegames]

Wow... they nuked him from orbit in that second story, and then followed that up with a nice dash of Death Star cannon to obliterate the Flat Earth he lived upon... 🤣🤣

[@Avigorus]

oh geez that problem player is just... wow... the entire point of playing a fantasy game is to pretend something that isn't real is real...

[@Nyghtking]

I took an IQ test, but it was probably a lie since it was on a video game website, I still remember it, but since IQ means nothing and i'm an idiot anyway I tend not to mention it.

[@acewmd.]

Dang, that guy sure seems to think smart people dont believe in god, hes gonna go crazy when he realizes its pretty much an even spit between believers and non believers when it comes to scientists, and that that split is also pretty historic Hawking didn't, Einstein did, Bacon did, Darwin didn't up until about the end, I'm not sure on that one but still. Many have many haven't, I do and its not really a defining factor in intelligence either way. It doesn't make me smarter than those who don't, I mean, I might be in some cases but its not because i have faith. Besides, pushing your beliefs on people in a fantasy game is objectively stupid, it's fantasy.

[@thehiddeneye9271]

There is no way that first story ended like that

[@russellharrell2747]

Simultaneous combat does exist in some games.

[@benpearson49]

The ending, unfortunately, sounds to good to be true.

[@ukesongwalker2462]

There is a reason people become dms they have the ability to master work a plan in to perfection and if you make a good dm your enemy be careful what you wish for

[@guilhermeprucci4828]

You got undertales'ed

[@jaimereupert4247]

If a fantasy game gets rid of all fantasy elements, is it really a fantasy game anymore? 😂

[@RialVestro]

I'm an Atheist but even I have characters who use magic even though I don't believe magic is real. That's the whole point of fantasy. It doesn't have to be real. Granted I do like SOME realism. Magic without limits can be exceptionally boring when you can essentially do anything you want without any conciquences. But as long as it's not breaking the established rules of the fantasy setting it is realistic within the canon of that universe. I hate when people either try to claim that realism isn't important at all because it's fantasy or want everything to be 100% realistic when really you need to strike a balance between realism and fantasy to make the story fun and engaging. Realism should only be used to make the characters feel like real people and not to limit what they can do or be in the story. It should be a way of making the dangers feel challeging despite the fantasy elements not an excuse to ruin the fantasy. Like wise the fantasy elements should be to do things you can't do in real life otherwise what's the point? Fantasy shouldn't be exactly like real life that's boring. Just don't make a character so over powered that nothing is a challenge cause that's also boring. It's fantasy, nothing is real, is not an excuse to have no realistic boundaries. You have to have a balance between realism and fantasy. Realism in a famtasy setting does not meant you can't do things because they aren't possible in real life, it means you can't do things because they aren't possible within the boundaries of the fantasy.

[@shadenox8164]

Hell I'm an atheist and all my D&D characters are believers, because hey look there's evidence everywhere.

[@SimoneSpinozzi]

well... if the first DM wants to use Undertale as his method of "killing" the yuan-ti, he should also know that a round lasts 6 seconds, so unless the golem does not end its turn, time stops.

[@stm7810]

also that only worked since Sans can freeze time, in his fight if you want to eat the noodles you shove them down raw no time to cook.

[@SimoneSpinozzi]

@@stm7810 i actually never did the genocide route, i just could not 😅😅

[@stm7810]

@@SimoneSpinozzi Same, I'm 1 of those horrible people who only watched. but I did cry and drink first time watching.

[@SimoneSpinozzi]

@@stm7810 was only saying that because i did learn by osmosis what sans does and all the people making videos aboud how cool the fight was due to you playing the villain and stuff. But. In the end... yeah no. That was not what this video was about. This video was about a GM telling a player they were the bad guy and making up an excuse and wanting to feel "heroic" for trapping a "bad guy". But it was petty and inconsistent with its own narrative.

[@stm7810]

@@SimoneSpinozzi yeah, it'd be like someone playing Fallout talking about hit points when the game goes out of its way to abstract them away, same with the turns, the players take turns to describe what they do but everything is all at once.

[@stm7810]

IQ is fake but for reference, 142 is over 10x higher than 118 since it's about standard deviation. the group in second game sounds great, fantasy is fun I love playing with other possible worlds!

[@shadenox8164]

Dude can't be that smart if he thinks an arbitrary number makes him intelligent. Kinda weird for a true believer in IQs to want to show off one that low though. Dude didn't even make it into the 120s.Gonna guess his mother was the one coddling him telling him how smart that made him based on the initial reaction where she didn't call put her son for being rude.

[@lowrider993]

Honestly, with a player like that, I would've just taken my players and left that organization

[@GreaterGrievobeast55]

YIRBEL LIVES 8:49 that was exactly what I was thinking of! Holy hell this guy sounds abundantly awful!

[@randomusernameCallin]

Everyone take turn...Well that is a new RPGLit.

[@angramainyu4599]

First story sounds like a toxic DM

[@Everythingwillbefine-b3e]

Wow, the first dm probably shouldnt be allowed to dm anymore before they learn not to be petty

[@jacugo]

Dm tries to sneak an undertale reference and fails.

[@jakealexander3262]

Jesus Christ, were you playing with Eric Cartman?

[@Khadharphak]

Bro this first DM thought he was sans undertale

[@partyrock4144]

Did the dm just really wanna do a sans reference? Wait was it a sans reference?!

[@xtrem5428]

Dude just pulled a Sans simply to kill a character?

[@ZTRCTGuy]

I HATE it when autism or any diagnose is used as an excuse to be a total dickwad. I like to reason the other way around, playing make belief, making up a story, weighing implications, imagining scenario's that don't exist and all that jazz you do when playing TTRPG's and doing those things well requires intelligence. People with autism aren't more intelligent on average, they're often very inflexible, lack imagination and fail to see different perspectives. And I know that because i've been diagnosed with autism at 18 and were in the same kind of groups. I'm glad I'm away from all that.

[@marooniballooni03759]

That first story was really dumb of the DM, sounds like he needs to read the rule books.

[@michaeljebbett160]

JUSTICE

[@Oneofthecoments]

For the first DM… Yeah a turn being 6 seconds is a big deal you shouldn’t ignore that part of the dmg lol. Also because a turn is only 6 seconds that means you would have literally 100 turns to kill that golem before the timer went off. IMO that’s not GM discretion those are core game mechanics.

[@cwharper8085]

Fair is fair and it realty people don't like a-holes

[@jakegreen1111]

I have take player out of group by call his mom and show his mom video on my phone

[@ruefiasco3608]

The fun part is ..combat ..and etc it's all a hard toss kuz most of the party is bat shyt ..and also well versed so never know what will happen lol

[@benpearson49]

4:14 omg, an IRL r/atheist.

[@firekungfuhero1150]

I don't know what this have to do with turn base combat?