DM Kills Player Twice for Not Noticing Her | Reading D&D Reddit Stories

What was the best way you got someone's attention in a TTRPG Game?
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One Shot Questers is a sketch comedy channel dedicated to tabletop role-playing games, encompassing a range of titles such as Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (DnD 5e), Pathfinder (PF 1, PF 2), City of Mist, and DC20. Our content covers a variety of TTRPG topics, including news, class or character stereotypes, guides & how to’s on gameplay, rules, tips, tricks, and much more, all presented in a humorous and entertaining skit. For a quick taste of our most popular content, check out our short-form videos on platforms like TikTok, KZbin Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:57 1st Story: Rules for Thee
12:00 2nd Story: DM Kills Player Twice
21:37 Outro
#ttrpg #fantasy #dnd

[@OneShotQuesters]

Did you know we just launched our very own cooking channel?? If you want to see more cooking from me, go check out the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmmsZ4uYZZ6FY7Msi=quvCJuEa-5V9c2WD

[@FHBStudio]

Congrats on wife leveling up to mom!

[@Justin-qu5wr]

Loving the series.

[@garygood6804]

Deeter? Dude seriously? It's " de tur "

[@garygood6804]

​@@FHBStudiono life for 18 years now.

[@DexteroExplosion]

You know it's a bad story when the DM kills a player. Usually they just kill their character.

[@wowguy1243]

they ressurected the player and then killed them again

[@kingleech16]

Sometimes folks get just a tad bit too into the game.

[@DourdenAdam]

We have all been there... i mean, um....

[@kingleech16]

@@DourdenAdam "You have rolled your unnaturally lucky fuchsia dice one time too many, violence is the only logical solution!"

[@manuelvasquez4144]

How come? Stories that end in a prison sentence are typically incredibly entertaining

[@LAZERAK47V2]

Regarding the first story: If a player ever, EVER tries to get you to play a horny-click OC, DO NOT engage with said player. That is an ENORMOUS red flag. If they're really that down bad, they can play the character themselves.

[@BlackyMox]

Friend of mine wants to mimic Drizzt Do'Urden in my campaign... im told him, at the time our adventure starts Drizzt is sitting on his fireplace with wife and kids, his artifacs hanging on the wall and living a humble, peaceful life in his early 300's. So - No. I convinced him that he could have heared of him and follow his Idol. Worked til now... told him, that this is a existing legendarf character and might occour later in the game. I am just waiting for the question when xD

[@regionfuego6]

I'd say that depends a lot of the group you are playing with. But you'd have to know the players you are going to be playing with, doing that with strangers is weird.

[@SubtotalStar850-uh8pg]

It really sounds like they both suck as D&D players if you ask me, I don't know how you can have two backseat gamers in one party because that just seems like the DM didn't really care, like is she supposed to be the DM and a player and rules keeper? It just seems like the whole group sucks at D&D

[@jodymorgan2805]

"Haha, that's cool, man... hey *other DM in the store* come hear this story, it's great!" I spent years working in a game store and this was my go to way to safely call someone over.

[@MissCaraMint]

Yeah that’s a good one.

[@ChristopherNordone]

For the creeper story, a common tactic I use with my friends is to use our proper names. We almost always refer to each other by nicknames so hearing someone say our proper name is really weird and instantly alerts us. It works great since there is nothing suspicious about it to the creeper. If we don't have nicknames for each other then we'll use full names, so Christopher instead of Chris, Michael instead of Mike, or even add in our middle names with the introductions. It works a lot better than a safe word or phrase for us since saying "I have to go to the bathroom" or something similar because it can be easy to forget that is the code word and not someone actually having to use the bathroom.

[@katrinascarlet5637]

I've gone by the first half of my name for a decade now so when someone says my full first name it definitely makes my ears perk up. A friend has been doing it to mess with me lately because it cunfuddles me so much.

[@goosepapoose8666]

WHat I do is tell the person they're being creepy and bothering me, and ask if they're botheirng anyone else, and I would remark that likely that is why they have been in 38 campaigns. You know, like an adult that helps people stop being crappy people through talking things out instead of ignoring bad behavior.

[@shizucheese]

To be fair, in the context of Duke's story, it sounds like if he or any of the other content creators there needed to use the restroom, they would have needed to use the safeword to get out of the situation in the first place anyway, so it just kinda killed two birds with one stone there. Always good to make sure your safeword suits your specific situation all around.

[@Taricus]

One of the things I used to use with my friends in the club was whether I introduced the person to them or whether I introduced them to the person. It looked like I was being polite, but would immediately tell them whether or not I actually knew the person.

[@Klavots]

Or just act like an adult and say youre not feeling comfortable and disengage the ''creeper''... Most people dont know this anymore but in the past you would walk up on a person you think you would like and start a conversation....

[@SillySyrup]

1:11 I love how this implies that the reason why Wife needs to breathe is because she is pregnant, not because she needs to live.

[@kongkarry]

Its not wifes own fault she is pregnant and therefore she shall be forgiven for breathing.. But does she need to breathe right into the mic tho?

[@ghostsuru8429]

​@@kongkarryYes. Just caise there was an audio mistake doesn't mean viewers need to make her feel bad about breathing.

[@madhattergodess]

Story1: Artificer was that kid that always bulldoze everyone and thus no one ever wanted to play with him.

[@nairocamilo]

But I also find it sus how Artificer didn't know ANYTHING about the world... Either he disregarded and played the exact same character and that's why he was on the 39th campaign with that concept... Or he was on sort of in the dark. Surprisingly as it might sound, I think the latter is truth.

[@asumax8]

​@@nairocamiloIdk I've played in 2 campaigns with a player that was like artificer (same player in both). Even with a session 0 for both, he still pulled that crap. After explaining how the world and society was, the general rules of the game, and figuring out party comp, he still decided to play his way, ignoring many of the things established. Sometimes you just have players that don't care and are gonna do things their way. With that same character used in 38 previous campaigns, I feel like he may be the cause of them fizzling. Also with the monk and fighter seeming to know so much about the setting and lore, I feel like they did have a session 0, but it is possible for one reason or another he wasn't there

[@theodoricbogedain9537]

@@asumax8 You put two haves

[@asumax8]

@@theodoricbogedain9537 and misspelled players lol thanks

[@shelbybayer200]

Also tried to get a PC the DM was playing to be a Busty character in skimpy clothes

[@masqeman4000]

Good code phrase for a game store "Wizards of the Coast always makes the best D&D content." It's sure to grab someone's attention lol

[@Deadpool-ri3rq]

Or “I left some minis/maps/character sheets in the car”

[@2placename]

For the second story, I feel really bad for the girl having to deal with that. But if he was close by then just call out “op can you come here for a minute?” Or “op can we talk about something important” like make verbal communication because looks don’t cut it.

[@Allantitan]

Especially if they are setting things up at the table cause there’s a 99% chance that their not looking at anything other than what they’re doing

[@angie.castle]

Indeed, as a female DM myself, communication is so important. I can't rely on people seeing things or "reading my mind" because everyone else has other focuses, and that's OK. Hell, when I'm setting up my campaign, I've had to have my name called out multiple times in order to process I've been called. This female DM sadly probably misdirected her anger and fear onto this DM player.

[@Transformers2Fan1]

​@@Allantitan*they're

[@lisaroper421]

For reals! Something calm and normal needed to be said!

[@StMargorach]

Just the typical woman expecting a man to be able to read her mind and then blaming the guy for not being supernatural...

[@Rhearyee]

The artificer said that artificers can't use magic but meanwhile cast detect magic 😂

[@DaTimmeh]

He uses his big balls to detect magic. At least I have to assume that’s what he does.

[@theodorehunter4765]

To be fair, it's a common trope that Artificers aren't actually using "magic", they are using tech that LOOKS like magic.

[@DaTimmeh]

@@theodorehunter4765 I know enough people that consider tech nowadays to be magic so it’s honestly valid. Doesn’t change the fact it’s magic in the eyes of the inhabitants of the world tho.

[@risingsaviour2916]

Though the artificier was an Aasamir he would've been reeking of divine magic

[@RedwoodTheElf]

@@DaTimmeh I hear they're always bouncing to the left and to the right....

[@jhepadidaymaypamoa5172]

Moral of many horror stories : Communication + It's okay to be a player with problems, just don't be a problem player.

[@hawklegs6940]

I like how you guys analyze both sides of these stories and don't just immediately condemn anyone. Love these videos! :D

[@gmjjjones]

I know each situation has its own nuance, but I've played with players even worse than that artificer in the same vein. We even had sessions 0 and a patient DM trying really hard to accommodate and still set healthy boundaries. I 100% believe that argument would go for an hour because some players will just argue in circles until you get tired and move on for the sake of the group

[@DerXavia]

really just kick those scums out and continue with someone else

[@asumax8]

Yea I've played in 2 campaigns with a player that was possibly worse than that artificer (same player in both). Even with a session 0, he still pulled that crap. After everyone at the table started calling him out everytime he did it, he left, and after the 2nd campaign, he never came back.

[@slamindorf5478]

Something is just fishy with the artificer story. It sounds like theyre playing a very low fantasy game where non-divine magic is really restricted, and yet he was able to make an AASIMAR ARTIFICER in this game? Idk if i believe the story at all, or if that guy really just didn't care about the setting at all

[@NaruSanavai]

@@slamindorf5478 Seems like the latter if he truly did play the same character _thirty-eight previous times._ I understand developing a character and becoming attached, that's normal - but to use just the one, and every game "fizzled out"? Nah dude, you got kicked from the table.

[@The77Voice]

A campaign I was in. Player "I want to tame the demon horse!" DM "no" Repeat for about 15-20 minutes. Player 2 "I kill the demon horse" DM "ok, horse dead. Moving on."

[@DarklyYours]

"once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action" -GF

[@jarreththomson4535]

I mean, on the first story. one thing i will say in the artificers defense (dont hurt me) is i personally love to flavor my artificers as not casting spells, i love playing an alchemist and roleplaying that i am lobbing potions etc around. HOWEVER, that is all stuff that is discussed with the DM in advance and if they say no. then no.

[@R3DE3MER]

Holy sweet jesus this Artificer was an absolutely 'everything proof shield' kinda gamer. He's a participant in a story not some Isekai protag.

[@manta894]

Absolutly, but the Dm is crap too... This is next level dmpc...

[@thekingofcats27]

If someone while larping says that they have air proof armor and not an air filter, take the Crash Zoom approach and remind them that they would have died of suffocation by now or they are really good at holding their breath, in which there is no need for air proof armor.

[@SubtotalStar850-uh8pg]

@@manta894 Thanks you, this seems like a total train wreck

[@SubtotalStar850-uh8pg]

@@K4RN4GE911 Yeah cause someone real world violence because they don't play the make believe board game they way you want them to

[@K4RN4GE911]

@@SubtotalStar850-uh8pg I was quoting Zero Punctuation and everyone that says they DIDN'T want to knock the teeth out of that obnoxious kid that didn't follow the playground game's rules is a dirty liar.

[@ariellaboy7982]

I really love these so much especially Wife joining in and giving her insight on helping others with safe words or advising how to get help more directly from your easily distracted friends. ❤

[@Mariewolf_94]

as a female, i agree w/ Wife that you may have to be more direct w/ your approaches to ask for help. not everyone is fully attentive when it comes to expressions, body language and "looks" when someone is in distress and asking for help. at work, i almost always gotta deal w/ creepers because i'm a relatively pretty lady w/ a gentle, sweet and professional personality. i am unfortunately down in the box office (i work in a movie theatre) by myself w/ almost no one around except maybe a security guard. i would normally try to, politely, nudge the creeper out as quickly as possible (whether they buy a ticket or not), or just passively "ignore" them and busy myself w/ another guest. in both cases, theyd eventually wander off in which case i'd then go to the security guard on duty and tell them to keep an eye on the creeper in question and turn them away if they could, or, even better, if one of the managers happens to come down while the creeper is still around then i'll tell them what happened. manangement at my job are great, they are very protective of us employees and they have our backs no matter what. for example, there was one time a creeper, who is a repeated offender (though i havent seen him in quite awhile, thank heavens), visited the theatre and was chatting me up, asking me really personal questions that made me super uncomfortable. when he left, the head manager of our particular theatre came down and i quickly grabbed him, took him aside and told him that repeated offending creeper stopped by again and made me super uncomfortable. the head manager took the situation very seriously and even stuck around in the lobby w/ me, since security wasnt in at that time (it was early morning and security doesnt come in until around 2pm EST), until he was certain the dude didnt return, telling me to call for back-up if i see the guy again before heading back upstairs. i have pretty telling signs i'm in distress, so i normally dont HAVE to say anything, but i know that sometimes not everyone is paying attention nor available and i have to communicate my concerns. back on topic, idk if the DM was doing what she did INTENTIONALLY due that specific incident, but, again, as Wife said she couldve been doing it subconsciously out of spite for the OP "not defending her from the creeper when she needed him"

[@timreynolds4785]

In real life, if someone won't ask for help, there will be no helping them. All you'll do is potentially antagonize everyone else when you play white knight and they pretend nothing is wrong. It's like intervening in someone else's lovers' quarrel when you know they'll both just turn on you. Her POV is tainted because she has a profession where people literally come to her for help.

[@Mariewolf_94]

@timreynolds4785 thats why i say ppl should speak up because not everyone are mind readers. ofc you shouldnt butt in every time something is happening that you might find distressing because you dont know the situation at hand, or maybe the person "in distress" has it handled. i'm just saying Wife has a point that you need to speak up and not get passive-aggressive when you feel like youve been "ignored" while in distress

[@randomdude8544]

if you notice in the 2nd story, He gets killed by something that its whole premise is looking at things (Like she was in the story about the creepy guy) and the second death was because his character didn't pay enough attention (Like he was in the story about the creepy guy)

[@killer_rabbit42]

Where were the employees of the store in the second story? I've said this in comments on other videos, but if someone is making you feel uncomfortable, talk with an employee at the store. Use the techniques that Wife suggests about disengaging from the conversation & find an employee. Make an excuse to go to the counter & tell them what's going on. Then the employee can intercept the customer & if the person is visibly drunk, they can ask him to leave.

[@seandunne6714]

The OP and the female DM were the employees running the weakly one-shot.

[@chrisvossler8795]

On the first story, to me it kind of depends on the fantasy whether an artificer is strictly doing magic. Their effects are somewhat a blend of magic and technology, so I typically describe my artificers making small adjustments to their gear or using a device they built in order to "cast" any spells. Although mechanically, it is 100% magic and could be detected by Detect Magic, dispelled by Dispel Magic, blocked by Counterspell...

[@stevenfoster5217]

I don't think most guys pick up on creepers and womens signals. I've been married 48+ years and I can tell you there's been a lot of times my wife has been in situations that I didn't notice she was trying to get away from. I'm pretty good at reading guys intention now. But it's taken 68 years to get there.

[@DolFan316]

The reason most guys don't pick up on it is because when a woman sees a man she instantly decides if he's attractive to her or not. There's no way a guy can possibly know this. Once it's decided the man is not attractive he instantly becomes a "creeper" even if he doesn't actually say or do anything. There are many MANY stories of women having guys arrested and fired for looking at them. Literally, just looking. Because that's totally the same thing as attempted rape, right? This is how sad society is now.

[@Eustres]

Yes, my systemic therapy teacher told girls in my classrom to forget the idea that people will know what they are thinking or that they will understand signals. Not even things like love, family or friendship will change that. Could it occur? yes, but you cannot depend on that. Edit: she said it to everyone but told girls to pay more attention to it as they more inclined to do so.

[@DolFan316]

@@Eustres Understanding what a woman is thinking requires either years of living together or her being your mom or sister. Then MAYBE half the time you'll figure it out.

[@davoid1792]

@@DolFan316buddy. Stop watching Joe Rogan, it’s clearly rotting your brain

[@Kazookaflute]

​@@DolFan316ah yes, more generalizations about women vs men rhetoric. There's bad people of both now will yall drop the what aboutism?

[@CroobieLetter]

You two are such a sweet couple. Watching you adress RPG stories together is a real treat

[@Taricus]

LOL! "This kid is a damn death sentence!!!" **pushes basket into a river and it floats away.... baby inside giggles and gurbles spit and says, 'Death Sentence!' and does a squealing giggle....**

[@Daelyah]

If my partner is not too far off, while I'm dealing with a creeper at a game store? "Oh, hey, HUNNY! WE GOT A FELLOW D&D FAN, OVER HERE, COME CHAT WITH US!" Or some sort of shout that also includes language that conveys, "I'm taken! Also, not by myself, here!" We've also got a couple YELLOW and RED safewords, and I tend to scream the RED when I am TOTALLY NOT FUCKING OKAY-and I am not above screaming in a store, nowadays, if I get spooked!

[@richardduska1558]

17:00 I hate when people assume that someone is psychic. If you are uncomfortable and your friend dose not notice with your "looks" than instead of waiting for him to finaly notice it maybe have a different aproach? Of course it can also be that she tried to gaslight him but who knows.

[@quietbearcasey178]

I just ended a campaign and we had a trouble player that kept talking about "that's not how 3e does it" and I had to keep telling him that we were playing in 5e. He would also sit there rolling dice and giving me the result before I even asked him to roll.

[@Tikayy]

First story, what's weird about someone checking the tree that's emitting music?

[@hkfifty871]

Yeah, that Artificer was SERIOUSLY out of line overall, but a number of points in there make me suspect the DM may not have been a very great person at the table in their own ways. A DM player character is always a red flag, “you don’t see me even though I didn’t roll or do anything to hide and am PLAYING MUSIC” is rather dumb (you’re drawing attention to yourself, and the party needs to be brought together and introduced to each other anyways. Why is this a problem?) and attempting to micromanage what the player can name their OWN CHARACTER because of the societal norms in the middle ages gets a serious WTF from me (is it a dumb and cringy name? Yes. Is it yet another sign the player is a problem? Most definitely. Is it really your business as a DM to override your player’s creative control of their character’s name? Not really. And even if it was, it’s just a stupid name. Is it worth that fight? Hell no). Although the Artificer was a bigger problem, I also don’t think I’d want to play at a table with that DM.

[@Copperscaled]

@@hkfifty871 you summed that up perfectly

[@slamindorf5478]

The whole story is sort of fishy. Theyre obviously playing a low fantasy/magic campaign and yet the artificer subclass was on the table with no push back? So that guy just doesnt get to use his characters abilities ever? The DM seems at least 50% to blame for lack of session 0 expectations@@hkfifty871

[@TroySavary]

DM just wanted a narrative that was all about her DMPC and is angry about the artificer nit playing along.

[@Ellie-rx3jt]

​@@hkfifty871 Also I don't know what version of the past this DM is thinking of, because there have been whole lists compiled of absolutely outrageous names from the middle ages 😅

[@fluffymonster396]

I feel like with the second story, she should have moved towards him or call to him to get his attention. She could verbally tell him to stop, too, if he was cornering her or doing something bad. You don't want to work for a place that would fire or discipline you for protecting/looking out for yourself against creepers.

[@megasuperdog]

That's not it. You have to be REALLY careful when you're in danger and "no" can just make it so much worse. That's traumatic enough, if you elevate the situation something worse might happen.

[@Eustres]

@@megasuperdog But if you don't do anything it might just continue and it too could get worse.

[@Blade.5786]

​​​@@megasuperdogI doubt he'd try shit with OP in earshot. And if he's gonna go for it anyway, better get everyone alert ahead of time. These types of creeps *want* you to stay silent, so they can get away with the "minor" offences. If you feel uncomfortable, let it be known immediately.

[@saraphys5555]

5:52 FYI Artificer's are ONLY "Wizard Tinkerers" in the crapiness that is 5E They use to use "Infusions", which did NOT come under Spells, but which mimiced them; as they could only be used as temporary enchantments placed on an item. As they are almost entirely tied to the Eberron campaign, they HIGHLY deflated 5E fluff about them is...shite at best. I recommend anyone who wants to read what an Artificer is actually about, pick up the 3.x edition Eberron Campaign Setting, for a more exact breakdown of an Artificer... Short version... Artificer's are quantum engineers, or, Artificers play with a limited Editor on. They can create magic enchantments...but an Infusion is not Arcane or Divine magic...but they can simulate both.

[@Eustres]

I think they are still wizard tinkerers in Eberron, they do not use spells but it is stilll Magicm it is not Arcane or Divine but it is still magic. They still study it and use their intelligence the same ways wizards do. The difference being that instead of casting/channeling magic they infuse it on items and objects. But they know the spells and they have the capabilities to cast them. Referring to them as Wizard Tinkerers would still fit. From Eberron Campain setting: "They have a limited list of their own spell-like infusions that they can apply to objects, and they can also work with any of the spells on other classes’ spell lists. Their magic is neither arcane nor divine, and they are not bound by that classification: Their trade is magic in its most abstract (they might say purest) form."

[@franceskoz]

For the first one, I wouldn't jump to saying the DM is exaggerating and dramatic. My impression is that the player was repeatedly disrespectful even before the session, and that's on him, but the DM handled it badly by not having a conversation about respect immediately. Ideally she would have calmly set boundaries before the session even started, and sorted out what issues there were before she even allowed him to be in a session, because there were already issues before session 1 (e.g. the creepy pressuring I-want-you-to-have-a-revealing-pic convo). So the dialogue issues were on her, both then and how she shared the story later - which doesn't sound mature - but the player was still very disrespectful -- it's a really common problem for us female DMs to be treated like that.

[@jessicascoullar3737]

She also said she was new to DMing so that probably makes boundary setting harder. I assume it gets easier with experience.

[@arvurebantra7639]

She was new to DMing, and probably socially awkward and nervous, so didn't want to push the guy out. Someone like me, who's played off and on for like 20 years, and DMed quite a bit would know to tell this guy off, but newer players and DMs don't have that experience with these power hungry players. The second he started demanding she change a character for him would have been more than enough for me to tell him to take a walk.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

The story was written by the DM? I was under the impression it was written by the Satyr player.

[@Kijikun]

They were also the dm @@schwarzerritter5724

[@insan1313]

I have to say, at one compaign I was the artificer. Had a new group where no one knew eachother, I was the only experienced player, the DM was (in hind sight) an experienced godlike DM. Looking back I was one of those "I know everything better and will challange everything the DM say" players in that group. In the end i quit the group (I think the DM made it look as my decission) after a long talk with the DM. Thankfully he made me rethink my behaviour in a good way and I try to become better as a player and not be the 38 compaign guy 😅

[@SubtotalStar850-uh8pg]

The issue is the DM in story one was also backseat gaming and had a self insert

[@patrickheney9201]

First red flag to me was the DM had a character. For very small groups, that's fine, but for a group of 3+ players, there's no need for a DM to have a character. And her having a character was part of the reason for the very first conflict she had with the problem player. Problem player definitely contributed problems as well, but I see a number of contributing factors on the DM's part as well.

[@YouWillBeHappyOrElse]

I typically only have a character if there is a gaping hole in the party's build--usually healer. That character will usually be only present when they request him, and otherwise serves as an NPC who can be asked for things that the campaign setting doesn't offer (like cursebreaking or some lore insights).

[@SubtotalStar850-uh8pg]

Not to mention she picked fights with *him* about everything. She shouldn't be a DM and he shouldn't be involved in her books

[@jondw]

in defense of artificer guy in the one instance, artificers can sometimes be flavored to not be doing magic but simply doing magic like feats with their technology(some spells are easier to flavor than others admittedly and I don't know exactly how their abilities work rules as written mechanically) so it's possible he was playing it as that so to him he wasn't actually using magic. though maybe something to talk about with your dm before the game to make sure they're cool with it and all that

[@spacyh8469]

As a woman who plays DND with an amazing group of friends but has experienced creepy behavior at game/dice/mini shops…I can’t imagine dealing with what these people do

[@Tespri]

Boundaries should be made clear. If some guy is creepy then point it out loud and shame him if he keeps doing it. Guys will naturally come and save you if they see obvious drama happening. However if you're just being silent, then other guys around you just reads it "oh she is interested in that creep" and won't do anything. Usually these issues happen mostly to women who are too passive/submissive so they never say it out loud that something is unacceptable. Creeps love these types of girls.

[@lauraw2526]

Yeah, and as a fellow female the dude who got two characters killed did nothing wrong. I doubt I'd have noticed either if all she was doing was glancing at me. It's sad, but the advice about creating a safeword or using an obvious nonverbal signal is good.

[@thebigmeme7534]

@@Tespri Honestly I think I can usually tell when someone seems creeped out by someone else, but even then I'm not going to step in unless I get clear indication that someone is uncomfortable. Nobody wants to speak up in a situation where it turns out nothing is wrong and *you* end up being weird for thinking otherwise.

[@Tespri]

@@thebigmeme7534 That is true. There have been times when I managed to read situation correct and rescue girl in subtle way. But sometimes it's hard to tell depending on girl's social skills regarding of acting.

[@vijayanand6650]

I had to pause when Duke said ‘deter’

[@demonderpz7937]

In the first story: I don’t like the artificer, but I don’t like the dm either. Making a world that makes it impossible to be a caster, arguing about freaking names for an hour, and never communicating the expectations of the game? It doesn’t sound fun to be involved

[@LisaVGG]

I’m so lucky that the group I’m in only has maybe one ‘problem player’, I use quotes because she’s not really a bad player but she does get distracted a lot. Thing is I’d rather have that one occasional distraction than never play with my friends, although I’m getting ready to be DM for our group after tonight so I won’t be in the action I’ll be making the action!

[@midnightdemon4876]

Disconnecting from dnd, the advice is great for being in a public place and getting in an uncomfortable situation. In the workplace or a place where you know other people. Having a safe word is great. At work we have ear pieces wired to a radio, so it’s obvious we have them. We have the safe word dumpster fire. So over the radio we can be like oh shoot did you say dumpster fire, be right there. So it’s a very viable excuse to walk away in a hurry from someone, and then if we don’t show up in the office or to the back door after a little while others know to come find you to get you out of the situation.

[@goosepapoose8666]

Stuff like this is fine and all in an office work space if you're security or something, but in most circumstances it's best to confront the problem rather than push it under the rug.

[@TroySavary]

Both the artificer and the DM are people who I would not play with. DMs who play PCs at the same time suck. And she tried to railroad the plot.

[@DianaTaffie]

It's great how analytical and educational this series is. Bless you two c:

[@tirmel]

For the first story, I would wonder if the DM's worry about the player looking up at their character had less to do with being noticed and more to do with the implications that they may be looking up a skirt -- the player already tried to push for the character to be more sexualized (even trying to get the image to be something that the OP said was a little NSFW), so they might have felt like it was another instance of them trying to sexualize their character.

[@alysemyers4230]

I was literally thinking the same thing when they read that part of the story. Also, considering that this player was pestering the DM to make a sexualized character before the campaign even started, I can understand if this DM started the session already annoyed with the Artificer.

[@storytime7408]

"I am Wife" is a great tagline. I like your horrow stories videos. keep them coming. You are both insighful and enjoyable to watch

[@BadMagicWings]

Im sure this video will have no horrid things happening

[@naonao9528]

I the first story of this was AITA it would be an everybody sucks here badge. The DM is telling the PC their actions and not being flexible. Its okay to have restrictions, but you need to work with players to make it work in your restrictive settings not just let them play a character and then nerf it. They also should jump in and address the problem player right away or pause the session and reiterate the table expectations. Everyone having fun together is more important than your world building. The artificer is trying to tell people what to play, arguing with everyone, steamrolling/inflexible, and not thinking of anyone's enjoyment but their own.

[@wisd8mEDM]

Agree with this. My DM has a similar world where it is illegal for most people to use magic, but he worked with us to make sure we could play what we wanted (I'm a lizardfolk hex blade) and made it clear about how our characters would be perceived in the world. However, the artificer should have been more respectful of the game as a story rather than treating like Skyrim or something where you're the only one playing.

[@nateburhoe1709]

The tactics given to remove yourself from the conversation are both valid, but I would also like to add: it is okay to straight up ask the guy (or other person) to back off a bit. A lot of times if people are too close and/or making you uncomfortable they simply don't realize it. Asking them to give you space will do 2 things: It will bring it to their attention, and their response will tell you whether it was intentional or not. If they do not respect you asking for space then it was very intentional on their part and you need to remove yourself another way, if they do respect it then they probably were not aware they were doing it.

[@KnicKnac]

I smiled just from the wholesome intro. You two are just fantastic nerds.

[@TheNakash]

Please continue these videos. This content is SO important!!

[@cabbage_cat]

I really love these horror stories, I watch them while eating. Please keep this up!

[@conor-fb5jc]

I’m duke and this is wife. I’m wiiiiiife!

[@shadowgarra360]

isnt it mentioned somewhere that artificers can be flavored as using science and gadgets rather than magic? since all of their stuff revolves around the tools and items they create?

[@hakuzosionnach]

That second story. Just wow. Its clear they were a couple but still. Thats very many levels of no communication.

[@himlyk]

Sounds To me like the DM rolled a nat one on the performance of giving looks for help, and three nat twenties on the intimidation checks

[@supersheshu1]

This videos make me realise how many dnd reddit users there are with awfully poor social skills and how lucky i am with my groups

[@colinchildress1251]

I had a guy in my game that entered a dungeon called the Eye of the All-Father. There were these statues that were part of a puzzle, that are all trapped if you do things incorrectly. This problem player is a dwarf, and had massive problems with giants. This was a giant's temple btw. So he says "I hate giants. I walk up to the statue and hit it with my axe, then piss on it." So I say, "Okay. Four earth elementals rise up from the ground and start punching you in the dick, roll for initiative." That was the trap that the statue had, to summon earth elementals (minus the dick punching). He wasn't with us for long as he did this to every statue, one of which contained a meteor swarm. I chose to forgo that one for the party's sake.

[@aqacefan]

Story : At the risk of being didactic, Death Ray and Disintegrate are two different eye stalks (as well as two different spells). That aside, putting under-leveled characters with no magic items up against a Beholder is nothing short of vindictive. Dude has no place being a DM.

[@austynraydavis]

I love this segment of your channel, and it is the reason I am subscribing to your channel. Love the energy. Keep doing what yall do!

[@BlankSlatePodcast]

Your take to flip D&D fails into salient advice works well with your dynamic with "wife". Thanks so much for this

[@vasst4506]

I have the fortune of having full support from family, friends, and therapy. But what really got me out of the hole was facing difficult situations and solving them, and exercising. Men don’t need to be emotionally understood the way women do (in my own experience as a man, that is) but we need to feel powerful, useful, capable. That is true happiness for me at this stage of my life

[@Thurmanation2011s]

That group held you back Artificer. Team up with Derrick the Ball Collector.

[@Un_Popular_Opinions]

DMs playing player characters never usually ends well

[@sagalofheim446]

I agree with wife. Looks of “help me”won’t cut it. That DM should’ve said something if she felt uncomfortable and walked over to the other guy (dm/player?) in the room. Wife is also right people aren’t going to be looking at faces for pleas of assistance if the conversation sounds like it’s just about d&d. That DM definitely took it out on that player later. Duke’s idea about a safe word is 👌 too.

[@testerwulf3357]

Especially when they weren’t even looking..how are glances gonna do anything if the person you’re looking towards IS NOT LOOKING AT YOU?? That’s just being petty! Easiest way she could of solved the solution was calling over OP to do something and THEN giving the looks or say something they’ll understand is a “pls help me”

[@corvusgaming2379]

Artificers can be described as "Magic inventors/blacksmiths"

[@davidcantrell2568]

Just a rule for everyone: Assume everyone that do not personally know to have the perceptive capability of a deaf, blindfolded ostrich with its head buried in the ground. If you feel something is off say it! Say it loud! Project like you’re talking on stage.

[@Devilhand21]

For story 2, the dm should have known better than to rely on just giving a couple of looks at the OP because that obviously won't work when you're busy doing stuff.She should have been more vocal to OP, but making it not too obvious to the creep. Also the dm shouldn't have taken it out on OP in the campaign as that's just straight dickish as OP didn't do anything wrong in a situation that he couldn't have known was going wrong in the first place. He was focused on setting up the campaign and couldn't have known that things were going wrong if he wasn't looking, which he wasn't watching.

[@foxtrotelement]

When it starts out with a DM-PC, and issues over the DM-PC class... weird it turned out to be a horror story.

[@shadeb6021]

Jenga!! Our safe word is Jenga, cuz if you're playing a game or in a D&D game or a game store, it's something that you can say that would make sense, or even scream at the top of your lungs and be like I forgot the name of the game earlier.

[@kby234]

"This is wife" "I AM WIFE" love it

[@wytchhunter8448]

really enjoy the duke and wife sit down and chat format. you two have great insights and play off of each other very well.

[@conigonde]

Before I watched the video I was thinking "How did the player not notice the dm??? they're the one controlling the entire game"

[@richardduska1558]

7:22 OP being a DM and playing a PC is a HUGE red flag about this story.

[@TroySavary]

YES! She just wanted the story to revolve around her cgaracter.

[@loafingbread4351]

1:11 I think the "needs to breathe" part is, on it's own, sufficient of an explanation for her to keep breathing.

[@TheAvidian]

4:00 “I tried to deeder him” 😂

[@aquafyre89]

These stories make me so grateful that I have such an awesome DM!

[@xellnamore3960]

Y'all talking about the safe words reminded me of when in private security we would use different tacos when dealing with a situation bean and cheese was the big one of needing help immediately as well as police

[@DemarFalco]

I almost got into a fist fight at a table because one player was Obsessed with carry weight. My 19 strength dragonborn barbarian had an axe that I described as small tree with a crude lump of sharpened metal for the head. Admittedly, it was very Final Fantasy but the DM was running a hyper stylized game so it fit. This player spent the entire game (also he joined the campaign late and this was his first session) arguing with the DM that there was no way I should be able to carry that weapon and move. The DM kept telling him the Rule of Cool and that he allowed it but the player just refused. This errupted into him litterally yelling in my face and storming out of the room. Needless to say the campaign didn't really continue after this

[@FlamesAndShadows]

Stack up many potions, wishes, spells, buffs etc that increase your size category? XD

[@FentonHardyFan]

As a fun note related to something which came up in the first story: At least in America, a contract signed with a false name can still be legally binding. If you renege on it, you could get in *extra* trouble for your fraudulent actions, but it would not automatically negate the contract. (I ended up having to read up on this after the party’s sketchy wizard signed a contract with the party’s sketchy monk using an alias. And due to a unique set of circumstances, my straight-laced ranger has been paying off the wizard’s debt to the monk ever since.)

[@FlamesAndShadows]

Idk, what if someone FORCES you to sign a clearly shady contract without even letting you read, or its 100% bad and you never wanted to deal with neither 'perks' or obligations it places on you, just get away?

[@FentonHardyFan]

@@FlamesAndShadows If someone *forces* you to sign a contract, (I mean really forced, rather than, “hey, you can’t ride the zip line without signing these liability papers,”) the contract would not be legally binding even if you signed your REAL name. My Ranger’s situation is that he completely knowingly signed papers making him legally responsible for the actions of the other members of the party. Then, the Wizard signed a contract I specifically advised him against signing, reneged on his end of the bad deal, and left my Ranger to pay for his bad decision. (The wizard also tried to use, “I signed the contract *ironically*” as a defense, and that didn’t work either.)

[@FlamesAndShadows]

@@FentonHardyFan Your Ranger should've 'ironically' hunted him down and brought back, bounty hunter style, to pay his dues and be free from the resonsibility. Its up to the rest of the party if you roleplay staging a breakout later :P

[@FentonHardyFan]

@@FlamesAndShadows Oh, the sketchy Wizard never left the party. And the sketchy Monk my Ranger owed an ever increasing amount of money to *also* continued with the party for quite a while. Because of my Ranger’s personality and morality, he was disgruntled, but determined to pay off the debt. Ended up transferring his debt to one of his older brothers, and saved all the money he made adventuring to pay his brother back. My poor Ranger had finally collected enough money to pay off his debt when he got disintegrated by an Anathema a few weeks ago. 🤦‍♀️

[@FlamesAndShadows]

@@FentonHardyFan Aw shit, I'm sorry, hope the 'new person stumbled upon by the party's is the luckier one. And when you just payed off too(( No choice between debt free stranger or 'inheritance'. What was the deal with being saddled with the party's problems? I thought it had at least some leadership perks attached? At that point DM should've adopted an NPC into the party to take all that flack or something. This is Bob the Goblin, he's responsible for all our sins. X'D Also a horrific setup just occured: a lawful good teacher trainee was whisked by, insert plot McGuffin here, to a faraway dangerous land (all DnD of course including races) and has to get them back safely because they need that job, except all the kids (other players) are much shadier alightment bastards and completely out of control. Because your being responsible for shit selfish idiots leave you with just has this vibe. :/

[@undead1weirdo]

I’ve been in quite a few unbalanced encounters but nothing will ever top having a black dragon thrown at a party of level 0’s. We escaped by fleeing in a truck and hiding in a mall that had what we thought was a beholder. (It wasn’t). Also saw a mind flare at some point. In that campaign we were playing ourselves right before we left earth that was over run by monsters to go to the world of dnd.

[@SillySyrup]

Y'all know Wife be talkin serious when she pull up with the Jigglypuff too

[@ItsLemontree]

Before I played my first campaign, I knew not to argue with the DM. If there is an issue that bugs you, talk to them after the game but what they say goes

[@Maninawig]

For the female and the creeper: as a guy who has been in that situation and done something about it, I can say that a man who butts in when he falsely assume she's in distress becomes the BBEG. But I do agree with Wife... divert the convo towards the guy and mouth "help" or set up a question beforehand... If you ask us, we will come.

[@michaelzeitz]

One time I was playing D&D and we were facing a young black dragon in a cave. I’m playing as a red Dragonborn wizard. We had a party of twelve because this was more of practice for when we first started. The dragon sprays acid into the cave. I cast mage armor and survive. Nothing happens over the other 11 people go. The acid still in the cave, I proceed to cast fireball. Natural 1. I miss, and the fireball hits the acid. EVERYTHING, including my party takes 60 fire damage. Except for me. I was a red Dragonborn. 😂😂

[@midnights2631]

That's hilarious 😂

[@MelchVagquest]

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

[@rowan404]

The fact that someone would use the same character in so many games is wild to me. I’ve also been in countless games that “fizzled out” early on, but each of the characters I’m currently playing have only been used in one previous game. The one in my Tuesday group is an elf bard who was in another game for one session before the game was cancelled due to the recently-divorced DM losing custody of his child and being too depressed to continue DMing. The one in my Thursday group is a kobold rogue who I played for maybe 3 sessions in another game before dropping out because it was way too combat-oriented (greater than 50%) for my liking. I have 20+ characters in D&D Beyond; I can’t imagine having just one.

[@timreynolds4785]

"Rules on naming kids are quite strict', so this dude lives in Iceland. It's the only country I know of that controls the names of children.

[@Thurmanation2011s]

DM needed to lighten up. "Um, you can't use that name."

[@GraciousInk1530]

There are banned names all over the world

[@grr-OUCH]

She could have said "Hey dude, can you join us over here?"

[@grr-OUCH]

I have had coworkers have me be with them if they were going to be approached by a creeper, and some of them also had me escort them to their car. It was great that they would just tell me "Hey, please come with me, I do not feel comfortable".

[@bleachbleachBLEACHER]

The fact that there even had to be an argument about the Artificer's legal name mid-session implies that the player did not have this "real name" picked out or okayed by the DM before they started playing, and just randomly, mid-game, decided he wanted to be known as 'Death Sentence' for cool guy or edgy reasons. Else they hid it from the DM wanting it to be a reveal even to them, which you should never do as a player. DM needs to know everything about your character to plan the game properly.

[@AnathemaMysticalcel]

I love how after you finished reading. " we would continue playing without him" the ad was for DNDBEYOND and it started with "dnd is for everyone!".

[@oculartyranus999]

Had a character myself die 3 times over a few sessions and we as a group had a blast over the narrative. We where playing a 3.5 homebrew style game, 5 of us including dm, I played a male warlock tiefling. We set up on a dark campaign where we where all evil or at best neutral. We got to the first boss who was kinda like Sauron where he had a ring of immense power. We killed him, me dealing the final blow. I took the ring and put it on (there was a mild warning from dm ooc but nothing to give away what would happen) immediately killing my character. 2 sessions later the dm and I schemed up a plan to resurrect the character npc style for short live. One of the other characters upon seeing my character return screamed in disbelief and immolated him in the alleyway to the inn. Lots of laughs at the 3 second 2nd chance. To which the dm reanimated the character as a type of undead that was another flavored encounter and took like another 3 seconds to kill. It brought us to a new BBEG. Also at this time I had begun playing as my former characters sister who had been looking for him and it only made for more fun for our table as she no longer really got along with anyone from that point after they murdered her brother twice in front of her. Definitely a better experience on character deaths. Super side note, we never where super serious on playing, it was all about hanging out and having a good time while playing, wasn't uncommon to go through like 2 or more characters per campaign.

[@Maninawig]

I'll put this as a secomd post, but here's a great code word for a D&D gameshop: "Hey, can I borrow a Silver Dragon Mini?"

[@SpanishFly120]

Not gonna lie, when I first read the title, I thought it was like "she liked him, but was annoyed he didn't respond to her flirting so did that old weird 'pick on the person you like' thing", and that the thumbnail was from the other story, lol.

[@maltedmilkball2985]

5:52 no joke, I played a artificer fairy who we kept calling Tinkerbell in Wild Beyond the Witchlight and it was probably one of my most favorite characters ever, I even wore some Halloween fairy wings to our sessions and the DM gave me inspiration for it lol

[@truecross4090]

Ladies. Use your words. Because Im the first kind of guy to come bat for you, but we don't know the situation. Idk if he is your bf and your having an argument or what. So just saying the words, "You are making me uncomfortable, can you leave." Is a great first step to getting someone in the room to noticing your situation.

[@zacc7644]

To anyone who DMs or will EVER DM: if an argument goes on with a player for more than 5 minutes, tell that player they can either shut up or leave. YOU are the DM. YOU spend WAY more time prepping and planning and running your adventures. You do NOT have to deal with their bs. Players are a dime a dozen. DMs are unicorns.

When I worked as a grad student in a university writing center, it was a public space with lots of people around. The undergraduate writing tutors (men and women both, but mostly the women) would encounter a lot of weirdos, creepers, and occasionally dangerous people...because it *was* an open, public space. I would listen for issues, but I didn't always hear them since I was facing the front with my back to the main room and was answering the phone, talking to students, etc. Trouble wasn't constant, but it was a consistent enough that we developed strategies for tutors to request assistance without creating a problem. One way a tutor could signal an issue was to call over to someone else, asking for a particular item. The item was a code phrase that meant, "I need assistance!" One other item was a code phrase that meant, "Call the police." I think the advice to consider alternate strategies for requesting assistance is sound. That said, even though I think the OP mostly was innocent (based on what I heard), he(?)/they could have a bit more situationally aware in the future. All I mean is that, given them being in a public space where any rando could walk in, they might have looked over once or twice to visually verify the situation. Advice for the future is all.

[@GarredHATES]

12:39 Makin my way downtown walking fast

[@mr.jordwell9084]

Oh I need more Couple one questers stuff. I like the couple dynamic :)

[@willixshear5412]

"Wow, there is a digest" -Duke, 2023

[@akira963214785]

2nd story: Idk why but this is specifically a thing women do most the time when I'm out in social events. Women will act really nice bc they dont want confrontation, but then get mad when OTHERS dont help them. This similar occurrence mostly happened at the college parties where after the creep goes away and the girls say something along the lines of, "I cant believe nobody tried to distract that creep." I've had this happen at a store where I heard a woman say "WTF ARE YOU DOING GET AWAY FROM ME", turned out to be her boyfriend and they were going through a rough patch or something.

[@Alepoudiitsa]

honesty i avoid confrontation becose i know if the dude get's mad/trigers he can beat me up.

[@alexi4829]

I've only once brought a PC from a previous campaign into a new one, and it was specifically so he could die, tanking damage for the 1st level or 2 so the other players had a better chance of survival Somehow despite several near death experiences Thomas Genericman is now 5th level and I'm wondering how? several of my PCs from old campaigns have ended up as NPCs when I run games, but I tend to keep them in the background as easter eggs for the other players