AL DM altered the stats on a monster and killed two PC's during death curse.

[Talakeal]

Is this actually what AL games are like?

I mean, I hate power-tripping DMs who alter the rules on a whim as much as the next guy, but threads like this read more like something out of Knights of the Dinner table than any real game I have ever played in.

[Caelic]

Is this actually what AL games are like?

I mean, I hate power-tripping DMs who alter the rules on a whim as much as the next guy, but threads like this read more like something out of Knights of the Dinner table than any real game I have ever played in.

Usually, no. Most AL DMs are very reasonable people, and they have their work cut out for them. since players can come and go. A DM could go from a party of brand new players one week to a party of hardcore powergamers with maximally optimized characters the next.

[TheUser]

Usually, no. Most AL DMs are very reasonable people, and they have their work cut out for them. since players can come and go. A DM could go from a party of brand new players one week to a party of hardcore powergamers with maximally optimized characters the next.

Which is normally the case, however this same group had been running ToA since the beginning. Pretty balanced group. Some optimized, some casual builds but all the players took fights seriously.

[Master O'Laughs]

I once made an illusionist in 3.5 who banned Evocation and either Conjuration or Enchantment. The only session (because of various reasons) sent us against undead and a construct as the boss. My spells were almost universally illusions with a single abjuration (mage armour, it allowed my cat to survive the boss's attacks), we were second level so I had four total including my specialist slot. We would have fought some enemies who were vulnerable to illusions, if we had followed the very precise trail the GM had planned.

So yes, I once got thrown into a situation where all my abilities were useless due to us not doing exactly what the GM intended. Mainly because I was a Gnome Wizard with a +10 bonus to Craft (Alchemy) checks. We also had a Rogue (sneak attack disabled), a Ranger (who had not specialised in undead), and a Knight/Paladin (who could use his abilities! but wasn't equipped for undead). A really sucky session all around, compared to the GM I had later who would look at our sheets, see a bunch of social skills, and throw a lot of social encounters and some combat encounters our way (except for the time he ran a combat heavy campaign for three investigation builds and a tank, but he had warned us it would be high combat before we created our characters).

There was one game where I was told to simply make a character for a level 10 adventure. I create a sorcerer with this whole fire and ice theme. We start the game and it turns out my character is dead and is raised to be a zombie.... I got to go around and shoot things with a crossbow... For some reason the other zombie character was a bard and he was able to perform his bardic singing after stuffing some spider webs in his gaping hole filled throat.

It was very annoying.

[TheUser]

Is this actually what AL games are like?

I mean, I hate power-tripping DMs who alter the rules on a whim as much as the next guy, but threads like this read more like something out of Knights of the Dinner table than any real game I have ever played in.

I find there are two types of DM's the ones who are easy going and go with the flow, and the ones who get annoyed at the idea that the party uses their abilities intelligently/creatively/as a team and feel the need to "put them in their place"

[Chugger]

AL play varies but is normally well-DM'd, at least from what I've seen (though there are exceptions).

With this event, I think the DM went too far. I'm not sure what you can do about it, but mostly don't let your local DMs divide and conquer you, the players. Talk to each other - talk about the various DMs' styles and find out which ones are the jerks. Then don't ever sign up for their tables. Sorry you had a bad experience.

This whole death curse nonsense ends next month, anyway.

[Vaz]

Gotta question, if youve got such a regular group, why are you guys playing Adventurer's League? Since it's inception, it's been a group of players for whom Bad DnD is better than no DnD, and can't get stable.

If your group is stable enough to play through multiple games, then you're stable enough to have actual dnd sessions, surely?

[Finback]

I do understand OP's frustration. For those who think "git gud" -

They were expecting a fight with a big angry tyrannosaur with a little bit of magic.

What they got was a super-powered, unstoppable juggernaut empowered by awesomebro sadism.

If you were expecting a fight with a giant dinosaur, and what you got was a giant dinosaur, but this one can change colours like a chameleon, and it can communicate with other unrelated dinosaurs using telepathy and they will just obey it, and it's faster than a cheetah, and it can use mind-bullets*, you'd be a little chagrined.


(yes, I may have concerns about "Indominus".)

* that's telekinesis, Kyle.

[Pex]

I find there are two types of DM's the ones who are easy going and go with the flow, and the ones who get annoyed at the idea that the party uses their abilities intelligently/creatively/as a team and feel the need to "put them in their place"

Yep.

Those DMs are what I call DMs who hate their players.

I hate those DMs.

[TheUser]

Gotta question, if youve got such a regular group, why are you guys playing Adventurer's League? Since it's inception, it's been a group of players for whom Bad DnD is better than no DnD, and can't get stable.

If your group is stable enough to play through multiple games, then you're stable enough to have actual dnd sessions, surely?

To be able to use the character in other AL adventures? 3 DM's in the store decided to run the ToA module through AL so we could sub in and out other players easily as well.

[Vaz]

To be able to use the character in other AL adventures? 3 DM's in the store decided to run the ToA module through AL so we could sub in and out other players easily as well.

You can play AL modules without needing to play AL though?

[TavernMage]

Just wipe the death from your character's history and find another DM, that's what most players do and that's what AL supports.

Completely agree. Wipe the log and find a new DM. Every reasonable DM is going to be perfectly happy to play a game. If they insist they start dead - then find another DM.

There are better games our there, people who better understand what fun is about, and GMs who know how to put the needs of their players above their own emotional needs.

Definitely move on...and keep people like that out of your life. They will learn someday.