GM's worst punishment

[General Pain]

I've been reading loads of posts here and since I myself am going to be GM this weekend, I was hoping for some inspiration from my fellow posters.

What is the worst any GM has ever done to your character

I'd guess this would bring many horrible memories, and I'd like to hear/read them.

PS: For players who are playing in my campaign,you know who you are, don't worry your little heads about this........



picture from ukraine military punsihment

[Targan]

Well members from the old forum may recall that unfortunate tale of one of the PCs in my campaign, US Army Ranger Sgt Che Jesus Cortez. He was captured by thugs in the employ of the CIA in New Jersey and was repeatedly sodomised by them. It was like an urban version of that scene in "Deliverance". Nasty.

[TiggerCCW UK]

It wasn't intended as a punishment, but I did kill three characters in four sessions, all of them belonging to the one player. The first time he was abandoned by another player when they were attacked, the other two were bad luck - once he went the wrong way round a building and came face to face with an MG nest, the other time he totally fluffed an obs roll and walked straight into an ambush. Still doesn't beat my five characters in five sessions of Cthulu.... Three dead, one crippled and one completely barking bonkers mental.

[Caradhras]

Going back a bit here - D+D module Tomb of Horrors (if you plan on playing it and dont want a spoiler stop reading).....








Basically there is a chance a charachter gets his soul drained by the demilich and subsequently destroyed forever. Anyone who has played old A D+D will appreciate how long it takes for a friend of yours to build a char all the way to a level 17 mage - he wasnt a happy bunny... In the interests of friendship and the ongoing campaign, I cost the group big time in wishes/cash/favours etc to quest for a way of bringing him back - so I was a big softy in the end

[General Pain]

Well members from the old forum may recall that unfortunate tale of one of the PCs in my campaign, US Army Ranger Sgt Che Jesus Cortez. He was captured by thugs in the employ of the CIA in New Jersey and was repeatedly sodomised by them. It was like an urban version of that scene in "Deliverance". Nasty.

I'd guess this story will enter the deep and dark "anals" of roleplaying hehe

[TiggerCCW UK]

Does that pun count as a GM punishment

[Graebarde]

It wasn't intended as a punishment, but I did kill three characters in four sessions, all of them belonging to the one player. The first time he was abandoned by another player when they were attacked, the other two were bad luck - once he went the wrong way round a building and came face to face with an MG nest, the other time he totally fluffed an obs roll and walked straight into an ambush. Still doesn't beat my five characters in five sessions of Cthulu.... Three dead, one crippled and one completely barking bonkers mental.

ROTFLMAO.... I campaigned for over five years with the same character, but we did have one guy who had to bring at least five extras with him to each session. His record was four self-distructs in one six hour session. Kid would never learn. As for punishing the characters, nawwwwwww.. they punish themselves.

[Mohoender]

Going back a bit here - D+D module Tomb of Horrors (if you plan on playing it and dont want a spoiler stop reading).....








Basically there is a chance a charachter gets his soul drained by the demilich and subsequently destroyed forever. Anyone who has played old A D+D will appreciate how long it takes for a friend of yours to build a char all the way to a level 17 mage - he wasnt a happy bunny... In the interests of friendship and the ongoing campaign, I cost the group big time in wishes/cash/favours etc to quest for a way of bringing him back - so I was a big softy in the end

I GMed that a long time ago (my best game memory ever). However, the PC were saved by one of them as this PC had never played before. While all experienced PCs were paralized by fear and old-time game memories, that unexperienced PC did the simplest thing and destroyed the demilich (not even knowing what it was).

[Krejcik]

I GM'd a campaign that lasted about 4 months, nearly every weekend. Had about a PC death each weekend. not on purpose but we just kept things realistic and that in itself lent that life was hard. If you rolled a 20 you had to reroll if you didn't maintain your gun to risk it exploding. They got all sorts of infections and would put each other out of their misery.

But, with this group we RP'd many games over about 6 years very hardcore. From Mechwarrior to Star Wars to Vampire and of all of us that campaign (only one I really GM'd) was everyones favorite.

Only time I was mean to a player is their was one guy who wanted to join and used to try and cheat ALL the time in our previous games. So I had this homebrew thing to get gear when ppl started out. He cheated and ended up with everything cool and overpowered. Had his own damn hovercraft, etc.

First encounter for him to link up with the group I told them before hand to not let him auto get in. They were driving along in a NATO tank and saw this Soviet hovercraft speed up toward them, which they promptly killed him and blew up all his precious gear.

He got the message and was a fair PC after that.

Worse thing you can do to a PC is kill them for little or no reason. To just be an asshole or to not listen or pay attention to them.

[headquarters]

memories

WE used roll like that back in the old days .Do not think there was much cheating though - but app one pc death every gaming weekend.Making life hard enough that sometimes PCs dont make it makes it a better game imho.As for me , I have killed ( or rather they have been killed ) 3-4 PCs in a 5 player group over the last 4 years .But I think I have been too soft .

So this the 5th season I am getting back to my old style from the early 1990s.

I GM'd a campaign that lasted about 4 months, nearly every weekend. Had about a PC death each weekend. not on purpose but we just kept things realistic and that in itself lent that life was hard. If you rolled a 20 you had to reroll if you didn't maintain your gun to risk it exploding. They got all sorts of infections and would put each other out of their misery.

But, with this group we RP'd many games over about 6 years very hardcore. From Mechwarrior to Star Wars to Vampire and of all of us that campaign (only one I really GM'd) was everyones favorite.

Only time I was mean to a player is their was one guy who wanted to join and used to try and cheat ALL the time in our previous games. So I had this homebrew thing to get gear when ppl started out. He cheated and ended up with everything cool and overpowered. Had his own damn hovercraft, etc.

First encounter for him to link up with the group I told them before hand to not let him auto get in. They were driving along in a NATO tank and saw this Soviet hovercraft speed up toward them, which they promptly killed him and blew up all his precious gear.

He got the message and was a fair PC after that.

Worse thing you can do to a PC is kill them for little or no reason. To just be an asshole or to not listen or pay attention to them.

[Krejcik]

IMHO, it's a fun way to GM...

BUT, all players before they get started should know that. Because they won't feel so bad when they get killed. Also the longer the campaign goes on, the ones that live will fight harder to help each other, which if they did in my campaigns I'd now and then give them an act of God to keep a player from dying. Maybe they'll get hit and lose a limb or an eye. Get POW'd. whatever.

When theirs big risk, theirs big reward.

[FMDeCorba]

I took part in the 90s style campaign HQ is talking about, and although a lot of the PC deaths were caused by other PCs base greed or stupidity, I heartily embrace the return of a rougher environment It simply adds a lot of flavour to the experience when you just dont know if your character will survive the session.
As for punishment, XP penalties are obvious and effective IMO.

[headquarters]

nah..

trying t o get there again ..

I took part in the 90s style campaign HQ is talking about, and although a lot of the PC deaths were caused by other PCs base greed or stupidity, I heartily embrace the return of a rougher environment It simply adds a lot of flavour to the experience when you just dont know if your character will survive the session.
As for punishment, XP penalties are obvious and effective IMO.

[FMDeCorba]

Woohoo!

[weswood]

I played in a D&D game years ago, we were going through the module "Shrine of the Kuatoa". My character happend to touch an idol of thier diety. The DM pulled me into another room and told me the character was instantly transported to the goddess. She cursed my character, he had to kill 666 life levels of drow. After he was transported back to the party, they removed the curse- by killing my character!