Anyone else give their DM headaches?

[Eleraan]

So, I'm in a 5E Campaign on Mondays. The DM is running 3 separate campaigns of the same modules with 3 different groups. We've had a lot of great moments so far. Like at level one when my Fighter rolled a Wish on the random crit chart. Or when the Halfling Beast Master Ranger wanted a Pteranodon for his companion so the DM gave them a little side quest to find an egg in a cave. Then the halfling asked my 8 int outlander fighter for help carrying it, only to have him and the barbarian try and eat the egg for breakfast. And in the latest session our group followed the Barbarian to the green dragon's lair in the Mines of Phandelver module at level 3. We ended up beating it, but the best part was the DM's reaction when the Barbarian wanted to grapple the now shrunk dragon. He streams our sessions and you get to see his reactions to the crazy stuff we put him through. Honestly the best part of this group is the poor DM's reaction to our parties ideas.

If anyone wants to share here are my two favorite sessions so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RcbnoQuLWc&t=5184s
1 Hour 24 Mins in is where the Ranger asks for help carrying their egg. Poor DM looks like he was going to fall out of his chair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4G1rF9gs94&feature=share
20 Mins in is the best, when our Barb declares he would like to grapple the Dragon.

Getting to see the DM's reactions has made this one of the best FG campaigns I've ever been part of. Just had to share.

[PTBBC.ORG]

I am a DM most of the time and love when my players do things off the wall. Or, to actually play their character the right way. Those are amazing examples. I am always laughing at what my players do because it is unexpected. To me that's what D&D is about. It's fine to just smash and grab with dungeon crawls, I grew up on those, but interactions and craziness keeps a DM on their toes! So if your DM is having reactions like that, keep it up. I am sure he is enjoying it as well.

[Eleraan]

Lol thanks I sure do hope so. Was talking to the Barb (RL friend) he was talking about his bear thing giving him a 1000 lbs lift. Was like "if i pick up a 800 lb boulder and throw it at a goblin does it count as an improvised weapon and only do 1d4? Ima try it! " i can see our dm now lol

[LordEntrails]

Lol thanks I sure do hope so. Was talking to the Barb (RL friend) he was talking about his bear thing giving him a 1000 lbs lift. Was like "if i pick up a 800 lb boulder and throw it at a goblin does it count as an improvised weapon and only do 1d4? Ima try it! " i can see our dm now lol
LoL

This one's easy as a DM though. Lift does not equal throw :) So unless the goblin is going to crawl under the boulder and let the bear drop it on him, not a concern :) I don't know how heavy of an item I'd let someone throw, but it certainly would be pretty low percentage of their lift value.

As an example, I would look at Olympic shot put. Men's record for distance is 22.5 meters (23m for world record) and weights 7.26 kg (16 pounds). So, adding a heroic feel, I would say 5% of your lift value with a range of 20/60 ft for 1d6 bludgeoning.

Is that too analytical of a response?

[Eleraan]

Makes sense that it wouldn't be the full lift value. But 5% seems a little low. If your lift value was 1000. That would just be 50 pounds. Although that is a lot to throw 20/60 but I think it was more a tossing it on something right in front of it, kinda like a dead lift dropping his bar bell. I guess it would be a situational call based on what they were doing. Neither of us pictured him throwing it very far but would probably need to be taken into consideration.

[LordEntrails]

Absolutely situational. And it should help enable fun.

I was really surprised when I looked up the info on shot putting, the weight and distance was less than I expected. But it is a good reality check / point of reference. I don't know how I would rule, probably int he player favor, at least at the table because I know when I'm presented with something I haven't thought through prior I usually rule in favor of the players, at least giving them a chance with some rule.

[Ken L]

Try throwing the barbell that you bench press which is equal to your weight or more. Not easy eh?

Also I wouldn't call this giving your GM a headache, it's just factor of cool and surprise stuff really. If you actually give your DM a headache, then you're really just setting yourself up for an axe; limits vary from GM to GM.

[Eleraan]

Most DM seem to rule in the players favor when wierd stuff comes up. After all good DMs are story tellers at heart. And rules are just guidlines, what matters is that a good story and memories are created.

[Ken L]

Hah, it really depends on the action taken. I tend to think of two things, 1: is it possible? 2: if it affects an NPC, how would they react, not how the player thinks they will react. Yea i do weigh heavily for the players, but they won't get a 'get out of jail' free card every time.

A couple session ago my players blew off an airlock in a decrepit hanger dock for a scene straight out of 'halo 2'. You better believe I made them burn all their edge to survive violent depressurization and somehow using the fire bulk-head activation to survive; I can only guess that their next level up stat increase will be. In fairness, they did take out half of the gang they were sent in to infiltrate while in the middle of a cage fight that one of their own number was participating in. They already were stretching their luck (which pretty much is the edge mechanic), but it worked out.