So, maybe a much pettier (and less interesting) AITA than most… but here goes.
\-I have been playing a long term RPG game with a close friend as a DM.
\-DM is playing with a group that is much less experienced than I am.
\-As I am a Playtester for the game system, I was given loads of restrictions on what I am allowed or not allowed to do.
\-Unfortunately, my character is still significantly better than rest of party.
\-2 years have passed.
\-A lot of my character’s actions are outright blocked or does not give good results regardless of rolls. This is to make sure I do not dominate the board (which I understand).
\-Everyone else gets their time in the sun. I do not, ever.
\-Somehow, rest of the board still has the perception that I am still OP or the group favorite. I have only ever played support for other players’ arcs.
\-Bring this up. DM/friend still seems hesitant on allowing me to do anything meaningful in the campaign due to both system and IRL experience+knowledge advantage.
AITA for feeling bitter? Or am I just being an attention whore?
NTA if you are the only one given restriction they specifically target you and that is not okay find a new friend group
The problem is that even with restrictions OP is significantly more powerful than the other plays because they know the rules inside out. If the DM doesn’t handicap them in some way they will take over the game to some extent. It would be like having a professional soccer player on a team with people who play once a month. The pro will just dominate the game and ruin it for the others. I suspect that they are just not compatible as they want to play the game in a very different way to the rest of the group.
NTA
You’ve play tested this system for two years. That’s fine. Whether or not the other players have been around the same amount of time, your friend has had plenty of play testing.
Honestly? It sucks if this is a friend you care about, but I would find another group to play with. It doesn’t sound as if this one is much fun for you any more.
NTA, find a game where you aren’t hamstrung arbitrarily.
Or, ask to start a new charecter that plays by the same rules as everyone else.
NTA, A big part of being a DM is making sure all your players are included, if you’ve been consistently forgotten for 2 years, just because your character’s build is different from the others, that sucks.
There would be some really good ways to work a character like that into the plot, especially with your powers blocked most of the time, because every once in a while, you could work essentially as a ‘weapon’ for the other players. Or power up other characters to match more with your power level. This just seems mean to me.
NAH. I suspect you are just not a great fit for this group due to having different play styles. It sounds like you’re a power gamer who likes to use the game system to be powerful while they’re not into that. You can make that combination of people work but in my experience it only works if the non power gamers are ok with the power gamer taking the lead in combat and being overpowered compared to them. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like your group is OK with that.
That probably did play a lot into it – though the problem actually came from the fact that a lot of the new players didn’t know what they wanted to play as much as how to create the character.
So it ended up creating an odd situation where my support character ended up being 2nd best combatant, 2nd best skill monkey and best negotiator by far…. When the designated lord can’t RP out of a paper bag (and frustratingly does not put any points into noble skills).
Being introduced as “the experienced player who the DM spoke so highly of before being introduced” did not help.
Is it no possible to start a new character?
NTA but you don’t belong in this game.
NTA. The DM seems to be in over his head, not knowing how to integrate you better into the campaign.
NTA. Two years of this seems like a lot. As ever, the prime question is “are you having fun?” And it sounds like the answer is no. Talk to the DM and see if he, and the other players, listen. If not, move on to a more experienced group.
Is it possible to bench your current character and give you a new one (with a slight handicap if needed) so you would be more ‘on level’ with the rest of the table? Other than that I can’t really see this working out.
NTA
As a DM, I probably never would have added you to a group of relative newbies. What’s fun for them isn’t really going to be what you are after and vise versa.
But then again, as a DM I am not at all a fan of how veteran players optimize the shit out of their characters to begin with.