[Kincaid]

Or, more likely, the GM is taking the setting FAR TOO seriously and it's ruining the actual game aspect for others. Far too often people put too much focus on the RP side and think that someone who mainly enjoys the Game side is "playing wrong".

Yeah. how dare someone try to role play in a RPG. 

There's a difference between roleplaying the setting and being so devoid of ideas that the only way you can convey the dystopian elements of the Sixth World is by killing off a character's backstory (which, in my mind, is a graver sin than killing off a character).  It's tough to say without further details, but it sounds like that's what's happening here.

Gamemasters act more as referees than they do opponents.  I have no problem allowing dumb ideas to come to fruition even if that fruition means players die, but that's the result of player action, not GM fiat.  I'm there to arbitrate between the players and the world, and it's a pretty bleak world, so that interaction is often very dangerous.  But if I lose my players' trust as a fair arbitrator, I'd expect to quickly lose my players.

[incrdbil]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of how a backstory was killed off from the OP. I mean, did  the GM just alter the characters established history, or kill off all of the NPC's that made up that backstory.  Was there a reason for it? Was the GM going somewhere with it? Or was he just arbitrarily screwing over the character?

[All4BigGuns]

Or, more likely, the GM is taking the setting FAR TOO seriously and it's ruining the actual game aspect for others. Far too often people put too much focus on the RP side and think that someone who mainly enjoys the Game side is "playing wrong".

Yeah. how dare someone try to role play in a RPG. 

Notice that I specifically said TOO MUCH focus on that portion to the exclusion of the Game aspect. The Game aspect is just as important.

[Michael Chandra]

I have no problem allowing dumb ideas to come to fruition even if that fruition means players die, but that's the result of player action, not GM fiat.

I developed the Common Sense roll for that: Logic+Intuition, guaranteeing near-everyone has at least 6 dice in it. If they roll good enough they realize just how bad an idea they are suggesting.

[Imveros]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of how a backstory was killed off from the OP. I mean, did  the GM just alter the characters established history, or kill off all of the NPC's that made up that backstory.  Was there a reason for it? Was the GM going somewhere with it? Or was he just arbitrarily screwing over the character?

yeah i would like more clarification on that as well. Right now i assume he means the following

GM looks at back-story, "Nah that wont work for MY GAME, your back story is this now. There we go much better"

[Critias]

GM power is a wildly variable thing that there's no right answer for.  The situation you're describing is pretty shitty and it makes it sound like your GM is, but in the grand scheme of things, GM fiat is a wildly fluctuating thing that varies from game to game, as trust grows.

The latter half of your question, though?  When is it time to find a new game?  That one's easy.  "When you're not having fun."  It doesn't matter why.  It doesn't matter if it's the GM, another player, or even the game and its rules.  It matters that, when you're playing a game, you're enjoying yourself.  Games are supposed to be fun.  That's what they're FOR.  You play games to sling dice and tell cool stories and have a good time.

If you're not having fun, why are you there?

[All4BigGuns]

Ok so here is what happened.

I"m a decker great dice pools for decking that's about it not so much of  combat person. The GM sends an Air spirt of unknown level to attack me at my home which has extra secure so it has high level of security. It just shows up knocks me out takes me before it knocks me out I let my team know. They come and shoot it with assault cannons and stuff no effect (Also no dice rolls). My characters contact who is a level 7 mage knows and would send a spirit but the GM refuses to say they do even after being contacted. The GM says the spirt flys away with you takes you to a warehouse and it blows up you are dead unless you spend all your edge even then your fixer is dead and all your gear is gone.

That's about what I thought. Your entire group needs to abandon this guy right now. If he did it to one of you, then it is a matter of time before he power trips again and does it to another person.

[Imveros]

Ok so here is what happened.

I"m a decker great dice pools for decking that's about it not so much of  combat person. The GM sends an Air spirt of unknown level to attack me at my home which has extra secure so it has high level of security. It just shows up knocks me out takes me before it knocks me out I let my team know. They come and shoot it with assault cannons and stuff no effect (Also no dice rolls). My characters contact who is a level 7 mage knows and would send a spirit but the GM refuses to say they do even after being contacted. The GM says the spirt flys away with you takes you to a warehouse and it blows up you are dead unless you spend all your edge even then your fixer is dead and all your gear is gone.

That's about what I thought. Your entire group needs to abandon this guy right now. If he did it to one of you, then it is a matter of time before he power trips again and does it to another person.

Yeah that sounds more like a temper tantrum than GMing. That's not telling a story, that's not enhancing the fun, that's him telling you to go F yourself, and that is never cool

[incrdbil]

I wouldn't even dignify that guy with the title of game master.

[All4BigGuns]

I wouldn't even dignify that guy with the title of game master.

Except that the sad thing is that there are more like that guy than there are good ones.

[Namikaze]

Attacking you with an air spirit is fine on it's own.  But there are a TON of holes in the logic of that story.

First, how did the air spirit find you?  Who sent it?
Second, how did the GM justify not bother doing dice rolls for your teammates' combat?
Third, how did the spirit get you to the warehouse?  Levitation is a thing, sure, but the spirit has to be manifested and drag your unconscious body through the air to the location.  Which is stupid.
Fourth, what is a level 7 mage contact?  If you're referring to a contact with a Connection of 7 then your GM has no idea what he's doing allowing anyone to have a contact like that.  Unless this is a 200+ karma game.
Fifth, what blew up the warehouse?
Sixth, did you explain to the GM that it takes burning only one Edge to save yourself from death?

This story violates so many of the rules of Shadowrun that I'm not convinced your GM actually knows how to play the game.  What did the GM say when you approached him with the problems?  What precipitated all this happening?

[Michael Chandra]

If Assault Cannons do no damage period then this Spirit would have to be Force 13+ at the least. Even a Force 12 can be hit by a Panther and MAY take damage. (18/-6 versus say 12+24 = 18 versus 12+18 = 9 versus 12+18 = small chance at doing a bit of damage.) And a Force 12 Spirit is, as I described it in my houserules topic, to a PR6 Team like a Force 6 to gangers, so massive overkill.

Anyway, yeah. Tell the GM that his actions violate not only every rule in Shadowrun, but also the social contract of gaming, so you're out.

[incrdbil]

I wouldn't even dignify that guy with the title of game master.

Except that the sad thing is that there are more like that guy than there are good ones.

I guess I'm lucky. My circles have had only had a few who tried and didnt measure up as good GM's: thankfully, I think many knew ahead of time they wouldn't and didn't try.

[Eurydice]

Oh jeez. When the GM throws hissy fits, time to bail. I actually started GMing because I've had so many of them act like that. Maybe you should give it a go~

[Basic]

I always end up GMing just wanna play some times you know ?

Currently GMing 4 games