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Message no. 1
From: Adam Getchell <acgetchell@*******.EDU>
Subject: Evil GMs [Re: Body Snatchers]
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 23:47:45 -0700
>On Mon, 31 Aug 1998, David Buehrer wrote:
> <Hmmm... wonder if I should apply for EvilGM status....>

Your application for EvilGM status has been accepted ... ;-)

Please answer the following questions:

Do you have a reputation amongst players causing them to design the most
efficient characters possible in fear of what they will meet?

What was the shortest time a character played before dying?

What was the greatest number of PC deaths in one incident?

What percentage of the PC deaths result directly from actions they have taken?

How many PC's have been directly responsible for the deaths of other PCs?

Were they proud of it?

How many times have you given PC's exactly what they wanted?

How many times have they begged to give it back?

Did you let them?

If so, why?

How many PC's have begged you to let them kill their characters?

How often do you torture magicians with the Dweller on the Threshold?

How often has magic gone badly?

How many times have they gone against the military?

Did they win?

Do your rolls as GM statistically outweigh the combined luck of all the
players?

Do your players accept missions knowing that they will never, ever, be able
to complete them?

Why do they keep trying?

I'm sure the other members of the Evil GM Accreditation Board can come up
with further questions.

As a side note, my answers to the above questions are yes, 5 seconds, 8,
75%, 6, yes, more often than I can count, more often than I can count, no,
N/A, 5, every time, more often than I can count, 4, no, yes, yes, I don't
know ...

<evil grin>

> ]:-)

>Fixer --------------} The easy I do before breakfast,
--Adam

acgetchell@*******.edu
"Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability in the opponent." --Sun Tzu
Message no. 2
From: David Foster <fixer@*******.TLH.FL.US>
Subject: Re: Evil GMs [Re: Body Snatchers]
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 11:47:53 -0400
On Tue, 1 Sep 1998, Adam Getchell wrote:

->>On Mon, 31 Aug 1998, David Buehrer wrote:
->> <Hmmm... wonder if I should apply for EvilGM status....>
->
->Your application for EvilGM status has been accepted ... ;-)
->
->Please answer the following questions:
->
->Do you have a reputation amongst players causing them to design the most
->efficient characters possible in fear of what they will meet?

Yes. Although I change campaign types regularly so when the
players design combat monsters I have them have an active social campaign.
Gotta play with their minds.

->What was the shortest time a character played before dying?

Player deaths are rare in my campaign, because my players are not
stupid not because of me. I think the shortest period was one evening of
real time, two weeks of game time. Poor little mage taking on three toxic
spirits.

->What was the greatest number of PC deaths in one incident?

As stated, few PC deaths. No more than two per session. Darn
players plan WAY too well... although severe mistakes are occasional
they're more inconveniences than dangerous.

->What percentage of the PC deaths result directly from actions they have taken?

100%. I don't hunt characters, they can die right finely on their
own. Something like jumping on a grenade or taking on ridiculous numbers
in an attempt to be heroic usually occurs.

->How many PC's have been directly responsible for the deaths of other PCs?

Yes, which reminds me, if any of you actually get to play in a
group with myself and my wife, don't piss her off, she will kill you and
smile later.

->Were they proud of it?

See above.

->How many times have you given PC's exactly what they wanted?

Several times. ]:-)

->How many times have they begged to give it back?

Several times. ]:-)

->Did you let them?

Of course not, you get what you pay for, and a fixer's gotta make
a living too....

->If so, why?

Moot point.

->How many PC's have begged you to let them kill their characters?

Few. They all get kinda attached, which makes what I do to them
even more fun.

->How often do you torture magicians with the Dweller on the Threshold?

I only got the chance once. My mages never tried again.... ]:-)

->How often has magic gone badly?

My players don't like playing magicians, so this hasn't come up
often. Cyberware problems, however, are recurrent.

->How many times have they gone against the military?

My players? Too smart. They know what I'd do to them if they
tried.

->Did they win?

Haven't tried but no, they would not.

->Do your rolls as GM statistically outweigh the combined luck of all the
->players?

My rolls outweigh any statistics, as player or GM. Especially
those little oven-bake rolls.... mmmmmmmmm......

->Do your players accept missions knowing that they will never, ever, be able
->to complete them?

No. Intelligence factor.

->Why do they keep trying?

They don't.

->I'm sure the other members of the Evil GM Accreditation Board can come up
->with further questions.
->
->As a side note, my answers to the above questions are yes, 5 seconds, 8,
->75%, 6, yes, more often than I can count, more often than I can count, no,
->N/A, 5, every time, more often than I can count, 4, no, yes, yes, I don't
->know ...
->
-><evil grin>
->
->> ]:-)
->
->>Fixer --------------} The easy I do before breakfast,
->--Adam
->
->acgetchell@*******.edu
->"Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability in the opponent." --Sun Tzu
->


Fixer --------------} The easy I do before breakfast,
the difficult I do all day long,
the impossible only during the week,
and miracles performed on an as-needed basis....

Now tell me, what was your problem?
Message no. 3
From: "Ojaste,James [NCR]" <James.Ojaste@**.GC.CA>
Subject: Re: Evil GMs [Re: Body Snatchers]
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 12:39:06 -0400
Adam Getchell wrote:
> Do you have a reputation amongst players causing them to design the most
> efficient characters possible in fear of what they will meet?
>
Yes, although I don't really know why. If I want something to strike
fear into their hearts, they're *not* going to take it out that easily.

> What was the shortest time a character played before dying?
> What was the greatest number of PC deaths in one incident?
> What percentage of the PC deaths result directly from actions they have
> taken?
> How many PC's have been directly responsible for the deaths of other PCs?
> Were they proud of it?
>
PC deaths aren't a good way of defining a truly evil GM, just a mean
one. When normally polite players start insulting you, however... :-)

> How many times have you given PC's exactly what they wanted?
>
Never - I'm willing to give them what they *ask* for, on the other hand.

> How many times have they begged to give it back?
>
Well, the PCs can't ask the GM, and the players know better than to try.

> Did you let them?
>
Hah!

> If so, why?
>
If they really want, they can trade it in for something better. :-)

> How many PC's have begged you to let them kill their characters?
>
You meant players, I hope. None. They know better.

> How often do you torture magicians with the Dweller on the Threshold?
> How often has magic gone badly?
>
I don't GM SR...

> How many times have they gone against the military?
>
It's always a fun theme.

> Did they win?
>
Yeah, right. They can win battles against individuals, but *not* take
on an army at once.

> Do your rolls as GM statistically outweigh the combined luck of all the
> players?
>
No. I can't roll dice to save my NPCs lives.

> Do your players accept missions knowing that they will never, ever, be
> able
> to complete them?
>
I try and make stuff they do convoluted enough that they never really
know what they're doing. :-)

> Why do they keep trying?
>
It's fun!

> I'm sure the other members of the Evil GM Accreditation Board can come up
> with further questions.
>
How many PCs have been placed under the exclusive care of a mental
health professional?
How long did they have to stay?

James Ojaste
Message no. 4
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Evil GMs [Re: Body Snatchers]
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 15:17:40 EST
Hey, Since this was posted public....

> Please answer the following questions:
>
> Do you have a reputation amongst players causing them to design the
> most efficient characters possible in fear of what they will meet?

No...they prefer to have characters that last longer than it takes to
make them...:)

> What was the shortest time a character played before dying?

30 minutes.

> What was the greatest number of PC deaths in one incident?

6

> What percentage of the PC deaths result directly from actions they have taken?

75%

> How many PC's have been directly responsible for the deaths of other PCs?

3 (out of 10)

> Were they proud of it?

Very

> How many times have you given PC's exactly what they wanted?

Once. (I was young, and I needed the money)

> How many times have they begged to give it back?

They don't have nice manipulative desires like that, sadly...

> Did you let them?

No, see Above

> If so, why?
> How many PC's have begged you to let them kill their characters?

3

> How often do you torture magicians with the Dweller on the Threshold?

90% of the time they take an astral Quest.

> How often has magic gone badly?

20% of the time

> How many times have they gone against the military?

6 times in the last 5 years...

> Did they win?

A few lived, does that count?

> Do your rolls as GM statistically outweigh the combined luck of all the
> players?

Never. My rolls suck. I compensate by giving the enemy situational
advantages. :)

> Do your players accept missions knowing that they will never, ever, be able
> to complete them?

Yes

> Why do they keep trying?

Because I'm that good. (and modest...)


-=SwiftOne=-
Message no. 5
From: Jett <zmjett@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Evil GMs [Re: Body Snatchers]
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 17:17:46 -0400
Adam Getchell wrote:

>
> Please answer the following questions:


My turn!
>
> Do you have a reputation amongst players causing them to design the most
> efficient characters possible in fear of what they will meet?
>

Nope. My players have given up trying to prepare for what I'm gonna
throw at them, because they know that 9 out of 10 times the impending
evil is unavoidable. :>

> What was the shortest time a character played before dying?

I generally don't kill characters until they REALLY ask for it. I'm very
selective about who I let play, so I haven't gotten a chance to kill
anyone yet...

> What was the greatest number of PC deaths in one incident?
>
See above

> What percentage of the PC deaths result directly from actions they have taken?

100%. I only kill PCs if they do something that REALLY asks for it.
Otherwise, I'm actually pretty nice when it comes to killing...Although
I'm fond of maiming them both physically and psychologically just for
kicks.


> How many times have you given PC's exactly what they wanted?

I once spent 15 minutes trying not to fall over laughing when an
impatient would-be runner approached the Johnson...the WRONG Johnson.
His J was half an hour late, see, and so he just went up to the first
guy in a suit to walk into the room and started talking biz.


> How many times have they begged to give it back?

He was pretty damn embarassed. By this time, the other players were
laughing at him, too, because my NPC filled them all in on it.

> How many PC's have begged you to let them kill their characters?

Only one. Because he was so impressed with the gruesome ends that my
NPCs meet fairly regularly, he wanted to be in the hall of fame. :)

> How often do you torture magicians with the Dweller on the Threshold?

Bah. Who needs the Dweller when I can mess with them so many other ways?

My Evil tends to be a bit more...subtle, but it's pervasive. :) Or else,
just plain weird. I definitely have a taste for the bizarre. Ask my PCs
about the time I made them spend three hours in my version of the
California Ghost House, going around in circles. Ask them about the Free
Ally spirit named Harvey, who is, you guessed it, a fat guy in a bunny
suit. Or perhaps ask about Fluffy the Man-Eating Cocker Spaniel. Or
about the horde of angry poodles. Or why every time they see a
cockroach, they react with either a Force 6 Powerbolt or a PAC shot. Go
ahead. :) Currently, I'd doing a run where the players have to talk a
depressed Greater Western Dragon into giving up a liter of some bodily
fluid that's needed for magical research...

--Jett

<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>


"I'll make this clear, that I'm just here for backup. And to offer the
occasional advice or insult."
--Jett, on being an NPC

Behold the mighty sonic scream of the Jett!

http://www.scifi-fantasy.com/~zmjett/shadow.htm
Message no. 6
From: Martin Steffens <chimerae@***.IE>
Subject: Re: Evil GMs [Re: Body Snatchers]
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 12:42:47 +0000
and thus did Adam Getchell speak on 1 Sep 98 at 23:47:

> Please answer the following questions:
>
> Do you have a reputation amongst players causing them to design the most
> efficient characters possible in fear of what they will meet?

They can try :>

> What was the shortest time a character played before dying?

Two sessions. I took one to realize that the player cheated like hell
during char-gen and eliminated his PC's the next time.

> What was the greatest number of PC deaths in one incident?

Four (out of a party of five)

> What percentage of the PC deaths result directly from actions they have taken?

roughly 90%. The 10% was the muchie/cheater elimination. My players
have a tendency to be fairly smart, but fail horribly at crucial
stages due to pure and simple oversight.

> How many PC's have been directly responsible for the deaths of other PCs?

Two.

> Were they proud of it?

Ask Gurth, I think he was :). the other time it was necessary to
prevent the rest of the team to be killed (possessed by ghost).

> How many times have you given PC's exactly what they wanted?

Twice.

> How many times have they begged to give it back?

Never, they died before they realized the double edged sword
hovering over them.

> Did you let them?

Well, I did give them a few hints... Make that quite a few.

> If so, why?

It was part of a campaign and a possible end solution was to give up
these super powerful items to be destroyed. Sadly they got muchie.
So instead of using the weapons to interrupt the summoning of
Slaneesh (warhammer FRP), they used them against the god. Didn't work
very well... and I did give them a manuscript telling exactly how to
disrupt the summoning too... tsk tsk.

> How many PC's have begged you to let them kill their characters?

Five, two actually committed suicide in the Pratchett way (walking
through the Shades at night).

> How often do you torture magicians with the Dweller on the Threshold?

Never, it takes too much time and the rest gets bored.

> How often has magic gone badly?

A few times, mostly thanks to the mage seriously underestimating the
area of effect, or how difficult it is to succeed with high target
numbers.

> How many times have they gone against the military?

Two times.

> Did they win?

One time, but it was only a partial victory, and in the end they
lost more than they won.

> Do your rolls as GM statistically outweigh the combined luck of all the
> players?

By a large amount. To bad the bloody little traitors stop working
that way when I'm a player.

> Do your players accept missions knowing that they will never, ever, be able
> to complete them?

Nope, they're optimists.

> Why do they keep trying?

See above :)



Karina & Martin Steffens
chimerae@***.ie

Further Reading

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Thwap!