[Basic]

I wanted to ask how much power should a GM be allowed to exert over a player before a player should just leave the game for bad GMing ?

[Sendaz]

Could you clarify the statement abit, as in some examples of the GM power being exerted?

If the GM is basically railroading a player at every turn so that only a very specific set of circumstances allow for success you may have to consider your role and whether you are playing out a scenario or is the GM basically playing it out through you.  But again each situation is unique and you have to look at the overall game before throwing down the gauntlet.

What are you considering to be 'bad'?  Again, a little more information will be useful.

A basic rule of thumb is if you are not having fun, you need a new table.

[incrdbil]

Its not a question of 'power'. Its comes down to having an enjoyable game experience.  If it comes down to that there is no room for mutual enjoyment of a game, because no compromise can be found that works equally for both parties,  then the player might want to find a new game, and the GM probably will be happy to have the player gone as well.

[Basic]

GM killing off player characters with no dice rolls or killing off characters whole backgrounds with no dice rolls and no explanation to how it could happen when there is so much in place to make sure exactly that did not happen.

[All4BigGuns]

GM killing off player characters with no dice rolls or killing off characters whole backgrounds with no dice rolls and no explanation to how it could happen when there is so much in place to make sure exactly that did not happen.

Let me guess, is the closest thing to an explanation "I'm the GM. I am god."?

[incrdbil]

Details. I can see situations where a PC gets killed without a dice roll: there are plenty of un-survivable situations. But those should be very rare and, and generally can be attributed to gross recklessness by the player. How was the Pc in this situation killed, and why.

And how is a background 'killed'?

[All4BigGuns]

Details. I can see situations where a PC gets killed without a dice roll: there are plenty of un-survivable situations. But those should be very rare and, and generally can be attributed to gross recklessness by the player. How was the Pc in this situation killed, and why.

And how is a background 'killed'?

You're only correct if by "very rare" and "attributed to gross recklessness" you mean "restricted to such situations as pushing a big red button with a sign that says 'Do not push. Will detonate 20 kiloton nuclear device in basement.'"

Otherwise there is no excuse for basically killing a character via fiat without giving some opportunity to use the character's abilities to extricate themselves from the situation.

[Imveros]

Details. I can see situations where a PC gets killed without a dice roll: there are plenty of un-survivable situations. But those should be very rare and, and generally can be attributed to gross recklessness by the player. How was the Pc in this situation killed, and why.

And how is a background 'killed'?

You're only correct if by "very rare" and "attributed to gross recklessness" you mean "restricted to such situations as pushing a big red button with a sign that says 'Do not push. Will detonate 20 kiloton nuclear device in basement.'"

Otherwise there is no excuse for basically killing a character via fiat without giving some opportunity to use the character's abilities to extricate themselves from the situation.

Yeah the only time ive seen a runner killed with no roll was due to an arrangement with the player. He wanted to move on to a new runner and wanted his old runner to go out like a Boss. To me a GMs job is to be flexible. My mantra is "why say no when it is more fun to say yes, but there will be consequences"

[8-bit]

My mantra is "why say no when it is more fun to say yes, but there will be consequences"

Many a D&D session has ended very memorably due to this idea. "Oh, you want to look into the big conspicuous book? Sure, roll me a Will Save."

[incrdbil]

You're only correct if by "very rare" and "attributed to gross recklessness" you mean "restricted to such situations as pushing a big red button with a sign that says 'Do not push. Will detonate 20 kiloton nuclear device in basement.'"

Otherwise there is no excuse for basically killing a character via fiat without giving some opportunity to use the character's abilities to extricate themselves from the situation.

Never underestimate the ability of some players to put themselves into situations where no dice rolling can save them, despite giant warning flags (and even 'attribute based 'saving throws' to suggest that what they were doing was unwise).  Sometimes a poor choice or decision gets you killed, and dice rolling can't do anything about it.

Of course, there's always edge burning in SR,  though I don't believe a GM always has to allow that either, but they better have a good reason not to. I've only done so once, and even the player agreed their character should be dead.

Still, its very unique and rare, and if it is coming up semi-regularly, then something is wrong; some gross misunderstanding, miscommunication, or it could be a bad GM.  I'm reluctant to automatically attribute anything to a bad GM until I hear the specifics of what the player(s) were doing.

[farothel]

I can see a reason, but as said, due to player stupidity.
Player: 'I do a full frontal charge on the Aztec pyramid'
GM: 'you die'

I think this is perfectly acceptable as GM to have this ruling without rolling any dice.

[All4BigGuns]

I can see a reason, but as said, due to player stupidity.
Player: 'I do a full frontal charge on the Aztec pyramid'
GM: 'you die'

I think this is perfectly acceptable as GM to have this ruling without rolling any dice.

Depends on many factors there. While it isn't likely, it is certainly possible to be able to do some damage and manage to escape. Why just say "You die" when you can have a battle scene of epic proportions?

[incrdbil]

I can see a reason, but as said, due to player stupidity.
Player: 'I do a full frontal charge on the Aztec pyramid'
GM: 'you die'

I think this is perfectly acceptable as GM to have this ruling without rolling any dice.

Depends on many factors there. While it isn't likely, it is certainly possible to be able to do some damage and manage to escape. Why just say "You die" when you can have a battle scene of epic proportions?

Or have a very painful, once sided scenario to display in horrible, painful, detail to the player just how bad that idea was. Call it a teaching moment.

[JimmyCrisis]

I wanted to ask how much power should a GM be allowed to exert over a player before a player should just leave the game for bad GMing ?

However much you are willing to put up with.  The game is a social contract between the players and GM.  If you're fed up with their antics, let them know you don't have to put up with their bull drek.

GM killing off player characters with no dice rolls or killing off characters whole backgrounds with no dice rolls and no explanation to how it could happen when there is so much in place to make sure exactly that did not happen.

Yeah, I would dump your GM.

The GM gets the world, you get your character.  In my opinion, if the GM wants to mess with your character they need to do it fairly with the rulebook, within the setting and the tone of the game.  Under no circumstances should the GM be callously or arbitrarily killing off or messing with characters.

Character death should be poignant, not trite.

[All4BigGuns]

I can see a reason, but as said, due to player stupidity.
Player: 'I do a full frontal charge on the Aztec pyramid'
GM: 'you die'

I think this is perfectly acceptable as GM to have this ruling without rolling any dice.

Depends on many factors there. While it isn't likely, it is certainly possible to be able to do some damage and manage to escape. Why just say "You die" when you can have a battle scene of epic proportions?

Or have a very painful, once sided scenario to display in horrible, painful, detail to the player just how bad that idea was. Call it a teaching moment.

Nope, no or there. What you're suggesting is the equivalent of swatting a pet with a newspaper rolled around a piece of rebar. That's not fun. The difficult battle of epic proportions with a minutely slim chance of victory and a larger (yet still kind of slim) chance of escape can be a game session remembered and discussed for decades to come.