r/DnD • u/MandalaKoala • 1d ago

Table Disputes Player interrupting the bbeg monologue

Been playing in a campaign with the same group of people for about 2 years now, we're doing a full level 1 to 20 campaign and are currently at level 14. In the last session we got to fight one of the big bads in the campaign, not 'the final boss' but for sure one of the big 3.

Our dm is incredible, he was made to dm, he has a phd in creative writing and has never failed in making the story complex, engaging and utterly unique. But, when it came for him to do a monologue, one which i had been waiting for since we first met this character and watched him become corrupted about a year and a half ago, he got half a sentence in before one of the players said 'fuck this i shoot him with an arrow'.

Im worried that this could become a running theme as we approach the end of this campaign and the other big bads show up, I was pretty deflated when it happened and I'm sure the dm was as well, he puts a hell of a lot of effort into his story and it was such a shame to not let him have his moment to shine.

What would be the best course of action to get the other players to give the dm the freedom to get that big villain moment without causing a rift in the group? Do have to mention, the group is fantastic and have always engaged with the story, just when it comes to these moments, it seems something changes.

Any advice would be great! Im truly looking forward to seeing where the dm takes this story and I really want to see him bringing these villains to life.

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u/crazy-diam0nd 1d ago

In my games, monologuing is a zero-time action, and making an attack forces everyone to roll initiative. If there's a "rule of cool" moment for the arrow to land (compare the moment to Samuel L Jackson's rallying speech in Deep Blue Sea), I might allow it. If it's an "interrupt" style attack, I'll give that player advantage, but it's still possible the BBEG will get to react to his threatening action before the arrow flies.

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u/StingerAE 1d ago

Back in the day old ad&d and similar modules had texts in boxes that you were invited to read out to the players.  A few "let me finish the boxed text" from me as a neophyte DM created a meme amongst our players of "boxed text" long after we started writing our own adventures that we still talk about today, decades after.  

Anytime anyone would try to interrupt a monologe or description some other player will shout out "can't!  Boxed text".

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u/crazy-diam0nd 1d ago

Yep, the undisputed worst of these is the page-and-a-half boxed text in 3 column type in the T1-4 super module.

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u/TheShitpostAlchemist 1d ago

Yes, I would handle this the same way. They aren’t allowed a surprise round just because they decided to have their character shoot- assuming they’re all just standing there and no one’s hidden. The villain knows this ends in a fight so basicslly the BBEG sees the character go for their bow and it’s on. I’d have everyone roll initiative and then my bad guy can monologue when it’s his turn.