‘Don't do this’: Dungeon master confronts dnd players after their foolish attempt to burn down a tree almost ends the campaign, forcing DM to reveal their plans

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
May 20, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

When playing Dungeons and Dragons, each of us reveals a certain personality that stays with us throughout every campaign. Some players are cautious; they want to assess every situation before jumping into action, and they don't like taking unnecessary risks. Other players are the exact opposite; they act first, think later, and they don't really care if their actions caused trouble or chaos for everyone else.

As a DM, it is your responsibility to be prepared for every type of player that might take part in your campaign. You must be prepared for slow-pacers who refuse to get along with the game, and those who thrive on mess and making you and everyone else around sweat.

However, some actions are so stupid that even the most seasoned Dungeon Master can't predict or stop. If a chaotic player decides to go through with an action that will lead to the destruction of the whole campaign, is there anything that could really be done to stop them?

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  • The only possible way to stop a player like that, is by actually telling them to stop. That is what happened in the story below, when a DM had to tell their players that if they went through with their foolish suggestions, they would end the entire campaign.

    Keep scrolling to read their reaction.

  • 01
    8 8 20 "I had to tell them it would end the campaign" C
    via gcammino
  • 02

    Last night, I had to tell my players, point blank, burning down a tree would end the campaign.

    One of my players, who I've been playing with for almost 20 years through many different campaigns and configurations and games, has
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 03
    a tendency to try to burn things down whenever I'm running a game. It's turned into a bit of a running joke, and as good humored as I am about it, I'm also a little annoyed at this point.
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 04
    The campaign I'm currently running is based off of the idea that there is a prophecy that needs to be fulfilled in order for the world to fix itself. One of the places that is referred to
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 05
    in the prophecy is a ginormous hollow tree that the party needs to visit. What they don't really know is that the tree itself is going to give them an answer that they need to solve the prophecy.
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 06
    For the past couple of months, my players have been joking about burning down the tree. Last night I had to tell them if they burn down the tree, the prophecy will be null and void
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 07
    and it will probably be several hundred years before a new prophecy tells them how to reset the world. It was delightful knowing that, at
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 08
    least for a few more sessions, I wouldn't have to worry about them burning down my major plot points. Edit for information: all of the four GMS in my group, I
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 09
    generally run the most open world games. At certain points in any game, there are places and objects that are important to the plot. If, instead of a very old very wise tree, this was a
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 10
    very old very wise elf, no one would think about burning it down. It just happens to be a tree. In fact, this is one of several trees that I put out there as
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 11
    possibilities for this next step. At this stage, they chose the tree, and if they burn it down that's their problem. They'd probably also choose to burn down any other tree involved.
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10507374336
    via bestdesigns
  • 13
    Honestly, this is one friend who is a great DM and an absolute chaos player! Their favorite type of character to play is an evil character on a redemption arc.
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 14
    Thank you to all those who recognize this as a funny story about d&d. Like I said, I've been playing with this group for 20 years. In fact, I started.
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 15
    playing when I was 8 and I'm now almost 40. I like having a place where I can share fun stories where it's unlikely that my players will see them.
    via Happy_Asterisk
  • 16
    IrrationalDesign As both a player and a DM who likes chaotic running jokes, sometimes the clarity is just nice. Don't do this thing. Okay! Loud and clear, chaos will be aimed elsewhere!
    via IrrationalDesign
  • 17
    Gearbox97 I mean yeah, that's good dming. At some point you gotta say, "Look, if you try to k the king all his men are going to k I you back, and it won't be my fault."
    via Gearbox97
  • 18
    Being polite but firm about the consequences for ridiculous actions up front is all fair in my book.
    via Gearbox97
  • 19
    recursionaskance "If any character is so foolish as to attempt to burn the tree, they suffer the damage from their own fire and the tree remains unharmed."
    via recursionaskance
  • 20
    BrideOfFirkenstein "Oh, you're looking for the tree? You mean the magical sentient tree that is invulnerable to flame and will not only reproach but immediately reflect any damage dealt? Yeah, I wouldn't mess around with that tree if I were you!" -npc giving them directions to the tree
    via BrideOfFirkenstein

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