player who rants about everything!

I'm play in a game with 3 other character plus the DM. We have one player who always complains about almost everything.
One time he complained on how the DM portraited a NPC, a barbarian who was trying to prove himself as a warrior. Basically the NPC saw a giant and wanted to attack it. Then later he complained on how the NPC's village was shown to be like. His biggest peeve was that the village, who was made up of his remaining clan members, joined with the enemy and given weapons in exchange for them to attack settlements. He argued that they would automatically know that they are evil and that they would never join with anyone like that.
A few games later, the player complained about how my character, who's had an issue with another character, killed the sorceress, the one he had a problem with. Only reason he did it was because the sorceress player wanted to try playing a new character. Originally I wrote to the DM how I was going to kill the character, kill the sorceress while she sleeps then steal the horses and get away. The problem player then got upset saying how he stays awake, keeping an eye on my character, always watching him also how they would hear my character killing the sorceress. What the player wanted was to have the sorceress retire, and hope that my character, who wanted revenge against her, would not follow. My character wouldn't, told the person as much, which upset him ever further.
We argued for hours, finally having the DM saying that I kill the sorceress with everyone hearing and my character running away.
The remaining characters took off after him, but with my high hide, it was impossible to find me. Finally the DM said that it was impossible for them to find me, which made the one player upset saying that he wanted to keep trying, all night if needed, which created another arguement.
I know that part of what happened was my fault, I did create the character after all, so I was fine with all the arguing.
We played again tonight, started at 5:30 and went til about 12. Through it all, we had maybe 2 hours, if that, of actual playing time. The character, who keeps having problems with everything, started arguing with the DM on how elves should act. He was arguing about the wierdest things, like the height of his 2nd character he plays, who is an elf. He had him originally at 5'11", which is tall for an elf. He said, in all the books he read, that elves are as tall as humans.
Another thing was that the party went to warn people about an in coming army. The party, right away went to warn the elves, who were ignored by the enemy army. I made a comment, as the player was on another of his rants. I know I shouldn't have but I did make the comment about how we ignored the major human settlements, stopping at only 3 small human villages along the way to the elves, which was further away in another direction. With the comment I made caused the one player to start on another of his rants. He said that the big human cities would know about the army as the small villages have been warned and sent out messangers. I know that the village said that would warn the close settlements, which didn't include any of the cities. He then said that the mage city along with the priest temple would know about the army because they have magic and could scry. This arguement went on for an hour, after which we just quit playing.
I know that I have caused some of these rants, and could except that he goes on for alittle while, but with all of his rants, it's making the game, well boring. I no longer make any interesting characters, it's easier to keep the one player from going on one of his rants this way, though I don't like playing characters like that.
Well, thanks for letting me rant. I've been keeping this in for a few weeks so it feels alittle better now.
Thanks
Akh

What to do...

If I were you I would look for another group to play wiht. First of all the DM should put the smack down on the player who keeps ranting about everything. Maybe if other players feel the smae way about him as you do, you should all confront him and or ask him to leave... It is a game after all and you should above all else have fun.

Usually when I rant, it is funny

Movies, television, people, etc.

I hate scooby doo!

I didn't know one of my former players had moved to Canada...


There's a good chance everybody in your group is aware of this issue and annoyed by it. There's a good chance everybody's waiting for somebody else to bring it up...

I think the DM is also at some fault here. He listened to this ideot. The DM seems to be easily persuaded. This is one of those times when I think the DM has to put his foot down (And kick that player back a few hundred yards.)

No no no Arcady!

arcady said:

I didn't know one of my former players had moved to Canada...

There's a good chance everybody in your group is aware of this issue and annoyed by it. There's a good chance everybody's waiting for somebody else to bring it up...

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Nah Arcady, I am sure that guy is from my old group... Hmm. Nah. You're probably right. My ranter always ranted about tactics he loved to use if I used them later against the group... even if the NPCs witnessed the parties tactic the first time. Suddenly the tactic was not fair, not by the rules, whatever.

Kick him. Hard and painful. Tell him to earn his cash as lawyer.

Ok, serious. Talk with the other players about it. Talk with the DM about it. Then talk with the ranter about it. Don't argue. Tell him what it's like for you and don't argue.

You haven't punched this guy square in the nose yet? Great patience you have, grasshopper.

Here's a rule that we instituted into our gaming group when it was first formed, and has lasted since then. It depends on your GM having a backbone; there's not a lot you can do other than suggest the idea to him and support him when he brings it up in the group.

The rule is simple. If the player has a concern with something that is happening in the game, he gets his chance to voice his opinion. The other players remain completely quiet unless they're personally being attacked, at which point they get a say too. Anyone speaking gets one minute to present their case, then the GM decides on what happens. Sometimes he'll change things to fit with the concerns, other times he has reasons for what he's doing. Once he makes his final decision, everyone agrees the issue is dropped and you move on.

If there's still a problem, AFTER the session the player can call for a longer debate (we called this the World-Fixing Committee or something like that). In this situation, the GM isn't the final voice on things, but the players should lend his arguments more weight seeing as he knows more about the campaign and world than do any others.

It worked really well in our group, but then we never had any big problem-players. It might be worth considering for your group, but I don't know if the player in question is they type that would go for it.

-Mike

You haven't punched this guy square in the nose yet? Great patience you have, grasshopper.

Click to expand...

Yeah, it's something I picked up when I was young... stopped parents form getting angry.

There's a good chance everybody in your group is aware of this issue and annoyed by it. There's a good chance everybody's waiting for somebody else to bring it up...

Click to expand...

I'm not sure how the other players feel, but I will be asking them.

I would like to play with a different group, but I know of none in my small town. Plus, the fact that I live out in the shticks, kinda puts the dampers of many things.

Well, thanks for all the comments, I'll ask and find out how the other players feel first before talking with the problem player.

I would definitely bring it up to the whole group. That's the most annoying thing... (ranters.. blech)

If that doesn't work, kick him in the junk.