Kicking out a player: share your stories/advice

Vahktang · Jul 15, 2007

It's gone too far.
He doesn't fit in the group.
His behaviour is objectionable.
He's disruptive to the game.
We'd have more fun without him.
Others have mentioned leaving and I'd have have him leave than them.
We are having a vote and if it is unanimous, he's out.

So, how should I do it?

Have you ever done it?

I figure the personal touch (not through email or over phone) and, as DM, alone. Don't muck up any relationships he'd have with other players.
And, the truth.

What say you all?

More later,

Vahktang

Asmor · Jul 15, 2007

What is the player's relationship with the rest of the group? Is he someone's friend, or just some random guy you game with?

If he's just some random guy, then kick him to the curb and say "Adios."

TheCrazyMuffinMan · Jul 15, 2007

Asmor said:
What is the player's relationship with the rest of the group? Is he someone's friend, or just some random guy you game with?

If he's just some random guy, then kick him to the curb and say "Adios."

Tell him he needs to leave, and why. Once he's already gone and can't really do much about it, feel free to do something to his character in the campaign if need be. Preferably something involving enervating leg-attracted dogs, or space cows, or a similar DM weapon of justice.

Ry · Jul 15, 2007

TheCrazyMuffinMan said:
Preferably something involving enervating leg-attracted dogs, or space cows, or a similar DM weapon of justice.

Perhaps Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion?

Doug McCrae · Jul 15, 2007

People will tell you to be honest with the guy. But you don't have to be. Here's how to kick him without him even knowing he's been kicked. We have done this in the past and it works.

The DM says he's stopping running the game, for whatever reason - game isn't working out, work pressure, wants to spend more time with his family, whatever. Then you simply restart the game, perhaps in a different venue or on another night to aid secrecy, minus the offending player. Simple and brilliant.

Doctor DM · Jul 15, 2007

Doug McCrae said:
People will tell you to be honest with the guy. But you don't have to be. Here's how to kick him without him even knowing he's been kicked. We have done this in the past and it works.

The DM says he's stopping running the game, for whatever reason - game isn't working out, work pressure, wants to spend more time with his family, whatever. Then you simply restart the game, perhaps in a different venue or on another night to aid secrecy, minus the offending player. Simple and brilliant.

Exactly what we've done twice. Don't even have to restart.

KingCrab · Jul 16, 2007

The restarting in secret method can be tricky, especially if other players in the campaign talk to the guy you're avoiding. If he finds out you've come up with a scheme to run things behind his back, he'll probably be more angry than if you just kicked him out.

Probably the best thing you could do is be completely honest, though he'll probably still hate you for kicking him out. It's not easy. I've put up with certain players for years because I didn't want to deal with banning them. Looking back, I think it would have been better to be honest.

TheCrazyMuffinMan · Jul 16, 2007

Also, if he's really trying to fit in with the game and it isn't working, he'll probably want to leave anyway. In that case, passive aggressive strategies are just likely to make things worse.

rgard · Jul 16, 2007

One guy who gamed with a group of my friends finally earned himself ejection. I don't have time to go into what he did to earn it, but it certainly rose to the level of ejection.

They decided to tell him that there would be a $15 or $20 fee to play each week paid to the DM who also hosted the game. The fee was to cover purchase of new D&D books, minis and accessories for the DM to use during the sessions. The offender was chronically under/unemployed so it did the trick.

They didn't have to change venue either.

The same guy (ejectee) used to come into my FLGS and play in a campaign I ran at the store and in a campaign one of my customers ran. I never kicked him out, but instead the other DM and I competed to come up with the best character death for the offender each week.

Thanks,
Rich

bento · Jul 16, 2007

I run my groups as a democracy and majority rules. This has led to one person I liked leaving the group, but they weren't meshing with the other players. Otherwise people who are chronic problems seem to find their own solutions to getting out of the game before we ever have the chance to kick them to the curb.

I think I've only had to tell one or two guys to leave, and it was after prompting by the rest of the group. I tell the offender that their style isn't meshing with the other players and they need to find another game. I give them the names of other DM running games in the area and wish them good luck.

Kicking out a player: share your stories/advice

Vahktang

First Post

Asmor

First Post

TheCrazyMuffinMan

First Post

Ry

Explorer

Doug McCrae

Legend

Doctor DM

First Post

KingCrab

First Post

TheCrazyMuffinMan

First Post

rgard

Adventurer

bento

Explorer

Similar Threads