D&D 5E GMs of EN World: What player behavior annoys you the most?

[tuxedoraptor]

Mostly people who bring characters based off of media to my table. I don't ask for much, I just want an original character that isn't a clone of some anime character or a superhero knockoff. The moment someone brings a character to my table like that, I just kick them out for good. I gave up trying to reason with them after the first fifteen.

Another thing that just mildly irks me is when people complain about my GM'ing style, not giving constructive critisim, just complaining.

For example:

"as you walk into the room, you see a long smear of blood with flies hovering over it leading from the middle of the room to a foul smelling door on the west wall, common sense tells you that something large died and was dragged into the west door"

"but you aren't supposed to tell us what to think!"

Sooo, I am not allowed to give you free hints on what is going on in the dungeon? I am forced to waste your time rolling to investigate the large, obvious bloodstain leading to a door to determine that yes, that is a bloodstain and yes, it leads to another door. I would rather not force you to roll for that. I think giving you clues on what it is that is lurking in the abandoned asylum should be pretty kosher.

 

[Random Bystander]

If your players need a large, obvious bloodstain that's smeared over the floor in the direction of a "foul-smelling door" explained, then they have some other problems...

 

[tuxedoraptor]

Everyone is human, we each understand things differently, I would rather make the intentions clear that the bloodstain leads to the door that has something foul smelling behind it. I don't want to mistakenly confuse my players into thinking that the bloodstain leads to another door or that a different door smells like a rotting corpse. I have ADHD myself, so I can understand paying attention to something intently one minute and just blanking out for a few seconds on something important.

Actually, why would anyone go in an abandoned asylum in the first place? Even adventurers should have higher standards.

 

[David Norris-King]

I agree with tuxedoraptor here. GMs often forget that the players only understand the world through you, so being specific is always a good thing.

Players aren't their characters, so why would it be a problem to tell them what kind of things might be going through their heads? It's like telling them things their character would know, even if the player can't remember it.

 

[Nevvur]

Actually, why would anyone go in an abandoned asylum in the first place? Even adventurers should have higher standards.

But there's treasure in abandoned asylums.

...right?

I've done similar descriptions with 'common sense' observations as you wrote about. Fortunately, no one has complained I'm telling them what their characters think, but I think I would find such protest a little annoying, as well. As a point of curiosity, did the player in question frequently ask for skill checks?

 

[Random Bystander]

Hmm...Good points.

 

[tuxedoraptor]

Actually no. He was still pretty new and wanted to play something "awesome" that translated to a tempest cleric. He insisted on never preparing healing spells and using a greatclub, as well as hide armor. The other players were curious on this decision and tried to show him that his character, while unique, is definitely going to be lackluster in battle. After the session ended, he quit because I was being too hard on him (having monsters smash him in the head after he tried to kill them for no reason, without discussing with the party, nor letting the face do the talking) If he wasn't so new I would have booted him much earlier. My group isn't min-maxers by any means, they use options that are mechanically better to get the most enjoyment out of the game. Also, mr.tempest cleric never cast much more than thunderclap and shocking grasp. I never understood why the tempest cleric never got shocking grasp,thunderclap OR lightning bolt/call lightning. Definitely odd.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Actually no. He was still pretty new and wanted to play something "awesome" that translated to a tempest cleric. He insisted on never preparing healing spells and using a greatclub, as well as hide armor. The other players were curious on this decision and tried to show him that his character, while unique, is definitely going to be lackluster in battle. After the session ended, he quit because I was being too hard on him (having monsters smash him in the head after he tried to kill them for no reason, without discussing with the party, nor letting the face do the talking) If he wasn't so new I would have booted him much earlier. My group isn't min-maxers by any means, they use options that are mechanically better to get the most enjoyment out of the game. Also, mr.tempest cleric never cast much more than thunderclap and shocking grasp. I never understood why the tempest cleric never got shocking grasp,thunderclap OR lightning bolt/call lightning. Definitely odd.

Tempest cleric does get call lightning.

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[Fauchard1520]

Given my most recent campaign, I would like to add "coming to session with the stomach flu" to the list.

 

[Ganymede81]

While it is half my fault as DM for not simply nipping it in the bud and moving the game forward, please do not hold a game up for 15 minutes arguing over a ruling, especially if it is over something that doesn't actually hurt your character.