Help I think one of my players is a metagaming munchkin...

[Bathnor]

Greetings everyone I hope you can help with a dilemma I have. I am currently running the WLD as a 3.5e gesalt campaign. If you are familiar with it you know it is massive. My players are a bit over halfway done.

Now my problem comes from one of my players and my DM senses tell me he's downloaded the PDF and is using it to help guide the party. He's joked before that he downloaded the PDF. At the time I thought he was just messing with me.

SInce then though he has called out what 2 of the BBEGs are ... before they received that information from NPC's. (A Kraken and the Tarrasque) They have yet to encounter either of these and only last session learned of the Kraken.

Now I'm not sure how to approach this. Do I kill his character outright via lightning or a small cave in? Do I start having the NPCs metagame against his character? DO I ban him from the group and tell him stfu not on my watch? Or do I change stuff just to mess with him??

He's not some random guy either, we've been friends for a lot of years. I understand the WLD is massive .... but there's no need to cheat. So .. what would you do if this happened to you?

 

[billd91]

He may be encountering (or seeking) spoilers on the internet too and not just the PDFs. After a certain point, you can expect spoilers to no longer be hidden ("Luke, I am your father"), but it sure sounds like he's going beyond merely encounter spoilers randomly.

I'd probably change things before I'd bust him on it. Let him come to his own conclusions about the value of his insider knowledge. If he persists in being a spoiling fool, talk to him about it.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Agree with billd91. I'd change things, both subtle (like map orientations, new NPC names, unexpected hazards, etc), and significant (like a bbeg's fire attack becomes an acid attack, a bbeg becomes something else in disguise, an item's powers are different than published). I don't think I'd actually call him on it unless he complained about the changes-- which would be an admission of guilt!

But I'd also give hints about the changes, and would avoid being blatantly deceptive. That way, he has to pay attention to be prepared. And if he relies on spoiler information and gets crushed despite your hints, that's his problem. If he cries foul, call him on it.

 

[Wyrmwood]

Metagaming

This happened to me when running an Aberrant game. The PC had telepathy, and the player downloaded the PDF when I had specifically asked him not to. Later one of the players informed me that the player in question had commented how I had not greatly changed things. So I changed tactics a little, changed up the main NPC and gave the characters an almost deadly surprise. I've since let this game drop as the player in question was a twink. Good luck with your dilemma, if the player in question is not particularly a friend, ask them to leave. If they are, change things up as the other posters commented. Cheaters don't deserve to have fun with other honest players. Best of luck.

 

[milo]

If I remember correctly one of the things about the module was that it had every creature from the monster manual in it. If that is the case I would assume that the Tarrasque would be in there as well as the Kraken. As to the locations I wouldn't have a guess, but I would hope that they would be somewhere pretty far along. As a DM I have never ran a module as it is written, it is too easy to run across spoilers or download the module and find info.
For this player I would pull him aside and give him a chance to come clean about it. If he denies it let it die there until he shows that he has metagame knowledge and then bring the hammer down. A lot of times just knowing that someone is on to you will clean up your act. If he admits it let him stay and give him a warning about using the knowledge he has about the module. Sometimes I have found it useful to have someone in the party who knows a little about modules to keep them moving if they are in a standstill/have no clue where to go. Of course you don't want them to solve any puzzles or find the solution to a dilemma before anyone else tries, but it is a great last resort. As long as the two of you can work it out he can almost be a DM tool.

 

[slwoyach]

I suggest just cutting off a pinky. If that doesn't teach him it'll cost an index finger next time.

 

[jefgorbach]

What he's doing is akin to replaying a video game or re-watching a movie. Just because you've already seen it once, doesnt lessen the enjoyment the second, third, etc time around even though you already know whats coming.

So unless his metagaming is intentionally disrupting the game AND the others are upset by his ability to help overcome obstacles/missed opportunities they might not have otherwise achieved -- then his knowledge really isnt hindering anyone's fun and doesnt matter.

If the latter IS the case, then quietly mention the fact outside the game with the adage further transgressions WILL trigger unspecified in-game repercussions and alter details however you see fit to specifically penalize HIS character: altered powers, boosted minions, reduced treasure, etc. For example, the treasure he's counting on getting still exists as described, but bears an additionally curse causing a debuff, inflicts a negative Feat, causes all animals to become hostile to HIM, or perhaps triggers an undesirable spell effect each time its used. Maybe each hit/spell effect triggered inflicts equal damage to its user ... and like all cursed items cant be relinquished without a Remove Curse/Limited Wish is used to sever the owner/item bond first.

 

[Gilladian]

Have a chat with him out of game.

The problem with "punishing" him in game is that this is passive-aggressive. He doesn't know that you know what he's done, so he has no way of applying the lesson, and he's just going to end up cheating worse because his initial cheat didn't get him what he wanted - an easier route to survival. The problem will only escalate.

This also applies to changing the adventure up. That's hard work for you. Most DMs who run modules "as is" do it because they don't have the time to design something from scratch. Or perhaps the energy/imagination. Any of these lacks, means that redesigning becomes a real issue.

So talk to him. Explain that you're not sure he's cheated, but you think he may have. Ask him to STOP now. If he's already read massive amounts, ask him to keep it to himself, and try not to rely on it in game. Tell him you WILL make a few changes, just to keep the game fresh for him; and then do what you have time/energy to do.

Ask him to look at it from your perspective; you spent $100 on this adventure, and he's ruining your fun. What would he think if someone did this to him?

If he's a friend, he'll understand and back off. If not, you may just have to ask him not to play in the rest of this campaign.

 

[pawsplay]

I'd orchestate a situation where if he follows the module's lead, they end up going into a trap. That should break his ability to manipulate events.

Let's face it, if he's cheating, there's a good chance he's infected the whole group.

 

[Crothian]

He is not being a meta gaming munchkin, he's cheating. Don't do anything passive aggressively in game to screw him for cheating. Call him on it out of game and get him to admit it and get him to stop.