Player Character vs Player Character fight ends in death...

[merelycompetent]

Methinks both players need a good talking to about playing nice with others. It looks like an otherwise OK funny "theme" got out of hand. They had better publicly declare that there is no more enmity, promise everyone to behave better and not waste everyone's time with a (self-censored) contest. Please understand that all I have to go on is what you've posted here.

If the wizard is constantly doing things that get himself or other PCs/allies in trouble, the player needs to lower his character's wisdom to a 6, and the other players informed that they can leave the idiot at the next village they pass. Only a complete fool doesn't learn from the consequences of his or her actions, so the character's stats should reflect that. No one should be required to tolerate the juvenile antics of a complete fool. Roll up a new character - with the requirement that this one had better not be another idiot looking for its village, or the group will be advertising for a new player.

If the barbarian doesn't stop threatening other PCs for doing things that haven't harmed him, then the character should wake up alone, with only enough food and water to get to the next village. And the player told to roll up a new character - with the requirement that this one had better not have testosterone poisoning, or there will be a new vacancy in the gaming group.

If you are the DM, talk to these two players before this really gets out of hand. If you are another player in the group, talk to your DM about having a sit-down with these two problem players before it gets out of hand. By your later posts, this was NOT a funny, "my character's had it with your character - let's duke it out until one of us is unconscious, oops, I died" session. IMO, it's unconscionably rude for a fellow player to berate, threaten, or abuse another player - even in character. What reason would my character then have for travelling with such an ill-mannered, four-legged, barnyard animal? Life is too short as it is.

On the other hand, also IMO, it's okay to do all of that if everyone, and I mean *everyone*, is laughing about it and having a good time. More often, at least one person isn't laughing.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(sighs)

Based on my experiences, you are dealing with an Alpha Male player versus a Chaotic Rebel player, with all the other players caught in the middle.
It has ended with the death of one character, injury to nearly all the others, and other serious effects, and it is being taken Out of Game in a bad way.

How do I put this? ... the display panel has lit up, and practically every gage is reading deep red or flashing in urgent warning. That's the situation with your group, in my opinion, based on what you have said.

I think you are about to lose one or more players from your game. I do not think you can stop this from happening, but I do think you can save your group from disintegrating.

Yours Sincerely
Edena_of_Neith

 

[diaglo]

i've been waiting 8 lvls to get power attack so that i can kill the cleric in our party. he shut me in a room with a demon and a trap.

i've bided my time until i can take him out without causing harm to the rest of the party.

soon... when i'm on guard duty i will get my revenge.

edit: you can read about it in the story hour in my sig.

 

[radferth]

Why do you need power attack to kill someone in their sleep?

 

[diaglo]

Why do you need power attack to kill someone in their sleep?

he has the renewal domain.

and i'm small with little str bonus.

edit: thus i had to put my stat increases into str.

 

[ForceUser]

It is only bad if the players didn't have fun. As long as the players are having fun then can slaughter each other for all I care.

Yeah. My question would be this" "Were the players mad at each other?" If so, that's the real problem.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

RPG Alienation?

One of my old friends refuses to play D&D because he thinks its players have a tendency to act like drama queens and create a lot of negativity.

I used to disagree with him, but now ... I'm starting to wonder if he has a point. I'm curious if D&D encourages this sort of thing.

I see an awful lot of threads, just like this one ... not to mention experiences within my own gaming group.

Is there something about D&D that promotes hostility amongst its players?

-Samir

 

[diaglo]

One of my old friends refuses to play D&D because he thinks its players have a tendency to act like drama queens and create a lot of negativity.

I used to disagree with him, but now ... I'm starting to wonder if he has a point. I'm curious if D&D encourages this sort of thing.

I see an awful lot of threads, just like this one ... not to mention experiences within my own gaming group.

Is there something about D&D that promotes hostility amongst its players?

-Samir

it depends.

i know the other player and i are not angry or hostile to each other. we are friends.

but we both created characters that have different goals. and when there is friction in D&D. the sword or the spell is often a solution.

we will play together after these two PCs are long dead.

now as to hostility among players... yes, i have seen that too. hostility towards and by DMs... hostility towards the game. yup.

much of the game's mechanics are built on combat and hostility.

so building a game where you can interact with others in a hostile fashion and seek a similar goal means unity. building a game where each individual has his own goals that may conflict with others will lead to... yup.. hostility.
kill things and take their stuff.

 

[billd91]

One of my old friends refuses to play D&D because he thinks its players have a tendency to act like drama queens and create a lot of negativity.

I used to disagree with him, but now ... I'm starting to wonder if he has a point. I'm curious if D&D encourages this sort of thing.

I see an awful lot of threads, just like this one ... not to mention experiences within my own gaming group.

Is there something about D&D that promotes hostility amongst its players?

-Samir

Not compared to either Paranoia or Cyberpunk. You want to see PC vs PC hostility, look into those games.

Your friend's opinions are your friend's opinions and they may have been formed from his own experiences, but I don't think they are indicative of the D&D community at large. Nor is the presence of lots of threads about hostile behavior much of an indicator. The reason you see lots of them is because people are looking for advice or venting in complaint. When things run smoothly, you rarely hear about it. Good behavior is boring to read about and to write about. Complaints and cries for help are where the action is.

I'd be tempted to say, also, that anyone who refuses to play D&D because he thinks it creates a tendency to act like a drama queen is acting kind of like a drama queen.

 

[werk]

My main concern here would have been if the characters were fighting or if the players were fighting. I find that players can not usually separate the two.

I've never had this, due to my house rule numero uno: Thou shalt not roll dice against other players. When intraparty combat is not a possibility, this sort of conflict doesn't even get started.