A group of my friends and I have started d&d campaign, None of us are experienced in d&d, so this is mostly our first time playing it. It started out pretty fun, but one of the players has become a bit of a problem. During character creation, he chose an incredibly overpowered homebrew class, making him about as effective as the rest of us combined. Because of this, he's started acting like the groups leader, by making sure to be the first to act in almost all scenarios, even cutting other players off to do so, and since his character is evil, his first action tends to be attacking whatever we encounter, regardless of whether or not the DM wants us to handle the situation diplomatically. He's also hoarded over half the teams magic items, which has only lead him to become even more powerful. The DM's been trying to fix this, by suggesting a class change, but the player mostly refuses to admit the character is too strong, and will often argue with the DM about how some of his abilities work. Lately, the DM's tried to put more pressure on his character by having enemies focus him more, or putting him in more difficult out of combat situations, but this has only made him argue with the DM more. I'm sorry if I'm whining too much, but this is seriously taking the fun out of the game, and I don't know what to do. The player is a good friend of mine, but I know that he doesn't take direct criticism very well, so I don't want to flat out tell him that he's playing annoyingly, but I can't think of anything else. If you could suggest anything, it would be greatly appreciated.
Problematic player.
RedSiegfried
First Post
If you want someone to change, you have to ask them to change. You can't make them do it.
flat out tell him that he's playing annoyingly
Explain to him the specific things you don't like and ask him to change, because good friends don't make the game less fun for each other. If he won't at least meet you half way, you have two choices: put up and shut up or stop playing with him.
Yes, it really is that simple. It's just not easy to do sometimes with people you like.
flat out tell him that he's playing annoyingly
Explain to him the specific things you don't like and ask him to change, because good friends don't make the game less fun for each other. If he won't at least meet you half way, you have two choices: put up and shut up or stop playing with him.
Yes, it really is that simple. It's just not easy to do sometimes with people you like.
Sounds like the home-brew class is a symptom rather than the cause. If he's ruining everybody else's fun, somebody needs to step up and tell him.
I see that you say that's not what you want to do, and that's understandable. It can be a tough thing to do. But there's no other solution to the problem. And the problem sounds like it's a general attitude problem, not a gaming-specific one.
I see that you say that's not what you want to do, and that's understandable. It can be a tough thing to do. But there's no other solution to the problem. And the problem sounds like it's a general attitude problem, not a gaming-specific one.
Tequila Sunrise
Adventurer
+1 to all of the replies you've gotten so far. Tell your problematic 'friend' that he's sucking the fun out of everyone's game; if he's truly your friend, he cares about the group's fun and will change his behavior. If he doesn't change his behavior, he's not your friend.
An additional aside I'd like to throw you, one gamer to another: While your friend certainly sounds like the problem in this situation, there's no rule that says the DM gets to decide how the PCs ought to handle a given encounter. If your DM is writing adventures like a story, thinking that the PCs ought to handle this encounter diplomatically and that one with stealth and the other with violence, it may become problematic in the future.
An additional aside I'd like to throw you, one gamer to another: While your friend certainly sounds like the problem in this situation, there's no rule that says the DM gets to decide how the PCs ought to handle a given encounter. If your DM is writing adventures like a story, thinking that the PCs ought to handle this encounter diplomatically and that one with stealth and the other with violence, it may become problematic in the future.
ccs
41st lv DM
1st: Player (s) to player, tell him to stop. Don't mince words, just be direct & tell him what the problem is.
Make sure he's aware that change isn't optional.
2nd: End your current game & start a completely new one. This will remove his evil, loot hoarding, homebrew class, character.
3rd: Start a new game. Make sure that everyone playing is using PHB only, non-evil, characters.
Decide before play starts how treasure is going to be divided.
Anyone not on board with this? Isn't invited to play.
Anyone violating this later on? Is no longer invited to play.
Make sure he's aware that change isn't optional.
2nd: End your current game & start a completely new one. This will remove his evil, loot hoarding, homebrew class, character.
3rd: Start a new game. Make sure that everyone playing is using PHB only, non-evil, characters.
Decide before play starts how treasure is going to be divided.
Anyone not on board with this? Isn't invited to play.
Anyone violating this later on? Is no longer invited to play.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
Some players just seem to love steamrolling over everything, whether by using some OP build, or cheating at the dice rolls, or heck, both. When it’s a friend, that makes it even harder. And if they don’t handle criticism well, that’s a real conundrum. I don’t have too much to add beyond what everyone else has said. In that sort of situation, the DM can do some stuff to level the playing field (though a problem player shouldn’t solely be the DM’s responsibility to deal with), but it doesn’t sound like your DM is doing enough. I get that, conflict can be tough – when I was a new DM, I certainly had no clue how to handle that sort of situation.
Ultimately, it may be time to decide whether you want to keep the gamer or the friend, if gaming is causing trouble in the friendship.
Ultimately, it may be time to decide whether you want to keep the gamer or the friend, if gaming is causing trouble in the friendship.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
-ack, double-post-
Wednesday Boy
The Nerd WhoFell to Earth
To add to this, make sure that everyone agrees to play non-antagonistic characters who work together as a team and as a group figure out why your characters are a team and what makes your characters stick together. Without really nailing that concept down I could see the problematic player making a non-evil but still problematic character, like a neutral rogue who steals from other party members.
was
Adventurer
..As others have pointed out:
...First, if you're just starting out try making it PHB and good-alignments only. Just until you get some more experience under your belt.
...Second, you need to sit down and establish house rules regarding behavior and treasure distribution. No one should get a lion's share of the loot or tell others how to play their characters.
...Third, DnD is a group game. If any one individual is ruining the game, then the whole group needs to sit down and calmly discuss the problem with her/him. If he/she then refuses to modify their behavior, the group can boot that player from the table in good conscience.
...First, if you're just starting out try making it PHB and good-alignments only. Just until you get some more experience under your belt.
...Second, you need to sit down and establish house rules regarding behavior and treasure distribution. No one should get a lion's share of the loot or tell others how to play their characters.
...Third, DnD is a group game. If any one individual is ruining the game, then the whole group needs to sit down and calmly discuss the problem with her/him. If he/she then refuses to modify their behavior, the group can boot that player from the table in good conscience.
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