D&D 5E Sudden changes to the party dynamic

[S'mon]

Being out-shined by another player *sucks*. They literally take the situations you anticipated being a part of away from you and leave you just sitting there.

I really don't understand why two PCs can't both contribute similar skill sets. Happens in my games all
the time. Two is better than one, not worse, for the party. Two Rogues halves the chance of failing to pick the lock. Two barbarians beats the enemy down twice as good. Two assassins assassinates twice as much.

You must have extremely low threat games if risk of party failure isn't a factor, if the PCs are just
there to show up. But then there's no need to worry about lacking a tank or other role.

 

[zymurgy65]

The Player's Handbook has a sidebar about evil characters causing problems in parties that don't share their goals. Nobody likes having to look over their shoulder because their allies can't be trusted.

For those who missed my earlier clarification, the player in question isn't really interested in role play, just hurting people. This includes assaulting NPCs without good reason. With hindsight, my original post was badly worded, as this has more to do with player attitude than character class.

 

[jasper]

If the player is being a pill, goober, ticking off the dm and most of group etc, DON'T PLAY WITH IT! It took me about 2 decades to learn this. Don't be me.

 

[Charles Rampant]

If the player is being a pill, goober, ticking off the dm and most of group etc, DON'T PLAY WITH IT! It took me about 2 decades to learn this. Don't be me.

There is an old adage, probably one that you're familiar with, but perhaps not the OP: "Don't game with people you wouldn't hang out with."

 

[Herobizkit]

I really don't understand why two PCs can't both contribute similar skill sets.

If this is planned from the start, people generally don't have an issue with it. When it's done after the fact, players can feel like their niche/role in the party isn't as important, especially if the other player does it 'better'.

In my case, our group only has three players. For some reason, our youngest player will always end up with his 'main' character disabled somehow; when he makes a temp replacement character, he always copies what I've made and tries to do it 'better'. Of all the classes available, there's no reason to pick the one (okay, technically two) I took except to cheese me off (which he did, because then he wanted to 1v1 me, which he did, and won)



You must have extremely low threat games if risk of party failure isn't a factor, if the PCs are just
there to show up. But then there's no need to worry about lacking a tank or other role.[/QUOTE]