How do I handle: 2 players want same game, but won't play with each other?

[Zelligars Apprentice]

I have a problem, and would like your advise. I am starting a new game. Both player A and player B want to play, but player A said he has problems with, and will not play in the same game as, player B. Both of these people are my friends.

How do I handle this?

Thank you.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Sit down with players A and B and ask them what the source of the intolerance is. If they can or will not give valid reasons then don't let either of them play until they can work it out.

 

[Dice4Hire]

If both of them agree on not playing together, not much can be done but talking to them about it. Find out what the problem is and ask them if they can give it a try together, for perhaps a month or so. If not, then say you are sorry, but you'll run the game anyway with everyone else. If they will try, then give it a shot, but ask each of them to not do whatever annoys the other.

I am assuming the rest of the group is pretty big, so you can have a good game without them.

 

[Asmor]

If I understand this correctly, player A doesn't like player B, but player B has no issues with player A.

If that's correct, I'd say run the game, invite them both, and let player A decide if he's going to get over his issues or not.

Life's too short for drama.

 

[fba827]

Does player B have similar problems with player A (or is it all one sided dislike?)

I see a couple (albeit obvious) options:
a) see if he (or both if two-sided) can get past whatever the problem is for the duration of game time
b) End up picking one of the two to join the game while the other doesn't get to play
c) picking niether to join the game
d) have more than one group, with each in a different group
e) have one group, but these two alternate which game sessions they attend

I'm sure there are other choices but that's what I can think of with the info presented here.

Me, personally, I'd go with what Asmor has already said.

 

[Zelligars Apprentice]

Does player B have similar problems with player A (or is it all one sided dislike?)

As far as I know, player B has no problems with player A.

Thanks for the answers so far, everybody!

EDIT: Just to add to the discussion, I will ask: Has anyone ever actually been in this situation? If so, how did you handle it?

 

[Mark]

Do you feel that player A has a legitimate grievance?

 

[Zelligars Apprentice]

Do you feel that player A has a legitimate grievance?

Player A has a tendency to exaggerate a great deal, especially when complaining. That said, there are some elements of his complaints that have a grain of truth.

 

[Mark]

Sit them both down and tell them that you are going to run one game and they are both invited to play. Player A needs to either let things slide or deal with them directly rather than forcing you to do his dirty work. Never good to start off DMing a new campaign while acting as someone's pawn. Good luck!

 

[fba827]

EDIT: Just to add to the discussion, I will ask: Has anyone ever actually been in this situation? If so, how did you handle it?

I was in a similar situation.

Short version: We have our regular group (with player A), we invited a new player (player B), only to find out later that player A & B actually knew each other from before and had "a past". Player A did not like Player B, though Player B had no problem with Player A. It was hard to tell if Player A was just exaggerating his problems with Player B or how much the tension between them would (if at all) disrupt the game.

Player A was adult enough to try it for a session. Though we did not tell Player B how uncomfortable Player A was with his presence.

And, truthfully, Player A probably wouldn't have come back if Player B stayed for more sessions. But it didn't matter, Player B ended up causing certain issues that the rest of us knew wouldn't be good for the group over all on a recurring basis and wasn't invited back for session 2.

So, basically, we chose one player over the other (though for us it was easier because Player A was an existing group member that we've known for a while and Player B was brand new to the group). Though it wasn't just their tension that made us choose, it was also because Player B (who was otherwise a nice enough guy) was causing other problems.