Coward in our midst

[focallength]

Heres a little problem I have and hopefully I can get some ideas from players as to what they would do in this situation.

Ok we have a guy in our group who always plays the same character, same name, same class same skill. Hes a good guy so dont take this thread the wrong way. The problem is hes a coward, when ever we are talking to or fighting anything powerful he bails, gone see ya does nothing. Or he will sit in the back way out of range of conflict and watch others get beat up or die. If we die he runs away and joins the new party. Part of the problem is him as he always does this and never gets punished for it, the DM's never have him get attacked watching in the back, he gets full XP when we defeat the BBEG even though he does nothing, the DM just says hes acting in character.

Im running a Paladin/fighter/kensai of Ilmater and if it wasnt Ilmater I would just cut him off and completely ignore him. Which is what I wqant to do, trouble is I would and want to have him get over this in character and game. Getting over it in game is not going to happen as hes been doing this for over a year and no one seems to care, but me. In character I know hes not going to change the character and that any attempts on mine will just piss him off or hell ignore me. So Ive decided to attempt to cure him of this cowardice in the game ( I know I will fail) If I wasnt a LG paladin I would hire a Bard and slander him, or inform the Harpers (which is the group he wants to join) of his cowardice, but that wont work because the DM will just ignore it.

Its a great mature group and we have roleplayed internal conflicts well before, Im just at a loss. Not only that but hes playing a good aligned character who adventures solely to watch his friends back, but thats all he does is watch from a mile away and run when things are going bad or look like they might. I cant ask him to leave the group because no one else would back me up and I would end up leaving and have to make a new character and I dont want to do this.

So...any ideas?

Paladin in turmoil

 

[Crothian]

Confront him in game. After a battle in which he acts cowardly, if you all win: yell at him. During the battle call for his help, try to make him part of the battle. Refuse to let him share in any treasure the group gets. If you were not a Paladin, I'd say even threaten his character and kick him out of the group if he didn't change.

Or you could take a softer appraoch, but still in game. Take him under your Paladins wing. Have the Paladin try to get to the root of his cowardice and try to get him to act brave. Have the Paladin fight beside him at all time, and yell out encouragements.

 

[focallength]

I plan to fight with him and I always call out to him he just ignores it, I cant not allow him treasure as that will get shot down. I plan on trying to help him, but it wont work as Ive tried before and he just ignores me and does what he wants. Ive told him that his actions are a disgrace and still nothing. He doesnt role play, he just shows up tells everyone the rules raises the party level and goes home. Problem is hes a nice guy and noone else really cares but me. So Im going to try to help his character and when that fails Ill just not rely on him for anything, Ill help him when he needs it, knowing full well he wont return the favor and thats about it. Unless anyone has a better idea, Ill role play it to its fullest never really giving up on him in character.

 

[Crothian]

sit next to him at the gaming table or where ever you play and make it hard for him to ignore you. you can talk to him and the others out of game iuf it really annoys or just let it go if it doesn't.

 

[gizmo33]

I cant ask him to leave the group because no one else would back me up and I would end up leaving and have to make a new character and I dont want to do this.

This falls into the general category of players not appreciating how each other plays. As far as I can tell it's a player problem, not a character problem, so IMO it should be handled outside of the game.

 

[focallength]

Its absolutely a player issue, except it dosent seem to bother anyone else but me. I just dont find it fair to risk my characters and play in character, and he just hangs back and collects XP.
I think its something Im just going to have to let go and deal with it.

 

[gizmo33]

I think its something Im just going to have to let go and deal with it.

IMO - If it was a bunch of NPCs your character would probably just leave the group. Tell the players that you're not having fun playing your paladin because no one has your back. Tell them from the character perspective that your paladin has decided to leave the group and go be a temple guard - he can serve his deity better by allying with people that he trusts.

Then make up a character that fits - maybe an assassin or an archer or someone who watches their own back. Not be be vindictive - you can even join the sneak in hiding during combat, start a "skulker's guild" with him.

If you keep playing your paladin I think you'll just stop having fun. I'm assuming you're not interested in joining another group (or can't).

 

[VirgilCaine]

Its absolutely a player issue, except it dosent seem to bother anyone else but me. I just dont find it fair to risk my characters and play in character, and he just hangs back and collects XP.
I think its something Im just going to have to let go and deal with it.

Don't do that. At least not before talking to your DM about the appropriateness of his character in this group.

 

[focallength]

No Im having fun and all the others watch eachothers backs and work well, its just him. My problem is giving him Full Xp for doing nothing. I may volunteer to run a game and that will be the end of the problem and hopefully everyone else will get the picture. In my games you get reputations people talk, the villagers who you were saving will remember you fighting valiantly and they will tell the tale. The cowards get forgotten or they are remembered hiding with the women. Xp is based off of participation and role playing, heroes who die heroicly are not punished and cowards rewarded.

 

[gizmo33]

I may volunteer to run a game and that will be the end of the problem and hopefully everyone else will get the picture.

Nobody IME ever "gets the picture" from stuff that happens in the game. Rather than rely on messing with someone's character as a DM, I strongly recommend that you settle this issue outside the game where it belongs. In the real world people avoid combat all of the time and some of them go on to great things, like becoming President. It could be somewhat unrealistic, bordering on persecution, to "make an example" of someone's character. Of course it's your right as a DM to decide how XPs get awarded, of course.

VirgilCaine's advice is good - except that I suspect your DM doesn't mind the character or he would have already dealt with this.