D&D 5E Disruptive Players Update & Question On Finding Players/Games

[jasper]

Ok they over 18 from your other thread or this thread. Banish the cleric player from your table but not your life. Tell them their personality is making too difficult for you to dm for her. After you do that, tell the monk player this is second warning.
Welcome to the dm club. Too bad they don't issue us clubs for problem players. And remember "No gaming is better than bad gaming!"

 

[Ahriri]

I suppose Ahriri could build one that wouldn't be perceived negatively but their "what an innocent coincidence" comment makes it seem intentionally vindictive. To me it's not worth the negativity to build an blatantly vindictive puzzle nor worth spending time and effort to design a vindictive puzzle that's disguised as an innocent one. If the game is done, end on good terms and pour your creative energy to something positive instead.

I worded it a bit poorly. There was already a plan for the group to visit a temple that's underwater. I'd included hints in previous sessions that water would be coming up as some insidious creature had appeared in the sea. This fit story wise and for the players since they had expressed interest in sea turtles and there was an under water city they had recently learned about. I just thought it funny that, if I end next session, it'll be ending with the water temple which is something the vampire would hate. I'll have to be careful to make it clear it's not passive aggressive as I try not to be vindictive (or at least don't want to be).

And I do want to have another session so I can end things on the right foot and give some sort of closure for the game

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

I recommend not doing the water puzzle. From reading your other post it's perfectly fair for you to be ready to fold this campaign. But don't end it with the water puzzle. It's passive aggressive and it will only contribute to bad feelings. If you're done with the campaign, save yourself the negativity and end the campaign now. If you're still interested in running a campaign with your players, start a new one with hard and fast character creation rules and expectations at the table, and let them join or not.

Agreed. Part of being awesome is staying classy. Rise above it - exit, stage left, with style.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I worded it a bit poorly. There was already a plan for the group to visit a temple that's underwater. I'd included hints in previous sessions that water would be coming up as some insidious creature had appeared in the sea. This fit story wise and for the players since they had expressed interest in sea turtles and there was an under water city they had recently learned about. I just thought it funny that, if I end next session, it'll be ending with the water temple which is something the vampire would hate. I'll have to be careful to make it clear it's not passive aggressive as I try not to be vindictive (or at least don't want to be).

And I do want to have another session so I can end things on the right foot and give some sort of closure for the game

I guess if you think it won't be seen as an attack. But I would put myself in the vampire's shoes and see how it looks. If there's the possibility of leading to more strife, just pass on it.

Also while it's nice to end the campaign with some measure of closure, it's not terrible to end it prematurely. I'm not saying you definitely should kill the game now. Just that in some cases it's okay to end it without a conclusion.

In my experience if the GM and/or the players aren't enjoying the game anymore, it's better to cut it short and do something that makes everyone happy than to drag out something everyone is not interested in. Use that night to play board or video games together or just enjoy each other's company instead. (Or in your case, whatever the synonymous long-distance activity is.)

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

There are plenty of games going up on Roll20's Looking For Group boards all the time last I checked them. I've used them with mixed results. The issues are the type that will be present for any public method and that's with the people. Some people are just those that I don't see eye to eye with and I don't want to game with. Some people just have different expectations, but others have had some behavioral issues that I won't get into.

Finding a good gaming group is tough, but once you find one you enjoy it is well worth it. Just be persistent and maintain a network of people that you do enjoy playing with. Good luck!

 

[Valetudo]

I think you will be sorry running a last session with this player. Let it go. I have run into quite a few of these situations over the years and its not worth it. If you can salvage the rest of the group do that and start fresh.

 

[Ahriri]

Yeah, you guys are probably right. Forcing things forward would probably make things worse.

 

[Harzel]

Sorry if update threads aren't a thing. I'm new to the forum.

Usually, people just keep appending to the original thread. Otherwise it tends to fork the conversation. I, for instance, responded to the other thread before I noticed this one. No big deal though.

Earlier today I posted about how I was struggling with powerplayers that were being disrespectful and needed help on how to do it. On the advice of many people, I approached them (separately) and tried to talk things through with them. The monk apologized and said that they were being bad players and needed to work on it. The cleric is telling me that "it's just her personality" and that it's unfair to gang up on her when she hasn't done anything wrong (again, I approached them separately and simply told them that the way things were going was stressing me out).

Although not strictly necessary, I think it would have been additionally informative to understand what it was that they were trying to get out of the game. (See my longer reply in the other thread.) What you did was certainly ok, but the resolution that the monk player was "a bad player" and the cleric player has some (unspecified) personality quirk that she can't control doesn't seem to me to contain much insight.

I'm debating having one last session since the next session involves a water puzzle and the cleric is a homebrew vampire who takes water damage (what an innocent coincidence).

Based on what you have related in the two threads, shutting down the campaign seems like a very reasonable thing to do. Were it me, though, I would feel like I did not have enough information. YMMV.

 

[Ahriri]

Usually, people just keep appending to the original thread. Otherwise it tends to fork the conversation. I, for instance, responded to the other thread before I noticed this one. No big deal though.



Although not strictly necessary, I think it would have been additionally informative to understand what it was that they were trying to get out of the game. (See my longer reply in the other thread.) What you did was certainly ok, but the resolution that the monk player was "a bad player" and the cleric player has some (unspecified) personality quirk that she can't control doesn't seem to me to contain much insight.



Based on what you have related in the two threads, shutting down the campaign seems like a very reasonable thing to do. Were it me, though, I would feel like I did not have enough information. YMMV.

The lack of information is due to me being relatively new to using forums. Well, not really new it has just been years since I last used one. I wasn't really sure how much information to give and was worried I had already given too much information (post too long). I'm really glad I've asked for advice from everyone because it's made me think more about how different players prefer different playstyles and seek different things from a game. While I might prefer challenges, other people might prefer to stomp enemies to show how strong they are for example. In the end, communication and understanding what everyone wants is the most important to creating a good game.

 

[Satyrn]

In the end, communication and understanding what everyone wants is the most important to creating a good game.

Quoted for Great Truth