DM seeking advice

[Moving Pictures]

So. I came out of a 25-year retirement a few months back, started a group of 2e-based homebrew.
I have a player - mature (middle-aged) who says he's played before 20-odd years ago. He's playing a rogue, impulsively. The problem is that the impulsiveness is .... causing issues.
It's not malicious.... but the player is making decisions that are a bit reckless. Not recognizing when it's time to bail and let the tanks do tanky things. Not understanding the powers and limits of stealth. Also not recognizing subtle role-playing stuff, like an NPC asking for discretion - and then the rogue asking the NPC for papers or documents to connect the party to the NPC.

I'm kinda thinking it's time to ... do something, but I dunno what.

 

[DragonLancer]

The obvious answer and maybe the best, is to have a quiet friendly face to face about it away from the game. He might not realise how disruptive he is being.

 

[Len]

The obvious answer and maybe the best, is to have a quiet friendly face to face about it away from the game. He might not realise how disruptive he is being.

Yes, you should talk to the person, make them aware that they are causing a problem (and why), and ask them to try to cooperate better with the group. If this is difficult for you, maybe there's someone else in the group who could help you with this conversation.

Hopefully that will solve the problem, but if it doesn't you will have to "fire" the player. Not what you want to do, but at some point the choice is to lose one player or lose the whole group. Some people just have to spoil everyone else's fun. But definitely give the player a chance first.

 

[Nightfly]

He might not realise how disruptive he is being.

Seconded. There have been plenty of times I was not an ideal player or DM and hsd no awareness of that in the moment.

 

[bloodtide]

It's not malicious.... but the player is making decisions that are a bit reckless.

So you might want to stop here quick and back down from the "reckless idea". It is reckless to you...not him.

Not recognizing when it's time to bail and let the tanks do tanky things.

Again, careful. If your saying the player should sit back and let others play....why? It is better to keep everyone in the game. This one is easy...add a couple of "softer" foes in each combat just for him.

Not understanding the powers and limits of stealth.

Again.....you should let the player do such things and not just shut them down. When they say "I want to sneak past the guard" don't be so fast to leap to "the guard is the demigod of guards and will see you".

Also not recognizing subtle role-playing stuff, like an NPC asking for discretion - and then the rogue asking the NPC for papers or documents to connect the party to the NPC.

You might need to make such "subtle" stuff a bit more direct and obvious.

I'm kinda thinking it's time to ... do something, but I dunno what.

Talk to him, sure.....or try the above.

 

[aco175]

Maybe the issue is that you both are coming into the game with a memory of how you played 20+ years ago. You thinking how a thief should be played and him thinking how he wants to play it.

I also had players who just want to break out and play a game where they can do reckless and silly things to see some sort of action in the game or rise from the others at the table. This might be a player issue.

 

[ericmpaq]

You should talk to him mostly to determine how both of you wish to play. You have expectations and he has expectations as well. They may be different and you need to discuss to understand each other and get on the same page. It's his PC so it may or may not be how he wishes to play.

One thing I've been doing at the end of each session is do a likes and desires (aka stars & wishes). Everyone mentions things they liked of the session and desires if what they want to see in the next or future sessions. It's great way to get feedback and has helped my prep. I've had folks want consequences for their PCs reckless shenanigans. So don't dismiss what a player is doing, just talk to them to understand what they want.

 

[AlexofBarbaria]

Stop fudging to save them? Reckless behavior from a rogue is a quick death sentence in 2e. The game itself should be able to handle this one.

 

[overgeeked]

So. I came out of a 25-year retirement a few months back, started a group of 2e-based homebrew.

Cool. Welcome back to the hobby.

I have a player - mature (middle-aged) who says he's played before 20-odd years ago. He's playing a rogue, impulsively. The problem is that the impulsiveness is .... causing issues.

It's not malicious.... but the player is making decisions that are a bit reckless. Not recognizing when it's time to bail and let the tanks do tanky things. Not understanding the powers and limits of stealth. Also not recognizing subtle role-playing stuff, like an NPC asking for discretion - and then the rogue asking the NPC for papers or documents to connect the party to the NPC.

I'm kinda thinking it's time to ... do something, but I dunno what.

That's easy. Enforce the logical consequences of his character's actions in the fiction of the game.

He's trying to face-tank monsters as a rogue? His character would get attacked and probably die in short order. So be it. Let him die. His next character will be more cautious or he'll go through a lot of characters.

The NPC asking for discretion then he's going wild. Okay, so the NPC is now pissed off at the rogue and will be less than polite going forward. If the PC persists, the NPC terminates the contract and abandons the group.

 

[Scribe]

He's trying to face-tank monsters as a rogue? His character would get attacked and probably die in short order. So be it. Let him die. His next character will be more cautious or he'll go through a lot of characters.