Fellow DM's how would you deal with this player?

[fredramsey]

If someone did that in games I play in, he would be soundly laughed at. Even were he correct and the beholder should have been missing another eyestalk, the DM is god and if he says the beholder has 1001 eyestalks left, so it has. No need to get upset about it. I'd just let him know that he can call my mistakes as he spots them - in fact, I'd appreciate that - but if I say "No, that's the way it is" then he had better take the hint and drop it.

Quoted for truth. Amen, brother.

 

[cmanos]

I had a situation very similar to that where one player kept at me until I was so angry I called a ten minute break and went outside to cool off. Byt hat time, like you, my concentration was totally shattered and I couldn't think on my feet. So the rest of the game was a complete railroad that got two players very pissed off.

The result is that I stopped my game. Dead. No more. As it is right now I am playing in a group of totally new people. I have only one person in my old group I'd really like to play with. The one that pissed me off made me quit gaming once before. I let him into the game cause I thought he may have changed. My mistake. Not gonna happen again.

I have every intent to start a game again and only one player from the game I DM'ed in will be invited. I game for fun. I game for social reasons. I don't game to win most of the time, as some people do.

First I would have had him look up Rule Zerto and read it out loud to everyone. Then I would have said something along the lines of 'Well the DM notes I have have your charater at -57 hit points. Would you like to continue the argument?"

My advice now is to sit back and relax. See if someone else in the group is up for DMing. If not, check out several of the online game resources to find another group of gamers who have a DM. Sit back, relax, and play for a while.

 

[ARandomGod]

The flaw in your logic, Mark is that if the players manage to win, then they will have the soup spoon! An artifact like that can unbalance the whole campaign!

Fortunately, the soup spoon isn't the artifact itself, but has only been temporarily enchanted by the artefact in question. The spoon's enchantments will dissipate by the setting of (or rising of) the sun. But until then they'll be near invincible!

 

[JoeGKushner]

Depending on the mood I was in when this happened, there could have been several things happening.

1. Joe in Neutral Mode: "Dude, don't worry about it. If you can't help yourself but worry about it, don't let the door hit you on the way out."

2. Joe in Good Mode. "Man, it's weird that you got that math different than I did but since I'm the GM, you can accept it and let me run my game or ... yes, don't let the door hit you on the way out."

3. Joe in Bad Mode. "Dude, it's weird but your character died of a heart attack and ... yes, don't let the door hit you on the way out."

I don't mind a quick rules disruption but as the GM, once a call is made, it's made. The time for confrontation/issues/bickering, is after the game, not during it. Anyone disagrees with me in my games.... don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Harsh? Maybe but I'm too old to entertain people who want to challenge me when I'm running a friggin game.

 

[fuindordm]

I agree with Steverooo. The session itself was a train wreck, but you can get beyond that sort of thing. And even though I'm a DM, I can kind of sympathize with the player to a point--he was staying involved instead of twiddling his thumbs, and especially with a monster like a beholder, the difference between 3 and 4 eyestalks can mean the difference between a cakewalk and a TPK. Depending on which eyestalks are down.

So I can see the player being willing to take the arguing a little further. Clearly he was way out of line at the end, but as has been said, he's already backed down and tried to make amends.

Go and have a drink with him and chat about the session---a litlle bit---then about other things. Let yourself get to know him a bit better outside the game. If he's a jerk that you don't want playing with you, you'll sense it. If he (like many gamers, especially those who have DMed) is mearly a strong-willed, opinionated person who can sometimes get carried away, then he deserves a second chance, and maybe even a third.

Ben

 

[SweeneyTodd]

Last week I DM's 5 out of 7 days. Week before was very similar. The last two Saturday's, I've had groups with nine players in them. I'm taking this Saturday off. I've been working hard to finding another DM to help out and I have two that can help some.
...

My long term "wish" is we can get a large solid group of players and DM's firmly established and all of us can play and avoid burn out etc. If everyone can get along and work together. I'll need to do my part to get things back on track - which I don't think will be too hard.'
.

WHOA, NELLY.

You're running five sessions a week? Jesus, no wonder you're burned out. I think there's a huge possibility that you're going to get burnt out and run out of steam if you're not careful.

You want to create a 15 person D&D club with multiple ongoing campaigns, fine... but take it slowly! The last thing you want is to get sick of your hobby.

(My experience was online instead of face to face, but trust me, I know where you're coming from, and you're going to enjoy it a lot more in the long run if you ease off on the hectic schedule.)

 

[Steel_Wind]

TBH, I think the matter has been adequately dealt with already.

He made an error - you let him know it in no uncertain terms as did the other players. There was an apology waiting for you in your mailbox when you got home.

To do more as many posters here have suggested goes further than is necessary and is not about correction of a problem - but spleen venting and inflicting an uncomfortale silence and humiliation on a player at the table.

It's not necessary and it sure as hell is not constructive. This is a game and it's supposed to be fun.

Let it go and move on. If it happens again - different story.

 

[Virel]

WHOA, NELLY.

You're running five sessions a week? Jesus, no wonder you're burned out. I think there's a huge possibility that you're going to get burnt out and run out of steam if you're not careful.

You want to create a 15 person D&D club with multiple ongoing campaigns, fine... but take it slowly! The last thing you want is to get sick of your hobby.

(My experience was online instead of face to face, but trust me, I know where you're coming from, and you're going to enjoy it a lot more in the long run if you ease off on the hectic schedule.)

Yes, five a week. I have 22 active players in my current campaign and turned away 5 more over the last ~ten days. Not to shabby, IMO for an old 1st ed AD&D campaign. About 15 of the players are new with in the last six weeks...

Ran again tonight after the Wed deal. Went well all in all. Player mentioned in this thread started a conversation across the table, while I was giving a brief description of the setting and pointing out a few things on the game map. I looked at both players and ask them if their discussion was game related, which they insisted it was. Then I asked if it was related to this session. They said no. I informed them if they did that again they would both suffer penalties. One wanted to know what sort of penalties, I told for instance his magic user would lose 1 pt of intelligence permantely. That pretty well shut up the side discussions at the table for the whole session. The player mentioned above complained that wasn't fair etc. I reminded him it was my campaign and I would do whatever I pleased - such reduce his prime attribute by a d20. A couple moaned this was harsh. I told them yes it was and I don't like DMing in a harsh manner but after Wed. I wasn't in a mood to take any crap of anyone.

Session went smooth after this. All the players agreed about that. This group of players have named their group, "Group Suicide". They very much want a fast pasted interruption free game. After their session, they decided to prohibit any reference to the PHB by players except for spell descriptions. I applaude this decision as that's the way my old group played. I think this group has the potential to be one of the best out of the five group I DM for. Note their is some player overlap.

Oh and player above is working on his ten suggestions. He wanted to know if he could suggest anything. I said sure and I'll pick what I think is appropriate. I'm not thrilled by his idea to link my Greyhawk/Celene world via portals with his homebrew "Terra" and intertwine their histories. No one messes with my setting on that fundamental level.

Thank you to everyone for their comments and support. This issue is in the past.

V.

 

[Steverooo]

Cool!

Good luck with your groups!... and find some new DMs, quick!

 

[Keith Robinson]

Give the guy another go - he seemed sorry enough. Next time you all sit down for a game, just lay out a few ground rules (such as , no metagaming!). Make it clear this applies to everyone in the group. Then get back to having some fun.

If it doesn't work out, reassess things.

Last week I DM's 5 out of 7 days. Week before was very similar. The last two Saturday's, I've had groups with nine players in them. I'm taking this Saturday off. I've been working hard to finding another DM to help out and I have two that can help some.

Whoa! I'd seriously consider taking a week or two off. Recharge the batteries!

Good luck finding some new DMs. If not, train one of your players!