D&D 5E GMs of EN World: What player behavior annoys you the most?

[Morrus]

Because we aren't narcissistic s?

Don't post in this thread again, please, Caliban.

 

[dropbear8mybaby]

The devices are addictive and habit forming. Quiet moment, hey I’ll just check in and see what’s going on in the world. I don’t think people can help themselves. Best to call it out and say that it’s become a bit of a problem. Ask people to keep their phones in their pockets or leave them somewhere out of reach (and on silent).

My group has been great about keeping phone use to a minimum but if they weren’t I’d deal with it directly.

I'm taking the bull by the horns and strongly encouraging the use of DDB at the table. That way, it's more likely that they'll be engaged with their character sheet or looking up a rule or spell than checking Facebook.

 

[robus]

I'm taking the bull by the horns and strongly encouraging the use of DDB at the table. That way, it's more likely that they'll be engaged with their character sheet or looking up a rule or spell than checking Facebook.

I’ll be interested to hear how that goes. Good luck.

 

[Oofta]

So your friends have no respect for you and demand that you do everything for them with no equal share in responsibilities. Are you sure they're your friends?

Or ... I make no demands on my friends other than to be friends who come over and play a game. Take notes, don't take notes, I won't be offended either way.

If I didn't enjoy world building and DMing for it's own sake I wouldn't do it. My players don't "owe" me anything.

 

[dropbear8mybaby]

Or ... I make no demands on my friends other than to be friends who come over and play a game. Take notes, don't take notes, I won't be offended either way.

If I didn't enjoy world building and DMing for it's own sake I wouldn't do it. My players don't "owe" me anything.

Who's talking about demands and owing? You're twisting the argument and contorting it to suit some sort-of superior playstyle while trying denigrate my own. All I've said is that people are part of a cooperative game where everyone should contribute to it and share the burden of responsibility for everyone enjoying it rather than that burden falling solely on the DM.

But no, your way is the right way and I'm a demanding narcissist who thinks players owe me something.

 

[Sadras]

When they mix up information provided or get the story-ass backwards, but that has become somewhat of a joke in our campaign with the rest of us teasing the poor individual who got it wrong

Thankfully after many years of playing we have a great table.

EDIT: Just remembered, I have one player who is never satisfied with his character and every few sessions changes him/her or draws up a new one - depending on how big the change is or how strict/annoyed I am. It doesn't just affect me but the rest of the table too.
Why do we put up with it? Well firstly I make the change or new character work within the campaign. Secondly, he is a friend. Thirdly, me coming down hard on the player would be seen as poor form by the rest of the group. TBH, It is easier to let the rest of the table do the teasing/bitching for the change than put myself in that position.
It find it is more important to be the likable DM.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

Hmm, so I never really had problem with malicious players and rules lawyering doesn't really disturb me (I actually welcome it when a player points out a mistake I made, so I can improve on it - also gets me to open threads here considering rules which often results in very useful feedback).

I guess what disturbs me the most is metagaming which is getting quite out of hand lately. Like some of my players hardly talk in-character anymore and instead start calculating which action has the highest chance to succeed or results in the highest damage per time. Whenever they face a new enemy, they start discussing his traits and stats and stuff like that.
Really wish they stayed more in-character and would also do suboptimal actions if it fits to their character.

 

[Oofta]

Who's talking about demands and owing? You're twisting the argument and contorting it to suit some sort-of superior playstyle while trying denigrate my own. All I've said is that people are part of a cooperative game where everyone should contribute to it and share the burden of responsibility for everyone enjoying it rather than that burden falling solely on the DM.

But no, your way is the right way and I'm a demanding narcissist who thinks players owe me something.

To be clear: the only thing my players need to contribute is showing up at the game, paying attention and having fun. There is no "burden of responsibility" that "falls solely on the DM".

If I didn't enjoy DMing, I wouldn't DM. It's easier for me as a DM to copy and paste a handful of lines from my prep notes than to expect everyone in the group to take notes, 80% of which is probably rubbish and inconsequential background.

In addition, I don't see how insulting people who prefer to not take notes and who don't hang on my every word or remember my every golden utterance makes me or anyone else a better DM.

YMMV, of course.

 

[iamntbatman]

On the phone issue, as a player I really need to figure out how to make my phone be quiet except for the game-related things I'm using it for. I ignore all of my notifications and buzzings and whatnot during game sessions, but I use my phone for spellcards as that's quicker and easier than flipping through sheets of paper, and also for a custom soundboard I've made with tons of Hardanger fiddle clips for my bard, but I feel like my phone buzzing was distracting for other players at the table.

Anyway, I'm totally on board with the side of the argument that players don't really owe the DM much. As a player, you're inserting your creativity into an interactive experience. As the DM, you're building that experience for people to interact with. Unless you're some god-tier master of improv, you're going to be doing far, FAR more work than your players in building out the world and preparing for whatever course of action your players might take. Even bothering to put that much effort into things in the first place necessitates having a dedication of a certain extreme level that just doesn't translate to the player experience. As a DM, if players are sitting around staring at Facebook, I think you either need to do something to get combat moving faster or make the game generally more engaging (or both). Make a more compelling world, better NPC's, better plot hooks. Get better at RPing your NPC's. Keep tension high. Try your best to make players feel like heroes making a difference in your world, but keep things dangerous enough to keep them on their toes. Players have the benefit/drawback of only really being able to add to the collective enjoyment of the game when it's their turn to do so, but the DM is adding to or subtracting from that collective enjoyment nearly all of the time.

Basically, being the DM is a bigger investment with bigger rewards and a commensurate risk for disappointment when what you've invested doesn't get returns in terms of players enjoying it, immersing themselves in it and building upon it.

 

[iserith]

Hmm, so I never really had problem with malicious players and rules lawyering doesn't really disturb me (I actually welcome it when a player points out a mistake I made, so I can improve on it - also gets me to open threads here considering rules which often results in very useful feedback).

I guess what disturbs me the most is metagaming which is getting quite out of hand lately. Like some of my players hardly talk in-character anymore and instead start calculating which action has the highest chance to succeed or results in the highest damage per time. Whenever they face a new enemy, they start discussing his traits and stats and stuff like that.
Really wish they stayed more in-character and would also do suboptimal actions if it fits to their character.

Do you give out Inspiration if they do the latter?

I don't really mind players discussing tactics and stats, personally. It seems like a reasonable thing to do during a game, plus there's no shortage of interacting "in-character" generally.