Handling Cheating

[Lexeme]

How do you handle players who feel the need to lie about their die rolls on a fairly regular basis?

I have one player who regularly cheats on his initiative rolls and sometimes on his attack rolls. Besides observing it a few times, simple statistics tell me he is either fudging or should consider putting that unbelievable luck to work on the lottery.

As far as I can tell, it does not impact other people's enjoyment, except me, the GM. I'd rather not have to confront him about it, as I'm not sure how he'd take it, although I have tried a few "really, wow, how big is your bonus" type comments.

I'd also rather not get into some silly cold war of escalating cheating to counteract each other, as that basically breaks one of the contracts I have with the players.

So, realizing there may be no great answer I still wanted to ask, do any of you fine folks struggle with anything like this? Any creative solutions out there?

 

[Sunseeker]

I haven't really played with people who cheat....but rolling dice out in the open tends to keep people from cheating. Other than that, I mean it's really the honor system.

You can't really prove he's not just darn lucky.

 

[JamesonCourage]

As far as I can tell, it does not impact other people's enjoyment, except me, the GM. I'd rather not have to confront him about it, as I'm not sure how he'd take it, although I have tried a few "really, wow, how big is your bonus" type comments.

I had a player do this for a couple sessions, including a few rolls in a very emotionally important fight that only he was involved in. He's a very good friend of mine (like a little brother), and I've known him for 10 years (best man at his wedding, etc.). So, it was a touchy issue.

What I did was bring it up with my other players when he wasn't around (we're all good friends who have known each other for a long time [from 5-13 years each]). I told them I thought he was fudging, and they tended to agree on that fight (or didn't have strong feelings one way or another).

I then implemented a "everyone rolls on the table, including me" rule, which was pretty new to us, considering we all kind of lounged around the living room all of the time (we don't use a grid). They agreed, so there wouldn't be accusations or anything, and play could continue smoothly. A couple players seated nearby agreed to obviously keep an eye on the dice for the next few sessions, so that they could make sure everything was fair. The player thought it was merely people being interested, and things went back to normal.

I think a rule of "everyone rolls on the table, and don't pick the die up to read it" really helps, especially if another player nearby tends to obviously glance at it, as if interested or excited. I know it's subtle, I know that I could talk it out with this friend, but I wanted to sidestep drama, not get into any sort of accusation/debate debacle, or make him feel targeted or defensive in any way.

Just my thoughts on it, based on experience. As always, play what you like

 

[Water Bob]

How do you handle players who feel the need to lie about their die rolls on a fairly regular basis?

Years and years and years ago, I had a player like this. He'd forget to tick off a hit point or an arrow from his inventory.

What I did with that guy was let him do it a few times in the same game session, then I embarrassed him. "Really? You felt like you've got to cheat in this game?"

"Um...I wasn't cheating!"

"Well, you certainly look like it to me. You added three points to your nish roll at the beginning of the fight. You took off only 1 hit point instead of five that last hit. And, you said you made your STR check when you actually missed it. And, that was just this game session."


"I'm sorry! I won't do it again."

And, the guy never did.





I routinely watch dice throws. I may not watch every one, but I make my players roll out in the open so that everyone can see.

You may want to have them all roll in front of you. And, if you do, write down some of your suspects usual scores (nish, Spot, Listen, HP) and follow him.

You can go to a system where you keep all the hit point data and just tell players how their characters are feeling.

I'm sure your cheater wouldn't like that.

 

[Ahnehnois]

You can't cheat in D&D. Cheating implies using illegal methods to gain a competitive advantage, and D&D is a non-competitive game. So the way I see it, if someone feels the need to fudge dice rolls, they simply have the wrong approach to the game.

So I'd say dealing with it falls under the broader issue of teaching people to roleplay. I do, however, think that it's probably best to have them roll the dice in front of everyone and learn to deal with the consequences of die rolls.

 

[Li Shenron]

How do you handle players who feel the need to lie about their die rolls on a fairly regular basis?

Not really a creative solution, just the traditional way: we kill them, and take their stuff.

 

[Crothian]

How do you handle players who feel the need to lie about their die rolls on a fairly regular basis?

Kick them out of the group. Now granted I've never had this problem because I play with people that don't cheat. But I've got enough gaming friends that we can fill a seat fast and no need to have cheaters in the group.

 

[Lexeme]

Thanks for the advice thus far, folks. Although kicking him out may be premature, it seems like the most common advice is collective honesty by encouraging open rolls that aren't quickly picked up. I think that's where I'll start and go from there.

Interestingly, the title of this thread takes on a whole new meaning with the April 1st theme.

 

[Water Bob]

You can't cheat in D&D. Cheating implies using illegal methods to gain a competitive advantage, and D&D is a non-competitive game. So the way I see it, if someone feels the need to fudge dice rolls, they simply have the wrong approach to the game.

No, if you're not the DM, and you fudge dice throws, or you fudge hit point damage to your character, you're cheating. Plain and simple.

It is not possible for the DM to cheat, on the other hand.

Not really a creative solution, just the traditional way: we kill them, and take their stuff.

Thumbs up!

 

[Elf Witch]

As others have said have the person roll in the open. If that does not work and it really bugs you talk to him privately. I would avoid using the word cheating though.

Ask him why he feels the need to fudge. And go from there.

Personally I don't care. I let my players make their rolls for hit points and even roll their stats without having to be there. It is not just that I trust them it is that I feel if they really want to have an 18 in a stat then go ahead and do it. Doing this I have never seen anyone take so much advantage that they always roll well for their hit points or their stats.