How do I handle: 2 players want same game, but won't play with each other?

[StreamOfTheSky]

I've been player A. Several people i refuse to play with because of previous experiences with them in a game. It actually caused me to leave an online group where I really liked ~8 of the people because 2 made my time there miserable.

Earlier than that, I had an experience at an in-person game that lead the DM's boyfriend to tell me later on that he would have punched the "player B" if he were in my shoes. In that case, all the others understood I would never play with her again, and were more than willing to choose me over her for future games.

So, I'd say if Player's A's concerns are legitimate...you should take player A and probably wouldn't want player B in your game anyway. If Player A's concenrs don't seem justified, invite both and don't let A stop B from playing.

 

[(un)reason]

I'll advise looking at the issue yourself, rather than choosing based on the advice of people who don't know the situation personally. If player A is being a drama queen, then choose B. If B really is being a dick, choose A. If you try and fix things up over the game, don't be surprised if they get on each others nerves again. Getting people to change and stay changed is a tricky and usually thankless task.

 

[Barcode]

General rule: don't play games with uptight people. If Player A dislikes Player B for reasons that you think are invalid, that is a reason to disqualify Player A. If they are valid, why are you playing with Player B?

IMG, Player A got angry at Player B because Player B was reporting negative things Player A said around the gaming table about their mutual boss to their mutual boss. Player A (who was a more valuable member of the group, IMO) was upset by this, and the atmosphere started getting chilly at the game table.

I solved it by announcing that I needed to move the game night, having people tell me what times they could and could not make it, and then deliberately choosing a night Player B couldn't come. We always had scheduling problems and had to make similar tough choices in the past, so this was not unusual or unprecedented.

 

[Arnwyn]

If I understand this correctly, player A doesn't like player B, but player B has no issues with player A.

If that's correct, I'd say run the game, invite them both, and let player A decide if he's going to get over his issues or not.

Life's too short for drama.

Best advice in this thread, assuming you and the other players are indifferent.

If you and/or the other players aren't indifferent, I would suggest talking amongst yourselves to determine which of the two sucks more - this may help any decision you need to make.

 

[Halivar]

I've been "Player A" before. I also recognized, however, that I have no authority to be making ultimatums. I knew the rest of the group couldn't tolerate "Player B", but I was the only one willing to leave over the situation. I simply left the group, and explained to the DM the honest reason for my leaving. No ultimatums. No drama. As a previous poster said: life's too short for that.

 

[Obryn]

In one of my games, I have two players who definitely don't much care for one another. They used to be best friends, but not so much anymore. There are deep issues of girlfriend-stealing and alleged freeloading involved. It's an insanely tangled web which I can't begin to unravel.

And yet, for the hours we play, they manage to put it all behind them for a while, in order to play a game with their other friends.

-O

 

[Mallus]

Invite both. It's not your problem to solve, nor should you be put in a position to choose one friend over another.

 

[Raven Crowking]

I'll advise looking at the issue yourself, rather than choosing based on the advice of people who don't know the situation personally. If player A is being a drama queen, then choose B. If B really is being a dick, choose A. If you try and fix things up over the game, don't be surprised if they get on each others nerves again. Getting people to change and stay changed is a tricky and usually thankless task.

If you keep saying things like this, you'll have to change your user name.

 

[scruffygrognard]

As far as I know, player B has no problems with player A.

Thanks for the answers so far, everybody!

EDIT: Just to add to the discussion, I will ask: Has anyone ever actually been in this situation? If so, how did you handle it?

I've had this problem in the past, and am kinda going through it now.

One player in our group insists on playing every character as a joke character... to the point where he creates "broken," often ineffectual, characters in order to point out flaws in the game. What's worse is that he insists on playing such characters even though they undermine the game, particularly when his character refuses to enter dangerous situations because he is ill-prepared to face them and, as such, has no motivation to "adventure".

One player left the group because of it and I won't GM a game with him in it... because it becomes a test of wills every time we play. Sadly, in the real world, he's a really nice guy whom most of us have known and gamed with for many years.

Our solution has been to tell him how we feel about it when it REALLY gets out of control. His response has been to withdraw from the game and avoid contact with us for a month or two each time this happens (about once per year).

 

[the Jester]

Our solution has been to tell him how we feel about it when it REALLY gets out of control. His response has been to withdraw from the game and avoid contact with us for a month or two each time this happens (about once per year).

Here's an idea: stop gaming with him, and hang out with him in other ways.

Life's too short to have crappy players in your otherwise-good rpgs.