How to handle group of Immature Brats?

[Miyazawa Mizaki]

Level 3 Human Sorcerer: No problems here yet but he has missed the first 2 sessions of this campaign becuase march break business with his family. He wasnt in the old one.

Level 3 Dwarf Ranger: Can't stay serious or on topic, has a problem with authroity, mine and in game. Doenst care if something makes sence and cant have his character behave like a normal person ever. His last character was a Cleric with Wisdom 20 and Charisma 14 who acted like an Insane 7 year old retard who took a crap in the middle of a feild, because he said specificly the middle I didnt even have to make it so the monster would act him for his action, the monster was origonally under the ground derectly in the middle of the feild waitng to prey with Tremorsence.

Level 2 Kobold (Suikoden verson) Ranger: Character has no respect for authroity and tends toward disruptivly evil behavior, player is very hyper and always off topic and doesnt take the gamer seriously enouph to learn the rules (well none of them want to learn them)

Level 3 Human Cleric or Rogue (Cant deside yet): Always miserable and acting like neapolian dynamite, not creative enouph to take inititive with anything, big brother of Dwarf Ranger, they always OOC fight. A bit slow in the head, but it just might be his additude, not a mental problem. Only ever wants to be a rogue even if told they would be next to useless in the current campaign becuase traps and indoor enviroments will be rare, and they dont like playing combat rogues.

Level 1 Drake (homebrew) Fighter: Always wants to be a character or act in a way contrary to what would be approprite. Becuase I require RP explinations for why character would be with the party (others yet to give reasons why but for now I could not thing of why not) he whines. He doesnt under stand that a culture that lives in a 46-52*C enviroment and relays on boat travel are not going to walk around in 50lbs of metal aka full plate, or even think of the idea beyond "wouldn't it be great if I could wear metal so things would not hert me as much, to bad I would die of heat stroke in hours, minutes if I over exert myself". He doesnt care if things make sence all he wants to be is a Lawful Stupid Paladin who acts like a common brigand. I'm sure this guy is slow in the head because the amount of time I have to repead myself for him to under stand, he also cant put clues together even if a 8 year old could make the assumsion required to get it, not just in game but out of it too, also not creative.


Should I just tell these guys I cant stand them and give them the boot from the game? I want to be there arn't many players around here I can play with be my parents don't let me play with older people anymore now that they are paranoid about it, they never were before. BTW I'm 17 the players range in age from 12 (Dwarf ranger, hes a drag alot little brother) to 16 (i think but might be wrong), I dont like playing with younger people but they are the only players with squeduals similar enouph to mine my parents will let into our house, the last group they had issues with due to (well one was a cutter with big visable gashes in her arms, I can see them not wanting her around but still). Heck the last game I was a player in I was 16 and the DM and other players were all in their 20s and my parents didnt care then, why now? (maybe its the letting them into our house issue when it comes to me being the DM).

 

[Evilhalfling]

It doesn't sound like a workable group, for a serious game. Try paranoia they sound perfect for it, and you can just repeatedly kill the obnoxious ones.

Or let someone else DM for a while, perhaps they will pick up some empathy for you and understanding of what you want the world to be. This worked for a younger player in my group and it turns out she is good at it, and it keeps her husband from argueing all the time, with both me and whoever is DMing.

I might suggest trying a group run out of a gaming store, you will be in a public place so your parents should be less worried about you playing with older players etc.

And there is always the oldest trick: Communication. Have everyone sit down and talk about what they want out of a campaign. If they want to blow off steam and kill stuff, you can either adapt your style or give up on the group. Its possible that they havent given serious thought to the way the characters behave, just acting on the spur of the moment.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Hey, welcome to the wonderful world of DMing! Nothing ever goes the way you'd like, especially when you're first getting started.

I think you have a style conflict here. This looks like a "Kick the Door In!" group that just wants to kick ass and get some loot. Why don't you ask them what they like and try to build adventures around it. Yes, it's terrible that it's not what you'd like to do with your world, but get them going first then introduce the place.

However, the only problem you've implied in your post is your frustration with their maturity. Unfortunately, they're 12-17. It gets better. But only if you're patient with them. The same issues will happen with a different group. Good luck!

 

[DaveMage]

Even though it may not seem so, 12-17 is a very wide age range.

You'd have to have a special group to begin with to even attempt to play.

Good luck!

 

[Barak]

Just reading the Title of the thread, the answer that came to mind was: "Great Cleave".

Reading the actual post, it seems as if you and your players expect very different things from the game, and have very different playing styles. Either one of the "parties" involved will adapt to the other's style, or it won't work.

 

[S'mon]

Maybe you guys could have fun playing the Miniatures skirmish game (Chainmail?) as a campaign? It doesn't sound like they're suited to D&D (yet), but a wargame campaign based on continuing characters as warlords & champions might work well, just play out the combats. You can have each player control a rival army (you can control any "NPC" forces) and fight for domination of a contested realm. Battles can be in dungeons, wilderness, cities...


Edit: My main wargaming experience with stuff aimed at this age group is Games Workshop product like Warhammer Battle and Space Hulk, but converting your D&D campaign to Chainmail might work well, assuming you yourself enjoy the combat & tactical aspects of 3e.

 

[Miyazawa Mizaki]

Well I've tryed talking to them but nothing seems to work. When we talk they say they will act better (they really dont want me to stop DMing) but when its game time they cant even go 5 minutes before they start acting up again.


I've told them "If you want to play a 'kick in the door' type of game then one of you DM or find a new one becuase I don't have time to baby sit you so you can 'smashy' things. It boils down to the point I dont have much time to do many things. If I'm going to DM for you I want to DM what I like to DM, not a Pen & Paper verson of Diablo. No matter how much you beg the wolves will never be carring treasure in their fur! Sure they may drag dead bodies back to their den with loot still on them but you guy are never creative enouph to track them back to their den (and other situations where tresure isnt being carried but can still be found, what about taking ranks in Skill: Craft: Skinning and Tanning and sell the wolves pelts?)".

This usually ends with them say "we will try harder to be better players" but they don't or "Fine, we will DM our selfs"......5 minutes later "Please DM for us again!".

I think I'm going to give up DMing untill I can find a better group.


Edit: The war game Ideas a good one but I dont have money for miniatures or warhammer and even though I'd like to do that the price point is where it gets me.

 

[Henry]

My suggestion is to not expect it to be a serious game - kids in this age range tend to have more fun ripping up the pavement than an in-depth RP session. I'm not saying they CAN'T - it's just not likely.

If you don't want to make the transition to a less in-depth game, then the only other option is to not play RPGs with them any more. But there's a lot of growing and learning to do in this group, and that's not meant to be derogatory - just a statement of fact. I'd go for the hack & slash fun of it, and not worry deeply about details.

Also keep in mind you'll be graduating soon (I'm presuming, as I know little about Canada's school system) and you'll be exposed to an entirely different series of gamers, especially if and when you attend college. TRUST me on that one. Even if college isn't in your plans, you'll be college-age, and have a lot wider range of acquaintences to game with.

Good luck and good gaming!

 

[Mystery Man]

No matter how much you beg the wolves will never be carring treasure in their fur! Sure they may drag dead bodies back to their den with loot still on them but you guy are never creative enouph to track them back to their den

I so feel your pain here.

Edit: Oh and what makes it worse is the party ranger could find ant tracks on glass for miles if he wanted to. Thick.

 

[S'mon]

I agree w Henry, you should be able to find more suitable players, if not locally then in college.

OT: In my game last Sunday after I sic'd a random encounter of 3 worgs on the level 1-2 PCs, they went and got some locals with skinning skill to harvest the pelts, then they travelled 12 miles to the nearest pelt-trader, and bargained hard for the best deal - they ended up with 7pp/70gp for the 3, and were well pleased.