How to stop my players from doing these things?

[Steverooo]

1) The "Loner" hero. you know the type; doesn't really have a backstory, or his backstory consists of "my family was killed; I'm the only one left." Often seems to be a dodge to get out of having their background "exploited" to help the story.

So don't "exploit" their backstory!

Y'know, some of us just plain get TIRED of doing backstory, all the time! Maybe your player does, too! If you have the Hero Builder's book (3e), hand it to him, and tell him to roll for it (or better yet, pick).

So his family was killed? By whom? Why? If he doesn't know (and doesn't want to develop it), there's your plot hook, right there. Someday, he will encounter the same purple-cloaked mercenaries as killed his parents!...

I've used this "dodge", myself, and had this response from my GM. One day, alone in the woods, I encountered one of these mercs, and followed her for a ways. Then, I sneaked around in front of her, and sat on the bank, fishing. I hailed her, when she passed, but she ignored me, and warily hurried past. I waited a while, then stealthily pursued her, and came upon her in a Orcs' trap. I killed the orcs, and offered to get her out, if she talked... She never did, so I guess she must still be down there...

In another campaign, I used exactly the same background, because I didn't feel like creating another one. This time, it was dragons who killed my family, instilling a life-long hatred of them in my Ranger, who took them asw his favored enemy, and always advanced that bonus, first...

So, you can work with what "The Lone Ranger" is giving you, especially if you also use the Hero Builder's guidebook, and roll for some unknown stuff about him and/or his family, as well. He might be the long-lost prince of Delusia, or son of a great Archmage, or whatever...

Or, maybe your player just doesn't want to develop background because he doesn't like what you do withit. If you keep kidnapping, killing, and threatening PCs' loved ones to get them to go on adventures, then it's no wonder! Talk to your player, and find out WHY he doesn't want to do it... If he is bored, tell him you'll do it for him. If he just has no ideas, give him some (offer suggestions)! If he dislikes what you do with his background, promise him you won't do ANYTHING with it, unless he approves (and thus alay his fears).

 

[Steverooo]

2) The really really odd PC. I have one player(you know who you are!) who, while I can understand his reasoning somewhat behind it, it gets tiresome. This guy can NEVER, EVER play just a normal PC. Just once, I'd love to see him play a normal PC race and class, instead of being asked "can I play a werewolf/halfdragon/ninja/psion?". I like to offer a diverse range of character classes and options, but he ALWAYS has to pick something outside the normal range.

This player sounds BORED! Prob'ly been roleplaying too long, and doesn't see a lot of interest (to him/her) in "normal" PCs. They're looking for something new... SO GIVE IT TO THEM!

Take them aside, and tell them that you have a special character, with some... unusual abilities... that they haven't learned to control, and HIDE FROM SOCIETY! Make them a "normal PC race and class", and then add on some sort of special ability, but make sure that the PLAYER knows that the PC has to HIDE it (maybe they have an enemy too powerful to face who will kill them, if they "reveal themself too soon", ala Highlander, or somesuch)... Now the player has a "special" PC, but he/she/it is "normal race and class", with some special, GM-controlled ability that they are "just learning how to use". See if the player is interested (but don't give too many details about the ability, or the enemy).

 

[Steverooo]

3) The PCs not knowing each other. Now, I'd like to keep a fairly wide range of options open (see above, I know I'll get the complaints if I don't), but I'd like to avoid the "you all meet in a tavern" cliche. How to get the PCs together but keep the options open for what they can play?

This one's easy... Ask the players, "So, how do your PCs know one another?", and see what develops... Many PCs will link up, pretty quickly.

If "The Lone Ranger" and "The Special One" don't, you can always just tell them that they look familiar to each other, somehow, and leave it at that... Later on, you can reveal that the slayer of "The Lone Ranger's" parents is also the great enemy of "The Special One", and that they once met, years ago, when they were much, much younger, before the deaths of their parents! (Cue errie music!)

Yes, that's right; they both share the same enemy in common!

Other ways are: Same town of birth. Same church. Same organization. Same employer. Same goals. Childhood friends. College roommates. Studied together at the same academy. Etc,

Also, if some of the PCs know each other, and some don't, it's okay... Not all your friends are your friends' friends, too, eh? ;-p As long as A knows B and B knows C & D, that's all you really need. B can introduce everyone.

Finally, I lovethis one...

GM: So you guys go to the tavern that the notice indicated, and the mysterious old man in the robes is holding court there. A large crowd of people has gathered, and he is shouting them down.

NPC: "Quiet! Quiet! There are too many of you! I can't hire you all! Each of you, briefly, tell me why I should hire you for this mission!"

NPC #2: "Because I'm the best!"

NPC #3: "I am the most skilled archer, ever, and good at everything else!"

NPC #4: "Because I don't lie, like the rest of these fools!"

NPC: "And you?" (Looks to the PCs)...

Then let each PC give their spiel about why THEY should be hired, interspersed with more NPCs... When they're all done, the mysterious old man picks his crew, and leaves the PCs sitting there in the bar!

PC #1: "Wow! THAT never happened, before!"

PC #2: "Yeah!... What's the GM thinkin'?"

;-p

 

[Mark]

How to stop my players from doing these things?

A good kick square in the nuts might be appropriate and worth considering as a motivational tool...or maybe I'm just old school...

 

[sellars]

As to the "weird character" thing -- the PC needs to learn (maybe the hard way) why being "different" is a hard, lonely life.

I totally agree with this one. In the campaign in which I am currently a player, I play the weirde (admitted ). I play a werewolf that is inflicted. In the city where we are currently staying, they had some trouble with wolves and werewolves, so I really have a hard time in that city, and most likely will not survive it. Which is ok, it makes the sessions very exciting