How to tell the PCs...

[Impeesa]

Show them the line in the MM where it says "Advancement: By character class." Tell them that if they're going to complain about the rules, they could at least get them right.

--Impeesa--

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I'm sure somebody else has already said this but I didn't feel like reading the rest of the thread. In the event nobody has:

Your players suck and sound like jerks. Get new ones you should play with inmature people. Following people who are on crutches and making fun of them (assuming it's not in a friendly and joking manner) is not cool.

 

[drothgery]

What orcs? Those were polymorphed humans.

 

[Darkness]

Blind the entire PC party. Permanently. If they can't see what monsters they're facing, they can't complain.

 

[doomgrinder]

Find, let 'em win... the fight about "you can't do that"

Go ahead, let 'em win that argument about orcs can't have levels....

just through about 100 of 'em at 'em. With all those dice flying, they're bound to roll 20s. If they're still able to win, throw 200 of 'em.

 

[shilsen]

Because sometimes there are lulls in the "badness" and things go okay for a while, but then they start to get bad again every once in a while.

See, that's your mistake. Never forget the "badness". Hug it close to your breast and nurture it. Water the badness with your sorrow and feed it with your hate, till it blossoms. And then beat your players over the head with it and the TPK bat (in your brother's case, an actual bat sounds more appropriate) till they stop twitching. Or maybe not

More seriously, your decision to tell them that "if they do not like it then they can either quit playing or deal with it" sounds like a good one.

 

[dontpunkme]

Throw a drow raiding party at them with plenty of class levels (make sure all drow fighters have blind fight) and then envelop them in spheres of Darkness. Then have the drow wizard blanket the area with fireball spells to soften them up. Then let the fighters clean up them. Have extra character sheets ready.
When they roll up new characters let them face a human party with class levels. Kill them again. Have extra character sheets ready.
Proceed to deurgar, halflings, basically any race the players have access to and keep killing them.
Complain the entire time that they're characters aren't being fun and that they need to learn to roll better.

Or throw beasties with level drain abilities at them. Keep level draining until orcs are a challenge again.

Lastly, 2 words- Orc Army! Sure 6-7 orcs are easy, but what about 2,000 of them.

Point is make them wish it was just 4 orcs with class levels. If you show them to fear enemies in very, very large numbers they will wish for a few orcs with class levels.

If this doesn't work, find new players.

 

[BigTom]

Here is a way to handle your brothers tantrums. The next time he starts that yelling trick, Don't say anything. To anyone. Just pack up your stuff and walk away from the table. Stay away until they come to you, then tell them that if they want you to continue doing the work of running the game, they will have to stop screaming at you when they don't like your decisions. If they agree, return to the game. If not, you might as well hang it up because it simply is not going to get better.

 

[Parlan]

Here is a way to handle your brothers tantrums. The next time he starts that yelling trick, Don't say anything. To anyone. Just pack up your stuff and walk away from the table. Stay away until they come to you, then tell them that if they want you to continue doing the work of running the game, they will have to stop screaming at you when they don't like your decisions. If they agree, return to the game. If not, you might as well hang it up because it simply is not going to get better.

This is what I'd vote for.

The important thing is: STICK TO YOUR GUNS!!!

It's hardest the first time b/c your brother and friends are going to expect you to cave in. Don't!

And you might have to do this again if they don't get it the first time.