One player

[afrorooster]

In my campaign there is this one player that always wants to go "the other way" I'll explain. One example is they were in this lair of a dragon to retrieve some treasure this dragon stole. The heros have no doubt which way the dragon is. Clues everywhere. So everone in the party decide to go this one way (towards the dragon) EXCEPT this guy. He wants to go the other way for some reason...all by himself! or another example in a cave, the whole party wants to turn left, he wants to turn right. So I wind up having to take him through one part, making the rest of the players wait, then going to the other players and he complains for the wait. any suggestions?

 

[shilsen]

Simple solution - kill him

And yes, I'm kidding. But what you can do is have him find out that going off alone during an adventure is not a smart idea. Have something grab him, chew on him a bit, and chase him screaming back to the others. The only thing more stupid than splitting the party is being the only person to split off from it.

Also let the other PCs deal with it in-character. What do they think of it when he keeps going off by himself? Is there any particular reason they're travelling with him?

And the simplest solution of all - talk to him about it and explain why it's a pain.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Simple solution - kill him

Frankly, I can't imagine how you haven't killed him already. Unless you're awfully easy on the guy, I can't think how he hasn't been just eaten by an encounter that was designed with the whole party in mind.

 

[Severion]

Frankly, I can't imagine how you haven't killed him already. Unless you're awfully easy on the guy, I can't think how he hasn't been just eaten by an encounter that was designed with the whole party in mind.

I've done this a few times, the party splits or one guy goes off on his own (non-scouting) and they run into a planned encounter, the slaughter begins. You don't need to plan it, it just happens.

 

[Laman Stahros]

So I wind up having to take him through one part, making the rest of the players wait, then going to the other players and he complains for the wait. any suggestions?

In one campaign, I started all the characters seperate and brought them together, one by one. What I did was, play one character/group for a short time (usually to a stress point) and then freeze the action there and move to the next character/group, repeat as needed. This has an effect like a TV show for each character/group; the cut is a commercial break, breaking at a stress point keeps them waiting for more.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Give him a slap.

 

[Invictikore]

I have to agree with the teach him through pain, even if it is only on his character..

 

[was]

Drop him in a pit and leave him there for a while until the other pcs come back and have to bail him out. Repeat as necessary until he gets the point.

 

[ivocaliban]

Drop him in a pit and leave him there for a while until the other pcs come back and have to bail him out. Repeat as necessary until he gets the point.

Better than that, have him do things (besides ditiching the party) that puts himself and the other PCs in danger. Not real danger, you can botch a few rolls to make sure his stupidity doesn't kill them, but it will certainly seem like danger at the time. You can turn him into a stooge. Like Short Round accidentally setting off the spiked-collapsing-ceiling trap in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

If he continues after several of these lessons then it's pretty clear that he enjoys being the troublemaker. Maybe he's seeking attention, who knows. Pull him aside after a session and explain that he's monkeywrenching the game and causing everyone undue anxiety. If he still doesn't get the picture, kill the character in such a way that it's perfectly clear his lone wolf, contrary behavior is the one and only cause.

 

[Darthjaye]

Is this guy new to gaming? If not he should understand that you as a GM are supplying an entertaining opportunity for him and them. If he choooses to make this difficult, consult with him away from the group or via email. Either way you do this i would definately ask him directly why he does this. It's hard to not make this a confrontation, but he is undermining you with the other players. Ultimately, if you keep indulging his every whim to wander off and reward him with letting him play out his own escapades, you are also punishing the others inadvertantly for their willingness to sit through this all. They at first might think he's being a pain, but when you don't really address the problem with him directly they will start to get annoyed slightly with you.
Bottom line is that you should (aside from others and out of their prying eyes and ears) talk to this guy and come to a amicable arrangement.