Player can't stop talking Game Mechanics

[shilsen]

One way to deal with the hit point issue is what I do - I track PC hit points too. This has two big advantages, for me. Firstly, everyone at the table has the same info about the character, since they're going off my description of how a PC looks like a single hit will take him down, with blood running down his side from a deep wound and charred flesh from the fireball. Secondly, it makes me use vivid descriptions rather than saying, "Your PC takes 20 pts", which I otherwise have to do.

 

[Gez]

If that character has knowledge arcana and still choose to chug fireballs at red dragons, it's the fault of the player for not using his character's abilities. ('Say, can I make a knowledge arcana roll to see if my charcter knows anything about red dragons and whether they have any special resistances?').

Puh-leeze! Do you want to bog down the game to a grinding halt?

The party encounters a mob of goblins.
Fighter's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Local) check to see if my character knows anything about the local goblins and whether they are afraid of certain mercenary companies? I could shout the appropriate battlecry to get a circumstance bonus to my Intimidate roll..."
Cleric's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Religion) check to know who is the god of goblins, and what is his symbol, I could then tell the wizard to stage something with his illusion spell to demoralize them..."
Rogue's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Stabbity-Stab-Stab) check to know whether goblins have an anatomy or not?"
Wizard's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Geometry) check to determines the optimal localisation of my fireball's area of effect so as to include the largest possible number of goblins, as well as their boss, and at least four of those worg-riders, and while I'm here, can I make a Diplomacy or Sense Motive or whatever check to guess which of the goblins is their boss?"

Next fight, players are attacked by dire rats.
Cleric's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Nature) check to know whether dire rats are afraid of fire? If so, can I make a Survival check to lit my torch? Do I have to make a Knowledge (Equipment List) to remember if I do have a torch?"
Rogue's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Nature) check to know whether a rat's anatomy is more vulnerable to piercing, slashing, or blunt weapons?"
Fighter's player: "Can I make a Knowledge (Nature) check to know whether or not dire rats carry diseases, because I've a phobia of them and if so I flee and let the other deals with them."
Wizard's player: "Can I make a Sense Motive check to guess the intent of the fighter and, then tell him he's a yellow-livered coward, to goad him into staying here? Maybe a Bluff check? Can I make a Knowledge (Rule-Lawyering) check to know if that's a Bluff or a Diplomacy check I'll have to do ?"

I'd hate it. For rare and unusual critters, yes. But for staples like medusa or dragons...

 

[Grayhawk]

I'd hate it. For rare and unusual critters, yes. But for staples like medusa or dragons...

Nice of you to take the time to write out those examples, but they miss the point of my post. Sorry you misunderstood.

I'm obviously not advocating the obnoxious use of knowledge skills that you suggest. It's the DM's job to let he's players know just how much their characters know about the world they live in. In the - hopefully rare - situations where a someone is in doubt about what his character knows, he'll ask the DM and get an answer, sometimes requiring a knowledge check. My point is, that he shouldn't be spoonfed this information just because he didn't bother to pay attention when the DM informed him of he campaign setting.

When you play in a world whith no dragons (as far as you know), you should have no idea of what to expect from a huge, flying, red reptile. There are no staples, unless you've already been told so.

I hope that helps

 

[GlassJaw]

The key here is moderation.

I think some of the replies are missing the point of the initial post. My guess is that the metagaming is viewed as a problem, hence the post. It is very difficult to completely eliminate metagaming but you can certainly cut down on it. If the group is having fun and the game isn't being slowed to a crawl, then some metagaming is fine. But if one player is trying to run everyone's characters and asking questions about other characters during the game, then that is a problem.