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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BSF" data-source="post: 1559812" data-attributes="member: 13098">Dragonlancer, reading more posts, I am honestly beginning to think this is deeper issue than differing play styles.  The player in question seems to have difficulty with the "unknown", and to some degree a loss of control.  Quite frankly, he would go batty in my games.  I make up skill check DC's all over the place.  I even allow differing skills to have a possibility of success.  I might allow different characters to roll a Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) or a Knowledge (Arcana) or a Knowledge (History) with different DC's if they have found a reference to a long dead Wizard King.  What's wacky is that if a PC had all of these skills, I would probably allow them to roll their highest with situational synergy bonuses.  That's not in the book and it would probably frustrate the bejeezus out of your player because he never anticipated that.  But, back to your game.  The player might be exhibiting a lack of trust.  He doesn't trust you, as the DM, to provide a fair and fun experience around the table. He is falling back on the rules because they are in writing and "unquestionable".  He was upset because you used used a situational modifier for spotting invisible opponents that were in the air.  Why was he upset?  Is it because he is convinced that you are just trying to screw the PC's over?  Is it that he thinks you bent the rules to be sure nobody would see the invisible people, no matter what the PC's did?  I suppose the alternative is that the player maxed out spot to the point where he could see invisible opponents and then stopped because he would never need to sink another point into spot again.  Or is planning to, once the PC is high enough level.  Either way is a problem with a loss of control.  The player wants to keep everything in the sandbox of the rules with no deviation.  That way, he can build his character so that he can "win".  When you deviate from the "rules", he feels like you are trying to keep him from "winning".  The rest of your players understand that you are trying to tell a story and provide appropriate challenges that they can find ways to overcome.  The stylistic differences that are cropping up are a symptom, not the problem.  The reason your styles don't mesh is because it sounds like he needs to win.  Admittedly, I am pulling this out of a few comments that you have made and I don't have the full context of the game.  But, the problems you have pointed out could be indicative of these issues.  If it does come down to a loss of control issue on the player's end, I am not sure how you can fix this problem.  It sounds like you have already tried communication, so what else remains?</blockquote>

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