Problem Players

[W.Rose]

Greetings everyone,
I believe that in some ways my fiancee has been kind about one of the two players. The explorer gets his kicks out of confrontations. As much as he is my friend and I wanted to softball it I think softballing our problems with him is not going to do anyone any good.

A few examples of what I mean are:
He is prone to making characters that NEED a follower and as soon as he gets his follower no one else is likely to get anything said or done as all he will do all session is sit there arguing between his two characters on opposing sides of view (and these views don't have to make sense for him to do it).

Not letting him have a follower is easy enough, but then he just starts picking fights with other players like "Mage, you are not throwing those fireballs big enough, you just don't impress me why should I do anything for you?" (yes, he has done this to members of our group).

I have tried to tailor games to more his style but he will almost always find another problem with it.

His characters also have a tendancy to be destined for some greatness, he has proposed character histories before that are "I am an avatar of X god hidden in the body of a paladin." or "I am an intergalactic explorer come to this backwards world to help these ppl, my monk appearance is just a 'guise." and there are many many many more over the past few years.

Now both my fiance and I are willing to accept these character concepts once in a while but in EVERY game, he has to have this same style of concept and unwilling to play anything more of the norm with the rest of the players and yet this guy won't play Heroes with us Lol.

Ok, those are what I can say about him at this point, off the top of my head sighting actual history of his actions. I really don't want to be harsh as he is our friend but he is driving me NUTS as a GM. LOL

Thank you for your time,
White Rose

 

[_insert name here_]

One more player voices up

Ok, I do have a little to add here.

Just for the record, I'm the old friend who needs mages and/or Power attack. (Hmmm...mage with power attack...)

I realize that the problems seem fairly light compared to what other people experience, but these are our problems and we could use some advice dealing with them. Being one of the standard scorn targets for Mr. Predestined/Avatar was fine for a few weeks, but it does take its toll over time. And for the Observer, the best I've been able to do is play with him, not play off him. Even then, most of his responses have been out of character.

One last thing to add, I have tried to DM for this group before. Let's just say that they're not the easiest group in the world to DM for. It's been about 3 years, and now I'm just starting to DM another campaign for a different group

To be honest (and this isn't all suck-up), I think our two regular DMs have spoiled the rest of us. They're not just the DMs available, they're good at what they do. We've had others DM for us in the past, and it's always fallen short of what we seem to want out of a campaign.

_insert name here_

 

[Templetroll]

First I'd suggest that the explorer not play the personality of the follower. He grabs times with that by the spurious drama of the characters disagreeing. Next time he takes a follower he gets one who avidly agrees to do what he wants, follow any plan no matter how stupid. The DM puts in the personality and makes the responses and does so in short bits, not extended scenes. Tell him he can write the extended scenes in a char journal, like the other guy. He has to follow your personality however for the follower.

If he decides to go explore tell him one line descriptions and then stop his response after the first couple sentences from him. Go back to the party and ask what they are doing while he is exploring. The DM spends at least the same amouont of time with each character, even if they have nothing to add, the DM still talks to that player the same amount of time about nothing.

That thing where he comments about the size of the wizard's fireball should be met with a response like "Oh, how about this? *blam* It looks bigger from the inside, doesn't it?" .

Tell him no on the grandiouse backgrounds unless they include something that makes him altruistic and kind. He has to set up a personality that is pleasant if he is such a great roleplayer. Flat out tell him you want to see him do something that he hasn't roleplayed, a nice person. He has to be a Hero or he doesn't get to play until he is one. That's not booting him to the curb unless he is too stubborn to play a hero with a nice personality.

With the other guy just react in roleplay like he had done whatever emotional response you want. If he disputes your assumption then tell him he needs to roleplay what he does want to get across.

Good luck with it.

 

[caudor]

I see. From reading the additional posts, it is apparent that my previous advice won't help you much in this situation.

To be honest, I've never encountered anything like this before in my game. The tough part seems to be that the problem player(s) are good friends. I'm not in a position to offer you good advice here, but I'm sure other posters will.

By the way, it does sound like you have a terrific DM there. I'd donate a kidney to be able to play with such an obviously creative DM. ENWorld is a great place to be for such advice.

 

[SweeneyTodd]

White Rose,

Here's what I think you should do. When dude acts up like that, just keep on going. Don't let him take the spotlight.

What you've described is exactly like someone coming to dinner, and trying to monopolize every conversation. If you don't kick them out, then you talk around them. (In other words, I don't think this is a gaming problem, it's a social problem.)

Just curious -- this guy have any particular insecurities he's compensating for? Surely seems like it from this end...

 

[W.Rose]

SweeneyTodd,
I can agree that in many ways, it's not simply a gaming problem but a social one. As for compensating for something, well that's very possible. He's a very closed off person although he considers us as good friends he simply doesn't like to open up about anything that is at all serious. Some ppl are that way in life I guess.

Everyone,
I want to thank everyone who has posted thus far and those who will post. My fiance and I really appreciate the insights and inputs objective parties are able to make regarding the situation!!!

- White Rose

White Rose,

Here's what I think you should do. When dude acts up like that, just keep on going. Don't let him take the spotlight.

What you've described is exactly like someone coming to dinner, and trying to monopolize every conversation. If you don't kick them out, then you talk around them. (In other words, I don't think this is a gaming problem, it's a social problem.)

Just curious -- this guy have any particular insecurities he's compensating for? Surely seems like it from this end...

 

[LordBOB]

Ok guys this is a thread to discuss how you play your characters. The only reason im about to bring this up is b/c im starting to get annoyed by one of the players in our group. I am currently in a group of 4 main characters:

--------rogue ------ Lv.16 <-------- the other dude who is frustrated
-----rangers/sorc. ------ 13/7 ( dont ask why he is lv 20....DM messed up BAD!!)
----- Paladin ------- lv.16 <----- me
cleric/sorc./fighter -----6/6/6 ( 18th level) <----the dude im about to talk about! "Badass"


Ok now that thats outta the way. Honestly i love to roleplay..plain and simple. Unfortunantly we dont ever get the chance b/c the self annoned "Badass" of the group doesnt give us the chance to roleplay for ourselves. He is ALWAYS butting in our situations even when his character isnt there. Even though our DM hasnt said anything, Im sure he thinks that we dont like to roleplay, but this isnt the case b/c we are always overrun with ideas from the "Badass" of the group. Im REALLY starting to get annoyed with how things are done and our DM wont do anything about it. It doesnt matter what the situation involves, he ALWAYS has to put his 2 cents worth in.

It can range from " Use the rope to help the rogue down the clift" or " Why dont you detect evil" ( since im the paladin) or " hey lets attack these guys .....(gives us battle plans)" and i already know what i SHOULD do in the situation but i dont ever have the time to say it b/c he just blurts it out and its SOOOOO annoying. We have talked to him and he hs calmed down a little bit but its still pretty bad. And to make things worse the DM rewards him for the idea he has sometimes. They arent always spectacular ideas or anything, its just that he says them before everyone else. He knows when we get mad at him b/c things start to go terribally wrong for him.

(Plz dont judge me for the next explaination) Sometimes when the " Badass" blurts out what i should do i wont do it. Basically just to make him mad and he knows this, but for some reason he continue to blurt things out and he continues to get hurt in battle more than he should. Unfortunantly he died after he blurted something out during a battle and i hope that he will start to calm down a little but i dont think he will. The last time our party suffered a few NPC casulaties along with the "Badass" i was kind enough to give them ALL a true resurection. Which i dont think i was proparly thanked for dissing out 20,000+ gold for all of them ( which i havent recieved anything for my services)

So i guess im asking the people at EnWorld if they have any players like this in their group and if so how have you dealed with them. Thanks in advance!

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!

 

[Templetroll]

LordBOB, First, make sure the other players are bothered by this also; if they aren't then you may need to find a new group or change your emotional reaction to the blurter.

If the others are bothered then have a talk with the DM away from the game. he needs to understand that most of his players are bothered by the blurting out/taking over by this player. Mention it is especially annoying when that player gets rewarded for jumping into your action and taking the same idea you had but did not get to say.

Ask the DM to penalize him when he does it so that he will seriously try to stop. If the Dm cannot or will not then you need to find a new DM or ask to have that player removed.

Also, you can wait until he blurts out something, sigh loudly and hand your character sheet over to him. have a school book with your and take it out. Tell the GM it is less annoying to work on homework than to try to tell the DM what your character is doing before that guy does. Actually, if he does it with all of you then he ends up being to busy to really think things through since he is suddenly running all the characters. that might get both the DM and blurto to realize how bad it was for you.

Then again, they may be fine with a two player game.....

 

[Steverooo]

White Rose (Love the name & Avatar!);

I don't think that the "Lurker" is a problem player, at all... Shy and with a bad memory, maybe, but not a PP. Some people just don't have the RP "Knowhats" to handle such-like stuff. Give him time to learn, and just keep trying! This guy (?) just isn't a problem!

The other one, however, is. Talk to him, and flat-out ask him WHY he always has to be arguing with someone. Try to understand his reasons. Then, try to find some other way to solve the problem... I used to work with two guys, both friends (of mine, AND each other), who fought like dogs in the office, all the time! I kept trying to stop them, separate them, whatever, and one day asked them why they were like that. "We like to fight!" one of them told me. The other guy grinned, and said something like "Yeah, it's fun!" I was shocked. "Guys," sez I, "there's gotta be a better way!" The first guy agreed, the second guy laughed... The next day, they were at it, again. I just stayed outta the way, and let them fight... As long as they weren't killing each other, breaking up the office equipment, or scaring away customers, I just let them be themselves. I worked for them...

I hafta say that I agree with the poster, above, who said not to let the problem player have another PC who is "extra-special", again. You might want to use the 3e Hero-Builder's Guide, which has background tables to roll on, asking the PCs to give you the rolls, and you'll tell them what their background is, before character generation... Then eliminate any rolls that give such backgrounds to that PC (if any did).

If that fails, have the next NPC that he assaults be a high-level Wizard or Witch, and cast Curse upon him, making him permanently silenced (and unable to argue, or even complain about it) for as long as it takes him to get someone to cast Remove Curse upon him...

If you do that, have the rest of the PCs' players involved, and have them reply "Ha, ha, oh vain-glorious and ignoble one! How the mighty have fallen! You cast your aspersions far too widely! Why should I, a mere caster of tiny Fireballs deign to help thee? All thou hast ever done is to denigrate my meagre abilities! Ha, ha!" Enforce the rule that his PC cannot speak with a "-1 HP/word spoken" rule... Let him pantomine, and fume, for a few game sessions. Then, let him buy a slate and piece of chalk, and write notes. Let the other PCs abuse HIS for a while, and don't dispel the curse until you feel that the PLAYER has learned his lesson!

(Having been Feebleminded for some time, once upon a game, I can guarantee you that this is no fun! He will HATE it, and when he complains about the other PCs not helping his, simply reply "Well, that IS the way that your PC has been treating theirs for a LONG time!", then go on with the game.

After the curse is finally removed, if the PC starts up the same load of... garbage, ALL of the other PCs should get together, and agree that they're mad, and not going to take it, anymore! When he starts in on the Wizard, they should all reply "Hey, like YOU can do any better! You can't even cast Fireball, now CAN you?!?" Then they should all point and LAUGH at the "weeny" player's PC!

Eventually, the player will either realize that his "trick" has run its course, or he'll get annoyed that the game has "stopped being fun", and drop out... Either way, problem solved!

Good luck!

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I guess you could always get a new group.

In any event, have you considered the option of letting one of the others try their hand at running a game? It could work out really well (dynamic and exciting) or it could turn into a huge mess (distracted, silly).