What do you do with a cheating player!

[Kestrel]

Ive got a player like this. He uses the tiny dice with no color lettering so noone can tell what he is rolling. He's used cans and such on the table to block folks view from his roll. Its not just rolls however. He also uses things like the variable feats (Power Attack and Expertise) to keep the DM (me) in the dark about his attack bonuses and AC. Lastly, he tends to keep his spell list hidden so you can't tell how many spells he's cast and such.

Really annoying. But not nearly as bad as the Shadowrun game that a friend ran where he didnt even bring a character sheet. "Yeah, I got a 12 in Pistols"
"What???"

Solutions I'll be implementing.

1) State everyone has to roll on the table in clear view, with dice that can easily be read.
2) Every one must submit an index card with AC / BAB / weapons clearly outlined.
3) One player will be designated timekeeper...to keep track of spell durations.
4) Different colored glass beads used for spell slots.

I just think its sad that I have to do this.

 

[NeghVar]

Thanks Gnarlo - this was exactly what I was talking about! Every roll goes through them on my table. I have one for the players and one for myself.

Well, you can scroll back to my reply at the very top of the page , or I'll just link to it here: Dice rollers I'd assume this is what he means by dice tower.

Thanks!

 

[Wolffenjugend]

Take a strong stance. You're the DM - act like one. If you know he's cheating, take him aside and tell him you're on to his game and he has two choices: clean up his act or ship off. Then have him sit next to you and keep a sharp eye on him. If he doesn't shape up, boot him from the game. You don't have to be a prick about it, but you do need to show backbone o/w the guy will just keep doing it. Why do you think people don't cheat in Vegas twice? They learn the first time or they don't come back...

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

An situational update!

I faced up to it... which was a bit nervewracking.


I went and had a word with him outside the game: Chatted about a bunch of in and out of game stuff, eventually got round the subject of dice fudging: Took the approach that it wasn't a problem as such, just something silly that I'd noticed someone else doing in another game... He admitted he'd been doing it, explained why, said it wasn't very fulfilling and that he wanted to stop it.

Which was pretty much not how I expected it to go, but great nonetheless!

We've played the first session of a new campaign since then. He's been rolling the dice 'front and center' and leaving the results for all to see!- even the bad ones.

Reckon that's a problem solved!

I feel good about the way it worked out.

Thanks for the great advice, internet people!

 

[Mark]

Reckon that's a problem solved!

I feel good about the way it worked out.

Excellent! Congrats, Al!

Now if you can get him back into men's clothing your game will be golden...

 

[Barak]

Yeah good people can do bad stuff despite themselves sometimes. I was a "cheater" for a while once, I'll admit. It was in a pretty powerful campaign, and my character was relatively crappy compared to the others. Never able to freakin' do anything. So I started fudging my rolls once in a while.. And once you do, heck if it can't quickly become an habit, one that can even easily continue into other games where your characters aren't crappy!

I finally realized all by myself that it was kinda stupid to cheat in a game played for fun, and that it wasn't really fulfilling to have a character who basically always succeeded when it counted (I wasn't stupid enough to cheat -all- the time, only when it "counted"). So I made it a point to roll in the open for a while, making it impossible for myself to cheat, and I cured myself.

Of course now that I DM, I bet my players would -like- it if I fudged once in a while... But no, I still roll in the open.

 

[Elrik_DarkFury]

Crap!. And I was about to suggest you some alternative (always civilized of course)ways to "prevent" your friend from cheating such as mild excruciation slighty advancing in harshness until the symptoms completely wear of.. Whatever.. Thought If you ever come across such a situation don't forget a friend of yours who always wants to help.



________________

If mad man can be very dangerous,
I wonder what a mad wizard can be

 

[Buttercup]

I'm glad you got it sorted out, Al. Now you can go back to concentrating on the fun!

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'm glad you got it sorted out, Al. Now you can go back to concentrating on the fun!

Now if you can get him back into men's clothing your game will be golden...

Unfortunately, I have a horrible feeling those 2 may be mutually exclusive!

 

[dren]

advice re: cheating players

A few ideas:

1. I have made all players create their character using the redblade program, and then send me their PC sheet.

2. I have a quick reference cards for all of their details, as well as their files on my lap-top

3. Sometimes I have player #2 read out the player # 1's rolls, player # 3 reads player # 2's rolls, etc. If one person screws up the roll after being warned, I tell them I will inflict a penalty on both of them. Tough noogies.

4. In save vs death / dismemberment / etc situations, I usually get away from the DM screen and be with the other players while they do the rolling

5. I always try, at the end of the game, compliment the players on what a great job they have been doing. Even in the face of death or a mission failure, as long as the characters feel that they have been doing a good job and if the people are having a good time, I find that few players will cheat.

6. I have said this before, and I mean it, the second I realize that somebody is cheating in a game - I won't ban them, I'll ban myself. I'll walk away. The game is great fun, but if you have to cheat in a game where you don't keep score and it's all in your imagination, then you really are a pathetic loser, and I don't want to have anything to do with you. Now, if the other players want me to continue running the game, only one caveat - get rid of the loser.