What do you do with a drunken player?

My group has played drunk (and otherwise intoxicated). We've never had trouble with anything, but that's because we're a good group who are mature enough to (a) behave, and (b) do math, even under various influences.

If one of us couldn't handle his drink, we'd not drink. If one of us drank anyway, he'd no longer be one of us.

Cheers, -- N
 

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I've periodically tried to incorporate alcohol into games -both as a player and DM- and it always screws up my concentration.

Plus, when I DM 'in the cups', every monster my players meet is drunk: drunk owlbears, drunk goblins...even a drunk gelatinous cube.
 

I occasionally have a drink or two when I'm DMing. I'm a naturally reserved person and without a little "social lubricant" I sometimes find myself distracted by minute details that can seriously bog down the game.

That said, the guy described in the original post would not be welcome at my table. Since you're at someone else's table I suggest you either discuss your concerns with the DM in private or, if you're the only one put off by the bad behavior, take the hit and politely bow out of the game. Otherwise, just deal with it and rant later to blow off steam...as with most things in life.

Wey-hey!
 
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I have no tolerance for people that drive after drinking.

As the OP I would go excuse myself from the table, get his license number, call the police, and report it- "guy showed up at a get together with some friends, drunk, and yes, he drove himself here. What are my options?"

Return to the table, and apologize for being away from the table. Maintain my silence and be a good guest.


My house, or my game- excuse myself from the table, call the police, tell them I had a drunk present, what the address was, tell them he drove him self there, give his name, description of him and the car, license number, and tell them I would be calling him a cab. Call a cab.

When the cab arrived escort the drunk out- tell him that his SO called and that he needed to get him ASAP- there's been a family emergency. Once he was gone, NPC his character and continue on.

Later I would tell him that if I ever heard of him drinking and driving again I would no longer consider his presence at any table I was at as an option. There would be no drinking by him at the table for any reason, should he feel that is an insult then maybe he should think about his life and habits.


My experience with drunk driving is limited to alcholic parents, living on a road that was blood alley 3 of 4 years, and working in construction for sixteen years. I know drunks, and I know what they can do to families, and lives around them.
 

I've had two players who drank to excess. One was my cousin. He's a genuine alcoholic. I put up with it as long as I could and then said, "No booze at games, period." So he started showing up already drunk (at noon on Saturdays). Player #2 was simply a player who wanted to be able to drink at the game, but not to excess. The no-booze rule was unfair to him since the problem was my cousin's behavior and finally I'd simply had enough. I told him he had to leave because he was a disruption and that if he ever gave up drinking he'd be welcome back. He never did of course.

A few years later Player #2 began drinking a LOT more than he had. He hated his job so much that he drank on the weekends to be able to forget about it. This began to include games. However, he drank hard liquor, not beer. And when he started to get drunk he would do so without hesitation or delay. And by the time he was truly snockered he'd just make his way over to a couch or recliner and drop right to sleep. Now his behavior DID put bumps in my ongoing campaign because there were very few players at that time. When he walked away from the table to sleep it off we'd run his characters for him for a while but if there were any actual roleplaying needing the participation of the whole party the game pretty much ended. And several key plots were rotating around his characters.

He wasn't belligerent when drunk and unlike my cousin didn't have a grating personality to start with. I never even thought of needing to ask him to leave the game. His situation got better after a number of months and he started drinking less (at least at games). I've had players being disruptive for other reasons than drinking. Each person, each situation is different. One thing is certain, however - life is too short to game for even one evening with an ASS - drunk or sober. I'd play with a table full of mellow drunks forever, but wouldn't waste my evening with just one jerk.

Responsibility for dealing with jerks lies with one, perhaps two people. First the DM. Obviously. The DM, like it or not, is responsible not just for trying to provide a little entertainment medium for the players, but to keep OTHER players from spoiling that entertainment. If you're playing at the DM's house, a game store, or other "neutral" ground then the DM MUST be the authority. Some DM's just don't have the people skills or guts for that. If the game is held at the house of a player then the DM can kick him from the game, but the player HOSTING the game has some responsibility as even the DM is a guest in their home. That makes things more complicated but no less in need of solutions.

Communication is once again THE single factor to consider. EVERY player should have been told explicitly at the start, regardless of them being friend, relative, or stranger, that boorish behavior will not be tolerated. Barring that (or players ignoring that) DM's MUST step in and put a stop to it before it gets out of hand. The FIRST off-color remark or personal insult should be an electric shock that throws the DM out of his chair to his feet to confront the offender and LAY DOWN THE FRIGGIN' LAW. If it means ENDING the game at that point that is STILL better than sentencing every other player to enduring an uncomfortable evening with a jackass - and the DM that lets him continue.

If nobody else will do it, I don't care if you ARE a guest, you don't have to BE insulting and offensive to make clear your objections to BEING insulted and offended. If the DM/host will not take a stand for common courtesy and decency they have BY DEFAULT given YOU permission to do so. Tell them that if they start to object to YOU being "Miss Manners".

In the OP's situation he should have asked the DM aside and requested that he immediately deal with the drunk player. If the DM can't or won't make it clear that you will. "He's always like this" is a BETTER reason to make a scene as this drunk's "friend", the DM, is NOT being much of a friend letting him act this way without consequences. There will either be a terrible evening for all OR someone can take the drunks keys (important) and tell him he needs to leave the table. Call someone to come pick him up if necessary. Put him in a cab and send him home. STATE these options. Suggest other alternatives. Whatever. Just DON'T sit there uncomfortably wondering if anyone else is as pissed off as you are that you have to endure this. Doing THAT is nobody's fault but YOURS. People can't take advantage of you unless you LET them.
 

Generally speaking, of the games I've DMed and played:

Drunk isn't a problem. Rolling isn't a problem. Tripping isn't a problem.

Being stoned is a huge problem. I've yet to find a player -- including me -- who can meaningfully contribute to a game session while under Mary Jane's seductive sway. (Of course, if the game session is just an excuse for everyone to get stoned and giggle, no problem!)

There is a difference between "being drunk" and "being too drunk." (A distinction that rarely, if ever, occurs with the other states of intoxication mentioned.) If you can't meaningfully contribute -- there's that phrase again -- to the game session, you're too drunk, and I'm forced to tell you to sleep it off on the cold linoleum of the bathroom floor.

On the other hand, when I read some of the outrage about rudeness, I'm actually compelled to snort. (Compelled!) My circle of gamer friends are ridiculously, surrealistically rude to one another, and all it means is that we're all friends who can be ridiculously, surrealistically rude to one another. Although, if it makes people feel better, the Red Bull drinkers do partake with their pinkies in the air.
 

I gotta say, I've been drunk whilst playing, and I find it really, really, difficult.

On the other hand: I basically only DM at the moment, and I've gotten into the habit of getting blasted. For some reason - and completely counter intuitively - it's a lot easier to cope as a drunk DM than player.

Also agree with various comments that just one person even a little bit stoned in the house let alone at the table starts disrupting the whole game.

-Rassilon.
 

Man...being rude to one another is pretty much how my friends and I interact, Booze or no.

I think the drinking adds to thegame for me. Everyone loosens up and takes it less seriously, which I think is a strength.

There is nothing more tedious to me than taking a game night deadly serious...it just seems so...affected.

"Dude, you are not in competition for an Oscar, just roll the dice and tell me what your initiative is".
 

Teflon Billy said:
Man...being rude to one another is pretty much how my friends and I interact, Booze or no.

I think the drinking adds to thegame for me. Everyone loosens up and takes it less seriously, which I think is a strength.

There is nothing more tedious to me than taking a game night deadly serious...it just seems so...affected.

"Dude, you are not in competition for an Oscar, just roll the dice and tell me what your initiative is".

That's fair enough! I wouldn't want a deadly serious D&D session either, to tell the truth (I declined to join a game early this year because of a super-serious DM). If everyone had been sledging each other at the table, I don't think it would have bothered me as much. As it stands, there was one guy that seemed to be doing his best to try and make everyone else look small, and their ideas foolish. Seemed awfully mean-spirited, dumping on his friends' fun, and jumping on every failure with (apparent) glee.

Unfortunately for me, this was just a superficial look at this guy's personality. I don't know if he's always there for the others, I dont know if he helps run a soup kitchen, donates to charity, or calls his mum on every Sunday. All I know is this guy was treating my friends poorly in a fashion that didn't appear to be a group schtick.

As for drinking, I'm no teetotaller. I'm not against drinking at all, though I rarely drink to excess. As you say, a bit to drink helps loosen people up and can grease the wheels for an enjoyable experience. IMO it's important to know how much you're able to handle before you become dangerous and/or insufferable, however.

Anyhow, thanks everyone for their thoughts on the matter. Quite a range of opinions!
 

Teflon Billy said:
"Dude, you are not in competition for an Oscar, just roll the dice and tell me what your initiative is".
When I'm drinking (I'm the DM), I feel like I can win an Oscar. Everytime I'm heavily buzzed I feel like I'm doing my best roleplaying.

Although, maybe when I drink and roleplaying it's more like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGexKHO8AJ4

My players have never said anything though :p
 

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