When PCs go "Swiss"

[Percivellian]

I've run into a recurring theme with a certain player. First off, he's the type who hands in significantly less character history than any other player (even if there's a requirement), or no character history at all.

Second, we usually run games with alignment, and the majority of the characters he plays are always True Neutral. No problem here really, except that these characters end up acting much much closer to Chaotic Evil. Murdering children, bucking or downright evading the law, killing city guards, burning random buildings down as it suits him, theft, assault, public mischief... and all that was in just a few sessions of one campaign. I've considered using an alignment point system, but that invariably leads to unproductive debate about what actions deserve a point, or ridiculous "acts of kindness" to balance the points out.

So I was wondering, why doesn't he just play a Chaotic Evil character? There haven't been any restrictions on alignment. Then I got to thinking maybe he's hiding behind the Neutral alignment as a way to avoid being subject to aligned weapons and detection spells, or any spells that factor alignment into their effects. I don't think that's a particularly good motivation, as I'll try and balance damage and other things out to facilitate fun in any case, but I'm not so sure that's it.

I'm planning on discussing it with him (I don't see him that often, and he's not the most forthcoming type, in or out of game) but I was wondering if anyone else had ever run into situations like this, and what was done in response to it?

Thanks,

~Percy

 

[Akrasia]

Ummm ... if he is doing crap like this ...

... . Murdering children, bucking or downright evading the law, killing city guards, burning random buildings down as it suits him, theft, assault, public mischief... and all that was in just a few sessions of one campaign....

... then he is Chaotic Evil. There is no debate.

I'm planning on discussing it with him (I don't see him that often, and he's not the most forthcoming type, in or out of game) but I was wondering if anyone else had ever run into situations like this, and what was done in response to it?

Tell him his character is Chaotic Evil. You're the DM, right? End of debate.

 

[jonesy]

How does he justify his character murdering children as being the actions of a True Neutral person?

 

[Captain NeMo]

How does he justify his character murdering children as being the actions of a True Neutral person?

That's the beauty of it, if a player tacks on a "neutral" anything onto their sheet they feel they don't have to justify anything. :\

 

[diaglo]

next time a paladin or cleric detects evil on the group have his character "light up"

then have the cleric or paladin convince him ala geas to perform a quest as atonement.

geas... no save.

if he wants to battle it out with the cleric or paladin. have the "good" aligned characters feel uneasy.

or have cleric spells fail when used to heal him.

 

[cnedra]

Its a tricky situation, making a stand against your 'Hitler with halo' will cause friction between you and your players, but you must look at the fact that the behaviour is effecting all of the group to a much larger degree than making a stand will to the individual.

Try pointing out that it is unlikley a paladin or any lawfull character will stand by and allow the murdering of children and would almost without question shun any future alignment with such a person, your alignment issue could sort itself out when the party leave the phyco behind

 

[Steel_Wind]

Any character who did these tings at my table would be met with a cold stare as I packed up my books. DM Quit - *no save*

That's not "Swiss" - that's Chaotic Evil. Send in the high level Paladins and kill the PC and any other PCs who assist him.

 

[Gentlegamer]

I've run into a recurring theme with a certain player. First off, he's the type who hands in significantly less character history than any other player (even if there's a requirement), or no character history at all.

Character history? Do you mean background of the character at 1st level? How much history can a novice character have? Why not let the in game action determine the character's "story" . . . ?

Second, we usually run games with alignment, and the majority of the characters he plays are always True Neutral. No problem here really, except that these characters end up acting much much closer to Chaotic Evil. Murdering children, bucking or downright evading the law, killing city guards, burning random buildings down as it suits him, theft, assault, public mischief... and all that was in just a few sessions of one campaign. I've considered using an alignment point system, but that invariably leads to unproductive debate about what actions deserve a point, or ridiculous "acts of kindness" to balance the points out.

So I was wondering, why doesn't he just play a Chaotic Evil character? There haven't been any restrictions on alignment. Then I got to thinking maybe he's hiding behind the Neutral alignment as a way to avoid being subject to aligned weapons and detection spells, or any spells that factor alignment into their effects. I don't think that's a particularly good motivation, as I'll try and balance damage and other things out to facilitate fun in any case, but I'm not so sure that's it.

I'm planning on discussing it with him (I don't see him that often, and he's not the most forthcoming type, in or out of game) but I was wondering if anyone else had ever run into situations like this, and what was done in response to it?

Actions speak louder than descriptors penciled on a character sheet. The character is Chaotic Evil. Make a ruling: inform the player that the character is now Chaotic Evil.

 

[cmanos]

Have a Lawfuyl Good Party show up at his doorstep wanting to stop the murdering of children. 4 high level Paladin's should do it.

 

[The_Gunslinger658]

Hi-

Wow, unbelievable that there might be two of them out there, years ago I gamed with a guy pretty much like the one your gaming with now. He was not a bad guy but when he played D&D, every freakin character was Neutral but the way he played was Chaotic Evil.
Plus his buddy would encourage him to act like that too.

So at one point I was pretty pissed because this moron killed a dwarf smithy for refusing to make some item, forgot what it was, so I brought out the Hommlet Posse, both characters were roped by their feet, draged for about two miles and hung from the tallest oak tree.

After that, both thier new characters were less annoying.


Scott