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D&D General When Players Refuse to learn The Rules
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
THIS. When I first started DMing with my 1E holdovers I gave them an index card with a list of every action on it.
I was learning with those players though, so it was not a big deal.
Hex08
Hero
I have a group I have been playing with for probably more than 25 years, with people coming and going over time. In the group there are usually five or six us and at best there is usually one other player who has more than a casual understanding of the rules. I don't really care if they have a deep understanding of the rules as long as they learn the basics and reasonably understand their character's mechanics.
I recently uninvited one of the longest playing members of the group because he is one of those who never read the rules (which is fine) but he was the worst rules lawyer I have ever met. No matter how I handled it he would always slow down the game by questioning and arguing the rules, even basic ones he should have picked up (and would often display an understanding of) over the decades of play he had under his belt. It eventually got to the point that the knowing that I would spend a decent chunk of time in argument that I didn't like playing anymore and would even cancel sessions rather than deal with it. Eventually something had to give
I recently uninvited one of the longest playing members of the group because he is one of those who never read the rules (which is fine) but he was the worst rules lawyer I have ever met. No matter how I handled it he would always slow down the game by questioning and arguing the rules, even basic ones he should have picked up (and would often display an understanding of) over the decades of play he had under his belt. It eventually got to the point that the knowing that I would spend a decent chunk of time in argument that I didn't like playing anymore and would even cancel sessions rather than deal with it. Eventually something had to give
EzekielRaiden
Follower of the Way
If the player makes good-faith effort and just wants to confirm something, I have no problems.
If I'm having to re-explain a mechanic literally every week for a year, we're gonna have to have a chat. Perhaps there's a problem I don't know about (maybe they're dyslexic or dyscalculic, maybe they have ADD/ADHD so focus is a real struggle, maybe they've got a really bad memory, whatever). If there is, I'll try to work with them and be sympathetic about resolving it.
But if they're just refusing to take the time to learn how their character works? Yeah, we'll be having The Talk. And if The Talk doesn't fix things on an ongoing basis, I'll be asking them to leave. Respect my time; I do my best to respect yours.
If I'm having to re-explain a mechanic literally every week for a year, we're gonna have to have a chat. Perhaps there's a problem I don't know about (maybe they're dyslexic or dyscalculic, maybe they have ADD/ADHD so focus is a real struggle, maybe they've got a really bad memory, whatever). If there is, I'll try to work with them and be sympathetic about resolving it.
But if they're just refusing to take the time to learn how their character works? Yeah, we'll be having The Talk. And if The Talk doesn't fix things on an ongoing basis, I'll be asking them to leave. Respect my time; I do my best to respect yours.
