General Dealing with problem players

[Blue Ghost]

We've all had this experience at one time or another, and of various magnitudes. How do you deal with a player who is either gaming his fellow RPers or invoking rules that go against house rules, or just otherwise being disruptive in some way shape or form.

And by disruptive I don't mean said player is rowdy as such, but just not really playing in the same spirit as the rest of the group.

What solutions have you tried?

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

We've all had this experience at one time or another, and of various magnitudes. How do you deal with a player who is either gaming his fellow RPers or invoking rules that go against house rules, or just otherwise being disruptive in some way shape or form.

And by disruptive I don't mean said player is rowdy as such, but just not really playing in the same spirit as the rest of the group.

What solutions have you tried?

Players agree to a social contract before ever starting a game. Mostly what/how rules are used. And what/how role-play is used. If a player ignores the contract, they're gone. But that's never happened.

 

[flykiller]

seems the real problem is not enough players.

 

[pendragonman]

Rules Lawyers

The one time I had this problem was in a 1st edition D&d game. We had a regular group that ran along just fine (we met at one of the player's house's), but invited someone new to play after several of us visited with him at a Rec Center gaming night where we all played something different at the time. (I played SFB, others had a different D&D group, or Champions, or a board game, etc). This guy had just transferred in to our nearby AFB and was looking for a group.

He seemed nice enough when just chatting so we agreed to expand our group. I always felt we were short one anyway.

Before he joined us, we had a compact of agreed upon rulings for spots were the rulebooks were vague. a set of "in the spirit of" interpretations.

Turns out he was a strict constructionist. If it wasn't exactly written in black and white in the books, he proceeded to argue the point even when the rest of us had already agreed to an interpretation.

Worse, when our decisions worked for him, he used them. Only when they weren't the way he wanted them did he argue, and argue, and argue. Derailing the game. We finally, as a group, asked him to leave. He wouldn't leave. The home owner asked him to leave. He wouldn't. It wasn't until the police arrived that he finally left, and that was at the hands of the police lifting him up and removing him.

Needless to say, we only asked people of established gaming reputations to join us after that.

 

[Ulsyus]

He seemed nice enough when just chatting so we agreed to expand our group. I always felt we were short one anyway.

In a campaign I was umpiring a few years back we had a guy from the wargames club ask one of the players and I if he could join us.

I went to a fair bit of effort to build up the justification for the group being together in the backgrounds of their character generation (which worked for everyone else and I've done for years). To introduce him to the mechanics and all I ran a vignette for him and the mutual friend, with characters who had known each other for years in the backstory. At the very start of the vignette, when asked to drop off the other players character (who was vehicle-less) after being out together, he asked "what's in it for me?". I thought he was joking, but it went downhill from there.

We persevered for several sessions, so I approached him in between games one week and talked with him about his argumentativeness. He apologised to me, then proceeded to apologise, personally, to each separate member of the group. We that that was it, until the next two sessions involved him arguing the toss with me as well as the other players.

So, in between sessions, I simply suggested that we weren't a good fit. Did it in a manner that left him with his dignity, and we're still civil at the club whenever we see each other.

That was only one of the two clangers we've had over the years.

 

[flykiller]

I thought he was joking, but it went downhill from there.

We persevered for several sessions

why?

 

[Timerover51]

We've all had this experience at one time or another, and of various magnitudes. How do you deal with a player who is either gaming his fellow RPers or invoking rules that go against house rules, or just otherwise being disruptive in some way shape or form.

And by disruptive I don't mean said player is rowdy as such, but just not really playing in the same spirit as the rest of the group.

What solutions have you tried?

His/Her character dies at the next opportunity, or starts failing every die roll made. Lightning bolts to the head when underground do not seem appropriate for Traveller. However, an electrical short circuit while showering would be okay.

 

[Blue Ghost]

*some snipping*

He wouldn't. It wasn't until the police arrived that he finally left, and that was at the hands of the police lifting him up and removing him.

Needless to say, we only asked people of established gaming reputations to join us after that.

The police?

 

[pendragonman]

The police?

Sadly, yes. We were flabbergasted that after being asked to leave he wouldn't go.

We were floored when he wouldn't pack up when the police asked him to. They had to physically remove him from the house.

 

[flykiller]

We were flabbergasted that after being asked to leave he wouldn't go.

and this surprised you? prior to this you didn't pick up on any clues he might be this way?

 

[McPerth]

His/Her character dies at the next opportunity, or starts failing every die roll made. Lightning bolts to the head when underground do not seem appropriate for Traveller. However, an electrical short circuit while showering would be okay.

Agreed.

When I first was DM, back in early 80's, IIRC, when we only knew AD&D as RPG, I had one such players. After several warnings, when the party was travelling a desert, he did the last straw (I cannot remember the exact one). Then I told the party that a piano has fallen from sky unpon his character. Some angels appeared, took the piano, and apologized, but the character was dead. "Not all angels play harp" was my explanation.

He took the message and did not join our D&D games any more.

Then the RPG community in Barcelona was quite small, and I was surprised, some years after that, in another gaming club whose people was not related with the one where this occured, when I heard talking about "falling pianos" as a threat of DM's wrath...

 

[pendragonman]

and this surprised you? prior to this you didn't pick up on any clues he might be this way?

Obviously not.

 

[Timerover51]

Agreed.

When I first was DM, back in early 80's, IIRC, when we only knew AD&D as RPG, I had one such players. After several warnings, when the pary was travelling a desert, he did the last straw (I cannot remember the exact one). Then I told the party that a piano has fallen from sky unpon his character. Some angels appeared, took the piano, and apologized, but the character was dead. "Not all angels play harp" was my explanation.

He took the message and did not join our D&D games any more.

Then the RPG community in Barcelona was quite small, and I was surprised, some years after that, in another gaming club whose people was not related with the one where this occured, when I heard talking about "falling pianos" as a threat of DM's wrath...

Now that is a real good one, McPerth. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I will have to remember that one. Oops. the Grav Truck just tipped a little.

 

[TheDS]

Obviously not.

and this surprised you? prior to this you didn't pick up on any clues he might be this way?

Sadly, yes. We were flabbergasted that after being asked to leave he wouldn't go.

We were floored when he wouldn't pack up when the police asked him to. They had to physically remove him from the house.

Not everyone assumes that a moment or two of bad behavior leads to the need for the police to physically remove someone. I have been VERY tolerant of some people who simply needed a little slack and understanding before they'd play right, but if someone gets to the point where I tell them it's time for them to go and they don't want to leave my house, then it's time I pull my gun out, turn the laser pointer on, flash it past his eye so he sees it, and then point the dot at his chest and say "Florida law allows me to shoot you if you don't leave." And then pull the hammer back.

Thankfully I've never actually had to do anything remotely like that. Most people who don't want to play in the same spirit as we do figure out that they're not having fun and simply don't show up any more. I've never had to uninvite someone, but have had bad people realize they weren't having fun with my style and leave. (Which is weird, because I'm pretty permissive, but also a team player.)

 

[Blue Ghost]

... but if someone gets to the point where I tell them it's time for them to go and they don't want to leave my house, then it's time I pull my gun out, turn the laser pointer on, flash it past his eye so he sees it, and then point the dot at his chest and say "Florida law allows me to shoot you if you don't leave." And then pull the hammer back....

"Bu, bu, bu .... I was just wondering what DMs you used on the reaction table."

Seriously, you're not serious, are you?

 

[Supplement Four]

We've all had this experience at one time or another, and of various magnitudes. How do you deal with a player who is either gaming his fellow RPers or invoking rules that go against house rules, or just otherwise being disruptive in some way shape or form.

And by disruptive I don't mean said player is rowdy as such, but just not really playing in the same spirit as the rest of the group.

What solutions have you tried?

Minimize him.

You control the spotlight. You control the situations that the characters fall into.

Don't say anything negative. Just keep quiet. When he talks, don't react. If he asks about a rule that goes against a house rule, then just say, "I don't know. Try it and find out what happens."

Then play your game. He'll get the message that if he plays well with others, the spotlight comes to him as often as it comes to the others.

If he acts out of turn, tell him to wait his turn (and take your time getting to him).

If he tries to influence others, stop him and say, "Let Jim play his own game. You play yours. Jim's character wouldn't know that anyway."

Sometimes, insisting on more roleplaying helps. Some players learn to be combative with comments made outside of the game but play their characters OK inside the game. Tie the two together, and let his character pay the consequences with NPC reactions to him.

In short, use the game to control him and teach him. Just do it. Never say anything about it, and look in wonder at him if he brings it up. He'll learn.

Don't lose sight of the fact that you're the gamemaster, and you control the game.

 

[aramis]

"Bu, bu, bu .... I was just wondering what DMs you used on the reaction table."

Seriously, you're not serious, are you?

Castle doctrine is a real thing, and some people do adhere to it.

In case you're unaware, the Castle Doctrine is that a person has the right to use lethal force to defend their home from any crime.

Not all states have it. But many states do. And many residents of said states will not hesitate to use it.

[m;]And that's plenty enough on the subject outside the pit.[/m;]
That said, if further discussion on Castle Doctrine is wanted, take it to the political pulpit.

 

[AsenRG]

We've all had this experience at one time or another, and of various magnitudes. How do you deal with a player who is either gaming his fellow RPers or invoking rules that go against house rules, or just otherwise being disruptive in some way shape or form.

And by disruptive I don't mean said player is rowdy as such, but just not really playing in the same spirit as the rest of the group.

What solutions have you tried?

I ask him to remain after the group, or use an occasion when he came earlier than everyone else, and we have a talk just between the two of us.
Or I just stop inviting him. Depends on how much energy I've got to spare.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Problem Players?

Give them what they want.

In fact, give them EXACTLY what they want, which is usually attention.

"Okay, you wake up inside a featureless, white cube with no memory of how you got there. You are wearing a pocket-less Spandex™ onesie, ballet slippers, and nothing else. The air is breathable, and the gravity seems to be about 9.8 metres per second per second. Suddenly, you hear a pleasant female voice emanating from every direction, saying 'Welcome. You have been randomly selected to participate in a survey. You have exactly five of your minutes to explain why you should not be exterminated. Each question you ask will subtract 15 seconds from the remainder of your time. If you have reached the end of your time without successfully defending yourself, your existence will be painlessly and irrevocably terminated. Please be truthful and concise. Your time begins ... NOW.'"

Pull out a stopwatch or other time-piece that measures seconds. Keep track of the penalty times. At the end of the five minutes (or less), take the player's character sheet and run it through a paper shredder. Tell the player that he or she can roll up another character at the next session.

Repeat as needed.

I have had to resort to this only once; but it worked very well. Answering every one of the player's questions in the most evasive manner is recommended . . .

Q: "Where am I?"
A: "In the survey chamber."

Q: "Where is the survey chamber?"
A: "It is all around you."

Q: "How did I get here?"
A: "Please define 'here'."

Q: "Who are you?"
A: "I am Me."

Q: "What is your name?"
A: "Me."

Q: "How much time do I have left?"
A: "Less than when you started."

Q: "Is this for real?"
A: "As real as you are."

Q: "How do I get out?"
A: "Successfully defend your existence."

Q: "Why me?"
A: "You were chosen at random."

(At this point, the player has used up 135 seconds out of 300 ...)

 

[Tiikeri]

True love is hard to find, and so are good players.

A D&D group I played on an off with had a lot of problems with this. They wanted about 6 players and no less that 4, so they had to turn game store ads, local meetup forums, and pretty much deal with the public.

It was horrifying.

There are a lot of people out there who are pretty badly socially maladjusted, but they don't understand that they are. So, they had people who screamed and threw dice when they missed important rolls, rules lawyers who argued cases for hours if they let them, somebody who tried to break up some long standing friendships, the rule-engineer gamists, and mostly people who thought they should get their way because their feelings demanded it, and a spoiled kid's sense of entitlement.


The group always stayed calm, let the nonsense spin out until they were confident that these weren't just getting to know a new person bumps in the road. Then they gave them two chances to change. First they explained how the group did things. It wasn't up for debate, it was the rules of participating with the group. If the people argued, then they were flatly told they had to participate according to the group's rules, and if they didn't want to then they and the group should go their separate ways. If they agreed but kept on with their behavior, they were told they had agreed to knock it off, and if they kept it up they wouldn't be invited back. If they kept on one more time, they were told they wouldn't be invited back, and that was that.

Now if you're dealing with a player you want to retain but who has intolerable behavior problems, you're in a more difficult situation. In that case, constant pressure with admonishments by the rest of the group over time can help teach someone how to act. Explaining cause and effect, like the GM punished you because you did this. If you don't like it, then don't do that again. It depends what the problem is.