Disruptive players

[Beelzebub1111]

These are players that seriously damage the cohesiveness of the campaign, real problem players.

In our 2nd edition game he is litterally slamming doors and throwing tantrums because he got cut of from Xan Yae for acting like his alignment is chaotic prick. In our 3.5 game I have to constantly warn him that, acting on that impulse will make him not able to advance as a monk anymore. (yes, monk is a weak class, but he was insistent). These chaotic (and sometimes evil) attempted actions include: Cheating in a fighting tournament by poisoning the enemy combatant before the match, Stealing from innocents (a bar that was being attacked by monsters), and similar prospects. He always backs down but not before throwing a ten minute hissy fit.

Any of your stories/advice.

[Sleepingbear]

Set the character on fire.

When that doesn't work, set the player on fire.

[Fiendish_Dire_Moose]

Set the character on fire.

When that doesn't work, set the player on fire.

When that doesn't work, cast Summon Elvis.

Tell him to quit acting like a %^*^@ or you're kicking him to the curb. DMs don't take crap, if you can't whip this player into line, the rest will soon follow. Or they'll leave.

[holywhippet]

Make it clear you will not tolerate any more of his crap. Tell him to act in accordance with his character's alignment or you will burn his character sheet and/or show him the door.

[Ravens_cry]

I would try and work this out out of character. Try to figure out what their major malfunction is, why are they acting this way? Of course, if they are honestly doing it to be a prick, the best answer is for them to be shown the door. But maybe they brought some issues to the table and needed to let off some steam. Be firm, but kind. You're their friend, or at least good acquaintance. Surely you can work something out?

[Thajocoth]

Chaotic Disruptive players are easy to spot & deal with. It's the Lawful Disruptive ones you gotta watch for. The ones that say things like "Oh, then that would be a palace then, not a castle." or "Actually, I would think the woman who's also a mountain range would throw her back out throwing something that tiny into orbit." Things that just get the way of immersion in the fantasy setting...

[toddex]

These are players that seriously damage the cohesiveness of the campaign, real problem players.

In our 2nd edition game he is litterally slamming doors and throwing tantrums because he got cut of from Xan Yae for acting like his alignment is chaotic prick. In our 3.5 game I have to constantly warn him that, acting on that impulse will make him not able to advance as a monk anymore. (yes, monk is a weak class, but he was insistent). These chaotic (and sometimes evil) attempted actions include: Cheating in a fighting tournament by poisoning the enemy combatant before the match, Stealing from innocents (a bar that was being attacked by monsters), and similar prospects. He always backs down but not before throwing a ten minute hissy fit.

Any of your stories/advice.

I really see him playing Lawful Evil and no where near chaotic. Opportunity presents itself and he takes advantage of this.

[Beelzebub1111]

I really see him playing Lawful Evil and no where near chaotic. Opportunity presents itself and he takes advantage of this.

Breaking pre-established rules and laws is chaotic. Using the law, seeking out loopholes, and twisting it to your advantage is lawful. But let's not make this an alignment thread.

So anybody got stories of their own?

[jiriku]

I have occasionally allowed such disruptive players into my group. I did not allow them to stay.

[Ashram]

I have two players like this in my group.

One of them is the very definition of Chaotic Stupid. In our current 3.5 campaign, he is a minmaxed Dragonfire Adept, who has so much HP at his level and broken dragon breath abilities, he revels in throwing his character's weight around, acting above and beyond our party leader, and threatening to use his sleep breath (Which knocks you out for about a minute on a failed save, and I think a round on a successful save) and coup de grace. His character is, according to him, "neutral good". The player himself loves to get off task when things don't go his way, and he loves to bring out his laptop and surf the Internet when he's bored; thereupon making a big, time-wasting spectacle of something he finds funny.

The other is the definition of Chaotic Prick. He was a previous DM in our group, who coined the phrase "DM is Core Rulebook 0" in our group. He loved to alter and change rules with little to no communication with his players, and mainly did it when he knew it would give him the advantage (Or the players the disadvantage.) His DMPC, a monk/sorcerer/enlightened fist was also the most chaotic neutral monk I have ever seen; he played it off as "My temple burned down, I have no codes to live by anymore".

[Fitz10019]

Work out a monky code, like a paladin code (only monkier), with the player.

[lsfreak]

First step is to stop warning him.

The next step is to let him deal with the consequences. The first and most obvious is that YOU change his alignment, since alignment is not something the player should even be in control of (they make the character act, they don't choose how that corresponds to the alignments. That's the DM's job). If this means he is no longer eligible to take monk levels, tough **** for him.

Then come the real consequences. He poisons someone in a tournament, and is apprehended by several high-level bounty hunters in order to turn him over to either the tournament organizer, a church ruling body, or the local magistrate (depending on what is most appropriate). He steals during a monster attack, well that works both ways: he is now distracted, and completely flat-footed against the rogue's sneak attack when he comes to the same conclusion as the player.

[Tyndmyr]

These are players that seriously damage the cohesiveness of the campaign, real problem players.

In our 2nd edition game he is litterally slamming doors and throwing tantrums because he got cut of from Xan Yae for acting like his alignment is chaotic prick.

Tantrums are...unacceptable. Especially those with physical actions. Regardless of the validity of the in game decisions, disagreements need to be handled in a respectful way.


In our 3.5 game I have to constantly warn him that, acting on that impulse will make him not able to advance as a monk anymore. (yes, monk is a weak class, but he was insistent). These chaotic (and sometimes evil) attempted actions include: Cheating in a fighting tournament by poisoning the enemy combatant before the match, Stealing from innocents (a bar that was being attacked by monsters), and similar prospects. He always backs down but not before throwing a ten minute hissy fit.

Any of your stories/advice.

Stop warning him. After a while, shift his alignment one step closer to his actual actions. After all, alignment is determined by what you do. You can't be good and routinely do evil deeds any more than you can be lawful and routinely do chaotic deeds. Now, one error won't make you fall...you're not a paladin. But enough, absolutely.

Now, the evil isn't actually a problem w regards to being a monk, but if he loses lawful, he either has to do some version of atonement-type deal, or simply embrace his new behavior and multiclass out.

There's nothing wrong with being chaotic per se...but there are consequences for acting like a jerk, both in game and in real life.

[Tyndmyr]

The other is the definition of Chaotic Prick. He was a previous DM in our group, who coined the phrase "DM is Core Rulebook 0" in our group. He loved to alter and change rules with little to no communication with his players, and mainly did it when he knew it would give him the advantage (Or the players the disadvantage.) His DMPC, a monk/sorcerer/enlightened fist was also the most chaotic neutral monk I have ever seen; he played it off as "My temple burned down, I have no codes to live by anymore".

This is exactly the worst possible use of rule 0, and is completely opposite to the spirit of the rule, and all guidelines laid out in the DMG for modification of rules.

This guy needs to have the stupid smacked out of him.

[Tanaric]

But DMPCs are awesome! Especially when they're monks!

I'm totally serious. Yes. 100%.

No, not really.

[Roland St. Jude]

Tantrums are...unacceptable. Especially those with physical actions. Regardless of the validity of the in game decisions, disagreements need to be handled in a respectful way...


...This guy needs to have the stupid smacked out of him.

So, am I supposed to use violence on fellow players or not? :smallconfused:

[Tyndmyr]

So, am I supposed to use violence on fellow players or not? :smallconfused:

Beat him in a very respectful fashion. :smallbiggrin:

[Tanaric]

When the player in question is your DM, and he intentionally breaks/invents rules to spite you, yes.

Bonus points if you use hardcover books whose corners are still nice and pointy.

Edit: Of course, you're being nice about it while you're beating him. You're doing it for his own good. :smallwink:

[Pigkappa]

A lighter approach: a respected monk (who is several levels greater than him, just to be sure) from his monastery heard of his misdeeds, and decided to confront the character. He explains what could happen if the character pursued his chaotic tendencies again, and offers a (complicated) way to redeem (so, this is also a plot hook to introduce a quest involving honor and law). If the character screws again in this quest, then you can do nothing but change his alignment and make him face the consequences (and atoning would be *really* difficult now, since he's already been given an opportunity to do so).

[Mystic Muse]

When the player in question is your DM, and he intentionally breaks/invents rules to spite you, yes.

Bonus points if you use hardcover books whose corners are still nice and pointy.

Edit: Of course, you're being nice about it while you're beating him. You're doing it for his own good. :smallwink:

nah. it's more fun to roll up a magazine and just start whomping him with that.:smallbiggrin:I don't actually know this from experience

[Kallisti]

Don't deal with this in-character. That'll only make him resentful.

Tell him he's not acting the way his character needs to in order to retain his powers, tell him he's interfering with everyone else's fun, and ask him politely to rein it in. If this fails--and it will if he's sincerely a prick and not just screwing around--tell him firmly to rein it in. When this inevitably fails--if asking him politely didn't work, chances are he's not going to respect your authority--show him the door.

[holywhippet]

Put a phone book on their head and whack it with a rubber hose. It causes pain but doesn't leave any incriminating marks.

[Brendan]

I gotta say, I've always liked pencils. They are nice and sharp and you can make lame "pen(cil) is mightier than the sword" jokes.
However, I would say ask your fellow players. see what they think. If they find him bad, too, than you can have support if it just becomes a shoutoff. Also, What is your connection with the player? if a friend, ask if there is a problem, if an aquaintence, speak to him, if some random person another guy brought in for no reason, defenestrate him.

[drengnikrafe]

I have a similar problem, in a respect. Well... had.
One of my players had serious issues with the way the other players were acting, or on my DMing decisions, or any number of other things. I actually got into a 5 minute arguement over the fact that even though the NPC character sheet says "rogue" he can call himself "an assassin", and why he wasn't carrying any coins (keep in mind, this assassin was on an assassination mission. Why anyone would carry possibly jingle-y coins on a mission like that is far beyond me).
Shortly thereafter, he stopped being invited. I did warn him a few times first, and he did apologize for his behavior. But then within minutes, he'd be back at it again. I had no choice.

[AshDesert]

Beat him in a very respectful fashion. :smallbiggrin:

*tantrum*

"Sir, you forget yourself."

*glovebookslap*

[elonin]

Why is it that a lot of players think that none of their actions have consequences? When people notice their things are gone and the only person they didn't notice during the fight was the monk then they'll be hesitant around him. If the monk poisoned this guy at the arena (and I don't know how it happened) by giving him a drink he'll remember it. And maybe he'll ambush the monk with a number of his friends (even better if the other pc's are not around or are willing to step aside).

[Grommen]

Wile I'm not as bad ass as Chuck Norris quite yet, I've found a boot to the head works wonders to improve moral.

If he can't be reasoned with he needs to be shown the door my friend. Slamming doors and getting upset over a game is just bad show.