Problem Players

[Froogleyboy]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

[Nohwl]

have one of them dm instead.

[Edwin]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

Take away their loot. Now if that don't help, then they must burn!

[Temet Nosce]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

Well first off, understand that they've indicated a different interest from your plot and that punishing them isn't necessarily going to change what they do.

Second, more information might be useful. Why haven't they followed the plot? What in general is it? Do they have any interest in it at all? If they have no interest in it either IC or OOC railroading may not be the right idea.

[Starscream]

Might be time for some rocks to fall.

[BRC]

When they players arn't going with the plot, the answer is to change the plot.

Apparently, the Players are interested in a more hack-and-slash style game than the one you are providing. So change tacts and give them Hack-and-slash. Maybe a local ruler has them rounded up and says "Listen, you've done alot of bad things, here's a chance to redeem yourself. I've got things I need killed, you are very good at killing things. How about we work out a deal".

Of course, we'll need more details in order to give better advice. Are the players simply mistaken about the type of game you are trying to run, or are they actively trying to sabotage your plots by attacking every NPC they run into.

Alternatively, Play a game of Paranoia.

[Edwin]

In all seriousness, this is probably the way to go.

Apparently, the Players are interested in a more hack-and-slash style game than the one you are providing. So change tacts and give them Hack-and-slash. Maybe a local ruler has them rounded up and says "Listen, you've done alot of bad things, here's a chance to redeem yourself. I've got things I need killed, you are very good at killing things. How about we work out a deal".

Throw a war in their face or something.

[jiriku]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

Definitely give them the opportunity to kill more people while earning XP and collecting loot.

[Delwugor]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

If you have already talked to them and not gotten the results you want then it seems you have a choice of either changing your GMing to match what they are doing or stop GMing so that someone else can run something to match their play.

If you try to match maybe a light plot or even none at all would work. The sandbox type of play can be fun at times, even for a GM.

[Tyndmyr]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

I tend to make most encounters possible to solve by just killing all the baddies, but it's *much* more difficult. Much harder on the consumables used, increased risk of death, and sometimes, less reward.

Now, if they try to kill *everyone*, without any regard for friend or foe...that gets the same results, only vastly more so. Put the main plot on hold, or have it continue progressing without them, whatever makes more sense with your particular plot. Go into sandbox mode, and figure out what would happen to them, in a world where magic, paladins, etc are pretty common.

Usually, unless your characters have the sense to start running, or try to atone for their misdeeds, this is going to end in a bloodbath. This is fine. If your answer to absolutely everything you meet is "I try to kill it", then death is pretty much inevitable.

[Hopeless]

Ever heard about the ghost tower of inverness?

That had the pcs playing mostly convicts who had to survive and recover an item from the tower to earn thier pardon.

I'd suggest a geas except maybe what you should do is have some nondescript figure teleport the lot into the centre of an abandoned town held by an ancient enemy and they're stuck trying to fight their way out and find a way home...

They could try and find new allies but given their usual tactics they might have to find new ideas if they want to escape being stuck in the middle of a land stock full of enemies who see them as at best the same way they seem to be treating others in your campaign.

Oh and maybe make it magic low in terms of magical items but if they're playing a spellcaster keep a few scrolls and potions to keep them interested.

[Paulus]

Okay, I'm DMing a game and my players just ignore the plot and kill people. I've arrested them, killed off one player, talked to them ooc, and to no avail. what do i do?

What is the plot? Just give us a summary no need to spoil any of it.

What people are they killing? NPC? Innocents? Etc.

Talked to them OOC how?

More details please. :3

[Foryn Gilnith]

When they players arn't going with the plot, the answer is to change the plot.

This is good advice, as is everything that has been said in response to it. I can't say anything that it doesn't already.

[root9125]

1) Purchase Heroes of Battle.
2) Read Heroes of Battle.
3) Start a war because of some unforeseen consequence of their actions.
4) Options here depend on your style.
>>>>>4a) Conscript them in the method stated above. "Look, you kill stuff well. Help?"
>>>>>4b) Let them see a war and watch them fall all over themselves trying to join.
5) ???
6) Profit! And by profit I mean enjoy yourself and watch your players do so as well.

[Jayabalard]

What is the plot? Just give us a summary no need to spoil any of it.

What people are they killing? NPC? Innocents? Etc.

Talked to them OOC how?

More details please. :3

Agreed. Need more info in order to help you.

[Mystic Muse]

the solution is fire.
then set the fire on fire
then set the fire that's put the fire on fire on fire
then set the fire that's put the fire that put the fire on fire on fire
then set the fire that's put the fire that's put the fire on fire that's put the fire on fire

[Korivan]

Well, Mr. Froggleboy, I know your pain. I want to use puzzles, traps, plot items that the pc's actually REMEMBER let alone use. But no, i've got what I call Hack n' Slashers. It's not that they arn't good players, and I'm not saying your players arn't good players. Everyone has thier own play styles and thats ok. Its the burden of the DM to find a balance of what they can run, and what their players enjoy.

You may have to keep things simple if your players don't want riddles, role-playing and those types of things. But in the end, you may have to comprimise to keep the game going. If you try to push things too far, you'll have unhappy players.

As suggested before, have one of them try to DM. You'll probably get a few sessions of them DMing like they play, but after they get the hang of it, hopefully they'll start building a world rich in imagination, and with that, an appreciation for the finer things in rpgs.

Good luck, keep us updated. If you found a system that works, let me know.

[Katana_Geldar]

You can always try the carrot and stick approach and give them XP for roleplaying.

[holywhippet]

Just checking, do your players look anything like this:

[Froogleyboy]

Just checking, do your players look anything like this:

exactly like that!

[Temet Nosce]

exactly like that!

As amusing as Knights of the Dinner Table is, that's not a useful amount of detail on your situation I'm afraid. If you actually want specific advice relevant to what's happening it'd really be helpful to know more.

[drengnikrafe]

Consider for a moment... how do they feel? PCs will not randomly assult various things like that unless a certain set of circumstances has come to pass. Generally that includes stuff like...
A) That's the type of game they want to play.
B) It's more fun that way.
C) They don't like your plot, but don't realize it.

As was suggested before (and repeatedly), give them what they want (battle), tie it into the plot, and make them see what they are doing is not just killing nameless, faceless things, but killing real people. Let them feel the pain of what they have done. Introduce widows of those who have died, or children. Suffering terribly. Also, get them into character. When they are a real person in a real world, doing terrible things, that may weigh heavy on their conscience.

[holywhippet]

As amusing as Knights of the Dinner Table is, that's not a useful amount of detail on your situation I'm afraid. If you actually want specific advice relevant to what's happening it'd really be helpful to know more.

Actually that detail can suggest a lot about his players. Odds are they do it like that because that's the way they think it is done. The simplest solution is to tell the players they are not allowed to play evil characters. If they try to do evil deeds then hit them with in game penalties (sounds like you've done that though). If they don't stop, eject them from your game.

[MCerberus]

If you can get your hands on Paranoia, you can just murder the slaughter out of their system.

[Tengu_temp]

There's also the option of not playing. When your gaming style is vastly incompatible with the one of your players this seems to be the best idea, in all honesty.

[Temet Nosce]

Actually that detail can suggest a lot about his players. Odds are they do it like that because that's the way they think it is done. The simplest solution is to tell the players they are not allowed to play evil characters. If they try to do evil deeds then hit them with in game penalties (sounds like you've done that though). If they don't stop, eject them from your game.

It doesn't say anything except what the OP already mentioned (less really). We don't know the reasons they're acting that way, or the actual situation involved nor for that matter even precisely how they're acting. Just that in some way they're not doing what the OP wants for his plot and are killing people.

Sure, we can give general advice based on that but knowing more about the situation would probably result in more relevant advice.

[Tyndmyr]

Consider for a moment... how do they feel? PCs will not randomly assult various things like that unless a certain set of circumstances has come to pass. Generally that includes stuff like...
A) That's the type of game they want to play.
B) It's more fun that way.
C) They don't like your plot, but don't realize it.

As was suggested before (and repeatedly), give them what they want (battle), tie it into the plot, and make them see what they are doing is not just killing nameless, faceless things, but killing real people. Let them feel the pain of what they have done. Introduce widows of those who have died, or children. Suffering terribly. Also, get them into character. When they are a real person in a real world, doing terrible things, that may weigh heavy on their conscience.

And then you have PCs that think the kids sobbing over their mother's corpse is good humor, and it become an exercise in self-gratification via playing stupid evil.

I've got nothing against evil, mind you, but you put in no more effort than stabbing anyone you encounter, well, you aren't doing a very good job, and it's unlikely that the plot *can* be a lot of fun for you, since you aren't really talking to anyone.

I've literally had an encounter go like this...

Players: We walk into the street.
Me: You see a bunch of sailors, walking around, trying to strike up conversation with everyone they meet.
Players: What level are they?
Me: You don't know. One of em walks up to you, and asks if you'd like to make a few gold.
Player: I cast fireball.
Me: ...