What To Do When Your Players Don't Work Together

[LilligantEX]

I have a bit of a problem with the current campaign I'm running. I haven't been enjoying it for a while now (though my players still do), and I think the primary reason is that the players do not work together. They play very individual games. If they were all suddenly on their own solo campaigns, they would probably play the same as they do now.

They are often at odds: unwilling to agree or negotiate, inhibit each other in subtle ways behind their backs. It gives me a headache and there is zero group coherency. They all tend to want to do their own things all at the same time, which slows every session down.

I try to bring them together and cooperate. Heck, the initial setting of this campaign was supposed to start with them all as long-time friends. That didn't even get off the ground: the were alienating themselves from each other within seconds. Not in a mean-spirited way, mind you. There's no actual animosity in or out of game.

So what do I do? I tried to adapt and follow their lead, but sessions are just slow and boring and headache-inducing.

[Raine_Sage]

When you say they don't work together and keep trying to screw each other over do you mean because of IC character interactions or OOC gameplay motivations.

For example, are the players not getting along because one is a hero of good and one is a no good thief and they have conflicting ideologies? Or are they not working together because one wants to focus on combat, one wants to do diplomatic campaign, and one just wants to collect swag?

The first one can be ironed out by just talking to the players out of game and asking if they want to rework their characters because them bickering over objectives is slowing everything down. The second one requires a little more finagling since you either have to get everyone to agree to a campaign focus and then hold them to that agreement, drop the campaign, or just soldier on until it's over and you don't have to deal with it any more.

[The Oni]

Kill the entire party.

[LilligantEX]

OOC is totally fine. No dramas at all there.

IC is less about bickering, and more about teamwork. They don't argue any more than what I would perceive as normal, but every challenge they encounter becomes a "me me me" sort of thing, where everyone tries to execute their own individual ideas all at once. This massively over-complicates things for me, as well as slows the group down because I have to address them all individually.

Also, this is a group of 6 players, so that's a lot of discussion. I have spoken to them before about working as a team, but it falls on deaf ears.

Kill the entire party.

Haha. Tempting!

[BWR]

Standard response nr. 1: Try talking to them.

The number one piece of advice to all these problems, which should probably be stickied in its own "Please help me with my group' thread is talk to the people involved.

Most of the time, the players are decent people who are amenable helping out. If you just sit down and calmly explain that the way things are going now is very frustrating for you and could they please modify their behavior a bit, chances are they will do so, or at least try.
Some people are mature enough to take the full criticism that they are being rather selfish and it would make everything run faster and smoother if they tried actually working together. Some people would be insulted no matter how justified the critique. You know your group better than us.

If you are worried about anyone being insulted, just focus on how this is a problem for you as a DM and ask them to help you run the game. Don't mention blame or anything, just ask for help. Most people will be willing to lend a hand in this case. And if anyone starts playing the "but it's what my character would do" card or throws a hissy fit, you can start thinking about whether it's worth having them in your game.

[The Oni]

On a more serious note, ramp up the difficulty so they're forced to work together or die. There'll be no room for petty bickering when every hit point counts.

[Raine_Sage]

If the problems are purely about IC and character personalities not playing well with others, and you've talked to them about it and they haven't changed anything then I'd agree see what happens if you give them a really hard encounter.

Not impossible mind you. Just hard. This isn't about punishing anyone, it's about impressing upon them the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I would also give fair warning before hand like "Make sure you're all prepared for the next encounter." Or not, depending on your players.

I know how you feel, I played in a group of ten people all of whom wanted to do their own thing IC and one of whom would start sulking OOC every minute the spotlight wasn't on him. But you'd be surprised how quickly differences get put aside when a dragon gets dropped on your party and it's teamwork or tpk.

[LilligantEX]

A more difficult encounter sounds like a good starting point. Thanks guys!

[RochtheCrusher]

Yes. Allowing a party member the chance to take a bullet for his comrade (who he doesn't usually get along with) is a great solution. If he chooses to put himself in danger for you, he might get a bit more consideration in future... which leads to an attitude of looking for compromises, which is all you need for a constructive party dynamic.

Harder combat, to the point where the characters start making these kinds of choices (but not to the point where you kill them all) is probably the answer.

[Alberic Strein]

I think Alexander the Great had the right approach to complicated situations.

There is no knot a sword can't undo.

One, pick up something to whack them with.

Two, tell them the next time they indulge in their childish crap, you will whack them good.

Three, when one starts his "me me me" pattern and starts taking a long time, ready your whacking item (for me it's a sheathed chinese shortsword). They will see you, they will understand they are starting to go too far, and they should stop.

The process is fast, effective (I found) and usually does not need to involve any actual whacking. Added bonus, it makes your stance known. At the gaming table you're not their encyclopedia, their "hey can I...?" answerer, their guide, the two little wheels behind their bike so they can ride safely. You're the DM, you're here to have fun, and you're here to let everyone have fun and you are empowered to make that happen.

Being hard on players can pay off.

[Mastikator]

On a more serious note, ramp up the difficulty so they're forced to work together or die. There'll be no room for petty bickering when every hit point counts.

This, I've found that the best way to do this is to play survivor, they are trapped in some haunted forest that won't let them out, or on a deserted island, or a valley surrounded by mountains that can't be passed until winter ends.
Try to make sure that everyone's skills and abilities are used to survive.

[Murphy80]

IC is less about bickering, and more about teamwork. They don't argue any more than what I would perceive as normal, but every challenge they encounter becomes a "me me me" sort of thing, where everyone tries to execute their own individual ideas all at once. This massively over-complicates things for me, as well as slows the group down because I have to address them all individually.

Also, this is a group of 6 players, so that's a lot of discussion. I have spoken to them before about working as a team, but it falls on deaf ears.

Could you give us examples? perhaps we could help design an encounter to encourage teamwork.

[Honest Tiefling]

I think an approach of a little of column A, a little of column B will help. First off, do talk to them. Do mention that when they don't work together, that's more stress for you, so you'd appreciate it if you didn't have to run separate things for everyone.

Secondly, make an encounter difficult. If they take the suggestion from you to heart, maybe it'll show them that when they work together, things can still be fun.

Perhaps an investigation type mission? Each person, due to their skills or background is given 1 hint about the nature of it. Write it on an index card even and hand it over. Watch as they quickly mire themselves into a sticky situation because they couldn't cooperate nor share information.

[Kaun]

My games were a lot like this in my mid to late teens. We just sort of grew out of it.