Role-playing Games Stack Exchange
Role-playing Games Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [problem-players]

For questions about participants in an RPG who, for whatever reason, contribute to the difficulty of running the game. (See also: the [problem-gm] tag.)

For questions about participants in an RPG who, for whatever reason, contribute to the difficulty of running the game.

When answering a problem-players question, please focus on the specific situation at hand. We have plenty of these questions that are answered trivially with "talk to them about not doing that, and if they keep it up, boot them." That's true but not specifically helpful on dozens of questions - try to customize your answers to the more specific issue they are having.

(See also: the tag.)

507 questions
51
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9 answers

A player constantly uses his mobile phone during our game session

One of my players in my D&D campaign is almost always on his mobilephone, replying to messages etc. I've asked him if he could refrain from using his phone as I find it very distracting and it slows the pace of the game down. He doesn't see why he…
paddyb812
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5 answers

How can I deal with a 'bump on a log player' who doesn't really do anything except when told?

I GM a World of Darkness group every other weekend, and I've come across what I like to call a "Bump-on-a-log" player. This player has been with my game since I started it up, and we're now transistioning from a post-apoc core WoD story to a more…
WhiteWolfDM
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35
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12 answers

How do you get your players to realise roleplaying isn't a videogame?

One curse I've had while playing and in particular while GMing, is that one group of players I have is stuck in the mindset that things are laid out, one after another, in linear fashion for them to go through. So, if for example, I make special…
Katniss
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23
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9 answers

Player refuses to show up regularly, and when he does, never wants to roleplay

I have a player in the group who either never shows up — which leads to the game being cancelled for that week — or when he does show, only wants to fight monsters. For example, I tried having a long RP session with one of the NPCs, and the other…
Chris Wunsch
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20
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7 answers

Player has little faith in DM, unhappy with in-game events, acts stubborn, obstructing game play

I am currently playing in a small group, 3 players, 1 DM. All rogues (I recommend this btw!). Normally I am one of the players, but the DM wanted a break and so I offered to do a side quest of about 2-3 sessions long. I have done this once before…
Steph
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19
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9 answers

When to kick out frequently absent and disruptive players?

I DM for a group of 6 people and we play once a week. Two of the players barely ever show up (less than once a month), and when they do we have to stop, and recap a huge part of story, just for them, which takes a long time. It slows down the whole…
LadyMagikarp
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3 answers

How can I help my GM with this problem player?

I've seen a plethora of responses for problem players, but my buddy's style is one that I'd like to get more specific about. The issue is his play style. Our DM and I have been trying to work with him on his character. Now, in our same campaign,…
Mcp
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13
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2 answers

How to deal with a disruptive player?

I DM for a group of a group of rather intellectual players. They like to discuss the situations at hand and really try to do the right things. I use that a lot by posing them with moral questions and missions where the "good" solution is not always…
Dakkaron
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12
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2 answers

Trouble with player taking things that happen in game personally

Been running a Pathfinder campaign for a couple months now with a group of friends. We all have experience with RPGs before, most of the group with a fate accelerated / homebrew that was run with the same group of friends. Things have been going…
Jiig
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12
votes
3 answers

How do I get someone to stop being a butt for the benefit of my other players?

I have a group of friends that on occasion play RPGs, but one of the players grates on the nerves of the other players in the group when gaming. He is kind of a know it all, but without real proof. He in general ruins the experience with complaints…
Sunspear25
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11
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4 answers

How to deal with a player that gets annoyed if the party disagree with her?

One of my PCs has a tendency to get annoyed if the party don't follow her plan or tactics. For example, the party were about to attack a kobold lair. The majority of the party agreed to surprise the guards and attack them. This PC wasn't happy,…
Roseoliver
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9
votes
8 answers

How can I make my players stop speaking out of character?

I'm a GM running my own homebrewed system, in a campaign with three players. My players rarely talk to each other about what to do, forcing me to make suggestions that basically give away plot. The real problem is that, even when they do have…
FLLNK1NG
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9
votes
3 answers

Dealing with character monopolizing game

I've recently started a campaign with one particular player who seems to be taking up most of the screen time and unilaterally setting the direction of the party. He's an extroverted person playing an extroverted character (the other players,…
anomaly
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9
votes
0 answers

How do I deal with a with a PC who is a bully?

So I have been playing with this person in a campaign for almost two years at this point and I am beginning to see a pattern with how his characters interact with mine. Here are the points that I have seen: His characters will take any opportunity…
tofu43
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9
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4 answers

Dealing with a major edgelord in a two-player campaign with awful party dynamics

TLDR: Problem player gets upset when attention is not focused on her edgelord OC 24/7, is constantly rude in-character to the only other player, has made nothing but enemies of every single NPC she's met since she's threatened most of them, never…
Calico
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