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07:40, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Advice -- Booting a player.

Posted by Knight_Vassal
Knight_Vassal
member, 436 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 06:53
  • msg #1

Advice -- Booting a player

 Ok so here is the bare bones of the story. I run a game on RPoL. In the character generation thread I clearly state that the builds have to make some semblance of sense. It is 3.5 Edition D&D gestault to boot and fairly high level. All of these things being the case. Player submits a character that unlike the other characters submitted has two strikes off the bat. He takes flaws that are literally to min/max the character and his build is 16 levels that make sense on one side and 15 levels that make sense on the other. Now I ask a couple of questions and don't particularly care for the answers. So I say ok change this and this. Player appears to understand this idea. So he alters the flaws so they actually cost him something instead of are just to get bonus feats. But repeatedly ignores the one thing I tell him. Tries to find every work around possible to get what he wants. Am I wrong for booting said player?

  I don't think I am, but here is the bigger problem to my mind. The player is going behind my back and telling partial truths or outright lies. What should I do? This has already affected my want to run the game, but more importantly I am generally a fair GM/ST/what have you.
Hendell
member, 150 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 06:55
  • msg #2

Advice -- Booting a player

Setting aside the unusual request of 16th level 3.5 gestalt characters that make even a semblance of sense I find that it is always better to kill the characters before you boot the player.
Knight_Vassal
member, 437 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 07:05
  • msg #3

Advice -- Booting a player

In reply to Hendell (msg # 2):

 Game hadn't even gotten off the ground yet honestly.
Norwood
member, 299 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 07:10
  • msg #4

Advice -- Booting a player

Ad the DM/ST/GM, you always have the authority to remove a player from the group when you feel that their participation is a detriment to the fun of the game. Your enjoyment is included in that. You're working hard to craft the kind of story or experience that you want to run. If he's not playing ball with that, you're under no obligation to give him a spot, no matter what you've said previously.

If he's taken this dispute public, that's a huge sign of immaturity, and I wouldn't want that in my game anyway. If you feel like you've given him a chance to explain himself to the extent that you believe is fair and he hasn't decided to work within your rules, then yes, remove him from the game, then calmly explain what happened to the other players. You asked him to make changes, but he refused. You were unable to reconcile, and after he decided to make this public, you had no choice but to remove him.

Being open and honest is the only appropriate way to respond to things like this.
steelsmiter
member, 1955 posts
BESM, Fate, Indies, PBTA
NO FREEFORM! NO d20!
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 07:20
  • msg #5

Advice -- Booting a player

I agree that you always have the authority and justification not to allow any player you want in any game for any reason. I would caution that if you do it enough it might detriment your ability to play games with consistent frequency, but I wouldn't use that as a deterrent from banning anyone from your games. I'm sure I don't get a lot of traffic because people don't like my 10 (or so) questions that gatekeep my games, but I know that on the most part that leaves me with players I want. On rare occasions, someone is negatively affected enough that they have to drop in on an RTJ just to tell me how much vitriol I've stirred up by it but I usually take that as a sign that it's working. Kind of like the old school listerine, or some spray disinfectants.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the user at 07:21, Sun 23 Dec 2018.
liblarva
member, 593 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 07:22
  • msg #6

Advice -- Booting a player

I’m generally not much for “I’m the GM, do what I say”, but character creation is one area where it’s often necessary. If the player won’t conform to the concept of the game or respond to the requests of the GM, then boot ’em. If they’re ignoring you here, they’ll ignore you in other ways later. That’s not a character problem, that’s a problem player. It’s hard enough getting a game going, much less keeping it going. You don’t need to put up with intentionally difficult players.
bigbadron
moderator, 15677 posts
He's big, he's bad,
but mostly he's Ron.
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 07:28

Re: Advice -- Booting a player

Knight_Vassal:
Am I wrong for booting said player?

Absolutely not.  As the GM, you have ultimate authority in your game.

Knight_Vassal:
This has already affected my want to run the game, but more importantly I am generally a fair GM/ST/what have you.

Boot him, and ban him from the game, so he can never contact you there again.  This is only fair, since he has clearly chosen not to play fair with you - by taking this dispute public. he has made it clear that he has no respect for you, or for the other players.
Cubist
member, 83 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 10:45
  • msg #8

Advice -- Booting a player

In reply to Knight_Vassal (msg # 1):

What everyone else said. If a player goes out of their way to blow off the GM's clearly-expressed criteria for what sort of characters they find acceptable, they're not going to be a good fit for the campaign. As for the hey, this GM sux, just thought you should know, kthxbye crapola, that's just more evidence that dude is not someone you want in your campaign.
tibiotarsus
member, 22 posts
Hopepunk with a shovel
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 14:46
  • msg #9

Advice -- Booting a player

Boot, ban, and for the social stuff just make sure your players know what's going on. Being polite but firm towards confrontational players makes it very clear that they're on your turf, by your invitation, for as long as they are welcome and no longer; with the other players on side that should halt the rumours as soon as they hit someone else that was there.

Enforcing the same rules for everyone rather than being stomped over for this one guy's preference is the definition of being fair and a good GM. Additionally, if you gave in, he wouldn't take that as a favour, just what you were down with, and carry on acting up as much. Booting players is stressful, but you get a better game environment at the end of the day, and there's always the possibility of finding a really great replacement, so hang in there.
Knight_Vassal
member, 438 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 16:36
  • msg #10

Advice -- Booting a player

  To all of you thanks for the support I needed it. Generally don't like taking these sort of thing to the boards however the slant he and his shall we say cronies took had me feeling like I did something wrong. Good to know that I don't know other don't feel I crossed some line that wasn't there.
Yaztromo
member, 216 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 17:17
  • msg #11

Advice -- Booting a player

These are the common issues of 3.5 Edition D&D gestault. If you choose to run that ruleset you know that these things will be part of the game, with associated issues as you mention, unfortunately.
This message was last edited by the user at 17:20, Sun 23 Dec 2018.
Cygnia
member, 289 posts
Amoral Paladin
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 17:32
  • msg #12

Advice -- Booting a player

If he has cronies, be prepared to cull them too.  Some durians are eager to destroy a game in their booting rather than leave quietly.
Knight_Vassal
member, 439 posts
Sun 23 Dec 2018
at 22:04
  • msg #13

Advice -- Booting a player

In reply to Cygnia (msg # 12):

The three have been banned from all my games. Not a decision I make easily or lightly. They were disrespectful and having gamed well in the past was a deeper betrayal I feel.
LiamDevlin54
member, 4 posts
Sun 30 Dec 2018
at 05:29
  • msg #14

Advice -- Booting a player

In reply to Knight_Vassal (msg # 13):

You made the wise choice. All three, dasvedanya. Bravo!
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