DEALING WITH PROBLEMATIC PLAYERS

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And thus, for one of the greatest GMing challenges you will ever face. 

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Let me start by saying this: Never is it ever comfortable or pleasant to correct or manage a player. It will never get more comfortable, but I promise it will get easier. 

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It is very tempting to let things go, and to an extent you can do this. But, you must remember -- take care of the other players. It is immensely unfair to other players if you don't control the difficult ones. If you don't think you can do this, DO NOT GM. There will always be those players, and you will have to deal with them for the sake of your game.

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Now, here's what you do if you find yourself with a player not following the rules.

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There are two broadly defined types of problematic players: the uninformed and the uncaring. 

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Uninformed players are, in some ways, the easier of the two. They simply do not know the rules of RPGs and are otherwise roleplaying with spirit and enthusiasm. However, it ruins the game for everyone else because they don't know what they're doing. You can correct this by offering instruction, advice, or advising them to come here for some training. Consider the following message to a player who clearly doesn't know the rules:

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"Hey there. I just wanted to let you know godmodding isn't allowed in the game. Are you familiar with the term?"

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Don't be afraid to insult their intelligence by asking them this question. They insult their own intelligence if they willfully godmod. But let's assume they know nothing, and their response is something like "no, I don't know what that is." You could say.

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"Okay, sure. Let me give you a bit of an overview. Godmodding, basically, is talking or acting for someone else. In your post, you said that Character 3 looked surprised. You have to let Player 3 say that for their character. The same with fighting. You can't cut someone with your saber. That's up to the other player to determine if it worked."

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Explain as much as you need to, keeping in mind this may be very new to them. Also, don't expect them to get it the first time. Many conscientious players make many mistakes no matter how hard they are trying. I recommend trying to explain the rules yourself before sending them to this site. At the worst, you may have to say. 

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"Hi. I'm noticing more godmodding (etc.) in your posts. I know you're learning, but I think it's best if we take some time aside so you can get a bit more familiar with it. Don't worry, we don't have to completely withdraw your character from the game. I have an idea of where we can put him for now."

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Or...

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"Hi. I'm noticing more godmodding (etc.) in your posts. I know you're learning, but I think it's best if we pause a bit. I'm going to refer you to this site: (site url here). Please read over Part 1, which will tell you all the basics. Those are the rules we follow in this game. Don't worry, we don't have to completely withdraw your character from the game. I have an idea of where we can put him for now."

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Unfortunately, however, if your player becomes angry and/or uncooperative, he or she may become an uncaring player. These players simply do not care about the rules, and they're not trying to learn The best way to deal with these players is to begin with a stern warning. I don't advise more than one warning, though it's up to you. If someone can't heed a warning, it means they weren't trying in the first place as you tried to teach them how it worked

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"Player 2, this is your official warning. If you do not adhere to the rules, I will have no choice but to ban you from the game. It's ruining it for the other players and I will not accept that." 

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In all of this, you are free to be as "soft" or "hard" as you want, but I strongly recommend a polite, respectful, and firm approach in dealing with any problems. No matter how frustrated you are, keep it cool and professional. No good is done getting angry or being rude and it weakens your argument. If they keep it up, ban them from the game by informing them they are banned for not following the rules. If you don't have the ability to actually prevent them from posting, contact your other players and tell them to not respond to posts made by the banned player.

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To summarize, the basics steps for dealing with players are:

1. Ask if they know what they're doing.

2. Inform them about how it works.

3. Warn them that they must learn and follow the rules.

4. Ban them from the game if they refuse to cooperate. Inform your players.

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Furthermore -- MAINTAIN YOUR GROUND! You are the GM. Your decision is the law. Don't abuse it, but be firm. And keep in mind that grammar and spelling are grounds to correct, warn, and ban a player. It makes a big difference in the quality of the gaming atmosphere if you keep standards high. 

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