Community

Feb 1, 2013 -- 8:40PM, bjmorga wrote:

Chatty players: we've probably all dealt with them in the past.

Currently, I have two teenage players who continuously talk during the game when it's not their turn. I can't even label what they do as being just small talk. They are loud and completely unengaged. They seem to be interested in inflicting massive amounts of damage during their turn in combat. Once they have done this, they turn to one another and just yammer on about whatever they feel like. To say they are roll-players more than roleplayers is quite an understatement. They remain checked out even if we are involved in exploration or roleplaying.

They want to roll, inflict damage, and move on to the next target. When not engaged in this kind of activity, they turn to one another for entertainment.

Repeated polite suggestions that be quiet and allow others to have their turn in the spotlight are promptly ignored. I frequently have to repeat things to these two during roleplaying or exploration situations because they can't be bothered to keep. I try to direct questions at them during roleplaying encounters to specifically try an engage them. They generally shrug, murmur "I dunno," and move back into conversation. I have also discussed the issue of talking out of turn with them one-on-one. Nothing has worked.

Things got a little heated this past week when their behavior persisted well beyond tolerable levels. Four of other players were exasperated with these two. I told them no less than five times to please be respectful of other players during their turn. The other players also repeatedly told them to be quiet, with the crescendo of annoyance increasing at every turn. At one point, a player threw his bottle cap at the two chatting players after they would not get quiet. One of the chatty players called the guy an a**hole. The other claimed he was being "assaulted" and said he felt "violated." I told them that they were annoying everyone else at the table and that they were lucky that a bottle cap was all. That seemed to diffuse the situation momentarily, but by the end of the game they were back to palavering on and on about how much fun the Elder Scrolls MMO is going to be, what chick at their school is hottest, or what they would do if they were a forty-foot tall rage drake.

Simply put, their behavior has become beyond annoying and it's impacting the enjoyment of the game for others. 

I know socialization is a big aspect many players enjoy with D&D. However, these two are best buddies. They hang out with each other daily. It's not as if they are old friends catching up. I'm still new to this DM-ing business and part of me is still optimistic enough to not want to kick them out if their behavior can be corrected, but I certainly don't want to keep them around if they are just going to continue to drain the enjoyment out of the game for everyone else. I have seven players at the table. That's five other people who should be enjoying the game without the constant annoyance of these two talkers. At least four of them are fed up, along with their DM!

So... a pair of questions:

First, in general, how do you handle disruptive players at your table?

Second, can you give any pointers for someone in a situation like mine?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

If it would get you ejected from a game of poker where there was even a small amount of money on the line among friends, it should get you removed from the D&D table.

People that are disruptive like that, repeatedly, after others have asked them not to be are too immature to enjoy the game. In the future? Maybe. Currently? Sorry, you're ruining the experience for everyone else.

It really is just that simple. When it becomes an issue for a player it's an issue...when it becomes an issue for the TABLE then it is well out of hand.