The group I play in has a few newbies and they do show much potential but are struggling more with playing as a team not the mechanics of their characters. We have lots of discussions inbetween games via email and they are a good fun group. I guess the problem is they do not understand the concept of teamwork and that sometimes you sit back and not have to do something every round, we have all seen it. My dm is getting upset (he has every right as this has become so chaotic) and has stated he may be forced to split the group and blanitly he is not having any fun. He is a good guy and I do not believe he wants the split.
So I need help, spent sometime googling, and looking through this site looking for links to articles about constructive teamwork, how best to run a character, things of that nature. I do not like to be the preachy type and feel if I can provide a link to a well written article that can address the problem at the table constructively it would be best. I have not been able to find anything noteable, most articles are dealing with problem players.
Any help is very appreciated, good gaming to all.
-keith
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I guess it would depend on the specifics of what they're doing. Are they each trying to hog the spotlight? Each trying to split the party and go a different way? Talking over each other, in character or out?
My group has one guy who tends to charge forward at the start of every fight, regardless of what others plan to do or his own character's safety. We've taken to taunting him mercilessly about all the times his characters have nearly died, and it's helping (He's relatively more cautious now), but I don't necessarily recommend that approach.
It honestly is a mixture of things. The group is 7 people, 3 that need help. I think they are afraid to do certain things like delay initiative and wait for an opening for something their class role should do. All spells and HP are spent early, charge to combat not diplomacy checks, people just generally confused.
Is there an advanced version of the example of play from the begining of the book?
Stuff like-
-the fighter goes full defensive and waits for the rogue to get into flanking position.
-the Minotaur lands his second swing onto the barbarian and the cleric decides it is time to not cast spirtual weapon but instead channel positive energy.
-the Mage delays his initiative not seeing a plausible way to use any of his prepared spells, he hopes the orcs cluster to colorspray so repositions himself 20 feet away and waits.
Maybe something that explains D&D teamwork.
Not splitting the party.
You can always explain the "aid another" tactic,
I would think the majority of this responsibility relies on the GM... He's not stepping up and explaining the tactics, but in stead is expecting the players to just know.
Next time, try this, when one person seems to be struggling with what want to do... step and ask them "what is it you want to accomplish, we'll figure out the steps"... then you can help them with their tactics.
It just simply sounds like someone with some tactical teamwork experience needs to step in and help the GM.
Keith,
I feel you on your situation, and being a GM that has had to deal with the same situation on more than one occasion, I can give you a little bit of advice with how I handled it.
-Take time (~2-3 minutes) after each encounter to go over the tactics that the party used, how it worked and how it didn't.
-Actively suggest tactics during combat. I find myself making suggestions to players all the time as part of the running commentary that I make during combat. It doesn't have to be obvious, it can be something like "The fighter steps away from the wall as he goes for his attack." or "As the barbarian charges with his greataxe, he stumbles a little bit."
-This last one should only be used if nothing else helps, if the chaos is causing a distraction to both the GM and the table...remove the offending parties from the table. It's within the GM's rights, and sadly, I've had to do it once. After they are removed, let them know what they did that caused them to be removed.
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Is this a young group?
I've noticed (and I'm not an exception) that the younger the player is, the more often they just like to run around and bash things, and be involved in everything.
So you find them wanting to be looking at everything all at once:
Player 1: Ok, my cleric is going to look at the altar.
GM(me): Ok, make a perception check (13), you don't find anything.
Player 2: I want to look in the closet.
GM: you find a statue that looks like...
Player 1: I'm over there and pick up the statue.
GM: Um, you are looking at the altar right now.
In combat, they want to just run around and hit things and don't understand that rash or brash actions often have disastrous consequences. Why? Because video games, cartoons, and movies have the heroes always acting brashly and winning. In video games, you can act brashly over and over and over until you succeed.
So the best thing to do, is when they start doing that in combat, for maybe 3 to 5 sessions, help them with tactics as the GM.
If your GM is unwilling to do this, then he is part of the problem, frankly.
If the fighter wants to run into the crossfire of 3 crossbowmen in snipers nests while going after the BBEG, perhaps ask him if he wants to wait for the rest of the party. Let him know what will happen if he carries out his actions (you will get shot at by all 3 of those guys before you get to the BBEG, and they are nasty snipers). Or show him all the AoO's he could take and say, "now they've hit you almost every time I've rolled the dice, even on a 5, so chances are you will get hit on all 5 of these AoO's... you sure you want to do that? I don't think you can take another 50 damage."
Its letting them know the consequences of their actions and letting them choose a different action. This is the only way sometimes to teach without just killing their characters.
Does it break RP and verisimilitude? Sure.
Does it allow them to win and have an easier time in the scenario? Sure.
Will it help them to learn how to survive with good tactics once you take the kids gloves off in the 5-9 and 7-11 scenarios? Yes.
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If you're running the bad guys intelligently, you could point out to the players what they're doing. "This guy's hanging back instead of charging in. Looks like he's waiting on something to happen. The archers seem to be focusing fire on one character until they drop."
But the best advice I've seen is to split into two tables.
As someone who's more experienced, maybe you can lead by example? Have your character delay so s/he can jump in and do something that makes what their character is doing easier or more effective?
Also, talk to your GM about setting up situations where teamwork is essential, and if they refuse to work together and the encounter doesn't go well, sit down with them and the GM and do a post-mortem to show them how working together would have let them succeed.
