Dealing with people who read / know the modules?


Advice


So I was just wondering - how do various DMs (at a table or virtual table) deal with players who have read the book before the session or know what is supposed to happen?

Just wondering if there's some sort of "punishment" or changing around or what?


It's sort of like peeking at the surprise which wrecks the surprise part, but if the player ISVs good at role playing you can pull aside and have them be an ally in the story telling, they need to intentionally act from their character's perspective and not rig the game.

If they are unlikely to do that then toss in some surprises not in the text but which fit the story. Is this a pattern for this person?

Sovereign Court

I would be disappointed by this from my players. I'd mention it being poor form and ask them to stop. Sometimes they may have read the module expecting to run it but ended up playing it instead. If so I'd ask them to refrain from reading it and to play to the best of their ability as if they had not read it.

If either they wont stop reading ahead or cant help but be familiar with the material I'd change module/AP/campaign. If player insists on finding the new material and reading ahead, I'd ask them to leave my table.


If you know who is doing it and how far they've ran it, you change it up. It's that simple. If they know everything about the module, you throw things in that aren't in the book, and you mix up your own stuff.

Sure, it's more work, but you're comparing the lesser of two evils here. (Well, technically three.) You have to either tell the player to not spoil anything for anyone (and they have to behave like their character would, AKA no meta-gaming), which may or may not work, or you can tweak or, if it's proving to be more problematic, completely revise encounters. What's that, they're facing a Fire Dragon in the module? Not anymore, it's an Acid Dragon. Oh wait, they took Anti-Dragon items with them because they knew they were gonna fight this dragon before they were given proper warning? Time to make it an Outsider.

The final option (which is a last resort) is to simply kick the player out of the table for 'cheating,' or throw out a Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies and start a new module that nobody has played before. But surely you won't have to pull those shenanigans...right?


As one who mostly GMs, but sometimes ends up playing things I've read, I'd suggest having the "Don't metagame" talk and giving them the benefit of the doubt until their actions prove otherwise (such as the situation Darksol posited with the fire dragon) - it's usually pretty obvious to spot that kind of thing.

If you're certain that they're basically just reading ahead to "cheat", go ahead and change it all up. It's a pain, but the only other options are letting them get away with it or booting them (neither of which are usually good options if it's a friend).

Sovereign Court

In PFS it's fairly common for people to play scenarios they've already GM'ed. That's one situation where this would happen without any evil intent being involved.

I've also seen scenarios flounder because a lot of the players already knew the scenario, and were holding back so much to not spoil it for the others, that those remaining players were having to do a lot more riddle-solving per player than normal.


Having read an adventure isn't a bad thing. Using that knowledge to ruin the experience for the group is, IMO.
My 2cp. ;)

The Exchange

I was recently told to prepare for a scenario I haven't played before, but then they didn't require that many GMs on that day so I was allowed to play >.<

Does that mean I did something wrong, following orders?


I should clarify, this person has been reading the modules, then when I change something up they'll bring it up with me during/after the game. They'll be like "I checked out X just to see, and it wouldn't have done X, Y, or Z" and stuff like that.

Part of me wants to just tell him "I don't think this is the game for you", but at the same time I don't want to tear apart the group over something like this.

But this isn't PFS or anything of that sort, it's basically a "over the internet" (Virtual Table Top) game and with the number of PDFs available, the actual modules aren't hard to access.


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Tell them to stop. If they don't: Boot.

jasonthelamb wrote:
I should clarify, this person has been reading the modules, then when I change something up they'll bring it up with me during/after the game. They'll be like "I checked out X just to see, and it wouldn't have done X, Y, or Z" and stuff like that.

Tell him to shove it.

This really grinds me.


I've encountered this a lot. Most players in my group also DM, and we've all read adventure paths and modules looking into things to run ourselves. In my opinion, the best way to handle this is to just sit down and make sure people know not to use metagame knowledge in character. It doesn't really matter if they know out of character, but if they start using that knowledge to work the system or win by knowing everything coming at them, it ruins the game.

On the other hand, if they're going out and getting the books specifically to know what's coming and plan for it, I'd tell them to stop or make it clear that they won't be welcome if they keep messing with things.

Or if you're not willing to kick people, make some sweeping changes to the module and don't warn anyone. Then their knowledge is useless and when they think they know what they're about to run into they'll be caught off guard. It might teach them a lesson about abusing metagame knowledge


1. "Don't read the module, Jim."
2. "Don't metagame, Jim."
3. "Get the f*** out of my table, Jim."

In that order, apply statements to the offending party. It may be solved with one or two, but three gets the job done every time.


In addition to the above, this strengthens my belief that GMs should only take published APs and modules as suggestions at best. Yes, many people have time constraints. However, time and again Paizo employees have stated their APs are made to be tweaked to the individual group. Running an AP essentially RAW-style, is passable if a little bland the first time, but a second time (as is likely; remember, the game has been out for YEARS now) it becomes wholly boring and predictable. There is an element of responsibility on the GM concerning this. It's not all players being jerks.


Has the offending player ever been the DM before? Maybe they don't realize how their actions are really taking the fun away from YOU, as the DM.

The world is getting much easier to see with everything on the internet, and a lot of kids nowadays just don't have the patience to wait to the next session to hear the next part of the story. And there are those people who are just plain cheaters, yes.

You might ask the player if they would go ahead and run the game on the party, and you get to be a player. Maybe they would understand that it takes a lot of effort to run a good game.

Basically, I'm betting you're friends with this person, so being a jerk to them won't do you or your group and good, so just be polite and remember that, even if they have read the book, you're here to have fun. You can always change little things up a bit and give them a surprise here and there.

OR.... my favorite part...

...make them a part of the game. Secret cleric to (bad guy's deity). Maybe they would like that.

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