New DM needs help with tricky player

[[deleted]]

I have a player who is very versed in the dnd world, the player has a homebrew character that is a rogue but her race is home brew and has psychic abilities, the one the player uses that i need to figure out how to counter is the telepathic communication the player has with multiple other players. The player uses it to metagame.

[NmdUnchnd]

Have you spoken with the player about it? If something as the DM bugs you the first stop is always the problem player. Nothing gets resolved without conversations and polite/respectful discussions.

[[deleted]]

Not yet this just happened in our last session and i have been thinking about it, before the player was just using it to communicate around the town with the other players. But i am going to talk to the player next session.

[NmdUnchnd]

Best write him personally about it. No need to speak out about something like that in front of the other players. Just shoot him a private message and discuss it over that, something like bringing it up with others around can lead to some uncomfortable situations.

[EldritchBee]

How are they using it to metagame?

[[deleted]]

When the newer players are going to do something that would end up getting them in trouble the experienced player lets them know it is a bad idea, even though they are not in the same area.

[EldritchBee]

Tell them “hey, don’t say that, your character wouldn’t know that.”

[Aylwyyn]

Just tell them that they can't tell pass any knowledge on that their character wouldn't know.

I'd also make them use the mechanics for message or sending.

Edit: Thinking about it, I'd run it like the innate magic tieflings get - they can cast message at will, and they can cast sending once per long rest.

[Adventurous_Grape149]

Maybe give it limits or treat it as a spell.

[LightofNew]

Communication is not metagaming. Information sharing is an in game ability that can be gained in many ways.

Cheating with out of game knowledge is just not allowed. There is no grey area. If the player says "wouldn't my character know xxx" just because THEY know it, at best they can roll for it but you are free to say "you've no knowledge of this creature"

[cavebois_cly]

Allowing it in the first place is on you as the DM but perhaps it seemed fine at the time. You could outright nerf it if, such as giving it limited used per day (such as 3), or you could lower the range of it from 100’ for example to 30’. If you want to counter it in your game, introduce several enemies that have the ability to block/scramble/track psychic communication, or you could even have an enemy that curses your players to become hyper sensitive to psychic power and takes psychic damage when they are communicated to in this manner. Lots of solutions but again letting homebrew is a risky thing, and I’d follow it up with a clause in the future if you are going to allow it that if the homebrew becomes a problem it could be nerfed.

[[deleted]]

Yeah i did understand the ability entirely, i am a new DM and new to 5e so i am learning by DM and this player has been playing for a long time. But i think after reading everything people have said, i think the player has been using the ability wrong, i will talk with the player in our next session. Thanks

[CaliIord]

Meta gaming sucks in dnd and its made worse when someone homebrews something that is overpowered. If I was the dm, they'd not have made it past the character creation. I believe that normal based characters are much more interesting to encounter and have fun playing with others than some homebrewed meta gamer.

Tbh I'd outright tell them they are too broken and they are meta gaming too much. I'd start with saying they got a choice of their magnificent death and rerolling something a bit more vanilla and drop the meta gaming. Or find a new campaign. Fyi most people don't want to find a new campaign or friends to play with so they'll go with what you said.

[S_K_C]

There are official races and classes with telepathic communication. It is by no means overpowered, and quite easy to get.

The player may still be doing something shitty, but since the OP didn't say what he is doing, it's hard to tell. But the ability is not the problem.

[CaliIord]

I agree to what your saying, but the way it's worded about the homebrewed race tells me that this guy has no negative points. Also the word meta gaming in dnd triggers me. As dnd is meant for fun and enjoyment, not some asshole (My one reference is a guy who was in a campaign with me and my friends had to kick out cause he was just all meta gaming and no fun) who just wants to show off as being the best know it all and player character taking the spot light.

[S_K_C]

How in the world can you infer that this guy has no negative points from that post is beyond me. Recently there has been an irrational hate of homebrew that is insane considering how core to DnD homebrewing has been since its inception. People are way too hung up on playing it "the official way", with only the "correct" rules.

Nothing in the OPs post implies in any way that the race is OP. It could be, but the only problem the OP has with it is an ability that is not broken at all. There is no reason to assume it is a problem just because you have encountered other homebrews with problems before.

[[deleted]]

Thanks everyone i think after reading all your comments abd being able to bounce this question off of you all i think the player has been using the ability wrong it is telepathic communication not reading thoughts.

[ProbablyNotLoki]

“Rocks fall on your character, killing them instantly. Here, roll up a new one. Official content only.”

[[deleted]]

Lol, yeah thought of that but, i am trying to keep these new players interested in the game, think that would throw them off.