Just Don’t.
Player vs Player or PvP for short is something that has always existed in roleplaying games as a possibility. However, party infighting is never productive. I think it’s better relegated to the realm of video games instead of tabletop games. Otherwise, let’s drop the pretense of a cohesive party and just have D&D Fight Club.
Maybe it’s me and my style of Dungeon Mastering. I’ve seen inner party conflict lead to hurt feelings and bruised egos off the table. Players start fighting and bickering over every little thing and someone’s character ends up deep fried, wasting the better part of sessions and most of the campaign if there was any semblance of a cohesive story.
Disclaimer: This is my blog. This is how I see things and how I feel. There is little factual information being presented. If you have issue with anything being presented, please contact me privately on X (Twitter,) Instagram, BlueSky, or by email. Otherwise, there are lots of platforms out there for you to vent your feelings and opinions, too.
I thought that most of us old guys would have grown out of it by now.
I was absolutely shocked the other day to hear on X (Twitter) and YouTube people espousing this notion of PvP in the Old School end of things in particular. As a Game Master, I actively discourage PvP amongst my players beyond maybe a harsh word or two and swapping a few unarmed blows.
Luckily my players happen to be my kids, and my wife is usually around. We don’t let that stuff fly at my house. My kids know D&D is a cooperative game, and it was 5E, which has a rule set that fosters more cooperation than prior editions.
If/when I return to public Game Mastery, Session Zero is going to be very specific about no PvP. First violation is a warning. Second violation gets the player ejected from the session. Third violation gets the offending party or parties permanently ejected from the group. PvP will NOT be tolerated.
Honestly, it’s so easy to avoid.
I want to encourage all of the Player Characters to get along as well as possible. Hulk and Thor from the Avengers movies come from different cultures and have a friendly rivalry, but they’re not fighting to the death over their differences. Running off in the middle of the night might be okay, but stabbing everyone in their sleep and running off is not acceptable PC behavior.
If the PCs can’t settle their differences with a somewhat heated in-character argument or maybe some light fisticuffs before someone steps in, it’s probably time to pull the players aside and have a chat. If people can’t play nice and get along in character and/or out, something has to change.
Now I don’t expect Toxic Positivity or Groupthink out of my players. I want them to have some disagreements and be a bit un-Smurfy at times. Gosh darn it all, roleplaying games are supposed to be fun above all else and players fighting in-game or out kinda ruins it for a lot of us.
Early on in one’s gaming career, PvP might seem appealing.
That’s a call to try it necessarily unless two players are just messing around out of the regular session just for fun. Sometimes it’s entertaining to try out class builds and combinations or spells to see how they work. It’s great as long as things don’t get too serious.
That’s my whole issue with PvP, honestly. I’ve seen it get out of hand too many times. I’ve seen PCs trying to steal from other PC’s and then we get to the real world fisticuffs. It was all fun and games until someone’s Bag of Holding full of loot almost got pinched one night. Then all of the sudden people were mad over a bunch of goodies that only existed on paper. Not a good reason to end friendships or break up a gaming group.
I wish everyone would react in kindness.
I’m a DM/GM for life and I’m used to watching monsters and NPCs getting squished to a fine paste by adventuring parties. Do I recommend the group turns that malice inward to their own? Absolutely not! Do I know it happens every day regardless? Yeah. Afraid so.
As with so many of these arguments, always do what you and your group enjoy. If PvP is your jam, then great. I wish you all the best with that. Go for it.
It’s not my style. I’ve had too many bad experiences with that type of behavior in video games and TTRPGs to where I don’t think it’s right for me. That’s a good way to get me, the GM to throw out the Red Flag or the X Card or whatever else. There are better, more intelligent ways to deal with these things in character as responsible adults.
Thank you for being here today with me. I appreciate you. Please embrace the things that bring you the most joy.
Jeff's Game Box 