Taming the Arrogant Player Without Losing the Game
Every table has one — the player who treats the campaign like their personal stage. They interrupt others, dismiss the GM’s rulings, and act like their character is the only one who matters.
I’ve played with this type before. One fighter in our party constantly “corrected” the GM, argued every rule, and tried to push his character into every major plot moment. At first, I thought challenging him openly would help. It didn’t — it just turned the game into a louder, more hostile space.
What worked instead was redirecting the spotlight. When he tried to dominate a scene, I would turn to another player and ask about their character’s reaction. Over time, the GM caught on and started actively involving the rest of the table first. The arrogant player eventually toned down, realizing that hogging attention no longer guaranteed him control.
If you’ve got someone like this at your table, don’t fight fire with fire. Fighting them head-on often just feeds their ego. Instead, shift the flow of the game toward balance — and make sure everyone has space to play.
Further reading from Mike’s Tavern:
