Using Robin Law's types of players again, let's look at the Butt-Kicker. The Butt-Kicker character just wants to smash stuff and fight. If table-top RPGs were videogames, this type of player would skip the mission to go on a rampage seeing how many things they can blow up before the army arrives to finish them off. I'm also going to include players that constantly play kleptomaniacs in here, since it seems to be just as common as the violent Butt-Kicker and the motivation is very similar.

So what problems do they cause?

Butt-Kickers tend to have conflicts with a lot of other players because of their tendency to get bored and act impulsively. They also tend to derail the game and ruin the parts of the game other players enjoy. They may also start random fights, completely disengage with the story or world, not bother learning the rules, or get angry about NPCs or other players reacting realistically to their behavior.

About the only type of player besides other Butt-Kickers that they get along well with is Power Gamers, if only because even though they want different things, it's usually achieved in the same way. Butt-Kickers usually ruin things the most for Method Actors and Storytellers, since the slow pace and focus on the development or characters and story are not things the Butt-Kicker enjoys. They also have a giant veto button on these two styles of play in the form of the phrase, "I just punch him in the face." which is pretty much a guarantee that the Butt-Kicker can drive the game into their preferred play-style and forget what anyone else wants. Unless the Specialist has a schtick that is also focused on getting right to the action, they'll butt heads as well. The biggest antagonist to the Butt-Kicker is the Tactician, because the careful planning and meta-thinking that the Tactician employs tends to crush what the Butt-Kicker wants.

Butt-Kickers are likely the hardest players for many GMs, especially ones that want to play out social interactions. Butt-Kickers are the ones most likely to mess up a plot or kill NPCs the GM was planning on having do important stuff. A Butt-Kicker can force a GM into a corner where they feel like they have to railroad just to keep the Butt-Kicker from dominating the game. They can also put GMs in awkward positions, like having to figure out the combat stats for a group of random merchants the Butt-Kicker decided to murder.

Do not mistake Butt-Kickers for jerks. Butt-Kickers may wreck things because they enjoy it and don't realize they're ruining other people's fun. Jerks wreck things to ruin other people's fun. Don't play with Jerks.

But what do they want?

Butt-Kickers may at first seem like just another type of Power Gamer. They generally want to play characters that can do a lot of damage and are powerful. The main difference is that while Power Gamers generally want to feel in control or powerful and usually engage with the mechanics, the Butt-Kicker probably does not. In some ways, Butt-Kicker's are focused on the game world and story more than other player types, but they want to play out different fantasies. They want to blow off steam, see how much they can mess things up, and break rules. They don't want to deal with consequences or think through the deeper meaning of their actions. They just want to have an impact.

How do you adapt?

If you're fine with a "Kick down the Door" game and the rest of the group is too, there is nothing wrong with being a group of friends that goes around setting fire to cows and murdering houses. Or a group that is just looking for the next big monster to kill. Lots of fun games have been run this way. If it ain't broke don't fix it. This style of play is sometimes disparagingly referred to as being Murderhobos, because the characters are transient individuals that travel around doing violence.

But being a Murderhobo isn't for everyone. So as always, this starts with talking to the Butt-Kicker about what they want from the game and why what they're doing is interfering with your fun. Recognize that with this player, a session cannot consist entirely of a polite tea party. At some point the tea kettle needs to get smashed over someone's head. You only have so much time before the Butt-Kicker gets bored and then one of two things happens, they do something crazy that derails the scene or they check out. Neither of those is a good outcome. So you've basically got a time limit until something engaging has to happen and you need to work that into your game plan. If you want to have an extended information gathering scene with lots of witty back-and-forth, then don't expect that player to just to sit on their hands and wait patiently for an hour.

Try to find a way you can both be actively engaged. It is very possible to have simultaneously high and low action scenes. I had one group that was particularly good at this. They were always sneaking into stuff or just BSing in-character at the bar with NPCs, but whatever they were doing needed a distraction, usually in the form of punching someone in the face. Infiltration is actually easier this way. No one is looking anywhere but at the crazy guy stabbing people. If you do this, make sure the player is okay with their character dying regularly or has an in-world explanation for how they survive this high risk behavior. It will help your suspension of disbelief. There's usually some way to incorporate action fairly naturally into the story for the Butt-Kicker. If the story of the game cannot incorporate action or you find it too distracting to have your duel of wits in the middle of a bar fight, then it may be time to admit that your gaming desires are incompatible and someone is going to have to find another group.

Realize that action does not have to mean violence. While part of the appeal for the Butt-Kicker is being able to reach out and hit something, the other aspect is getting to break the rules in a way they can't in real life. Make rule breaking a substitute for violence. Let the character regularly steal things, put graffiti on things or play dangerous pranks, like hiding live squirrels in every latrine you come across. Maybe, have the character violate social norms regularly, like wearing a pink bunny suit. This is something that the group should talk through first, because it's possible some of the norms being violated will make players uncomfortable.

It's important to recognize that the Butt-Kicker just wants to do these things without facing consequences. They can break the rules and have people shun, imprison, or otherwise ruin their lives in real life. The escapism is getting to do all that stuff consequence free. When you negotiate for what in-character transgressions you're going to let the player indulge in, it needs to be something you, and the GM, are comfortable with just ignoring. Yes, your character probably would be revolted by someone that tries to steal the underpants off everyone they meet, but sometimes it's better to just turn a blind eye. Yes it's weird, but if writing "the Duke's boxers!" in their inventory makes them happy, is it really hurting your enjoyment enough to try to shut them down?

It's also important to talk about the big upside to Butt-Kickers that's often overlooked. The momentum that a Butt-Kicker can lend to a game can carry it through dull times or give the group direction. When things stall, they're the player most likely to kick things back into gear by trying something crazy or taking a risk. A Butt-Kicker is also a really good balance with a Tactician player, because one is constantly driving the game forward to action and the other is constantly trying to slow the game down. The tension between the two can keep things sane for everyone else. Also, Butt-Kickers tend to be less emotionally invested in the game world, story, and mechanics than other players (even when they're heavily invested in the game), so they can be a good person to step out of character to help with interpersonal stuff or to provide comedic relief if things are getting too dark or heavy. When a Butt-Kicker takes on this role, it's important to recognize what a gift that is to the whole group. Butt-Kickers are also some of the players most likely to confront a GM about railroading and to get off the railroad, set the train on fire, and then go running into the woods as fast as they can.

I just want to hit stuff!

...but all anyone else wants to do is talk, talk, talk. Ugh. This is supposed to be fun, can't we just kill the goblins already? You've waited all week to set some stuff on fire, not to haggle over the cost of a pint of beer. I get it. But you're going to have to be patient if you want the game to work for you and everyone else. You can try some of the approaches suggested above (for other players to propose to you) or here are some things you can try:

1. Have an activity to occupy your time while you're waiting. Sometimes, I spend slow parts of the game trying to think of ways I can irritate NPCs without hurting them or breaking any laws. Or pay attention to conversations for opportunities to be offended by something an NPC has said so you can respond with a crushing insult (spending time prepping insults is also effective). Having something to focus on that is not actively disruptive and keeps your attention at least tangentially on the game will help keep you from being disruptive and make you a better player overall. 2. Have a clear way of communicating to the group that you are getting bored. This can be saying something out of character, or an in-character phrase like, "Hulkgore pulls out his axe and starts sharpening the blade". Just something to say to the group, "Hey, this is not fun for me, but I'm trying to be respectful of your style of play." 3. If the group is planning or debating strategy in the middle of the fight, discuss using a timer to limit the amount of time spent this way. Your fun should be respected too. 4. Learn the rules for your character. I know reading rules can be boring, but just think how much faster you'll be able to set things on fire if you don't have to ask the GM what to roll. It's a worthwhile time investment to avoid people spending more time flipping through books. 5. Run a side-combat with a chicken. Ever seen a movie where there is a serious something going on foreground while in the background someone is chasing a chicken around or otherwise doing something funny? It's usually played for laughs and gets more ridiculous as the scene goes on. The GM is probably going to be distracted with the main action, but see if someone else (who may also be bored) will run a little side scene while you guys are chilling. Be ready to drop this scene when the action returns to you, possibly with comedically little explanation for why your character is covered in feathers and the furniture is broken. This is really just a more focused and action packed version of my general advice to engage other players at the table in character when the GM has to be focused on a small group of players.

Closing thought

I managed to do this in one column. That seems appropriate.