Vicious Mockery, Cutting Words & THL: Do you credit players' jokes mechanically?

[Guy Lombard-O]

I was wondering whether the DMs in the Playground ever give any type of mechanical benefit to the bard's spells and abilities for player creativity and effort in making a clever quip or joke as part of the character's action? In other words, if your player does more than "I cast Vicious Mockery", does that ever translate into any sort of mechanical benefit to the spell's saving throw? If the player actually comes up with jokes or quips which make the table laugh because the mocking of the target is vicious and on point, or the words coming out of the PC's mouth as part of Tasha's Hideous Laughter are actually funny, does that effect DC of the save for the spells? If the bard's reactionary verbal takedown of the attacker truly contains some "cutting words", does that ever effect the number rolled on the inspiration die in your games?

If so, what effects do you use? Is the Inspiration mechanic your guideline? Or do you use something else?

I'm not suggesting that bards, one of the classes which are generally considered at the stronger end of the spectrum, need any kind of additional buffing. But I've always thought that such antics (done well) can definitely add to the fun of the game, and it can seem sort of off when the whole table is laughing but the VM continuously fails to land.

[Zhorn]

For in combat mechanics; I have not.
For XP rewards; all the yes! If the joke or one-liner lands really well with the table, I mark down a bit more XP. Not for just telling random jokes though, it needs to fit the moment.

[nickl_2000]

Inspiration is the only place where this fits in my mind, if at all. I have a bit of a pet peeve with the expectation that bards are "required" to do a good job roleplaying their magic and performances. There is never any expectations that a Fighter PC get up and stab something with a sword, or a Wizard actually casts magic, or a Rogue move so quietly that no one hears it. If you aren't expecting this from other players, giving either a positive or a negative to one player is unfair.

Generally I think the laugh around the table when a bard lands a good zinger through viscous mockery is reward enough.

[Brookshw]

I ask my players what they're calling the thing but offer no additional mechanical benefit aside from that prescribed by the feature. It's sort of a balance thing, I don't want to reward for good RP because I don't want to penalize for bad RP. I haven't yet awarded an inspiration die for it but I'll be glad to if something particularly funny comes up, however I'm also pretty liberal rewarding inspiration die so everyone has a reasonable shot at getting some.

[LordEntrails]

Inspiration.

Other than that I do not mechanically benefit or punish characters for their players rolepaying.

[patchyman]

I don’t. I consider coming up with quips as a Bard part of role playing the character, and would not want to penalize players that have difficulty with this aspect of it.

[NaughtyTiger]

penalize, no...
reward yeah.
inspiration is common
bonus damage is rare
roleplay the monster's reaction is common... critter is soo upset that it makes sub optimal choice on its turn...

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I was wondering whether the DMs in the Playground ever give any type of mechanical benefit to the bard's spells and abilities for player creativity and effort in making a clever quip or joke as part of the character's action? In other words, if your player does more than "I cast Vicious Mockery", does that ever translate into any sort of mechanical benefit to the spell's saving throw? If the player actually comes up with jokes or quips which make the table laugh because the mocking of the target is vicious and on point, or the words coming out of the PC's mouth as part of Tasha's Hideous Laughter are actually funny, does that effect DC of the save for the spells? If the bard's reactionary verbal takedown of the attacker truly contains some "cutting words", does that ever effect the number rolled on the inspiration die in your games?

If so, what effects do you use? Is the Inspiration mechanic your guideline? Or do you use something else?

I'm not suggesting that bards, one of the classes which are generally considered at the stronger end of the spectrum, need any kind of additional buffing. But I've always thought that such antics (done well) can definitely add to the fun of the game, and it can seem sort of off when the whole table is laughing but the VM continuously fails to land.

When I play I TRY to come up with something. I've even plagiarized song lyrics which I thought were situationally appropriate lol. Lately I've felt that's slowed down combat and I've gone light on it but this reminds me to get back in the spirit.

As DM none of my Bards have ever said anything inspiring or witty.

[Chronos]

Quips and such for those spells/abilities are fun, and that fun is its own reward. Remember that the game serves the fun, not the other way around.

[NNescio]

When I play I TRY to come up with something. I've even plagiarized song lyrics which I thought were situationally appropriate lol. Lately I've felt that's slowed down combat and I've gone light on it but this reminds me to get back in the spirit.

As DM none of my Bards have ever said anything inspiring or witty.

Cast Shield, Blur, Mirror Image, or Blink (if plagiarized via Magical Secrets):
—U Can't Touch This

Cast a Buff on an Ally
—I'll Make A Man Out Of You (alternate with the Jackie Chan Cantonese version.

Cast Friends
—I Love You (the Barney song. See, that's why they hate you afterwards.)

Cast Leomund's Tiny Hut
—In a Cabin in the Woods

Cast Animate Objects
—The Sorcerer's Apprentice (either hum or take the lyrics from Goethe's Der Zauberlehrling)

Cast Animate Dead (Magical Secrets pick)
—Thriller

Cast Irresistable Dance
—Fossegrim (while playing a fiddle, of course.)

Cast Shatter
—Pick an opera song with high notes. Especially the part sung by the fat lady. (Try not to break any actual glass in real life.)

[Chronos]

Aside: While it's possible to shatter glass by singing at it, it's really, really difficult. As in, even for a singer with an extremely strong voice, the glass needs to be a fraction of an inch from their mouth. And when it happens, it's not the high notes that do it. Tap the glass with your fingernail and listen to the sound it makes: That's the same note that's needed to break it.

[Arkhios]

Cast Shatter
—Pick an opera song with high notes. Especially the part sung by the fat lady. (Try not to break any actual glass in real life.)

This... :smallbiggrin:

https://youtu.be/dJ9FY06urr4

[LibraryOgre]

Just here to say:

You fight like a dairy farmer!

[NNescio]

Just here to say:

You fight like a dairy farmer!

"How appropriate, you fight like a cow."

[Laserlight]

I don't give a bonus for the fighter being a heavyweight wrestler, I don't give the tabaxi player a bonus for curling up on the table and going to sleep, I don't give a bard a bonus for making a witty remark when casting Cutting Words.

However, if one of the players can actually cast Unseen Servant, and if they can teach it to me, they'll get whatever bonus they want.

[Tanarii]

DMs need to start penalizing puns, rhymes, and other cliches, especially from Players of Bards, with anti-inspiration points.

Of course, we can't really do that to them. Even if punners deserve to be strung up by their toes, they're fit only for the crows.

[nickl_2000]

"How appropriate, you fight like a cow."

I am rubber, you are glue


I definitely need to learn from the swordmaster!

[zinycor]

I grant inspiration for that sort of thing.

[Nagog]

For Vicious Mockery? I haven't yet, but I would. for other shenanigans? Yes. For example, our artificer was attempting to engage a street performer who was beatboxing in the beatboxing equivalent of a rap battle to distract him so our wizard could steal the large clock necklace the street performer was wearing. Before you ask, yes this campaign typically gets to this level of crazy (The artificer needed the clock to build a pocketwatch he was going to trade to a local shopkeeper for a standing base that would fit his Goliath size). The Artificer used two devices he'd made that play music as backup, so I gave him advantage on the roll. Turns out, a Goliath Artificer is crap at beatboxing no matter how good the back up music is. The one of our other players informed us he is actually really good at beatboxing, which he then performed for us. By virtue of the awesome experience, I allowed a third roll for the performance, which was a natural 19. The shenanigans continued, and a great time was had by all.