I don't like the "roleplaying" style of one of my players

[Madeiner]

Hi there.

I have a little problem lately.
One of my players, which sometimes roleplays pretty convincingly and is sometimes the face of the group (he's mostly the one who speaks first to NPCs), sometimes, i dont know why, starts roleplaying in a manner that i don't like at all.
Sometimes conversations with NPCs start with "hey bro" followed by a typical modern street-language, gags, or pop culture or sexual references.

I just think this breaks immersion a lot for me, and most of the time i don't even know how to roleplay it, so i usually try to ignore the language and focus and what he wanted to communicate.

I would like things to change. This person is a friend of mine, we are all adults with jobs and life, and i wouldn't want to impose MY style of play and dictate what is right and what is wrong.
Plus, he doesn't do this most of the times; just sometimes it goes on a streak that can last a while during the session.

What do you suggest i can do? The players have asked me to do a night-stand session later this summer, but i don't know if i can take 6 hours of that language and immersion-breaking.

[Driderman]

Hi there.

I have a little problem lately.
One of my players, which sometimes roleplays pretty convincingly and is sometimes the face of the group (he's mostly the one who speaks first to NPCs), sometimes, i dont know why, starts roleplaying in a manner that i don't like at all.
Sometimes conversations with NPCs start with "hey bro" followed by a typical modern street-language, gags, or pop culture or sexual references.

I just think this breaks immersion a lot for me, and most of the time i don't even know how to roleplay it, so i usually try to ignore the language and focus and what he wanted to communicate.

I would like things to change. This person is a friend of mine, we are all adults with jobs and life, and i wouldn't want to impose MY style of play and dictate what is right and what is wrong.
Plus, he doesn't do this most of the times; just sometimes it goes on a streak that can last a while during the session.

What do you suggest i can do? The players have asked me to do a night-stand session later this summer, but i don't know if i can take 6 hours of that language and immersion-breaking.

Well you'll obviously have to talk with the guy. Perhaps something is bothering him? I know I personally have a tendency to resort to jokes and OOC snark if I'm bored/bothered with the game. Since you're friends, letting him know what you think of his new style shouldn't really be a problem, should it?

[Totally Guy]

What is he trying to do by doing that?

[only1doug]

Well you'll obviously have to talk with the guy. Perhaps something is bothering him? I know I personally have a tendency to resort to jokes and OOC snark if I'm bored/bothered with the game. Since you're friends, letting him know what you think of his new style shouldn't really be a problem, should it?

Yup this.

Grab a few minutes with your friend and ask him about it, discuss the situation with him and mention how immersion breaking you find it.
If he realises that this is likely to make the difference between whether you will have an all-night session or not he'll probably be keen to avoid it.

Don't tell him "You must not play this way!", just discuss it amicably and find out whats going on with it. It's most likely that sometimes if he has had a rough day he finds it harder to RP thoroughly and thus breaks into easier jargon, knowing that it makes a difference to you may be all the motivation he needs to make the extra effort.

TL;DR talk to your friend about it, only he knows whats going on and you ought to be able to sort it out as rational adults.

[prufock]

Sometimes conversations with NPCs start with "hey bro" followed by a typical modern street-language, gags, or pop culture or sexual references.

Options:

1) Perhaps it's time for a change of setting? In a modern or future game that sort of language wouldn't be too far out of context.

2) Talk to the player and explain that "bro" is not an understood term in this setting, that his character should have no knowledge of modern pop culture which doesn't exist in this setting, and that sexual comments toward people you just met are a bit inappropriate.

3) Lead the player where you want him to go. You're ignoring the language; don't do that. Let actions in character have in-character consequences. NPCs will probably not like this guy. Think about how you would respond if someone approached you on the street and started making pop culture references you'd never heard, made sexual remarks, and referred to you with an oddly anachronistic word like "my lord." You'd think the guy was off his rocker, and that's probably how people should respond to this character.

Disclosure: I've played a character like this once, in a Star Wars "dark side" game. He made pop culture references that didn't exist in-world, would say very odd things, sometimes spoke to a person that wasn't there, had very strange circles of logic, and so on. Of course, there was an understanding with my GM and other players that he was actually crazy; that was my intent. He was partially based on Deadpool, after all.

Man, that was a fun character to play.

[Cespenar]

When he acts that way again, laugh as if he joked intentionally, and say "Come on man, roleplay a bit" in an amicable tone.

[mcv]

As everyone has said, talk to him first.

Then try everything else.

As a last resort, you could be just as annoying and have your NPCs stay in character: "I think you have me confused with someone else. I don't know anyone named 'Bro'." or: "How dare you address the king without his proper title?!" or: "I'm afraid I don't speak your language, sir. I have no idea what you're saying."

It's annoying, and will derail a lot of otherwise potentially meaningful encounters, but it gets your point across, and if he realizes his in-character conversations go better than his modern street talk conversations, he might choose the more effective approach more often.

[Tyndmyr]

Hi there.

I have a little problem lately.
One of my players, which sometimes roleplays pretty convincingly and is sometimes the face of the group (he's mostly the one who speaks first to NPCs), sometimes, i dont know why, starts roleplaying in a manner that i don't like at all.
Sometimes conversations with NPCs start with "hey bro" followed by a typical modern street-language, gags, or pop culture or sexual references.

I just think this breaks immersion a lot for me, and most of the time i don't even know how to roleplay it, so i usually try to ignore the language and focus and what he wanted to communicate.

I would like things to change. This person is a friend of mine, we are all adults with jobs and life, and i wouldn't want to impose MY style of play and dictate what is right and what is wrong.
Plus, he doesn't do this most of the times; just sometimes it goes on a streak that can last a while during the session.

What do you suggest i can do? The players have asked me to do a night-stand session later this summer, but i don't know if i can take 6 hours of that language and immersion-breaking.

Well, there's a few options. You can play it straight, with all the hilarity that entails. "What is this milkshake you speak of? Should I care if it's better than mine?"

You can play a game set appropriately for this. "Yo, I got a +15 in my Frontin' skill, dawg".

Or you could ignore it as OOC speech.

Or you could have a wierd mashup of modern culture and fantasy.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I just think this breaks immersion a lot for me, and most of the time i don't even know how to roleplay it, so i usually try to ignore the language and focus and what he wanted to communicate.

After talking with him, if that doesn't work, I'd suggest attempting to continue this, and seeing if you can't keep ignoring it. Tell yourself that his character isn't really saying that, it's just that the player doesn't know enough about contemporary slang in the setting to use the equivalents. It's not like people didn't use slang in the past, or anything; they just used different slang.

As far as issues with players go, this is a pretty tame one, so try to keep in mind the saying "making a mountain out of a molehill", and try not to do that.

[QuidEst]

Well, at least they're not pulling out mangled imitation Shakespeare on you…

The following are for entertainment and not actually intended to fix anything. Please don't actually use them.
• Have NPC casters use interpreting spells.
• Have NPC casters use language spells and reply in somewhat broken ebonics.
• Have people assume his character is a foreigner.
• Especially people who have a problem with foreigners.
• Have an annoying little gnome follow him around trying to learn to talk like him.
• Joseph Ducreux.

[Madeiner]

Thanks everybody.

No, i wont make a big issue out of this, i am just trying to enjoy the game more.
It is not related to him not enjoying the game, as far as the player tells me (and i try to encourage critics and opinions).

I will first try to let NPCs react to that language, instead of completely ignoring it, and check what happens in a while.
It will not be easy, as he's most of the time subtly insulting NPCs with a language THEY can't even understand. Reacting offended would be OOC as they DON'T know he just insulted their mother or something like that.

I am sure talking to him would solve the problem, but i wouldn't really want to impose my position or act like it's a big issue. We all want a relaxed environment here.

[kyoryu]

When he acts that way again, laugh as if he joked intentionally, and say "Come on man, roleplay a bit" in an amicable tone.

I think this is the best strategy, personally. Not hostile, honest, and not passive aggressive.

EDIT: If you do go with the "Forsooth, man, I do not know of which you speak. Mineth name is Timothy, not 'Bro'", then at the minimum play it off as a joke.

[Madeiner]

When he acts that way again, laugh as if he joked intentionally, and say "Come on man, roleplay a bit" in an amicable tone.

I think this is the best strategy, personally. Not hostile, honest, and not passive aggressive.

EDIT: If you do go with the "Forsooth, man, I do not know of which you speak. Mineth name is Timothy, not 'Bro'", then at the minimum play it off as a joke.

Yeah, i also noticed that suggestion among the others, and its definately something i will try. Nothing can go wrong with that.

[Slipperychicken]

Well, at least they're not pulling out mangled imitation Shakespeare on you…

Or sitting there and TALKING... like.. this? And Hoping. It will work.. tooo.. Articulate? (yeah, articulate. That's the right word. right? okay good) His.. His meaning. Before you get.. bored, of course.


The fact he can talk naturally/quickly in character is good (especially as the party face), and he doesn't feel like he has to fumble over unwieldly/archaic language to communicate.

[Togath]

Frankly I've never understood why talking in a more modern manner(then again, I mean in normal speech rather then slang, so it might be different) is a bad thing, it's easier, so why not?(if your concerned about immersion then just imagine that the modern speech is ooc, and that, if you were actually in the game world it would sound different)
edit: one kind of fun thing could be to come up with in character slang that the game worlds inhabitents use, and encourage him to use it, if it keeps bothering you.

[killem2]

If you are the DM, it is your duty to make the pcs not understand what he is saying? I mean in my modules, if a player starting talking modern, lingo, I would roleplay the character as a confused person who doesn't understand what the heck he is talking about.

If you are a player, you should take it up with your DM.

Frankly I've never understood why talking in a more modern manner(then again, I mean in normal speech rather then slang, so it might be different) is a bad thing, it's easier, so why not?

I would say that it isn't a bad thing either, but if the table doesn't want it that way, there should be some compromise.

[Madeiner]

Frankly I've never understood why talking in a more modern manner(then again, I mean in normal speech rather then slang, so it might be different) is a bad thing, it's easier, so why not?(if your concerned about immersion then just imagine that the modern speech is ooc, and that, if you were actually in the game world it would sound different)
edit: one kind of fun thing could be to come up with in character slang that the game worlds inhabitents use, and encourage him to use it, if it keeps bothering you.

It's uhm, not just the slang that is bothering me. It's a kind of attitude that is hard to explain, as english is not even my main language.

Language aside, if he just said the same things that he says in a real medieval setting, he would be hanged or imprisoned like 3 times per session.

He might meet a new and important person that is supposed to help them, only to greet him with a "hey bro, you look like the guy at the comics store", then some kind of pop-culture or nerd joke, followed by another scorn about his name because it reminds him of something in real life.
If the NPC has a wife, he will probably say something about how sexy she is, and will try to impress her or say some kind of rude joke.

Now, how could i ignore something like that? A normal person will tell them to go away at that point, and never speak with him again.
Can i do that every time he talks like that? I can't, or the game will just come to a halt.

[QuidEst]

If the NPC has a wife, he will probably say something about how sexy she is, and will try to impress her or say some kind of rude joke.

Now, how could i ignore something like that? A normal person will tell them to go away at that point, and never speak with him again.
Can i do that every time he talks like that? I can't, or the game will just come to a halt.

This is a fantasy setting- that "wife" might be a disguised succubus the NPC wizard keeps around. Or she might just slap him. Maybe she's a sorceress, and casts grease under his feet. You can probably come up with natural results for that sort of behavior. If the PCs are more powerful than the NPCs in this sort of situation, than yeah, he can just go and do this sort of thing- they have to put up with it, and it'd be up to another PC to intervene.

Do go ahead and talk to him about it, though. Don't try to handle it with a joke or something… actually talk to him.

[holywhippet]

One recommendation is try not to take away any fun the player is having. I had one group I was playing in, the DM didn't like out of character behavior or joking around. I left that group eventually and I've got to say I was always kind of puzzled by them since they seemed to frown on having fun of any kind. The games were always in dark settings (dark heresy, Cthulu) and they seemed to play them with a grim resolve.

[nedz]

IMHO This is an IC problem and should be handled as such.

Simply have the NPCs react appropriately: having them pointedly ignore the 'madman' or interpret his comments in an unhelpful way should cure him of this. It sounds like he is the sort of player who likes to communicate and also be cool, if this behaviour has uncool consequences he will change.

[Rallicus]

I'm guilty of this too, unfortunately. In my last DnD campaign my gnome illusionist was insulted by a condescending tavern owner, and I said something along the lines of:

"'Are you FREAKIN' serious?' I yell, slamming my tiny fist on the table, 'I'm gonna hop over this counter and... like... slap you, dude!'"

I basically lost myself in the moment and had no idea what I was going to say, so that came out.

So I'm gonna disagree with the majority of the suggestions here. Some people just aren't very good actors. They can't completely immerse themselves in the world, and their real life personas squeeze in from time to time. Can't really be helped.

If you've got a good imagination, you can let your player break the fourth wall from time to time and just picture what they're saying, except in language proper for the setting. "hey bro, you look like the guy at the comics store" could translate to, "Hail friend, you resemble the man from the library" or something along those lines.

I'd say tell him to try and avoid it if possible, and to try to take the game more seriously. But a few accidents will undoubtedly slip through from time to time, and I honestly think it's a horrible idea to punish the player ICly for it.

[Logic]

Talk to him out of game first, let him know it bothers you. If he repeats this behavior, have the town shaman try to "exorcise" the foul demons from his mind. Or the local lord takes offense to his ramblings. Or a nearby half-orc adventurer thinks he is making fun of his mentally challenged brother.

In short, talk to him out of game first, then give in-game consequences for continuing the disruptive behavior.

[Reluctance]

If you played in a real medieval setting, literacy would be all but unheard of, malnutrition and disease would be rampant, and most PCs would be the literal property of their direct social betters. That route doesn't go places you want to follow.

If you must, play up social standing. You can talk trash with your equals, and with your lessers if you don't mind looking like a douchebag. Trying with your betters will earn dirty looks and lock you out of upper-crust functions, even if it only brings down harsher sanctions from actively villainous despots.

Alternate solution is to stop caring. You as DM might not be as skilled at talking smack, which limits your NPCs, but a little practice should make it easy for them to hold their own. It's easier than having every NPC treat the character like a leper for saying silly things.

[Gamer Girl]

1.If he breaks character a lot, then you just want to say something. Try to get him to agree that during the game he can only speak as 'Elrod' or such, unless you as the DM say 'break' or something happens in real life that needs attention.

2.Have NPC's react to whatever he says anyway. If he says 'that lady could be on American Idol', then just have and NPC say something like ''why yes, she did compete in the kingdoms Beautiful Voice Festival.'' The trick is to have the NPC 'hear' the 'medieval equivalent' of whatever he says(this is such an old Dr. Who trick.

3.Help him out. Take like an hour and make put all whole page of ''Sayings of the World''. Take like 10 minutes to give each character some unique ones. And don't forget to give XP when they use them, or even better make their own.

[JoeMac307]

• Have an annoying little gnome follow him around trying to learn to talk like him.

That one made me laugh my butt off

[Mnemnosyne]

Whenever he does that, NPC's should react entirely in character. As others have said, remember to 'translate' what he's saying to something that his character could say. His character cannot talk about real-life things, since his character doesn't know such things. You must substitute the closest logical in-game replacement.

This will probably result in seriously offending whoever he's talking to. Whatever he's trying to accomplish will almost certainly fail. If we're talking a low level character talking to an important official, a whipping or some other such appropriate punishment for speaking to someone of high station is perhaps called for. If the character is too powerful to be punished, the person being spoken to is nevertheless not inclined to be helpful. Worsen the NPC's attitude to unfriendly, or outright hostile. Insist that the offending character leave at once. Refuse to ever deal with them again, and if their friends want to deal, they'll have to jump through some hoops to apologize. In some cases, no amount of apology will cut it - grievously insulting someone in that manner completely cuts them off as a potential source of help and aid.

[DementedFellow]

If it doesn't hurt the game, what's the problem? The language typically is Common, not Ye Olde Englishe. Why must it follow the conventions of the Canterbury Tales?

[only1doug]

If it doesn't hurt the game, what's the problem? The language typically is Common, not Ye Olde Englishe. Why must it follow the conventions of the Canterbury Tales?

If it takes the GM out of the mood then it hurts the game, is the GM not allowed to enjoy the game too?

[HunterOfJello]

you should introduce him to Sigil street talk so he can act that way while also being immersive

[Ravens_cry]

It is part of the DM's job to set tone and mood, and if it is truly bothering you you should probably take them aside and explain your issues with the player. You don't have to do it at the table, in fact I recommend against it, but you should air your concerns.