Comedy and Humor in RPG Books

[d4]

i didn't vote because i'd prefer there be no "humor" at all. (unless that's the main focus of the book, like HoL or GURPS IOU.)

call me weird, but i'd rather have my rule books read like textbooks.

(so i like the 3.x core books and GURPS books a lot.)

 

[megamania]

Humor is the spice of life. (well- one of many)

Humor is best used to break up a very serious moment. So in an accessory or a book it would be okay as quotes or within a sidebar. Too much humor takes away the serious these are the game rules feeling but without it...it is a text book.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I enjoy it if it's not too corny. In fact, I was reading the Planes of Law supplement from the Planes of Law boxed set (Planescape) and there was a blurb in there like this:

"So, I painted his head a little out of proportion. What are you gonna do, kill me" - Antonius Dizzerly, famed painter just before he was executed.

What's funny is that the comment is in reference to Tony Diterlizzi "famed painter" for all the art in the Planescape books. I got a chuckle from that.

In jokes are the ones I like - Chaosium has a few in their Call of Cthulhu line... their writers being the victims of the monsters or just living quietly in Dunwich and Arkham...

The Auld Grump

 

[Malakye]

I also miss the little cartoons from 1ed. I actually found a little joke in the 3.5 DMG, it is in the NPC random traits table. I don't have my book here so I don't have the page number but if you get a chance, take a look at the last trait.

For some reason that just cracked me up. I don't get out much...

 

[BiggusGeekus]

This is why we need more boxed sets; they could contain custard pies to throw at the players.

 

[Nifft]

Humor is good, so long as it doesn't break the mood or interfere with the flow of information. "Variant Sidebars" would be a great place for quite a lot of it, as would those great cartoons that I recall from the 1e DMG... especially the one with the mouse-disguises ("This better work!").

-- N

 

[frankthedm]

I like humor in RPG books as long as it gallows humor. It helps reinforce that PCs are not immortal and will be killed sometimes.

 

[Kilmore]

I don't mind if it's in a sidebar, or something, but I hate it when there are "joke" npcs or characters.

I mean, one city has a NPC from "Nuvo Jorca". Grrr

Well, there can certainly be funny NPC's, or even ones who are largely based on a joke, as long as there's some pertinent reason for it, even if it's subtle.