Pathfinder 1E Decorum

Fauchard1520 · Jun 4, 2021

Tonal whiplash has always been a struggle for me. Moving from serious-face quasi-Shakespearean language to fart jokes and sexual innuendo kind of comes with the gaming territory. Even so, I can't help but find it jarring when the stoic and honorable paladin begins quipping about his "rod of lordly might."

So here's my question: Do you put much stock in “serious face” gaming? Or is the goofy banter an indispensable part of the experience? Are the two modes mutually exclusive, or is it possible to enjoy both "modes" in the same game?

(Comic for illustrative purposes.)

Grogg of the North · Jun 4, 2021

Neither serious "proper" roleplay nor goofy banter / Monty Python quipping is bad. For me, the goofy banter is part of what I enjoy in playing RPGs. I have also seen tables that want everyone to stay in character as much as possible, even so far as banning references to Monty Python. The hard part is finding like minded players to game with.

A good piece of advice I received once was to ask a new group what level of humor is acceptable at the table when you join. If you show up with the Sir Godwin, Paladin of the Sun Goddess, and the rest of the party is playing 3 Kobold in a Trench Coat, an illiterate wizard, and the edgiest edgelord that has ever edged, then you may want to rethink your character choice.

As with most everything in this game, communication is key.

Fauchard1520 · Jun 10, 2021

Grogg of the North said:
A good piece of advice I received once was to ask a new group what level of humor is acceptable at the table when you join.

I quite like the "level of humor" piece. I find that the funny works well when it's one joke and done. It's the derailment into 10-minute long side conversations that gets really old. That mess makes it almost impossible to progress.

DrunkonDuty · Jun 16, 2021

I'm not keen on tonal whiplash. But I guess I have to accept that people are here to have fun and play a game and that means sometimes they're going to do things like make knob jokes when they're playing a haughty noble who's trying to win over the Queen. I could do without it. But I am not the only on at the table.

nevin · Jun 17, 2021

Fauchard1520 said:
Tonal whiplash has always been a struggle for me. Moving from serious-face quasi-Shakespearean language to fart jokes and sexual innuendo kind of comes with the gaming territory. Even so, I can't help but find it jarring when the stoic and honorable paladin begins quipping about his "rod of lordly might."

So here's my question: Do you put much stock in “serious face” gaming? Or is the goofy banter an indispensable part of the experience? Are the two modes mutually exclusive, or is it possible to enjoy both "modes" in the same game?

(Comic for illustrative purposes.)

I used to be that way till I had to work with an office of sweet proper ladies. Once they got comfortable with me being there I had days where I wished I was in the field with my army buddies because they seemed to have no boundaries In what they'd talk. Do you think a straight laced paladin wouldn't tell fart jokes or have fun sometimes?

aco175 · Jun 17, 2021

I think most depends on the table. My group is fine with a few one-liners per night, but tends to keep things on track. There is some joking that is obviously not in character, but I had played in games where jokes like this was supposed to be taken as the PC saying it, which was not as fun to me.

Some other things to determine by table is the amount of sexual talk and gore. How much is background and how much is detailed to some point where people become uncomfortable.

DrunkonDuty · Jun 17, 2021

aco175 said:
I think most depends on the table. My group is fine with a few one-liners per night, but tends to keep things on track. There is some joking that is obviously not in character, but I had played in games where jokes like this was supposed to be taken as the PC saying it, which was not as fun to me.

Yeah, I think this is what bugs me too. In- character jokes that, if the character actually told them in that situation, would result in the death of all the PCs just take me out of the fiction.