Help with player with Foot in Mouth disease

[NewJeffCT]

We have a problem in our gaming group. We have one really nice guy that is something of a train wreck when it comes to role-playing. He <b>constantly</b> puts his foot in his mouth, either through words or actions. Our new campaign almost got off to a disastrous start because of him and I am wondering how to deal with him in game and would appreciate some advice. And, no it is not some role-play strategy of his, it just comes out wrong.

But, in our first session, he is playing a human ranger and on the journey to the town, he accidentally insulted two mercenaries by saying, "we don't sell our swords where I come from..." in a somewhat haughty tone. The DM gave him several chances to come up with something else to say, but the player let it stand and my cleric, a follower of a god of Peace, had to step in to prevent a brawl.

Later, when we got in to town, which is feudal/medieval-like, he twice represented himself as a member of the nobility, even though he was warned after the first time not to do it. Of course, the local knight and squire, both actual members of the nobility, took severe offense at a commoner claiming to be noble. So, after a clumsy attempt to apologize, our ranger had unintentionally insulted them even more and the knight's squire (who was more offended) drew steel on our ranger in a perceived challenge to his honor. The ranger said he was attempting to disarm the squire, but the squire rolled a crit on his rapier with the AoO and downed the 1st level ranger with one blow. So, instead of parrying, it looked like he was just drawing his weapon. My cleric stanched the bleeding, but then got arrested for aiding a criminal. (later released)

Luckily, we almost salvaged the situation by the end of the session. However, our party fighter has to fight the knight and the ranger has to fight the squire in honor duels. (Our fighter has a tough challenge, while the ranger will likely demolish the squire in a straight up fight...)

My cleric of the Peacemaker is being sternly tested. How would you deal with this guy? What can I say to defuse these types of situations in the future?

 

[diaglo]

sounds like he is roleplaying a low cha and/or wis character who has had little social interaction with "civilized" people.

sounds about right for a ranger.

edit: except for maybe the low wis. he should be wise enough to know when to be quiet. or maybe the wise cleric should remind him.

 

[Rel]

If I was the GM, I'd have no compunctions about killing or imprisoning this character as the situation dictated. If you're going to be an ass to powerful people, you had better have the steel to back it up.

 

[Delemental]

There are a few ways to approach this.

The first thing I noticed is that according to your description, although your friend does not intend for his statements to be offensive, he doesn't back down from them even when told flat-out by the DM what the consequences will be. Thus I can't hold your friend entirely blameless - and it seems your DM is geing generous, as there are some DM's who wouldn't give him the chance to rethink what he had said. Does he do this kind of thing in real life as well, or with other characters he plays? If so, then you're unlikely to get him to change his behavior. If not, then I'm not so sure it isn't a "role-play thing" for him. After all, a woodsman with no skill in tact or diplomacy isn't that much of a stretch.

Do the other players in your group have the same concern about your friend, or is it more a concern for you because you play a peacemaker character? Certainly, the fighter in your group is suffering unwanted consequences due to the ranger's actions.

The first thing you can do is talk to your friend about the problem - actually, sit down with both the DM and your friend. Explain what the behavior is and why it's a problem. Get his side of the story - does he have a reason for role-playing this way? Does he see it as a problem? Try and work out a compromise - maybe if the player agrees to pay more attention to warnings from the DM, the DM will let him interact with NPCs that are a little more thick-skinned. After all, you don't want to completely stifle his role-playing.

Perhaps you could use this as an opportunity for your own role-play, especially if the character (and player) feels remorseful about their constant faux pas. I'm assuming that your character (as a cleric of a god of peace) probably has a good Diplomacy score, whereas the ranger does not. Perhaps you could offer to be a sort of mentor or coach for him, to "teach him the ways of city folk". Try and be nearby whenever he's interacting with anyone who could be easily offended, giving him silent cues (thereby giving your DM an in-game justification for all those prompts). Also, you could attempt to be proactive whenever possible, approaching people that you know the ranger will be speaking to and letting them know "Hey, you know how some people have a golden tongue? Well, this guy has a tongue of pig iron. He's really not trying to be insulting."

If your friend is unwilling or unable to change, however, then you may just have to deal with the consequences, or rather, let him deal with the consequences. Perhaps a stern warning from you and other party members that you will be less willing to bail him out of his messes if he continues to provoke others.

 

[med stud]

The only way to avoid an obvious deux ex machina in that situation is to play it hard. Did the mercenaries think that they could take him on? Then they would do it if it is in their characters. Otherwise they would maybe back down, but they would certainly remember him.

Is it a capital offense to pretend to be a noble in your campaign? Then there would be no reason NOT to just behead/hang the ranger. Duels of honour very rarely applies to commoners; they are handled between nobles. Besides, by pretending to be a noble the ranger clearly showed that honour wasnt his game and to me it sounds very lenient to give him that chance to clear his name.

In short, if you want to make your campaign feel "real" to the players, play it hard on the characters. If the player wont learn the first time, maybe he learns the second, by either being more polite or by playing characters that can be arrogant and get away with it (like, playing a knight; he will spend a lot of time in duels bt it will be more of a legal right to do so, etc).

 

[Darklone]

If I was the GM, I'd have no compunctions about killing or imprisoning this character as the situation dictated. If you're going to be an ass to powerful people, you had better have the steel to back it up.

100% agreeing with Rel in that situation. No mercy for fools.

And remember: You need a lot of steel to back foolishness up.

 

[NewJeffCT]

sounds like he is roleplaying a low cha and/or wis character who has had little social interaction with "civilized" people.

sounds about right for a ranger.

edit: except for maybe the low wis. he should be wise enough to know when to be quiet. or maybe the wise cleric should remind him.

I think he has a high wisdom, so he should at least know to keep his mouth shut when in a new situation! Actually, he rolled really well in character gen and does not have any scores below 10...

 

[diaglo]

I think he has a high wisdom, so he should at least know to keep his mouth shut when in a new situation! Actually, he rolled really well in character gen and does not have any scores below 10...

then it really does sound like he doesn't have a clue.

maybe have a talk with him out of game.

tell him you are gonna leave him out to dry if he doesn't start playing his character more with a group mentality.

it is a group game. not an individual one.

also tell the DM that is what you are willing to do. so there is no second guessing when you do it.

 

[Black_Swan]

Funny...

This reminds me of a guy I used to play with. Great guy, but he was always sticking his foot in his mouth.

We were playing starwars at onepoint and we needed to purchase a ride off of a planet, no questions asked at a moments notice. So we ask his character to do it.

What does he do? He goes to the closest bar finds some guy (just a guy) and tells him we need to purchase passage off of the planet. We work for the rebellion and need to be able to leave at a moments notice.

The guy looks at him, tells him to wait right there. He'll be back in a bit.

Both my friend and I are looking at eachother across the table slowly shaking our heads.

So he waits...until the troopers file into the bar and demand he surrenders.

It was frustratingly hilarious...

Man did we grill him when he got back.

Some people just do this. You need to roll with it and keep laughing.

 

[Pielorinho]

In-character solution: assuming you get out of this stretch, say to him, "Do this again, and I'm leaving you to your fate. You don't get to risk my life with your damn fool tongue ever again."

Out-of-character addendum: say to him, "I'm not joking, either. I won't metagame that much just to keep you in the party."

Daniel