How much RP set up should a DM do for players?

[payn]

This is all over the place I dont even know where to begin. The logic follows that you should not play a highly intelligent character if your IQ is average, or that if you cant bench press 400 pounds you should not play a strong character, etc... There is also a strange level of entitlement where GMs shouldn't meet their players where they want to be. "Charismatic werewolf?" These examples reek of bad faith discussion in an attempt to weight it in the direction the OP prefers.

No, I think Sally would be better off with a GM who is interested in helping her achieve her interests within the game, then stay in one with a GM that has arbitrary "must be this tall to ride" standards.

 

[Wolfpack48]

Hmmm, a player who is playing a Deadpool style character should be prepared to roleplay a lot of Deadpool style comments. She needs to work on her repertoire not you. There’s quite a few movies she could reference to help her. She’ll need to be assertive about interjecting but also be respectful about not interrupting - it’s a tricky balance she’s chosen.

 

[Wolfpack48]

This is all over the place I dont even know where to begin. The logic follows that you should not play a highly intelligent character if your IQ is average, or that if you cant bench press 400 pounds you should not play a strong character, etc... There is also a strange level of entitlement where GMs shouldn't meet their players where they want to be. "Charismatic werewolf?" These examples reek of bad faith discussion in an attempt to weight it in the direction the OP prefers.

No, I think Sally would be better off with a GM who is interested in helping her achieve her interests within the game, then stay in one with a GM that has arbitrary "must be this tall to ride" standards.

There’s a difference. You can’t statify roleplaying knowledge and vocalization. You have to actually know a deadpool style comment that works. No one can do that for you, you have to actually know cultural references. She could say “I make a witty remark here” but that’s not much fun. You have to actually insert a witty remark.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Hmmm...if it's a question of not knowing what sorts of pop culture references the player specifically wants to riff off of, you can always toss it back on the PC during the game. I.E., "you walk into the warehouse where the bad guys are packing a cache of HYDRA weapons for shipment. There's a song playing on their radio...what is it, Deathbrush?"

But of course, you also need to provide those same opportunities to the other PCs for elements that their characters might want to interact with in the world.

 

[Umbran]

So that is the basic question: How much RP set up should a DM do for players?

That depends on what counts as "setup".

I am likely only going to do setup for things that are going to be, shall we say, "plot relevant". If a backstory/character description says that the character has a thing for protecting innocent children, yes, I am probably going to put innocent children in peril to be protected. That's kind of a no-brainer.

Specific setup for verbal quips on particular topics? Probably not.

 

[greymist]

Specific setup for verbal quips on particular topics? Probably not.

This - except change ‘probably’ to ‘definitely’.

Smartass comments have to be spur of the moment (or written by professionals and delivered by Ryan Reynolds) to be effective.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

If by RP setup you mean give the player chances to do things that their character is good at and that the player enjoys doing? Then yes you should. Someone who has a face character obviously wants to do some face character schtick. Someone who builds a combat monster wants to do combat. Give them scenarios where they can do the things they have signed up to do.

As for setting up jokes. Well, that's hard and there's a reason why professionals write scripts. I wouldn't bother with writing up lists or getting the player to write up lists. The chances of something from the list coming up are slender in any case. But if some sort of pop cutlure reference occurs to you, say something. Make a joke, in your own voice or a NPC's voice. Don't worry if Sally gets it or not. Those she does get will encourage her to try her own.

I'll be honest, I find it hard to imagine a gaming session that doesn't include tonnes of pop culture reference. But that says more about me and the people I game with.

 

[Wolfpack48]

I think the right route for her is to practice being Deadpool at the table. This is actually a harder character choice than you might think because it involves actually hamming up, being assertive and funny. And you kinda have to be actually funny in the first place.

 

[Tonguez]

Not your job to cater to their pop-culture quips shtick, especially if they cant pull it off themselves.
Especially with Deadpool who is suppose to be irreverent and making off the wall quips that dont merge with the 'reality' of the game (because he's aware of the bigger picture)

If you want to do a group brainstorm on Deadpool quips for the player to use, otherwise its on them

(of course I'm always making my own quips and references so, I may not be the most sympathetic mentor)

 

[GrimCo]

All you can do is set up iconic scenes that invoke references. After that, it's up to player.

Problem is if yours and hers reference point for pop culture quips aren't similar enough for her to recognize hints. FE NY sewer and some discarded pizza boxes around. It's obvious reference to TMNT. So quip could be: "Nice, should i rename myself after Italian renaissance painter and yell Cowabunga? Who knows, maybe we run into human sized rat sensei who'll teach us some ninjutsu,"But if she never saw TMNT, that description doesn't invoke any pop culture reference.

If you want to throw around funny pop culture references, well, you kinda need to know pop culture and have natural knack for throwing witty one liners.