Some players shouldn't play certain PC types

[Odysseus]

I'm kinda wondering why she wants to play such a social character, if she struggles somewhat in that direction?

Wolfwood2, from you description of how your DM runs the game. I would suggest you don't expect X to be the social PC, but rather use the bard as the character who changes NPC minds. So that the other PC do more of the deciding what to do. And when they come across a NPC who needs persuading , prompt to bard with what to say and do.
Example. You PC asks the guard if you can see his boss. Guard says no. You ask the bard for help, telling the guard she's an old friend. Prompting X with what to say.
I'd suspect X is somewhat of a casual gamer, who finds your DMs style interesting and fun to watch. So to a certain degree she just wants to be a spectator.

Should certain players only play certain characters. Maybe.I do think players should play characters that favour the actions that they like to do.
There was a campaign a couple of years ago I played in. Eight players, most of us didn't know each other. I was then last person to do character creation. And the party had only one fighter, so I played a barbarian. Apart from the bard character , all the other players had chosen charisma as they're dump stat. I'd chosen Con to be different. Any how , quite a few of the players we're quite socialable, wanted to do the talking to NPCs etc. But the characters we're crap at it. The bards player was reasonable at talking to NPCs, but not that forward as some of the other players. So we'd have a situation where 3 or 4 players would have they're characters talk to the NPC, and get bad reactions, because they're characters are charisma challenged. And then you have the two quieter players characters the bard and me , get better dice rolls.

 

[BadMojo]

I'd suspect X is somewhat of a casual gamer, who finds your DMs style interesting and fun to watch. So to a certain degree she just wants to be a spectator.

I may have missed it earlier in this thread, but has anyone say if X is even enjoying the games? Like I said before, if she's forced to play a different character with the connotation "you're just not good enough to play a character like this", it could end in some messed friendships.

If X doesn't really enjoy playing this character or playing the game at all, then it's certainly not worth ruining for everyone else as Ari alluded to. If the player just likes to be with the group and enjoy the social experience, it shouldn't matter what character she's playing.

So...is everyone miserable in this situation or just the OP?

 

[green slime]

The problem here, as described by the OP isn't solely the problem of the player.

It is a problem with the DM.

Surely the DM is also aware of the player's inability to roleplay his character's intelligence and skill adequately. In this case, the DM should aid the player:

X's PC approaches a guard.

X: Can we speak to your boss.

DM: Using your Diplomacy and Bluff skill, you attempt to gain entrance to the HQ?

X: Umm.... Yeah.

DM: Well, roll the dice.

X: Oh yeah! Okay, (rolls, easily makes it).

DM: You convince him that you're an old friend of the boss! Threatening to have his job if he doesn't let you in! The guard moves promptly aside.


While it isn't the DM's responsibility to remember every PC skill, some things should just be obvious.

 

[Odysseus]

I may have missed it earlier in this thread, but has anyone say if X is even enjoying the games?

I assumed as she was the DMs sister, she new what the DMs style was. IME if you know the style and your turning up. Your enjoying it somewhat.

 

[Mouseferatu]

The problem here, as described by the OP isn't solely the problem of the player.

It is a problem with the DM.

Surely the DM is also aware of the player's inability to roleplay his character's intelligence and skill adequately. In this case, the DM should aid the player:

X's PC approaches a guard.

X: Can we speak to your boss.

DM: Using your Diplomacy and Bluff skill, you attempt to gain entrance to the HQ?

X: Umm.... Yeah.

DM: Well, roll the dice.

X: Oh yeah! Okay, (rolls, easily makes it).

DM: You convince him that you're an old friend of the boss! Threatening to have his job if he doesn't let you in! The guard moves promptly aside.


While it isn't the DM's responsibility to remember every PC skill, some things should just be obvious.

That would be okay a couple of times, to help the player get the hang of her character. If it happened more than a couple of times, it's a problem. It becomes the DM, essentially, playing the character for her.

It's also, frankly, not the DM's job, long-term. Lord knows the DM's got enough on his plate already.

So yeah, doing that once or twice as a model, fine. As a regular occurance? No, thanks. I wouldn't want to either run or play in a campaign where that was considered SOP for one of the characters.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Life's Short (Reprise)

At least in our group, this would be a self correcting problem as time went on. The other players would just naturally take over the roll of party spokesman and the other player would just fade to the background.

"There is no other hand. Just kick them out."


​

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I can see and sympathize with both sides of this dilemma. I've dealt with players who can't remember combat mods...even though they're written down. I've dealt with players who simply can't role-play a "face-man."

(As a side note, very few bard players I've met play an instrument...)

My solution in this type of situation is to let the Bard's success or failure be decided the same way as a Fighter's combat- a pure die roll. If he actually makes an effort to role-play, give him a bonus to the roll.

No need for the DM to embellish, effectively playing the Bard by remote control- the Bard simply either succeeds or fails on the roll.

I know, its "roll play" but in the end, the party gets in the door on the bluff, the players get to play, and even the guy who can't really get in character with his Bard still feels like he has contributed...because he has.

If you're lucky, with time, he'll even learn how to "role-play" his Bard.