We have just started the Rise of the Runelords AP. The GM is a first time gm, I sort of played D&D way back when, and other than that none of us have really played an RPG other than consoles.
I am running a LE monk with a character design to skulk in shadows, avoid head to head combat, although so far I have gotten down to -2, 3, and 1 hp...largely because the other party members tend to try to stay out of combat too.
I also routinely change my appearance and name (our party, due to real life players showing up on average one in three times so the party composition is never the same twice) and show up at the sherrif's office for new assignments.
As you can probably tell, I am learning as I go (and regretting certain initial ability score assignations I would change now that I know the rules better) and experimenting with how to play him.
In our second adventure I started shouting random "battle cries" whenever I entered the fray.
Example, in a battle in a town I crept along the rooftops and, when the battle was well and truly joined leapt from the roof into the rear of the fray shouting "Remember the Alamo".
Later, facing off with the goblin chief, I spouted off, "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
When our dwarf ranger crit fumbled his oversize earthshaker, I shouted, "Nice butt fumble Mark"(not funny to Jets fans I suppose)
I was having a great time with it, getting some laughs and so have been thinking about other stuff I could use...
Like cribbing Conan quotes.
Or a series of "let"...when the archers unleash, "Let it rain", when the dwarf charges, "let the earthshaker feast", stuff like that.
My general question; if you were the gm and/or another party member, would you find that funny or annoying?
Since the people who play are A) my 2 brothers, B)one of my brothers' best friend (the GM) and, actually, a pretty good friend of mine, his brother in law, my cousin's husband, and the son of a guy I grew up with, they are unlikely to tell me and I don't want to ruin it for the other people. Hence i turn to you, random strangers, in search of pathfinder-related wisdom
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I think it would get stale after a session or two, unless you used it sparingly. Maybe just save it for the important encounters?
Making jokes is always socially appropriate, but there is a certain line. It's only moderately annoying because you're quoting these lines IN character. The only thing more immersion breaking than that is a PC named Legolas.
What ciretose said.
That said, a piece of wisdom all purveyors of comedy, drama, and entertainment provide... It's all in the timing.
If it's a dead freaking serious encounter, proclaiming yourself as the Dread Pirate Roberts and that you're there for your enemy's souls is probably a bad idea (unless it's part of an intimidate check, but even then).
If it's a fun night and everybody's cracking wise, regardless of the encounter, by all means go for it.
If your character (and thus you) just does it all the time, consider having your PC join a circus, or disguise himself as a jester. At that point, the nonsensical comedy can be attributed to the party's insane fool.
In comedy, there is a Rule of Three. It typically boils down to funny things occur in threes, and they're horribly stale any time after that. Unless you're having a serious genre-overdose, you'll find most things follow the manta "all in moderation". Even stand up comedians let the laughter subside, and the audience just start to drop from that high, before striking again with a side splitter.
@ Gypsy...one of the guys is playing a half-elf named...Tanis. And yes, named for THAT Tanis.
Appreciate the feedback folks, will make a subtle alteration.
I should clarify...I like his reasoning on naming it Tanis...and the dwarf with the oversize earthshaker is playing that for laughs too...so I think we may have an off-center group
i might avoid the sports reference jokes and such, but theres nothing wrong with keeping things loose.
Personally I'd say annoying. IMO you need to work on your material. However, if your group is enjoying it, then it's fine. The very fact that you are asking this question though, means there's probably some doubt.
Meh, the jokes are okay but it seems like you might be doing it to much. (I'm getting them all at once, since i'm not at the table I don't know how often these are)
You need to save them for the right moment, either when the party is all joking around or during the most high tension part of the game.
e.g. My party had just had a really bad fight and were all pretty hurt and we hear something coming down the hall. We run through a set of doors to a chokepoint and barricade it to give us time to heal and buff. The Dm describes how the rumblings get louder and louder, the entire table is sweating bullets, the fighter and I decide to brace the door. The dm rolls a d20 and says "With a sharp crack you feel the door lurch forward, only to go back in pace a moment later, through the newly made crack you can see a large grey figure preparing another strike."
I look at the fighter "They have a cave troll."
All the built up tension explodes, and everybody cracks up. We had to take a break for everybody to calm down.
Also try breaking away from references. Like when fighting a barbarian who just cant hit, suggest the root of his anger comes from that his mom didn't hug him enough. Then you go from looking like the guy who doesn't take the game seriously to the clever guy who is able to rp through combat.
based on his comment, I did ask...and a couple people said, "It was great. I mean, it was pretty much what we were all doing except you made it game related".
They also thought it fit the character I was trying to run so will keep rolling with it at key moments.
And love the cave troll reference above...
Work harder. Limit to one source for vulgarity breaking fourth wall--pretend it obscure genre of bardic lore known by your PC. Build impressive theme. Oaths defensible as innocently kid-appropriate but get more cringe-worthy as battle progress.
By the bear's bowler! Fraggle fewmets! By Piggy's porky glutes! Hooper's flavored raincoats! Muppet fisting! Etc.
Considering "the Alamo" doesn't exist in Golarion, and I've seen the Princess Bride, both of those statements would break my immersion, and thus subtract from my enjoyment of the game. For some, a casual, beer and pretzels kind of game is great. For others, like me, it's not.
If your group seems to like your jokes, then keep it up--the point is to have fun after all. Bring it up after the game and see what they say. If they aren't enjoying themselves, they should say so. If you suspect they won't come clean with you, but you notice them losing interest, consider cutting back on the jokes and see if that makes a difference.
I am a Paladin of my God, facing your evil God just makes this Tuesday. VOLLEY!
OH MY GOD THAT IS BEAUTIFUL!
I may steal that in the future if you don't mind. One of the best jokes from a Paladin I've ever seen.
This says it all what is funny at one table is bad form at another,all i ask is please no monty python.Other people telling you what will be funny at your table is like other people telling you what will be funny in general.
You know your audience, we don't/
But tis only a flesh wound! Come on then and i'll chop you limb from limb! Wait i have another one! ''A banana! You expect me to come at you with a banana! Well i wont do it!'' thank you! I'm here all night folks! :)
These jokes are usually funny the first two times, when done in succession. After that it starts to become stale really fast for me.
