Page 1924 - Social Calling

11th Nov 2023, 6:00 AM in The Cutie Map, Part 2
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Social Calling
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Author Notes:

Newbiespud 11th Nov 2023, 6:00 AM edit delete
Newbiespud
In the context of the world of a tabletop game, player-to-player communication might be the most strange, eldritch power the party has at their disposal.
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8 Comments:

Wolfier 11th Nov 2023, 6:11 AM edit delete reply
Oh I guess that fixes the whole "We are trapped in this room and can't get out" problem. I thought they'd just snatch Fluttershy.
Achtungnight 11th Nov 2023, 6:40 AM edit delete reply
Agreed about inter-player communication. Writing a Critical Role fanfic where it’s come in handy multiple times.

Love Dash’s line also. Hope she gets to punch someone soon.

Digo 11th Nov 2023, 7:42 AM edit delete reply
Dash's line was funnier to me because I read AJ's line right after hers and it gave me some amusing alternative context. XD
Hankroyd 11th Nov 2023, 10:37 AM edit delete reply
Ah ... The good old 'Table Talk'

When my players talked about their plan of action ... Usually something shady like 'So, do we burn the wizard tower?', 'Can someone pickpocket the Wizard?', 'Should we wait the night to try to kill the Wizard while he sleep?' I let them talk a few second before saying in character 'You know I'm next to you and I can hear you?' and join the conversation.

Player 1 : Let's kill the Wizard while he sleep.
Player 2 : No, destroying his tower is better, who knows he he hasn't safeguard to prevent assassination when he sleeps.
Player 3 : But no tower, no loot !
Me (as wizard) : And yes, I would like to keep my tower too, it's where I keep my stuff. I don't understand why you talk about that in front of me?
P1 2 & 3 : No, we are talking together, not to him.
Me : But he is next to you. So unless you have a telephathy power everything you say on this table will be heard. :)

The 'I'm right here and I disagree with your idea of killing me' became a running gag. As a player, I fall into this too. Those dscussion were kind of shorts anyway sowe never the 'I can hear you' as something really happening.
Digo 11th Nov 2023, 10:47 AM edit delete reply
I've learned over the years of running campaigns that trying to institute some kind of "tabletop" rule doesn't work. The PCs will just find in-universe ways around it like through spells or radio tech, so I just let them have their conversations.
Prairie Son 11th Nov 2023, 11:14 AM edit delete reply
I found the best way to rein in the chatter is to let them have a couple minutes at an appropriate time, and if they want to go longer they take a -1 penalty to their rolls for each minute over. It works because it forces them to prioritize on what needs to be said instead of the stuff that just wastes our limited game time.

Although this page is stuff I'd let slide, since they're really just vocalizing what their characters are communicating through facial expressions and body language.
Paradox 11th Nov 2023, 1:57 PM edit delete reply
Finding an in-universe way to communicate privately is kind of the point of such a rule
Roguim 11th Nov 2023, 11:07 AM edit delete reply
Exemple of the most used skill of all the "Talk beyond the 4th wall" of the players.