This is actually a key reason why tabletop RPGs make use of stats and dice rolls. Consider a more basic application of what you're asking, ignoring abstracts like wit:
Can a player who knows nothing about sailing properly roleplay a sailor?
Let's make two assumptions: #1 is that said player doesn't resolve their ignorance of sailing practices by means of research. For some reason, he's simply anti-learning. #2 is that said sailor character is intended to have a competent and able effectiveness at sailing, and so shouldn't generally have any problem with the task.
In a tabletop setting, said character would have a relevant basic stat representing his personal overall level of mental condition, which then in one way or another affects, or is affected by, a separate stat representing his personal proficiency at the task of sailing. Combine them together in whatever method the particular rule system requires, and roll a die. The goal is also specified by the system - sometimes you just have to roll over or under whatever the number of your skill is, or maybe the person moderating the game sets a number and you have to roll over it, adding in applicable bonuses from your skill proficiency. Either way, dice and math tell the tale. Did the character succeed at sailing the ship? He either did or he didn't.
As you can probably imagine this requires little descriptive effort on the part of the storyteller or the participant, and results in a bland game. "Well, let's sail away." "Okay, roll on your sailing skill to see if you're able to ready the ship and escape before the dock authorities catch up to your party." "I got a total of 26." "Alright, you've succeeded, and you can see the guards on the dock behind you shaking their fists as your ship sails away."
On the other hand, it's also efficient for a tabletop game. Many players at the table might not care to hear about the types of knots the seaman is making, and in which exact order the sails are raised, and so on. These details aren't as relevant to them as the progression of the action and the overall story - even though it might be interesting for cinematic sake to have some description of the non-sailors running around trying to grab ropes while the sailor is frantically shouting instructions at them for how they can help him out, and meanwhile the guards are coming down the hill towards the docks...
So in a sense, you have to ask yourself the same counter-question regarding the main question - is it important to roleplay the minutia of /how/ a character is witty? Maybe. In a back-and-forth conversation, it's probably important for the player to be able to actually write their character as seeming witty. They can't exactly just send you a tell that says "btw my toon is super witty so react accordingly" and expect you to do so regardless of what they write in their posts. On the other hand, nothing stops them from simply playing the character as being a bit taciturn in public RP. There's a saying about it being better to remain silent and risk being thought foolish than to speak and remove doubt. That actually goes all the way back to biblical times:Â
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Meanwhile, in a less public scenario - say, a plot being run with a few friends - the person running the plot, in acknowledgement of the player's intention for his character to be witty, could feed him information via tells. For instance, there could be some riddle the group comes across, and he privately provides that player with some clues that he can then emote his character noticing. Suddenly, in the closed RP scene, the character /does/ appear to be witty! All it took was the storyteller acknowledging the other player's struggle and offering help for them to bring their character's intended persona to realization.
Following the plot, the tales told by the group would undoubtedly include mention of how clever this character was in resolving their problem. Going back to his manner in public, he'd simply nod as he looks off into the distance.
Of course, this all relies upon the player having good friends willing to help him to back up what he's doing with his toon. It also requires him to have some careful planning. In other words, he might have to be witty in order to pull off being witty when he's not witty, which itself is a paradox.
Then again, you can't exactly tell people "if you're not witty, don't try to play a witty toon", because if someone isn't witty, could they reliably realize that they aren't, or are they more likely to not realize it and believe that they are in fact witty, and merely brush aside contrary evidence from others as examples instead of those others being rude, dismissive, clique-ish, or whatever? Another paradox.
Can a player who knows nothing about sailing properly roleplay a sailor?
Let's make two assumptions: #1 is that said player doesn't resolve their ignorance of sailing practices by means of research. For some reason, he's simply anti-learning. #2 is that said sailor character is intended to have a competent and able effectiveness at sailing, and so shouldn't generally have any problem with the task.
In a tabletop setting, said character would have a relevant basic stat representing his personal overall level of mental condition, which then in one way or another affects, or is affected by, a separate stat representing his personal proficiency at the task of sailing. Combine them together in whatever method the particular rule system requires, and roll a die. The goal is also specified by the system - sometimes you just have to roll over or under whatever the number of your skill is, or maybe the person moderating the game sets a number and you have to roll over it, adding in applicable bonuses from your skill proficiency. Either way, dice and math tell the tale. Did the character succeed at sailing the ship? He either did or he didn't.
As you can probably imagine this requires little descriptive effort on the part of the storyteller or the participant, and results in a bland game. "Well, let's sail away." "Okay, roll on your sailing skill to see if you're able to ready the ship and escape before the dock authorities catch up to your party." "I got a total of 26." "Alright, you've succeeded, and you can see the guards on the dock behind you shaking their fists as your ship sails away."
On the other hand, it's also efficient for a tabletop game. Many players at the table might not care to hear about the types of knots the seaman is making, and in which exact order the sails are raised, and so on. These details aren't as relevant to them as the progression of the action and the overall story - even though it might be interesting for cinematic sake to have some description of the non-sailors running around trying to grab ropes while the sailor is frantically shouting instructions at them for how they can help him out, and meanwhile the guards are coming down the hill towards the docks...
So in a sense, you have to ask yourself the same counter-question regarding the main question - is it important to roleplay the minutia of /how/ a character is witty? Maybe. In a back-and-forth conversation, it's probably important for the player to be able to actually write their character as seeming witty. They can't exactly just send you a tell that says "btw my toon is super witty so react accordingly" and expect you to do so regardless of what they write in their posts. On the other hand, nothing stops them from simply playing the character as being a bit taciturn in public RP. There's a saying about it being better to remain silent and risk being thought foolish than to speak and remove doubt. That actually goes all the way back to biblical times:Â
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Meanwhile, in a less public scenario - say, a plot being run with a few friends - the person running the plot, in acknowledgement of the player's intention for his character to be witty, could feed him information via tells. For instance, there could be some riddle the group comes across, and he privately provides that player with some clues that he can then emote his character noticing. Suddenly, in the closed RP scene, the character /does/ appear to be witty! All it took was the storyteller acknowledging the other player's struggle and offering help for them to bring their character's intended persona to realization.
Following the plot, the tales told by the group would undoubtedly include mention of how clever this character was in resolving their problem. Going back to his manner in public, he'd simply nod as he looks off into the distance.
Of course, this all relies upon the player having good friends willing to help him to back up what he's doing with his toon. It also requires him to have some careful planning. In other words, he might have to be witty in order to pull off being witty when he's not witty, which itself is a paradox.
Then again, you can't exactly tell people "if you're not witty, don't try to play a witty toon", because if someone isn't witty, could they reliably realize that they aren't, or are they more likely to not realize it and believe that they are in fact witty, and merely brush aside contrary evidence from others as examples instead of those others being rude, dismissive, clique-ish, or whatever? Another paradox.
Lydia Lightfoot ~ The Reliquarian's Guild «Relic» ~ Lavender Beds, Ward 12, #41
This player has a sense of humor. If the content of the post suggests otherwise, please err on the side of amusement and friendship, because that's almost certainly the intent. We're all on the same team: Team Roleplayer! Have a smile, have a chuckle, and have a slice of pie. Isn't pie great?
This player has a sense of humor. If the content of the post suggests otherwise, please err on the side of amusement and friendship, because that's almost certainly the intent. We're all on the same team: Team Roleplayer! Have a smile, have a chuckle, and have a slice of pie. Isn't pie great?