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Add some links discussing session zero in more detail
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Chris Bouchard
Chris Bouchard
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This is the sort of thing that can be figured out in a session zero, where the players get together to decide the parameters of the game they're going to play. This RPG StackExchange question discusses session zero in more detail, and this article on D&D Beyond discusses it from a D&D perspective. There are all sorts of approaches to how to handle this in a respectful and compassionate way — Lines and Veils are a popular concept, and this RPG StackExchangethis question has some explanation and references. Even if the game is already started, it's never too late for a session zero.

This is the sort of thing that can be figured out in a session zero, where the players get together to decide the parameters of the game they're going to play. There are all sorts of approaches to how to handle this in a respectful and compassionate way — Lines and Veils are a popular concept, and this RPG StackExchange question has some explanation and references. Even if the game is already started, it's never too late for a session zero.

This is the sort of thing that can be figured out in a session zero, where the players get together to decide the parameters of the game they're going to play. This RPG StackExchange question discusses session zero in more detail, and this article on D&D Beyond discusses it from a D&D perspective. There are all sorts of approaches to how to handle this in a respectful and compassionate way — Lines and Veils are a popular concept, and this question has some explanation and references. Even if the game is already started, it's never too late for a session zero.

Mention up-front that question 3 is most important
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Chris Bouchard
Chris Bouchard
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(And then 4. How can you handle the player's outbursts? But other answers have already covered that.) Spoiler alert, question 3 is probably the most important, but let's get the first two out of the way first.

(And then 4. How can you handle the player's outbursts? But other answers have already covered that.)

(And then 4. How can you handle the player's outbursts? But other answers have already covered that.) Spoiler alert, question 3 is probably the most important, but let's get the first two out of the way first.

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Chris Bouchard
Chris Bouchard
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I feel like there are really three parts to this, and I'll address them separately:

  1. Is this racist in the game world?
  2. Is that expected/usual/acceptable in the game world?
  3. Is that acceptable out-of-game at your table?

(And then 4. How can you handle the player's outbursts? But other answers have already covered that.)

1. Is this racist in the game world?

The dungeon master or storyteller is the only person who can definitively answer this, though the player characters may also have in-world opinions. But I would probably assume, in most cases, it is racist. Language like that explicitly focuses on race, and specifically the “otherness” of the person being addressed. I'll assume for the rest of my answer that it is racist in-game. (And even if there's some reason in the lore that it's not, out-of-game it still “smells” like racism.)

2. Is that expected/usual/acceptable in the game world?

Again, this is part of worldbuilding, so likely depends on the dungeon master or storyteller. But here the player characters have more agency. They likely have in-world feelings about racism and can choose to act based on those feelings. They might find it abhorrent and take issue with the NPC speaking that way. They might find it innocuous or just “how things are.” But the players might just take cues from the dungeon master and assume the NPCs speak in a way that is generally acceptable in-world, and so have their characters follow suit or not address it.

3. Is that acceptable out-of-game at your table?

This, I feel, is the most important question. But, it's also completely independent of the other questions. Whether or not the language is intended to be racist, and whether or not that's ok in-game, your table has to decide where their boundaries are out-of-game. Are the players ok with such language?

Racism is a difficult subject in our out-of-game world. (There's an understatement!) With any difficult subject (racism, sexism, sexual content, gore — the list goes on), it's very important to make sure that everyone at the table is ok with that content being part of the game, and to continually re-evaluate that as the game progresses.

If anyone at the table is not comfortable with the topic being part of the game, don't include it. That doesn't mean racism doesn't exist in the world, but instead the players and dungeon master are making a conscious decision that the topic just isn't going to come up in this game one way or the other. It's an out-of-game decision.

This is the sort of thing that can be figured out in a session zero, where the players get together to decide the parameters of the game they're going to play. There are all sorts of approaches to how to handle this in a respectful and compassionate way — Lines and Veils are a popular concept, and this RPG StackExchange question has some explanation and references. Even if the game is already started, it's never too late for a session zero.

I mention all this because it's very possible that the player making outbursts is actually feeling uncomfortable about the topic of racism (consciously or unconsciously), and is using lame humor as a way to defuse the tension. If they are aware of it, they may not know how to bring it up with the group if everyone else seems confidently comfortable with the topic. Taking a step back and addressing whether racism really belongs in the game (and to what extent) may help.

(Of course, it's entirely possible that the player is just being rude and immature. I don't know your player, and if it's really a rudeness issue other answers have covered that very well.)