delericho
Legend
These days, I make all of my dice rolls out in the open, where any player who cares to can take a look. (That said, I keep the stats and associated modifiers hidden, so all they know is that I'm not fudging the rolls.)
I've had a couple of discussions on this with another GM in our group, who maintains that this is a mistake - that the game would flow better if I were to at least give myself the option of fudging rolls (in either direction).
Here's a truth: My players have fun. Loads of fun. I believe that vindicates my choice.
Here's another truth: His players have fun. Loads of fun. I believe that also vindicates his choice.
My choice not to fudge rolls did have one massive effect on the game this week - one of the characters took a hit for 29 damage. On checking the sheet, the player then realised that his character had been killed outright, reduced from 18 hit points to -11 (3.5e, so dead). At which point I was sorely tempted to rule that the character was instead reduced to -8 hit points or so, but I really felt I couldn't due to the rolls being in the open, the results all being declared, and everything being clear.
It was a somewhat painful moment, and it definitely dominated the game session, but I'm convinced in was the right decision to let the dice lie where they fell. (Not least because had the character dropped to -8, it's likely the other PCs would have tried to help her. But none of them had enough hit points to be confident that they wouldn't be slain outright by one more hit. It's entirely possible that fudging to keep that one PC alive might have resulted in a TPK.)
I've had a couple of discussions on this with another GM in our group, who maintains that this is a mistake - that the game would flow better if I were to at least give myself the option of fudging rolls (in either direction).
Here's a truth: My players have fun. Loads of fun. I believe that vindicates my choice.
Here's another truth: His players have fun. Loads of fun. I believe that also vindicates his choice.
My choice not to fudge rolls did have one massive effect on the game this week - one of the characters took a hit for 29 damage. On checking the sheet, the player then realised that his character had been killed outright, reduced from 18 hit points to -11 (3.5e, so dead). At which point I was sorely tempted to rule that the character was instead reduced to -8 hit points or so, but I really felt I couldn't due to the rolls being in the open, the results all being declared, and everything being clear.
It was a somewhat painful moment, and it definitely dominated the game session, but I'm convinced in was the right decision to let the dice lie where they fell. (Not least because had the character dropped to -8, it's likely the other PCs would have tried to help her. But none of them had enough hit points to be confident that they wouldn't be slain outright by one more hit. It's entirely possible that fudging to keep that one PC alive might have resulted in a TPK.)