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DM advice: How do you NOT kill your party?
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<blockquote data-quote="Arilyn" data-source="post: 7399427" data-attributes="member: 6816042"><p>Nope. My players have happily played with a variety of different GMs, no anguish or conflict at all. Cause, guess what? There's lots and lots of different styles of rpging, as I believe you've been reminded of many a time.<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>But more seriously, if you want a more narrative style game, even a little, you kind of need to do some adjusting on the fly. I'm not just talking about fudging rolls, but making little adjustments as you go, cause who knew the players were going to go for an hour, rolling nothing higher than a 4, while the monsters can't seem to roll less than a 16. And now the players are wisely heading back to safe territory, so maybe, just maybe, it would be a good idea if I skipped the hobgoblin ambush I was planning.</p><p></p><p>The typical DnD game is full of combat and traps, way more danger than even the most pulpiest of heroes in fiction encounter. Players are rolling that d20 a lot. It's not a reliable die, and so of course there are streaks where the players can't catch a break. Some players are willing to let the die roll as it will, and stupid deaths are just part of the game. Many players, however, are not, because they are hoping to experience a type of story. They want the game to simulate narrative. </p><p></p><p>I will repeat my earlier point. DnD is the only game where I fudge. I don't need to do this in Fate, or Cortex or The One Ring, or even 13th Age. And as I mentioned its less in 5e. The stupid death syndrome is a feature of older versions of DnD, including PF. I think there's a reason it's fading. </p><p></p><p>Everybody plays the style they prefer, of course. And, although it's been said many times, you're not playing wrong if you're having fun.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Arilyn, post: 7399427, member: 6816042"] Nope. My players have happily played with a variety of different GMs, no anguish or conflict at all. Cause, guess what? There's lots and lots of different styles of rpging, as I believe you've been reminded of many a time.:) But more seriously, if you want a more narrative style game, even a little, you kind of need to do some adjusting on the fly. I'm not just talking about fudging rolls, but making little adjustments as you go, cause who knew the players were going to go for an hour, rolling nothing higher than a 4, while the monsters can't seem to roll less than a 16. And now the players are wisely heading back to safe territory, so maybe, just maybe, it would be a good idea if I skipped the hobgoblin ambush I was planning. The typical DnD game is full of combat and traps, way more danger than even the most pulpiest of heroes in fiction encounter. Players are rolling that d20 a lot. It's not a reliable die, and so of course there are streaks where the players can't catch a break. Some players are willing to let the die roll as it will, and stupid deaths are just part of the game. Many players, however, are not, because they are hoping to experience a type of story. They want the game to simulate narrative. I will repeat my earlier point. DnD is the only game where I fudge. I don't need to do this in Fate, or Cortex or The One Ring, or even 13th Age. And as I mentioned its less in 5e. The stupid death syndrome is a feature of older versions of DnD, including PF. I think there's a reason it's fading. Everybody plays the style they prefer, of course. And, although it's been said many times, you're not playing wrong if you're having fun. [/QUOTE]
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