[MENTION=8835]Janx[/MENTION]
school bully picking on you? smash his head in with an engine block - He comes back and beats you to death.
need some fast cash to pay a bill? cut open an ATM and take some money - Cops come and get you.
need to get the bad guy to tell you how to disable the bomb? break his arms and legs until he talks - He doesn't talk, bomb explodes.
Need to infiltrate secret high society club? Light it on fire and sort out the mess later - They want retribution and send assassins.
Need to convince the mayor to send in the national guard? blow up a few buildings - Life imprisonment.
Need to weed out the BBEG from the NPCs? beat them all up, the one who fights back well is higher level and evil - He was well prepared and kills you.
Who is your GM? Did these scenarios work in the past?
On my table you would probably fail taking these actions.
We call that DM thwarting of perfectly viable resolution mechanics. You'd be fired if it's too blatant.
If my PC is capable of picking up an engine block and dropping it on somebody normal's head, and that doesn't work, the GM cheated.
If my PC is capable of slicing open an ATM, the cops ain't much threat (just ask Wolverine).
The DM doesn't get to say No because he doesn't want it to work. They call that railroading.