I want to tell you something...but I won't.

[The Red King]

Sometimes I just tell them if it is way obvious.

Sometimes I have an NPC notice for them.

Sometimes I have a talking animal run in, deliver its message, then run out.

Whatever works, and whatever works for the players.

 

[SnowleopardVK]

I try not to give exact instructions on what to do when players are stuck, but sometimes they jump to more complicated conclusions and I'll hint that they might look at simpler answers first.

The only time I can actually remember giving them an answer is when I described an NPC drawing a rune to pass through a magical barrier and then quickly scuffing it out. They immediately concluded "He scuffed it out, and we didn't roll high enough perception to spot details of the rune while he was drawing it, therefore there's no possible way to get through this barrier and rescue our friend inside it." They were getting kind of upset and complaining that I'd put them in a "Make this skill check or you lose" situation, so I hinted to examine the remains of the scuffed out rune, which they were then able to recreate fairly easily. I think that was a situation where it was a good decision on my part to just give them the answer, rather than leave the adventure there with a sour taste.

 

[the Jester]

I don't want to give away action ideas to players either.

But some actions are SO FREAKING OBVIOUS, that you gotta wonder why the players aren't doing it already.

Odds are good that they aren't doing it because of a misunderstanding or lack of OBVIOUS information.

There seems to be a theme running through a lot of posts in this thread that well-informed players automatically only make good decisions. This is not always true.

If the pc wizard overlooks something obvious, like checking for magic, that's his mistake. Likewise if the ranger doesn't check for tracks. That is on him.

I used to work in a Kinkos. Even the best machine operator would sometimes forget to switch paper types for a job that called for blue paper instead of white. SO FREAKING OBVIOUS, yet- even with many-years-long professionals- it still happens.

 

[howandwhy99]

If the DM were to take a referee stance, then what is and is not a mistake is left entirely for the player to decide. I don't know their hopes or desires, so I try my best not to interfere with their determining of whether or not they are fulfilled or on track or whatever.

P1: "I'm going to talk to the dragon"
P2: "You're going to get killed!"
DM: "You may not be remembering, but it's obvious to Zunkelhead he has never talked to a dragon before"
P1: "I'm going to talk to the dragon anyways"
P2: "That would be a mistake" (turning to the DM) "Tell him that would be a mistake"
DM: "The dragon's just going to kill you"

I'd say the DM has no business adding to any of the above discussion. As an extreme hint the first phrase might be acceptable, but it was still unsought.

 

[Janx]

I used to work in a Kinkos. Even the best machine operator would sometimes forget to switch paper types for a job that called for blue paper instead of white. SO FREAKING OBVIOUS, yet- even with many-years-long professionals- it still happens.

True enough, but this isn't Kinkos. Why wallow in stupid failures when the PCs can wallow in epic failures.

furthermore, like the paper example, minor failures like that are minor because on first execution, it becomes obvious that you were doing it wrong and what was forgotten is remembered. Once white paper starts shooting out, the operator goes "uh, that ain't blue. Oops."

Personally, if the PCs are moving, I'm OK with them forgetting something or goofing up, etc. If the PCs are just sitting there, getting mired in with an inability to see the obvious, I'd rather get the game going again, if nothing else, to end my own suffering.

That's not about removing their ability to fail, just getting rid of the really annoying corner case that only makes a good "this is how dumb my players are" story rather than game play my friends enjoy.