Rules, death, and drama

[emergent]

Recently, my players and I have been having a discussion about a stringent, rules heavy playing style vs. a looser style, where there is some winging it for dramatic effect. My players have told me that, while they would like a more dramatic cinematic style, they are uncomfortable with me winging things. Apparently, and mostly unwittingly, I have established my game as rules-heavy and rather deadly. Although only one PC has died in a year of gaming, there have been lots of close calls. Some of that is because I certainly want to keep the risk factor involved, because I have been trying to create the sense of a big world, one in which the PC's are not necessarily at the center of things, and where lots of different people with lots of different agendas interact.

But in so doing, I have created a game high on rules and a little short on drama. My players are decidedly uncomfortable with me winging things out of (I guess) fear of getting killed and/or fear of partiality on my part. Anything not immediately codified by the rules makes them nervous. I think this limits their perceived avenues and creativity as well, because they are afraid of doing anything not easily rules codified.

I kinda feel like I have painted myself into a corner here, as this is not the sort of game I had intended to run. I am not a rules guy; I am more of an idea guy. If anyone has any thoughts, suggestions, or similar stories, I would be grateful to hear them.

Thanks!

 

[the Jester]

I actually think it's pretty important to follow 'the rules' fairly closely- though I don't have a problem with those rules being loose or houseruled to death. The point is, you have to be consistent so that you handle the same situation the same way today and next month. So I don't think it's necessarily bad that you're a 'rules dm'.

Perhaps an emphasis on more cinematic skills (jump, balance, tumble, ride, etc) could help? If you show an npc doing it, the pcs might gain a little confidence in the style.

Or else enjoy the fear your iron fist puts your pcs in and play it up.

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

For a cinematic game that sticks to "da r00lz" why not take a page from d20 Modern and use action points? Personally, I don't think D&D needs them in general but you coul always restrict their use.

To wit....

* Each character gains 5 + (1/2 level) action points. They automatically refresh at the start of each new level. You can NOT carry them over. Use 'em or lose 'em.

* Use of an action point means you roll 1d6 and add it to your d20 roll

* Unlike d20 Modern, rule that you can only use these for skill rolls.

The players will succeed more often and be tempted to try things that have a high DC. Yet at the same time the mechanic for doing so will be entirely in their power and they'll have a structured environment to use it in.

Does that work for you?

 

[emergent]

I have been looking at d20 modern a lot lately and like it very much. I'll look more closely at the action points system. It may help in some ways. But I think the biggest problem is my players are all scared of dying. I am not sure that's the atmosphere I am going for.

 

[emergent]

A bit more:

The players see me as a deadly DM. I see the players as having poor tactics and not using abilities effectively.

For example:
They just helped defend a monastary against an orc horde. They had three rounds between the time the orcs emerged from the woods and the time the orcs got to the monastary. NO missle weapons were fired during those rounds (despite the fact that a party member has a crossbow of distance). NO offensive spells were cast during those rounds (no sleep, no lightning bolt). No buff spells were cast on the primary fighter who was supposed to hold the front line (granted, he just joined the party, but a little mistrust versus 75 orcs and an ettin? come on!)

I want to encourage my players to be heroic and role play, but I also want them to feel like they have accomplishsed something and not walked through the adventure.