Pineapple Express: Someone Is Wrong on the Internet?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If you don't want the dice to come into it, play around the dice by old-school stacking advantages do dramatically in your favor there's no need to roll or simply remove the dice and don't pretend there's a game element.

It's weird to me that anyone would take on a campaign-ending BBEG hoping they might win. But I also play with a bunch of folks who think like Seal Team 6.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Q. How do you know if a Bard thinks he's super special?


A. Just talk to him for a second- he'll be sure to tell ya.

 

[CleverNickName]

So the cutest thing happened on my construction site a while ago.

Doug is a big, burly heavy equipment operator. He's also one of the foremen, and has a crew of about 6 laborers and pipefitters working under his charge. He is every bit as tough, strong, and powerful as the excavator he drives...and like that excavator, if you get in his way you will be sorry. He practically exudes a cloud of testosterone. A manly man. It is abundantly clear that he does even lift, bro.

Well, Doug showed up at work with his fingernails painted bright pink, and his normally long unkempt blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, brushed out, and sporting a big pink bow. And of course the guys started teasing him about it...nervously at first, because you do not want to be on Doug's bad side, but bolder by the minute. But he took all that they could dish out, and let them have a good long laugh at his expense. Finally he spoke up:

"What can I say? My little girl still thinks it's cool to hang out with her Daddy. I know that won't always be the case, so I'm gonna milk every minute of it." And then he put his hard hat on, and got to work.

And that's how the crew learned that Big Doug doesn't have time for toxic masculinity.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Way to dad, Doug.

 

[RealAlHazred]

If RPGs are collaborative storytelling games, why is tragedy and/or failure not an acceptable option? Not all stories have happy endings. "Either we win or it's a wasted campaign" is not a great stance for players to have. It's a game with dice, as per your example, the dice will go against the PCs. If the story is more important, you have to minimize the game elements. If the roll of the dice doesn't matter, why have dice?

Of course. That's why we game! "Play to find out what happens!" No argument here.

How do you accomplish that without giving them plot armor? If they can't die in ignoble ways, that's plot armor. If they can only die in badass ways, that's plot armor.

So, I roll the dice for the dragon's attack and get a 20 and it's doing a huge amount of damage. It is entirely in my power to say to the player, "You bravely hold up your shield, but the dragon's mouth is enormous and you feel a sharp blinding pain as it takes both the shield and your arm to the shoulder. You fall. You may have a final soliloquy to say or do something badass if you wish!" Or, I can say, "Sorry, that's 35 points of damage and you only had 10 left. You die instantly." Or, even, "Your courage fails you and you turn to run, but it's too late -- the dragon bites off your head and your body manages ten steps before falling, leaving a trail of pee behind as it goes. The pee counts as difficult terrain and imposes disadvantage on saving throws for those standing in the area. draws 1 x 2 square pee field on the battlemap"

The first option also allows for other things. I have gunpowder in my elf game, and one guy stored his grenades strapped to his shield for easy access, allowing him to do the final badass thing of throwing his torch into the dragon's mouth to set them all off at once...

This is also why I use the "Shields Shall Be Splintered!" rule, and use either the AD&D negative hit points or 5E death save method, to allow for a few rounds before final death.

To me, that's the only possible way to play.

Here we disagree. There are many, many possible ways to play and run the game. Many of them don't appeal to me, but they appeal to other people; aren't those people entitled to enjoyment on their own terms?

 

[RealAlHazred]

That's not my job as the referee.

Oh, also, that's absolutely your job as referee: to facilitate an experience everyone at the table will enjoy. If your style is one way, and some players have other expectations, you have to let them know; the reverse is also true. But you have ultimate power in the game to frame how things occur, while still following the roll of the dice. Ultimate power. But with ultimate power comes ultimate responsibility.

 

[Deset Gled]

Y'all maybe wanna take this to a real thread?

 

[Ryujin]

Oh, also, that's absolutely your job as referee: to facilitate an experience everyone at the table will enjoy. If your style is one way, and some players have other expectations, you have to let them know; the reverse is also true. But you have ultimate power in the game to frame how things occur, while still following the roll of the dice. Ultimate power. But with ultimate power comes ultimate responsibility.

Some GMs see themselves as impartial arbiters. Others see themselves as authors, with the dice just guiding the story that they want to tell. Still others are the guy holding the start lever on the roller coaster. I don't know that I would call any of them "wrong."

 

[RealAlHazred]

Y'all maybe wanna take this to a real thread?

Sorry. It was pineapple I had on my pizza last night -- it's put me off my feed by being on there. The only proper place for pineapple is in a piña colada, as the Lord intended.

 

[payn]

Had me a little Mario NY style pizza last night for supper. Needs pineapple...