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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5318223" data-attributes="member: 42582">My reponse to this example is that I'd be less likely to specify the weight of the rock, and more likely to specify a DC for a check. A character who then wants to use a blade as a lever could get a +2 to that check (analogously to thieve's tools).Of course it would be possible to set the weight of the rock, determine the tensile strength of a fullblade and do the maths, but I'm not sure that this sort of approach is going to get the best out of 4e (for example, it would hinder the use of page 42 if every swing on a chandelier had to be preceded by a calculation of the tensile strength of the chain that it hangs from).Of course this isn't a &quot;right way or wrong way&quot; issue - it's just my view about what the rule system is best suited to handling.I agree with you that the GM can play a crucial role in providing suspense, and this entails a certain degree of authority over the backstory. But I prefer that this be shared with the players, especially as far as their PCs and their PCs' relationships are concerned.With your murder mystery example, I'm happy for the GM to choose the murderer. But I prefer that the players have control over when the reveal occurs, by engaging the ingame situation via their PCs. And when it comes to engaging the ingame situation they use &quot;their resources&quot; - the rules. So I think on the issue of whether or not the GM has a responsibility to edit the rules in the service of the plot, I think we just have quite different preferences.I should add - thanks as always for the interesting series of posts!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 5318223, member: 42582"] My reponse to this example is that I'd be less likely to specify the weight of the rock, and more likely to specify a DC for a check. A character who then wants to use a blade as a lever could get a +2 to that check (analogously to thieve's tools). Of course it would be possible to set the weight of the rock, determine the tensile strength of a fullblade and do the maths, but I'm not sure that this sort of approach is going to get the best out of 4e (for example, it would hinder the use of page 42 if every swing on a chandelier had to be preceded by a calculation of the tensile strength of the chain that it hangs from). Of course this isn't a "right way or wrong way" issue - it's just my view about what the rule system is best suited to handling. I agree with you that the GM can play a crucial role in providing suspense, and this entails a certain degree of authority over the backstory. But I prefer that this be shared with the players, especially as far as their PCs and their PCs' relationships are concerned. With your murder mystery example, I'm happy for the GM to choose the murderer. But I prefer that the players have control over when the reveal occurs, by engaging the ingame situation via their PCs. And when it comes to engaging the ingame situation they use "their resources" - the rules. So I think on the issue of whether or not the GM has a responsibility to edit the rules in the service of the plot, I think we just have quite different preferences. I should add - thanks as always for the interesting series of posts! [/QUOTE]

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