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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 6811843" data-attributes="member: 7635">The thing is, there is still a plot here. The DM set up a scenario that has a natural progression: the PCs enter the town, they catch the "hook" (vampire threatening village) and then act upon the hook. The DM assumes a certain natural plan of action, usually based on player history (how have they acted in past to similar events) and character tendencies (ideals, bonds, flaws, and alignments) to gauge the likely course of action (a group of mostly good PCs will probably go stake a vampire; a group of merciless cutthroats might do a risk:reward analysis and move on to more fertile ground). Unless your group is completely Chaotic Neutral, it should be easy for DMs to gauge the usual course of action. Most groups will probably go stake the vampire so the DM can build his "plot" around that assumption, including the finding of clues that lead to the vampire's identity, finding the proper tools to dispatch him, and then entering his abode and facing his minions and guards and finally the vampire itself. This is a rough-sketch of the plot the DM tailors his notes towards. If the PCs approach from a different angle (rather than seek out its tools, offer themselves as a "Trojan Horse" to surprise the vampire when he attacks) then the DM must improvise, but that doesn't stop there from being an original "idea" of the plot. It just means the plot the DM originally envisioned and the one that happened in play were two separate sets of events. Else, the alternative has the DM prepare multiple scenarios (for each course of action the PCs may take) or completely DM on the fly with no prep. Both are a lot of extra work for relatively little gain. The pacing allows the DM to set up events with tension and struggle that forces the PCs to not confront the adventure on their terms (aka, the nuclear-rest-repeat scenario) and can be gauged (a bit imperfectly) to avoid this.</blockquote>

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