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Message: <blockquote data-quote="soviet" data-source="post: 9833228" data-attributes="member: 6925338">I like to use something I called a Deferred Conflict. Basically, instead of having the player roll the dice when they take the action, they roll the dice when the consequences would be known. This lets you combine the excitement of resolving the situation 'live' and in the open while still maintaining the suspense of the unknown. For example:The character tries to persuade the guard who saw her sneaking into the castle that she's the secret lover of the Marquess and here with his permission. Do they believe you and keep quiet, or do they go round the corner and raise the alarm? You play out the conversation and then the guard nods and leaves. DON'T ROLL NOW. Wait for the character to carry on further into the castle, where there are more guards and fewer exits, and then have them make the roll. Did he really believe you, or not?The character studies the ancient tomb for traps from the entranceway. You tell them the DC, they tell you their modifers, and they describe their approach. DON'T ROLL NOW. Play out the character stepping gingerly to the dias, tapping on the tiles ahead of them, listening for mechanical noises, looking for scuffs or tripwires on the floor. Then, when the character gets to the actual trap, tell the player 'there is a pit trap here' and then have them make the roll to see if they saw it. The character tries to forge a magic sword that will emit a circle of protection against the demon the group is trying to summon. The player describes what they do, you tell them the difficulty, they tell you their modifier they have to their Forge Magic Item skill or whatever. They forge the sword and as far as they know the circle spell was successfully embedded. But you DON'T ROLL NOW, you wait until the acual demon is here and the circle is tested for real. Clearly there are ways to overdo these things, or run them as a 'gotcha' and trap the PC into an unfair situation. Don't do that, or at least not without the player's consent. These apply sometimes and not others. Sometimes you want to have the guard react to the attempted bluff immediately, or you want to showcase the PC's trapfinding skill in a full survey right from the entranceway, or you feel that the PC would know (or be able to test) if the circle was fully embedded before it was needed. OK.</blockquote>

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