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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Retreater" data-source="post: 9363591" data-attributes="member: 42040">Old me (as new DM circa 1990-2000): Yes. I would track the AC and HP of heroes behind the screen. I would roll behind the screen. I would let all damage be done for dramatic purpose - to get the heroes get damaged "just enough." Everything was fudged. The only deaths that would happen would be things like failed saving throws that the players did in the open. Mid me (experienced DM circa 2000-2010): No. I was writing for publication in the 3E/PF era. My encounters had to be playtested by strict RAW. All rolls in the open ... "if he dies - he dies." No fudging anything.  Current me (older but not wiser DM circa 2011-present): I roll everything in the open because that is what the Internet demands. Trust in the game system, right? What else am I going to do - play favorites? With certain systems like 5e, I don't know if the encounter math has ever seemed correct in an encounter. So do I just let the players roll dice until I feel like enough damage has been done? Or we're bored?  In short, I don't know when it's appropriate to fudge, but I've been on both extremes.</blockquote>