As a DM, what is your default answer to player requests?

[the Jester]

I don't have a default answer; it depends on the nature of the question.

If it concerns an action- "Can I do x?"- the answer is almost always, "You can try!" If the question is, "Can I fly?" and the pc is a first level warforged fighter with a broken leg, the odds are pretty much zero, but hey. Often, te "You can try" is accompanied by an estimate of difficulty or a counter question ("Do you have that spell?", "It will be hard" or "DC 20" are all possible here).

If it concerns a character option- "Can I play x?"- the answer depends on the nature of X. I am far more concerned with campaign integrity and the established rarity and nature of dark elves in my milieu than I am with hurting one of my players' butt because I won't let him play a Drow, but on the other hand, dolphins may not be an official pc race but I would consider a request to allow a player to play one because of how they fit into the campaign.

If it concerns a change or addition to the campaign world that doesn't fit with the nature of the campaign- "Can you put Cormyr and Waterdeep in your campaign world somewhere so I can take this cool Forgotten Realms special whatever?"- the answer is no. If, on the other hand, you ask for something that expands the campaign world as established- "Can my new character be involved in some sort of cinnamon wood smuggling operation?"- the answer is almost certainly a delighted Yes!

If it concerns changing something that is already established- "I know we visited my father three games ago, but can we say I'm an orphan instead?"- the answer is absolutely not. There are no do-overs in my campaign.

 

[Corathon]

ENWorld is widely viewed as DM heavy, so I thought it would be a good place to ask the following:

What is you “default” answer to player requests?

I don't have a default answer. The answer depends on the question. I think the closest of the choices that you suggested is "maybe".

In a thread some months ago an advocate of the "always say 'yes'" philosophy gave an example. If a PC wants something that's not really significant to the adventure, e.g. a shovel, then just say "yes, you can find/borrow/buy/steal a shovel." My philosophy would be "it depends". If in a city, or in a construction project, or in the gravedigger's shack, then yes, the PC can find a shovel. If in a trackless desert 500 miles from the nearest civilization, or floating alone in the depths of outer space then no, the PC cannot find a shovel. If its something in between these two extremes I will try to guesstimate a probability and roll for it.

 

[WizarDru]

My default answer is always "Yes". As Mallus points out, there was a long-standing tradition, particularly the older the gamers get, that the DM can or is adversarial. However, I view the DM's job to be, first and foremost, to let the players have FUN. So in general I want to find ways to facilitate that. Sometimes saying 'No' is the way, but often it's not. It's incumbent on me as the DM to figure out what presents the most fun for the most people.

And when it's 'No', it's usually 'No, but how about...'. A lot of the discussion, of course, is colored by a level of trust. Some of the people in my game group have been playing D&D with me for DECADES. All of them have been with me for at least 11 years. We know and understand each other intuitively and share the same goals for our games. If I had a group I didn't know very well, I'd still feel this way...but I can understand how others might not.

 

[Mark CMG]

As Mallus points out, there was a long-standing tradition, particularly the older the gamers get, that the DM can or is adversarial.

I find this to be erroneous. I have found in my gaming (and that which I have observed) since the early Seventies that games with less depth of roleplaying, when games have more of a tendancy toward combat, that they can seem to be adversarial but that even then this can be a mistaken impression. In my own experience, this is just as true with modern RPGs and younger RPGers as it is with older versions of RPGs and/or older RPGers. Much of this is born from the impression that just because a facilitator is meant to present obstacles and conflict, the facilitator is somehow vested in the outcome of encounters. The fact of the matter is that any facilitator can create situations where the PCs are overwhelmed, either accidetally or intentionally. It is more often the novice facilitator who errors to the side of the spectrum where PCs become outmatched, though I hasten to point out that this is often not purposeful.

 

[SkredlitheOgre]

It totally depends on the question asked. I'm not sure I have a 'default' answer as a DM. My initial response to a question of "Can I do x?" is to think about whether x is possible or not and how it would be achieved through the rules of the game being played, so the answer can be yes, no, maybe, yes but, no but, or explain to me how.

I'd like to think that I have a good enough grasp on the rules of whatever I'm playing to be able to tell if someone is asking for something that would break the game. I had a player ask to use the Gravity Bow spell from the APG and then combine it with Enlarge Person, thus making his bow deal damage of a weapon two size categories larger. When I explained that yes he could, but thrown or fired ammunition returns to normal size (which in this case, would still be doing extra damage), he argued, so I changed it to say no.

 

[Hussar]

While of course it does depend on the question, as a DM with my current group? Yes, without reservation. But, then, I view gaming as a collective thing.

Then again, I did just have my current DM say no to me. I can see his point, even if I disagreed. But, to be fair, it wasn't a hard no, more of a "not just yet" sort of thing.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I suppose my answer would have to be "You want to do WHAT?! REALLY?!"

I don't think I have a default answer, but the above response is the one most often appropriate.

 

[NewJeffCT]

If it is something I know about in terms of the rules, I usually say "yes"

If it's a new rule or change that I don't know well, I will likely say, "probably, but..." and then look into the new rule/change.

 

[jasper]

Depends on the player. The good player is maybe. The Goober player is no, maybe. The problem power gamer is hell no! Even if it is the same build,crunch,fluff thingy.

 

[aj3ai]

Depends on the player. The good player is maybe. The Goober player is no, maybe. The problem power gamer is hell no! Even if it is the same build,crunch,fluff thingy.

That's likely to just cause the power gamer to feel cheated, and game more powerfully! (badly rephrased phrase!)