D&D 5E At Your 5E Table, How Is It Agreed upon That the PCs Do Stuff Other than Attack?

[Swarmkeeper]

I can't agree with this more. I recommend The Angry GM as reading about running games to just about everyone. I don't always agree with what he writes, but it makes me think about things. "Players decide, characters act," explains why you do the intent + method when describing an action. And Angry typically includes mentioning the Consequences for the action before the dice are rolled. I know that part particularly is controversial, but I think it makes the players take action with a greater sense of agency (oh, another controversial word...).

Yeah, good stuff. I think of it this way: PCs are capable adventurers and if the DM mentions the consequences before the dice are rolled, it acknowledges that said adventurers have a sense of the stakes involved in the action they are thinking of taking. It then gives the player, who doesn't necessarily have the same expertise as their PC, the ability to rethink whether that is the best decision to make on behalf of their character and perhaps suggest an alternative course of action.