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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Flyspeck23" data-source="post: 2746928" data-attributes="member: 10648">Even though I don't "fudge" dice rolls doesn't mean I'm a "GM vs PCs" type of GM, and I think the same goes for (nearly?) all other "non-fudgers".Why do people think that because death can happen to PCs that the GM is aiming for it to happen?More often than not, when things go bad, it's not only because of dice rolls. Sure, the troll can crit, and maybe twice or more, but how likely is that? More often than not the players choices favor a bad result when PCs get killed.But even when they didn't do anything wrong, it's fine by me that there's a chance that they won't succeed anyway, because, well, such is live. My players know that, and as a result every fight - and every social interaction - is exciting. They know they can die, and they know it can happen in a pointless non-heroic situation. The PCs aren't demi-gods who merely need to wish to succeed. Fights, especially those to the death, are dangerous.My players not only want to have fun at the gaming table (who doesn't?), but they want to feel that they've accomplished something after the session ended. If I "fudged" the rolls and rules it'd be me, the GM, who accomplished something for them - that's not what they want.And the "story" goes on regardless, just not as planned by the all-mighty GM. The players' actions determine where the game's headed. Just because I think that a specific outcome would be the greatest way to proceed the "story" means I'll force that outcome to become reality.Btw, "fudging" isn't a very good word for this, IMHO. "Fixing" would be more appropriate.Alternatively, you could give the players handouts at the start of the session detailing the story, and say: "See you next week" <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />I'm not implying that your games are like that, but please don't imply that my games are like rolling a dice.If you assign the bonus or malus before the roll that's fine. That's your "job" as a GM. Doing the same thing after the roll because the player rolled one or two points less than she needed is cheating - both you and your players. Why do you let your players roll the dice in the first place, if you adjust a bad roll?GMs don't kill PCs. Circumstance kill PCs.My games are long-running campaigns too. But a player who's so attached to a single character that she'd leave the campaign because that player died (and, as stated above: death, while not frequent, can happen, period).Somehow I get the feeling that in a campaign of immortal PCs you don't need a game system at all - and you don't even necessarily need a GM. Just meet with your fellow players, and tell the story you always wanted to tell <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />Make it a house rule, then: Orcs armed with axes can't score critical hits.I don't understand why you play by a rule you obviously don't like. Change it (and let your players know about it).Here's a hint: axes aren't a GM's friend. High crit modifiers (x3 or x4) are bad news for PCs (because, sooner or later, they'll score a critical hit). A good GM knows this before the game starts, and plans accordingly:a) change the rules (great axes have the same stats as greatswords; no critical hits in my game; critical hits can't bring a PC below -9 hp; ...)b) don't use axes, or use them only sparinglyc) go with itYour choice.In my game, it's perfectly acceptable that the orc's greataxe chopps the PC's head off. Axes are mean - as are most weapons. They are used to kill people, that's what they are made for.And what about the other way round? The PCs confront the BBEG, who's got an escape plan: if things go bad, he'll flee. But the fighter's axe scores a critical hit, killing the BBEG instantly. Do you "fudge" that too and let him escape regardless? Because that's what was "supposed" to happen?I'd roll with the punch. The campaign goes on, even if the party killed the BBEG "before his time".Uh, no. If I change a rule prior to the game, it's not cheating. Everyone knows the rules, and everyone knows the changes.If, OTOH, I change the rule on the fly, you're right: that's cheating.Most people I game with like to watch the whole movie when we're watching a movie. And they want to roleplay when we're playing RPGs. They do not want to be part of a live-action re-enactment of someone else's movie script.Note that I didn't say that your games are like that  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> Who ever said that "dice are all that matter"?I don't want my players to die (as opposed to: I want to win at M:tG or the D&D MG), but it may very well happen - because I don't want them so survive no matter what either.</blockquote>

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