Can I make up random stuff as a DM?

[reanjr]

As long as the rules are done across the board (players and NPCs alike) or there is a good reason to break it for this one individual.

 

[S'mon]

Yes, you can make up random stuff as a GM. Go forth and randomise.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

The most important thing is to try to maintain your players trust. If you make up stuff at random and willy nilly, there's the potential for abuse, and hurt feelings. Avoid anything that could provoke the statement "You just did that just to be mean to us."

Aside from that, try to be consitant with it, and have a reason for each devieation. Other than that, have fun.

 

[Li Shenron]

How bad is it to just change the rules in D&D to make interesting (at least to me) monsters and encounters.

What do you guys think? Is it ok to bend/break character creation rules in the quest for interesting situations?

I think not only it's your right, but your duty, if it makes the game more interesting. Besides, this is just the kind of change that doesn't have any in-game problem, and that may surprise the players. And the character could be a variant (evil) Paladin from Unearthed Arcana, just to say that there IS already something like this published somewhere.

 

[tetsujin28]

Hey, just wanted to get peoples opinions. How bad is it to just change the rules in D&D to make interesting (at least to me) monsters and encounters. (snip)
What do you guys think? Is it ok to bend/break character creation rules in the quest for interesting situations?

Tiew

First off, I don't think you're making 'random' changes. Your post shows that you've clearly thought about this for awhile and given it some consideration.

That having been said, there are always game-balance issues to consider, many of which are not so immediately obvious that they don't get vetoed right off the bat, and only show up in game play.

That little monitum aside, it's your game, and if you and your players are happy, then don't let anyone else tell you what to do. Including me.

 

[ThirdWizard]

My only caution would be to be careful of the things that players will want to do too. If an NPC has a power that your players will want, be prepared for them to try to acquire the class, spell, or magic item to do it too.

If you give PCs unique abilities every once in a while that noone else has, they're much more lenient in what the NPCs can do. Break the rules in both directions. Many of those evil powers involve sacrifices and other evil acts, so the PCs generally don't go for that... but give a PC the ability to, say, make their attack do 1d6 holy damage at the cost of 1d6 non-lethal damage, and you can make a player happy, set a precedence, and make the PC more than just their gear all in one not-so-fell swoop!

 

[Zappo]

That's fine. Just don't overdo it: the players need to be able to expect something, or the world won't feel consistant.

Sounds a lot like a Blackguard. Maybe you want to use that.

A blackguard has willingly submitted himself to Evil; in this case, it seems that the paladin has been duped.

 

[Gez]

It's the duty of the DM to make up random stuff.

On this particular instance, however, I want to say a thing or two.

Detect evil is not supposed to replace a paladin's judgement. A paladin slaying people left and right just because they blipped on his radar will have trouble with human justice -- and with his deity, too.

Eventually, he should figure out something is wrong, when he sees that Saint Lirna, the selfless holy woman who cures the ailments of the poor who can't afford even mundane medicine, registers as evil on his radar; while the Ratman High Priest who just sacrificed, before his eyes, a dozen toddlers and a virgin to the Crokzul the Ravenous, dark god of despair, suffering, hatred and self-destructive consumption, in order to summon forth a horde of undead and demons doesn't.

Especially given that the undead and demons don't register as evil either. But all his fellow paladins, including his master, his brother, whatever, do.

 

[Ed Cha]

As long as you remain consistent and you can explain things in the game, then I think it should be fine. If you're players are annoyed though, just drop it.

 

[Darkness]

Well, it's a curse. The BoVD suggests making up new curses - including ones for more powerful effects than bestow curse.

Second, you could also use one of the variant paladin classes in UA (i.e., paladin of slaughter or tyranny).

(And for the record, yes, it is the DM's duty to make up stuff when that would result in a more interesting encounter. Interesting for the players, that is.)