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Can the GM cheat?
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6134130" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>I think you've loaded the scenario with some stipulations that are not inherent. In this case "fight". You can "deal with the dragon problem" in whatever way you see fit and the ensuing game can be about that. Or you can "not deal with the dragon problem" to your greater peril and the ensuing game can be about that and the inevitable repercussions. Nonetheless, when "very bad stuff will happen generally" and perhaps "stuff charged with specific material relevant to the backstory which you have devised" is the situation presented by the GM, presumably, if the game is to have any predictive quantity and coherency, you will be provoked to one degree or another and respond in a myriad of ways in line with that provocation.</p><p></p><p>Further, if such a case is a railroad (which I disagree with that depiction), then I'm not sure I understand how you assimilate PC backstory information and make offers that reliably hook your players nor do I understand how you create situations/adversity that reliably provoke them.</p><p></p><p>I have a Paladin/Hospitaler Theme/Demon-Slayer Paragon Path/Legendary Sovereign Epic Destiny whose background was defined by the inheritance a place in a demonic cult from his parents, being slain by the cult and resurrected as a Revenant, fleeing his homeland and becoming part of an order of Knight Hospitalers and fighting for a God of Justice, Protection and Sacrifice and having the following three Distinctions as core internal motivations:</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #ffa500"><em>- "I let the scourge into my homeland...I will drive it out."</em></span></p><p> <span style="color: #ffa500"><em></em></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa500"><em>- "The sick, the sullied and the down-trodden shall not carry their burden alone. I will take on their miseries and protect them from the vile inequities of the world."</em></span></p><p> <span style="color: #ffa500"><em></em></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa500"><em>- "Station is a vessel for the advancement of justice, benevolence, and mercy. It is manifest destiny that a man of honor who understands this will rule."</em></span></p><p></p><p>Is it "railroading" if I put him in situations that directly challenge those 3 things; eg Sanitariums with the afflicted being exploited by the demonic scourge, the power behind the throne of his homeland being an Abyssal Lord? It seems that by your estimation it would be as those challenges, referenced by those PC build elements and backstory elements, should have predictive value...in this case engagement by the Paladin player. </p><p></p><p>If true, is the only "non-railroad" a game that has no breadth or focus of PC backstory or has no GM-offered material specifically meant to challenge those player cues?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 6134130, member: 6696971"] I think you've loaded the scenario with some stipulations that are not inherent. In this case "fight". You can "deal with the dragon problem" in whatever way you see fit and the ensuing game can be about that. Or you can "not deal with the dragon problem" to your greater peril and the ensuing game can be about that and the inevitable repercussions. Nonetheless, when "very bad stuff will happen generally" and perhaps "stuff charged with specific material relevant to the backstory which you have devised" is the situation presented by the GM, presumably, if the game is to have any predictive quantity and coherency, you will be provoked to one degree or another and respond in a myriad of ways in line with that provocation. Further, if such a case is a railroad (which I disagree with that depiction), then I'm not sure I understand how you assimilate PC backstory information and make offers that reliably hook your players nor do I understand how you create situations/adversity that reliably provoke them. I have a Paladin/Hospitaler Theme/Demon-Slayer Paragon Path/Legendary Sovereign Epic Destiny whose background was defined by the inheritance a place in a demonic cult from his parents, being slain by the cult and resurrected as a Revenant, fleeing his homeland and becoming part of an order of Knight Hospitalers and fighting for a God of Justice, Protection and Sacrifice and having the following three Distinctions as core internal motivations: [COLOR=#ffa500][I]- "I let the scourge into my homeland...I will drive it out." - "The sick, the sullied and the down-trodden shall not carry their burden alone. I will take on their miseries and protect them from the vile inequities of the world." - "Station is a vessel for the advancement of justice, benevolence, and mercy. It is manifest destiny that a man of honor who understands this will rule."[/I][/COLOR] Is it "railroading" if I put him in situations that directly challenge those 3 things; eg Sanitariums with the afflicted being exploited by the demonic scourge, the power behind the throne of his homeland being an Abyssal Lord? It seems that by your estimation it would be as those challenges, referenced by those PC build elements and backstory elements, should have predictive value...in this case engagement by the Paladin player. If true, is the only "non-railroad" a game that has no breadth or focus of PC backstory or has no GM-offered material specifically meant to challenge those player cues? [/QUOTE]
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