Cheating?

[pawsplay]

Players doing whatever they want to isn't exactly a stinging indictment of a way of playing.

Oh, yes it is.

DM: The dragon roars. What do you do?
Player 1: I draw my sword.
Player 2: I draw the dragon. Can I reach my charcoal pencil?
Player 3: I narfle the garthog.
Player 4: I pass Go and collect $200!

The most interesting things in this world happen more because of the constraints of reality, not endless possibility. If one choice is no better, or worse, than another, then there is not actually a choice. You are simply making a declaration.

 

[Roadkill101]

I'm the GM, I can't cheat, what happens behind my screen, stays behind my screen. Usually I just let the dice fall where they may, but I tend to play fast and loose with the rules to keep the story going so sometimes those die results are other than as they appear so long as it's not at critical point.

For example: The rogue decides to climb to the top of a barn to see what's kicking up all the dust a mile or so away. He just bareley gets to the roof's edge and fall's off. The resultant damage roll is most unkind, he probably landed on a fence-post head first or something, instead I'll greatly reduce the damage and have him fall into a nice fresh pile of swine-dung instead.
Had the situation been different, say the rogue was trying to scale the palace walls after getting caught looting the crown jewels, that most unkind damage result from the fall would've remained most unkind (he probably landed on a gaurdsman's pike or something).

As a player (which is rare), I let the dice fall where they may, often to my characters detriment.

 

[hornedturtle]

As a player I have never cheated on purpose. Especially with skill checks and such. Failure is a lot funnier then constant success. One time i was playing a Weretiger and didn't know that the animal hit dice counted for ECL. It basically made my character 6 levels higher then the party average.

The few times i have tried to DM i let my knowledge of the rules and chaotic nature take over. Most ruleings i make up off the top of my head or remember in the rules. I'm sure i've fuged a roll or two.