D&D (2024) D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024)

[TiQuinn]

One might take exception to the tone, but the sentiment is clear: this is a game of skill, and its built around that premise.

I take a lot of exception to that tone, lol. I feel much of Gygax’s writings were a screed, an opinion piece, really, and I have never vibed with it.

 

[TiQuinn]

I don't think you know what games I like, or at least know much about them, if you think this is a good description of Prince Valiant, Burning Wheel, Torchbearer, Classic Traveller, In A Wicked Age, and the other RPGs that I play and enjoy.

Fair enough. It’s clear what you don’t like then.

 

[pemerton]

Fair enough. It’s clear what you don’t like then.

I've tried to never be ambiguous about what I don't like in RPGing!

 

[Remathilis]

I know its a game and supposed to be fun...but does that mean every fight must be winnable or fair?

Those aren't synonyms. Winnable means the fight is within the characters' capacities to succeed. Fair means that all the information necessary to make a threat analysis is available and alternative means of overcoming it are available. Not every fight needs to be winnable, but EVERY one should be fair. A DM who creates unfair, unwinnable fights is at best naive and inexperienced (and will hopefully improve) and at worst a bully and a tyrant.

A few examples:

An ancient red dragon on a pile of coins who can be conversed with and bribed is fair, though the fight might not be winnable.

A goblin with 1 million hit points isn't fair or winnable. The players have no way of knowing the DM has changed the rules and assume that the fight, based on all info the players have available, is winnable.

The example golem with 2 HP is winnable, but not particularly fair. The DM did provide a way to avoid the encounter (the golem was slow and had a limited area) nor was the golem impeding any goal beyond "take its treasure" but there was no way to know the fight could be won except to play against PC knowledge (that flesh golems can be fought at that level) and reading the DMs mind.

Bare in mind as someone who played Tomb of Horrors, I don't have a high opinion on deathtrap dungeons. Unfortunately, a lot of OS DMs don't understand that skilled play only works when there is enough to make informed choices, otherwise everything is a coin flip and you're back to throwing PCs into meat grinders because you can't determine threat level.

 

[Oofta]

I know its a game and supposed to be fun...but does that mean every fight must be winnable or fair?

I would say that it's up to the group to discuss during a session 0. For the most part, people do want winnable and fair fights unless it's clear that it's not going to be. If it's not going to be winnable, there should be clear options to bypass, avoid or bravely run away. Of course the dice can be fickle so there's never any guarantee.

 

[beta-ray]