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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Xetheral" data-source="post: 8267117" data-attributes="member: 6802765">For me, world-building is one the biggest draws of TTRPGs.As a DM, developing an evocative, self-consistent world is what makes the prep time fun. And that time investment pays off again with additional fun at the table when I see the players engrossing themselves in my world to the point that they begin to interact with (and seek out interaction with) the established parts of the world that aren't immediately in front of them.As a player, I love exploring (in the metaphorical sense, not just the D&D sense) evocative, self-consistent worlds created by other DMs. I like feeling that the world in which I'm roleplaying exists on its own--in fact, I find that feeling basically essential for immersion, and immersion is one of the experiences I most value as a player of TTRPGs.An inconsistent mechanical representation of the game world makes it harder for a DM to make the characters feel like game world is itself self-consistent. This particularly matters in a CaW playstyle where the characters are encouraged to try to control encounter parameters themselves. With fluid encounter parameters, the "narrative role" of a given NPC or monster isn't necessarily fixed, which is problematic for planning purposes.For example, kiting a narratively formidable monster into a tribe of Ogres to make them fight each other would be a decent (and fairly run-of-the-mill) CaW strategy, but with inconsistent mechanical representation of Ogres, the actual utility of that strategy is unknowable to the players. Will the Ogres be minions, wiped out in a single use of a breath weapon or other AoE ability? Or will they have enough hit points to occupy the monster for awhile? Or will the Ogres actually be able to hit the monster and be useful offensively instead of just as a delaying tactic? Sure, the players could just consult the DM: "Hey DM, we're thinking of trying kite this monster into that nearby tribe of Ogres. If we did, what narrative role would the Ogres be playing and what statblock would you use?" but to me that would entirely destroy the feeling that the Ogres are a part of the game world that I'm exploring. The success of any given strategy wouldn't even appear to hinge on the "reality" of the game world and instead would be explicitly a metagame decision by the DM.Note that unlike [USER=29398]@Lanefan[/USER], I don't personally care whether there is any substance backing up the appearance that the success of my CaW strategies depends on the state of the game world rather than the whim of the DM. The general appearance is enough for me, but that appearance is mandatory if I'm going to enjoy myself as a player in a CaW game.</blockquote>

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