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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jbear" data-source="post: 4691886" data-attributes="member: 75065">I don't believe I generalized at any moment. I have been referring to this specific case. The DM was faced with a very tricky situation: a party splitting. This I think is fundamental in the following decisions made. If the DM is simply saving them from boredom, and saving himself from the uncomfortable situation of splitting his attention and time between two groups, especially having decided that one path is a dead end and any persistence trying to bust through that dead end will turn it literally into a DEAD end.  From my point of view, giving them information that lets them know this is acceptable. They have done it. It was fruitless. You tell them as such.  If you want to let them have a chance to bang their head against a wall for a while in real time, because you think they should be allowed to make bad decisions, in that case at least let them know they are making a bad decision from the start.  However, I still don't see the point to punish them for this fairly banal 'error', by having them sit out of a combat + the other 15 minutes of climbing up to the dead end.  I also think knowing when to 'step in' and when to 'step back' is part of the art. Also, how much real time do you really want to spend describing everything to miniscule detail when its of no importance? Do you want your players  describing how they wake up, eat their breakfast, wash their privates and do their business? Aren't you brushing over these very natural and important details with brief sentances like' we wake up and get ready', in order to get to the interesting part more quickly in real time? Isn't this similar to saying:'you explore the tunnel for five hours and discover its a dead end' ? I didn't advocate fudging, railroading or generalizing this decision for every situation. If a bad decision leads to something dangerous or exciting, then step back, take your time. If a bad decision leads to an uncomfortable situation with the party splitting, frustration and boredom. Then move it along swiftly. I'm sure there are other situations bad decisions might lead to, and as a DM you have to make the best call you can. I do think the situation the DM was put into was tricky. I think its useful and positive to read the two sides of the story (both, from my point of view, understandable.). It helps me think with the benefit of hindsight what I would do if I find myself in that situation in the future ( a luxury he didnt have). Given that I now have that luxury, I think I would do as I said above.</blockquote>

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