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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 8593171" data-attributes="member: 6987520">Ah... so it has come to a poll, has it? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />No, no fudging (but I LOVE fudge in general....).As DM, my job is to design the game world and then referee it once set in motion. I can certainly change things before they are encountered, as that is the point when reality is established for the PCs. I can modify the world, encounters, maps, etc. as needed... but, once reality has been established, I have to let it run its course.Yes, I can choose the thought, tactics, etc. of NPCs/monsters as this is part of my job as DM. However, when I make those decisions I base them on the goals, thoughts, etc. of the creature in question, not on how/what impact it might have on the PCs or how the players might feel about it. If I think an enemy should flee, it flees because it wants to save itself not because it wants to spare the PCs. If it retreats to taunt them because it is cruel and malicious and will destroy them later once it toys with them more, so be it. If it should surrender, it does. If it should crush them into a TPK because they refuse to retreat, negotiate, or surrender, then I will have the creature crush them. If there are reinforcements nearby, I can have them show up if it fits the narrative. And so forth...I never change the dice. I use a dice tray, but any player is welcome to stand and watch the roll if they want. If a roll is important, I often find myself watching their dice rolls just because it is exciting--not because I don't trust them.Once an encounter begins (reality for the PCs has been established), I don't make changes to AC, ability scores, attacks, damage. I use average damage most of the time anyway to save time. The one time I will roll is if I know average damage will take a PC out of the fight automatically---rolling then at least gives them a fighting chance, and frankly if I had been rolling all the times before, perhaps they could have taken average damage this time.If I have done my job well, the game will be fun without fudging. Yes, sometimes DMs (myself of course as well) misjudge an encounter, but there are so many things to do other than fudging it to make it easier or harder if it is called for, but even then I try not to make changes and learn from my mistakes to do better next time.</blockquote>

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