Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Do you want your DM to fudge?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 6808278" data-attributes="member: 996"><p>That's just the thing, what you're doing is running a game from behind a DM screen. Players know that when you make rolls behind the screen, you have the option to 'fudge' die rolls among many other things. They just don't know when. So, it's not deception, it's just limited information sharing. That may seem like a fine line, and it is, but it's legitimate for that style of play. And it's not remotely dishonest. </p><p></p><p>In that example, you're objecting to the DM's style and use of available tools and he's meeting you half way in accommodating you as much as he can without just letting you dictate how everyone at the table play. Yes, that might be uncomfortable, compromises often are. </p><p></p><p>It's not, I've run many games in that style, too. Neither is taking resolution behind the screen and using techniques like 'fudging' or placebo rolls or the like such a horrible thing. Depending upon the group and the system in question, one might give better results than the other.</p><p></p><p>Yes. If you want the DM to run his game differently, when the rest of the table was fine with his style, you are dictating to the entire table. That's the line you cross in your example when the DM meets you half way by rolling in the open for you, since you are bothered by it. It's like any other issue that a group might need to agree upon. Like what game to play in the first place. Which often bundles a lot these issues together. If we're playing D&D, it's pretty likely there's a DM screen, more likely in some eds than others, but it's pretty common, and that implies the DM has freedom to fudge rolls, roll placebo dice, or roll imaginary 'random encounters' to lend a sense of urgency, or all sorts of cute little DM tricks. </p><p></p><p>That'd be a unilateral ultimatum. Or that player might be able to compromise, or he just isn't right for the current campaign. </p><p></p><p>What about all the other players in your ultimatum scenario, above? That /is/ one player forcing everyone to play a specific way.</p><p></p><p>Dishonesty is a bad thing. It might be necessary at times, but that's about it. Nothing about the style of DMing a game from behind the screen is dishonest. Nothing. No, not even 'fudging.' </p><p></p><p>If you're trying to wiggle away from the uncomfortable fact that you've been resorting to insults this whole time, BTW, /that's/ dishonest.</p><p></p><p>Or at least is considerate enough to accommodate some differences in style. </p><p></p><p>There's always a little difficulty with that, because the DM really isn't limited the way another player or AI is, by ability or by some selected difficulty mode. The DM can dial challenges up or down to the point the outcome is certain, 'guidelines' (if any) be damned. </p><p></p><p>Whether you run 'above board' and are very careful about the kinds of challenges you put before the players, or run behind the screen, and adjust challenges on the fly, the goal is still to run a game that's actually enjoyable.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 6808278, member: 996"] That's just the thing, what you're doing is running a game from behind a DM screen. Players know that when you make rolls behind the screen, you have the option to 'fudge' die rolls among many other things. They just don't know when. So, it's not deception, it's just limited information sharing. That may seem like a fine line, and it is, but it's legitimate for that style of play. And it's not remotely dishonest. In that example, you're objecting to the DM's style and use of available tools and he's meeting you half way in accommodating you as much as he can without just letting you dictate how everyone at the table play. Yes, that might be uncomfortable, compromises often are. It's not, I've run many games in that style, too. Neither is taking resolution behind the screen and using techniques like 'fudging' or placebo rolls or the like such a horrible thing. Depending upon the group and the system in question, one might give better results than the other. Yes. If you want the DM to run his game differently, when the rest of the table was fine with his style, you are dictating to the entire table. That's the line you cross in your example when the DM meets you half way by rolling in the open for you, since you are bothered by it. It's like any other issue that a group might need to agree upon. Like what game to play in the first place. Which often bundles a lot these issues together. If we're playing D&D, it's pretty likely there's a DM screen, more likely in some eds than others, but it's pretty common, and that implies the DM has freedom to fudge rolls, roll placebo dice, or roll imaginary 'random encounters' to lend a sense of urgency, or all sorts of cute little DM tricks. That'd be a unilateral ultimatum. Or that player might be able to compromise, or he just isn't right for the current campaign. What about all the other players in your ultimatum scenario, above? That /is/ one player forcing everyone to play a specific way. Dishonesty is a bad thing. It might be necessary at times, but that's about it. Nothing about the style of DMing a game from behind the screen is dishonest. Nothing. No, not even 'fudging.' If you're trying to wiggle away from the uncomfortable fact that you've been resorting to insults this whole time, BTW, /that's/ dishonest. Or at least is considerate enough to accommodate some differences in style. There's always a little difficulty with that, because the DM really isn't limited the way another player or AI is, by ability or by some selected difficulty mode. The DM can dial challenges up or down to the point the outcome is certain, 'guidelines' (if any) be damned. Whether you run 'above board' and are very careful about the kinds of challenges you put before the players, or run behind the screen, and adjust challenges on the fly, the goal is still to run a game that's actually enjoyable. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Do you want your DM to fudge?
Top