Do you warn your PCs before they do something stupid?

[Roxlimn]

Normally I say, "Are you sure?" and that's usually enough for the player concerned to ask me exactly why I think his action is stupid. Most of the time, it really is just plain stupid and everyone agrees with me. Sometimes, the player goes through with it anyway, for various reasons. Sometimes, there are unexpected effects that only the person involved saw and it turned out to be an unusual, but justifiable, move.

In any case, I think clarifying the possible consequences before most actions is important when the PC involved is quite likely to have certain expectations based on in-game "stock" character information.

Like that it normally isn't a good idea to hold off lava with flesh, especially if it's your own.

 

[Telas]

Er, it depends. On the stupidity of the action and the consequenses of it.

If it's pretty obvious the player is forgetting some critical piece of info, I remind him. Especially if the plot's stalled out. "Didn't the bartender tell you that the guy you're looking for came in with the bard?"

If he's misjudging the situation, I clarify and give an approximate estimate of his chances. "Your second level character wants to climb down the sheer 40' wall without a rope? That's like a DC25 or so... Could you look that up?"

If he's expecting a completely different result, for whatever reason, I restate his plan back at him. This is the tough one to judge, but I try to act as the little voice of reason in the back of his head. "You're planning on challenging the head of the City Guard, the man responsible for enforcing law and order, to a common fistfight, with the expectation that he'll respect your courage. So not only will he not toss you in jail, but he'll somehow feel obligated to help?" :\

But if the consequenses are minor, or the action makes sense from his incomplete and flawed knowledgebase, I let it slide, especially if it's a case of "hilarity ensues".

Telas

 

[reanjr]

Only if I think it might be due to a difference in player/character knowledge. Perhaps I described something in a confused manner or there is something obvious the character would have known ahead of time that didn't seem important enough to describe to the player.

 

[pogre]

Heh, I knew a GM who had a sign that read Funeral in Progress that he would place on the table and ask 'are you sure?' I only met one player who did the action anyway... the character died.

I borrowed it a bit, and have a Reaper miniature of Charon in his boat that I place on the table at opportune moments.

The Auld Grump

YOINK! Great idea!

 

[ThoughtBubble]

In defense of stupid PC's, sometimes you do just have to do something stupid. In the case of the session that just ended, my wizard walked into an underground lake with a psionic fish somewhere in it. While bringing my fragile wizardly body closer to the source of danger was a bad idea, it was the only way I could get a target. Especially since I had exactly one spell that would work in the circumstances. But we needed to break the situation open.

It worked, but I was about 10 feet from death on two different occasions.

Was it dumb? Heck yeah. Could I have died? Heck yeah. But it worked.

 

[Jolly Giant]

If they're doing something I feel the PC's should know better than doing, even if the players don't, then I give them a hint that they're about to do something stupid. Doesn't happen all that often, though.

Often as not, they go ahead and do it anyway!

 

[Bagpuss]

I tend to warn them if its something there character would know, but they might not know as a player. Or if its a rules issue and its an inexperienced player (like not knowing lighting bolts bounce in 2nd Edition).

 

[shilsen]

Yup, they should feel priviledged to see you demonstrate it

 

[Silver Moon]

Edited Post

 

[Ed Cha]

No, I never warn them, at least I don't think. If I do, I'll use in-game resources like NPCs or signs or divine messages. I'm not going to tell people how to play unless it is disrupting the game and/or the enjoyment of other players.