Encounters: this season fails

[shamsael]

So WotC gives us an encounters season geared toward PVP and doesn't modify the core rules to allow it.

RAW, a player character can not roll a bluff check to deceive another player character. Our DM came up with a reasonable system to adjudicate, opposed bluff to insight, and everyone cries BS. It's hard to play the DM agency card at an Encounters table. Encounters is not the place for ad hoc house rules, in my opinion. WotC should have given us guidelines in dealing with this sort of thing.

I realize Menzo needed to be edition proof, but I don't think a single chapter on PVP in 4e would've prevented the book from selling to non-4e players.

 

[The Little Raven]

So WotC gives us an encounters season geared toward PVP and doesn't modify the core rules to allow it.

RAW, a player character can not roll a bluff check to deceive another player character. Our DM came up with a reasonable system to adjudicate, opposed bluff to insight, and everyone cries BS. It's hard to play the DM agency card at an Encounters table. Encounters is not the place for ad hoc house rules, in my opinion. WotC should have given us guidelines in dealing with this sort of thing.

I realize Menzo needed to be edition proof, but I don't think a single chapter on PVP in 4e would've prevented the book from selling to non-4e players.

Reading the Bluff rules in the Rules Compendium, I see nothing that prevents its use on other players, so the DM isn't really making anything up.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I think PvP is a mistake when the adventure is specifically designed for a group of people who may not know each other.

There are too many personality issues (and, frankly, disorders) that might be in play in this sort of situation.