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<blockquote data-quote="Sunseeker" data-source="post: 7750955"><p>This example is useless for anything in the context of DMing. DM fairness is not established in the individual situation. It's established in the consistency of the application of rules or rulings to similar situations.</p><p></p><p>Determining the DC for a skill check, and the results of success and failure, is 100% within the realm of the DM. But <em>that</em> the rule. There isn't a rule that says "This cliff much have a DC of 15 or higher." Determining the difficulty of that cliff <em>is</em> the rule and that rule says the DM gets to make the call on what that cliff's DC is.</p><p></p><p>Lets say the DM decides the cliff is "hard", DC 15. Billy the Rogue rolls 15, and climbs the wall. Joey the Fighter rolls a 15 but this time the DM declares that he fails. </p><p></p><p>There's also a game for people who don't feel the rules matter at all: it's called Calvinball.</p><p></p><p>The rules are there for a reason: because we've discovered that there is a certain degree of "rules" and "fair application of the rules" that makes for good gaming, and that Calvinball, while fun in the short-term, is not a terribly great system for RPGs. It <em>can</em> be, with sufficient buy in, with players agreeing to general "rules of decorum" aka: no god-moding. But D&D printing rules bypasses that, instead of having to hold a forum to discuss what rules we're going to use this week, we all say "Hey I think this D&D thing has a good set of rules!"</p><p></p><p>Sticking to the rules <em>consistently</em> is necessary for a healthy game. We may not all apply the same rules, we may not all read the rules the same way, but what matters to make a DM not an arbitrary thing is consistent application of the rules we're applying, and consistent reading of them.</p><p></p><p>If Joe and Jim are constantly trying to figure out if they're playing D&D or Calvinball, they're going to have reduced enjoyment. PICK ONE. Apply the rules or don't. I don't really care which any DM decides to do, but don't apply the rules one day, not apply the rules another day, and then apply them differently the next. The rules are there for a reason. Just because they <em>can</em> be ignored, doesn't mean they should, but if you do, be consistent in ignoring them.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sunseeker, post: 7750955"] This example is useless for anything in the context of DMing. DM fairness is not established in the individual situation. It's established in the consistency of the application of rules or rulings to similar situations. Determining the DC for a skill check, and the results of success and failure, is 100% within the realm of the DM. But [I]that[/I] the rule. There isn't a rule that says "This cliff much have a DC of 15 or higher." Determining the difficulty of that cliff [I]is[/I] the rule and that rule says the DM gets to make the call on what that cliff's DC is. Lets say the DM decides the cliff is "hard", DC 15. Billy the Rogue rolls 15, and climbs the wall. Joey the Fighter rolls a 15 but this time the DM declares that he fails. There's also a game for people who don't feel the rules matter at all: it's called Calvinball. The rules are there for a reason: because we've discovered that there is a certain degree of "rules" and "fair application of the rules" that makes for good gaming, and that Calvinball, while fun in the short-term, is not a terribly great system for RPGs. It [I]can[/I] be, with sufficient buy in, with players agreeing to general "rules of decorum" aka: no god-moding. But D&D printing rules bypasses that, instead of having to hold a forum to discuss what rules we're going to use this week, we all say "Hey I think this D&D thing has a good set of rules!" Sticking to the rules [I]consistently[/I] is necessary for a healthy game. We may not all apply the same rules, we may not all read the rules the same way, but what matters to make a DM not an arbitrary thing is consistent application of the rules we're applying, and consistent reading of them. If Joe and Jim are constantly trying to figure out if they're playing D&D or Calvinball, they're going to have reduced enjoyment. PICK ONE. Apply the rules or don't. I don't really care which any DM decides to do, but don't apply the rules one day, not apply the rules another day, and then apply them differently the next. The rules are there for a reason. Just because they [I]can[/I] be ignored, doesn't mean they should, but if you do, be consistent in ignoring them. [/QUOTE]
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