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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fralex" data-source="post: 6491125" data-attributes="member: 6785902">Don't get me wrong, I do believe a DM should say "yes, and..." as often as they can handle, because like improvised skits it's more interesting to build on what others try to establish in the scene than completely invalidate it. But in improv skits the power is equally distributed among each player. D&D gives the DM most of the authority in driving the scene, while at the same time making them the "servant" to the PCs in an entertainer kind of way. The relationship the PCs have to each other is very much like an improv skit, but the PC-DM power dynamic is less so. They're not trying to act out a story with the DM, they're trying to play a game that will hopefully make for a fondly-remembered story afterward. Nobody tries to "win" an improv; the players decide for themselves whether their characters succeed based on what they think will be most entertaining for the audience. D&D players trust their DM to decide whether their characters succeed based on how well the players... play. They need to get a fair challenge, which in this case includes being able to try things there are no specific rules for and get an honest evaluation by the DM whether it's valid. They rely on the DM to be their freedom/fun safety net; they should be allowed to try any kind of stunt they want, safe in the knowledge that if they go too far the DM will be there to catch them. In this metaphor, acrobatic injuries represent unfun play experiences, the height at which the net is set is inversely proportional to how much the DM allows (and remember you can still get hurt if the net is too close to the hard floor), and the rope and trapezes represent RAW.Actually, thinking about all this made me realize something. "Yes, and..." is a pretty good guideline for interactions between PCs, but I think a better catchphrase for the intrepid DM is "yes, but..." Because really, you should allow your players to at least try most outside-the-box ideas, but you shouldn't make it easy for them. "And..." is what happens as a result of the players' failed or successful attempts. That's what should be built on.And because I can't help but share these whenever they're relevant, the <a href="http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?116836-The-SilverClawShift-Campaign-Archives" target="_blank">SilverClawShift Campaign Journals</a> are a great example of a DM who gives his players a perfect amount of freedom. They're also the best RPG-originated stories I've read. I hope I can be that good someday.</blockquote>

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