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<blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 3525775" data-attributes="member: 3424">Just a few comments.I believe that this and similar DM tricks that give the PCs the illusion of choice (e.g. whether the players go left or right, the DM runs encounter #2) should be used sparingly. Used properly, it is a tool for the DM to control the pace and flow of the adventure. However, if mishandled, it can create distrust between the DM and players, e.g. if the PCs were smart enough to use detect undead, got no positive results, and the second coffin contained a wight anyway. Even if the DM thought of an &quot;out&quot; at the last minute - the wight had non-detection cast on it, or the coffin was lined with lead - it could look to the players like the DM is simply coming up with ways to counter their good ideas.I think the information is more for the DM's use when the PCs try to sell the gems.My problems with the scenario are firstly, that it doesn't go far enough to outline possible responses to player creativity. If command is available to the PCs, surely unseen servant would be, too, but it doesn't provide guidelines for what will happen if the players try and use it to take the gems out of the mouths. The bigger problem I have with it is that with the exception of certain rather contrived scenarios, I don't understand why anyone would go to all the trouble of creating several stone faces with magic mouth spells containing gems that are given to anyone who asks the faces to stick out their tongues.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="FireLance, post: 3525775, member: 3424"] Just a few comments. I believe that this and similar DM tricks that give the PCs the illusion of choice (e.g. whether the players go left or right, the DM runs encounter #2) should be used sparingly. Used properly, it is a tool for the DM to control the pace and flow of the adventure. However, if mishandled, it can create distrust between the DM and players, e.g. if the PCs were smart enough to use [I]detect undead[/I], got no positive results, and the second coffin contained a wight anyway. Even if the DM thought of an "out" at the last minute - the wight had [I]non-detection[/I] cast on it, or the coffin was lined with lead - it could look to the players like the DM is simply coming up with ways to counter their good ideas. I think the information is more for the DM's use when the PCs try to sell the gems. My problems with the scenario are firstly, that it doesn't go far enough to outline possible responses to player creativity. If [I]command[/I] is available to the PCs, surely [I]unseen servant[/I] would be, too, but it doesn't provide guidelines for what will happen if the players try and use it to take the gems out of the mouths. The bigger problem I have with it is that with the exception of certain rather contrived scenarios, I don't understand why anyone would go to all the trouble of creating several stone faces with [I]magic mouth[/I] spells containing gems that are given to anyone who asks the faces to stick out their tongues. [/QUOTE]

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