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<blockquote data-quote="Obryn" data-source="post: 6068621" data-attributes="member: 11821">Being the OP in question, yes, things like &quot;swinging a sword&quot; and &quot;using a skill or feat&quot; can absolutely qualify.&nbsp; Can.&nbsp; The main point of divergence is how much of the action and result are completely under the player's control through a kind of direct interaction with the rules and the situation, rather than through an indirect interaction with the DM mediating.&nbsp; So to use a really simple example, two Fighters want to blind their enemies.FiatPlayer: &quot;I spend my expertise dice to use my Blinding Strike.&nbsp; After bashing him with my shield, I'm going to gouge his eyes.&quot;&nbsp; I roll a 19 to-hit; how's that?DM: That beats his Fortitude (or AC or whatever).&nbsp; He's blinded.No FiatPlayer: &quot;I want to blind him.&nbsp; Can I bash him with my shield and gouge his eyes?&quot;DM: &quot;Um... make a roll at -4, and if you hit you deal no damage but he'll be blinded for a round.&quot;Player: &quot;OK.&nbsp; I'll give it a shot.&quot;or, just as validPlayer: &quot;I want to blind him.&nbsp; Can I bash him with my shield and gouge his eyes?&quot;DM: &quot;Hmmm, he's a canny combatant and wearing a full helm.&nbsp; I don't think that'd work on him.&nbsp; Nope.&quot;Player: &quot;OK, I will try something else...&quot;If you want to switch it to a spellcasting example...FiatPlayer: &quot;I cast Color Spray.&nbsp; These guys in the area need to make a saving throw, DC 15.&quot;vs.No FiatPlayer: &quot;I want to make a big cone of dazzly light to stun or dazzle these guys.&nbsp; What sort of roll do I make?&quot;So more or less, the big differences are (1) that the player is in almost complete control (barring dice rolls) of what the outcome will be, and that he knows his capabilities ahead of time; and (2) the default result is that what the player has declared will happen (again, barring dice rolls).&nbsp; I don't think everything needs to be done by player fiat, mind you; my main concern is that non-casters should get a good foothold on the fiat side of things with a good range of effects.-O</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Obryn, post: 6068621, member: 11821"] Being the OP in question, yes, things like "swinging a sword" and "using a skill or feat" [I]can[/I] absolutely qualify. [I]Can.[/I] The main point of divergence is how much of the action and result are completely under the player's control through a kind of direct interaction with the rules and the situation, rather than through an indirect interaction with the DM mediating. So to use a really simple example, two Fighters want to blind their enemies. [U]Fiat[/U] Player: "I spend my expertise dice to use my Blinding Strike. After bashing him with my shield, I'm going to gouge his eyes." I roll a 19 to-hit; how's that? DM: That beats his Fortitude (or AC or whatever). He's blinded. [U]No Fiat[/U] Player: "I want to blind him. Can I bash him with my shield and gouge his eyes?" DM: "Um... make a roll at -4, and if you hit you deal no damage but he'll be blinded for a round." Player: "OK. I'll give it a shot." [I]or, just as valid[/I] Player: "I want to blind him. Can I bash him with my shield and gouge his eyes?" DM: "Hmmm, he's a canny combatant and wearing a full helm. I don't think that'd work on him. Nope." Player: "OK, I will try something else..." If you want to switch it to a spellcasting example... [U]Fiat[/U] Player: "I cast Color Spray. These guys in the area need to make a saving throw, DC 15." vs. [u]No Fiat[/u] Player: "I want to make a big cone of dazzly light to stun or dazzle these guys. What sort of roll do I make?" So more or less, the big differences are (1) that the player is in almost complete control (barring dice rolls) of what the outcome will be, and that he knows his capabilities ahead of time; and (2) the default result is that what the player has declared [I]will[/I] happen (again, barring dice rolls). I don't think everything needs to be done by player fiat, mind you; my main concern is that non-casters should get a good foothold on the fiat side of things with a good range of effects. -O [/QUOTE]

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