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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fanaelialae" data-source="post: 5719426" data-attributes="member: 53980">I don't agree that it "warps reality".  If I give an undefined value definition, that isn't a warping but rather a definition of reality.I agree that if the DM has set the definition of the villain's route as the absolute quickest possible, then the best a Knowledge check can do is tell the player that that is the case.  However, if the villain just ran down a busy road in a bustling city, my bull meter is going to go off if the DM tells me that.  If the DM shuts a good idea down just because he feels like it, he's railroading.I'm not saying that the DM should change reality to suit the whims of the players.  What I am saying is that anything undefined should be subject to reasonable definition, in whole or in part, by the needs of the players.A player shouldn't be able to use knowledge to walk around a corner and find a holy avenger.  He should, however, be able to use it to learn the last known location of a holy avenger (unless holy avengers don't exist in your game).In the given example, unless the villain is using the objectively best route possible (unlikely), the PCs should be allowed a chance to think of a better route.  The better route doesn't have to guarantee their success, but it should give them a chance if that seems possible.Have your players never asked you if there's a rock nearby that they can pick up?  If so, they've participated in the creative process whether they realize it or not.  Assuming you said yes, where once there was only the ether of imagination now there is an (imaginary) rock.  Players constantly help to define a game's reality.  Have you ever created a "dungeon" intended for frontal assault, and the players sought an alternate means of entry even though you didn't anticipate that possibility?  Maybe they looked to you for an answer instead of rolling, but nonetheless they were participating in the shared narrative.  Apparently they just prefer that you, not the dice, arbitrate.  That's fine; if anything, it speaks to your fairness as a judge.If the player asks you whether he knows a shorter route, and you say yes (taking into account that he grew up as a thief on the streets of this city) then that's fine by me.  If you say no for no reason, that's more of an issue since the request seems feasible.  I do prefer dice as a general rule, because I've had the misfortune to play with a bad DM, and I know that at least the dice will be impartial.  I've only had one DM who I'd trust 100% to make such calls, but he actually prefers to resolve unknowns using dice.I'm not saying how shared narrative control should be arbitrated.  I'm only putting forth the stance that it should be done fairly, and that sometimes that sadly isn't the case.</blockquote>

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