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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WarlockLord" data-source="post: 5615519" data-attributes="member: 40098">I'm going to have to disagree with the use of DM fiat as being a good thing.1) My style is that the rules exist for a reason, and by God, we are going to use them.  So if I wanted to set up that cliche, I'd probably use vile damage on the guy (can't be healed in a nonconsecrated area), or you know, not do it.  D&D doesn't really model anything well except for D&D, and you can make the argument that it should model "fantasy novels" or whatever - good luck modeling Mistborn (magic system too weird), Song of Ice and Fire (too low magic, not enough bling), Harry Potter (spells different), or even LoTR (low magic, not enough magic crap for warriors).2) It's pretty heavily implied that arcane magic is the science of the land, and wizards are the local scientists.  Also, magic works.  It's stated in the FRCS that random peasants know that if uncle Rufus breaks his leg, the clerics in the temple down the street can heal him.  So if the magic that normally works doesn't work, there'd better be a damn good reason, not "um...it's dramatic?"  And yes, the rules ARE intended to be in-game reality (at least in 3.X, anyway) - why do the commoners have class levels, skills, and feats?3) "Because it's dramatic," at a certain point, begins to actively work against suspension of disbelief.  Anyone remember the last seasons of Heroes where the protagonists acted like idiots because, you know, needless drama?  There are pages upon pages at Tvtropes asking why the hell people forget their powers in 'dramatic moments'.  Heck, this even has it's own trope page.  4) Fluff arguments don't work.  There, I said it.  You can't really make a good argument from anything in fluff without sounding like a "Darth Vader vs. Spiderman" argument.  Sure, your character is the High Priest of the God of Healing, personally empowered by Healing McNicePants, but the dagger which stabbed the guy over there is a cursed Dagger of Hater von Kittykiller, created by the Dark God Groinkicker out of the souls of 10,000 cute kittens.  Who wins?  That's why we have rules.  Because I could honestly dispute any fluff assertion with another one, and there's no way to tell who's right.  I could argue my modern-day collegiate wizard would be able to, fluff-wise, destroy an ancient artifact with dispel magic due to modern-day progress in the magical field, similar to how modern weaponry would easily destroy ancient fortifications.  You could argue the dagger's protected by the dark gods.  I could argue my wizard draws power from the Great Old Ones, who even the gods fear, so it's not like that power can't overcome the power of the dark gods.  We could keep arguing for hours in this vein, but ultimately there is no way to prove one side right because it devolves down to the "nuh-uh! Uh-huh!" style of six year old arguing.  This is why you have rules in an RPG, to resolve these kinds of issues.  You throw these rules out the window, you get back into the six year old arguments.  5) "The PCs are special because the rules apply only to them"  is complete, utter bull.  This leads to the 4e style crap of the NPCs being able to do all the cool stuff while the PCs have to follow the rules.  It turns out the reason you can't heal the guy is because the DM made up some curse placed by a wizard?  Well. I'm a wizard, can I learn it?  No, it's not on the PCs power list.  But I'm a human wizard, why can't I learn it?"Because shut up" is not an answer.</blockquote>

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