How did that happen?

[Hand of Evil]

I always answer: Do you take the time to find out?

I always have a way to explain everything for my players, I try to be logical and don't say "magic".

 

[Flyspeck23]

Standard answer: "If you have to ask..."

Right now my players are questioning the reason why they weren't killed by one of the main villains they foolishly confronted. Well, there's a good reason for that (in fact a very good reason), but it's up to them to find out. That's part of the fun

I don't think "how did that happen" is necessarily a meta-game question, though. If it doesn't make sense to the players, there's a good chance it doesn't make sense to the characters too (yet, anyway).

 

[Shallown]

I usually reply one of two ways. "Give me a knowledge check" Or "Who do you ask" One is based on the character actually knowing why already even if the player doesn't. My answers to those sorts of things are "To your best knowledge..." The second puts them back in character if they want and answer. Sometimes its a matter of asking another player who's character has the skills.

I also do what Herpes does. " That's a good question... I wonder why". My players have learned that almost every thing is for a reason and 95% of the time it is a World/real reason and the rest a Meta game reason. Like they have run into spiked chain wielding monkey's several times. Its cause I like them. The players know that and so do I but they don't complain since I get to have my fun even if they are just their to die at the players hand. They know they will run into one boisterous loud merchant, usually a weapon/armor smith becuase I like the archetype. I will always have in game reasons for these encounters situations but usually they are the afterthought.


Later

 

[Raven Crowking]

It's getting to the point in the campaign where my players are starting to question how somethings are possible. For example, how did the alligator we fought earlier all of a sudden get to another location, etc.

I don't mind such questions, since I see it as a player being interested in the game. However, it would be nice if they asked it as an in-character question as oppossed to a "meta-game" question.

First off, I'd ask them who they were asking. Ie, the characters don't get to ask the DM why such-and-such is so. If they insist they are players asking the DM, I give them a blank look and say, "You don't know, do you?"

Then, if they want to find out, they need to do the work.

None of which eliminates the possibility of Knowledge checks or Bardic lore, if appropriate...then the player can ask me, "Do I know something about this?"

Daniel

 

[Psion]

How do you deal with the players asking you "how did that happen" as a meta-game question?

I usually just smile and say something to the effect of "That's an interesting question, isn't it", and return my attention to my game notes.

I used to have a player who would get this burning curiosity about some things. He'd blurt out a question like "out of character, how did this happen." Occasionally, if it doesn't matter any more, I let players know just so they get a little peek behind the scenes and can see how clever I am. But usually, again, I just answer this sort of thing with a smirk and "wouldn't you like to know."