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How much control do DMs need?
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<blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 9007018" data-attributes="member: 6785785"><p>I think it all depends. Different games have different systems for that kind of thing. If we're talking about things like XP budgets or rosters, then I think that means the game is focusing on some kind of balance. </p><p></p><p>If we're talking about constraint on the GM in how they're allowed to determine what happens in play... something like the soft moves or hard moves of PbtA games... that's something a little different. </p><p></p><p>Either way, not following those rules means you're changing how the game is meant to be played. Now, I don't necessarily think this is always a bad thing. In 5e, for instance, I don't calculate daily XP budgets or encounters and the like. I design my encounters entirely by whim, based on what I think makes sense, and what I think will present an interesting encounter. But even when I set aside the specific rules, I'm still considering things like level and the number of PCs and so on.</p><p></p><p>For something like moves in PbtA, I think departing from those rules is a much bigger deal. To use [USER=29398]@Lanefan[/USER] 's example of the sniper who the players know nothing about shooting a PC as he exits an inn... making a hard move like that without first signaling the danger in some way would be a pretty serious breach of the rules. </p><p></p><p>I think in either case, it's a matter of following the rules or not. But I think rules can be broken if you can justify it. In the 5e example, I'm comfortable that my skill to design encounters in 5e is sufficient that if I set aside the encounter building guidelines, things will still cohere. There won't be a negative impact to the game, or if there is, it'll be minimal. </p><p></p><p>But the sniper case... that's a bigger deal, and an explanation of "that guy you killed in session 5 was secretly an assassin of the badass guild and now this guy has come to get revenge, and you never knew muhahha" is in no way sufficient to justify breaking the rules that way.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hawkeyefan, post: 9007018, member: 6785785"] I think it all depends. Different games have different systems for that kind of thing. If we're talking about things like XP budgets or rosters, then I think that means the game is focusing on some kind of balance. If we're talking about constraint on the GM in how they're allowed to determine what happens in play... something like the soft moves or hard moves of PbtA games... that's something a little different. Either way, not following those rules means you're changing how the game is meant to be played. Now, I don't necessarily think this is always a bad thing. In 5e, for instance, I don't calculate daily XP budgets or encounters and the like. I design my encounters entirely by whim, based on what I think makes sense, and what I think will present an interesting encounter. But even when I set aside the specific rules, I'm still considering things like level and the number of PCs and so on. For something like moves in PbtA, I think departing from those rules is a much bigger deal. To use [USER=29398]@Lanefan[/USER] 's example of the sniper who the players know nothing about shooting a PC as he exits an inn... making a hard move like that without first signaling the danger in some way would be a pretty serious breach of the rules. I think in either case, it's a matter of following the rules or not. But I think rules can be broken if you can justify it. In the 5e example, I'm comfortable that my skill to design encounters in 5e is sufficient that if I set aside the encounter building guidelines, things will still cohere. There won't be a negative impact to the game, or if there is, it'll be minimal. But the sniper case... that's a bigger deal, and an explanation of "that guy you killed in session 5 was secretly an assassin of the badass guild and now this guy has come to get revenge, and you never knew muhahha" is in no way sufficient to justify breaking the rules that way. [/QUOTE]
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