Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DrunkonDuty" data-source="post: 8723595" data-attributes="member: 54364">So, something I've noticed in my own games. The more description I give the players, be it a space to explore or an NPC to interact with, the more description I get back from the players. Me: "You come to a door." Player: "Check for traps?"Me: "The corridor widens slightly before a large pair of double doors. The floor rises to the threshold in a shallow ramp of polished stone. The dark oak doors are bound with brass and ornately carved with scenes from the Book of Nolem. The locking mechanism is made of brass shaped like the face of a cherub. It's mouth is open in an "O" as if singing  singing praises to the Lords and Ladies; it's eyes look upward to the heavens. The key hole is recessed deeply inside the cherub's mouth."Player:  <Too many things for me to bother trying to write them up here.>Re. DCsIf I've given the players some decent description (this is not always the case; I can be lazy) then I will adjust DCs according to what players say their characters are doing. Someone who give me good description that works within the narrative will get a bonus, someone who simply says "I roll my skill check" will get the standard DC, and someone who says something that goes against the narrative will get a penalty.Yes, I know that this leans into "player skill" over "character skill." So to remedy this somewhat I do my best to gently encourage the players to give me more and better description. And I reward efforts made by giving the same bonus. Am I using Pavlovian conditioning on my players? I guess I am. Does this make a bad person? Maybe. Does this lead to a game style more in leaning with my preferences? I hope so.</blockquote>

Verification