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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Joseph Rossow" data-source="post: 4986732" data-attributes="member: 51615">Exactly.I tend to narrate a story for the adventurers when their choices don't have any effect on the outcome (like telling them the King orders them thrown in jail), or if their isn't any other way the situation could reasonably turn out (like skipping a combat between a cave of 10 goblins and a group of 15th level characters).That being said, narrating a section should represent most reasonable reaction to a given situation.  If skills, character abilities, magic items or spells have been introduced, which clearly would prevent this situation from occurring, then the situation should play out differently.The important thing is to get to the next point where the player's decisions start to matter again.  I would look at is similarly to skipping the day-by-day actions of a 3-week trip down the road (unless something that happens on the trip is of pivotal significance to the adventure).As it might be inferred by kilpatds' post, one of the worst things one can do, as a DM, is give the appearance of there being a decision, when there isn't one.  It serves only to frustrate players and waste valuable gaming time, especially when a DM can just dictate the outcome and move on to the next point in the story.Dausuul, however, reminds me of the importance of players to control their characters.  But, I find that I often, as a DM, describe things that the player character's do, from describing how they attack with their flaming greatsword, to their pickup lines at a bar (with a roll of natural 1).In my experience, after describing their actions in an entertaining fasion for a while, players become more accustomed to allowing the DM to narrate small parts of the story without their direct input, because they believe they'll be entertained by it, and it will reflect their characters appropriately.Personally (and I understand some advocate this position), I think telling my players that they suddenly wake up in prison is something that a DM could get away with, however that situation must take into account the abilities, magic items and traits of the player characters.  If a PC was a WarForged, for example, who doesn't sleep, that might not be so easy for the players to swallow.Then again, if adventurers suddenly waking up in a dungeon is the most reasonable outcome for a situation the DM has created, then I'd find it perfectly acceptable.  In any case, it's one possible way to get the PCs in prison, though I don't find it different from my approach at all.EDIT:  Saw some stuff posted after I started writingI don't think that's a good generalization.  I would edit that statement say "players hate the 'you've been captured and forced to escape the mad wizar'ds Dungeon of Disastrous Doom' plot, when it's executed poorly."As for the first two points in your most recent post, Janx, I don't see how they differe from the third point.  I view a capture - which is narrated by the DM - as just another bullet point on the plot.  On the other hand, if the DM makes an encounter out of the capture, they should plan for the possibility of the players evading said capture.EDIT 2:  In response to RavenCrowking, I'll say that I, for the most part, agree with your post, especially the last to paragraphs.</blockquote>

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