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<blockquote data-quote="Aenghus" data-source="post: 6731325" data-attributes="member: 2656">I can sometimes find the process of discerning a DM's style and biases as analogous to code-breaking, especially when the DM is opaque and refuses to discuss the game or how s/he runs it. DMs often exhibit patterns in their decision making and players can sometimes gain an advantage in the game by discerning those patterns. For instance, a game where the DM will likely fudge the saving throws of save or die-type spells cast at significant enemies in the first round or two of combat. Such spells are best used at the start of a fight, assuming they have a chance of working, but not if they don't They also tend to be significant daily resources, which become wasted resources in such circumstances.lAnother is where the DM likes using monster types who happen to have a predictable weak saving throw. Loading up on spells targeting the weak save can be an effective choice.It's no accident that both my examples above use spellcasters. Spellcasters can quickly change spell loadout to take advantage of changing circumstances, and making wise or fortuitous choices can produce big payoffs. Conversely, players of spellcasters who don't look for patterns or anticipate weak saves, vulnerabilities, resistances and immunities could end up casting spells effectively at random, and be much less efficient.Players who are starved of information on which to make choices often resort to such tactics. Some DMs don't like such code breaking - the best way I've found to do this is to reduce the payoff by giving the players more information so they can make informed choices.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Aenghus, post: 6731325, member: 2656"] I can sometimes find the process of discerning a DM's style and biases as analogous to code-breaking, especially when the DM is opaque and refuses to discuss the game or how s/he runs it. DMs often exhibit patterns in their decision making and players can sometimes gain an advantage in the game by discerning those patterns. For instance, a game where the DM will likely fudge the saving throws of save or die-type spells cast at significant enemies in the first round or two of combat. Such spells are best used at the start of a fight, assuming they have a chance of working, but not if they don't They also tend to be significant daily resources, which become wasted resources in such circumstances.l Another is where the DM likes using monster types who happen to have a predictable weak saving throw. Loading up on spells targeting the weak save can be an effective choice. It's no accident that both my examples above use spellcasters. Spellcasters can quickly change spell loadout to take advantage of changing circumstances, and making wise or fortuitous choices can produce big payoffs. Conversely, players of spellcasters who don't look for patterns or anticipate weak saves, vulnerabilities, resistances and immunities could end up casting spells effectively at random, and be much less efficient. Players who are starved of information on which to make choices often resort to such tactics. Some DMs don't like such code breaking - the best way I've found to do this is to reduce the payoff by giving the players more information so they can make informed choices. [/QUOTE]

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