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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 6022613" data-attributes="member: 92305">I see what you're saying, and I used to preach the same.  But, in practice in my game, the dice rolls stifled roleplaying, not enhanced it. The dice throw is a hiccup in the smooth flow of the game.  I'm now of the opinion that dice throws should be kept to a minimum, used only when an RP moment would hurt the game by bogging it down. I think the default in a situation should be to RP, not to roll dice.  Then, if the GM thinks that haggleing with the merchant wouldn't be fun at that moment (maybe because the GM has had too many of the same type of RP sessions), then he should go to dice checks. For example, the PCs are traveling overland and see a lone commoner on the trail, leading a cart and ox.  One of the PCs wants to approach this Commoner to see if he's got any information about the gnoll bands that have been seen in the area. Here, I think the default should be pure roleplay.  Play off the players.  The players should "win" or "lose" (if you can do that in an RPG) the situation based on their actions. I don't think dice rolling should be used at all.  The GM should exploit the situatuation for maximum fun. OTOH, let's say that the PCs picked up info about the gnolls in the town and, as they are heading there, see the commoner.  The GM knows that the commoner probably can't help them, and any way, spending a lot of time with the NPC is just going to bog the game down and make the PCs take a longer time getting to where the action is. In this case, the GM should defaults to roleplaying, consider against it, then tackle the situation with a quick dice throw and move on. "Roll your Gather Information.  OK, you found out that his name is Bhen.  He's a farmer from the outskirts of the county.  He trades tobacco in the town.  He's heard of the gnolls, but they haven't bothered him yet, and he seemed glad that you were heading there to dispatch them.  Let's move on."        Now, I think this is a good idea.  It's doesn't hinder the flow of a quick RP moment, and the GM can skew his RP knowing the skill and stat of the character. This is the old way of doing it before there was a skill for everything.  If a player was RPing a moment, and I knew he had a 17 CHA, then I'd consider that in my replies along with what the player said and did.        I'm not sure if I agree with that.  AD&D and AD&D 2E were around a long time before skills (and non-weapon proficiences, as we used to call them) started popping up, measuring areas of a character's talent. Back in the 80's, there were a ton of people who played and "got it".    I don't think I quite agree.  There were Dragon articles and DM's advice sections of books back in the day that would proffer advice on DMing, and usually, the advice was to not all the dice to run the game.  The DM should run the game, and the players as well, through their interaction. I think what 3.5 needs (or, maybe what should be put into D&D Next) is a return to that kind of advice.  Sure, include all the stats and skills and such, but let everyone know that stuff should play second fiddle to player involvement and roleplaying.      That's probably because the old school way of doing it is to stay in "scenes" as long as possible, roleplaying, and never roll initiative to slow combat rounds until absolutely necessary. That's my preferred way of rolling for initiative.  And, even though the flatfooted rule becomes silly if you run the game that way, I think the whole game is better for it. In 3.0/3.5, the goal is to run a combat simulation on a grid battlefield.  3.0/3.5 is truely less of a roleplaying game and more of a wargame than D&D previous editions.    Although I'm still using the flatfooted rule as written and not throwing it out, I've considered it.  I've decided, at least for now, to keep the rules intact and still delay rolling initiative until combat is assured. The reason I haven't done as what you suggest (which, I'll grant you, makes more realistic sense), is that the flatfooted rule is so ingrained in the game.  For example, one of the benefits of Cimmerian Barbarians is that they get the Uncanny Dodge Feat at 4th level that allows them to Dodge in flatfooted situations.  If I start playing as you suggest above, then I'm basically removing a major benefit of the race from the game--because there will no longer be that many flatfooted situations. So...I've kept the rules as is, but I don't roll initiative on site of the enemy unless combat is about to ensue.  I go old school on the Nish timing.  I try to keep from rolling it as long as possible.</blockquote>

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