Is DM fiat okay?

[painandgreed]

What's to discuss? The DM has the final word, no questions.

No, players can also have the final word because they can always walk or start a different game.

I said yes, but only if the DM is a decent DM. With a DM you trust and enjoy, a player will probably never notice or argue with DM fiat. It'll be used to strengthen the DMs style and overall gameplay. However, I've seen plenty of bad DMs invoke DM fiat to the point that the game just isn't worth playing.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Of course its ok, he's the dern DM!

A special snowflake...a unique genius. Above and apart from the lower rung of simple players. Criticize him not for you know not why he rules as he does.

Hail to the DM.

 

[Rl'Halsinor]

I voted "yes" simply because the 2 DMs I play under are fair and balanced and they do take into account the player's opinions. Thus, I believe the answer can go either way depending on the integrity or perceived integrity of the DM.

I played under another DM while in college whose integrity had a lot to be desired. Fiat by him could go all over the place. As creative as he was it could make for less than an enjoyable setting because you never knew what Dan as DM you were going to get from session to session.

 

[Piratecat]

It depends on the Fiat's crash test rating, mpg and whether his drunken players "borrowed" it for a midnight run to a wine bar / gaming store. If they can get it back to the DM in one piece, it's probably okay.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

My dad had a Fiat...and it's crash test rating can't have been too high. It was one measly crash and done.

 

[Zhaleskra]

Players make mistakes, GMs make mistakes. The rules, try as they might, cannot cover everything. When there isn't an easy answer, the GM should make up zir mind what works at that point with the understanding that it should sound sensible to the player(s).

I know this is basically a D&D/d20 board, and I must reference another game to emphasize my point. In World Tree, when a character wants to "spont" zie tells the GM what zie wants the spell to do, and the player and GM agree on the Arts (magical Verbs and Nouns) used, with the GM setting the complexity.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

No, players can also have the final word because they can always walk or start a different game.

No, because so long as they're playing a PnP RPG, there's going to be a DM or equivalent. There is still rule by fiat, it's just a different person.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

The question is way too vague to be properly answered. Do you mean that the DM should be allowed to overrule anything and everything the players try to do as the fancy strikes him? Or do you mean that the DM should provide temporary but binding solutions to rules inconsistencies, otherwise adhering to the RAW? Or do you mean something in between? Perhaps you mean that the players should not be allowed to overrule anything the DM has decided.

Unless you define the term, the poll is meaningless because everyone will be answering a different question.

 

[Crothian]

Unless you define the term, the poll is meaningless.

I think people can define the term for themselves.

 

[JustaPlayer]

I voted no. While I believe that things being changed is ok, it needs to stay consistant. I had a DM recently who would rule one way on an issue once and then rule another way under the same circumstance (depending if the benifit was his or not). If stuff is just going to be made up, why even bring dice to the table and call it a game?