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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ThirdWizard" data-source="post: 3138693" data-attributes="member: 12037">I see the opposite. The more you focus on the narrative, the more fiat is involved. The more intrigue-oriented the plots, the more fiat that must be used, unless the DM is rolling NPC vs. NPC off-screen diplomacy rolls and Int/Wis checks to see what the NPCs decide to decide to do. The Emporor convinces the local bandits to start targetting his enemies as they travel to an event in the capitol he's running? You'd better have made some diplomacy rolls to make it happen, or its DM fiat!That's the answer. "There is a red dragon's lair to the north and a swamp with lizardfolk to the south" is GM fiat. "The bartender is a male dwarf who hates elves" is GM fiat. Any decision the DM makes that is not based on the RAW is fiat. In that sense, how can fiat be a bad thing, and how can it possibly be avoidable?For example, I never roll for treasure in my adventures; I choose each item individually. That's pure DM fiat, I think, by any definition of the term.The point, I think, shouldn't be if its acceptable, the point should be in determining how far you want to to go with it, just like railroading.</blockquote>