Isn't it kind of cheating to post here?

[Eccles]

As one of the people involved in a fairly well publicised 'Help' thread, can I just chip in to say that it's probably fair game if your DM runs the boards you're posting on, and you're more than aware that the villains you're fighting were created with the help of the boards in the first place?

 

[fanboy2000]

In between sessions, the DM is expected to find new ways to challenge the players, and also to keep current chalenges fresh. If I've mapped out a dungeon, and after the first one or two sessions of play I see a flaw, I'll change the latter parts of the dungeon as best as I can to overcome the flaws. (Changing a dungeon while the PCs are exploring it isn't a task to be undertaken lightly, though.)

I see no reason why players can't do the same. If a player is going through a dungeon crawl and, after one or two sessions, starts to realize that their stratagy is flawed, they should ask for help.

You do, of course, realize that people asked for advice about this sort of thing before the internet? Posting here is fundamentaly diffrent from asking other RPGers at your FLGS.

 

[BSF]

One thing you should remember is that this is a game and discussion is part of the fun.

Another thing to remember is that some people are playing PCs with incredibly high intelligence. Asking for advice is one way to expand your brainpower. I wish I personally had a 22 Int, but I don't.

There are also varying degrees of experience. What if your DM is expecting a solution that he has seen work several times in the past, but as a new player you have never even thought of? What if that same solution is based on past group dynamics and past players having a good feel for how much leeway the DM will allow? The player is disadvantaged in this situation.

What if you have a tried and true method of dealing with 90% of the problems and you are flat out bored with the rut you have created for yourself? Maybe you want some help thinking outside the box.

What if you have somehow missed that a specific spell, or skill, or feat, can apply in a situation. Like maybe you forgot that cure spells can harm undead. You are a Bard and your enchantments aren't going to help much so you are floundering. Then you post and somebody points out that positive energy from a cure spell does damage to undead.

There are certainly cases where the poster is just trying to find victory. But there are also many cases where the poster is looking for help to think outside the box or needs help that won't spoil the game. I'm not sure it is cheating, but sometimes it could be questionable.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I see many more DMs asking for "help" than players anyway. Are they cheating too?

Actually, yes.

 

[diaglo]

it's cheating if you feel like you are getting one over on someone else. you are cheating yourself.

if you need the help to play the game. you need the help. there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

 

[BSF]

I see many more DMs asking for "help" than players anyway. Are they cheating too?

I suppose you could look at it like that, but in most cases they aren't. No more so than it would be cheating to use a packaged module, or monsters out of a book really. But a lot of it falls back to intent.

As a DM it is difficult for me to outthink the 7 players at the table. With all the odds stacked in my favor (because I know the PCs and I know the story and I can make up almost anything) I have trouble staying ahead of the players. All I really want to do is make a fun, exciting game. IF I am stumped, or I can't create a challenge that will be challenging, then I have the option of stopping the game, letting it be boring, or asking for help.

Imagine your reaction to the following if you are a player.

"You know guys, I just can't figure out anything that is challenging anymore. I think the campaign is done. Let's play some munchkin and next week we start off at 1st level."

Or

"Yep, you just fell down that pit into a room filled with 200 kobolds and overlapping anti-magic fields. I bought a couple of penny rolls just to represent them. I figure some of them will roll 20's each round. Lets start with initiative. You guys roll and setup on the mat while I roll for each kobold."

Or you might end up with a cool encounter that you pull out by the skin of your teeth and have a new gaming story to tell.

On the flip side of things, you might design a cool encounter and want to run it by other DMs to be sure it isn't too tough. Killing PCs is easy if you get too exuberant. Consider the follow fictional post.

"I have a group of 15th level PCs. It's a low magic game with the fighter possessing the sole magic weapon (+2 long sword). The Sorceror prefers lightning based spells. I thought a Nalfeshnee and 2 Babau demons hiding in a cave would be a good challenge before the PC's end up at the castle where they are trying to save the princess."

In this case, the CR of the creatures makes the EL seem correct, but a low-magic game with a single magic weapon and a blaster sorceror that favors attacks the demons are immune to might not be the best challenge. The PCs won't easily bypass the DR and the EL should probably be scaled higher. This fictional DM might have missed the significance of creatures with DR in a low-magic game. Would he be cheating to ask for help?

Now, a DM asking for advice on how to achieve a TPK is being a little unreasonable. I mean, we all know that half-fiendish paragon Tarrasques of Legend is the best route for that.

 

[BSF]

Actually, yes.

While you are certainly entitled to that assertion, would you be kind enough to elaborate? I am interested in hearing why it is cheating.

 

[devilish]

Actually, yes.

The DM, by nature, can't cheat since s/he is the final arbiter.

I completely agree with BardStephenFox : I had a horrific weekend
where the PCs wiped the floor with my BBEG's second in command.
They've been waiting all module to get their hands on this guy and
it was over in a round : they looked disappointed. They got years of
true exp. on me -- 1/2 the fiasco was bad rolls, 1/2 was my fault.

I've come here for tactics for not having that happen again -- aka cheating.
I've come here for a ruling on Casting Defensively, which would've changed
last weekend. Tactics and planning I received here too.

Now, when they meet up with BBEG, it'll be more fun than last weekend (hopefully.)

Yes, I cheated --- but the game would be over with if I didn't.

Greater good, my friend. Greater good.

 

[Arnwyn]

Actually, yes.

Indeed, if you equate cheating in the case of the DM to improving the game so everyone can have (more) fun.

The final test is that if posting here will reduce anyone's fun in the game, then yes, it's "cheating". If it won't, then it's not cheating.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I think the site is about becoming better at the games and having more fun with the game, asking for advice is not a bad thing, we are the mentors to gamers, a think tank resourse for the improvement of the playing of the game, proviving outside the box thinking.


Cough...cough...bullsh...cough...cough...