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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Man in the Funny Hat" data-source="post: 3114884" data-attributes="member: 32740">As a house rule, established many aeons ago in the days of 1E AD&D, we have assumed the rule of "Standard Operating Procedure."  We had one too many disagreements about this EXACT subject.  It is stupid to assume that characters will not do what is reasonable and prudent just because the PLAYERS have had the misfortune to be fallible, and not faithfully repeat the same anal retentive set of tedious instructions EVERY time.  Characters are ASSUMED to loot bodies and search rooms rather than assumed NOT to do so unless vocally specified by players.  Characters are assumed to buy basic provisions for journeys and even basic combat supplies such as arrows.  Just because a player has forgotten or failed to realize that his character is down to his last 6 arrows doesn't meant the CHARACTER would be stupid enough to set out on an extended wilderness adventure without stocking up first.For this to work the DM is required to be reasonable in adjudicating situations where a player wishes to claim that even though HE forgot something his character would NOT have.  Players are also required to be reasonable in accepting that sometimes it IS necessary to sate things clearly and specifically, even if it might be sensible to just ASSUME things.  We do not play D&D for the thrill of the DM shouting, "Gotcha!  You lose because you didnt actually SAY you were going to loot the body/search the room/set a watch."  Our interest and enjoyment of D&D does not derive from practicing our faithfulness to what is readily acknowledged to be trivial attention to verbal recitation of procedure.  There are much better and far more satisfying ways for a DM to catch the players napping or put the screws to them.  "You didn't say the magic words," has always smacked to me of a certain petty vindictiveness; a DM vs. the Players mentality that I despise.YMMV.  And I mean that sincerely.  If that is how you wish to run/play the game, don't let me stop you.  Just don't expect too many others to play along.As for the OP: if you're going to be a stickler about such things just be sure that you're consistent in applying it.  Also be prepared to have it thrown in your face by frustrated, annoyed players.  As others have said it was a mistake to actually TELL them what they missed out on.  What the PC's (and players!) don't know won't hurt them.  When you give them that kind of meta-game information you need to have a good reason for doing so.  More than just idle curiosity of the players.  The proper response would have been, "You will never, EVER know what you missed out on short of divination magic," or even better, "Unless everyone fails an intelligence check of (reasonable DC) you'll eventually realize what you've forgotten and go back to do what is VERY unlikely your characters would actually forget to do, even if you the players did."</blockquote>

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