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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Reynard" data-source="post: 4441314" data-attributes="member: 467">Both elements, dice and "role playing", are equally valuable, but not necessarily in the same situations or at the same time. Some in game circumstances benefit from one or the other or a combination of the two, largely dependent on the preference of the participants.For example, I prefer not to use dice to determine the outcome of most kinds of interactions with NPCs -- Diplomacy checks, if you will. This is an area of the game where not only do I feel that player/DM negotiation works better, I also happen to enjoy it more.  Being able to play act, ham it up and engage the players is one of my favorite things about DMing.  I will occassionally call for some sort of roll during the process, but usually only to push me one way or the other if I'm on the fence regarding how the NPC(s) will react.On the other hand, dice rule in combat and the only kind of negotiating the players can do is engaging tactics and/or the environment.  I don't like "stunts" -- situation where cool descriptions give players bonuses on rolls. Rather, the description should come after the roll.  "I am going to swing at the orc." *clatter* "I hit." *clatter* "A crit!" *clatter* "Holy crap! With a single stroke of my sword I cleave him in twain, spraying his innards all over his fellows and howl like a mad wolf!" Some games and/or playstyles suggest that last sentence should go first and provide the player with a bonus on his roll to accomplish it.  There's a number of reasons I don't like this, not the least of which is that no amount of cool description can eliminate the uncertainty of the dice.Then there are in-play situations that work best wiuth a combination of using dice and role playing to determine the outcome. Though no longer in vogue, "operational play" is a well known example: the characters are exploring a dangerous environment such asa dungeon, negotiating with the DM via the depth of their descriptions of their actions, and the DM determines what sorts of rolls to call for, when and at what level of difficulty based on that negotiation.  Searching for traps and secret doors are the most obvious examples, but, in general, "old school" style exploration is best served, IMO, by a marriage of mechanics and negotiation.</blockquote>

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