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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5935081" data-attributes="member: 42582">I don't think all actions in combat are calculations in the strict sense, because they are informed in part by intuitions and estimations about how the GM will respond in playing the NPCs and monsters (for example, if I move to attack that guy, how will the GM have him respond?). This is where story considerations can be worked in, however exactly these are understood and work out for a particular group (eg is it about faithfulness to pre-established descriptions, or about prodding and poking to see what responses are provoked, or . . .?).But that doesn't undermine your point about the Reaper. For example, the GM can use his/her knowledge that the player knows that s/he has access to an autokill vs certain combatants to set up interesting choices - do I drop this kobold here and now, as the team might prefer, or do I go and attack that guy who is my sworn nemesis?If you don't know you're guaranteed to kill the kobold, it might be easier just to leave it to someone else to handle. Whereas if you know you can autokill it, then by leaving it you're making a definite statement about its importance to you compared to whatever you do choose to tackle - even if only that kobolds are too petty for you to be bothered with!I would have thought that that should solve the issue, while still leaving the basic function of the mechanic in place.Presumably Magic Missile could have a similar roll (you can always muck up your recitation of the mystic words under the pressure of combat), and we could even say that a natural 20 on a save always means no damage, even from a spell like fireball.</blockquote>

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