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*Dungeons & Dragons
Polymorph Scenario
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<blockquote data-quote="Sunseeker" data-source="post: 7263490"><p>I often have to throw the brakes on my players because they can't keep their hands off rolling the die.</p><p></p><p>While I encourage players to declare their own actions, I demand that they <em>slow the heck down</em>. </p><p></p><p>Ideally the situation should resolve as follows (and keep in mind I'd adding a bit to flesh out the scenario):</p><p>PC1: I cast polymorph on the Purple Wurm.</p><p>DM: Okay. *Rolls* It fails, but you hear a rumbling coming from the ground beneath you, make a Dex save.</p><p>PC1: Okay. *rolls* 16.</p><p>DM: You dodge quickly off to the side as another Purple Wurm bores up from the ground!</p><p>PC2: Seriously?</p><p>PC1: I grab the little frog that I just polymorphed the first one into.</p><p>DM: Make a Dex check. It's small and scared and hopping around like crazy.</p><p>PC1: *rolls* 18!</p><p>DM: Good, you catch it.</p><p>PC1: Okay then I toss it down the gullet of the second Purple Wurm!</p><p>DM: *raises eyebrow* Okay, make Dex check. </p><p>PC1: *rolls* Nat 20!</p><p>DM: *adjudicates results*</p><p></p><p>It's a bit lengthy, and ignores the fact that the second Purple Wurm probably should have acted at least once and the rest of the party should have probably acted 3 or 4 times, but everyone involved is taking their turn, noone is declaring that things just *happen* because they rolled a 20. That's the DM's job to declare what happens. It's the DM's job to declare <em>how </em>it happens. Players are often quick to think a Nat 20 means they win at whatever they want to do, regardless of what the DM says. This is not the case. The DM is <em>always </em>the final arbiter on what specifically happens.</p><p></p><p>What happens sometimes is the following:</p><p>PC1: I cast polymorph on the Purple Wurm!</p><p>DM: Okay it failed, but another wurm shows up shortly after.</p><p>PC1: *rolls* Nat 20! I grab the frog that was oncethepurplewurmanddowadoublebackflipandthrowitdownthesecondwurmsgulletthenIstopconcentrationonthespellanditimmediatelyreturnstonormalandbothwurmsgoSPOLDEBOOM!!!YEAHNAT20!!!</p><p></p><p>Declare <em>then</em> roll. Better yet, declare then <em>wait</em> for the DM to call for a roll. I mean, for all you know, no roll may be required! If a player jumps the gun, I have been known to simply <em>add</em> effects based on the roll. There is a proper order to these things and keeping things orderly helps the game flow property and keep everyone (DM included) involved in the resolution of events. </p><p></p><p>I readily ignore players who take actions out of turn and roll dice without being called for.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sunseeker, post: 7263490"] I often have to throw the brakes on my players because they can't keep their hands off rolling the die. While I encourage players to declare their own actions, I demand that they [I]slow the heck down[/I]. Ideally the situation should resolve as follows (and keep in mind I'd adding a bit to flesh out the scenario): PC1: I cast polymorph on the Purple Wurm. DM: Okay. *Rolls* It fails, but you hear a rumbling coming from the ground beneath you, make a Dex save. PC1: Okay. *rolls* 16. DM: You dodge quickly off to the side as another Purple Wurm bores up from the ground! PC2: Seriously? PC1: I grab the little frog that I just polymorphed the first one into. DM: Make a Dex check. It's small and scared and hopping around like crazy. PC1: *rolls* 18! DM: Good, you catch it. PC1: Okay then I toss it down the gullet of the second Purple Wurm! DM: *raises eyebrow* Okay, make Dex check. PC1: *rolls* Nat 20! DM: *adjudicates results* It's a bit lengthy, and ignores the fact that the second Purple Wurm probably should have acted at least once and the rest of the party should have probably acted 3 or 4 times, but everyone involved is taking their turn, noone is declaring that things just *happen* because they rolled a 20. That's the DM's job to declare what happens. It's the DM's job to declare [I]how [/I]it happens. Players are often quick to think a Nat 20 means they win at whatever they want to do, regardless of what the DM says. This is not the case. The DM is [I]always [/I]the final arbiter on what specifically happens. What happens sometimes is the following: PC1: I cast polymorph on the Purple Wurm! DM: Okay it failed, but another wurm shows up shortly after. PC1: *rolls* Nat 20! I grab the frog that was oncethepurplewurmanddowadoublebackflipandthrowitdownthesecondwurmsgulletthenIstopconcentrationonthespellanditimmediatelyreturnstonormalandbothwurmsgoSPOLDEBOOM!!!YEAHNAT20!!! Declare [I]then[/I] roll. Better yet, declare then [I]wait[/I] for the DM to call for a roll. I mean, for all you know, no roll may be required! If a player jumps the gun, I have been known to simply [I]add[/I] effects based on the roll. There is a proper order to these things and keeping things orderly helps the game flow property and keep everyone (DM included) involved in the resolution of events. I readily ignore players who take actions out of turn and roll dice without being called for. [/QUOTE]
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