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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sunseeker" data-source="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 slow the heck down.  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 how 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 always 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 then roll.  Better yet, declare then wait 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 add 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.</blockquote>

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