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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 9669215" data-attributes="member: 42582">First, I'm not sure that a rule about when to call for rolls is a mechanical constraint?I mean, is the principle that a GM in 5e D&amp;D initiates a combat situation by calling for initiative rolls a mechanical constraint? It seems to be a rule/principle/convention about when to invoke a particular mechanic.Maybe this is just terminology? I guess I would generally think as a &quot;mechanical constraint&quot; as one which flows from the deployment of a mechanic, rather than one that governs the deployment of a mechanic.Second, I don't see how/why this is not germane. It seems absolutely germane! The rules for player-side moves in AW create a clear boundary around when the GM is allowed to make a move, which should generally be a soft move and when the dice are rolled to decide who gets to go next, and what sort of thing they are allowed to say.An analogue in Gygax's AD&amp;D would be that if a dragon breathes on a PC, the GM is not at liberty to just say what happens. Rather, there is a rule for specifying the threat posed by the breath in terms of hit points of damage, and the player of the character is entitled to roll a saving throw (albeit subject to any circumstance-based modifier that the GM imposes, as per p 81 of the DMG).Of course, there is a tradition in RPGing of regarding dice rolls as nothing but a prompt or aid for GM decision-making. But that is not the only way they can be thought of. There is another tradition in RPGing, which regards the rules around when dice are to be rolled, and how the outcomes of those rolls are to be applied, as pretty fundamental.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 9669215, member: 42582"] First, I'm not sure that a rule about when to call for rolls is a [I]mechanical[/I] constraint? I mean, is the principle that a GM in 5e D&D initiates a combat situation by calling for initiative rolls a [I]mechanical[/I] constraint? It seems to be a rule/principle/convention about [I]when to invoke a particular mechanic[/I]. Maybe this is just terminology? I guess I would generally think as a "mechanical constraint" as one which [I]flows[/I] from the deployment of a mechanic, rather than one that [I]governs[/I] the deployment of a mechanic. Second, I don't see how/why this is not germane. It seems absolutely germane! The rules for player-side moves in AW create a clear boundary around [I]when the GM is allowed to make a move, which should generally be a soft move[/I] and [I]when the dice are rolled to decide who gets to go next, and what sort of thing they are allowed to say[/I]. An analogue in Gygax's AD&D would be that if a dragon breathes on a PC, the GM is not at liberty to just [I]say what happens[/I]. Rather, there is a rule for specifying the threat posed by the breath in terms of [I]hit points of damage[/I], and the player of the character is entitled to roll a saving throw (albeit subject to any circumstance-based modifier that the GM imposes, as per p 81 of the DMG). Of course, there is a tradition in RPGing of regarding dice rolls as nothing but a prompt or aid for GM decision-making. But that is not the only way they can be thought of. There is another tradition in RPGing, which regards the rules around when dice are to be rolled, and how the outcomes of those rolls are to be applied, as pretty fundamental. [/QUOTE]

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