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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 9722555" data-attributes="member: 6785785">I don't see as strong a distinction between linear and railroad. They're metaphors... descriptors. And to me, they describe very similar things. Like... if I'm on an adventure path and I don't "get off the path" as you say, then my experience of play will basically be the same as a railroad. No. When I agree to play a trad game, I know what limitations I should expect. I know that things will likely be on tracks of one form or another as far as what we experience, and there being some overarching story. Not always, but very often. When I agree to play, I accept that. But I expect that my decisions and declarations will matter. Like in my example from Star Trek where I wasn't given the chance to point out I wanted to move quietly and stealthily, nor was I given the chance to notice oncoming NPCs who were not making any attempt to be stealthy. Well, no. As you always point out, the rules grant absolute authority to the DM. So if I agree to play D&D, that's what I should expect? Your nose-picking blocking that will drive me from the game and then have you use my PC as an NPC? If I should not expect that... then I don't see why it needs to be pointed out. And that bit of extremist rhetoric aside, there are still so many gray areas in question... there's no certain way for D&D 5e to be played. So what am I supposed to expect? I direct him to your quotes because you always feel the need to point out that the DM has absolute authority. You must be pointing that out for a reason. If not, then why point it out? If it is never meant to be a case where you can deny a player declared action and then take that player's character and turn them into an NPC for seemingly no reason at all... if that's not meant to happen, then why do you insist that the game grants that level of authority? And if your interpretation is accepted as accurate, why does the game need to state this? How are players supposed to base their expectations for what play will be like? And as long as you feel the need to point it out, I'll use it as an example of a poster claiming absolute authority for the DM.</blockquote>

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