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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 8011255" data-attributes="member: 29398">I agree this is awful.I don't agree that this is awful, as long as there's some underlying logic to it all - maybe the PCs just happened to take the long way around to getting the info they really needed.I think the GM should take it seriously, and even if she already knows from her notes that the old postern was bricked up years ago, play through the PCs investigations until they learn this for themselves.And at that point maybe the PCs come up with a bright idea as to how to get through a bricked-up postern in a way that doesn't raise too much fuss; and if they do (and if things work out for them) that's cool!&nbsp; But it won't be without risk... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Thing is, to some people those are the same thing.The fiction is in the GM's mind, thus working it out is simply another step in engaging and following said fiction.There's three pillars of play - 5e codifed them really well - and one of those in a way is almost completely a matter of puzzle-solving; that being exploration (and exploration also includes investigation and info-gathering).Downplaying or removing puzzle-solving largely guts one of the three pillars.&nbsp; Why would anyone do this?Sometimes social interaction also involves puzzle-solving e.g. the riddling statue, but it's less common there.&nbsp; Combat itself rarely if ever involves puzzle-solving, though the pre-planning and run-up to it often can.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 8011255, member: 29398"] I agree this is awful. I don't agree that this is awful, as long as there's some underlying logic to it all - maybe the PCs just happened to take the long way around to getting the info they really needed. I think the GM should take it seriously, and even if she already knows from her notes that the old postern was bricked up years ago, play through the PCs investigations until they learn this for themselves. And at that point maybe the PCs come up with a bright idea as to how to get through a bricked-up postern in a way that doesn't raise too much fuss; and if they do (and if things work out for them) that's cool! But it won't be without risk... :) Thing is, to some people those are the same thing. The fiction is in the GM's mind, thus working it out is simply another step in engaging and following said fiction. There's three pillars of play - 5e codifed them really well - and one of those in a way is almost completely a matter of puzzle-solving; that being exploration (and exploration also includes investigation and info-gathering). Downplaying or removing puzzle-solving largely guts one of the three pillars. Why would anyone do this? Sometimes social interaction also involves puzzle-solving e.g. the riddling statue, but it's less common there. Combat itself rarely if ever involves puzzle-solving, though the pre-planning and run-up to it often can. [/QUOTE]

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