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Respect Mah Authoritah: Thoughts on DM and Player Authority in 5e
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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 8431410" data-attributes="member: 6801845"><p>The DM runs the game. A DM can abuse that authority in ways that makes for a game that is not fun, it's one of the ways you can <s>be a bad</s> run a bad game. Where I draw the line though, may be different for different DMs. Some DMs will ignore the result of dice (aka "fudge" dice rolls) others will not. Every once in a great while I'll conveniently "forget" to roll for the recharge of an ability because the encounter is going down the toilet and the group is looking at a TPK which won't be fun for my current group. Is that crossing a line? Is telling a person that they hit when they shouldn't have because it makes for an epic moment? </p><p></p><p>What I won't do is tell a person that "no you don't do that" except perhaps in that once-in-my-DM-lifetime event that involved a magically suppressed memory. If I wanted the BBEG to get away but the party can stop them? The party stops them.</p><p></p><p>On the other hand, I am not a slave to the rules. That's all I'm trying to say. Ignoring the rules should be done with care. I don't think anyone would think a good DM will ever take it to this extreme</p><p></p><p></p><p>Could a DM do that? I suppose. A lot of people talk about their dozens of house rules, I don't really see a difference. If I have the authority to ignore some rules, I have the authority to ignore all rules. </p><p></p><p>I think the post was strawman because nobody says a DM <em>should</em> do that but this is what what always happens. We go from "occasionally I ignore the rules to make the game more fun" to "DM Calvinball".</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 8431410, member: 6801845"] The DM runs the game. A DM can abuse that authority in ways that makes for a game that is not fun, it's one of the ways you can [S]be a bad[/S] run a bad game. Where I draw the line though, may be different for different DMs. Some DMs will ignore the result of dice (aka "fudge" dice rolls) others will not. Every once in a great while I'll conveniently "forget" to roll for the recharge of an ability because the encounter is going down the toilet and the group is looking at a TPK which won't be fun for my current group. Is that crossing a line? Is telling a person that they hit when they shouldn't have because it makes for an epic moment? What I won't do is tell a person that "no you don't do that" except perhaps in that once-in-my-DM-lifetime event that involved a magically suppressed memory. If I wanted the BBEG to get away but the party can stop them? The party stops them. On the other hand, I am not a slave to the rules. That's all I'm trying to say. Ignoring the rules should be done with care. I don't think anyone would think a good DM will ever take it to this extreme Could a DM do that? I suppose. A lot of people talk about their dozens of house rules, I don't really see a difference. If I have the authority to ignore some rules, I have the authority to ignore all rules. I think the post was strawman because nobody says a DM [I]should[/I] do that but this is what what always happens. We go from "occasionally I ignore the rules to make the game more fun" to "DM Calvinball". [/QUOTE]
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Respect Mah Authoritah: Thoughts on DM and Player Authority in 5e
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