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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 8493368" data-attributes="member: 6801845">There is no way for a DM to describe everything the PCs could interact with in perfect detail.&nbsp; I may have thought I described it accurately, perhaps I did not.&nbsp; The wall may be made of loose shale that crumbles when they try to climb it, attempting to climb was the best way to discover this fact.This is not about &quot;gotchas&quot;.&nbsp; I avoid gotchas by ... wait for it ... not doing gotchas.&nbsp; It's about streamlining the game and players not having to hang on my every word, expecting my word to convey what I think it did, and simply not wasting time.&nbsp; Yes, there's a wall.&nbsp; No I didn't expect the PCs to climb it.&nbsp; Why would I go into detail about the wall?&nbsp; That, and it feels like some people have never gone exploring/climbing natural cliffs.&nbsp; Sometimes it looks like you should be able to climb it but you simply don't know until you try.&nbsp; Maybe abundant handholds at the bottom aren't there as you climb higher.&nbsp; Maybe there are sections where the rock is loose and it crumbles.Last, but not least, why is it such a big deal?&nbsp; This happens now and then, the PC goes to open the door only to be told it's locked, it's tedious to have them ask at every door &quot;is it locked?&quot;&nbsp; There's no point, having to clarify before every and any attempt would slow the game to a halt.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 8493368, member: 6801845"] There is no way for a DM to describe everything the PCs could interact with in perfect detail. I may have thought I described it accurately, perhaps I did not. The wall may be made of loose shale that crumbles when they try to climb it, attempting to climb was the best way to discover this fact. This is not about "gotchas". I avoid gotchas by ... wait for it ... not doing gotchas. It's about streamlining the game and players not having to hang on my every word, expecting my word to convey what I think it did, and simply not wasting time. Yes, there's a wall. No I didn't expect the PCs to climb it. Why would I go into detail about the wall? That, and it feels like some people have never gone exploring/climbing natural cliffs. Sometimes it looks like you should be able to climb it but you simply don't know until you try. Maybe abundant handholds at the bottom aren't there as you climb higher. Maybe there are sections where the rock is loose and it crumbles. Last, but not least, why is it such a big deal? This happens now and then, the PC goes to open the door only to be told it's locked, it's tedious to have them ask at every door "is it locked?" There's no point, having to clarify before every and any attempt would slow the game to a halt. [/QUOTE]

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