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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 8495222" data-attributes="member: 6801845">Maybe it's just such an alien approach to me?&nbsp; If someone is going to attempt to climb a wall, the possible outcomes should be pretty obvious.&nbsp; They can't get more than a few feet, they will be at some point on the wall and fall which will may result in some damage or they can get to the top. Those are implicit and I don't see the need to state them.&nbsp; Sometimes you can look at that brick wall and know that it's going to be nearly impossible to climb.&nbsp; Other times until you try something you don't know how easy or difficult it will be.&nbsp; Open the door?&nbsp; Is it locked or stuck?&nbsp; You don't know just by looking at it.&nbsp; Locked but you think it will give with a good kick or two?&nbsp; Maybe you can bust it down or maybe it just looks shabby as part of disguising that this is the entrance to the thieves' guild and it's reinforced.&nbsp; It seems like you think in game terms and I think in terms of using D&amp;D as a crude simulation engine.&nbsp; If I want to add tension it will be &quot;You get to the end of the alley, shouts of the pursuers behind you and realize it's a dead end.&quot;&nbsp; Depending on the scenario there could be a door, maybe a fence, piles of old refuse and garbage.&nbsp; Who knows whether the door is locked, stuck, where it leads?&nbsp; Is the fence sturdy or rotten? You may need to spend a few precious seconds investigating.&nbsp; But I won't immediately tell them all of the options because I want them to tell me what their PC would attempt.&nbsp; I'll answer questions about the alley and what they can see at a glance. If they look like they're stuck I may ask them to give me an intelligence check (probably with a low DC) and if succeed they remember a particularly narrow spot of the alley they could potentially climb by bracing against both sides.&nbsp; Maybe a perception check reveals a grate with a sewer entrance or a boarded over window.&nbsp; Maybe the player decides they just try to bust down the fence and charge straight into it.&nbsp; But at first?&nbsp; I just want to build a picture for them of being in an alley with pursuers close behind, not remind them they're playing a game.&nbsp; No one true way of course, just what I find works best for me.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 8495222, member: 6801845"] Maybe it's just such an alien approach to me? If someone is going to attempt to climb a wall, the possible outcomes should be pretty obvious. They can't get more than a few feet, they will be at some point on the wall and fall which will may result in some damage or they can get to the top. Those are implicit and I don't see the need to state them. Sometimes you can look at that brick wall and know that it's going to be nearly impossible to climb. Other times until you try something you don't know how easy or difficult it will be. Open the door? Is it locked or stuck? You don't know just by looking at it. Locked but you think it will give with a good kick or two? Maybe you can bust it down or maybe it just looks shabby as part of disguising that this is the entrance to the thieves' guild and it's reinforced. It seems like you think in game terms and I think in terms of using D&D as a crude simulation engine. If I want to add tension it will be "You get to the end of the alley, shouts of the pursuers behind you and realize it's a dead end." Depending on the scenario there could be a door, maybe a fence, piles of old refuse and garbage. Who knows whether the door is locked, stuck, where it leads? Is the fence sturdy or rotten? You may need to spend a few precious seconds investigating. But I won't immediately tell them all of the options because I want them to tell me what their PC would attempt. I'll answer questions about the alley and what they can see at a glance. If they look like they're stuck I may ask them to give me an intelligence check (probably with a low DC) and if succeed they remember a particularly narrow spot of the alley they could potentially climb by bracing against both sides. Maybe a perception check reveals a grate with a sewer entrance or a boarded over window. Maybe the player decides they just try to bust down the fence and charge straight into it. But at first? I just want to build a picture for them of being in an alley with pursuers close behind, not remind them they're playing a game. No one true way of course, just what I find works best for me. [/QUOTE]

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