Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="DinoInDisguise" data-source="post: 9541664" data-attributes="member: 7045806">Is adjusting monster HP on the fly also wrong? Should monster stat-blocks also be public? If we want real ability to verify DM behavior we should consider encounter design by committee as well.Obviously no one is asking for the above. But I think it illustrates the issue. If a DM wishes to force an outcome, they have many tools to do so, fudging the dice is rarely the best of tool for that job.Let say you removed all forms of adjustments the DM could do on the fly. What does that actually accomplish? Well it puts the outcome back on the encounter design. It is only when that encounter design fits a narrow balance window that the dice actually matter. A window that is a moving target based on player decision making. A window that the prepping DM is, at best, taking an educated guess at.So I think when DM's decide how they want to approach this topic. They are only deciding where in the chain they express their control. Maybe instead of fudging dice, they adjust enemy hp or have reinforcements show up in the nick of time. Maybe they fly by the seat of their pants and rely solely on their encounter balance and design from their prep. At all of these points the DM is the dominate force in deciding the outcome. Be it in the moment or hours prior.People are free to do as they wish. To play the game how they want. I could care less if a DM rolls in private or in public, because at the end of the day I, as a player, am at their mercy either way. And so I'd argue it's best for my mental health and enjoyment of the game that I trust that DM, regardless of where their dice land.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DinoInDisguise, post: 9541664, member: 7045806"] Is adjusting monster HP on the fly also wrong? Should monster stat-blocks also be public? If we want real ability to verify DM behavior we should consider encounter design by committee as well. Obviously no one is asking for the above. But I think it illustrates the issue. If a DM wishes to force an outcome, they have many tools to do so, fudging the dice is rarely the best of tool for that job. Let say you removed all forms of adjustments the DM could do on the fly. What does that actually accomplish? Well it puts the outcome back on the encounter design. It is only when that encounter design fits a narrow balance window that the dice actually matter. A window that is a moving target based on player decision making. A window that the prepping DM is, at best, taking an educated guess at. So I think when DM's decide how they want to approach this topic. They are only deciding where in the chain they express their control. Maybe instead of fudging dice, they adjust enemy hp or have reinforcements show up in the nick of time. Maybe they fly by the seat of their pants and rely solely on their encounter balance and design from their prep. At all of these points the DM is the dominate force in deciding the outcome. Be it in the moment or hours prior. People are free to do as they wish. To play the game how they want. I could care less if a DM rolls in private or in public, because at the end of the day I, as a player, am at their mercy either way. And so I'd argue it's best for my mental health and enjoyment of the game that I trust that DM, regardless of where their dice land. [/QUOTE]

Verification