Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ahnehnois" data-source="post: 6304373" data-attributes="member: 17106">No, it's not. Everything is due to the DM. If you're the players, you're either tracking your own internal goals, or your success is manifest in part through your ability to achieve the DMs vision, and in part through your ability to persuade him of the merits of yours.To put it another way, the idea of a success that is manifest in the game world and is contrary to the DM's vision is nonsensical. You can't beat the DM. Which is fine, because D&D is not about players taking on the DM and winning.I think it's fair to say that most rulers have people working for them that are stronger than they are.There's some gray area there. However, I think that if anyone's defenses can be defeated by a first level spell, they must not have anything worth defending. If they did, someone would have gotten to it before the PCs.I think even a very minor lord has mid-level NPCs of various classes working for him, and I think that anyone who is in a position of standing guard or protecting someone knows that if a person casts a spell, you should consider it a hostile act and either attack them or run for help immediately. Barring certain specific exceptions of course (spells from known friendlies, silent/stilled spells that aren't apparent as such).It doesn't take much to beat a charm; a cantrip can detect an enchantment aura, at which point you know something is wrong. Surely no one gets in to see anyone of consequence without at least that simple test.I would guess that in many campaign settings, it's entirely reasonable that players can assume/acquire positions of political power commensurate with their capacities and achievements. I don't think that will typically involve them using level 1 charm spells to work their way to the top, but it definitely may happen by other means. Most likely, they'll be awarded titles voluntarily, or perhaps they'll overthrow leaders using much more impressive methods than conversation and low-level magic.</blockquote>

Verification