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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TwoSix" data-source="post: 5520704" data-attributes="member: 205">Yea, I'm sorry, but that just doesn't fly.  I don't demand an explanation for actions.  Most things characters do make sense.  If I can't see why somebody did something, I'll simply ask for clarification.  I mean, we're playing a TTRPG.  I only have a few sentences at best to give the player a sense of what's going on.  If I don't know what the character is doing or why he's doing it, how can I make the game come alive for the player?  I mean, as a DM, I don't know what's in the well either.  Nothing in the campaign world has any reality until it's been shared between the players and myself.So saying:"I'm curious about what's in the bottom of the well, since monsters may have dropped something in.  I'm going to dive down, can I use an Arcana check to allow myself to breathe underwater for a few minutes?" is infringing on your rights as a player as opposed to:"Wait here.  I'm drinking my water breathing potion and diving down this well."?You seem to be extrapolating from a narrative driven approach to "All we do is fight all the time."  None of this preparation or exploration is denied to you in a 4e game.  All you have to to do is discuss it with the DM.  I just can't see why that's so hard to accept.I started playing in 1990.  I cut my teeth on 2e, which emphasized that story and background were more important elements to the game then dungeon crawling.  So maybe my disdain for this playstyle comes from my background.  And I've DMed enough (and even read DMG2!) to get that people play differently, thanks.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />As a player, I explain what I'm doing all the time.  Usually IC, but occasionally OOC if the situation requires it.  Again, probably good we live 2500 miles apart and can't accidently play in the same game. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />No, no, I oppose any sort of mystery or suspense or attempts for characters to deviate from my story!  How dare they!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />This is pretty circular at this point, and I just realized I'm debating an issue that's been around for years.My games are narrative driven.  The campaign world only loosely exists outside of the player's perceptions.  I don't put in secret doors or buried loot with no rhyme or reason.  (Well, sometimes I do it to reward characters for being on their toes with looking around.)  I will change the world on the fly to suit character's motivations.  If exploring wells is super-important to the character, if exploring in general is important to the character, then you better believe it'll become important in the game.  We shape the story together.But your job as a player is to play a character.  If you like to kill stuff, we'll hack-and-slash.  If you like powergame and build cool characters, I'll throw tough stuff at you so you know you did well.  If you just like to sit back and relax, that's awesome, just know one interesting thing about your character so at least we have a hook.  Not hard stuff.  But what is hiding from the DM and other players going to do to make the game better?</blockquote>

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