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<blockquote data-quote="Emberashh" data-source="post: 8985710" data-attributes="member: 7040941">This entire topic feels like im trying to understand rocket surgery, and I say that as someone who actually knows an inordinate amount about such things. That being said, I will note about the earlier example of the Wand of Such and Such that its apparent failure to work is being presented as an arbitrary happenstance, dictated by the GM or some other unspoken of force. Thats a pretty important distinction that seems glossed over in a topic that seems to be talking about consistency and verisimilitude (in very esoteric language, i might add). Normally, or rather ideally, the Wand of Such and Such should only fail because theres something mechanically causing it to do so. The Wand itself has an imperfect mechanism, giving it a chance for failure. Something in the world has mechanics that work against the Wand. Etc.Ie, the Player rolled too low on their MacGuffin skill, so the Wand sputters and no door is found. Or the Door has been enchanted by Dr. Evil and it overpowers the magic of the wand, maintaining its concealment, that then gets circumvented by Jimmy the Rogue who rolled really high on his Find the Door Enchanted by Dr. Evil skill. Perhaps both happened, and why the Player failed was because the Door imposed a penalty on their MacGuffin check. I think getting caught up in an esoteric quagmire trying to upend how the fiction manifests isn't a great use of time.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Emberashh, post: 8985710, member: 7040941"] This entire topic feels like im trying to understand rocket surgery, and I say that as someone who actually knows an inordinate amount about such things. That being said, I will note about the earlier example of the Wand of Such and Such that its apparent failure to work is being presented as an arbitrary happenstance, dictated by the GM or some other unspoken of force. Thats a pretty important distinction that seems glossed over in a topic that seems to be talking about consistency and verisimilitude (in very esoteric language, i might add). Normally, or rather ideally, the Wand of Such and Such should only fail because theres something mechanically causing it to do so. The Wand itself has an imperfect mechanism, giving it a chance for failure. Something in the world has mechanics that work against the Wand. Etc. Ie, the Player rolled too low on their MacGuffin skill, so the Wand sputters and no door is found. Or the Door has been enchanted by Dr. Evil and it overpowers the magic of the wand, maintaining its concealment, that then gets circumvented by Jimmy the Rogue who rolled really high on his Find the Door Enchanted by Dr. Evil skill. Perhaps both happened, and why the Player failed was because the Door imposed a penalty on their MacGuffin check. I think getting caught up in an esoteric quagmire trying to upend how the fiction manifests isn't a great use of time. [/QUOTE]

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