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Message: <blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 4807727" data-attributes="member: 2067">The only alternative resolution method is DM Fiat, which, as I've pointed out, is not an entirely satisfying resolution method, especially for extended play, when you want your character's actual capabilities to influence the outcome.That's kind of one of the major differences between D&D and, say, Cops & Robbers. The whole "I shot you!/No you didn't!" argument is resolved by a third party: the rules. Without rules, you have "I shot you!/No you didn't!", even with a DM whose word is final (because we all know not all DM's are fair or impartial, as much as that might be an ideal trait). Even if it doesn't degenerate into actual arguments, the emotions and feelings are there, and the trust is harder to establish, and the game as a whole steers away from these kind of resolutions because it's generally not fun for players to just ask the DM if they win or not. Think about it the other way around. Think about how you do combat.You roll a d20 and THEN describe it. If the roll is low, you might have hit the shield, or been deceived by her speed. If the roll is high, maybe you struck with enough force, or caught them off guard. On a crit, perhaps you hit a vein or find a chink in the armor. Damage and HP work kind of like this, too: high damage when you're low on HP is described as a more severe blow than light damage when you're high on HP. The dice provide the direction, you provide the dialogue. The dice say how well your threat worked. You figure out what that means in-character.It does actually matter in combat if you hit someone in the eye or if you hit someone in the leg, but D&D doesn't make you tell the DM what you're aiming for before you roll to attack, and it doesn't really care how you describe it after the fact (what's important is that the fighting ability is decreased). It shouldn't make you tell the DM your exact statement before you decide what happens, and it shouldn't care exactly what that statement is (what's important is that you made a point that helps convince the Duke).</blockquote>

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