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The GM is Not There to Entertain You
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<blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8658428" data-attributes="member: 6785785"><p>So we've gone from one recourse to several. How was I wrong to say there was more than two options? </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A few things on this.</p><p></p><p>You've created a chicken/egg situation by citing the DM's authority as described by the rules. If the DM gets their authority from the rules, then I don't think we can accept that the rules are not the source of authority. </p><p></p><p>The rules do give the DM the authority to revise rules as needed. I don't think that the intention is for the DM to simply start ignoring rules and doing anything he feels like. No, such authority is given with the expectation of being exercised responsibly. How is such responsible use to be determined? By the participants as a collective, with the text as their guide. </p><p></p><p>If the DM overturns a rule, and a player questions it, I think we can all agree that the DM should have a justification for it. The bit from the DMG you've cited is not an invitation to just ditch all the rules and do things however you want. Otherwise the DMG would be one page long and all that it would say would be the bit you've quoted. </p><p></p><p>Anyone sitting down at a new table should have the expectation that play will go according to the rules. That changes can be made to these rules does not invalidate them. </p><p></p><p>Finally, and perhaps most relevantly, we're not only talking about D&D here. You've quoted the DMG. I could quote other games where there is no equivalent "rule zero" type of text. This is simply not true of all RPGs. I don't think it's true of D&D, but with other games there's not even a doubt. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>You've flat out stated you trust no players, so I don't know why all of a sudden trust is so important to you. According to what you've said, you trust no one you game with. </p><p></p><p>People aren't perfect, so all this stuff about trust is just a distraction. Like, I have people who I'd trust my life with....but I would not let them pick the movie for movie night because their taste in movies sucks. One has nothing to do with the other. </p><p></p><p>The kind of "I needs all teh power" GMs that you're describing don't seem to be the kind of "I don't mind relinquishing my authority to the dice and/or the players" that I'd prefer to game with. When I GM I don't want or need all that authority. I absolutely enjoy finding out what happens as a result of play not as a result of my decisions as GM. </p><p></p><p>I'll go one step further. I think GMing with constraints actually requires more skill to do than GMing without constraints. I like the creative challenge that it offers me as a GM. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>It clearly does.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hawkeyefan, post: 8658428, member: 6785785"] So we've gone from one recourse to several. How was I wrong to say there was more than two options? A few things on this. You've created a chicken/egg situation by citing the DM's authority as described by the rules. If the DM gets their authority from the rules, then I don't think we can accept that the rules are not the source of authority. The rules do give the DM the authority to revise rules as needed. I don't think that the intention is for the DM to simply start ignoring rules and doing anything he feels like. No, such authority is given with the expectation of being exercised responsibly. How is such responsible use to be determined? By the participants as a collective, with the text as their guide. If the DM overturns a rule, and a player questions it, I think we can all agree that the DM should have a justification for it. The bit from the DMG you've cited is not an invitation to just ditch all the rules and do things however you want. Otherwise the DMG would be one page long and all that it would say would be the bit you've quoted. Anyone sitting down at a new table should have the expectation that play will go according to the rules. That changes can be made to these rules does not invalidate them. Finally, and perhaps most relevantly, we're not only talking about D&D here. You've quoted the DMG. I could quote other games where there is no equivalent "rule zero" type of text. This is simply not true of all RPGs. I don't think it's true of D&D, but with other games there's not even a doubt. You've flat out stated you trust no players, so I don't know why all of a sudden trust is so important to you. According to what you've said, you trust no one you game with. People aren't perfect, so all this stuff about trust is just a distraction. Like, I have people who I'd trust my life with....but I would not let them pick the movie for movie night because their taste in movies sucks. One has nothing to do with the other. The kind of "I needs all teh power" GMs that you're describing don't seem to be the kind of "I don't mind relinquishing my authority to the dice and/or the players" that I'd prefer to game with. When I GM I don't want or need all that authority. I absolutely enjoy finding out what happens as a result of play not as a result of my decisions as GM. I'll go one step further. I think GMing with constraints actually requires more skill to do than GMing without constraints. I like the creative challenge that it offers me as a GM. It clearly does. [/QUOTE]
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