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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jesauce" data-source="post: 6409434" data-attributes="member: 6782433">Just going to drop my 2 cents into the jar here. The best way I can sum up my views is by using one of the terms that I believe is in the new PHB when talking about the DM, which is 'referee.' The ref knows the rules, in theory better than anyone on the field. He has some leeway in his calls, and sometimes has to make a hard decision. Sometimes they'll earn him a cheer, sometimes he'll be criticized. In the end though, he's just as invested in the game as the players. Trying to say that one is more important, or invests more into the game than the other is ridiculous. They all have their reason the be there.Learning and adapting your game to the players as a GM is a must, IMO. If you're so iron-clad in everything that happens in the game that the players have no room to interact outside of what you're doing then you might as well simply read them the campaign as a story. The GM inherently has control over the game, it's his job, and the players should abide by his decisions. The GM, also, should be open to critique. There have been plenty of times when I've made a ruling off the cuff when a situation presented itself and afterwards had players come up to me and tell me they thought I made the wrong call. Simply telling them off and letting it drop would only earn me the animosity of my players, and a smaller group. It's worth taking the time to listen to your players concerns, sometime they will surprise you, you know. At the very least, be willing to explain yourself candidly to your players even if you stick to your call, rule or tweak. Being open with your players is important. My personal rules have gone through so many revisions based on how games have turned out that I couldn't possibly keep count. Likewise, I've had entire campaigns turned upside down by a single decision. I have a personal rule that I never say 'no' to my players when it comes to roleplaying. If they want to try something, I let them try. Even if they have no chance of success I don't tell them so. I let them roll and see what happens. Most of the time I simply let them know that it didn't work out. However, every once in a while they try things so stupid, ridiculous or simply amazing that I will alter the course of a campaign for it. It has led to some incredibly memorable games.In the end I think terms like 'Player Entitlement' and 'GM Empowerment' are useless. Sure, the rules in 5e lean more in favor of letting the GM make the calls. But that doesn't mean that the GM is suddenly somehow more important than in previous editions. It just means that he has to make a few more calls when situations arise. Everyone should be at the table to have fun, if fun is being had, who cares?</blockquote>

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