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<blockquote data-quote="bloodtide" data-source="post: 8675271" data-attributes="member: 6684958">As part of a DMs Absolute Power in D&amp;D is that they can create anything on a whim.&nbsp; For me the Power lets a DM create anything, anywhere, anytime.&nbsp; Though some players disagree.&nbsp; Such as today's game.&nbsp; My new 5E Spelljammer game, with people I'm not friends with, but we are all gamers.&nbsp; So two players decided to be hostile and try an nitpick my creation of everything.&nbsp; As I do a fair amount of Improv&nbsp; and I have more game/rule/skill/social mastery then both of them combined, they mostly annoying.&nbsp; And, of course, they did not slow down the game play at all as I keep things moving, and have my Hard Fun Three Second Rule(when action starts you have three seconds to state your characters action: otherwise your character is a confused target for that round).This is not the first time hostile players complained about the DMs creation powers.&nbsp; Lots of players demand some sort of &quot;limit&quot; to the DMs power.....but what that limit is, is fuzzy at best.&nbsp; Often it just comes down to &quot;whatever the player does not like&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp; So what are players limits?&nbsp; I'd hope to get a good list of limits to better understand the hostile players.So, most players agree a DM can create anything before a game and write it down.&nbsp; I think the only complaint here is if the DM makes something the player thinks &quot;does not belong&quot; in the game.&nbsp; But as D&amp;D has time/space magic, it's beyond silly for a player to make that complain anyway.&nbsp; Most players seem to be fine with a DM creating things in game, up until the first round of combat.&nbsp; Then many players feel anything encountered in combat can't be changed or altered or added too.&nbsp; The typical complaint here is the Bad DM one: &quot;it's wrong for a DM to suddenly say a foe is immune to fire after the Pc casts a fire spell on them.&quot;&nbsp; And I agree that DM is a bad DM, but still say the DM can create things at any time.&nbsp; This is where there is a big player stumble over the odd player demand of &quot;the DM must make a stat block, written down and stored in a safe place, for any encountered creature before combat, and once combat starts it can never be changed!&quot;&nbsp; This demand assumes DMs make detailed stat blocks.So what about Improv DMs.&nbsp; I don't think I'm the only DM that does Freeform Improv(but then, maybe I am).&nbsp; When the characters turn down an alley, I will often just on the spot create and encounter &quot;two orcs in hide armor, each has a spiked club&quot; without making any sort of Official Full Stat Block.&nbsp; When combat starts, I just toss out numbers as needed.&nbsp; Maybe half the time I use some rules mastery to toss out a &quot;by the rules&quot; number, the rest of the time I don't.Also, when Imporving without a stat black, the foe has no equipment.&nbsp; In that &quot;must be written down&quot; way some players demand.&nbsp; And some players would complain, if on round three, the DM &quot;suddenly&quot;&nbsp; just &quot;gave&quot; the orc a potion of healing to drink.&nbsp; Though by all rights, the orc DID always have the potion, even if the DM did not write it down.&nbsp; AND, even IF it was written down: it's not like the players are given the full stat block and possessions of every foe.&nbsp; And then we have the DMs game/rule/skill mastery.&nbsp; So, as a DM, a week before the game I know Lord Dark might need a quick get away.....so 'pop' I write down a potion of flying under his possessions.&nbsp; Two weeks later Lord Dark drinks the potion, jumps off a cliff, and flies away from the PCs.&nbsp; The players complain, but I just show them my date stamped Lord Dark sheet with the potion of flying listed weeks ago.&nbsp; And even if it was not listed way back then, it could still be added up the second before the encounter starts, right?&nbsp; Not that it can really matters as it can't be proven anyway.So, what says you?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="bloodtide, post: 8675271, member: 6684958"] As part of a DMs Absolute Power in D&D is that they can create anything on a whim. For me the Power lets a DM create anything, anywhere, anytime. Though some players disagree. Such as today's game. My new 5E Spelljammer game, with people I'm not friends with, but we are all gamers. So two players decided to be hostile and try an nitpick my creation of everything. As I do a fair amount of Improv and I have more game/rule/skill/social mastery then both of them combined, they mostly annoying. And, of course, they did not slow down the game play at all as I keep things moving, and have my Hard Fun Three Second Rule(when action starts you have three seconds to state your characters action: otherwise your character is a confused target for that round). This is not the first time hostile players complained about the DMs creation powers. Lots of players demand some sort of "limit" to the DMs power.....but what that limit is, is fuzzy at best. Often it just comes down to "whatever the player does not like". So what are players limits? I'd hope to get a good list of limits to better understand the hostile players. So, most players agree a DM can create anything before a game and write it down. I think the only complaint here is if the DM makes something the player thinks "does not belong" in the game. But as D&D has time/space magic, it's beyond silly for a player to make that complain anyway. Most players seem to be fine with a DM creating things in game, up until the first round of combat. Then many players feel anything encountered in combat can't be changed or altered or added too. The typical complaint here is the Bad DM one: "it's wrong for a DM to suddenly say a foe is immune to fire after the Pc casts a fire spell on them." And I agree that DM is a bad DM, but still say the DM can create things at any time. This is where there is a big player stumble over the odd player demand of "the DM must make a stat block, written down and stored in a safe place, for any encountered creature before combat, and once combat starts it can never be changed!" This demand assumes DMs make detailed stat blocks. So what about Improv DMs. I don't think I'm the only DM that does Freeform Improv(but then, maybe I am). When the characters turn down an alley, I will often just on the spot create and encounter "two orcs in hide armor, each has a spiked club" without making any sort of Official Full Stat Block. When combat starts, I just toss out numbers as needed. Maybe half the time I use some rules mastery to toss out a "by the rules" number, the rest of the time I don't. Also, when Imporving without a stat black, the foe has no equipment. In that "must be written down" way some players demand. And some players would complain, if on round three, the DM "suddenly" just "gave" the orc a potion of healing to drink. Though by all rights, the orc DID always have the potion, even if the DM did not write it down. AND, even IF it was written down: it's not like the players are given the full stat block and possessions of every foe. And then we have the DMs game/rule/skill mastery. So, as a DM, a week before the game I know Lord Dark might need a quick get away.....so 'pop' I write down a potion of flying under his possessions. Two weeks later Lord Dark drinks the potion, jumps off a cliff, and flies away from the PCs. The players complain, but I just show them my date stamped Lord Dark sheet with the potion of flying listed weeks ago. And even if it was not listed way back then, it could still be added up the second before the encounter starts, right? Not that it can really matters as it can't be proven anyway. So, what says you? [/QUOTE]

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