Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Forrester" data-source="post: 327532" data-attributes="member: 1279">I'm not sure about a passage in the DMG, but there's this from Monte: <a href="http://www.montecook.com/arch_dmonly16.html" target="_blank">http://www.montecook.com/arch_dmonly16.html</a>He starts by talking about his recent module:"In my adventure Demon God's Fane, the scenario begins with a murder mystery. So I thought of all the ways the PCs could use spells to solve it and presented a summary for the DM:The PCs can call upon a number of divination spells to help them solve the murders. In fact, after only a little investigation, the spells they possess should make short work of the "mystery." That's fine -- do not feel that the players are "cheating" by doing this." and then kindly gives us some tips on How To Be A Good DM In A High-Level Campaign:"Don't Negate, Embrace.It's a tendency for DMs (and module writers) to do everything mentioned in Step 1 and then systematically eliminate the possibility of the PCs using those abilities. If they have a clever trap in the adventure that requires the characters to be on the ground, they make it impossible to fly. That's lazy design."and concludes by saying "The whole point of these suggestions is to avoid punishing characters for being high level."This, combined with comments I have read elsewhere, strongly suggest that DMs shouldn't change ("negate") high level spells, because it would be "punishing" the characters. Which directly implies that Monte thinks the characters are entitled to any and all spells in the PHB, exactly as written . . . yes, changes made to these spells in order to help the DM tell his story are "lazy design" and "punishment". You want to do a murder mystery? Too f'ing bad. LokiDR is entitled to his Commune spell, as written. Shame on you for even thinking about changing it.   I'll add that it's possible that I'm overinterpreting Monte's column here. It's possible. But I doubt it. And certainly, there are plenty of players out there (not that I'm mentioning any names) that whine like hell any time the GM thinks about taking or changing any of their toys. You know what the problem is? In 3E, the players think that the PHB/DMG/MM triumvirate is God. Guess what, folks. It's not. I think I speak for all the DMs where when I say that WE ARE GOD. DMs put ten times as much work into campaigns, if not more, than the players do. A little damn respect is in order. I'm not saying that you can't have problems with your DM, especially if his rules changes are inconsistent or illogical. There are just gods and there are unjust gods. But it's not the pile of books that is going to determine what you face next. It's not the pile of books that is going to figure out how to work all of your backstories into the plotline. It's not the pile of books that is going to be tailoring all of the encounters to give adequate challenges to your particular party. It's not the pile of books that is going to be trying to figure out how in the hell to entertain three or four or five or six different types of players at once. Meaning it's the DM, not some pile of books, that is the Alpha and the Omega. And if you trust him enough to allow him to work ten times as hard as you do, crafting the campaign, maybe you should shut your yap when he decides that a particular spell, as written in the PHB, won't work well with the story he's creating. Your DM is God. Remember that when you say your prayers at night <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />.</blockquote>

Verification