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<blockquote data-quote="CharlesRyan" data-source="post: 5373711" data-attributes="member: 5265">Last weekend my group was playing their second session in the Red Box adventure (veteran gamers, but most of them new to 4E). Spoilers follow, if you're concerned about that.They failed the skill challenge in talking to the white dragon (by just one roll), and ended up in a fight. After an exciting battle, all the heroes were down except the rogue. The dragon had 1 hp.It was down to that last roll of the dice: If the dragon hit, it was a TPK. If he missed, all the rogue needed was a hit--any hit.I might have fudged, but I didn't need to; the dragon missed cleanly, and the rogue hit. I did sort of fudge through the healing rules--after such a heroic stand, it would just have undermined the players' fun to have someone miss their third death save while the rogue was desperately trying to summon three decent unskilled Heal checks.After an extended rest, they went into the chess room. A much easier fight, but nothing came together for them. The cleric went down early, and they had no more healing. Despite pulling a number of punches, six rounds later it was TPK.One fight fudged; the other not. Two different results; but ironically the opposite of expectations.The lesson? An unfudged fight can be a real nail-biter, but only if you're really OK with the negative consequences. Personally, I take to heart the belief that the GM's job is to ensure the game is fun for everyone. Sometimes the risk of a TPK adds to the fun, and sometimes it doesn't. In the latter case, I'll fudge every time.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CharlesRyan, post: 5373711, member: 5265"] Last weekend my group was playing their second session in the Red Box adventure (veteran gamers, but most of them new to 4E). Spoilers follow, if you're concerned about that. They failed the skill challenge in talking to the white dragon (by just one roll), and ended up in a fight. After an exciting battle, all the heroes were down except the rogue. The dragon had 1 hp. It was down to that last roll of the dice: If the dragon hit, it was a TPK. If he missed, all the rogue needed was a hit--any hit. I might have fudged, but I didn't need to; the dragon missed cleanly, and the rogue hit. I did sort of fudge through the healing rules--after such a heroic stand, it would just have undermined the players' fun to have someone miss their third death save while the rogue was desperately trying to summon three decent unskilled Heal checks. After an extended rest, they went into the chess room. A much easier fight, but nothing came together for them. The cleric went down early, and they had no more healing. Despite pulling a number of punches, six rounds later it was TPK. One fight fudged; the other not. Two different results; but ironically the opposite of expectations. The lesson? An unfudged fight can be a real nail-biter, but only if you're really OK with the negative consequences. Personally, I take to heart the belief that the GM's job is to ensure the game is fun for everyone. Sometimes the risk of a TPK adds to the fun, and sometimes it doesn't. In the latter case, I'll fudge every time. [/QUOTE]

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