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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 9030558" data-attributes="member: 82106">Obviously this is a bit of hyperbole, but the truth at the core of it is a very hard kernel indeed! Consider the example of deploying a trap against the notional 4 goblins. In 5e the player describes this task. The GM then does SOMETHING, and announces a DC for the player to roll for.What is this something? That's the only question here. If our GM is the one and only big game hunter/US Army Ranger dude in a million GMs, then maybe he makes an informed decision about this DC. Maybe, but maybe he is a family and decides to just set a DC that sounds fun and challenging, or he's a narrativist and his DCs are set to produce a good blend of success and adversity. Maybe he thinks you're an obnoxious player and rules that the goblin ganks you while you foolishly stand there fiddling with rope. Maybe he thinks you're hot and goes easy on you!Now, assuming said GM is NOT a trap expert, all he can do is pick from the other motives! Sure he might think it's ideal to set the DC realistically, but he has NO neans to do so! People always do possible things, so ipso facto the GM WILL pick an actual course of action.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 9030558, member: 82106"] Obviously this is a bit of hyperbole, but the truth at the core of it is a very hard kernel indeed! Consider the example of deploying a trap against the notional 4 goblins. In 5e the player describes this task. The GM then does SOMETHING, and announces a DC for the player to roll for. What is this something? That's the only question here. If our GM is the one and only big game hunter/US Army Ranger dude in a million GMs, then maybe he makes an informed decision about this DC. Maybe, but maybe he is a family and decides to just set a DC that sounds fun and challenging, or he's a narrativist and his DCs are set to produce a good blend of success and adversity. Maybe he thinks you're an obnoxious player and rules that the goblin ganks you while you foolishly stand there fiddling with rope. Maybe he thinks you're hot and goes easy on you! Now, assuming said GM is NOT a trap expert, all he can do is pick from the other motives! Sure he might think it's ideal to set the DC realistically, but he has NO neans to do so! People always do possible things, so ipso facto the GM WILL pick an actual course of action. [/QUOTE]

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