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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 4701333" data-attributes="member: 4937">You act like I need permission.I don't need permission to put anything I wish anywhere.&nbsp; &nbsp; Likewise, players don't need my permission to walk down any path of their choosing.A dragon rumored to be up in the mountains but which is only encountered if the players seek it out is hardly thrown at anyone.&nbsp; You act as if the DM is secretly gleeful at such a turn of affairs, when probably the DM sees it as a disaster.If the PC's make bad choices, naturally, they will come to bad ends in all probability despite my best efforts to save them from themselves.&nbsp; But ultimately, the player is in charge of his character.&nbsp; I can't force them not to do something stupid.&nbsp; I can't take away their responcibility for their actions, because to do that is to completely take away their freedom.&nbsp; If their actions always lead to the same ends no matter what I do, then they are truly just my puppets and the whole thing is a sham.If the PC's make good choice, naturally, they will probably overcome everything and come to good ends despite me playing NPC's with all the cunning and ruthless I can manage.&nbsp; Players are usually pretty cunning, and when you stack the deck in their favor ever so slightly, they generally prevail.&nbsp; Heck, they sometimes prevail when you think the odds are against them.&nbsp; What am I to do, take away their well earned rewards?&nbsp; If I can take away their bad ends and call it fair, then surely I can take away their good ends and call it fair?What course would you really suggest a DM take?&nbsp; Put up impenatrable forests and uncrossable mountains around every path, so as to perfectly guide the PC's to the places that you think that they ought to go?&nbsp; Shift every obstacle out of the way of the PC's, and shuffle in its place something you prefer?&nbsp; Erect invisible barriers in the campaign world that cannot be crossed until you reach level 15?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 4701333, member: 4937"] You act like I need permission. I don't need permission to put anything I wish anywhere. Likewise, players don't need my permission to walk down any path of their choosing. A dragon rumored to be up in the mountains but which is only encountered if the players seek it out is hardly thrown at anyone. You act as if the DM is secretly gleeful at such a turn of affairs, when probably the DM sees it as a disaster. If the PC's make bad choices, naturally, they will come to bad ends in all probability despite my best efforts to save them from themselves. But ultimately, the player is in charge of his character. I can't force them not to do something stupid. I can't take away their responcibility for their actions, because to do that is to completely take away their freedom. If their actions always lead to the same ends no matter what I do, then they are truly just my puppets and the whole thing is a sham. If the PC's make good choice, naturally, they will probably overcome everything and come to good ends despite me playing NPC's with all the cunning and ruthless I can manage. Players are usually pretty cunning, and when you stack the deck in their favor ever so slightly, they generally prevail. Heck, they sometimes prevail when you think the odds are against them. What am I to do, take away their well earned rewards? If I can take away their bad ends and call it fair, then surely I can take away their good ends and call it fair? What course would you really suggest a DM take? Put up impenatrable forests and uncrossable mountains around every path, so as to perfectly guide the PC's to the places that you think that they ought to go? Shift every obstacle out of the way of the PC's, and shuffle in its place something you prefer? Erect invisible barriers in the campaign world that cannot be crossed until you reach level 15? [/QUOTE]

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