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<blockquote data-quote="underthumb" data-source="post: 5016270" data-attributes="member: 21390">I think we all agree that &quot;fudging&quot; can negate the significance of player actions. But let's walk this reasoning back a bit. Let's say, for instance, that I, as a GM, create an encounter with 6 orcs in it. However, let's also say that in doing so, I make a kind of error. It's not that I get the math &quot;wrong&quot; in some simple sense, but rather that I forget that certain weapons are capable of this or that action, and orcs have this or that power, and that these things, in combination, create an encounter that is far more deadly than my original intent. I only realize this when my PCs start dropping fast. (Who knows, maybe I made this encounter under time pressure or lack of sleep.)So here's my question for you, Ariosto. Let's say I agree with your perspective on things and I want to avoid being a &quot;nanny&quot; GM. Are the orcs as I originally created them sacrosanct, players be damned? Is it time for a TPK? Or do I fudge things in the middle of the encounter when I realize the error I made originally?I think my larger point is this: it's all well and good to advocate against fudging in the abstract, but it seems to assume little or no error on the part of the GM, both in preparation and in actual play.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="underthumb, post: 5016270, member: 21390"] I think we all agree that "fudging" can negate the significance of player actions. But let's walk this reasoning back a bit. Let's say, for instance, that I, as a GM, create an encounter with 6 orcs in it. However, let's also say that in doing so, I make a kind of error. It's not that I get the math "wrong" in some simple sense, but rather that I forget that certain weapons are capable of this or that action, and orcs have this or that power, and that these things, in combination, create an encounter that is far more deadly than my original intent. I only realize this when my PCs start dropping fast. (Who knows, maybe I made this encounter under time pressure or lack of sleep.) So here's my question for you, Ariosto. Let's say I agree with your perspective on things and I want to avoid being a "nanny" GM. Are the orcs as I originally created them sacrosanct, players be damned? Is it time for a TPK? Or do I fudge things in the middle of the encounter when I realize the error I made originally? I think my larger point is this: it's all well and good to advocate against fudging in the abstract, but it seems to assume little or no error on the part of the GM, both in preparation and in actual play. [/QUOTE]

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