D&D 5E Would you change a monster's hit points mid-fight?

[Jeff Albertson]

If your players ask you ever if you fudge anything, always tell them no.

While that seems deceptive, it does have roots (many official D&D products mention just such a thing).

 

[Derren]

If your players ask you ever if you fudge anything, always tell them no.

Why?
If your players are ok with you fudging why not tell them? And if they are not, why are you doing it in the first place?

 

[SirAntoine]

Why?
If your players are ok with you fudging why not tell them? And if they are not, why are you doing it in the first place?

It's by far the best advice for a general audience. If you in particular feel like a different approach would be better for you, it may be. There is a limit to how far I can advise you. Your players might not all feel the same way about it, I would caution you, further. Even if you have a conversation which seems to indicate they all feel the same way, maybe some people just went along with the crowd and didn't express their feelings, or maybe they will change their mind someday. Are you going to change the way you feel about it yourself? Possibly. Whenever you choose to "fudge", for any reason, if you keep it secret you have the best chance, generally speaking, of keeping everyone happy in this regard. I would actually go as far as to say your players shouldn't even ask, as a matter of fact, but if they do, no is the best answer.

You can read my earlier posts, and others' posts on this subject, to get an idea why players may not like the DM to fudge anything. Some players are very offended by it. They even go as far as to call it cheating. So if you are asked if you fudge, you might also want to know if they are asking if you cheat. If they are, maybe you shouldn't let them in your game.

 

[Derren]

It's by far the best advice for a general audience.

So your best advice is to "Do something the players dislike in secret"?
What about "Dont do something your players dislike at all"?

 

[ExploderWizard]

Darn pesky players wanting an honest game instead of a shell game of my own devising. The wretches don't know what's good for em! Amirite?

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Darn pesky players wanting an honest game instead of a shell game of my own devising. The wretches don't know what's good for em! Amirite?

At first I was like, "Amirite? Is that Latin? A-mir-i-te, is that the imperative form of 'love'?" Then I got it.

 

[Athinar]

My new Paladin name "Amirite?"

 

[SirAntoine]

So your best advice is to "Do something the players dislike in secret"?
What about "Dont do something your players dislike at all"?

The players do not get a say in it. I know it sounds harsh, but it has to remain secret to maintain the illusion that the monster is trying to hit.

 

[SirAntoine]

Darn pesky players wanting an honest game instead of a shell game of my own devising. The wretches don't know what's good for em! Amirite?

Anything that threatens the DM's authority can get out as far as I am concerned.

It is a misunderstanding you have about it that it is cheating or dishonest. You a) have no right to call him a cheater, and b) may make him feel bad for suggesting such a thing. Only the DM knows what he is doing in any case.

 

[SirAntoine]

To all the DM's out there: do anything and everything you want. You have every right to fudge or change anything, at any time, with no notice to the players.