tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post2799263251004348194..comments2024-03-28T17:59:09.906+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: To Fudge or Not to FudgeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-68562480513095770832021-08-13T06:20:46.375+08:002021-08-13T06:20:46.375+08:00Those things aren't mutually exclusive.Those things aren't mutually exclusive.WrongOnTheInternethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10307593854612561638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-72019367057221782272021-08-13T00:23:59.816+08:002021-08-13T00:23:59.816+08:00This is a pretty solid set of distinctions.
Some ...This is a pretty solid set of distinctions.<br /><br />Some thoughts I have though:<br /><br />Reaction rolls: these of course should be ignored if a reaction is obvious based on the action in play and who is reacting to who, on the other hand, you could still make the reaction roll to fine tune the "obvious" response. But don't read "hostile, attack immediately" literally when a good reaction is obvious, instead use the hostile response to nuance that good reaction.<br /><br />On what is encountered, that's a bit tricky, but it may be reasonable to turn aside yet another 7 if there have been a bunch of them on the basis that there really aren't that many goblins in this small area. On the other hand, I have inserted lairs based on repeated same monster encounters, so that can be a fun way of dealing with it.<br /><br />Another way to make the distinction is to classify rolls as "G< inspiration" or "simulation". Fudging GM inspiration rolls is fine, you were only rolling to inspire or keep from falling into a rut, or keep from being too random and variable (how come we never encounter goblins in goblin country... that's why you put them in the 7 slot, to make sure they show up - of course, yea, if they show up too often, change - the 7 slot has already served its purpose, get a less frequent encounter out there, you put them on so there would be things other than goblins in goblin country).Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15855679156477779666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-23223708104841478142021-08-11T21:30:08.166+08:002021-08-11T21:30:08.166+08:00No, but it’s a game which has rules, and they incl...No, but it’s a game which has rules, and they include dice rolls. If you don’t like that, play a different game with different rules. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-40642676265007286272021-08-11T20:45:36.722+08:002021-08-11T20:45:36.722+08:00Is it? Are you trying to win? Do you score more po...Is it? Are you trying to win? Do you score more points as a GM for killing PCs? Completing modules? What started as a Game is now something different and something more for many participants.Adam Dicksteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-33292243968000207732021-08-11T16:46:56.748+08:002021-08-11T16:46:56.748+08:00My random encounters are 2d6 tables, with rarer re...My random encounters are 2d6 tables, with rarer results at the tails, so I probably shouldn't re-roll on that basis. But I have to admit to doing it sometimes when it's yet another '7' result. I am aware this is corrupting and hypocritical.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-87866228002552710952021-08-11T16:45:51.758+08:002021-08-11T16:45:51.758+08:00I basically agree, but I think with things like ra...I basically agree, but I think with things like random encounters and treasure tables there is a sweet spot where the element of luck introduced by dice is important, but sometimes the results are boring - and no real harm is done in re-rolling.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-149932723794137882021-08-11T16:44:26.265+08:002021-08-11T16:44:26.265+08:00A game. A game. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-59432159959067225472021-08-11T08:28:29.704+08:002021-08-11T08:28:29.704+08:00Wrote a post about it. Bile-rific.Wrote a post about it. Bile-rific.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-4453556293993844862021-08-11T02:50:55.072+08:002021-08-11T02:50:55.072+08:00I like those lists. I agree - why roll if you do...I like those lists. I agree - why roll if you don't want to follow the results? For the non-facing rolls I use random tables for inspiration as much as anything so that makes a lot of sense. I roll almost everything in open in play. For player facing I normally don't roll random encounter checks in the open (I think it's generally better for the players to not really know for sure what is planned and what is random) but would follow the outcome. Rolls that have outcomes that are not clear to players unless there is a positive result (finding traps, secret doors etc) I also keep secret. I used to do reaction rolls in secret but in the open the players can really see their charisma in action.ligehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00652431558688176341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-61916380546764378612021-08-11T02:29:07.046+08:002021-08-11T02:29:07.046+08:00I feel like if the game would be fine if the GM pr...I feel like if the game would be fine if the GM pre-prepared every roll result ahead of time, and everyone know they were doing that, then fudging that roll is also ok.<br /><br />So in your examples, fudging a dice roll is really equivalent to suddenly saying "actually, this is a prepped part, I'm choosing this".<br /><br />Taking that further, you could imagine every prepped adventure as existing on a table, or every random table existing within a larger table its been selected from; why did we stop with these outcomes? At some point it was human choice, and we accept that, so long as that choice is done according to some principles of fairness or of a satisfactory mix of variation and consistency, and still leaves player choices about what comes next.<br /><br />There are probably times where a random encounter table is supposed to reflect a kind of risk/reward situation, where the choices aren't equal, and the probability of different outcomes matters (minor encounters on the table acting as a kind of implicit adjustment of the encounter roll - roll once for whether there's an encounter, then roll for if it's a serious one) but in that case, I'd say personally that so long as the GM sticks to the same rules of proportion as the table implies, and does it ahead of time rather than specifically responding to the players, nothing is really lost.Josh Wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-67314537243586329752021-08-11T02:05:37.468+08:002021-08-11T02:05:37.468+08:00Hmm. I am intrigued. I must read it! Hmm. I am intrigued. I must read it! Adam Dicksteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-65467816504968095612021-08-11T02:04:53.606+08:002021-08-11T02:04:53.606+08:00But, but that's what the dice - sorry, The Dic...But, but that's what the dice - sorry, The Dice say. Who are we to go against them? Adam Dicksteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-15717829966446796752021-08-11T02:03:34.038+08:002021-08-11T02:03:34.038+08:00My thoughts exactly. What is it then if not this?My thoughts exactly. What is it then if not this?Adam Dicksteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-25714095532863265812021-08-10T23:29:24.975+08:002021-08-10T23:29:24.975+08:00I have not-very-kind thoughts on this subject, but...I have not-very-kind thoughts on this subject, but in the end they can be distilled down to this:<br /><br />If you don't intend to accept the result of a random die roll, don't roll the dice.<br /><br />Cavegirl's post is all sorts of "ugh" for me.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-18649045677933389242021-08-10T18:35:13.017+08:002021-08-10T18:35:13.017+08:00I have to say that rolling my dice in front of the...I have to say that rolling my dice in front of the players has upped the tension and drama in my game.Jojodogboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06870044018296516914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-87111746511099151932021-08-10T16:33:53.825+08:002021-08-10T16:33:53.825+08:00Good distinction. I agree with your approach.Good distinction. I agree with your approach.Ifrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08568876894350411986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-83863192270708431372021-08-10T11:25:30.085+08:002021-08-10T11:25:30.085+08:00I never fudged dice until 5e (and I've played ...I never fudged dice until 5e (and I've played since 1979). I've found that 5e is very swingy and hard to judge encounters and character strengths. I've fudged both on the player's favor and on the monster's side.ThrorIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10576112896575184085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-47348418131472025142021-08-10T07:48:26.805+08:002021-08-10T07:48:26.805+08:00Right. Nobody wants giant wandering rats four time...Right. Nobody wants giant wandering rats four times in a row just because the dice came up that way.Geoffrey McKinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00042661843714609025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-32406034534304640522021-08-10T07:02:58.171+08:002021-08-10T07:02:58.171+08:00Well said. The delineation between player facing a...Well said. The delineation between player facing and non-player facing rolls is something I was trying to articulate, and failed to do. Thank you!Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-26308970694782590232021-08-10T05:17:35.098+08:002021-08-10T05:17:35.098+08:00"...it all just feels too much like, well, a ..."...it all just feels too much like, well, a bunch of grown-ups playing make-believe."<br /><br />Wait, it's not like that for you?WrongOnTheInternethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10307593854612561638noreply@blogger.com