Post by Paul on May 23, 2011 7:58:03 GMT -6
As we were discussing last Saturday there are times when the GM calls for a roll. This is a standard practice that I’ve seen in many games. What could have alleviated some of the problems are the players initiating dice rolls. Dice rolls can be called by for almost any situation and the GM should be setting the pacing for this. When I play my characters I am cognizant of my characters strengths and weaknesses. This is best described with examples.
When PoW was being threatened by those four local security officers more rolls should have been used there. Geoff could simply say, I want to use my persuasion skill to allow them to let me go. As a GM I would then reply with, what are you saying? That conversation and the words used will determine base DC and bonuses in my head. If PoW simply says, “Hey, just let me go” I don’t think I would grant him any bonuses for his roll. If he says: “Fellas, I’m just another security guy like you. I’m just scanning the perimeter for any dangers to protect my boss. Taking my weapon would not only endanger me, but also endanger a rather high ranking officer in the New Republic. I’m just trying to do my job. And to do that job I need my weapons.”
Players need to recognize opportunities for random chance. The GM does have complete control over the game, but throwing in a dice roll creates an illusion that the players have some control. And to an extent they do. Once again this can be best explained by example.
In one of our last 4e games ran by Dan’s brother (Rich) Rich set up an encounter by a dragon ravaging a small town. I don’t remember what he said exactly but I remember him saying something about the dragon looking underweight or drooling of hunger. As a bard with high charisma I decided I wasn’t going to fight this dragon but try and work with him for some food. I rolled really well on initiative and took my turn. The bard spoke draconic if I remember correctly and seeing an opportunity to use a skill (not prompted by the GM) I said to the dragon something along the lines of being able to help the dragon get some food. My diplomacy skill was off the scale (no pun intended) at +18 with modifiers and I rolled a 19. I got a total of 37. I was very annoyed that NOTHING happened. My action, my roll, my skill, my awesomeness was ignored completely. This really wouldn’t have bothered me much if he didn’t allow Dave to do something off the wall stupid blowing up a boat a few games back. If I were running that game I would have not allowed a perfectly “reasonable” action topped off with an “AWESOME” roll to go to waste. I might have done something along the lines of the next attack is at a +2 or +4 due to the dragon being distracted by the bard. Or the dragon doesn’t attack at all.
Rich fully expected us to just attack, I as a player felt that it was in my best interest to talk.
A clever way to handle the encounter with PoW and the security guards could go like this.
As PoW realized that these guys were being jerks Geoff could have said, “I want to use my knowledge skill to determine if I can see something about the way the guy is dressed or something that will give me some more information about this guy.” Perception could be used here too.
I would respond with ok roll. The roll would depend on the information that I would give Geoff.
A result of 1-10 means nothing, 11-19 I would say that the guy is dressed like the middle to lower class of people here. His counterparts are dressed at an even lower status. You can determine that this guy is the leader of this small group.
A result of 20+ gives the same response as 11-19 but with one huge piece of information. You can tell that he is wearing a style of shoe that is commonly worn by local security and law enforcement. It is rumored that they are slightly oppressed by their version of the FBI. Because of this oppression they try to bully anyone that is unfamiliar with their own laws and try to abuse what little power they have. This would give Geoff more information as to what he could do next.
The point I am making in these examples and post is to use your characters skills and don’t always wait for the GM to prompt you to do something. There is no wrong or right to any of the above, just a tip to make things run smoother next time. We have fun and that is all that matters, I just think this will lessen the arguments.
When PoW was being threatened by those four local security officers more rolls should have been used there. Geoff could simply say, I want to use my persuasion skill to allow them to let me go. As a GM I would then reply with, what are you saying? That conversation and the words used will determine base DC and bonuses in my head. If PoW simply says, “Hey, just let me go” I don’t think I would grant him any bonuses for his roll. If he says: “Fellas, I’m just another security guy like you. I’m just scanning the perimeter for any dangers to protect my boss. Taking my weapon would not only endanger me, but also endanger a rather high ranking officer in the New Republic. I’m just trying to do my job. And to do that job I need my weapons.”
Players need to recognize opportunities for random chance. The GM does have complete control over the game, but throwing in a dice roll creates an illusion that the players have some control. And to an extent they do. Once again this can be best explained by example.
In one of our last 4e games ran by Dan’s brother (Rich) Rich set up an encounter by a dragon ravaging a small town. I don’t remember what he said exactly but I remember him saying something about the dragon looking underweight or drooling of hunger. As a bard with high charisma I decided I wasn’t going to fight this dragon but try and work with him for some food. I rolled really well on initiative and took my turn. The bard spoke draconic if I remember correctly and seeing an opportunity to use a skill (not prompted by the GM) I said to the dragon something along the lines of being able to help the dragon get some food. My diplomacy skill was off the scale (no pun intended) at +18 with modifiers and I rolled a 19. I got a total of 37. I was very annoyed that NOTHING happened. My action, my roll, my skill, my awesomeness was ignored completely. This really wouldn’t have bothered me much if he didn’t allow Dave to do something off the wall stupid blowing up a boat a few games back. If I were running that game I would have not allowed a perfectly “reasonable” action topped off with an “AWESOME” roll to go to waste. I might have done something along the lines of the next attack is at a +2 or +4 due to the dragon being distracted by the bard. Or the dragon doesn’t attack at all.
Rich fully expected us to just attack, I as a player felt that it was in my best interest to talk.
A clever way to handle the encounter with PoW and the security guards could go like this.
As PoW realized that these guys were being jerks Geoff could have said, “I want to use my knowledge skill to determine if I can see something about the way the guy is dressed or something that will give me some more information about this guy.” Perception could be used here too.
I would respond with ok roll. The roll would depend on the information that I would give Geoff.
A result of 1-10 means nothing, 11-19 I would say that the guy is dressed like the middle to lower class of people here. His counterparts are dressed at an even lower status. You can determine that this guy is the leader of this small group.
A result of 20+ gives the same response as 11-19 but with one huge piece of information. You can tell that he is wearing a style of shoe that is commonly worn by local security and law enforcement. It is rumored that they are slightly oppressed by their version of the FBI. Because of this oppression they try to bully anyone that is unfamiliar with their own laws and try to abuse what little power they have. This would give Geoff more information as to what he could do next.
The point I am making in these examples and post is to use your characters skills and don’t always wait for the GM to prompt you to do something. There is no wrong or right to any of the above, just a tip to make things run smoother next time. We have fun and that is all that matters, I just think this will lessen the arguments.
