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Thread: OOTS #863 - The Discussion Thread

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    Pixie in the Playground
     
    PaladinGuy

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    Default Re: OOTS #863 - The Discussion Thread

    ...in real life, you generally (generally, mind) have some idea as to your chance of pulling off some kind of feat such as an acrobatic maneuver or an attack. This is, after all, why you trained for years. If you're defending against the attack of some GM run foe, seeing his die rolls helps you measure his skill. This is a natural assessment which any skilled combatant (your players, right? They aren't running with the NPC Expert class, are they?) would be able to make after crossing blades with an opponent for even a few seconds.

    And even if you're just dodging some kind of magical attack which you aren't familiar with, I don't find that seeing your dice results or the attackers dice results ruins the suspense in any way. It allows the players to attempt to measure their defenses against the attack. This is how most good novels are written, and that success lends itself to good RPG storytelling as well.

    And in the final assessment, it promotes honest play. The players know that their GM isn't screwing them, and the GM knows that he is providing a good story without needing to resort to cheats.
    I will respectfully counter that statement. I am an advocate of hidden DM rolls, and I'll tell you why.

    I think that the dice determine pure chance. What you describe as 'certainty that player's have due to their character's training,' well, I see that as the bonuses/penalties they have on their character sheets. That's all the certainty they have; the ranks in a skill, their ability modifiers, their base attack bonus... these are the elements they know for sure. The rest is up to chance, circumstance, and the dice.

    As to being able to assess your opponent's skill, I think that should be down to the DM's description.

    As you lower your shield and swing your battle ax in an overhead arc, your enemy dances nimbly to the side, returning your attempt with a well-placed sting of his rapier. He is clearly a swordsman of rare skill.

    There you go. You, the player, now know all you need to about your opponent's skill level, without numbers or dice values even being mentioned. The result is that players are more immersed in the story telling and less focused on examining the game as a series of equations, numbers and probabilities to be solved. For me, that's a step in the right direction.

    "It allows the players to attempt to measure their defenses against the attack. This is how most good novels are written, and that success lends itself to good RPG storytelling as well."
    This can be done just as easily with a well-worded description of the events as they unfold. In fact, reading a book is just that: having an encounter described to you by the author. So this storytelling method of playing (with hidden rolls, and the DM as the 'author') in fact fits what you just described very well.

    I suppose I can get behind you on the "honest play" point, but I also believe the the DM can't cheat. Not that this is a new concept, but I really believe that, as long as the players trust their DM that he/she will make sure things work out and everyone is having fun, the DM can do no wrong.

    Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter. I'm curious to hear what you think.
    Last edited by Oddfellow; 2012-11-26 at 03:14 AM.
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