The Latest Penny Arcade

ondonaflash · 11-03-2009, 05:07 PM

I have chosen to post here, instead of the Comics forum because I feel that the latest cartoon has relevance to this topic: IE How DMs can fiat the **** out of whatever that damn well please.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/11/2/

chiasaur11 · 11-03-2009, 05:09 PM

Heh. And furthermore: Heh.

Magic with an ! at the end is now my go to explanation for DnD.

Katana_Geldar · 11-03-2009, 05:10 PM

A Wizard Did It!

And someone's very on the ball on that site

Akal Saris · 11-03-2009, 05:20 PM

Heh...I didn't really understand why his PCs were "in revolt" over it - was it supposed to be a comment on slavish devotion to the rules as written or adhering to the standard campaign setting stuff?

I mean, yeah, the DM can always DM fiat something if he wants to, but at the same time there's generally an understanding between PCs and DMs about the way that the game world works - most D&D campaigns have very few atheists, because the gods grant spells and talk to people. So if it was something that seriously affected the PCs, then spontaneous DM fiat could have very obvious negative effects on a game. If I ruled that killing sentient monsters, even evil ones, was an evil act and would cause a paladin to lose his powers, then my PCs would be upset.

Being deborn into an unliver sounds like an undead character becoming quasi-living or something, which has happened before in D&D (Orcus turning undead and then returning to a living demon once again, for example), albeit maybe not in 4E. But it's also not something that is likely to ever affect the PCs so much as a plot twist for the DM's recurring villain to return to the storyline, so why would they really care?

Myrmex · 11-03-2009, 05:26 PM

I think there's a really big difference between the DM (or player) wanting to do X to having to break the rules to do so, than having the players break the rules to ignore their weaknesses. DMs breaking rules to challenge players is fine, imo. At high levels, unless you want every opponent to be a high level caster, you're going to need to be passing out mindblank like candy.

Katana_Geldar · 11-03-2009, 05:34 PM

DMs also need to break rules sometimes to make it easier for the players.

oxybe · 11-03-2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiasaur11

Heh. And furthermore: Heh.

Magic with an ! at the end is now my go to explanation for DnD.

i concur. heck, i even started a similar thread on WotC's forums. it's all about personal style, really.

it is a play on the total adherence to the rules as written. heck tycho has a history of being a

. but the "a wizard did it. specifically, that one." works fine IMO. a little bit of handwaving for the good of the story should be expected.

Asbestos · 11-03-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katana_Geldar

DMs also need to break rules sometimes to make it easier for the players.

I feel like Tycho does not endorse this.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/10/9/

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/6/22/

I don't find that I have to 'break the rules' to help the players, so much as drop hints and hide my dice rolls.