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Indeed. The number 1 rule for any DM: never say no. If a player wants to do something, let them try. lord-of-shadow Send a noteboard - 18/06/2010 06:31:20 PM
If it's outrageous and unrealistic, still, you let them try. They'll likely fail, but they failed at something they choose to do. To do otherwise is to destroy the player's perception that THEY are in control of everything their avatar does, and that perception is what D&D is all about. In grogg's case, for instance... Grogg's character had an idea: he wanted to jump out this window onto a creature's back. His character (as played by Grogg) thought that this was a good idea, that it was possible, and that it would be worth it. But some sort of otherworldly force prevented him from attempting said feat. That's ridiculous, and definitely destroy's the player's ability to roleplay and feel in control of his character's actions.

If one of my players says that he wants to try to swim through the air, gain enough momentum to break the earth's gravitational pull, and land on the moon, I'll say "Sure, you can try."

I'd make him role a series of str and/or dex check, with an impossibly high DC, to simulate the act of waving his arms in the air like an imbecile. I might through in endurance too. I'd then make them do a series of impossibly high endurance checks as they try to hold their breath and not explode under the zero-pressure of space. If he or she actually made it to the moon, I'd probably land him or her in a really interesting situation. Some sort of alien commune inside of an atmosphere bubble, maybe.

Aaaanyways, the point is: never say no to a player when he or she wants to try something. Instead, let them try, and suffer whatever consequences come from it, even if it is just failure. And occasionally give them something to reward such behavior.
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Riding a hostile creature - 15/06/2010 09:58:07 PM 708 Views
Your DM was being a dick. - 16/06/2010 02:08:17 AM 645 Views
Don't forget the roll to make sure he lands on the creature. - 16/06/2010 08:59:42 AM 670 Views
And if you are playing 4th ed, which kicks 3.5's ass ( ), then you'd do something similar. - 16/06/2010 09:33:10 PM 600 Views
mm. two things that bother me about 4th edition - 17/06/2010 05:16:07 AM 592 Views
Yep. - 18/06/2010 12:28:08 AM 539 Views
I don't much mind 4th edition, wasn't trying to make a big argument - 18/06/2010 01:09:01 PM 584 Views
Oh, I know. - 18/06/2010 06:19:05 PM 557 Views
Also: I'm confused by what you mean when you say "core" classes. - 18/06/2010 04:26:59 AM 526 Views
I'm talking about the classes which DnD has always associated with as "Core" - 18/06/2010 01:27:27 PM 583 Views
Those ARE all in the Player's Handbook 1. - 18/06/2010 06:16:45 PM 560 Views
Yah, I was just signing on to say that they seem to have fixed that - 19/06/2010 06:07:43 AM 600 Views
Well... 3rd edition had about a million books. So that's not exactly a new trend *NM* - 19/06/2010 03:56:20 PM 238 Views
yah i know... - 21/06/2010 08:29:29 AM 542 Views
Agreed. Ihaven't DM'd since 2nd edition, but : - 18/06/2010 09:25:41 AM 625 Views
depending on how complicated you wanted to make it... - 18/06/2010 01:30:37 PM 571 Views
Indeed. The number 1 rule for any DM: never say no. If a player wants to do something, let them try. - 18/06/2010 06:31:20 PM 576 Views
you should make them make a charisma check - 19/06/2010 06:09:21 AM 535 Views
Rule -1: Without players, the DM is powerless. - 21/06/2010 06:54:15 PM 762 Views
Bad DM.....bad boy! *NM* - 16/06/2010 06:06:03 PM 236 Views

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