|
All seven times I have played a scenario in which a GM modified the tactics, there was at least one character death that was a direct result of said modification. Consequently, as a player I am extremely cautious of playing under a GM I have never played with before and have taken to buying copies of the scenarios I suspect have been altered to confirm my suspicions. Frankly it isn't much fun to be on edge whenever I sit down at an unfamiliar GM's table, but necessary due to "well meaning" GMs.
As a result, I am firmly in the camp of "run as written."
|
All seven times I have played a scenario in which a GM modified the tactics, there was at least one character death that was a direct result of said modification. Consequently, as a player I am extremely cautious of playing under a GM I have never played with before and have taken to buying copies of the scenarios I suspect have been altered to confirm my suspicions. Frankly it isn't much fun to be on edge whenever I sit down at an unfamiliar GM's table, but necessary due to "well meaning" GMs.
As a result, I am firmly in the camp of "run as written."
Did you check to see if there was a modification when players didn't die? I'm pretty sure I haven't sat with a dm that hasn't modified the tactics a bit and I don't know if any of my fights have gone off without a hitch.
|
Did you check to see if there was a modification when players didn't die? I'm pretty sure I haven't sat with a dm that hasn't modified the tactics a bit and I don't know if any of my fights have gone off without a hitch.
It doesn't really matter to in those cases. Either the GM was doing it right (running as written) or not. In either case no one had unfun experiences so no verification is needed. I know some people like to verify everything every time but that's a bit like the police setting up a roadblock in the midst of rush hour to verify everyone has proper vehicle insurance - more trouble than its worth.
|
It doesn't really matter to in those cases. Either the GM was doing it right (running as written) or not. In either case no one had unfun experiences so no verification is needed. I know some people like to verify everything every time but that's a bit like the police setting up a roadblock in the midst of rush hour to verify everyone has proper vehicle insurance - more trouble than its worth.
Hmm... Having a player die is not an accurate measure of how much fun a scenario was. I have had horrible experiences where noone died, and awesome experiences even when my own character died.
|
|
Did you check to see if there was a modification when players didn't die? I'm pretty sure I haven't sat with a dm that hasn't modified the tactics a bit and I don't know if any of my fights have gone off without a hitch.It doesn't really matter to in those cases.
You're probably getting a fair bit of confirmation bias then. If the DM's are going off script in EVERY game of course they're going to go off script every game that they kill someone.
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
While I can't speak for anyone but myself, I assure you that a creature's tactics in anything I've written are an integral part of those encounters' challenges. Additionally, they are meant to give the GM insight to how that creature will respond to PC tactics or when things "go off the rails" (in addition to the "creatures" section above the stat blocks).
Another way to think of it is this: Do you run the NPC as if it has one encounter in its entire life, or does it actually have a life and an agenda? Maybe it doesn't want to cast its highest level spell unless it really has to. Perhaps it's worried it might run into something even more terrifying than a tiefling traveling with an aasimar, dhampir and a grippli.
I guess the short of it is that even though you might think the author phoned it in on the tactics and you need to change it to make it "more fun," that doesn't give you the right to make those changes. At the same time, if the PCs are being extra creative and the situation described in the tactics is no longer valid (not the same as optimal), then adapt and adjust, but stay true to the NPCs motives.