Has any one noticed Secret Checks? Taking player agency away

[Lucas Yew]

Huh. Something only slightly related, but... If my lore check is accurate, I thought metagaming was actually encouraged as good roleplaying via Gygaxian philosophies during the 70's, am I right?

[Claxon]

Maybe. I wasn't around to participate then.

But times have changed and so has the game.

We've come a long way from Gygax's designs, and largely for the better in my opinion. I'm grateful for the foundation he created, but like anything else it must grow and change, or die.

[HWalsh]

Lucas Yew wrote:

Huh. Something only slightly related, but... If my lore check is accurate, I thought metagaming was actually encouraged as good roleplaying via Gygaxian philosophies during the 70's, am I right?

Not really.

Under Gygax you, the player, don't ever roll any dice save for Stats, HP per level, Attack, and Damages.

Literally everything else from stat-rolls for skill success, to reputation, to impression, to initial reaction, to initiative were 100% secret rolled by a GM.

[Bagpuss]

HWalsh wrote:

Under Gygax you, the player, don't ever roll any dice save for Stats, HP per level, Attack, and Damages.

Literally everything else from stat-rolls for skill success, to reputation, to impression, to initial reaction, to initiative were 100% secret rolled by a GM.

I believe that in his original games, you couldn't even see the DM, he was hidden behind a filing cabinet or something like that. Of the tales of the early game with Gygax, this is one of the things I find pretty cool.