thread: 2009-05-04 : Dice and Cloud, the Death Threats thread
On 2009-05-05, Marshall Burns wrote:
Well, since "GM fiat" is being thrown around a bit...
I like GM fiat. There. I said it.
Everytime people talk about it like it's inherently evil or unfair, it makes me itch.
The only problem with GM fiat is that, historically, GMs have not had enough awareness about what the fuck they're actually supposed to be accomplishing through the use of fiat.
For example, last week our thieves were breaking into a warehouse. Unknown to us, there were archers stationed on the roof. If Dave, our GM, had said "Right, an arrow hits you, roll damage", it would have seemed totally unfair. But when he says "Right, there's archers, they're attacking" and rolls to hit, it's fair.
Yes, correct. But lemme suggest that the reason that it's fair isn't the dice—it's the fact that you have a chance to do something about it.
I can't imagine any situation in Poison'd resulting in a deadly wound without giving the player a chance to avoid it. If you go into danger or pick a fight or something, you're putting yourself at risk for a deadly wound, and that's that. Your chance to do something about it is, don't take the risk in the first place.
Them's the breaks. Don't be a pansy. We throw pansies overboard on this ship.
-Marshall
(who isn't seriously accusing Graham of being a pansy)
