Re: (TFT) Blane & SJ

[Prophesor <prophesor@yahoo.com>]

> >   What's the way out?  If a player has diplomacy and knows
> they can't
> play 
> diplmatic at all, they should ask the GM to just roll the
> dice.  <
> 
> I always modify the saving roll difficulty depending on how
> well it's
> roleplayed. So someone who just 'rolls the dice' may get extra
> die added to
> the difficulty or an automatic failure with a fake roll
> depending on what
> the importance to the story of the scene is....

This is unfair.  Isn't the baseline level of roleplay the fair
determinant?  If they 'just roll to hit' in combat, and take no
penalties, shouldn't they be able to 'just roll to be
diplomatic', or 'to recognise value' or 'to swim'?

If you require a narration of what's being attempted before
every roll to hit, and some similar statement of detail for
every action, and if that's the baseline required to use skills,
and if you as GM narrate every on-camera NPC's actions, then
it's fair to penalise those who don't narrate.

But say so in advance.  Make it clear to players building their
characters that if they can't narrate a skill's use, they will
fail at it.  Further, that if their narration doesn't please
you, they will succeed less often.  After all, you're the GM,
and it's all about you.

Diplomacy should no more require detailed narration than
Armorer, or Fencing, or Create Gate.  If you want to give
bonuses for superior effort, that's one thing, and suggesting an
example of whatever action, or working out the details of the
character's (skilled) action in concert with the player is
another, but failing some kid's New Followers attempt because
you personally are unimpressed is not to my mind good GMing,
it's simply bullying.



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