Cheater cheater pumpkin eater

So, gamer question. Specifically, GM question....

even more specifically....when, if ever, is it okay to dramatically "cheat"? to preserve your story? how much plot protection do you give your main heroes and villains?

Which wins-- the win of a clever or unexpected victory of the heros or the win of a well-told and detailed storyline?

Say for instance, the villain of your three act play is facing defeat at the end of act one.

Perhaps the players did something you didn't expect. Perhaps its just the dice. In any case, for whatever reason, the villain is about to be defeated or captured. Do you "let" the players defeat him, even though it possibly ruins your story? OR do you decide to give him an out, because the story requires it? or do you let the capture happen, "knowing" he will slip and escape? What do you do?

Also, do you do the same with players? if the villain can be defeated from a bad die roll, do the heroes face the same risk? Having a hero die from a random critical is just as bad for the story as a defeated villain, after all. Do the players get any sort of  "plot protection" by being main characters?

Just curious how different storyguides out there run their worlds. :)


This is a touchy subject. In the past (I'm talking 6+ years or more ago) I was strongly of the mind, influenced HEAVILY by the White Wolf school of drama, story and plot. Meaning... FUDGE, CHEAT, do anything to make the story continue on... plan.

Then I met my friend Karl. The biggest thing I "learned" from Karl in gaming was that he loves rolling the dice in front of players. All the time. Period. No plot immunity. No holding back. No fudge.

And... Oh. My. God.
To me... that became a revelation. It actually made me come to enjoy being the Storyteller/Game Master more and more and MORE with every die roll. Let me explain.
But first.
Let me say, there are some game rule systems that prohibit this act of rolling the dice in front of all players. For example - the game I'm GMing now (Star Wars WEG D6 rules) allow players to spend Character Points on their die rolls BEFORE the Difficulty Target/Check is known. So that makes any "contested check" harder to have. I suppose as GM I could just wait and roll the dice after... but I like the kinetic feel of everyone rolling together, so I've taken to rolling behind my hand (on the front table) then revealing the roll after the players say "that's their final answer".

Now... Why is rolling in front of players better (to me)?

I'm a habitual procrastinator... That's a little of the effect that happens with this. But I've found that either through actuality or desperation - the things I procrastinate at ALWAYS seem to come out better than if I meticulously plan. Meaning... anything I design (as a Graphic Designer) or create for the "details" of a story as GM of the game - I actually find I get a more exciting, energetic, fluid CREATION when I create or ad lib on the spot, last minute.

So... in GMing... I tend to build the story in three segments:

1. I build the overall ideas, the general ideas of the story in hooks that I call "road signs" for myself. I have these in mind and noted, so that when my players GET to that crossroads I choose the better of the story (as dictated by the current flow of the game) from the various "road signs" I've envisioned might happen. I find this allows me to have my over-ambitious creative mind have the 3-4 ideas for a situation "ready" in basics, then I choose last minute and then literally ad lib the details in game. And DAMN it's exhilerating - because even I don't know where the story might lead (in detail, because I still know the general direction).

2. No solutions. I never ever ever build solutions to the plots, problems, or questions of my stories. If there is a clear "puzzle" that needs an answer, I will make one (but still be open to interpretation!) but overall... I create the question or problem or threat and never give myself the "benefit" of building an ending to the story. That way I can never "railroad" a plot toward what I *think* is the solution. Because I never have one - anything is a great solution. Sometimes I can see obvious ideas, but other times players surprise me. And DAMN it's exhilerating - because even I don't know where the story might lead (in detail, because I still know the general direction).

3. NPCs tell my story. I tend to build stories with the NPCs and locations as the "plot" of the story. I come up with the general story, then find the NPCs or the location (which brings factions or enviromental parts). With those in mind I stop planning a plot. I actually "ask" those NPCs/Locations what the story is. Sometimes I can't do that until the day of game. But if I know "who" the NPC is, their motivations, the steriotype of personality I begin them with, etc... I can "anticipate" how they react and literally create the plot on the fly.... again. And DAMN it's exhilerating - because even I don't know where the story might lead (in detail, because I still know the general direction).

So...
Why talk about all that???
Because rolling the dice, in front of the players as much as I possibly can. Does all of the above - on the fly. It literally FORCES me (and the group) to deal with the fickle fate that is the luck of the die roll. And once that is embraced. Once you're willing to let go and let the die help you tell the story - rather the DETAILS of the story... then you aren't dealing with a one person's whims of what "might" be the best story. You get to interpret the BEST story on the spot.

And most of all.... players also become sharper - because they can "know" that in the end, it's not their GM that's determining their character's fate (good or bad) it's literally fate! As in what the dice (or rule engine) was always intended to DO in RPGs = be the simulation of luck/fate/karma, etc...

Then again...
I've often "shaved" a few hit points off of villains in fun battles to SURPRISE the player (after they just described an awesome action) and tell them the villain falls (even if that villain has 2,5,10, etc... "hit points" left. THAT, in my humble opinion, is more an action of PACING by a good GM than it is fudging the numbers - since it would be obvious that the PCs WILL be taking the villains down in 1-2 rounds. Why slog through more and waste time to get the technical when the dramatic pace is much better served?!!!

So...
Do I fudge die rolls or rules, in favor or against? Rarely. I'd rather let "fate" help me be inspired to adjust the story to the roll of the dice!
Do my player characters have "plot immunity"? Yes and no. As Game Master, I am the arbiter of the rules - so I let the rules play. I am also a "director" to set the pacing of the story, so I will guide the use of the rules to build the story. But I am also a game player at the table as well as an audience member. Meaning... I am a FAN of the "heroes" of the story - the player characters ARE the main characters! So in the end I CAN play the most evil and powerful dragon they've ever faced as players in any RPG (and characters in the story) and I will fight tooth and nail, using every evil power I can to help that dragon WIN! But still be able to CHEER when a hero rolls a NATURAL 20!! to hit the Big Bad! (hehe, actually sometimes I grown or complain, yell explanatories, etc... etc..! all to give the player fun satisfaction of BEATING the dragon - and me as GM, cause sometimes players like that!!)
But in the end - I'm on the side of the best story, generally that's the best success of the PCs. Sometimes it's not.

Either way - why "cheat", "fudge" or do anything that takes away from the AWESOME UNKNOWN of the fate in the dice?!?!!!

Afterall, I don't want to KNOW the end of the story, I want to be as excited at the "end" as the OTHER (stressing the idea of "other") players!
To do otherwise would be cheating myself!