MU Podcast 053 - Fudging, Flubbing, and Failing

Keeper Jon · Post by **Keeper Jon** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:43 pm

Shannon Mac wrote:I think that no good Hook threw me under the bus.

About halfway through the podcast. More later, playas.

Dr. Gerard · Post by **Dr. Gerard** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 12:31 am

He did! I remember that you are clearly to blame for something, but I'm not sure what...

Shannon Mac · Post by **Shannon Mac** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:47 am

Existing?

Howard · Post by **Howard** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 4:08 pm

One of my groups plays WFRP & HackMaster. Both systems have Fate/Fortune points which you can use like "Wishes" to change rolls or outcomes of rolls. Many other/new systems have this mechanic, "Bennie/Luck/Chip" points are all mechanics to divert the need to fudge. Their like having a "Ring of Wishes". I would rather play in a game with these mechanics if the keeper/GM is inexperienced at fudging.

sirlarkins · Post by **sirlarkins** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:40 pm

Howard wrote:One of my groups plays WFRP & HackMaster. Both systems have Fate/Fortune points which you can use like "Wishes" to change rolls or outcomes of rolls. Many other/new systems have this mechanic, "Bennie/Luck/Chip" points are all mechanics to divert the need to fudge. Their like having a "Ring of Wishes". I would rather play in a game with these mechanics if the keeper/GM is inexperienced at fudging.

Yes, thank you for reminding me of one the things I really like about Savage Worlds in this context: GM bennies. Everyone, including the GM, gets bennies that let them re-roll X number of dice rolls per session. So in effect, SW bakes in the idea Murph was advocating that sometimes it's better for a GM to fudge a dice roll, for whatever reason, to make for a better turning point in a story. I like that SW systematizes it, so that there's no perception of "cheating" or taking agency away from the players.

Shannon Mac · Post by **Shannon Mac** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:42 am

I'm pretty similar to Murph in viewpoints on fudging dice rolls. I have no issue TPKing and the like as long as it doesn't ruin the story threads of the game. It is after all a horror game.

I typically roll out in the open in face to face games or an open dice roller online. I typically let the dice fall where they will.

Most of my games have backup characters and the reason for entry into a current game doesn't have to be Shakespearean.

Keeper Jon · Post by **Keeper Jon** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 8:21 pm

Shannon Mac wrote:Most of my games have backup characters and the reason for entry into a current game doesn't have to be Shakespearean.

Very true.

fallingtower · Post by **fallingtower** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:23 pm

I see a dice roll as a just a number, it's up to me as a Keeper to interpret them how I feel best for the situation. So it's not really fudging.

Even with combat, a critical hit at point blank doesn't have to mean the PC's head is blown off. Instead you can have them make a luck roll and come up with something else, like at the last second, they raise their hand and have it blown to bone chunks and bloody hamburger...much more interesting than...you're dead.

As far as backup characters go, I usually have my players have one already rolled up and ready to go, with an appropriate backstory and way in to the adventure. I actually called in to a show and shared my idea and for some reason Oscar Rios thought it was stupid.

Keeper Jon · Post by **Keeper Jon** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 11:30 pm

fallingtower wrote:I see a dice roll as a just a number, it's up to me as a Keeper to interpret them how I feel best for the situation. So it's not really fudging.

Even with combat, a critical hit at point blank doesn't have to mean the PC's head is blown off. Instead you can have them make a luck roll and come up with something else, like at the last second, they raise their hand and have it blown to bone chunks and bloody hamburger...much more interesting than...you're dead.

As far as backup characters go, I usually have my players have one already rolled up and ready to go, with an appropriate backstory and way in to the adventure. I actually called in to a show and shared my idea and for some reason Oscar Rios thought it was stupid.

I love the idea of utterly obliterating a character's hand. I'm stealing that, I'm telling you that right now.

And I totally remember that show with Oscar and your back-up character idea. I'll say that I actually like that idea. If I ran more long-running campaigns, I can see myself using that method for player's back-up characters.

fallingtower · Post by **fallingtower** » Mon Apr 21, 2014 4:58 pm

Keeper Jon wrote:
fallingtower wrote:I see a dice roll as a just a number, it's up to me as a Keeper to interpret them how I feel best for the situation. So it's not really fudging.

Even with combat, a critical hit at point blank doesn't have to mean the PC's head is blown off. Instead you can have them make a luck roll and come up with something else, like at the last second, they raise their hand and have it blown to bone chunks and bloody hamburger...much more interesting than...you're dead.

As far as backup characters go, I usually have my players have one already rolled up and ready to go, with an appropriate backstory and way in to the adventure. I actually called in to a show and shared my idea and for some reason Oscar Rios thought it was stupid.
I love the idea of utterly obliterating a character's hand. I'm stealing that, I'm telling you that right now.

And I totally remember that show with Oscar and your back-up character idea. I'll say that I actually like that idea. If I ran more long-running campaigns, I can see myself using that method for player's back-up characters.

Yeah maiming is much more interesting instead of outright killing an investigator.

Also, I've found that having a second character ready to go makes my players role-play differently. In my current game, I've intentionally been making the use of force less effective and thus have de-fanged one of my younger players (who always tends to be a gunbunny) by requiring all the investigators to be part of an artist association and thus 'artsy' and not 'gunsy' and I have thusfar made all my Mythos antagonists be either 'all in the mind' or ethereal. Anyway, my gun-nutty player has gotten the hint and is shelving his gun-centric character for his number 2. A mystic and con-man.

Still on the subject of the ready to go second character, I really hate having to shoe-horn in a new character, cold, usually with a hackneyed reason why some complete stranger would get involved with this group of obvious nutjobs. By having the back-up already rolled up, both the Keeper and the player have a concept and a way in. I really hate transmogrifying a bell hop, hobo or small town sheriff NPC into a PC. Not very Lovecraftian.