GM Fiat

I'm unsure if this has been already been suggested but the ability for a GM, DM, Narrator, etc., to set a player to roll a certain number or add points to their roll without them knowing or having it show up for them to allow the GM to be able to exert some control over a players dice roll for various plot points and what have you. As a GM myself such a mechanic would be incredibly valuable to myself and many others I'm sure.

If you're going to execute GM Fiat over my rolls, why have me roll at all? Players should only roll the dice when the result matters; if you've decided on the result before the player picks up the dice, no roll is necessary and you're just wasting time. When I see a roll result, I expect it to be an actual roll result. That said, this can already be accomplished with the API.

Thx for your explanation of your preference, Brian. Any chance Josh and I could get more of an elaboration on his question, or an example of the API or other necessary methods? I too would like to do this. I know you can use /w gm to not show players the DM roll, but I would love to have them roll and not know the answer.

Why can't the GM just role in that case Dragonsbane777? Have the player do the /em and the gm do the /gr

I think the biggest use case for this request is probably cursed items affecting the character's rolls, but they don't know they are cursed. That, or the character doesn't know how epic the great-sword they picked up in the last dungeon actually is....

Dragonsbane777 said: Thx for your explanation of your preference, Brian. Any chance Josh and I could get more of an elaboration on his question, or an example of the API or other necessary methods? I too would like to do this. I know you can use /w gm to not show players the DM roll, but I would love to have them roll and not know the answer. This is a simple snippet of an example, and one specifically for faking [[1d20+5]]. If the faked roll is maxed (eg, 20), you need to add the class "critsuccess" after "basicdieroll". Conversely, if the faked roll is a 1, you need to add "critfail". This makes the die's number red or green in the popup. If you have a critsuccess die and you don't have a critfail die, you need to add the class "fullcrit" after "tipsy-n". If you have a critfail die and you don't have a critsuccess die, you need to add "fullfail". And, if you have both a critsuccess and a critfail die, you need to add "importantroll". This adds the red, green, or blue border around the inline roll. var fakeInlineRoll = '<span title="Rolling 1d20+5 = (<span class=\'basicdiceroll\'>' + fiatRollValue + '</span>)+5" class="a inlinerollresult showtip tipsy-n">' + (fiatRollValue+5) + '</span>'; sendChat('player|' + gmPlayer.id, '/direct ' + fakeInlineRoll);

Roger A. said: I think the biggest use case for this request is probably cursed items affecting the character's rolls, but they don't know they are cursed. That, or the character doesn't know how epic the great-sword they picked up in the last dungeon actually is.... Stupid question: Why not just adjust the DC in your head for that player? Normally a 16 was enough to hit the Ork, but with the cursed item he needs an 18. So a rolled 17 just doesn't hit.

Sometimes as a GM you see players that can't roll well, sure the dice roller is more random now, but I don't want more random dice roller I want one that when a player knows the DC be it that I told them or through research or plain meta knowledge. irrelevant how they know they just do, it's nice to give them a hand without them knowing cos some don't like sympathy. Or perhaps a penalty cos i want the bad guy to get away rather then be red mist. Or sometimes monsters roll too well and you don't want to lower it's attack roll but you want it to not roll well. so a player feels luck that they are not dead. The ability to fudge or skew rolls while still showing the players the roll would be cool.

True GM fiat is the GM just saying "you do the thing". I already hear people talk about how the dice aren't really random, putting in something like this would just make them even more paranoid.

My 2 cents: I think this can be handled "behind the screen" by the DM, just like it would be in a live session. If you've got a player who is unlucky and you want to bolster them, you just tell them they succeeded. You can dress it up however you like ("You feel a chill as an otherworldly presence guides your hand.", "You mind steps out of time and a shadowy being asks you 'What is it worth to you to vanquish this foe.. perhaps we can make an arrangement.'"), adding more plot and depth to your world, or just play off as something ("Your target was thrown off balance by Yurgoth's last arrow."). There are whole RPG systems designed around the idea that the game doesn't start until people start failing. (Redguard for one) This discussion reminds me of another one which some of you might find interesting if you haven't read it: <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/778088/rolls-onl" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/778088/rolls-onl</a>...