Failed PS: Artist Roll?

[Jkeown]

My son, who is at best an erratic person, wanted to flush out elements of the Cult of the Fiery Twilight in last evening's game. The PCs knew the cult's symbol, a ring of steel surrounding a ruby, that having a twin-forked flame leaping from it.

The boy (for that is what I call him), in his role of Zaff Paffodel, does not have PS: Artist. I let his character buy paints and brushes and make the roll anyway. He painted the symbol on his shield and breastplate. The result was a 14. I grinned and told him it "looked alright."

He then set off about town, trying to attract the attention of the cult. I knew where they were, and unless he went down to the docks, he wasn't going to encounter them. He did encounter a guy outside of a warehouse who shouted to him.

"Hey! I recognize that symbol! I've got a shipment for you!"

"Oh, yes?" replies Zaff, hoping for the best.

The warehouser made him sign for several crates and barrels, some of which contained live chickens for Hasselfarn's Poultry over on the other side of town. Without the proper skill, the flame symbol looked a lot like a chicken... and I didn't tell him. Eventually, the found the cult, defeated the Bad Guy, went back to the inn for chicken...

Is that bad GMing? Or just mean? or too clever? or what?

[L. Marcus]

. . . It's fun, is what it is! :snicker:

[Dale A. Ward]

~snicker~

I think that's one of the few times I'd let the kid get away with calling me an @$$hole... he'd be right!

But, he better be smilin' when he says it!

:D

[CraterMaker]

Heh heh..

You could do chicken jokes for months with a setup like that..

-CraterMaker

[Thia Halmades]

Thought that was rather clever, myself. Nicely done! :thumbup:

[Jkeown]

I just can't see saying "You failed." Some tasks, clearly, you know immediately that you've screwed up (EOD comes to mind), others are not so obvious. I think social skills should be in that category... The "Delayed Failure" of "Oh...Hey... nice talking to you" and then consequences drop on you later. Diplomacy and Seduction results could be held off a while too.

Especially if you're the type of GM to make such rolls in secret. I'm thinking of moving all such "Fuzzy Failure" rolls behind the screen.

As players, would you be annoyed if you couldn't make your own rolls in this fashion? I think it's not only fair, but that any sense of tension and drama demands it.

[War Cry]

As players, would you be annoyed if you couldn't make your own rolls in this fashion? I think it's not only fair, but that any sense of tension and drama demands it.

As a player, yes. I like rolling dice. Whether or not I succeed, well, that's the GM's call.

As a GM, my approach takes the middle ground. I let the players make the roll, but I don't tell them if there are any modifiers to the roll, whether they may be positive or negative. Keeps them hopeful, and maintains some tension.

[Dale A. Ward]

For things that they could obviously tell whether they succeeded or not, I'd prefer the players rolled their own dice. But, if success or failure would not be immediately apparent, I usually do the rolling.

[CourtFool]

I thought it was rather clever. As a player, I would not have been upset if this had been done to me. I would also not mind some rolls being made for me by the GM. Perception rolls would seem appropriate.

[Starwolf]

What Dale said :D