You can still catch people with the old “You didn’t find any traps”.

There’s a terrifying amount of people who don’t pay attention to the You part.

Takes notes

Takes your notes

flees

traps

Dude, trap is not the preferred nomenclature.

On the one hand, it’s fun to fuck with players. “So you enter the room? Cross the threshold of your own free will? Ok who’s wearing metal?” when none of that matters, but you write it down anyway.

On the other, sometimes I’ve had to be like “ok guys seriously there’s no traps here. Put away the ten foot pole and chickens let’s just move along”

I like to randomly ask if they wanna move around stealthily, even when there is no one to find them

I’m a simple man. I see Rogue One, I upvote.

I killed an unrelated NPC that witnessed me because my DM did that once.

I would do random dice rolls behind the screen.

Roll perception. 10? You are sure there’s no traps.

Shapeshifters!

rocks fall and snooggums dies

And they opposite, when they ask to roll perception or investigation when it doesn’t matter at all and the improv’ed answer turns into a major plot point

I wish they filmed Andor before Rogue One.

A while ago I watched Andor, Rogue One and Episode 4 chronologically. It felt like a step backwards with every switch.

Episode 4 is quite good, but it’s really old and kinda primitive by modern standards.

Rogue One is the best star wars movie so far, and it’s just really well done.

Andor is just pure amazing! They took the comparatively long time they had and really developed the characters, the world and the story.

Watching these three in that order is really good. But watching them in chronological order really lessens the experience.

I wonder how great Rogue One would have been if it had all the worldbuilding and character development of Andor behind it.

That’s the beauty of cooperative storytelling.

And the ability to rapidly pivot and discard all the preparation you did is THE most important skill for a good DM.

And the ability to rapidly pivot and discard all the preparation you did is THE most important skill for a good DM.

A good DM prepares an intricate and fulfilling dungeon for the party.

A great DM knows to leave half of the space empty, for when the players decide to smash straight through the goddamned wall and you need to improvise secret rooms.

And a fantastic DM knows that the content of the dungeon is constantly in flux until the party perceives it. They may have the floor plan and ideas for each room laid out, but the Macguffin they came here to claim is always in the farthest point away from wherever the party entered. It is Schrödingers treasure chest, simultaneously positioned in every room and none of the rooms of the dungeon until the party perceives it. Party sneaks in through the basement? The macguffin is in the attic. Party sneaks in through the attic? The macguffin is in the basement.

The DM rolls dice because of the way they sound when they bounce against the table. I just enjoy the clattering noises. No other reasons.

Oh, my god, I search for traps again.

You can’t.

Why tf not?!

You don’t think there are any traps to search for

Yes I tf do.

Yeah but your character doesn’t.

Ok hear me out, we have been doing this for five years now right?

Yeah.

So by now my character has came to an understand that he lives in a world controlled by chance and a cruel, cruel God right?

I guess technically He could know that.

So, he would never ever trust his own ability and would understand that no matter how sure you are you should try as many times as possible right?

That’s metagaming.

No, no, no it’s not actually, because in this world God’s are real.

Ok, I’ll accept it.

So can I roll again?

No.

Why TF not!?

Because your religion is too low.

…

You watch yourself, I’m taking a class in cleric next level.

Alternatively you allow that line of reasoning but subsequently require that they spend hours searching every room they enter multiple times.

ask to roll perfection

I didn’t know this was an option. I’d like a nat 20, please.