BROADCASTS.com

This episode is (unfortunately?) not about the delicious sugary treat, but instead the DM tool of "fudging dice"; changing the outcome of a roll behind the screen. For this discussion, I'm joined by Bart Wynants, a.k.a @critographer, author, historian, and all-round inspiration machine. Off the back of Bart's extensive, seven-part Twitter thread, we discuss the finer points of this particular incarnation of DM fiat, and how it's a bit of an iceberg of unseen issues. Firstly, it's not limited to just altering the result of a dice roll in secret, and it's pervasiveness can take many forms: dice tables, magic items, difficulty DCs, etc. I go through my personal realisation of how public rolling completely changed the game for the better, with no drawbacks! We come to the conclusion that fudging is less a DM tool, and actually a symptom of a deeper problem - seen as an exceptional occurrence. Through the use of the "five-whys" methodology we can get to the bottom of why the need for fudging has manifested, and fix it at the root, which is easier than you might expect!

\n
• 02:32 - Transparent rolling: the silver bullet?
\n
• 09:19 - Improvising/fudging DCs
\n
• 18:46 - Single points of failure and the 'rule-of-three' cure
\n
• 26:20 - Finding peace in the absolution of responsibility
\n
• 32:13 - Fudging dice table results - why bother & how to remain flexible
\n
• 38:04 - Tier 1 life support - a failing of the framework?
\n
• 43:48 - Miscellaneous fudge
\n
• 53:26 - The Five Whys - how to get to the root of your fudging habit
\n

Follow Bart (@critographer) on:

\n
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/critographer
\n

He\u2019s done some recent work for:

\n
• Raging Swan Press: https://www.ragingswanpress.com/
\n
• Hansor Publishing - The Gaia Complex: https://thegaiacomplex.com/hansor
\n
• Nightfall Games - The Terminator RPG: https://nightfall.games/terminator
\n

Follow me on:

\n
• Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk
\n
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD
\n
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/
\n
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD
\n

References:

\n
• Bart's "THOU SHALT NOT FUDGE" Twitter thread: Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7
\n
• Gloomhaven
\n
• The Alexandrian
\n
• Agency episode of Thinking Critically
\n

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
\nIntermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
\nOutro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod