QuasiWizard

DO YOU have rules lawyers at your table? Players who want to abuse mechanics in nonsensical ways?

DO YOU have players that want strong narrative, want worldbuilding, and a sense of mystery without the monologues?

DO YOU want to encourage engagement with the world and exploration across the map?

Next time, try DIEGETICS. This is a tried and true solution to the above problems, and others you may encounter at YOUR, yes you, RPG session. 

WHAT IS DIEGETICS? Diegetics (also known as Immersive Gaming) is playing an RPG by way of describing the world and its details as it is. Players then describe their actions, and the logic of the world is discussed to determine the outcome. You may roll dice if deemed reasonable (or just desired), but is not necessary. That's it! Three simple steps for easier, faster, more fun gaming!

BUT SAM doesn't this hide information from the players unnecessarily? 

NO. It does hide information, for example that a sword is magically sharp, but not unnecessarily. Instead, determining the missing information is a little mystery, a little puzzle every time. Do you know the science fiction trope of determining what alien tech does? You can have those moments for every magical item. This can also be part of the challenge you put in your game, upping the challenge of understanding an item before it can be used.

BUT SAM doesn't this leave enough power to the GM to screw over players in a malicious way?

NO, not beyond anything already allowed in any other game. You can play with any amount of rules, but if you are in an imagined space, there is no guarantee for a GM not to screw you over. Tomb of Horrors was written for a very crunchy game, and kills many PCs. How kind your GM is depends on their personality, not rules. Rules are not a danger safeguard.

BUT SAM my player described their action vaguely and I have no idea how to respond to it!

IT'LL BE OK. Ask for clarification. Specificity is key. If they say "I attack with my sword," ask for details. Are they charging, point first? Swinging wildly? Once you even start to ask this, the players will understand they need to think tactically about their attack. This is good! It is engagement with the world!

 

BUT SAM doesn't this give players too much freedom to derail my story?

YES, and that's OK. If you have a complete story in mind, there's no need to bring it to a game format, just write it down in a non-collaborative medium. If you want collaborative gameplay, a living and responsive world that doesn't require the headache of railroading, then diegetics will help. Don't test your luck with capricious dice; instead, you and the players can build off of each others' ideas to forge cool outcomes.

 

BUT SAM I like rolling dice! Don't tell me not to!

I said you could if you want to. Just put the in-game logic first! Your sword can still do 1d6 damage, but a better sword should do more, or be more accurate; or even better, have a really specific trait that makes it better, and that affects the dice rolling in a sensible way. The world's your oyster!

SO for your next RPG session, CHOOSE DIEGETICS.

This message paid the Joesky Tax, an incomplete one page dungeon is available here.