I’m not sure where this started again recently, but here we go,.

What is meant by “fudging dice?” If the Game Master rolls behind the cover of a screen or other obstruction and calls out a result different from what the dice indicated, that’s fudging. If a player calls out a different number that what they rolled, that’s just plain cheating. (Don’t get me going on how sad sauce that is.)

The debate we face today is whether or not it is ethical for a GM to fudge dice rolls at all. Does it take the fun out of the game? Is the GM just telling a story at that point? Are GMs abusing their power when they fudge certain rolls? I have a great example of why I sometimes prefer to not roll in front of the group when I GM.

I started and ended a game of Twilight 2000 with two random rolls in front of the group.

The Russians had begun shelling the PCs position in an early game of Twilight 2000 (The OG GDW version because the turn of the century was nine years away.) I rolled for a 200mm artillery round on the grid map for where the group’s Humvee was driving in their attempt to escape the shelling. It landed right on top of their square. The damage roll wiped out everyone in the vehicle for a heinous TPK.

“I said shoot across their nose, not up it!” – Dark Helmet, Space Balls.

So, my attempt to scare the PCs a little ended in total destruction of the campaign not even an hour into the first session. Note to self: Never roll the dice if you don’t intend for dire consequences that could end a campaign. Got it.

Years later, I got caught fudging a damage roll to keep a PC from dying.

I thought I learned my lesson with the artillery round. I was running D&D 3rd Ed years later. This Ogre took a hunk out of the Ranger that would have flattened lesser men and should have flattened him. I adjusted the damage to leave him at -1, so the group had a fighting chance to save him.

Well, the Ranger’s player sat right next to me and he leaned over to look at my dice behind the screen. Yeah, the character should have eaten a critical hit for 19 more health than the character had left. That’s when he got on my case for fudging a die roll. He wanted death on the table that bad, so I started rolling out in the open again.

So, which is the right way for the GM to go?

One solution I have is to keep rolling behind the screen. If I’m challenged, I show the group my rolls. Don’t call for a roll if I don’t want a random result. You can’t please all of the people all of the time according to Ben Franklin. (Who did not run D&D, buy the quote apples.)

Ultimately, and I say this every time, it’s up to whatever you and your group agree upon. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a good one. I appreciate you.