We Are Ringmaster

Think about it this way...If a player wants to do something, they require:

the DM to allow them to do so (either in their role as referee or narrator)

the mechanics to be arranged in their favour (everything from class builds to environmental penalties to limited use abilities)

the dice to cooperate

If any one of these things isn't checked off, the player simply CAN'T do what they wanted to do. How many times have players come up with a solution for a challenge that SHOULD work, only to be foiled when either DM fiat or poor dicerolls said no?

Unless it’s something they’ve specc’d their character to be good at, players become pessimistic about the outcome of their actions, so they don’t try things.  They don’t speak up in dialogue because they don't want their uncharismatic character to roll persuasion, they don't poke around the room because their afraid their unperceptive character will trigger a trap. They wait until the DM HANDS them the answer

DMs lament that their parties aren’t taking risks (because risks are supposed to be where the fun is), despite the fact that they’ve thoroughly punished players for taking risks in the past. This problem’s gotten so bad  I’ve had completely new players start compulsively checking EVERY room for mimics because d&d’s “gotcha” attitude has pervaded out into the cultural consciousness surrounding the game. 

Compare this with something like blades in the dark, which uses a d6 system where 1-3 is a failure, 4-5 is a success with a drawback, and 6 is a complete success. That’s a 50% chance of the player getting to do (at least partially) what they want, and that’s before we get into tossing multiple dice or expending resources to affect the roll.

Faerie Haven by Devajoy Gouss & Julie Jumper

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