You want your character to succeed as much as possible? Don't leave it up to the dice. Go over their pips and directly to the Person in Charge - the GameMaster. Trust me, most GMs have deep-seated need to see their players think outside the box, come up with interesting strategies, investigate the right things, and show interest in NPCs. Why? Because the GM has more information than anybody else, and is therefore less likely to be surprised. But a (pleasantly) surprised GM, is a more pliable GM. A GM that's much more willing to entertain your crazy idea than the rule set normally would.
GMs fudge all the time. Why? To keep things moving, mostly. Combat's running too long (or too short). Players are wasting time on The Wrong Thing(TM) and need a sudden clue or push in the right direction. Behind the scenes, the GM is changing plans, amending threat stats and numbers, and so forth. So they're already fudging on your behalf (to keep the game moving and interesting). Only a terrible GM is fudging to actively kill you (don't play with them). So the art of charming the GM is absolutely within the bounds of fair play. But we're not talking about seduction (which would be isolating to other players).
If it hasn't come up after X number of sessions, you may want to ask: What are we, the players, doing wrong or could do better to make the GMing experience more fun? If the GM longs for more outside-the-box ideas, come up with them. If combats are boring "I hit it" x20, start thinking more strategically and use the environment and your equipment in interesting ways. Dazzled by these attempts, the GM may well let you get away with more than they would if you just went whole hog into the fray just as you always do. You might even make them change their plans to allow you to solve a problem in a new way. Similarly, building surprise relationships with NPCs may allow you to call on their help, or create diversions, when you need them. An interesting NPC you take an actual interest IN (whether ally or foe) will create more opportunities for both you and the GM, so it has benefits beyond your "charm attempt". It may also save them (if useful) from sacrificial death.
At its most basic, charming a GM will probably get you bonuses to succeed in cinematic situations where, normally, a rule set would have you roll a high, perhaps unreachable number. It should also get you out of tedious combats in a more interesting way. Ultimately, though, a charmed GM will also be more pliable when it comes to bargaining for the ability to even try something with your best stat. For example, if your GM decides that what you want to do requires, say, a Strength roll, you might convince them that your feeble brainiac should be allowed to try using Intelligence (not brute force, but scientifically applied force using a lever). They are much more likely to say yes to you if 1) you're thinking outside the box, and 2) this is charming them or they have been previously charmed.
And if you're a GameMaster reading this, be open to this charm. It's all about rewarding good play, and incentivizing it. So by all means, mention how the players could do better, not as a criticism, but as a way for them to succeed better. Hopefully, they'll take the hint, but hey, respect their attempt.
GMs fudge all the time. Why? To keep things moving, mostly. Combat's running too long (or too short). Players are wasting time on The Wrong Thing(TM) and need a sudden clue or push in the right direction. Behind the scenes, the GM is changing plans, amending threat stats and numbers, and so forth. So they're already fudging on your behalf (to keep the game moving and interesting). Only a terrible GM is fudging to actively kill you (don't play with them). So the art of charming the GM is absolutely within the bounds of fair play. But we're not talking about seduction (which would be isolating to other players).
If it hasn't come up after X number of sessions, you may want to ask: What are we, the players, doing wrong or could do better to make the GMing experience more fun? If the GM longs for more outside-the-box ideas, come up with them. If combats are boring "I hit it" x20, start thinking more strategically and use the environment and your equipment in interesting ways. Dazzled by these attempts, the GM may well let you get away with more than they would if you just went whole hog into the fray just as you always do. You might even make them change their plans to allow you to solve a problem in a new way. Similarly, building surprise relationships with NPCs may allow you to call on their help, or create diversions, when you need them. An interesting NPC you take an actual interest IN (whether ally or foe) will create more opportunities for both you and the GM, so it has benefits beyond your "charm attempt". It may also save them (if useful) from sacrificial death.
At its most basic, charming a GM will probably get you bonuses to succeed in cinematic situations where, normally, a rule set would have you roll a high, perhaps unreachable number. It should also get you out of tedious combats in a more interesting way. Ultimately, though, a charmed GM will also be more pliable when it comes to bargaining for the ability to even try something with your best stat. For example, if your GM decides that what you want to do requires, say, a Strength roll, you might convince them that your feeble brainiac should be allowed to try using Intelligence (not brute force, but scientifically applied force using a lever). They are much more likely to say yes to you if 1) you're thinking outside the box, and 2) this is charming them or they have been previously charmed.
And if you're a GameMaster reading this, be open to this charm. It's all about rewarding good play, and incentivizing it. So by all means, mention how the players could do better, not as a criticism, but as a way for them to succeed better. Hopefully, they'll take the hint, but hey, respect their attempt.
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