It happens, eventually, in any game. Something goes wrong or someone makes a mistake. I'm not talking about total party kill type mistakes, or even "oh, I didn't mean to insult the Queen to her face" type mistakes.
This sort of mistake is the one where players don't understand what the GM said, or the GM screws up and can't salvage the situation in any way.
The question that arises then is, how do you go on? Do you get "takesies backsies" or are you stuck with whatever horrible situation has arisen?
In some cases, the retcon might be necessary because without it, there can be no forward action. Perhaps without a do-over, the entire game would simply end with the players staring at the GM with no options left and no way to retrace their steps in game. Perhaps the do-over is needed because of table issues. Sometimes a do-over is needed because of interruptions that result in no one remembering what happened in that last combat, and they choose to simply fight it out again.
Is it ever acceptable to retcon? Is it ever OK to allow players to take back an action or a conversation? Or is it the Great Forbidden Taboo for a GM to ever say, "No, I'm sorry, let's do another take there"?
I think after our last experience at the table, I'd say that the occasional retcon would be ok. The thing with the phoenix really did fall apart, and I think our group would agree that we all had a hand in that. Getting to hit the reset button would be great in my opinion. Not sure if the other players would want to try a do over.
ReplyDeleteI'm always ok with a Mulligan if that is necessary the do over itself isn't always necessary to be done but sometimes spoken it's entirely your group.
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