I admit that I was just messing around with Ragnarok but I think it's fair to say that we are still "on the rails".

Originally Posted by WebSpyder
...what an individual DM does from table to table will vary...

This is truly the heart of the matter. Larian is not our GM because they are not with the player; able to customize the experience given the situations as they arise in real time. The developers must anticipate what _could_ happen. What we all have to rely on is the ruleset. It is an anchor that we can all play around. If the rules deviate too much from the source - Baldur's Gate and D&D - then it would be better to call this game something else wouldn't you agree?

Simply put, the issue brought up by this thread is valid and worth discussing. Also, the discussion is much larger than just this one instance - as you, WebSpyder, have already stated.