I have a friend and who is currently playing under a GM that cheats in the players’ favour: uses poor enemy tactics, will not use enemies abilities correctly, generally keeps enemies from finishing off player characters and when they do he effectively gives them free resurrections. My friend believes this is cheating. He has said out of frustration, "If I know there is no real chance of failure, why play?" He hasn't said this to the GM though.
(From his descriptions the GM isn't just bad at these things, it sounds like he has a good knowledge of the game, but just believes that always having the players come out on top in some way makes for a better game.)
He doesn't want to leave the group though, as he loves to play whenever he gets the chance. He wants this to change, but he is very non-confrontational. He has kindly requested that the GM roll in the open, to which the GM reluctantly agreed to do, but it hasn't helped as there are more ways to "fudge" things besides dice rolls.
He has talked to a few people outside his group that he trusts to talk to about such things, and they've told him, "maybe you should play a board game," which doesn't help. He loves D&D, but believes rules and consequences should be enforced.
He loves plot, exploration, and role-playing. Speaking of role-playing. He believes that not playing monsters and NPC's according to their personalities, stats, and desires is extremely bad role-playing.
His view is that if your playing D&D/Pathfinder, there are rules for a reason. Whether you fail that check to jump across a chasm, or if you fail a check to bluff a cruel king to seriously mislead him, there needs to be real repercussions for your actions. If not, you might as well be playing "story time" with whatever I want goes and not even touch the dice. Therefore there is no need to play D&D/pathfinder.
The other players are happy to have a get together and don't seem to mind.
What advice would you give for how he can approach the GM about these issues, while being as non-confrontational as possible?
My friend is way too shy to ask here. I'm not, so I'm looking to help by asking this for his sake. Him being shy might be relevant to the question too.
Best Answer
They aren't playing the same game.
The entire problem here is that your friend and his GM come to the game with almost opposite expectations. Your friend wants a ruthless game, and if I may guess a little I suspect he probably wants it to be fairly combat centric.
The GM is running a merciful game, that if I may guess is probably plot centric.
These are both fine playstyles, but they don't mesh overly well. While I don't take it to the extremes you are describing, when I GM it is much closer to the latter. I tell my players upfront that their characters absolutely will not die without their express decision. I never fudge die rolls, but I do a lot of mitigating the results of the rolls, let the enemy use tactics I know are suboptimal if necessary (it even makes sense when the enemy is supposed to be unintelligent...), and will have Deus Ex step in overtly when necessary to prevent a character death.
There are other GMs that play a more tactical, more deadly style. I enjoy playing in those games sometimes, but I won't run games that way.
You're friend has a few options:
Ask the GM to play a more ruthless game.
It sounds like your friend has already tried this and it hasn't worked. However, it sounds like he hasn't been explicit about it.
I suggest not saying that the GM is "cheating" or "playing it wrong". As mentioned above, this is not wrong or cheating. However, it is also not what your friend wants. He should try approaching it from that angle that he would like to see a different type of game.
He should tell the group as a whole that he would prefer a more ruthless playstyle with more risks. He should explain that the risks make the game more interesting for him and give it more substance. Again, he shouldn't say that what they are doing is wrong, but that he would like to try something else.
When it is put explicitly, but non-confrontationally, it might get real results, at least long enough for the group as a whole to give it a trial run.
Your friend can realize it isn't that type of game, and adapt.
You said your friend does not want to leave this game. Presumably he is having fun, if not as much fun as he wants. He might be able to just accept that he will not get exactly the type of game he wants at this table and then focus on the parts that are fun to him.
(With thanks to @NeilSlater) - One thing that might help is to ask the GM to explicitly lay out his play-style. There are many valid play-styles, but it helps when the GM and players are all at least aware of, and preferably in synch with, the general play-style being used. Having it be explicit will help everyone adapt to the game jointly.
Play other games in addition to this one.
There are other tables for D&D out there which are more ruthless and tactical. They may even be the majority. He can go look for one of those in addition to this one. I emphasize in addition to only because the OP explicitly says he doesn't want to leave this game. But he can get his fix for tactical gaming elsewhere and then come back for whatever he finds fun about this game.
Also, true board games may well appeal to him. Games like chess, go, and even Magic: The Gathering emphasize tactics with no need for a story and they strongly discourage any form of fudging. He can play those, in addition to, the game in question.