I used to always try for the best outcome but with this have it seems like half of the time a failure also leads to an amazing consequence and story.
Like this from act one in the Underdark:
spoiler
I had to find a hidden gnome that could supply me with gunpowder, but she was so much on edge that she lit up the barrel of gunpowder and blew up the whole room, leaving half of my party dead. A suicide gnome bomber. I couldn’t convince her that I was not an enemy. Reloaded just to see if I could successfully do it, but much preferred the first outcome of the dice roll, so had to reload and try 6 times until I failed again. What a game!
In theory, I only reload when there’s been an issue that’s somehow mechanical in nature, like when I was first learning how stealth worked, or when a misclick sends characters running into stupid stuff. In theory, I roll with my failures, especially narratively interesting ones.
In practice, I need to work on playing this game less anxiously. I’m reloading more than I would like and part of why this game is so good is (I’m told) how fun and interesting failure is — that’s where great depth comes from. I feel like by being too persnickety with outcomes, I’m nerfing my own experience
Worst comes to worst, there’s always inspiration, which I’m never short on. I appreciate having the inspiration, it feels like a small endorsement of the instinct within me that makes me want to get the perfect outcome. It’s like saying “a little retcon, as a treat”, because all good things in moderation.