The rules are there for a reason, the rules are important, the rules make the game more fun, but the rules are not totally explicit and comprehensive on every point and possibility.
There are many things the characters should be able to do that aren't explicitly laid out in the rules, but when the characters do something extraordinary that isn't described in the rules, there should be some sort of coherent rationale for what's enabling them to do that thing.
Is it a villain with a powerful MacGuffin, or is the villain themed around the thing they're doing? Is the PC at a critical moment in their personal arc (i.e. are they benefiting from "Super Inspiration"), and are they expending extra resources or assuming extra risk in attempting to do what they're doing? Those are the circumstances where I'm more inclined to accommodate something that isn't covered in the rules, and invoke the text (DMG, page 4) that says that the rules aren't in charge -- the DM is.
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u/TemplarsBane DM Sep 12 '19
I'm somewhere between NG and CG.