Gaming philosophy conundra

[Farmer]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

For instance the GM adjusts the scenario after the fact to make the clever character seem even smarter.

I've certainly done this. Not just for smart characters, but also smart players. If their ideas are better, or just as good but reflects better on them, don't be afraid to write them in and change your own.

Originally Posted by Boomerang

How this might look is that the player looks for a trap in an unusual location, there is no trap according to the GM map, but the GM retcons a trap in that spot so that the player looks clever finding it. Or in reverse, there is a trap there but the player didn’t think to look so the trap is ignored by the GM, unless a different (less intelligent) character happens to wander over it first.

Absolutely. Or if they think to ask somebody about something, or they interpret some lore in a cool way, or make some tactical choice that's interesting, write it in as being the best choice and flow with it.

Originally Posted by Boomerang

Or players are given more time to make decisions based on how smart their characters are, and they go in reverse order of intelligence. In other words the player with the smartest character gets to see how all the other player decisions pan out and have time to think about it, before they have to commit to their own course of action.

I'm not sure that works in combat rounds and the rest of the time, in my experience at least, it's a bit more free flowing. Letting the smarter character *change* their approach once they've heard what others are doing could work, but I wouldn't allow it all the time - experience often trumps native intelligence.