Oh yeah you’re right. There should always be an option for them to do something clever. Let them surprise you. Unfortunately it can come down to rolls but that’s the barrier between success or failure. When the rolls go their way they’ll feel so smart, otherwise they were THIS close!

Yeah I just feel like I see way too many GMs thinking making the players kill an innocent is good storytelling. I feel like people don’t role play to feel shitty about themselves