Generally, I think it’s best for the GM to give the players an accurate, understandable, and consistent view of the world. If the local townsfolk have said The creature up the hill turns people to stone when they gaze upon it! then this is a perfectly reasonable course of action, even if the monster doesn’t have a gaze attack, so long as the PCs trust the villagers. The villagers just happen to be wrong in this case.
If the PCs have a reason to doubt their senses (in D&D/Shadowrun that might be due to a charm, etc; or in Cyberpunk/Shadowrun it could be cyberpsychosis) then it’s also pretty reasonable.
Can the GM do it once to troll the players? Sure.
Would it be annoying if the GM made a habit of it? Probably.
My response was (is?) tongue and cheek.
Generally, I think it’s best for the GM to give the players an accurate, understandable, and consistent view of the world. If the local townsfolk have said The creature up the hill turns people to stone when they gaze upon it! then this is a perfectly reasonable course of action, even if the monster doesn’t have a gaze attack, so long as the PCs trust the villagers. The villagers just happen to be wrong in this case.
If the PCs have a reason to doubt their senses (in D&D/Shadowrun that might be due to a charm, etc; or in Cyberpunk/Shadowrun it could be cyberpsychosis) then it’s also pretty reasonable.
Can the GM do it once to troll the players? Sure.
Would it be annoying if the GM made a habit of it? Probably.
Is it funny for a meme? Yes.