tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post2345175530426100332..comments2024-03-29T06:16:21.012+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: Running the Rule Over Rulings and RulesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-69441561125737988692013-02-15T13:20:41.048+08:002013-02-15T13:20:41.048+08:00It all comes down to the GM. I have played in a nu...It all comes down to the GM. I have played in a number of groups, from D&D Encounters "Official Wizards Owns This Game" events to the starter packs of shiny-eyed newbies, and the only thing that makes a difference is the GM. D&DE events are hyper rulesy with limits on what your character can be and do, but there are GMs who make it fun by working with you and telling you that you can do things. And I have played in free-style games where most of the problems and events were unsolvable because I could not read the GMs mind and my answers were unacceptable.Spazalicious Chaoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18244425041829215280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-11225084193831064122013-01-14T22:40:37.094+08:002013-01-14T22:40:37.094+08:00amen!amen!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-65319753659082672712013-01-14T12:55:42.215+08:002013-01-14T12:55:42.215+08:00What I've found really interesting over the pa...What I've found really interesting over the past couple of years in the "rules vs. rulings" debate (which is a stupid debate because <a href="http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/3924/roleplaying-games/rules-vs-rulings" rel="nofollow">good rules facilitate effective rulings</a>; it's like saying "healthy food vs. nutrition" or "books vs. reading") is that a number of gamers are apparently no longer capable of using <i>guidelines</i>. Regardless of which side of the false "rules vs. rulings" debate they come down on, their process has apparently become so broken that they can only interpret guidelines as immutable rules which -- once they've been published -- must be followed as if they were androids and the guidelines were Asimov's Three Laws.<br /><br />And this seems to come from both directions: The "rulings suck" people interpret any published guideline as a rule that the GM has to follow or they're a bad person. And the "rules suck" people interpret any published guideline as yet another horrible example of rulebooks trying to strip the GM of their God Given Authority.<br /><br />The whole thing is bizarre.Justin Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02227895898395353754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-39901167794642786662013-01-11T23:12:23.337+08:002013-01-11T23:12:23.337+08:00this argument seems very bizarre. i'm not sur...this argument seems very bizarre. i'm not sure how anybody could argue with the validity of noism's points, but i guess maybe i'm not making enough effortDungeon Smashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17400977043480856370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-3608996016424382252013-01-11T10:50:27.692+08:002013-01-11T10:50:27.692+08:00I agree in favor of rulings. I prefer my rules lig...I agree in favor of rulings. I prefer my rules light and simple, easily memorized so I can just play, and open to adaptation and manipulation of all sorts.<br />I am attempting a work of maximum simplicity:<br />http://randemise.blogspot.com/2013/01/skeleton-6.htmlZavihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04869589113810731406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-39158691796245520552013-01-11T01:53:44.498+08:002013-01-11T01:53:44.498+08:00What a completely bizarre argument. Rules are to k...What a completely bizarre argument. Rules are to keep things fairly consistent and predictable enough to work with, and to reduce the number of rulings needed by the GM. Rulings are what the GM must do continuously. That's why additional rulebooks are optional and used only if useful, and why in fact <i>every</i> rule is as well. Having GM'd many, many groups over the past 3 decades, I can vouch that each group's style of play and personality grouping will support a different balance of rules and rulings. The mystery to me is why this is a mystery.Peregrine Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03511962495322344119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-40711380841033189972013-01-10T16:35:11.173+08:002013-01-10T16:35:11.173+08:00"If x, a kobold will do y"
Only in a co..."If x, a kobold will do y"<br /><br />Only in a computer program can (well, must) you do that.<br /><br />Reminds me of my theory / feeling that D&Ds after version 2 were written by computer programmers.Gavin Normanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12362875699031245377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-85583713285829338802013-01-10T15:27:18.678+08:002013-01-10T15:27:18.678+08:00At the same time, no one will suggest that there s...At the same time, no one will suggest that there should be no rules and only rulings: having a general framework to base the rulings on is a very helpful thing. So the next question is: "How much is enough?" That's not an easy question to answer and so there's still a good deal of room for debate.Billyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16717291964764757651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-65077364597535071732013-01-10T14:17:47.624+08:002013-01-10T14:17:47.624+08:00Come to think of it, disliking GM fiat might be on...Come to think of it, disliking GM fiat might be one reason for the popularity of MMPORGs, board games like Warhammer Quest and Descent, and computer RPGs.anarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05546197561922726279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-56171324168669012832013-01-10T12:21:50.178+08:002013-01-10T12:21:50.178+08:00Surely the difference between a role-playing game ...Surely the difference between a role-playing game and a board game is precisely GM rulings?anarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05546197561922726279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-2881476227680981522013-01-10T12:20:40.409+08:002013-01-10T12:20:40.409+08:00Or not to play with unreasonable people, be they p...Or not to play with unreasonable people, be they player or GM.Thomas M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13248298143309606444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-76931325340064333822013-01-10T11:29:37.965+08:002013-01-10T11:29:37.965+08:00What I find curious in that Big Purple discussion ...What I find curious in that Big Purple discussion is that some people associate "rulings" with GM tyranny, whereas I would argue that the presence of a discretionary GM gives players freedom. Having an individual judge at the table allows RPG players the freedom to go "off grid" in a way that computer gamers and board gamers never can. Matthew Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17343263539473683579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-78343462638394295102013-01-10T08:49:35.051+08:002013-01-10T08:49:35.051+08:00A very good point - rules lawyers miss that not ev...A very good point - rules lawyers miss that not even the real law works the way they expect.Roger G-Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08594440701279968693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-65321480055265069072013-01-10T08:03:49.059+08:002013-01-10T08:03:49.059+08:00I think you're right. Really, game systems var...I think you're right. Really, game systems vary most by the amount of rules they come with, but they all require GM rulings to play. It's a matter of degree, not kind. The only way you can get to pure "rulings" is to go all free kreigspiel and have the GM rule on everything with no reference to rules, and the only way to go no-rulings is to ditch the GM and any judgment calls at all.Peter Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246000382321978462noreply@blogger.com