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How Important Is Rules Knowledge In Being A Good D&D DM?
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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 3308118" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>Congradulations. You've just made your first step in becoming a good DM. </p><p></p><p>I don't know how many arguments I've been in on these boards to the effect of, "The DM doesn't really need to know the rules.", but anyone that believes that probably isn't a DM or has never had a DM that really didn't know the rules.</p><p></p><p>It is very important that the DM know the rules very very well. In fact, I think that nothing so enhances your DM authority (and thereby prevents all sorts of other problems) as knowing the rules better than anyone else at the table. Ruling according to the RAW might not always be the wisest thing to do, and ruling against the RAW might not either. Ruling according to the RAW and being wrong to do so (because in this situation it causes something that detracts from the game) might harm your game somewhat, but ruling according to the RAW and being wrong is always far superior to ruling against the RAW and being in the wrong. This is especially true if the players know that you are only ruling this way because you don't get it.</p><p></p><p>And then there are other benefits...</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Exactly. Another way to enhance the respect you recieve at the table (and therefore avoid all sorts of unpleasantness that a DM that has lost respect has to endure), is to play the evil baddies well. A poor DM resorts to DM fiat to achieve the same result, but this very quickly creates 'favored NPC syndrome', which breeds all sorts of resentment from your players if they detect it.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Exactly. </p><p></p><p>Now, this isn't to say that a good DM doesn't occassionally make ad hoc decisions on the fly, but when a good DM does it it isn't because of his lack of knowledge of the rules, but on the contrary because of his deep and intimate knowledge of the rules. The good DM recognizes a good well-thought out rule from a bad poorly thought out rule. He knows the limitations of his rules system and when the rules system handles the situation and when it needs help. And, when it does need help, when he decides on an approach, he remembers it. He thinks about it after the fact, and contemplates the justness of his approach and its implications. If he he like what he sees, it becomes a house rule, which can be announced, explained, and justified if it becomes required to do so. If faced with rules lawyers who resist the change because they want to abuse the rules, he can beat them at thier own game by showing them how the rule represent know net advantage to them because the DM can abuse the rules harder and more harshly than they can. Why? Precisely because you know the rules better. See above.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 3308118, member: 4937"] Congradulations. You've just made your first step in becoming a good DM. I don't know how many arguments I've been in on these boards to the effect of, "The DM doesn't really need to know the rules.", but anyone that believes that probably isn't a DM or has never had a DM that really didn't know the rules. It is very important that the DM know the rules very very well. In fact, I think that nothing so enhances your DM authority (and thereby prevents all sorts of other problems) as knowing the rules better than anyone else at the table. Ruling according to the RAW might not always be the wisest thing to do, and ruling against the RAW might not either. Ruling according to the RAW and being wrong to do so (because in this situation it causes something that detracts from the game) might harm your game somewhat, but ruling according to the RAW and being wrong is always far superior to ruling against the RAW and being in the wrong. This is especially true if the players know that you are only ruling this way because you don't get it. And then there are other benefits... Exactly. Another way to enhance the respect you recieve at the table (and therefore avoid all sorts of unpleasantness that a DM that has lost respect has to endure), is to play the evil baddies well. A poor DM resorts to DM fiat to achieve the same result, but this very quickly creates 'favored NPC syndrome', which breeds all sorts of resentment from your players if they detect it. Exactly. Now, this isn't to say that a good DM doesn't occassionally make ad hoc decisions on the fly, but when a good DM does it it isn't because of his lack of knowledge of the rules, but on the contrary because of his deep and intimate knowledge of the rules. The good DM recognizes a good well-thought out rule from a bad poorly thought out rule. He knows the limitations of his rules system and when the rules system handles the situation and when it needs help. And, when it does need help, when he decides on an approach, he remembers it. He thinks about it after the fact, and contemplates the justness of his approach and its implications. If he he like what he sees, it becomes a house rule, which can be announced, explained, and justified if it becomes required to do so. If faced with rules lawyers who resist the change because they want to abuse the rules, he can beat them at thier own game by showing them how the rule represent know net advantage to them because the DM can abuse the rules harder and more harshly than they can. Why? Precisely because you know the rules better. See above. [/QUOTE]
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