Forum mods, please close this thread down. I didn't intend for my statements to be inflammatory, and apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my posts.
To Kalani: The game in question was enjoyable, and I didn't complain or fight with the DM over rules. The entire reason I even made this thread was because I was being so respectful to the DM I didn't know how or when I was supposed to bring up an issue for fear of offending him or slowing the game down. Not to mention I have no idea what a "rules lawyer" is in the context of his early game comments.
As for whether I made a mistake or not, players coming into D&D 5e can and will get confused about rules. With the table of contents issue of the PHB as well as all the homebrew rules floating around, misunderstandings will occur. I'm sorry you think I'm some kind of special snowflake. I've always found your comments to be helpful.
This is understandable, and thank you for clarifying your misunderstanding. Your earlier posts came across as an attempt to force a DM to abide by an alternative rule more than a misunderstanding. It happens to the best of us. I sincerely hope that despite the harassment you suffered (as mentioned in your other thread), you do not think ill of the majority of the gaming community. The actions of one bad individual do not speak for the majority.
As far as your specific misunderstanding goes - despite using skill checks, the rules for Grapple/Shove are a special type of "Attack". You are correct that the rules give DMs leeway for allowing alternative skill checks, or skill checks using alternative statistics should the situation warrant (such as a dexterity athletics check made to climb for example), however DMs in AL are expected to use the rules as written when possible. Furthermore, while AL DMs have empowerment to choose whether a specific action calls for an Acrobatics check, Dexterity Saving Throw, or some other check - the DM does not have the authority to overrule an explicit rule.
House rules vs. Rulings
Grapple/Shove are explicitly stated as being opposed Athletics vs. Athletics/Acrobatics checks. DMs in AL don't have the power to substitute a different rule (such as an opposed Acrobatics or Arcana check), as that crosses the line between making a ruling (on an ambiguous rule, or a situation the rules don't cover), and making a house rule (changing a rule explicitly stated in the PHB/DMG/etc).
It isn't as clear cut as this either, as DMs may make a ruling on something they
believe the rules don't cover (when it does). Such rulings stand unless a player can quickly provide the rules reference showing the DM in error. Should the DM ignore the rules reference, it then puts the players in a difficult position - as they either accept the inaccurate (and incorrect) ruling for the session, or continue to discuss the situation (putting the game on hold as a result). This can also cross the lines into disruptive behavior depending on how it is handled.
In most situations, I simply believe the best course of action is to roll with the inaccurate ruling and then talk about it afterwards. The only time this solution doesn't really work is if the inaccurate ruling results in the death of a character, or inequitable division of treasure or magic items.... There is no good solutions in such situations.
My apologies for misunderstanding your earlier posts. I did not realize that you were simply misunderstanding how the rules worked, and misunderstood your repeated insistence that the DM honor your character concept and allow you to make Acrobatics-based shove attempts as an attempt to force your DM to abide by a rule (or ruling) made at a different table. You worded your posts eloquently enough that I (wrongly) assumed you understood the rules and was trying to impose your preferred ruling (or rules interpretation) on another DM, which is why I responded with
expect table variation (esp. in respect to a house rule).
Either way, there is no excuse for harassment. If anyone in this thread was guilty of harassing Jabborwacky, you should be ashamed of yourselves as such behavior is not tolerated, or welcome within the Adventurers League.
