Lawful Good Rules Lawyers

[redrick]

The one problem with all of this is as a DM I occasionally fudge things on purpose. If a foe is fighting a less experienced player I may not invoke an ability that the foe has. Having a Rules Lawyer around pointing this out either makes me have to look like a fool for not using a foes abilities properly or in some way say the omission is intentional which might make it obvious I am going easy on someone.

The MM Rules Lawyer would hate sitting at my table. I constantly change major and minor abilities of monsters so that people who have memorized the MM do not instantly know what to expect. I have even changed major aspects of monsters the very first time a party meets them knowing it will make the encounter 5 times more difficult if players who have memorized the MM try to act based on that knowledge, though that is not entirely a Rules Lawyer thing.

Absolutely. As with everything, there is a time and a place. DM'ing can be an overwhelming business, especially with a larger group, and the help can be appreciated, especially if the DM is new behind the screen and still mastering the system. On the other hand, an over-helpful player can step on the DM's toes too much, or derail deliberate choices the DM is making.

After DM'ing for a year straight, I played in a campaign with a first-time DM, and found myself constantly offering rules advice and knowledge. Not to make my character more effective, but just to explain "how it should be done." At some point, I caught on to my own bad behavior, and made a deliberate effort to shut the hell up. I e-mailed the DM out of session, apologized for being a little much, and said, "you let me know if you want my help with rules in a situation, but, otherwise, I'll try and keep my trap shut."

Advice is best when it is solicited.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'm confident in my knowledge of the rules, but when I’m DMing and someone tries to pass off an incorrect interpretation of the rules or misreading, it can help when another player or two has my back.

Absolutely. As with everything, there is a time and a place. DM'ing can be an overwhelming business, especially with a larger group, and the help can be appreciated, especially if the DM is new behind the screen and still mastering the system. On the other hand, an over-helpful player can step on the DM's toes too much, or derail deliberate choices the DM is making.

 

[Blue]

I do this. I've pointed things to the DM that have screwed up my character or the party before. Though regardless of who would "benefit", you need to make sure to drop it when the DM says. There may be things we don't know, or just the DM putting in place additional rulings on top of the rules.

 

[Blue]

We named ours "Justiciar of Rules." He gets bonus XP for the job, same as Madame Cartographer and our Lootsmeister.

This is brilliant.

Do something extra, get XP I've done, but I've never had "positions" before. And for one of them to be the person who likes making sure we get the rules right to give them some officalhood so that other don't mind if they point out something that harms their character because they understand it's their job.

Just brilliant.