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<blockquote data-quote="Mercule" data-source="post: 2176482" data-attributes="member: 5100">Depends on the system.&nbsp; I've run Storyteller games where the players didn't know the rules well enough to even read their character sheet.&nbsp; I planned it that way, liked it that way, and kept it that way.&nbsp; I kept the character sheets for them and let them narrate what they wanted to do.&nbsp; Then, I rolled all the dice.&nbsp; Most of the group agrees that the game was more enjoyable before everyone learned the rules.&nbsp; D&amp;D isn't Storyteller, though.&nbsp; I don't think it's workable to play D&amp;D that way.&nbsp; The players pretty much have to be involved in the rules somehow.At last estimate, there were 2,500-3,000 pages of rules (including PrCs, spells, and feats) that were active/available in my game.&nbsp; I've read every page of that and purchased all the books.&nbsp; But I don't expect the players to do either.&nbsp; That'd be absurd, especially for the neophytes (&lt;2 years gaming) at the table.I have a marginal expectation that the players are familiar enough with the PHB to look up a rule if I ask them to, or to find the description for a spell, feat, or skill if the need arises.&nbsp; I have a definite expectation that the players understand their characters, abilities, etc. -- at least in the most straightforward sense.&nbsp; I also expect that they've looked through the &quot;Combat&quot; chapter in the PHB.Basically, I expect them to look at things when they level up and figure out what everything means.&nbsp; If they don't understand something, they are free to ask me.&nbsp; I don't mind explaining something in the least.Things that bother me are when, after a year of my current campaign (plus previous campaigns), I have to explain Stardard Actions vs. Move-Equivalent Action, again.&nbsp; Or, when a plaer casts a spell and, when I ask him what it does, he doesn't even know what book the spell is in (hint: not in one he owns), let alone what it does -- he just took it because the name looked cool in HeroForge (note: this is &quot;spells known&quot;, not just &quot;spells prepared&quot;).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mercule, post: 2176482, member: 5100"] Depends on the system. I've run Storyteller games where the players didn't know the rules well enough to even read their character sheet. I planned it that way, liked it that way, and kept it that way. I kept the character sheets for them and let them narrate what they wanted to do. Then, I rolled all the dice. Most of the group agrees that the game was more enjoyable before everyone learned the rules. D&D isn't Storyteller, though. I don't think it's workable to play D&D that way. The players pretty much have to be involved in the rules somehow. At last estimate, there were 2,500-3,000 pages of rules (including PrCs, spells, and feats) that were active/available in my game. I've read every page of that and purchased all the books. But I don't expect the players to do either. That'd be absurd, especially for the neophytes (<2 years gaming) at the table. I have a marginal expectation that the players are familiar enough with the PHB to look up a rule if I ask them to, or to find the description for a spell, feat, or skill if the need arises. I have a definite expectation that the players understand their characters, abilities, etc. -- at least in the most straightforward sense. I also expect that they've looked through the "Combat" chapter in the PHB. Basically, I expect them to look at things when they level up and figure out what everything means. If they don't understand something, they are free to ask me. I don't mind explaining something in the least. Things that bother me are when, after a year of my current campaign (plus previous campaigns), I have to explain Stardard Actions vs. Move-Equivalent Action, [u]again[/u]. Or, when a plaer casts a spell and, when I ask him what it does, he doesn't even know what book the spell is in (hint: not in one he owns), let alone what it does -- he just took it because the name looked cool in HeroForge (note: this is "spells known", not just "spells prepared"). [/QUOTE]

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