Aenghus
Explorer
I've seen letters looking for official rulings from the very start of the hobby. Rules clarifications, official rulings, and possible variants have all been around. A reasonable percentage of the player base want clear rules, and seek to dispel ambiguity when possible. I'm one of them. This is yet another continuum of opinion and personal taste.
There are a variety of valid reasons for wanting clarifications. RPG rules can be very complex. I can't remember the number of times that I and other players found the rules as we understood them inadequate. At least in some cases this is because we had misinterpreted the rules, and the rules as intended worked better.
Understanding the rules as written and as intended IMO is a good thing, as it helps better understand various expected game styles for the ruleset, and the likely consequences of houseruling.
I've seen more than a few referees and players use a rules system they fight every step of the way as it wasn't suited to the sort of game they wanted but they felt obligated to use it. Understanding a system helps clarify it's strengths and weaknesses and reduce the chances of using the wrong tool for the job.
Using the rules as a weapon against the DM or vice versa is likely a player problem, not a rules problem. A healthy game IMO requires compromise on all sides, including the DM.
There are a variety of valid reasons for wanting clarifications. RPG rules can be very complex. I can't remember the number of times that I and other players found the rules as we understood them inadequate. At least in some cases this is because we had misinterpreted the rules, and the rules as intended worked better.
Understanding the rules as written and as intended IMO is a good thing, as it helps better understand various expected game styles for the ruleset, and the likely consequences of houseruling.
I've seen more than a few referees and players use a rules system they fight every step of the way as it wasn't suited to the sort of game they wanted but they felt obligated to use it. Understanding a system helps clarify it's strengths and weaknesses and reduce the chances of using the wrong tool for the job.
Using the rules as a weapon against the DM or vice versa is likely a player problem, not a rules problem. A healthy game IMO requires compromise on all sides, including the DM.
