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<blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 6256327" data-attributes="member: 3400">I think it's not merely that there were no rules for stopping anyone from dashing past the line of fighters to get to the squishier wizard in the back - but that there were no rules for bypassing the front line either. Take 1e's description of melee combat, for example. What could PCs do? The movement rules describe moving up to engage but don't address shuffling about in combat very much. That was more the job of the thief who hid and spent a couple of rounds moving around the periphery, staying in the shadows, until he was in position to strike. So I would argue it's not any kind of de facto gentlemen's agreement not to end run around the front line because there was no way to stop it. There was no clear way to do it by the rules either.This may be an instance in which there are real differences in evolving player behavior depending on how detailed and comprehensive the rules are written. Less defined rules may theoretically open the door to anything, but end up being bounded by narrative-oriented conventions, while more defined rules lead to undermining the narrative roles of the PCs in favor of rule exploitation.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="billd91, post: 6256327, member: 3400"] I think it's not merely that there were no rules for stopping anyone from dashing past the line of fighters to get to the squishier wizard in the back - but that there were no rules for bypassing the front line either. Take 1e's description of melee combat, for example. What could PCs do? The movement rules describe moving up to engage but don't address shuffling about in combat very much. That was more the job of the thief who hid and spent a couple of rounds moving around the periphery, staying in the shadows, until he was in position to strike. So I would argue it's not any kind of de facto gentlemen's agreement not to end run around the front line because there was no way to stop it. There was no clear way to do it by the rules either. This may be an instance in which there are real differences in evolving player behavior depending on how detailed and comprehensive the rules are written. Less defined rules may theoretically open the door to anything, but end up being bounded by narrative-oriented conventions, while more defined rules lead to undermining the narrative roles of the PCs in favor of rule exploitation. [/QUOTE]

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