Rules and When You Should Break Them

 If you have a fair amount of experience with ttrpg games like Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, Vampire, Cthulhu and more you've definitely figured out that there's a small set of rules you need to understand to start playing the game but there are many more rules to understand that help with more complex issues. So, a couple questions come to rise out of this dynamic. Do you need to know ALL the rules in order to be a GM? They say the GM has the final word, so can or should you break the rules?

Whether you need to know the all the rules is really determined by the group's expectations and general consensus. When I was a kid, we would all take turns being the GM, but my one friend John clearly understood the rules better than the rest of us. As long as you know enough to get through all the common actions and checks and your group is just expecting fun then there's no need to stress over all the rules. On the other hand, if you tell people that you're going to put on a professional experience, possibly for a stream, then you should definitely know most of the rules. No matter what your situation, I suggest learning the rules that apply to your PC's and their abilities. It makes gameplay smoother. 

So, let's say you have the rules knowledge needed for your group and their expectations. Do you have to follow all of them? The truth is that there are many areas play fast and loose with the rules like character creation, monster difficulty, equipment, or money. The truth is that isn't really breaking the rules, because most games make it clear the GM has leeway in all this. 

Does this mean that I can break any and all rules? This is not suggested. The rules you generally don't want to mess with are the ones at the core functioning of the game. Don't tell players things like you only get to roll a d10 for this attack when they should always be made with d20s because you want to make it more difficult. Don't tell players that a long rest or rouse check revives less than what the rules say. Don't tell players their character is dead if the rules clearly state they have a chance to be revived. You should see a theme here. Don't change rules that are at the core of your player's understanding of what they can do. The rules that govern players options and abilities are crucial to the players having fun. If you toy with these rules people will become confused and frustrated, especially if you taken away an important ability. 

Are those basic areas above the only way that I can change the rules? Not quite. You can make significant rule changes with discussion and thoughtfulness. Let's take a simple example from D&D since this is usually our common tongue so to speak. Attacks of opportunity are often debated in groups, but this is a core rule that gives players a chance to get an advantage on their enemy in battle. However, many people feel that the rule is not worth the gain and would rather freely move about without it taking their turn. With some group consensus you can definitely change this rule. I've changed rules surrounding death before, but I discussed it with the group and they accepted my reasoning. 

If you're thinking of changing any major rules, here are some things you should consider. Don't change rules because you don't understand them. Reach out to others and do some research, because rules shouldn't be changed if you don't understand them. As the old saying goes, you have to learn the rules before you break them. If you understand the rule then you know what function it serves and can look serve that function in a new way. Let's just say for example, you wanted to simplify turns in conflict and your narrowed down what everyone can do in a turn. It may be simpler and faster, but you've altered character's Action Economy, and this is crucial to a lot of people's decision making in the character creation process. You may make things simpler, but you would always weaken PCs and upset your players. If you want to change any core rules, especially something that effects player ability you need to make sure you're using an alternative that either fixes a problem or presents a better situation. 

There is one more element to consider when talking about rules, and that is storytelling. Everyone has different opinions about how important the story/roleplaying is in the game. Some people say the rules always come first no matter what. Some think it's better to suspend some rules for plot and drama. If you think you're a person that may ignore rules for storytelling, then you should definitely have a conversation with your group. 

Personally, I am the type of GM that puts the story and role play first, and sometimes that means bending some rules to make important scenes work, develop drama, or just to give some shock and awe. Let me give you an example: 

First the leaves in the trees begin shake and the tremors beneath your feet follow. Both you and the ogres pause in battle, and they step back, frantically looking on the horizon. An explosion from the Earth sends dirt and rocks into the sky and you're quickly covered in filth and roots. When you clear your eyes they witness a giant worm-like monster toss an ogre into the air and then swallow him whole. It quickly snatches up the other two ogres before they can escape. After swallowing, it lets out a deafening high pitch blast that pushes the skin of your face back. Roll-Initiative!

This is an exciting description, but I've broken all kinds of rules while making it happen. This wouldn't be half as exciting as if I kept turn order going and rolled attacks on the ogres. It's not very dramatic when monsters enter the scene by failing to hurt anyone, not displaying their awesome power. There are many different situations where you may want to pause rolling requirements or turn order to deliver some drama. But remember, it all depends on a group discussion and expectations! 

 As usual, you can contact me if you have any further questions or if you'd like to see me write a post on a specific topic. I am now writing general TTRPG supplements and creating maps. You can find them on my Ko-Fi page! 

You can find me on Twitter @flayer85

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