As a game master, what strategy/strategies seems to work well for handling players that have spent more time reading through the rule books than you have? While it's helpful at times to have the players point out things you may miss that would ruin the gameplay, having a player that knows the books so well they know enemy stats and can meta-game tend to bring down your morale for running the game.
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The best advice I've heard comes from the dd3.5 DM guide. Basically, if the players taking fun away from the game, talk to the player out of game, and away from the other players. Just be polite and open. If the player is reasonable he/she will understand. |
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Start throwing custom-made content at them. Build your own setting, such that there's no possible way for said rules lawyer to already know the stats. |
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Enlist rules-lawyer as a helper to streamline combat, especially when it's the baddies turn, he could really help move things along. |
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Determine what kind of rules lawyer you have first. There's the kind who will cite rules knowledge anytime any rule is not being followed to the letter with no bias. Consider deferring rules questions to this person to make them feel involved. If something is uncertain, rely on making a quick rule call and ask them to help you investigate the matter after the game session. The other kind will only cite rule knowledge when it is to their advantage. There are many ways to deal with this kind of player but in my experience it is best to discuss the matter with them outside of the game, away from other players. Find out why they are so concerned with getting their way. If they are being disruptive to the group or flow of the game with their behavior, be sure to express that. In my experience this usually results in asking the difficult player to leave the game. Don't give them the chance to rant in front of the group if you can. |
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There's that one rule in there somewhere.. Oh yeah, Rules are used and not used at the DM's discrection. This extends to changing stats of monsters etc. Just change the names so it must be assumed the stats changed. A "Rat Swarm" changes to a "Hungry Rat Swarm", etc. |
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I'm pretty sure I am considered a rules lawyer, and if a rule is ambiguous, I'll use a CS response or side with the player if I am DMing. If something comes up, and the answer isn't obvious, and the players wishes to use something that breaks the game, we usually don't allow that. And send in a CS response after the session for verification. As a player I hate incorrect DM rulings, it just ruins the fun of a game if you want to do this cool combo you thought of and put 90% of your feats into, and then the DM says that you can't do it. Then you just become a character that doesn't have feats, which is likely not very fun... |
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You want rules lawyers because, hey, they know the rules. Let them help you. What you don't necessarily want is them to know the exact stats and abilities of the enemies they're fighting, unless they've learned them during protracted fights in-game. The easiest solution is to re-skin or tweak monster stats. Give it a name that's not in any manual, borrow another monster's stats, and change up the weapon and description of the attacks. Now it's a monster they don't know anything about! |
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If they're just trying to be helpful, (i.e. "you are aware that, and maybe you're doing it on purpose but I just want to check" and it is getting annoying, ask them to stop it quietly outside of the game. They're trying to help, and so give them respect for that. Now, if the person is disrupting the game regularly, holding you to the letter of the books, and complaining about every other ruling that is different from the book -even after you've asked them not to, or to bring up ruling disputes with you after the game- you can do one of two things. If you're feeling nice, just point out the golden rule. All rules are just suggestions and subject to the GMs whim as to when, where, and how they will be used. Alternatively, and as suggested in both the DXM and Play Dirty (I think Robin's Laws too). Don't give them their character sheet next session. Tell them they must play their character from memory, and any time they miss a bonus or penalty, or misremember the tiniest detail of mechanics for their character they automatically fail the roll. Explain that you are doing this because they are expecting you to know every last word in over 200 pages of rule books, and so this is more than fair because all you are expecting them to do is remember one piece of paper. Then enforce it. |
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My way? I like to play games that don't have so many rules -- FUDGE, Fate, Swords and Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, etc. If the GM is the final arbiter of play, through the use of "rulings" not rules, then the books don't come into play much and the likelihood you'll get angry at a rules lawyer diminishes. |
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I played with a DM once that asked the guy to show him where in the rule book it was. When the rule-Lawyer brought the book out the DM took the book and threw it into one of the corners of the room. The rules are there for a reason, that reason is not to take away from the fun of the game. Remember you are the DM you are allowed some leeway. |
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Do one of the following:
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In the old Hong Kong action rpg Feng Shui, there was a simple rule to cover these situations. Essentially it said that if a player took advantage of having read game material, then monsters and opponents would immediately get bonuses and special abilities against that player only. It's a great rule, but I would recommend being careful with it, as while it fits with the free-wheeling spirit of Feng Shui, it is a bit of a harsh move and isn't appropriate in all games and groups. The best thing to do is to have a word with the player. Be polite, and let them know that it's your game, and that as game master, at the table your authority is final. If something in the game doesn't match what he's memorised from a rulebook, then he can bring it up after the game, but during play, you are in charge. If he can't handle this approach, then suggest that he might like to run a game himself. |
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If you get a rules lawyer player who seems to enjoy arguing about the rules more than playing the game, start treating him like an actual lawyer. Be the judge. Say, "You have sixty seconds to make your case and then I'll make a decision." Let him make his case but cut it off at a minute. Then make a decision. He can "appeal" it after the game, if he wants, but he has to accept it for the time being. |
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I personally think you have two choices: 1) either you accept the fact that the game you are going to administer is highly technical and rule-oriented, and you plan accordingly, or 2) you go against the will of the players and propose an adventure more oriented towards interpretation than fighting. What to choose depends mostly on the kind of players you have. I know people who crave for action and metagaming so deeply that reject anything involving interpretation. Others instead accept the challenge and try a different gamestyle. In any case, I strongly suggest you not to force hands. Nothing kills the mood more than unsatisfied players. If they like lawyer-playing, let them do it. If you have a single element playing the lawyer, then it depends if he is constructive or disruptive. A constructive lawyer can even spice up the game by providing an unusual twist. A destructive one will just point at mistakes and most likely offend the DM or other players. On this, solving this issue is a matter of diplomacy (real one). |
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One of the best parts of DnD 3.5 is the easy ability to add class levels to monsters. So I will frequently throw class levels onto monsters that wouldn't be expected so that there will be things that they can't anticipate everything and plan against it by use of meta-knowledge. Dealing with rules lawyering not related to that circumstance can be a bit trickier. But personally I don't have a problem with someone pointing out where I'm incorrect in my knowledge or rememberance of a particular rule. If it's bogging down play, though, remember that the DM always has final say on interpretation. Or, at least they should. Just try to be fair about it when there is a dispute. |
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I had this problem many years ago and have NEVER had a problem with it in almost 20 years. I did one simple thing: I set my D&D campaign (although this could work with any RPG) in my OWN campaign world. Case closed. This should really stop all rules lawyers arguments. The players are on YOUR territory now and you define the limits and definitions of your world's boundarys. Don't like a spell? It doesn't exist. Trolls immune to fire? They are in your world. Halflings who are paladins? Yes they are. Anytime a player tries to pull a "well, it says in the rulebook..." on you, simply and without malice explain that in the World of Stonerock, or Campaign Medoran, or the Great Underground World of Zeo, that is simply NOT the case and move on. This isn't saying you don't have to be consistent (for instance, making mummies immune to fire one day, and immune to magic weapons the next). It simply means that the rules exist only as a GUIDELINE to play in your world, and you set the exact parameters. With this in hand, rules lawyering stops cold. Communication is key though. If you don't explain this to your players right off the bat "Look, I know you are used to the ways things are in Eberron, but it works a lot differently here" then hard feelings can result. However if you explain the differences that the player's character would know (for example, a priest character would know that undead cannot be turned in your world without using holy water along with a holy symbol) then there should be no problems, and they should appreciate the fact you have given the campaign a new twist or two. At heart, most rules lawyers are control freaks, if you take that control away from them and force them out of their comfort zone, sometimes they will really learn to actually enjoy the game instead of enjoying finding and exploiting the rules. BTW, remember not to confuse rules lawyering with an inventive, intelligent character who simply has unorthodox ideas. The latter can be a real godsend to the game because they keep you the DM on your toes and force YOU out of your comfort zone (and sometimes get the best work out of you!) |
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Play without rules. Rules are (ok, can be - depending on style the team prefers) for the GM solely and nobody else should care about them. But it's always about having fun. If he loves rules maybe it's time you offered Your team a boardgame meeting? It might turn out to be more fun for you. And if You are an ambitious guy that wants to make up stories and rules You can get down to preparing one of the print-and-play boardgames and developing new tiles and extra rules / additional characters etc. |
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