26 January 2020

Broken Rules?

I play in a 5e game every Saturday morning and sometimes one of the players and our DM will get to discussing obscure rules minutia. I generally don't join in on these discussions because I find them to be fairly inane. Yesterday they were talking about an "exploit"(like this is video game or something)that some youtuber had discovered in the 5e rules that allowed a wizard to summon and control an infinite number of summoned Elementals. At the time I didn't put much stock in the conversation; they were just discussing how a Dm should rule on that particular ambiguity in the rules and why it's probably overpowered, but it could be interpreted in that overpowered way, etc. 

Now, looking back at what they were talking about, I feel like they were completely missing the mark. The discussion was about what the DM ruling should be from rules perspective and that it would "break the game", etc. I think this sort of thing should be considered not from a rules or power perspective, but from a setting and world-building perspective. From my understanding this 'exploit' required the use of a 9th level spell in the first place, so the question isn't really about whether it's too powerful, but what do you envision the powerful wizards in you world being able to do? If the Gme wants the greatest wizards in the land to be capable of summoning armies of Elementals and doing other magnificent feats and probably waging destructive wars as a result, then the DM should support the 'overpowered' interpretation of the rules. On the other hand if the DM wants a more grounded setting where the high level wizards can still do amazing things, but there are limits to their capabilities, then the DM should rule in favor of disallowing the 'exploit'. 

The DM's interpretation of 'broken rules' shouldn't be about whether one or another interpretation of the rule will 'break the game', but instead about what a certain interpretation says about the DM's world and what supports their vision.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting take. Both you and the other parties are correct of course.

    But let me come at this from a different angle: who cares what the RAW is if you think it’s stupid? Why does anyone enslave himself to the rule book in the first place?

    Has anyone, ever; including Gary himself, ever run a game of D&D RAW straight out of the text? The very idea is silly.

    Just say “nuh-uh, can’t do it. Sorry.” And that’s the end of it.

    Or let it happen! If you get to 18th level you should be able to do that stuff. Just be prepared for the campaign to end fast when the world is irrevocably changed beyond recognition!

    My solution: we only play up to about level 12 at the very most (elves and hobbits capped sooner) so we only need 6 spell levels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. either interpretation could be seen as RAW because the rulebook itself was ambiguous on this point; like so much of 5e,the rulebook is just poorly written so the players have to clarify the rules during play.

      my larger point wasn't about problems with high level characters or playing RAW, but more about the reasons behind any ruling/rule a DM might make or implement. The DM should tailor the rules to reflect their ideas about the game world itself and not based on some abstract idea of balance

      Delete