Rulings, Not Rules

Ultimately, no rule system completely encapsulates every possibility of player action—and that’s the fun of tabletop RPGs! There are fringe cases, strange situations, and unconsidered possibilities that inevitably arise during play. Having a GM to arbitrate these situations is one of the advantages of tabletop games compared to other game forms. As such, these rules are presented as a resource with the expectation that there will be ample homebrewing and hacking.

When unexpected questions arise, GMs can adapt the rules to fit the situation at hand. When that situation comes up frequently, the GM and the table can collaborate on turning that ruling into a more hard-and-fast rule. And, when hard-and-fast rules seem to fail the tests of common sense, verisimilitude, and fun, it’s the GM’s responsibility to make calls that change the rules for the better.