A recent reflective epiphany. From the heart.

As a player, I like Pathfinder more than I like 5th edition. There, I said it.

I am a rules lawyer, I am going to admit it now and not look back. As a DM, for a few years now, I’ve come to know the rules through and through in order to be a fair adjudicator of the rules, and provider of fun. This has been especially true in a game store setting, where I provided an even playing field for all walks of life and RPG experience. The rules are the rules are the rules. At first, I provided unequal opportunity, not thinking about the consequences, and this caused a dispute resulting in 2 players leaving the game which really hit home for me. From then on out, I really wanted to make things equal. I developed an entire magic item buying system with tokens using the rules from Xanathar's Guide to Everything and provided gold based on level similar to Adventurer's League play. It led me to understand why Wizard's of the Coast designed the rules for Adventurer's League and to some extent, the rules of the game itself. To provide a foundation to build fun and enjoyment off of.

I am also an avid boardgamer. VERY avid, playing games such as Fantasy Flights Twilight Imperium 4th edition has also ground into my skull, that rules are important and there for a reason. When everything and everyone is working together to maintain order in the rules, then it is an even playing field where skill, strategy and fun can occur. I may have ruined myself for all eternity with that game... Back to RPGs now.... When I am a player (which I have been most recently because of work) I follow the rules to a T. Primarily because I know they're important and there for a reason. As a level 2 rogue I get bonus action abilities through cunning action. Yay joy! I can't use that ability before hand. I can't ask, an beg the DM to give me these abilities sooner. Or to have 3 actions in a turn because I argued and fought for it. Rules are rules. Because of my strictness in following the rules, I feel the need to correct people when they get rules wrong. It is unfair for me because I know them I follow them so closely it almost hurts, but someone else can not know them and sometimes as a result, gain an advantage that they did not even know about. It feels unfair, even when in actuality it isn't. Its even worse when its a player correcting the rules of other players and not the DM, because its ally vs ally. Instead of DM vs. player. I've been really trying to work on this.

On the other hand however, it feels like the Pathfinder rules were designed in this way. Where they are all there for a reason, and if you know them and can use them properly, you will achieve great things. I was rewarded recently with being invited to play as a guest in a Pathfinder game (I REALLY hope I get to go back) and because I spent a significant amount of time learning the rules, asking questions about mechanics, and reading more rules. Because of this effort, I was rewarded with a fun and enjoyable experience where my character felt like a badass casting spells on their sword of pure blackness, and hitting a giant for massive damage whilst flying through the rainy sky.

And it was not until tonight that I realized what I am and admitted it to myself. Going forward however, I will really, truly try and refrain myself from correcting people and just have fun with it. I don't want to end up like this. For those who I have upset with my intense rule lawfulness, I apologize. I am off to play my role as a light cleric in a friends campaign in 5 minutes. Have a wonderful evening everyone, its good to be back.

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