this post was submitted on 13 Apr 2025
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Deep in the ocean of words, the author said something like "doing stuff your character can do according to the rules of the game isn't cool". And I totally disagree.
Choosing the right thing, at the right time, to help your party (or even better, enhance your party's abilities) feels pretty good, and gets accolades at the table.
I think I agree, especially when those abilities are tricky to line up, are situational, or an option of a few choices, etc. It's important not to gatekeep how people have fun or how they feel cool!
That's really weird to me.
If I'm playing a board game (like Xiangqi/Chinese Chess) what's cool is when I spot an opportunity and exploit it. This is playing according to the rules of the game.
If I'm playing a card game (like Fight the Landlord) what's cool is when I assemble a good combination of cards that drains my hand with inexorable play. Or when I find just the right timing to interfere with someone else draining their cards. Again this is playing according to the rules of the game.
In sportball, presumably when the audience is going wild at a cool play by some player they're playing according to the rules of the game. (I can't attest yeah or nay to this because sportball isn't my vibe.) Is this not cool? (I'll let sportball fans answer here.)
So why would RPGs be the exception to this? Why do you have to break the rules of play to do cool things?
That's really weird to me.
Yeah. I'd say that a cool move is being prepared for what the moment needs, and then making the situation significantly better for the rest of the players. 🤷♂️