Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
The Answer is not (always) on your Character Sheet
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Reynard" data-source="post: 9325519" data-attributes="member: 467"><p>RPGs are still games, and games have rules. The character sheet defines where your character fits into the rules. Obviously, specific games have specific rules, and how intricate, restrictive or freeing the character sheet will depend on the game in question.</p><p></p><p>The "always" qualified pretty much pours water on any potential fire that "the answer isn't on your character sheet" tends to ignite. Sure. Sometimes you can come up with something not related to your character abilities. But without the qualifier, it becomes a cudgel with which to beat "unimaginative players" by GMs who tend to vastly overestimate how clever their puzzles are.</p><p></p><p>I think the answer should always be on your character sheet -- not necessarily because the game has a "button" for everything, but because your sheet explains to the GM what you want to do in the game. The GM should respect that and run the game accordingly, or at least let you know they aren't going to and you can bow out.</p><p></p><p>As to "skilled play" -- meh. It is certainly fun to make players think now and again, and fun as a player to be challenged that way. But pixelbitching becomes a chore very quickly for everyone involved. There is a reason modern OSR games tend to fine ways to incorporate procedures into play: there is little in RPGing more tedious than playing GM may I.</p><p></p><p>Perhaps the best example of the Answer being on your character sheet while also embracing "rulings not rules" and "skilled play" is Aspects from Fate.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Reynard, post: 9325519, member: 467"] RPGs are still games, and games have rules. The character sheet defines where your character fits into the rules. Obviously, specific games have specific rules, and how intricate, restrictive or freeing the character sheet will depend on the game in question. The "always" qualified pretty much pours water on any potential fire that "the answer isn't on your character sheet" tends to ignite. Sure. Sometimes you can come up with something not related to your character abilities. But without the qualifier, it becomes a cudgel with which to beat "unimaginative players" by GMs who tend to vastly overestimate how clever their puzzles are. I think the answer should always be on your character sheet -- not necessarily because the game has a "button" for everything, but because your sheet explains to the GM what you want to do in the game. The GM should respect that and run the game accordingly, or at least let you know they aren't going to and you can bow out. As to "skilled play" -- meh. It is certainly fun to make players think now and again, and fun as a player to be challenged that way. But pixelbitching becomes a chore very quickly for everyone involved. There is a reason modern OSR games tend to fine ways to incorporate procedures into play: there is little in RPGing more tedious than playing GM may I. Perhaps the best example of the Answer being on your character sheet while also embracing "rulings not rules" and "skilled play" is Aspects from Fate. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
The Answer is not (always) on your Character Sheet
Top