Breaking The RAW! Breaking The RAW! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Breaking The RAW! Breaking The RAW! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
PenderGrass
03-03-06, 03:52 AM You have to know the RAW to break it.

This proves the same for any art form. DMing is no exception.

If you don't know the RAW you shouldn't break it.

:dragon:
****
nastynate
03-03-06, 04:03 AM If you don't know the RAW you will break it.
Mitchell
03-03-06, 04:19 AM Points for the Judas Priest reference. :)

But I do disagree that you have to know it to break it. Like Nastynate said...

Still though, alot of disagreements exist as to what the RAW actually are in some cases.
PenderGrass
03-03-06, 04:29 AM Points for the Judas Priest reference. :)

But I do disagree that you have to know it to break it. Like Nastynate said...

Still though, alot of disagreements exist as to what the RAW actually are in some cases.
Do you think it should be "to properly break the RAW you must know the RAW"?

:dragon:
****
nastynate
03-03-06, 04:57 AM It should be: Before you change the RAW, you must fully understand the RAW.
FreeTheSlaves
03-03-06, 05:17 AM Pretty much sums it up. Around here every 2nd dm makes changes without understanding squat & then wonders why things go pear shaped.

If a dm actually had to know the RAW to be allowed to alter them, I'd expect less than 25% would be allowed.

Ah, so many wrecks littering the landscape...
Minister_for_Moral_Truth
03-03-06, 07:28 AM Same reason why you should laern to dwaw humans before orcs, and learn to build Lego starfighters from the instructions before designing your own: you should know, understand and have practiced any rules before you seek to change them.
Millennium
03-03-06, 07:42 AM This is why I recommend that any new DM start out by playing a couple of sessions with RAW, the whole RAW, and nothing but the RAW. Kick the tires and see how it works. If there's something you don't like about the RAW but you haven't DMed it yet, then use it as heavily as possible in these RAW-only sessions. This goes quadruple for "trendy" problems like alignment, Armor Class and the combat system in general, and Vancian magic. Once you've got a feel for how RAW works, then start in with the house rules. It does little good to strike blindly at "problems" that you've never actually experienced.

I disagree with Karl Marx's philosophies, but he had the right idea on how to go about formulating them. When he first started to establish the philosophy we now know as communism, he began by writing a carefully-researched book about capitalism. He did this so that he would know as much as possible about his opponent before working out ways to improve upon it. I believe that some of his data was off, and thus his conclusions were likewise off, but I can't fault his methods: they were incredibly sound. The same methods can apply in other places, and when it comes to improving upon the rules of a game they work extremely well indeed.
PenderGrass
03-03-06, 01:11 PM It should be: Before you change the RAW, you must fully understand the RAW.
Agreed.

:dragon:
****
Lord Ian Stark
03-03-06, 02:34 PM Pretty much sums it up. Around here every 2nd dm makes changes without understanding squat & then wonders why things go pear shaped.

With this knowledge, always marry a woman who's arse is smaller than your's. Why you say? Because sooner or later, it's going to be bigger than yours after your married. So start her off thin so she won't be that huge. ;)

Hopefully you dodged that tangent grenade.

As a DM, it could be said, "One doesn't truely understand the RAW until one changes it and realizes how important it was to stay within its guidelines." :D
Mock26
03-03-06, 10:58 PM The RAW is broken to begin with.
Board_Rider
03-03-06, 11:08 PM RAW...huh-yeah....what is it good for....absolutely nothing....uh uh..say it again
RAW...huh-yeah....what is it good for....absolutely nothing....uh uh..say it again
RAW!!! huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?
Board_Rider
03-03-06, 11:18 PM The RAW is broken to begin with.
You know the ol' Board Rider once broke the RAW in the hot sun. I fought the RAW and the RAW one!

OK I'm done.
Mist of Shadows
03-03-06, 11:25 PM Raw cough pun pun legal cough cough gasp.

Yeah, sticks the concept of raw on a roasting stick.

However I do think playing as close to the rules and a resonable idea of the laws of the world would help people from changing things without cause. Often times there are better ways to get the result you want then to change a rule you don't like just because you don't understand it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
PenderGrass 03-03-06, 03:52 AM	You have to know the RAW to break it. This proves the same for any art form. DMing is no exception. If you don't know the RAW you shouldn't break it. :dragon: ****
nastynate 03-03-06, 04:03 AM	If you don't know the RAW you will break it.
Mitchell 03-03-06, 04:19 AM	Points for the Judas Priest reference. :) But I do disagree that you have to know it to break it. Like Nastynate said... Still though, alot of disagreements exist as to what the RAW actually are in some cases.
PenderGrass 03-03-06, 04:29 AM	Points for the Judas Priest reference. :) But I do disagree that you have to know it to break it. Like Nastynate said... Still though, alot of disagreements exist as to what the RAW actually are in some cases. Do you think it should be "to properly break the RAW you must know the RAW"? :dragon: ****
nastynate 03-03-06, 04:57 AM	It should be: Before you change the RAW, you must fully understand the RAW.
FreeTheSlaves 03-03-06, 05:17 AM	Pretty much sums it up. Around here every 2nd dm makes changes without understanding squat & then wonders why things go pear shaped. If a dm actually had to know the RAW to be allowed to alter them, I'd expect less than 25% would be allowed. Ah, so many wrecks littering the landscape...
Minister_for_Moral_Truth 03-03-06, 07:28 AM	Same reason why you should laern to dwaw humans before orcs, and learn to build Lego starfighters from the instructions before designing your own: you should know, understand and have practiced any rules before you seek to change them.
Millennium 03-03-06, 07:42 AM	This is why I recommend that any new DM start out by playing a couple of sessions with RAW, the whole RAW, and nothing but the RAW. Kick the tires and see how it works. If there's something you don't like about the RAW but you haven't DMed it yet, then use it as heavily as possible in these RAW-only sessions. This goes quadruple for "trendy" problems like alignment, Armor Class and the combat system in general, and Vancian magic. Once you've got a feel for how RAW works, then start in with the house rules. It does little good to strike blindly at "problems" that you've never actually experienced. I disagree with Karl Marx's philosophies, but he had the right idea on how to go about formulating them. When he first started to establish the philosophy we now know as communism, he began by writing a carefully-researched book about capitalism. He did this so that he would know as much as possible about his opponent before working out ways to improve upon it. I believe that some of his data was off, and thus his conclusions were likewise off, but I can't fault his methods: they were incredibly sound. The same methods can apply in other places, and when it comes to improving upon the rules of a game they work extremely well indeed.
PenderGrass 03-03-06, 01:11 PM	It should be: Before you change the RAW, you must fully understand the RAW. Agreed. :dragon: ****
Lord Ian Stark 03-03-06, 02:34 PM	Pretty much sums it up. Around here every 2nd dm makes changes without understanding squat & then wonders why things go pear shaped. With this knowledge, always marry a woman who's arse is smaller than your's. Why you say? Because sooner or later, it's going to be bigger than yours after your married. So start her off thin so she won't be that huge. ;) Hopefully you dodged that tangent grenade. As a DM, it could be said, "One doesn't truely understand the RAW until one changes it and realizes how important it was to stay within its guidelines." :D
Mock26 03-03-06, 10:58 PM	The RAW is broken to begin with.
Board_Rider 03-03-06, 11:08 PM	RAW...huh-yeah....what is it good for....absolutely nothing....uh uh..say it again RAW...huh-yeah....what is it good for....absolutely nothing....uh uh..say it again RAW!!! huh good God What is it good for? Absolutely nothing Listen to me?
Board_Rider 03-03-06, 11:18 PM	The RAW is broken to begin with. You know the ol' Board Rider once broke the RAW in the hot sun. I fought the RAW and the RAW one! OK I'm done.
Mist of Shadows 03-03-06, 11:25 PM	Raw cough pun pun legal cough cough gasp. Yeah, sticks the concept of raw on a roasting stick. However I do think playing as close to the rules and a resonable idea of the laws of the world would help people from changing things without cause. Often times there are better ways to get the result you want then to change a rule you don't like just because you don't understand it.