Rules in Practice, part 1

This first installment explores how tabletop role-playing games unfold in practice, asking how every TTRPG system—from Dungeons & Dragons to Powered by the Apocalypse—is shaped by play style, group dynamics, and the broader culture of play. We investigate why “rules as written” often morph at the table, how mismatched assumptions can upset a session, and what designers may intend when they codify narrative authority, risk, and reward.