The Rules Lawyer | Board Gamer Stereotypes

There's always a person who knows all the rules of a board game like the back of their hand. Didn't remember to draw a card from your deck for the turn? Too bad, round's already played, undoing would be cheating! No re-rolling the dice either, even if it fell way off the table where no other players can see it. And don't even think about challenging their word unless you have the exact quote and page from the rulebook memorized. You won't even need an FAQ, because you'll have to turn to appendixes and rules reference guides nonstop for all sorts of questions.
Board game night will get muddled with downtime as layers upon lawyers of rules, mechanics, keywords, abilities, and edge-case nuances get brought up when you have a rules-lawyer around.
In fact the rules lawyer here seems awfully fond of smashing their hands upon the tabletop much like another certain spiky-haired lawyer...
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Games shown: So You've Been Eaten, Dominion, Suburbia, The Godfather, Twilight Imperium 4, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, Throw Throw Burrito, Betrayal at House On The Hill, Quartermaster General WW2, Root
Stuff Used:
Fluffing a Duck by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.fi...
Loopster by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.fi...
Investigations by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.fi...
Hitman by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.fi...
License: filmmusic.io/s...
Pursuit ~ Cornered - Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
• Pursuit ~ Cornered P...
#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames

[@stephenmolen9240]

That Phoenix Wright reference though. So good.

[@Shelfside]

ahaha had so much fun making that part, glad you guys liked it -Ashton

[@nitorishogiplayer3465]

Love that part too Also never knew those throw throw burritos were so cute

[@jaydeestrong]

LOL!!! This was really funny? As someone who learns and teaches games consistently, I can relate to this in a subtle way, especially at checking FAQ after the game, recalling how everyone played, and who made any mistake lols 😆

[@Shelfside]

ahaha thanks! Glad you got a kick out of it :) More stereotypes on the way! -Ashton

[@robertlewis6915]

Call me rules lawyer lite.

[@RobLangdonIsStupid]

Root in a nutshell

[@adamdenzinger576]

I feel like I've been all of these stereotypes at least once per game night lol

[@geekworthy7938]

I thought that when the die rolled off the table and finally stopped that it was going to explode into flames!

[@OddJobOriginal]

Man...now I know how my friends and family sees me...

[@Shelfside]

I've... I've been there too. It's ok, just tell them next time you'll play a simpler game to ease them in :) -Ashton

[@FiLtheThriL]

@@Shelfside I'm not sure suggesting candyland after people get rules wrong is a step in the right direction. It's a delicate balance.

[@Shelfside]

@@FiLtheThriL ahaha candyland would be too painful for me to play. Perhaps going from BSG to resistance is a more appropriate simplification :) -Ashton

[@RandomPerson-nd2ey]

@@Shelfside or Deception: Murder in Hong Kong. You all should try it. However, expect someone to ask "What does it mean again if my hidden identity card has a guy holding a bloody knife on it instead of a cop?" By the way, that card clearly says "Murderer" on it in *big red* letters.

[@Shelfside]

@@RandomPerson-nd2ey oh man I really need to try that out! Still haven't played deception to this day

[@CaptainFrelixx]

So good! Ahah do one on “that friend that’s always distracted / on there phone”

[@Shelfside]

aaah yeah that's a good one! Perhaps, the "non-gamer?" I'll make it work -Ashton

[@helxis]

Just the mention of the "always on the phone" player makes me a little angry. :P

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Ha! The die roll one. As a DM I would never t- oh crap it's me.

[@charliesmith5783]

This is me so much! i wish people wouldn't cheat so i didn't have to rules police/ that they would read the rules as well

[@Shelfside]

gotta keep an eye on the rules and your friends VP at all times -Ashton

[@mistuhbear]

Pls stop messaging me and trying to get me to replay that game of Quartermaster General... :^)

[@meenki347]

Are these people stalkers? TY, I'll unsubscribe.

[@ScytheNoire]

When rules are more important than having fun, you're doing it wrong.

[@bwah9481]

question is who is really having fun?

[@TheCiderDrinker]

I used to play with this guy who was so meticulous with knowing the exact rules of a game, that if someone did something wrong, or out of turn, he would instantly turn to the rulebook to check, and in some cases, even ask for the turn to be restarted. ....I didn't like playing with him much!

[@Shelfside]

ugggh... you should tell him that restarting turns is reversing time though! The rulebook doesn't say you can do that! -Ashton

[@helxis]

I'm the rules lawyer in my group, but not to these extremes. I do pride myself on being able to detect when a game seems like it is being played incorrectly even when I have never read the rules for it myself. If I know what game(s) I'm playing before a game night, I will often read the rules myself to help with the teach if needed.

[@Shelfside]

cheers, yeah the owner of the game must do 'some' degree of rule strictness to ensure you're actually playing the game with some groups! -Ashton

[@SeanUCF]

Why did you make a video about me? 😅

[@marylangenfeld1965]

Again, using this for my Social Skills classes! These are awesome and they feel like you made these just for us. I have some non-gamers who eat hot cheetos and get on their phones. I also have the rules lawyer who memorizes all the guides. Keep making them!

[@MisanthropyAnD123]

I am guilty of some of the behaviours displayed in this video. In my defence, I am a real life lawyer 😂 p.s. it is important to stick to the rules of the game 🤣

[@charliesmith5783]

i hate the throw throw burrito rules for the exact reason you showed. why write rules if you don't have to follow them

[@jknifgijdfui]

Cause its a simple ass party game

[@kaljakad]

The personal attack is strong with this one

[@andrewgabrielli8787]

i feel attacked

[@triskelionfaerie6605]

I hate it when there are misprints in a Rulebook. Ultra Tiny Epic Galaxies is a cool game, but there is a misprint in that game, it irks me.

[@Tivizzz]

Gaaah, the Phoenix Wright bit alone made me happy to be a patreon. I hope you’ll keep enjoying making videos as much as I enjoy watching them. :)

[@Shelfside]

bahaha I loved making that one! More stereotype videos coming, don't worry :) -Ashton

[@FiLtheThriL]

The guy/girl who shows up and chats but never knows it's their turn or remembers how to play and seems unable to interpret cards. Edit:I'd take 10 rules lawyers over a nonplayer any day.

[@Shelfside]

mmm yes, the non-gamer. The one who suddenly can't read, but is really good at reading reddit -Ashton

[@FiLtheThriL]

@@Shelfside yes, being on their phone when their turn comes along is a definite sign.

[@tpa3437]

It happened often that my friends show me a new game, and I have the exact reaction in your intro 'hmm this does not seem right' and indeed my friend has been playing his game wrong all along. Classic. I dont do the bad ones like using it to win or something BUT I hate when someone show us a new game they did not even tried once by themself, what a mess.

[@dcrbdh]

I gamed with a guy who would use the terms "legal" and "illegal" when referencing games

[@OreLye]

3:00 best part hahaha Pretty sure that already has been proposed but I'd love to see the overthinker, overanalyser who put years to figure out what the best turn to make while others are dying of boredom haha.

[@Tivizzz]

This.

[@Shelfside]

that's a good suggestion my dude! Will have to see how to flesh that out -Ashton

[@bobbyrogulski9340]

do one on "house rules"

[@Shelfside]

gotta get some calvinball inspiration going on here! The dumbest houserules ever will come! -Ashton

[@HeroineNisa]

After me being kind of a rules lawyer at the start, I am glad to say that I quickly grew out of it, and thanks to me re-reading the rulebooks and playing with rules-as-written, I saw that many times house rules, make games better, either by adding catch-up mechanics, changing how something works and so. Its all about having fun. Some groups love playing with rules as written but I don't think I'll ever play Zombicide (any) without my house rules (like ranged weapons only hit friendlies on 1)

[@Shelfside]

I totally used to be kind of like that too, especially being the one who owns the games! But there is a LOT of fun house-ruling board games, and is something you can't really do with video games, so that's always been fun to experiment with. Like, in Dead of Winter, we refuse to read all the text on the crossroads cards. Catch up mechanics are where its at -Ashton

[@jonathanbicket9960]

This is painful to watch. I try to be sympathetic to those who just want to have fun and just keep playing cause I know I can be the lawyer. But! I will say that when I'm mostly playing just 2 players its hard when my idea of fun is following the rules. I mean, how can you say you won or like the game if you can't or didn't follow the rules?....

[@Shelfside]

first games are a real sticky spot for getting rules right and still having fun. On our first games, we just try to let people reverse time as much as possible without breaking the flow too much. The problem with being a "rules lawyer" comes in is where they're constantly trying to reference the rules to make something work in their favor, which -technically- is following the rules, but isn't fun to those playing with him -Ashton

[@jhence66]

This strikes a nerve for me and may others I am sure. Haha, but I can see your well organized and have plenty of talent. Keep up the good work.

[@Shelfside]

haha cheers! Hopefully more stereotypes to come -Ashton

[@curiousintuit]

I feel personally attacked

[@Jonaelize]

Suggestion: The bad loser. Winning is everything to them and they sigh and bitch every time they are behind in points or whatever. The play ruthless, even with first time players. Every time you move against them, it is a personal attack from which the bad loser will never recover emotionally. Oh, and of course throw the board in the air at the end.

[@Shelfside]

don't know why that didn't cross my mind yet, of course winning is the only thing that matters! Will add it to the list! -Ashton

[@bastianvillebro6420]

YES I have been waiting for this one :)

[@Ornthemycelianth]

Was playing a game of Sheriff of Nottingham, have a bad poker face, was smuggling 2 pieces of contraband and one apple, got called out by sheriff before he opened my bag basically saying I know I'm going to find stuff. So per the rules of the game any deal goes so I offered for him to take two at random to let me keep the third and the rules lawyer at the table lost his mind and refuses to play Sheriff of Nottingham with us now lol.

[@Shelfside]

oh gosh, I'm imagining a rules lawyer demanding to count all of other people's cards before they put it in their bags, so that they don't exceed the limit (i think that's like 5 cards max?) -Ashton

[@KammaKhazi]

lol I’m definitely guilty of this, but in my defence I’m the only one in my gaming group who ever reads the rules.

[@Shelfside]

bahaha that was me growing up. I got accused of twisting the rules in my favor constantly, but then no one wanted to actually read the rulebook for themselves -Ashton

[@kimoro9643]

awww love it! it’s so sweet you give a shout-out to video suggestions 😍 thank you! I’m the absolute opposite of a rules lawyer, I love just making up house rules that are more fun but most ppl I play with are like this ☹️🙄 great vid!!

[@Shelfside]

hey Kim! Great to see ya here. Making up house rules is definitely part of the magic of board games! Well, hope you're able to de-escalate their lawmaking to keep games going ^-^ -Ashton

[@tylerfransson9049]

Yesss

[@quibily]

The rolling die cracked me up! I’m enjoying this series. Nice work!

[@Evoken111]

What about the guy who is always on the phone? :D

[@Evoken111]

Great video btw

[@Shelfside]

mmm, a little bit of non-gamer there, but I think I'll slot that in somewhere! Thanks for the suggestion :D -Ashton

[@trek2k409]

Rules lawyers all probably my least favourite type of player

[@TREYTYLER-ls9us]

ya there even worse than the nongamer

[@commandercaptain4664]

0:06 Oh yes, everyone's favorite version of the rules lawyer: the "Merriam/Webster defines this as" version. 0:46 I feel called out... 😲 1:06 I've heard a story of a lawyer doing this AT A TOURNAMENT. 😱 1:18 And this is why games have 100+ pages of rules. 1:27 ... WELL NOT WITH THAT ATTITUDE! 2:53 And this is why I make other players buy their own rulebooks.

[@Shelfside]

wow. amazingly summed up! Also I cannot believe how a lawyer would do that at an actual tournament, should get fired ahaha. -Ashton

[@Chironex_Fleckeri]

These videos are fantastic 👏

[@andraslibal]

So hard to learn to be happy and appreciative towards people's achievement when they win by good skill. But if you manage they are so happy to play with you again :)))

[@Shelfside]

definitely! It's all about building that ongoing rivalry with your buddies, of course all in good nature :) -Ashton

[@justsumCrumbs]

My friend and I do this often, but we mostly play co op games and we tend to fuck rules up a lot so we always tend to make sure we're playing right.

[@Shelfside]

In co-op, the accursed rules lawyer is always on your side, so its not so bad! -Ashton

[@kingofprehistory7851]

How is it that you are not a Hollywood actor yet,your acting is so good

[@Shelfside]

ahaha, I try dude :) -Ashton

[@meatballmeeple9347]

Love the phoenix segment :D

[@Shelfside]

aha glad you liked it ^-^ -Ashton

[@DaTruKataLYST]

lol this was great

[@Shelfside]

ahaha thanks! Glad you liked it :D -Ashton

[@irishbug4744]

This was a painful mirror to gaze into

[@Shelfside]

hey man, we all got a little bit of a rules lawyer within us, especially when games get competitive. Don't sweat it -Ashton

[@irishbug4744]

@@Shelfside Haha thanks! Love this video and your guys' channel!