Reeves are an extremely important part of the
Amtgard experience, as they are the individuals who are charged with attempting to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the game participants. Here are some helpful suggestions to being an effective reeve.
- As the reeve, your decision is final. If a snap decision is required, make the call that you believe is correct, and consult the rulebook after the fact to confirm the decision. If your call was incorrect, make sure to note that for the future.
- Your responsibility as a reeve is to facilitate the safety and enjoyment of the game participants. This may require you to make calls that are unpopular with some individuals in order to allow the game to proceed smoothly. You should attempt to remain fair and impartial in all of your calls, and apply the rules objectively.
- a Sometimes the rules don't perfectly accommodate all conditions, and when that happens reeves are encouraged to use discretion locally to adjust the rules as needed for the enjoyment of everyone. For example, allowing a player with no hands at all to cast magic, or giving grace to a player with a speech impediment or stutter when considering if their incantation is interrupted.
- It is important to adhere to the spirit of the rules in addition to the letter of the rules. It is impossible in a game as varied as Amtgard for the rulebook to cover all contingencies. If you encounter a situation where a player’s actions negatively impact safety, playability, or the enjoyment of the participants, you are justified in disallowing that action. Here are a couple of examples of situations where it is reasonable for a reeve to intervene:
- a. A player using a weapon in a manner that provides them with an advantage that their class would not normally receive (e.g.Monks with unusually large weapons for blocking, or a Wizard claiming that a Large Shield is allowable because it is actually a Magic Staff).
- b. A player wielding otherwise legal equipment in an unsafe manner.
- c. A player knowingly attacking someone whom they are unable to affect (e.g. Insubstantial or frozen players).
- d. Any situation where the player’s justification is “But the rules don’t say I can’t...”
- Making required declarations and explaining what abilities do to other players should not interrupt existing incantations or ongoing chants. The point of declaring enchantments is to keep the game flowing smoothly for all involved. A player is not punished for pausing an incantation to aid in the flow of gameplay. If a Bard, for example, paused their Chant to explain to a new player what the Chant represents, they may resume the chant when they are finished. A player may also communicate what states are affecting them at any time. When in doubt, give leeway to players who go out of their way to help other players during a game.
