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<.< Little late to the party but... can't help but express my confusion over something I see over and over...
Why do so many people see being good at something as a bad quality? Not talking about rule-abusers or breakers, but genuine mastery of something is a virtue (or at least a good thing).
Over the years of MMO playing, I can't tell you how many posts I've seen condemning players for knowing their class, using good rotations, etc, etc, etc... and while it's not the same here, I have seen some similar trends.
Mastery of a system is not abusing it, but rather being able to fairly evaluate a character's mechanics. A "master" could just as easily make and use a "bad" character for some reason (flavor?), but he/she knows it. It's a good quality to have.
<.< This doesn't mean that using you understanding of rules/classes/options/candy-cane-shooter to outshine, overshadow, or otherwise gloat over others is a good thing (Power gaming I think it's called).
The issue is balancing preferences. Using MMO terms, mixing casuals with hard core. There is a flip side to what you are seeing. For every post you have seen condemning a system master, there has been another post made about a noob who lacks of system mastery. Usually folks form guilds, corps, etc of like minded players and things work out. TTRPG don't have the same luxury and often you get a system master with a casual player and the difference causes the game to break down. The results are posts condemning the opposite side, usually smothered in hyperbole.
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The issue is balancing preferences. Using MMO terms, mixing casuals with hard core. There is a flip side to what you are seeing. For every post you have seen condemning a system master, there has been another post made about a noob who lacks of system mastery. Usually folks form guilds, corps, etc of like minded players and things work out. TTRPG don't have the same luxury and often you get a system master with a casual player and the difference causes the game to break down. The results are posts condemning the opposite side, usually smothered in hyperbole.I feel both ashamed and excited to hear it in MMO terms (and understand it).
Yes, though that's always been one of my own pet peeves. In general, people just shouldn't be jerks to each other and people who use "noob" as a derogatory term are just as guilty of being wrong.
That being said, I don't see why people would blame the better player for taking time to learn the system. It's a concept I see in MMO's a lot (how dare some one actually learn to play!). Shouldn't system mastery be something everyone should strive for? <.< And if you don't care about it, why care if someone else does?
I know this is probably going to sound bad, but to not hold being knowledgeable in any given hobby you pursue as a good thing is... just backwards.
Long story short: Yes, both "sides" of the coin have bad apples and prejudices, but know how to play is always a good thing and people should be happy for someone with good "System Mastery."
Well the thing is there are different levels of acceptable mastery. Casuals are fine playing the game with sub-optimal builds. Often hard core players compete at a high level and will not accept sub-optimized play. When an individual condemns a system master its not because the system master is good at the game, but because his style cramps their own. I think you will find most individuals will agree that system mastery is good. The real issue is the gap between casual and competitive hard core play style.