103 Rulings and Rules

Che Webster of the Roleplay Rescue podcast asks the question, what's the difference? If you make a consistent ruling, isn't it then a rule?

• In my opinion, No. A ruling is a practice at the table. A rule is a prescribed process in the book.
• Rules are made 'in a vacuum,' they are less flexible, and if there are too many of them, they are hard to remember. OTOH, rules are impartial and transparent. Rules should ideally (my opinion) address only the most common situations.
• Rulings come from rules, but should never (or at least rarely) become rules. Rulings are made at the table, require buy-in from the group (and therefore generate investment), and are flexible. They can evolve over time like language. OTOH, rulings can flex so much that they feel inconsistent or even unfair. 

That's the basics of what I say in the cast. :) Now you don't really need to listen, though I try to illustrate with examples.