Laming Rule

An example of laming

Laming refers to attacking a player who is either unable or unwilling to fight back, either because he is chatting, afk, lagging out or simply does not want to engage in combat. Grey areas include attacking players in the first few seconds after engaging in a duel or attacking them when their saber was knocked down after a block.

The laming rule is one of the most common server rules in JKA and is an adaptation of a general gaming etiquette that treats gaining an advantage over another player through circumstances that are external to the game as unsporting behaviour, be it exploiting the fact that the other player has connectivity issues, is required to pause the game in any way or does not wish to fight on a server that allows for such a possibility.

Although all instances of the laming rule agree that intentionally killing someone who is lagging out or in chat is considered unsporting, individual servers and communities handle the grey areas with varying degrees of severity. Due to this discrepancy it is often wise to check the rules of a server before playing. Most modded FFA servers make this easier for players by editing the motd to display the laws of the land, but it is generally advisable to check the webpage of the clan itself for a complete list of rules.

Controversy

According to some, the no laming rule is one of the fundamental elements of JKA that has led to the rise of a clan-rich environment by allowing players to focus on communication rather than just gameplay, or making the game easier for new players.

Others believe that the laming rule is a bad one, making JKA one of the few games with an FFA gametype in which you can not freely kill people, and that it discourages players from playing the actual game, as well as making the game more frustrating to learn for new players.

Not all servers enforce a no laming rule, but most do; especially the ones that are affiliated with clans, teams or competitive organizations. The laming rule is widely used on Japlus servers and part of the general ESL ladder rules.

Origin

Although the laming rule is an outgrowth of some aspects of a more universal gaming etiquette, its enforcement outside of competitive settings is almost entirely unique to JKA. Right from the start, JK2 FFA servers were frequently used for social gatherings of all kinds; but to make such gatherings possible, the laming rule had to be enforced.

It is unclear where the idea of using FFA servers for social purposes originally came from or who first even coined the term "laming". Two of the people speculated to be behind the idea of a no-laming rule were Calvin and Shroomduck from the clan LiCk, although both deny having invented the word.