J.K. Rowling Defends the Scoring Mechanics of Quidditch, Terribly

The Harry Potter fandom has been around for a while, but some fans admit, though, that the world that J.K. Rowling built is enthralling, it certainly isn't perfect. One constant argument made is about the made-up sports, Quidditch, which has a ridiculous point system. Well, Rowling has come out to defend why she thinks it makes sense.

Here's her post after someone called out Quidditch for having a bogus point system:

Just in case you need a refresher, here are the rules courtesy of Oliver Wood:

As for additional rules, scoring with the quaffle will get you 10 points each, but catching the snitch earns the team 150 points and ends the game.

Anyone who plays board games (or any game, really) will tell you that makes for an unbalanced point system since catching the snitch basically renders the rest of the game useless. All the effort done scoring with the quaffle is moot if the enemy team catches the snitch before they can make more than 150 points.

At best, people think that the best way to balance Quidditch is to have the snitch score nerfed to a smaller number (like 30 or 20 points), that way giving a good point boost, but not rendering the effort of the chasers obsolete.

Going back to Rowling's explanation, it seems that her ‘justification' for the point system is more about the life lesson to be learned than the actual balance of the game. Sure, it's not a bad lesson, but it still doesn't make for a realistic set of rules. Plus, even with all the "teamwork" done, winning ultimately lands on the responsibility of the seeker—who works alone.

I'm guessing Rowling was more concerned about proving someone wrong than actually understanding the point of the argument. Then again, it's rules about a made-up game that were written up more than 20 years ago. None of it matters.

Return to the Wizarding World when Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald hit theaters Nov. 16.

See Also: Fantastic Beasts 2 New Poster: It's Grindelwald vs. The Wizarding World