Players reading the MM

[Ingolf]

Too many people in my group also DM for it to be reasonable to have them not read the MM.

I am in the same situation, but I'd still be annoyed if they were reading it at the table, during my game. Particularly right after release, when the chance to spring some seriously unknown stuff on them is still there.

 

[Tervin]

Players reading stuff not to do with their own PC's abilites during active encounters? That is one of my pet peeves, whether I am a DM or just another player. When we are playing, we are playing - not just hanging around waiting to be entertained. During a break, or at a time when that player's character is not in any way involved in what is happening - that is another matter.

That it is the MM they are reading matters less to me. They are welcome to read it during breaks, but have no business looking at it during encounters - because it disrupts the game for everyone.

 

[Tewligan]

Smash the aforementioned beer bottle over their head, then grind the shattered bottle remnants into their face while screaming "HEY, HOW'S THAT BOOK?! PRETTY #@*!IN' GOOD?! HUH?" Watching them try to both fend you off and still get a peek at the book through eyes filled with broken glass, beer, and blood is priceless, and will generate a lot of laughter and camraderie at the table.

 

[Cabled]

Smash the aforementioned beer bottle over their head, then grind the shattered bottle remnants into their face while screaming "HEY, HOW'S THAT BOOK?! PRETTY #@*!IN' GOOD?! HUH?" Watching them try to both fend you off and still get a peek at the book through eyes filled with broken glass, beer, and blood is priceless, and will generate a lot of laughter and camraderie at the table.

whoa

 

[Chimera]

During the session, that's a big NO, and the game stops, period, until the book is put away.

Quoting the MM at the table in regards to Monsters that you haven't made knowledge checks about means that they suddenly gain new and interesting powers.

To quote a very recent e-mail to my GM friend;

"I've also been known to change monsters on the fly because of some annoying know-it-all. After all, if NO ONE in your part of the world has ever seen a Rakshasa, there's no flippin' way you know it's weaknesses. So if you start acting like you do, then I'm changing them. Blessed crossbow bolt? Nah, whatever gave you that idea? You need a copper rune inscripted long dagger..."

Basically, in this case, if someone started telling everyone that Rakshasa had DR 15/Good and Piercing without any in-game knowledge, they'd have to learn the hard way that the minute they said it, it was changed to DR 15/Chaos and Slashing (or Copper, just for fun).

 

[Sojorn]

Quoting the MM at the table in regards to Monsters that you haven't made knowledge checks about means that they suddenly gain new and interesting powers.

THESE goblins are possessed by Far Realm creatures. With tentacles. What's your Reflex defense again? Ok, how about your Fort? Oh, ouch, I'm sorry, what's your Will defense?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I will tell them to go to www.wizards.com and look at the monster art gallery there. (They will tell me they are only looking at the pictures... and thats their good right.)

But generally i hate Players looking into the DM books. But with 3.5 assumptions, you just couldn´t prevent it... (in the beginning i copied some pages from SRD, but it was annoying)

 

[Family]

Give the players a copy of the old MM and say that's the lore/rumor/hersay that they know...DC checks to peak at the real goods.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Smash the aforementioned beer bottle over their head, then grind the shattered bottle remnants into their face while screaming "HEY, HOW'S THAT BOOK?! PRETTY #@*!IN' GOOD?! HUH?" Watching them try to both fend you off and still get a peek at the book through eyes filled with broken glass, beer, and blood is priceless

D&D. Serious Business.