Which rules do you NOT use?

[Fenes]

Oh, good question!

What rules do I not use?

- Experience. All members of our party are always the same level. We don't pass out exp, calculate, or think about it. Level up happens when the whole group feels like it.

That's the biggest mechanic rule, the rest are more flavor-based.

 

[Blustar]

i don't use the d02 rules. to quote a silent wail: "It fails in just about every aspect of a game,and it is more of a rule playign game than role playing game.

Frist off it is way to liniar.You just get better in everyway.THere is no way in avoiding it.I mena no mater what you are, you have have hit points and levels..."

There's only one aspect that's important anyways, so if it's fun, then how can it "fail"? Does it really matter why you roll the D20? I mean we can come up with whatever reason right? Well the Dm deems it so from years of experience or just his creativity OR page 45 says to do it this way. The player doesn't know if it came from the rules or the DM (or shouldn't care) right? So why should the player care?

The DM on the other hand should decide if more rules helps him or not. Maybe the DM likes having many rules to change them to suit his needs but at least he has examples from which to draw. Maybe the DM doesn't like flexibility which he thinks gives him too much control over the game. It gives him more fun to put the pieces in place and see what happens and only needing to adjudicate when his PC's go outside the rules.


I just don't see how having many rules means it fails in every aspect. That's like saying chess is a failed game because it has more rules than checkers. How about games that have rules the size of Phonebooks of a major metropolis. ( like ASL or Starfleet Battles) Two games I've enjoyed very much over the years.

Just don't see how less rules automatically means a better game. For some people yes but it's on case by case basis.


Blue

 

[Maldin]

I don't keep track of encumbrance until the PCs seem to be approaching "alot", then its just a rough back-of-the-envelope guesstimate for the point of "this is slowing you down", and "you're not getting out of this dungeon with all that crap... alive".

They must acquire and keep track of any rare, expensive or unusual spell components, but common, relatively easy-to-find stuff is assumed. I've even run micro-adventures for the acquisition of special spell components.

Denis, aka "Maldin"
=============================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Loads of edition-independent Greyhawk goodness... maps, magic, mysteries, mechanics, and more!

 

[dougmander]

Encumbrance -- I agree with the OP, too much hassle. We use an informal system that lets you carry "four hands" worth of weapons (a polearm and two daggers, or a bow and a greatsword, and so on). As for potions & scrolls, a dozen of each. Other stuff? We don't sweat it.

Material Components -- Really, what do they add to the enjoyment of the game? it's a hidden tax on spellcasters! I just assume the caster has what they need on their person. The only exception is when a material component has a listed cost -- I do require the player to pay the cost, but I don't make getting the materials part of roleplay.

Multiclassing XP Penalties -- I never enforce it. But if a player wants their PC to multiclass, it has to make sense in-game. A bard can't take a level as a rogue for example, unless she knows a rogue PC or NPC who's willing to train her between adventures. Adding a new class when you level up during an adventure is a usually a no-no.

However...

If I were forced to play with a group of metagaming min/maxers instead of the immersive storytelling/all-in-good-fun group I enjoy now, I might have to start playing it by the book.

 

[GVDammerung]

You people really dont seem to mind messing with the natural laws of game balance do you

In my view, ignoring rules = letting balance get all out of whack. It is a slippery slope at best.

This assumes, it seems, that the DM is incapable of understanding game balance issues and making appropriate decisions in such regard. Inexperienced DMs may have such problems. Experienced DMs should be increasingly able to handle game balance issues. If a DM has experience going back before 3.x and its "rule for everything" philosophy, handling game balance should be even easier, as earlier editions relied more on the DM to interpret/apply/develop on the fly the rules. For those DMs, among which I count myself, began gaming in 1978, I think a paraphrase of Judge Dread sums it up nicely -
I am the DM - I AM GAME BALANCE!

 

[Tenbones]

GVDammerung nails it.

Going strictly "by the rules" doesn't equate to game-balance. No ruleset is perfect. Rules-Nazi's who don't GM are equally incapable of understanding game-balance and as often as not are the prime culprits of utilizing loopholes in rules to their advantage.

A GREAT GM understands what kind of game he wants to run, and does so accordingly. Blindly clinging to what "the book" says can easily point out the glaring flaws of a system.

Case in point - the Armor system of d20 is horridly flawed. Yet people swear by it when it does not scale even remotely well. If you check the sites of the hallowed 3.0-3.5 developers (many who come to these boards) they will corroberate that many of the rules do not work out well due to bad math, over-sight, bad wording, etc.

If it works for you great. If it works for your GM - and he's passionate about, EVEN BETTER.

OH yeah - I also use Skill Groups from Iron Heroes. 3.5 encourages one-trick ponies for PC's. KILL ALL PONIES.

 

[kenobi65]

Unidentified magic items can be a pain in the ass for the DM. Oh, I hit AC 20.. plus whatever from the sword.. which sword again? Oh, right, right, that one, okay.

Exactly...I've got enough stuff to keep track of as the DM, without (a) having to keep track of the unidentified, or semi-identified, magic items that the PCs are using, and (b) having to deal with their attempts to figure out exactly what it does ("OK, does it swing easier or harder than my +2 sword?"). Like morrus, I just tell them what the heck the item is, and I'm done with it.

The only exception would be a magic item which has unknown properties which serve to further the plot (or are, in themselves, the plot). Even then, I'd just tell them, "it's a +1 flaming greataxe", and have the special property "pop up" at a dramatically appropriate moment.