Ahem. The rules are up to the DM. The DM is God. Worship the Glorius DM!

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Rulebooks are guidelines. I reserver the right as DM to make the final call on rules issues. Of course I consult the players but rules are there to be modified to fit your style of play.

 

[Wicht]

Hmmmk. And a DM sitting all by his lonesome at a table looks rather silly, although I suppose he could sit his collection of Care Bears around the table and lord his "power" over them, too.

Fuzzy Knights!!!
I've done that (though not in about 20 years).


I cringe at the description of a DM as a god, but at the table his rule has to be law or the game will be anarchy.

 

[Henry]

Henry, you're just darling when you're shouting wisdom into the howling winds of indifference.

...when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of Henry's puny inexhaustible voice, still talking.

(with apologies to William Faulkner)

 

[Bastoche]

It's up to the DM to make rules decisions not to make up rules.

In other words, if a DM as no clue as to what rule to take for situation XYZ, he should not (IMO) make up a rule if one exists. By consulting the players, he may learn of the rule and apply it. If no rule exists, he just make up one. D20 is such that each and every rules are made up easily: find relevant stat, estimate DC, roll D20, add relevant stat modifier and voilà.

If the DM and/or one or more players find one specific rule to be unsuited for them, at the end of the session, they discuss about it and find a common ground. The DM has the final say on this.

The DM is not God, he is judge.

 

[Mystery Man]

...when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of Henry's puny inexhaustible voice, still talking.

(with apologies to William Faulkner)

Mmmmmm *smack* Ding-Dongs...

 

[Mystery Man]

...when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of Henry's puny inexhaustible voice, still talking.

(with apologies to William Faulkner)

Mmmmmm *smack* Ding-Dongs...

 

[Jakathi]

lol. the dm is god. but every god is different and all gods recognize free will.

at least a good one.
And in the end, if you play a tyranical "God", your players are going to leave in droves. If you're a decent DM that actually listens to your players, they will stay. But the rules mean nothing if they're too complicated. ergo. get out the d6 and go with high and low if everything else fails.

*gets out the d6 and pitches it at the head of the rule-lawyer at the end of the table and tells the rest of the players to get a rope.

 

[Mark Chance]

Move along. Nothing to see here.

 

[Mark Chance]

Oh, and Mark, thanks for the sig.

You're quite welcome. I exude witty words with the same ease that Fat Elvis set flecks of sweat flying to anoint those lucky few who could afford the really good seats.

 

[reapersaurus]

The DM is not god - he's just one player among several. He has more responsibilities, and more control over the story than do the other players - but he's not omnipotent, and certainly should not act like he is.

I agree, and have always agreed with this approach.