Are you required to bring your own books when you game?

[Dragonblade]

My groups DM/GM philosophy is to require everyone playing to buy and bring their own core rulebook.

Basically, if you aren't dedicated enough to the game to purchase your own book, then you aren't dedicated enough to play in the game.

Back in high school we had issues with players photocopying entire books, or slowing the game down by passing them around the table because all the players but one or two were too cheap to buy the book on their own.

If its a matter of income, you get a pass. But some people in my group are making over 80K a year and still photocopy or pirate stuff off the net. I for one appreciate the hard work that the RPG writers put into their work so I put my foot down and now require actual purchased copies of any rulebook that will be used in play.

I have found that my players are more serious once they have invested money in a game. And the game itself speeds up when passing the lone rulebook around the table is no longer a problem.

What do you do in your game and why?

 

[Crothian]

We like that everyone have a copy of the PHB but don't require it.

 

[Salad Shooter]

While we don't REQUIRE you to have a copy of the phb, it is highly suggestable that you do. Currently I believe all the members in both my groups have PHBs (though one groups using 3.5, and the other's using 3e...) which makes it MUCH easier to handle combat and things like that, plus the players can support the DM if he's unsure on a ruling. We do require, however, that you read the setting book before playing. You don't have to buy it, just read it at least once.

 

[DonaldRumsfeldsTofu]

Dude, I didn't realize how zealous people are about this? For my one group, all of the players share a PHB, and the DM has his own. In the other, usually more than one person brings a PHB but we all share it. Disqualifying the use of resources you didn't purchase taboos resources created by online books, or stuff created on this message board.

 

[Wombat]

Lessee...

Of my 5 players, usually 1 or 2 of them bring a PHB with during any given session, but we just share around.

Seems pretty simple.

Everyone buys different kinds of games, not just D20, so we are good with it.

 

[Jehosephat]

In our group, it was never really a question of having to. I think everyone wanted to own the PHB. I'm pretty sure that's the case with the other two core books as well. I don't know yet if everyone has 3.5, but at least half do.

 

[Derulbaskul]

As the DM, I'm happy as long as someone else has a PHB to share around the players as, once we're playing, I don't like sharing my books (although I do have a spare PHB in case it's required).

I'm not a big fan of someone using the 3E PHB in a 3.5E game... but I finally convinced him to upgrade.

 

[thullgrim]

you know its never really been a problem in most of the groups I have played in. As a DM I do not require anyone to have any book, though like I said its never come up. The last game I ran everyone had a PHB (like 6 of them floating around the table) and there were also multiple copies of DMG and MM to be had (strict no peak policy on the MM, DMG is fair game, that way I can get someone to look something up while I am actually running the game). We had multiple copies of most of the splatbooks and things like that as well. Guess I am a spoiled DM. I do keep a second copy of the PHB around. I do ask players to bring any book they are planning on using (Feats, spells, PrC, etc)

Thullgrim

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

It's never been required but I've nearly always brough a copy of the PHB book to the table with me whenever I've gamed, simply because I like to be able to reference it myself!

Plus, I've played a fair amount of spellcasters, and if you play a spellcaster you're almost certain to need to look something up during the game, whether it's spell descriptions, casting times, etc etc etc.

 

[Janx]

For me, the main rule is spellcasters must have a printed copy of their spells, be it a rule book, photocopy from a splat book, or print-out from a program.

It just makes it easier for them to ensure they can look up any spell.

I keep a list of what books I allow to be used, as well as restricting players from reading monster stats and item info in game (ie. no peaking in the MM or DMG basically).

Janx