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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 8048324" data-attributes="member: 1465">I will avoid a pedantic discussion here on how to define a "rule", and instead give you some examples of rules in the DMG which are not mentioned to be optional:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">the previously mentioned (scattered) references on detecting secret doors or traps</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">weather, foraging, becoming lost</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">identifying magic items, attunement, how to wear and activate magic items</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">tracking</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">determining degrees of cover</li> </ul>Random treasure tables don't seem to me to be presented as the default way to determine treasure but more as a help to guarantee a reasonable average.Of course also something like weather is overall technically optional, in the sense that you can ignore any mechanical effects of different weathers in the adventures. But it is a good example for the purpose of my original question: since the DMG provides written rules for weather mechanical effects, do you think of them as a "must use" or as just one possible way to do it? If you are used to running campaigns with lots of house rules anyway, then it actually doesn't matter much. The crux of the question here is more about PHB vs DMG.---Another small but illuminating example I just noticed: the "Tools" section on page 239 say that you cannot apply the proficiency bonus from a tool when making an ability check that doesn't imply an active usage of such tool! For example, if you have the Guild Artisan background and have proficiency in the Mason's tools, you can add the proficiency bonus when you are for instance building a wall with the tools but you cannot add the bonus when making a check to understand how sturdy or fragile a wall already built is.The PHB rules only mention using the tool directly, but doesn't explicitly rule out you cannot benefit from the proficiency for indirect checks, but applying a tool proficiency bonus on that sort of knowledge/assessment checks is something I've seen used plenty...</blockquote>

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