transcendation
First Post
My second most important house rule is "Each player may call the DM out once per adventure."
That is, to make sure that the DM is not cheating, each player can, once per adventure, demand to see proof that something actually exists. For example, "how in the hell did the White Wizard get all his hit points back 3 times in a row? I think you just made that up 'cuz you didn't want him to die. I'm calling you out!"
The DM smiles wickedly, and says... "Are you sure... ? You risk ruining the mystique of the character." The player nods adamantly.
After covering up the rest of the NPC sheet, the DM shows the player the spells, items, etc. that created the effect, and the player sheepishly apologizes. The other players question whether the player used the calling out rule to metagame, and punch him in the shoulder.
Why have such a rule?
Refer to Rule #1 (Players may go anywhere), which lays the foundation for the Grand Illusion (that the campaign world is ready and waiting for the players to adventure in to their hearts' content). Rule #2 reinforces the Grand Illusion ten-fold!
Players are very much like the elephants at the circus, which are conditioned to believe that they can't get free even though the only thing holding them is a little chain attached to a spike in the ground. In their early days, the elephants were held by mighty chains attached to huge posts, but they learned they couldn't get away and gave up trying. Well, in the early days of your campaign, you have everything prepared (which isn't so difficult at 1st-level), so that whenever the PCs call you out, you have the proof ready and waiting. Once their trust is fully established, they stop calling you out, and that's when you start to keep details "inside your head".
Every once in awhile throw in something quite fringe which you have documented, to provoke a calling out, to reinforce the notion that during the gaming sessions you really are just a neutral referee, running them through a world over which you have no control (except between game sessions).
Or goad them with "Would you like to call me out and see the character's sheet?"
When orchestrated well, the players can't tell the difference between prepared material and that which you ad lib.
And that's a satisfying feeling.
In the 27 years I've been DM'ing, I've been called out 3 times (twice in the early stages of new campaigns with new groups, and the third by a relatively new player during the build-up to a high-level climactic adventure finale). In each case I dramatically presented the proof, and the players never questioned my integrity again.
transcendation
That is, to make sure that the DM is not cheating, each player can, once per adventure, demand to see proof that something actually exists. For example, "how in the hell did the White Wizard get all his hit points back 3 times in a row? I think you just made that up 'cuz you didn't want him to die. I'm calling you out!"
The DM smiles wickedly, and says... "Are you sure... ? You risk ruining the mystique of the character." The player nods adamantly.
After covering up the rest of the NPC sheet, the DM shows the player the spells, items, etc. that created the effect, and the player sheepishly apologizes. The other players question whether the player used the calling out rule to metagame, and punch him in the shoulder.
Why have such a rule?
Refer to Rule #1 (Players may go anywhere), which lays the foundation for the Grand Illusion (that the campaign world is ready and waiting for the players to adventure in to their hearts' content). Rule #2 reinforces the Grand Illusion ten-fold!
Players are very much like the elephants at the circus, which are conditioned to believe that they can't get free even though the only thing holding them is a little chain attached to a spike in the ground. In their early days, the elephants were held by mighty chains attached to huge posts, but they learned they couldn't get away and gave up trying. Well, in the early days of your campaign, you have everything prepared (which isn't so difficult at 1st-level), so that whenever the PCs call you out, you have the proof ready and waiting. Once their trust is fully established, they stop calling you out, and that's when you start to keep details "inside your head".
Every once in awhile throw in something quite fringe which you have documented, to provoke a calling out, to reinforce the notion that during the gaming sessions you really are just a neutral referee, running them through a world over which you have no control (except between game sessions).
Or goad them with "Would you like to call me out and see the character's sheet?"
When orchestrated well, the players can't tell the difference between prepared material and that which you ad lib.
And that's a satisfying feeling.
In the 27 years I've been DM'ing, I've been called out 3 times (twice in the early stages of new campaigns with new groups, and the third by a relatively new player during the build-up to a high-level climactic adventure finale). In each case I dramatically presented the proof, and the players never questioned my integrity again.
transcendation
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