Options by default: on or off?

[Staffan]

It depends on what kind of stuff. For feats, the default is "on." For races, the default is "off" (I run an Eberron campaign, and the PHB+ECS races have well-defined places in the world; Illumians, Elans and Raptorians don't). Classes (both base and prestige) are somewhere in between - I allow them unless there's a reason not to, but the threshold for not allowing a class is lower than the threshold for not allowing a feat.

 

[TerraDave]

Hmm, players have lots of options, but they are set out in advance (see sig). Other things can be added--spells, feats, house rules--but are really initiated by the DM.

The defualt, especially for non-core WotC, is no additional options beyond these.

In practice, players have had plenty work with, at least so far. But you never know.

 

[francisca]

Off. No way I'm allowing the Cavalier, Barbarian, and Thief-Acrobat into my game.

 

[Voadam]

The default is assume most core is OK but everything non core must be DM approved and the DM also can veto core stuff.

My default is I will consider on a case by case basis anything, but don't assume I will allow anything. So ask but the default is off I guess.

As a player I am fine either way, playing is more important than the specifics of the options. I have had fun playing an exalted arcana undearthed giant with racial levels, or a human rogue modelling a fencer using core only.

 

[Desdichado]

Off. No way I'm allowing the Cavalier, Barbarian, and Thief-Acrobat into my game.

Good heavens! I thought diagloitis was one of those kinds of diseases that once you had it once, you were immune for the rest of your life kinda things! I know it was for me; I'll never be laid up by OD&D or AD&D again.

 

[The_Gneech]

Defaults for D&D:

Core Books: allowed as written

WotC 3.5 splatbooks and Dragon magazine: allowed as written assuming it passes review

non-WotC material: allowed as written, but has more stringent review (although this generally hasn't been an issue, as most of the other players don't buy extra materials)

homemade material or adaptations: generally requires review and perhaps tinkering, but will be allowed if possible (e.g., the wizard's player adapted a "force spheres" spell from one of the licensed computer games as a spell for his character to 'invent' ... I applied a gp cost for the creation of it but otherwise let him use it)

-The Gneech

 

[Wombat]

Wow, I have absolutely no idea how to answer this...

I am the GM for my local group. I have set up three different campaigns for the group since 3e came out (plus a short-term joke campaign, but that is beside the point). In each campaign I laid down specific rules about what races, character classes, PrCs, weapons, magical items, spells, etc., were available. Once I did so, there were no changes (except for a couple of PrCs) allowed.

The thing is, though, that many time "core" ideas, classes, PrCs, etc., were nixed right off the top. In one campaign, for example, paladins were removed and replaced with the various classes out of The Book of the Righteous. In my current campaign we are using AU as a basis, so there are no elves, dwarves, halflings, etc.; neither are there Fighters, Clerics, etc., but there are classes and PrCs from outside of AU.

So, do I allow material from something other than the core books? Yes! Do I allow extra races and classes to be added into a campaign after the core material has been settled? Only very, very, very rarely.

 

[MonsterMash]

Off, I have a fairly wide set of stuff that is allowed, but it comes from books that I know and have checked out. My Wilderlands campaign uses the additional rules from the Players Guide, with more human subtypes, and a few additional races, but no Drow. I will allow standard monstrous races from the MM if they don't have any LA.

So options, but MY options in MY campaign.

 

[Arnwyn]

For us, extra options are defaulted to "off". It makes DMing/campaign management far easier, to me.

The basic rule of thumb for us is that if the DM doesn't own the book, it's not allowed period. If the DM does own the book, then he'll allow whatever he wants from it, and will inform the players. If you haven't been informed of it, it's not allowed.

But that's just us.

 

[delericho]

I voted off by default. I really really hate changing the rules on my players in mid-game. So, since I don't want to discover a problem combination that I need to fix, I find it better to allow only a defined subset of options, laid down at the start of the campaign, and then not vary from that.

Of course, when I'm playing, the DM can do what he wants. I'm not going to walk over being (un-)able to play a particular combination of classes.