Options by default: on or off?

[Desdichado]

I've been tempted to run a D&D game but with none of the PHB races and classes allowed. You want races? Planetouched from Races of Faerûn or the Eberron or Psionics races, or whatever. You want classes? Loads in the Complete XYZ series. And psionic classes in the SRD. I think it'd be fun to have such an outré setting, yet one which was still 100% D&D.

Just for fun, I'm going to actually work on putting together such a campaign setting on my blog: http://jdyal.blogspot.com

 

[Odhanan]

Options are "on" by default in the games I run.

I also encourage my players to come up with their own ideas/homebrew feats, spells and whatnot. I'll review them and allow them, modify them with the player or disallow them on a case by case basis.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Interesting results so far.

For my games, its definitely "On." I like to leave those options out there, and unless its something horribly out of place or just doesn't fit into the world(but since I use homebrew, the latter is rare), I'll generally allow things like that.

 

[kolikeos]

i useally allow most anything when i dm although some times i have to rule out some things that are unbalancing or unapropriate to the game world

 

[Henry]

The default is "off" for me -- core rules only. I then allow supplemental stuff on a case by case basis. That way, it's easier for me to balance what they face, rather than getting blind-sided by some out-of-whack supplement out there that someone comes up with, then act to limit it and then be seen as argitrary or spoiling someone's fun. There are some things out there that mesh frighteningly well together...

 

[Hjorimir]

Heck, I don't even allow all the races in the core books. You'll be playing a human if you're in my game. I think that limiting options has just as much (if not more) a profound effect on the feel of a campaign as does adding options outside the core rules.

 

[Jackelope King]

I voted "allow". I tell my players that they can use pretty much any WotC resource they want (in addition to some 3rd Party stuff I'm a big fan of), but I reserve the right to modify the flavor of selections and to work with the player in question to allow the player to have the character he wants and to allow me to have a party of PCs who make sense together. This is the case in most of my games... just not the ones where I'm intentionally playtesting a limited realm of material.

 

[Slife]

If it isn't too out there and you bring the book, sure.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

The "rule" in my game is that core races and classes are available without any questions at all times. Players are, however, encouraged to ask for and try other RACES if they are interested in doing so, and the amount of discussion necessary to allow an non-core race in the game will naturally vary on just what that race IS. Haven't had any takers yet in over 10 years since I started that policy. Available Prestige classes are strictly limited for reasons of campaign "flavor". Players are free to request alternate PrC's as well, but should know up front that I'm generally disinclined to allow them, though requests will be given due consideration nonetheless.