D&D 5E Should player's assume if it's in the DMG then it's RAW?

[Morrus]

Then I guess the question becomes this. Should you, as a player, go and read up on the rules in the DMG and assume they are a part of the game?

I don't think it was my fault that I didn't discuss how selling magic items went because I feel like the player shouldn't have gone and read the DMG and assumed that's the way it was done in my game.

I dunno. That's not a relationship I'm accustomed to, as players in any of my games also run other games and buy the books to do so. I guess if you're in a group with a single permanent DM, made up of people who don't want to run their own games, you could all agree that the DMG is off-limits as a sort of social contract, but that would be a thing your group has decided.

Communication is never a bad thing, and this sounds a lot like a bit of communication could have negated the entire issue. Talk to your players and make sure you're all on the same page and have the same expectations of the game, and it should work out.

 

[Sailor Moon]

I dunno. That's not a relationship I'm accustomed to, as players in any of my games also run other games and buy the books to do so. I guess if you're in a group with a single permanent DM, made up of people who don't want to run their own games, you could all agree that the DMG is off-limits as a sort of social contract, but that would be a thing your group has decided.

Communication is never a bad thing, and this sounds a lot like a bit of communication could have negated the entire issue. Talk to your players and make sure you're all on the same page and have the same expectations of the game, and it should work out.

Oh I agree that communication is key but where do you draw the line? You can't really be expected to go through the entire book picking and choosing what to use and what not to. The minute you actually point something out that you won't be using then leads to you having to go through the entire book which is madness.

 

[Eric V]

Basically, should people just stay away from the DMG if they aren't DMing?

Well, in my group we all take turns DMing, so everyone has a copy...

 

[Authweight]

I don't think we're literally talking about players reading or not reading the DMG. It's more about whether players should assume the DM is playing from the DMG unless otherwise noted, or whether players should not make that assumption.

It comes down to the question of whether the DMG is a rulebook or a guidebook. If it's a rulebook, then it's part of the game and should be called out when being changed. If it's just a book of tips and tricks, then the DM shouldn't feel like they need to say when they're not using things from it.

 

[Derren]

I don't think we're literally talking about players reading or not reading the DMG. It's more about whether players should assume the DM is playing from the DMG unless otherwise noted, or whether players should not make that assumption.

Ask yourself, why should a player assume that a rule which is not marked as optional would not be used in a game?

 

[Sailor Moon]

Ask yourself, why should a player assume that a rule which is not marked as optional would not be used in a game?

But why should players even bother worrying about what's in the DMG?

 

[Derren]

But why should players even bother worrying about what's in the DMG?

Why not? Its a core rule book and obviously also includes rules which are used by the players.

 

[Sailor Moon]

Why not? Its a core rule book and obviously also includes rules which are used by the players.

But they are rules that must go through the DM first. You as a player should not assume that magic item creation is automatically in the game.

 

[Authweight]

Why not? Its a core rule book and obviously also includes rules which are used by the players.

I've been running the game without the DMG, and in fact I still don't have it. I think it's safe to say that the DMG doesn't contain any rules that are necessary for running the game.

I think the core 3 approach is gone somewhat. The PHB and basic rules have all the rules for running the game, and the MM and DMG are bonus resources for busy or new DMs.

 

[Nebulous]

Basically, should people just stay away from the DMG if they aren't DMing?

I had a player come to me about selling a magic item. He automatically assumed that all he needed to do was make his Investigation roll and then roll for days to find a seller and BAM, his item is sold. I explained to him that's not how it works in my world. "Well the DMG says XYZ", was the response I got and I told him he shouldn't assume anything he reads in the DMG is automatically RAW.

What do you think?

Your player is mistaken, and you were correct in your ruling. The DMG is absolutely not there for players to cherry pick rules they like.