Table rules and conventions

[MPA]

No rules; if there is one commom characteristic to all Brazilians is that we don't like rules.

 

[MPA]

-Only the DM may have access to the MM at the table

Are you serious?

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Perhaps I should implement something like that. Mostly we just hit people with a stuffed platypus for stuff like that.

We have a bunch of big stuffed dice that we throw in addition to the monetary dues.
We actually don't play at a table, we sit around my living room (which is rather large) with the map on the floor.... and just hope the cats don't get to playful with the dice.

 

[xnosipjpqmhd]

Are you serious?

I've never specifically told my players their not allowed to look up anything in any book, and they've never shown any inkling of wanting to metagame this way.

My last campaign used homebrew rules. And the other GMs in the group run non-D&D games. So I don't think the MM would be all that helpful anyway.

By the way, I did think of another rule that I have always instituted when I GM: Between sessions, all character sheets and other game-related documents (including prop maps, etc.) stay with me. This makes it easier for me to plan for sessions by referring to when the PCs are capable of. If someone doesn't show, I can still run their character as an NPC. (Plus in my group's younger days, this rule prevented "intrasession-XP-boost" syndrome.)

ironregime.

 

[Shadowslayer]

Bill Cosby, Princess Bride, Army of Darkness and Monty Python have cause much money to flow to the Punny Bank over the years.

Bill Cosby????

Seriously though, if my old group had used this, we could have built a three room, diamond encrusted treehouse to game in.

Heh. Bill Cosby.

"Iybe cabust fybrebobble, obo kaybe?"

 

[jeffh]

I've never specifically told my players their not allowed to look up anything in any book, and they've never shown any inkling of wanting to metagame this way.

I suspect his real question was, "how are you supposed to play a druid in a game with that rule?". (Or a ranger, or a mage with Polymorph, or...). Wanting to know how your own character's effing abilities work is not metagaming, at least not in any objectionable sense.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I may bring in a rule in my campaign that if you want to be a spellcaster and you are going to be using Summon Monster X spells or be a druid and have animal companions (or shapeshift) then you have to prepare for it before the game starts.

Otherwise I can see situations where everyone is sitting around bored waiting for the wizard to decide what monster to summon or the druid to figure out what the best animal is for him to change into. If you don't know what monster to summon or animal to change into too bad, learn what your character's abilities are ahead of time in the future.

Of course new players are an exception to this rule. You can't expect them to know everything straight away.

Olaf the Stout

 

[xnosipjpqmhd]

I suspect his real question was, "how are you supposed to play a druid in a game with that rule?". (Or a ranger, or a mage with Polymorph, or...). Wanting to know how your own character's effing abilities work is not metagaming, at least not in any objectionable sense.

Well, I wasn't sure what he meant. I put that rule in red text (see post #3), which means I don't use it.

ironregime

 

[Crothian]

We don't have anything so formal and I don't want to play with a group that needs these type of rules spelled out. We are adults, we know what is expected.

 

[IcyCool]

I suspect his real question was, "how are you supposed to play a druid in a game with that rule?". (Or a ranger, or a mage with Polymorph, or...). Wanting to know how your own character's effing abilities work is not metagaming, at least not in any objectionable sense.

That's pretty much why I require the druid and wizard to have a sheet with their stats in animal/monster form before we game. Occaisionally they'll pick a beastie that they don't have statted up, and game will grind to a halt while they stat-up.