Unwritten Rules

[haakon1]

Kill things and take their stuff.

In addition, and we've seen many people say these:
1) Everybody fights, or everybody dies. The thief and the mage don't get to run away because it's in character.
2) Never split the party.
3) Everybody gets a turn at bat. Let everybody do their thing, and have fun doing it, and give praise to your fellow gamers were praise is deserved.
4) Be nice to each other and the DM.
5) Remember to buy food, arrows, etc. BEFORE you leave town. There's no Kwik-E-Mart in the dungeon, at least IMC.
6) Carrying a week or two of food, but only one wineskin full of water is totally normal, and won't hurt your health.
7) Trust PC's. Don't trust NPC's, especially not if you meet them in the dungeon.
8) Thief goes first.
9) Meat shields go second.
10) Protect the Mage.
11) The ideal party has 2-3 meat shields, a trap detector, 2 mages, and a cleric. No druids. With 4-5 players, and characters maxed in straight up one-class. How you square that contradiction is the difference between a Highly Effective Party and a TPK.
12) When you're gunna die, search your character sheet, and find something. Through iron rations at the werewolves, throw your lamp oil at the beholder's big eye, or try to grapple the nighthorse. It may not work, but it's fun.
13) It's supposed to be fun.

 

[Morte]

1. Kill them, take their stuff, and level up so you can kill bigger things and take bigger stuff.

2. Always deny that you play by rule 1.

 

[iwatt]

Kill things and take their stuff.

In addition, and we've seen many people say these:
1) Everybody fights, or everybody dies. The thief and the mage don't get to run away because it's in character.
2) Never split the party.
3) Everybody gets a turn at bat. Let everybody do their thing, and have fun doing it, and give praise to your fellow gamers were praise is deserved.
4) Be nice to each other and the DM.
5) Remember to buy food, arrows, etc. BEFORE you leave town. There's no Kwik-E-Mart in the dungeon, at least IMC.
6) Carrying a week or two of food, but only one wineskin full of water is totally normal, and won't hurt your health.
7) Trust PC's. Don't trust NPC's, especially not if you meet them in the dungeon.
8) Thief goes first.
9) Meat shields go second.
10) Protect the Mage.
11) The ideal party has 2-3 meat shields, a trap detector, 2 mages, and a cleric. No druids. With 4-5 players, and characters maxed in straight up one-class. How you square that contradiction is the difference between a Highly Effective Party and a TPK.
12) When you're gunna die, search your character sheet, and find something. Through iron rations at the werewolves, throw your lamp oil at the beholder's big eye, or try to grapple the nighthorse. It may not work, but it's fun.
13) It's supposed to be fun.

I like most of these except 8,9,10,11. IMNSHO, when someone tries to tell me how to play and what composition the party must have, I just feel all the fun sucked out of the game.
If you want to have an all rogue party, go ahead. If you want to multiclass as a druid/cleric/wizard/bard, go ahead.

But I do like # 12. Last night I pretified the sorceror. He had fun using his owl familiar. He even got stained by his bird .

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

RULES AS A PLAYER

1) NEVER say, "You can only fail if you roll a 1."

2) Death before surrender.

3) Whizz on the altars and break the statues.


RULES AS GM

1) Bad things happen to characters on messy character sheets.

2) Bad things happen to characters with unpainted minis.

3) Fudge the small stuff, and make the "big rolls" out in the open.

4) ALWAYS say, "You can only fail if you roll a 1."

 

[Thaniel]

I have to say that I completely disagree with this "Don't split up the party" nonsense. Private missions are always fun. My old DM (in an online game) loved them. Almost every session, both players would have the opportunity to do something alone. A lot of the best memories of that game were in those private things.

That said, I'll change that rule a little bit:

1. If you're going to split up the party, make sure everyone has something to do and/or is OK with it.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Principle #1 : Be Courteous, Friendly and Polite

A vast number of common sense "applications" of this principle cover 90% of all the above listed "unwritten rules".

There literally is no need to list these rules when the simple statement above is acknowleged. From it, an entire volume on etiquette in a modern polite society flows.

The reason why there are so many complaints about the breach of Principle #1 by fellow players is not that the offending player does not know this condcut is in violation of Principle #1. Any adult knows full well when they are acting in a manner not in accordance with this principle. The offending player who does so simply does not care that they are in violation of the principle, as it is not important to them.

Not caring about a rule is a very different matter from not knowing about it. It is so great a distinction that no rule - written or unwritten - can ever sufficiently address the difference.

Principle #2: Have Fun and Be Fun to have Fun With

A correlation of Principle #1. Gaming is about the participants having fun. Your goal is to do so while increasing the fun of others, if at all possible. Never have fun when that pursuit decreases the fun of others.

From these two simple statements, all unwritten rules of gaming can be deduced on a logical, common-sense basis.

It really is that simple.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

12) When you're gunna die, search your character sheet, and find something. Through iron rations at the werewolves, throw your lamp oil at the beholder's big eye, or try to grapple the nighthorse. It may not work, but it's fun.

That rule is pure gold.

 

[Mercule]

Rule 0: The DM knows what he's doing.

Urgh... My players generally have this one down, but there are times I'd like to post it. Along with:

0a: If the DM forgets a rule, and in doing so favors an NPC/enemy, don't sweat it. Odds are in your favor that he also forget one or two that favored you just as much or more -- or he overlooked a mistake a player made, that favored the PC. Don't call me a "killer DM", unless you want to be labeled "cheater".

and:

0b: The DM is here to facilitate play, arbitrate the rules, and help ensure fun is had by all; not to power-trip or compete against the players. Anyone, on either side of the screen, who forgets this should step outside and have a time-out. If that doesn't change your attitude, go play a video game.

 

[KB9JMQ]

In addition to some great ones already posted here is a new one at my table.

1. Don't make fun of the DM because he doesnt have the right mini to use.
(He is already ticked enough because of it.) Don't make me pull out the Beholder

 

[BluWolf]

2. You're not the writer or the director - you're the set dresser and the guy who herds the extras

This was incredibly well put. I feel people on either side of the screen sometimes forget this. I am not here to entertain you. WE are here to entertain EACHOTHER.