D&D 5E What are Your Table Rules?

[coolAlias]

@Oofta's is pretty spot-on for my table, though we don't exclude any alignments - as long as the character can function within the group and doesn't give the other characters a reason to leave them behind, their alignment is their business.

Then again, most of the people I play with tend to roll up Good characters, so maybe we just haven't had a reason to implement this rule yet.

 

[Shiroiken]

I normally don't need a bunch of table rules. The only two that I needed back in the days of IRL games related to dice. To reduce arguments & cheating.

1) A die that rolls off of the table is automatically rerolled, but any die that remains on the table (even if off of your "rolling surface") counts unless it is clearly cocked between 2 numbers.

2) If you roll a "success," and pick up/move the die within 1 second (i.e. before anyone can see it), the result is automatically the worst possible result.


My Roll20 game recently added a table rule due to some player conflict in my prior campaign.

1) At anytime, if someone is about to take an action that any player feels would be detrimental to the group, they can call for a time-out. The group will then discuss the action and how it might be detrimental to the group as a whole, allowing the group to veto the action. This prevents a "Batman" character from going off on their own and getting everyone in trouble (such as assassinating an annoying NPC).

 

[Campbell]

1. Be a fan of all the player characters. This means you should take in active interest in the characters everyone at the table plays, enjoy their triumphs, feel bad when they falter, and want to know where their choices might lead them. This is especially true when there is conflict between player characters. Do not let character conflicts become player conflicts.
2. Be a curious explorer of the fiction. Approach play with a spirit of curiosity. Be open to both success and failure. Do not be to locked in to your conception of who your character is, but instead play to find out who they are when tested.
3. We play to find out what happens - the GM included. Embrace this. Sometimes things will not turn out the way you want them to. This is part of play. Roll with consequences and embrace that no one is in control of what happens.
4. We are all responsible for the quality of the game. Try to play interesting characters that everyone at the game can enjoy. When possible try to involve the other player characters.

 

[clearstream]

1. Remember the goals of play as stated in the rules: Everyone has a good time together and helps to create an exciting, memorable story. All choices you make at the table should be in service of these goals and no others.​

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I often find myself reaching for words like satisfying, challenging, surprising, alarming and dismaying when thinking about what I hope for in play.​

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2. Avoid lengthy debates by making use of the improvisational technique known as "Yes, and..." When hearing a serious idea or proposal from another player, accept the idea ("Yes...") then add to it ("...and..."). Try to find the good in it and think of ways it can work rather than ways it can't. Add to someone else's idea to make it better rather than deny it.

I am sadly (or happily) far from servant DM, and "no" retains its virtue at my table.​

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4. When the spotlight is on you, act immediately. Your turn is for acting, not for thinking about what to do.

I like this rule and have used it in the past. In my most recent campaign I did not use it, and come out of that feeling that I want to return to it. An exception would be for questions that clarify the situation.​

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5. You decide how your character thinks, acts, and talks. If you wish to inform your character's actions with your experience as a player, that is perfectly acceptable.

We had interesting conversation on this some months back, where a few seemed to feel that "you decide" ruled out the possibility of deception, persuasion or mind control. You take a tangent here by speaking more to what might a player might include in informing their actions. I don't know the best way to play that as it is hard for a person to really set aside what they know, and yet ideally their character might not have the same knowledge.​

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6. If, for some reason, you choose to attack or otherwise hinder another player character, the target of the attack or hindrance will get to decide whether it hits, misses, or dice are involved.

I find this reasonable and yet would not use it.​

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Do you use a list of Table Rules like this? represent what some people may call the "social contract.") Do any of your Table Rules change from game to game or group to group?

I do and yet have never written them down. It seems worth doing. They would vary by group, for instance I am kinder with new players and children.

 

[ccs]

I have a few when I run.

) Don't be an **. If you are? There's the door.
1) Be on time. If you're going to be late/absent? Let us know.
2) Get off you're phone/tablet.
3) Participate!
4) You're character doesn't have any particular immunity to anything by simple dint of being a PC. This means that anything you can do to a monster/NPC can be done you. By a monster/NPC/or another PC. Social skills, spells, attacks, etc. This is not me endorsing PVP. This is me not making some ridiculous rule that makes zero sense story &/or mechanics wise. If you cause problems though? Refer to the * at the top of the list.
5) You WILL, in good faith, play the results of any dice rolling.
6) The group is responsible for dividing up treasure, not me. My job is to include it in the adventure.
7) Stat generation (PF1/5e): Each player gets to choose their own method. Standard array, Standard PB, or the 4d6 method. You do not get to complain about someone elses choice. Or the results of their rolls. If you choose to roll: You will do this in front of the group, & you will play the resulting character in good faith.
8) I encourage you not to play things like Drow & most "monster" races. Because I don't enjoy writing adventures or DMing for them. You don't want an unhappy DM do you? So just save this stuff for someone elses campaign, ok? We'll all be happier.
9) This isn't the AL. Or whatever the PF version is called. I pay no attention to the company provided errata.
10) whatever the edition, psionics do not exist when I'm DMing.
11) (for D&D) I will DM: 1e, PF1(includes 3.x as options), 5e, & soon PF2.
12) I don't play the secret note game. If you hand me such? I will read it out loud to the group. This is because while your characters might not know something, the players are essentially the audience of the story.
13) as the DM I'm not your foe. But I have no qualms concerning TPKs. I roll my bright yellow dice in the open & apply the results.

 

[Imaculata]

1. Bring me snacks
2. Bring me more snacks.
3. We will not use the word Game Master, Keeper, or Game Moderator. There's the Dungeon Master, and that's it.
4. Don't ask the DM if you may make a roll. State a goal and approach, I'll decide if a roll is needed.
5. Don't hog the spotlight. Let other players have their turn too.
6. Sometimes its better to flee. The DM will not save you from your own stupidity.
7. Any character once introduced can be killed. None shall be shielded by the DM, not even beloved npc's.
8. Roll your dice out in the open, not in secret. Also no fudging of the dice.
9. All sex scenes will quickly fade to black. No need to make everyone at the table uncomfortable.
10. Have fun, and try to help everyone else have fun too.

 

[Oofta]

@Oofta's is pretty spot-on for my table, though we don't exclude any alignments - as long as the character can function within the group and doesn't give the other characters a reason to leave them behind, their alignment is their business.



Then again, most of the people I play with tend to roll up Good characters, so maybe we just haven't had a reason to implement this rule yet.

I think evil characters is a whole separate topic, but in my experience people who play evil characters usually play PG-13 evil. Maniacal laugh here and there and alluding to doing bad things now and then. Maybe a gratuitous murder here and there.

But get someone that really gets into it and want to RP torture scenes or worse? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and some really uncomfortable moments at the table. No. Just no.

 

[Hussar]

I think evil characters is a whole separate topic, but in my experience people who play evil characters usually play PG-13 evil. Maniacal laugh here and there and alluding to doing bad things now and then. Maybe a gratuitous murder here and there.

But get someone that really gets into it and want to RP torture scenes or worse? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and some really uncomfortable moments at the table. No. Just no.

Oh, totally. I'm comfortable with my group and it hasn't been a huge issue with my current bunch. But, if I was back to building a group again? Totally would take evil off the table.

Funnily enough, I've found that all evil groups cooperate better since in a good group, you can screw over the guy next to you and they won't really punish you for it. An evil character is expected to kill you if you screw him over. Tends to make everyone REALLY polite to each other. Almost movie style mafioso.

 

[5ekyu]

Beyond the dont be jerks outs usually try to focus on the type of game to expect and do are less rules than previews.

One that I focus on each game is the solo vs gtoup play aspect. I a 5 player team game running 3 hr sessions, I emphasize that face-to-fsce solo scenes will be brief and may be driven to summary and resolution instead of roleplaying. More time for detail on those may be available by e-mail between sessions.

Now that would change for say a three player world of darkness gsme with three hour sessions.

But I try to help them see where we will tend to draw the line between scenes we " resolve" mechanically and those we resolve roleplaying.

 

[jasper]

1. Sometimes the MONSTERS WIN. Deal with it.
2. Unless there are dead pcs on the ground, deal with the rule call and move on. Rule calls can be discussed at length after the dice go into the box.