What are your table rules?

[jessemock]

No re-filling shot glasses until they're empty.

 

[Janx]

In my games, I have a document with all my house and table rules. They include:

leave other games away from the table (ie. no magic, MK, gameboy)

The most recent player to spill at the game will be known as Sir Spillalot. The current sir spillalot manage to spill someone else's drink onto my new hand-drawn battlemat before the game even began. I have since purchased a Chessex mat, but I keep Sir Spillalot away from my hand-drawn player's maps.

Sir Spillalot is not allowed to have a drink at the main game table. He/She may use a seperate dinner tray type thing.

Players of spellcasters must have their own books that contain the spells their PC uses. (or copies, I don't care as long as they can look them up)

Players are to call in advance if they have to cancel or will be late.

The DM should not be thirsty or hungry. The players should make sure the DM is happy.

Floor dice or cocked dice get rerolled.


Janx

 

[Amal Shukup]

We used to have substantial problems with rule debates... They got really ugly. Mostly the fights were between me (the DM at the time) and this 'rules revisionist' guy who kept at me to house rule things in his favor. I didn't help much when I rolled out a house rule mid game a few times to thwart his abuse of loopholes. Oh the wailing!

It was not a good role playing environment...

Another guy DM'd for a while. Not so many fights (because as a player, I just didn't get drawn into them), but the DM was a softy and let rule revisionist guy run roughshod all over him. Even allowing a custom base class... There were problems...

Things Got MUCH worse when the rules revisionist guy DM'd. Mechanics changed from session to session or even during the session. Seemingly arbitrarily. Not occasionally. Every. Single. Session. And they were not 'good' revisions... I confess that I led many a charge against these percieved abuses of DM authority... Things devolved to the point where the group almost dissolved. He will not be allowed to DM again. In fact we only recently agreed to let him play again...

So, when I took over as DM again last April (and oh yes, I'm due for a break ), I mandated two Table Rules (conditional to me DMing for them):

1. No 'driving' of other people's characters. Use free actions to have YOUR character 'ask' another character for something or suggest a course of action? Sure. Even encouraged. But Players may not make pointed suggestions to players. Certainly not 'orders' (which used to happen - "do this, heal that, do this other thing! Why not? Are you stupid?!").

Coaching newbies is permitted to a point - but typically I do it (as DM) by pointing out a selection of options rather than advocating one in particular.

2. NO Rules debates at the table. NONE.
- We play it as it lays in the Rules as Written or in ESTABLISHED House Rules.
- House Rules can only be established between sessions (there's a notification and documentation process)
- In case of gray area (no applicable rule can be found in a reasonable time) the DM shall make an Interim Ruling (which shall tend to favor the PLAYER). This shall be revisited beteen sessions and a clarification or House Rule established prior to play resuming​

No 'at table debates' (fights) have occurred since Rule 2 was established. I once again have firm control at the table, and the environment is fairly healthy. There is also a fair amount of 'buy in' from the players and the other DM (the softie) - who will keep them when he takes over. Soon!

'Rules Revisionist' guy is on probation and things are working out so far. Except for his tendency to tinker (badly) and a pronounced lack of attention span, he's a fun player to have around...

A'Mal

 

[NewJeffCT]

I was wondering what table rules are out there? A table rule is a rule that defines the PLAYERS' actions during the game. Such as no dicussion of other games during the session, snack break rules, etc.

Not too many...
1) No alcohol, smoking or food at the table. Food is only okay if it is when everybody eats before the game, or during a break in the game.

2) All player dice rolling is done on the table in front of witnesses. All DM die rolling is done on the table as well, unless it requires secrecy. So, yes, if the DM rolls a ‘20’ to hit, you will actually see the 20 on the table.

3) Nobody can play True Neutral

4) No cross gender role-playing

 

[el-remmen]

Not too many...
Nobody can play True Neutral

I have to say, that i the first time I have ever heard that one. Care to explain the reasoning?

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!

Ok, I guess we do, but we've never formalized them.

Reroll dice that roll off the table or are canted

Sometimes we try and establish a rule to limit out of game chatter, but it never works.

DMs have a snack bowl on their side of the screen that will be filled upon request, and if the gaming area is tight, DMs glass should be filled upon request.

Making the DM laugh out loud - in character only - will net an XP bonus, as long as things don't get out of hand.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I have to say, that i the first time I have ever heard that one. Care to explain the reasoning?

Impossible to do an honest 'True Neutral' as described in the various iterations of the PHB over the decades. It's as simple as that. I've asked for examples of it online in the past and none of them seemed to do the trick, either...

I joined my current group in 1998 and they used the same rule as I did from 1978 on forward... so, I had assumed it was pretty common not to allow True Neutral. I've seen others mention not allowing it in the past as well.

 

[Henry]

I guess we've always abided by rules, but never wrote them down. If we did, they'd go something like this...

1) No Alcohol or Tobacco Products at the table.
2) Be kind to other players, and nothing more violent than a shoulder punch.
3) Be ready when your turn (combat or otherwise) comes up.
4) No Television or radios on during the game.

That's about it. Basically, don't do anything distracting to other people, or yourself.

 

[Ol'Gaffer]

1. No alchohol or smoking or drugs.
2. No out-of-table type chatter.
3. Be ready with page open in PHB when your turn comes around.
4. Don't be late.
5. Take notes and make maps.

Pretty simple, I think it says allot when you don't have to enforce the rules to much with your group. I think many of us think of these as common sense, but it sure shows when you play with a bunch of strangers at a convention .

Cheers Mate!