What's the strangest house rule you've ever heard of?

[WayneLigon]

Most of the strange rules I encountered are for OE, or 1E.

1. The GM actually went through the spell lists and made up a little rhyme for each one, or some impressive-sounding nonsense words. That's right. You, the player, actually had to memorize the spells your character memorized. You got so much time to memorize them from a set of cards that was your 'spellbook' and then they were taken away. The GM then flipped to that card when you cast the spell. If you screwed it up, then certain effects would take place.

This worked for about two weeks until he realized that one of the players really wasn't kidding when he said he had an eidetic memory. Even today, you can look at this guy and say 'Sleep' and he can recite the little verbal componant for it

 

[ThoughtBubble]

The weirdest house rule I've ever dealt with came up last friday.

While sleeping, you have to make a listen check to hear things happening around you. If you succeed at your listen check, you then need to make a fortitude roll, and get higher than your listen check.

His reasoning: "Well, people with better con sleep more soundly."

 

[Krug]

Two drink minimum.

What's so strange about that?

 

[humble minion]

Not sure if this is a House Rule or just a Thing Of Dumbness, but I played in a Living Death game at a con once, where the GM played it so that there were a fair few Search, Gather Info, etc, etc checks that we could take 10 or 20 on. Fair enough, except first time I tried it he said "Ok, make a roll."

Turns out that this guy played it so that 'taking 10' meant that you made your skill check as normal, then added 10. Ditto for taking 20. I'm still annoyed that I didn't just blow off the scenario, head off to a workshop and use my Craft skill (taking 10s all the time!) to make an arsenal of Masterwork shotguns...

But my character died anyway - one of 4 1st-level PCs expected to face down an imp, a 9th-level cleric-type and 6 cultists. Stupid scenario. Stupid Living campaign.

 

[Sam]

In my game we've got the "Call" rule. If a player says something out of character, or joking around, another player (but not me as the GM) can say "Call" and then that player's character does that thing. Each player gets one "Call" per gaming session.

For example:

GM: "You walk into the Gnome's Eye Tavern, in the corner is what appears to be a poor specimen of a Dwarven Bard, going on and on about some battle that happened here hundreds of years ago."

Player 1: "Is he singing or reciting?"

GM: "He's singing. Poorly."

Player 2: Said in joking fashion: "Not again. I hate bad dwarven singing bards. I go over and pour someone's ale on him."

Player 3: "Call."

At this point, Player 2's character would have grabbed the ale out of the hand of the half-orc sitting at the bar, walked over to the dwarven bard and poured the ale over him. Next would likely be intiative, unless they could roleplay their way out of it.

Mostly this comes into play when the players are walking along cliffs, or shooting into combat. Sometimes when someone wants to do some halfling-tossing too.

--Sam

 

[Craer]

Invisibility = teh lose?

Every last creature in the entire world can detect an invisible creature by making a spot check DC 20 well enough to target his or her square with an attack, a volley of arrows, three fireballs, etc.

Also, everyone is constantly looking around them in a 360-degree arc, totally negating any point in making a Move Silently check, as they're all scanning for little upturned clouds of dust.

My DM has issues with me being able to turn invisible nine times a day. Wait, my mistake, seven times a day, now that I've been level-drained three times.

-Craer

 

[Craer]

By the way, Sam, I'm adopting that "Call" rule. I like it.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

By the way, Sam, I'm adopting that "Call" rule. I like it.

I am too. That's just fun.

 

[Sam]

I am too. That's just fun.

It has worked out real well so far. I get so frustrated sometimes that I've (intentionally) removed myself from the "Call"-ing though. There are times that I'm bouncing in my chair, thinking "I can't believe he/she just said that. Won't anybody Call him/her on that!".

It has led to some really funny situations. Tends to add a bit more variability in the game. Also keeps the idle chatter down a bit (at least in important situations, which is all I can ask for).

--Sam

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

It has worked out real well so far. I get so frustrated sometimes that I've (intentionally) removed myself from the "Call"-ing though. There are times that I'm bouncing in my chair, thinking "I can't believe he/she just said that. Won't anybody Call him/her on that!".

It has led to some really funny situations. Tends to add a bit more variability in the game. Also keeps the idle chatter down a bit (at least in important situations, which is all I can ask for).

--Sam

Yeah, my group would probably really like that...while they like each other, they love to laugh at each other's misfortunes. I could see this becomming very entertaining while also cutting back on idle chatter....thanks for the great idea!