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

[Olive]

For every person who said "Oh im gonna use that Call rule" I hope it ruins your game and breaks up your group.

See that's not a very nice thing to say. If you've had a bad experience with something similar, then perhaps you could explain so politely?

 

[Olive]

while i obviously don't agree with Khenemetsobek's method of presentation, i will say that for every gaming group i've been a member of, that "Call rule" would cause more problems than its worth. i must admit i cannot see any positive benefit to it at all. to each his own.

See, the gaming group I DM currently, it would proably help with the ridiculous out of game comments that come out (inbcluding from me, the DM, at times).

The positive benefit is a) that it might make people think about out of game stuff and b) it sounds like fun in a relaxed friendly group...

 

[Trainz]

Oooh- that Call rule is devious. And me, being a rat bastard DM, will make it even more evil by giving the players incentives to Call each other- say like XP.

Oh absolutely.

The Dreaded Call Rule...

If a player (not the DM) says something out of character, once per session per player (not DM), someone can say “CALL” right after the out of character comment. The thing described is then made by the PC of the out of character player. Doing so gives 1d100 X.P. to the caller.

I just wrote that in a Word document, printed it, and put it in my House Rulz binder.

Applicable starting tomorrow night for my d20 Modern game.

Thank you Sam. Oh, indeed, thank you.


Edit after taking note of the quite sour comment above...
My players have a sense of humor, and if it brings harm to my group, well I'll just drop the call rule.

 

[Golem Joe]

strange ones

Elves have a "sleep cycle" for their meditation ritual. Deviating from this gives you negatives equivilant to a forced march.

Characters in combat facing the rising or setting sun take penalties unless they have the blind fighting feat.

Yes, my DM is anal.

 

[glass]

House Rules IRL

Two drink minimum.

Ever since it was mentioned in an episode of Charmed that the sister's club had a two drink limit, I have wondered about this.

Is it because it was an early evenig TV show and they didn't want to seen condoning alcohol, or do American nightclubs really have things like this?

If so, that is a much stranger house rule than anyone could come up with for D&D. How do they make any money?

Just wonderin'

glass.

 

[bwgwl]

See, the gaming group I DM currently, it would proably help with the ridiculous out of game comments that come out (inbcluding from me, the DM, at times).

i guess i just don't have a problem with OOC comments, like some of the rest of you do.

that's not to say my groups don't make OOC comments. i had one group where we'd spend at least 60-75% of our time together talking about things other than the game.

that was perfectly fine for us. gaming night was the only night we ever got to see one another, so it was just as important as a social gathering as it was a role-playing event. if there was something we wanted to discuss, we did. if that meant we only got an hour or two of gaming in that night, so be it.

i realize a group like that might not be to everyone's taste, but a group that's so focused on the game that there are penalties for OOC comments is not to mine. (cf. the "Call" rule, Piratecat's "Pay the Pig" rule, John Wick's "Black Die" rule, etc.)

 

[Thresher]

"Thresher is not allowed to throw coke bottles"

 

[The_Gneech]

Strangest House Rule: Everybody reroll your hitpoints at the start of every session.

Comment on "Call:" Ugh. That sounds as much fun as a ten-car pileup at 75 MPH. A group with that rule in place wouldn't need to worry about OOC comments from me, because I'd be off playing Icewind Dale instead.

-The Gneech

 

[Hand of Evil]

Gencon game, judge ruled at the light from continous light spell passes through objects for its diameter. Which meant the party was a freaking glowing target, other sides of doors, walls, even the floor and roof, the light would be there.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Re: House Rules IRL

OT - but in the interest of cultural exchange -

or do American nightclubs really have things like this?

Yes. It's more common in restaurants with entertaniment (such as a band or a comedian) where the customers are stationary. Since no one typically orders food in those places, the resturant/nightclub has to make their money somehow. Soda typically counts though, so it isn't like people are getting drunk.

-- end OT --