What's your DMing Rule 0?
- Thread starter FireLance
- Start date
• To run a campaign in which everyone gets to have fun running a character that is enjoyable to play.
• To run a campaign where PCs are rewarded for creativity and thinking outside the box at times.
• To run a campaign which can take on a more cinematic feel placing an emphasis on what a character is willing to try rather than what a character can do according to RAW.
• To run a campaign where the players don’t feel like every encounter is perfectly fine tuned to their abilities and tendencies to ensure party victory. There can and probably will be times when the party will need to recognize the need to retreat, regroup, rest, re-supply, or dare I say even surrender. Failure to do may have fatal consequences.
• To run a campaign in which players feel empowered to buy into the setting resulting a higher than average level of immersion during play.
• To run a campaign where players feel empowered to choose what to do next after completing mission X. A campaign in which railroading is minimal and unobtrusive to the overall enjoyment of the game.
• To run a campaign where PCs are rewarded for creativity and thinking outside the box at times.
• To run a campaign which can take on a more cinematic feel placing an emphasis on what a character is willing to try rather than what a character can do according to RAW.
• To run a campaign where the players don’t feel like every encounter is perfectly fine tuned to their abilities and tendencies to ensure party victory. There can and probably will be times when the party will need to recognize the need to retreat, regroup, rest, re-supply, or dare I say even surrender. Failure to do may have fatal consequences.
• To run a campaign in which players feel empowered to buy into the setting resulting a higher than average level of immersion during play.
• To run a campaign where players feel empowered to choose what to do next after completing mission X. A campaign in which railroading is minimal and unobtrusive to the overall enjoyment of the game.
Which is usually followed by:
• Remember first and foremost that we are all here to have fun. Running your character in a manner that is consistent with race, class and background etc is important, however, it should take a back seat to running him in a manner which doesn’t detract from the fun of the other players.
• The more you put into the game the more you will get out of it. The more you attempt to engage the world the more the world will engage you.
• The DM is not your enemy, the monsters are. Don’t take it personal if the monster crits you and you go down for the count statistically as the DM I roll more dice than you and will have a higher crit rate. I am not out to get you.
• A good DnD game is based in part on trust. With this in mind please remember not everything in game is as it seems and at times things will transpire which might seem wrong or outside the rules set. Remember that as a player you are not privy to the same information as the DM in any given scenario. So if it seems wrong feel free to ask about it but be prepared for the fact that there might be extenuating circumstance which I will not wish to disclose at that point in time.
• I have not memorized all the rules nor in all likelihood have you. With this in mind I don’t mind player input in trying to get things right. However, there is a time and place for rules debate and that time and place isn’t at the table while we are playing. A good rule of thumb is 5 minutes if it seems critically important 2 minutes otherwise. If we can’t come to an agreement in that span of time we can figure things out via email during the week in between sessions.
• Cooler heads prevail, talking the loudest doesn’t make you right in any disagreement so try to refrain from shouting at your fellow players or your DM for matter it isn’t needed. If something transpires at the table which is particularly upsetting to you try walking away and taking a deep breath before you too worked up over a game we are all trying to have fun playing.
• Remember first and foremost that we are all here to have fun. Running your character in a manner that is consistent with race, class and background etc is important, however, it should take a back seat to running him in a manner which doesn’t detract from the fun of the other players.
• The more you put into the game the more you will get out of it. The more you attempt to engage the world the more the world will engage you.
• The DM is not your enemy, the monsters are. Don’t take it personal if the monster crits you and you go down for the count statistically as the DM I roll more dice than you and will have a higher crit rate. I am not out to get you.
• A good DnD game is based in part on trust. With this in mind please remember not everything in game is as it seems and at times things will transpire which might seem wrong or outside the rules set. Remember that as a player you are not privy to the same information as the DM in any given scenario. So if it seems wrong feel free to ask about it but be prepared for the fact that there might be extenuating circumstance which I will not wish to disclose at that point in time.
• I have not memorized all the rules nor in all likelihood have you. With this in mind I don’t mind player input in trying to get things right. However, there is a time and place for rules debate and that time and place isn’t at the table while we are playing. A good rule of thumb is 5 minutes if it seems critically important 2 minutes otherwise. If we can’t come to an agreement in that span of time we can figure things out via email during the week in between sessions.
• Cooler heads prevail, talking the loudest doesn’t make you right in any disagreement so try to refrain from shouting at your fellow players or your DM for matter it isn’t needed. If something transpires at the table which is particularly upsetting to you try walking away and taking a deep breath before you too worked up over a game we are all trying to have fun playing.
Keeper of Secrets
First Post
Put on the best show you can.
HolyGrenadeFrenzy
Explorer
Smile allot......
Rule Zero from the DMG of course yet if I were to add anything.......
Regardless of what is going on, smile and keep them guessing!
The Smiling DM never really goes out of style and when you don't smile just to stir it up a little and then squint and smile again after a minute without any decisiveness in game it keeps things moving. Really, the smile has great power in the game in a variety of uses and eventually it becomes completely authentic and doesn't have anything to do with fore thought..........It is just easier to be happy and keep energy in the game if you smile....Honest. Best of all, it's easy!
Rule Zero from the DMG of course yet if I were to add anything.......
Regardless of what is going on, smile and keep them guessing!
The Smiling DM never really goes out of style and when you don't smile just to stir it up a little and then squint and smile again after a minute without any decisiveness in game it keeps things moving. Really, the smile has great power in the game in a variety of uses and eventually it becomes completely authentic and doesn't have anything to do with fore thought..........It is just easier to be happy and keep energy in the game if you smile....Honest. Best of all, it's easy!
Last edited:
Similar Threads
