In May, I am writing a story a day. Yesterday's prompt was to write a story through a list of rules, which I did. The residual thought was an idea for a different rules-based prompt: the rules of Dungeons & Dragons.
Dungeons & Dragons is a game steeped in rules. The two core books, the Player's Handbook (PHB) and Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG), contain 636 pages of rules between them. Furthermore, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has published 48 books in the official fifth edition of the game, all filled with various rules.
So why would I even think there were more rules to be written for such a thing? Even more so, with all these rules, why would you need any more?
The reality is that it is because of all these rules that you need a few more. The game, in its simplest form, is a game of storytelling. Groups of people come together to tell a story that can last four hours, four years, or even four decades. The rules and books provide a scaffolding for the storytelling; playing the game is where it occurs.
The trick, though, is how do you navigate and breathe life into the story if there are so many rules that not everyone knows, or that can be interpreted differently? Second, how do you establish the social boundaries that allow the game to survive and thrive?
This is where the concept of 'Table Rules' comes into play.
Dungeons & Dragons is 50 years old this year (2024) and still going strong; some would say the strongest ever. Over these 50 years, the concept of 'table rules' has evolved. These rules, which might have started ad-hoc, evolving as an individual game evolved, have now become more of a tool. Not only for long-established players but for helping newbies join and enjoy the game. Let me give you an example.
In late 2022, my youngest daughter asked if I’d help establish a D&D club. As I already work for an educational organisation and have what we call in Australia a ‘Working With Children’ certificate (i.e., I’ve been police-checked and am not a dodgy character), I agreed. So we began.
As they were 14-year-old children, they, of course, wanted to dive in. No session zero (a topic for another day), no real rules descriptions beyond a brief walk-through of their character sheets, a little more than this, and we were on our way. Most of all, not a table rule in sight.
It was a bit of learning on the fly, much as I had all those decades ago when I started, and we most definitely did not even have the concept of table rules. Let alone an adult guiding us through the process.
So fairly quickly, and deliberately, I introduced the idea of table rules, one or two at a time, and by the end of our first term of play, we’d arrived at the table rules for our table, which one of the girls has since turned into a poster.
Now, before I get into all of these rules, I have to reiterate that they are in no way complete and, in my experience, differ at every table. An easy example of this on the list above is rule number 4. I most definitely don’t have to have it as a written rule for the adults I play face-to-face with on occasion.
Second, as much as I influenced these rules through my experience in playing other games, I used moments and interactions in the game to emphasise them.
I’d also like to say that there are other rules. One of my favourites, in fact, never made this list or any such lists before. I will add it before I finish this essay.
Finally, I have to add, before I get into detailing each of these rules, that I’ve never actually had a 'Poster' or even a printed list of table rules before. In other games, they’re called out and then taken to the lore of the table. The easiest example is rule number 9 above.
So, the rules, and where and why these particular ones exist:
1. DM Makes the Rules - An oldie but a goody, lifted from many of the official D&D books. This rule exists to overcome all those hundreds of pages of rules. Combined with the stories being told, whether published or home-brewed, they result in a vast array of possibilities and situations. It is the DM who decides how to proceed, aiming to bring the most enjoyment to the game.
2. Beware of META - Now this is nuanced. You, as a player, know stuff your character does not. For example, as a player, you may be very aware that your rogue friend just pocketed a gem they found in the corner, but your character does not. So as hard as it may be, you’ve simply got to ignore it and play your character as if they do not know. Doing otherwise will result in arguments and a feeling of unfairness.
3. FLOW Is Key - This is simply the idea that, at times, it is more important to let the game run than to lawyer up and argue. If you’re all going for flow, DM and players alike, the game will run faster, less haltingly, and result in a good experience for all.
4. Help Pack Up - Now this is a serious D&D club rule. They're kids, it’s a public library, they let us have snacks, drinks, etc. Also, the DM brings a heap of stuff with them. Pitch in and help, as many hands make light work.
5. Don’t Talk Over Others - This was distinctly one of the rules that came from the kids at the table, and blow me down if it is not the hardest to keep. They get hyped, excited, and distracted. It was good it came up, but it is also good that I have a poster to point to.
6. We Operate as a Party - A D&D club rule for sure, and they still need to be reminded of this. Sometimes they forget they are on the same side and maybe are not as generous as they should be to their fellow players for really odd things.
7. We Play for Inspiration - I’ll be honest, I get this one, yet at the same time think maybe it should be imagination. Either way, the idea here is that we are playing to be inspired to do more than the mundane, to enjoy and want to come back (Note: the core set of girls have been playing for 7 terms now).
8. Have Your Ticket Ready - This is one I use with the adults as well and a challenge. Turns, especially in combat, and especially if there are six kids, can take time. As much as in the game a round (made up of all turns) occurs in a concurrent six seconds, it can, and has, taken up to 30 minutes. A battle that might take a minute in the game could take an hour in real-time. So have your ticket ready, i.e., know what your character is doing, and while others are having a turn, look up the rule that relates to your action and/or the spell you want to cast.
9. Potions Are a Bonus Action - This is a generous rule. In the official Rules As Written (RAW), it takes an action to drink a potion, a whole action, which means no attack, spell casting, or otherwise. So I let my characters drink that healing potion as a bonus action; it means they might just live to fight another day.
10. Prevent Animosity Towards Each Other - Again complex, but based on experience and brought to the table by me. ‘Role Playing’ or otherwise should be about supporting each other always. I’ve observed, both in a long-running campaign and D&D club, where ‘characters,’ not players, have expressed animosity in-game. This is like a cancer. Beware of it and stamp it out. In the worst case, it can make the game NOT FUN and end up in lost friendships.
So, all that said, a sample set of rules to achieve two things: get my story a day done, and write down something I’d been thinking about for a while. As I’ve said, though, this is not a set of rules set in stone, and they change at every table.
I hope you've found this of some interest, and for the players amongst you Here are a few more I noted as I wrote, which I’ll leave you to consider and expand upon:
- The DM is your friend and out for fun for everyone.
- Be Generous.
- Litigate Later.
- Have Fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment