House Rules: some thoughts on the subject (long) [Archive] - Wizards Community

House Rules: some thoughts on the subject (long) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
halo299
10-04-04, 01:17 AM almost a year ago i posted this on the general boards. After coming back to the game and the boards after a long dry spell, I find that not only has the game changed but also the boards are changed too.

So I wanted to throw this out again (on the board devoted to the subject) to see what opinions would be like this time around.

:u:
halo299
10-04-04, 01:19 AM Little house rules. These are things like DM created feats, spells, and weapons. They are the most common of house rules. They are harmless to the game most of the time but can have unforeseen consequences and so are included in this discussion.

House rules help define a setting (setting rule). The core rules make many assumptions about a setting. What races live there, how magic works, what the classes are like. By changing the core rules you can eliminate this assumption and create a setting that is completely unique. The use of house rules really gives the DM creative freedom. Every DM who has added or subtracted a race from the game, made his or her own gods, or in some cases created variant classes has most likely done so for this reason.

House rules define the way the game is played (Mechanical Rule). Some DMs or players just don't like the way the core rules handle some things. House rules of this category can be very vast as they include variant damage systems, variant armor rules, variant magic systems, and variant classes. the deference between this type of house rule and (setting rules) is that (setting rules) are used to define the setting while this type of house rule is created to alter the rules themselves.

House rules are custom made (Expansion Rule). Not all groups play the same way. perhaps a group really enjoys socially interacting with the NPCs of the world, to the point that the DM is compelled to expand the rules of social interaction. The same could be said about any part of the game. A military campaign will almost certainly need rules to govern the conflict of large groups; a sea fairing game is going to need better rules for ships. A DM might really need a better way to determine weather. But in any case a house rule can be a tool used by a dm to expand a rule when the current system did not suit the group’s needs. This may also be influenced by the setting but is not always.

:u:
halo299
10-04-04, 01:21 AM House rules change the way the game works (System Issues). Each system in the game (races, classes, skills, and feats, combat, magic) assumes that every other system works the way it is printed in the rules. So if you change one rule you must consider how that change is going the affect the way other systems will interact with the house ruled system. For this reason "little" house rules are rare, as almost any change made to any part of the game will affect many other parts of the game. So careful though must be put into each and every house rule that is created.

House rules limit the usefulness of supplemental material (Compatibility Issues). Because the supplements are based on the core rules if the core rules are not being followed no supplement based on those rules will work as intended. (I use a non spell casting ranger class. How much am I going to be able to use out of "Masters of the Wilds"?) Of course you can alter the supplemental material as well, in a sense making more house rules. Which brings up another issue, once you start making house rules where do you stop???

House rules limit communication (Communication Issues). Because I use a non spell casting ranger of my own making I am not going to be able to discuss any issue that I am having with my ranger class with any gamer not familiar with it. Because to me ranger means something completely different then it dose to any gamer I talk to who is assuming I mean the core ranger. And thus my ability to communicate is damaged.

:u:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
halo299 10-04-04, 01:17 AM	almost a year ago i posted this on the general boards. After coming back to the game and the boards after a long dry spell, I find that not only has the game changed but also the boards are changed too. So I wanted to throw this out again (on the board devoted to the subject) to see what opinions would be like this time around. :u:
halo299 10-04-04, 01:19 AM	Little house rules. These are things like DM created feats, spells, and weapons. They are the most common of house rules. They are harmless to the game most of the time but can have unforeseen consequences and so are included in this discussion. House rules help define a setting (setting rule). The core rules make many assumptions about a setting. What races live there, how magic works, what the classes are like. By changing the core rules you can eliminate this assumption and create a setting that is completely unique. The use of house rules really gives the DM creative freedom. Every DM who has added or subtracted a race from the game, made his or her own gods, or in some cases created variant classes has most likely done so for this reason. House rules define the way the game is played (Mechanical Rule). Some DMs or players just don't like the way the core rules handle some things. House rules of this category can be very vast as they include variant damage systems, variant armor rules, variant magic systems, and variant classes. the deference between this type of house rule and (setting rules) is that (setting rules) are used to define the setting while this type of house rule is created to alter the rules themselves. House rules are custom made (Expansion Rule). Not all groups play the same way. perhaps a group really enjoys socially interacting with the NPCs of the world, to the point that the DM is compelled to expand the rules of social interaction. The same could be said about any part of the game. A military campaign will almost certainly need rules to govern the conflict of large groups; a sea fairing game is going to need better rules for ships. A DM might really need a better way to determine weather. But in any case a house rule can be a tool used by a dm to expand a rule when the current system did not suit the group’s needs. This may also be influenced by the setting but is not always. :u:
halo299 10-04-04, 01:21 AM	House rules change the way the game works (System Issues). Each system in the game (races, classes, skills, and feats, combat, magic) assumes that every other system works the way it is printed in the rules. So if you change one rule you must consider how that change is going the affect the way other systems will interact with the house ruled system. For this reason "little" house rules are rare, as almost any change made to any part of the game will affect many other parts of the game. So careful though must be put into each and every house rule that is created. House rules limit the usefulness of supplemental material (Compatibility Issues). Because the supplements are based on the core rules if the core rules are not being followed no supplement based on those rules will work as intended. (I use a non spell casting ranger class. How much am I going to be able to use out of "Masters of the Wilds"?) Of course you can alter the supplemental material as well, in a sense making more house rules. Which brings up another issue, once you start making house rules where do you stop??? House rules limit communication (Communication Issues). Because I use a non spell casting ranger of my own making I am not going to be able to discuss any issue that I am having with my ranger class with any gamer not familiar with it. Because to me ranger means something completely different then it dose to any gamer I talk to who is assuming I mean the core ranger. And thus my ability to communicate is damaged. :u: