RPGA and Homebrew - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

RPGA and Homebrew

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
arnold_judas_rimmer
Dec 23, 2008 15:05:59 I understand that you can add you're own rules to a sactioned event?

What are the limits?

Does these rules change for legal campaign games?
#2
kinevon
Dec 23, 2008 16:41:32 No, DM Empowerment is not about changing the rules, but about being able to modify the adventure, frequently on the fly, so as to increase the enjoyment of the players for the game.

For the most part, other than the few rules that are a bit vague, the rules should remain the same.

On the other hand, if your players are having trouble with the adventure, either because it is too easy or too hard, you can adjust the difficulty up or down on the fly.
#3
arnold_judas_rimmer
Dec 23, 2008 20:42:08 I wasn't saying changing the core rules, I was just asking how much leway we have with adding rules that aren't covered. Some times I'm asked something and the rules don't say anything either way. I usually set these in play before the first game of a campaign and all the players agree before making their characters. But what if I'm running a LFR game, and someone new joins the party with a character that was playing under a different GM?

Also, some times I half monsters HP and double their damage to rebalance them for a quicker game. Can I do that for a campaign I'm reporting?
#4
kinevon
Dec 24, 2008 4:11:37 For an RPGA-legal character, it can only be built using published rules from a legal source. Any RPGA/LFR-legal character is going to only be built using a standard set of rules. One of the reasons of existence of the organized play campaign is to allow easy portability of characters. Anyone playing by LFR rules will have a character that can be played at almost any LFR table (character-played modules, and module/character levels, permitting).

For actions that aren't covered normally by the rules, and aren't covered in the module, you would follow the DM rules, where you determine the relative difficulty and set a skill and DC for success.

If a player is using a character built from a source that is legal that the DM doesn't have a copy of, the player needs to have brought a copy to the table themselves.

As to modifying monsters, assuming that this is for an LFR game, that is within the purview of DM Empowerment, as long as you don't ruin the fun for the players, and remember that the module should still take a significant portion of the 4 hours it is designed for.

For home games, everything is pretty much determined by the GM, players, and any agreed-on house rules.
#5
arnold_judas_rimmer
Dec 24, 2008 4:48:09 OK, Thank you.

I have a few players really hamming up their RPing, making a 4 hour module into 6. So I can do what I said? I don't want to discourage their RPing.

I'm interested in what rules do other DMs add?
#6
warfteiner
Dec 27, 2008 17:48:42 I'm a big fan of rewarding the RP portion of the D&D game. If the players are making actions and decisions that enhance the story of the adventure or present creative resolutions, I will certainly allow them to effectively "skip" encounters - just because there's no combat does not mean that there wasn't an "encounter" there.

I have a few players that try to keep things heroic but still use elements of physics (ie: knocking walls over and such) and as such I tend to get a little wacky with some stuff. I mean that in a good way; we don't get a lot of the Jackie Chan effect but it's fantastic when we can work it in!

Good luck!
#7
Samrin
Mar 16, 2009 21:11:19
For an RPGA-legal character, it can only be built using published rules from a legal source. Any RPGA/LFR-legal character is going to only be built using a standard set of rules. One of the reasons of existence of the organized play campaign is to allow easy portability of characters. Anyone playing by LFR rules will have a character that can be played at almost any LFR table (character-played modules, and module/character levels, permitting).

For actions that aren't covered normally by the rules, and aren't covered in the module, you would follow the DM rules, where you determine the relative difficulty and set a skill and DC for success.

If a player is using a character built from a source that is legal that the DM doesn't have a copy of, the player needs to have brought a copy to the table themselves.

As to modifying monsters, assuming that this is for an LFR game, that is within the purview of DM Empowerment, as long as you don't ruin the fun for the players, and remember that the module should still take a significant portion of the 4 hours it is designed for.

For home games, everything is pretty much determined by the GM, players, and any agreed-on house rules.

Where is stuff like this actually posted? Namely the part about having to agree on house rules. It has come up as an issue in a game I'm in and we can't find any information regarding it.
#8
WolfStar76
Mar 17, 2009 6:37:43 To date DM Empowerment (DME) is what would typically cover things like adding a houserule to cover situations the rules don't hit - though I suspect, officially, the intent is more that the DM should rule on those fringe cases as they happen, rather than be making up rules that apply from then on.

I would also take the tack that the entire group does *not* need to agree on a houserule, but rather the DM (or the Senior DM) is the arbiter (and final arbiter in case of appeals) of how something proceeds when the rules are murky on a given topic.

There are no documents that are cut-and-dry on DME at this time - however we've been told that we'll see an updated version of the RPGA General Rules in the near future, and that those rules will include guidelines for DME.
#9
kinevon
Mar 17, 2009 7:42:34
Where is stuff like this actually posted? Namely the part about having to agree on house rules. It has come up as an issue in a game I'm in and we can't find any information regarding it.

RPGA CCG v1.8:
Rules for Home Games
If you’re going to be the DM for a homebrew game, you can choose to follow any or all of the information in this guide. However, if you make your game a RPGA-sanctioned public event, meaning different players can rotate in and out of your sessions, you need to use two rules presented here: characters use Method 1 or 2 for ability scores and characters have use of RPGA Rewards cards (see below). The rest is up to you.

As to everyone agreeing to house rules, I guess there isn't anything written that agrees with my interpretation, but I, for one, would be perfectly willing to walk out on a game where the house rules include things that I don't agree with and cannot live with, as long as the house rules are not going to get changed.

I think it is just common sense that any house rules need to be something everyone can both see the need for, and are in fair agreement as to how they work. Otherwise, the disenfranchised could just walk out, and, indeed, start their own game with "better" house rules.
#10
gc1ceo
Mar 19, 2009 1:39:02 When it comes to RPing, I have had a house rule for a while in many games where I give small, but significant bonuses to certain social skills for good RPing (or at least a good attempt at). For example a player rping the highlights of a speech their character is giving I think is worth at least a +1 on their Diplomacy roll.
#11
Kurald_Galain
Mar 19, 2009 10:55:22
When it comes to RPing, I have had a house rule for a while in many games where I give small, but significant bonuses to certain social skills for good RPing

A +1 on diplomacy is certainly small, but certainly not significant (in that 95% of the time it will accomplish exactly nothing).
#12
hmjewsus
Mar 19, 2009 18:22:10
When it comes to RPing, I have had a house rule for a while in many games where I give small, but significant bonuses to certain social skills for good RPing (or at least a good attempt at). For example a player rping the highlights of a speech their character is giving I think is worth at least a +1 on their Diplomacy roll.

Ah, see my approach with a check like that is that I won't let the player's take the roll until they can tell me the highlights of the speech (Or I will let them do so at a penalty).

I've come across too many cases of Diplomacy being used as a Charm Person spell, so I figure if they want to diplomance it up, they might as well have an idea what they're going to tell the NPC.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 arnold_judas_rimmer Dec 23, 2008 15:05:59	I understand that you can add you're own rules to a sactioned event? What are the limits? Does these rules change for legal campaign games?
#2 kinevon Dec 23, 2008 16:41:32	No, DM Empowerment is not about changing the rules, but about being able to modify the adventure, frequently on the fly, so as to increase the enjoyment of the players for the game. For the most part, other than the few rules that are a bit vague, the rules should remain the same. On the other hand, if your players are having trouble with the adventure, either because it is too easy or too hard, you can adjust the difficulty up or down on the fly.
#3 arnold_judas_rimmer Dec 23, 2008 20:42:08	I wasn't saying changing the core rules, I was just asking how much leway we have with adding rules that aren't covered. Some times I'm asked something and the rules don't say anything either way. I usually set these in play before the first game of a campaign and all the players agree before making their characters. But what if I'm running a LFR game, and someone new joins the party with a character that was playing under a different GM? Also, some times I half monsters HP and double their damage to rebalance them for a quicker game. Can I do that for a campaign I'm reporting?
#4 kinevon Dec 24, 2008 4:11:37	For an RPGA-legal character, it can only be built using published rules from a legal source. Any RPGA/LFR-legal character is going to only be built using a standard set of rules. One of the reasons of existence of the organized play campaign is to allow easy portability of characters. Anyone playing by LFR rules will have a character that can be played at almost any LFR table (character-played modules, and module/character levels, permitting). For actions that aren't covered normally by the rules, and aren't covered in the module, you would follow the DM rules, where you determine the relative difficulty and set a skill and DC for success. If a player is using a character built from a source that is legal that the DM doesn't have a copy of, the player needs to have brought a copy to the table themselves. As to modifying monsters, assuming that this is for an LFR game, that is within the purview of DM Empowerment, as long as you don't ruin the fun for the players, and remember that the module should still take a significant portion of the 4 hours it is designed for. For home games, everything is pretty much determined by the GM, players, and any agreed-on house rules.
#5 arnold_judas_rimmer Dec 24, 2008 4:48:09	OK, Thank you. I have a few players really hamming up their RPing, making a 4 hour module into 6. So I can do what I said? I don't want to discourage their RPing. I'm interested in what rules do other DMs add?
#6 warfteiner Dec 27, 2008 17:48:42	I'm a big fan of rewarding the RP portion of the D&D game. If the players are making actions and decisions that enhance the story of the adventure or present creative resolutions, I will certainly allow them to effectively "skip" encounters - just because there's no combat does not mean that there wasn't an "encounter" there. I have a few players that try to keep things heroic but still use elements of physics (ie: knocking walls over and such) and as such I tend to get a little wacky with some stuff. I mean that in a good way; we don't get a lot of the Jackie Chan effect but it's fantastic when we can work it in! Good luck!
#7 Samrin Mar 16, 2009 21:11:19	For an RPGA-legal character, it can only be built using published rules from a legal source. Any RPGA/LFR-legal character is going to only be built using a standard set of rules. One of the reasons of existence of the organized play campaign is to allow easy portability of characters. Anyone playing by LFR rules will have a character that can be played at almost any LFR table (character-played modules, and module/character levels, permitting). For actions that aren't covered normally by the rules, and aren't covered in the module, you would follow the DM rules, where you determine the relative difficulty and set a skill and DC for success. If a player is using a character built from a source that is legal that the DM doesn't have a copy of, the player needs to have brought a copy to the table themselves. As to modifying monsters, assuming that this is for an LFR game, that is within the purview of DM Empowerment, as long as you don't ruin the fun for the players, and remember that the module should still take a significant portion of the 4 hours it is designed for. For home games, everything is pretty much determined by the GM, players, and any agreed-on house rules. Where is stuff like this actually posted? Namely the part about having to agree on house rules. It has come up as an issue in a game I'm in and we can't find any information regarding it.
#8 WolfStar76 Mar 17, 2009 6:37:43	To date DM Empowerment (DME) is what would typically cover things like adding a houserule to cover situations the rules don't hit - though I suspect, officially, the intent is more that the DM should rule on those fringe cases as they happen, rather than be making up rules that apply from then on. I would also take the tack that the entire group does not need to agree on a houserule, but rather the DM (or the Senior DM) is the arbiter (and final arbiter in case of appeals) of how something proceeds when the rules are murky on a given topic. There are no documents that are cut-and-dry on DME at this time - however we've been told that we'll see an updated version of the RPGA General Rules in the near future, and that those rules will include guidelines for DME.
#9 kinevon Mar 17, 2009 7:42:34	Where is stuff like this actually posted? Namely the part about having to agree on house rules. It has come up as an issue in a game I'm in and we can't find any information regarding it. RPGA CCG v1.8: Rules for Home Games If you’re going to be the DM for a homebrew game, you can choose to follow any or all of the information in this guide. However, if you make your game a RPGA-sanctioned public event, meaning different players can rotate in and out of your sessions, you need to use two rules presented here: characters use Method 1 or 2 for ability scores and characters have use of RPGA Rewards cards (see below). The rest is up to you. As to everyone agreeing to house rules, I guess there isn't anything written that agrees with my interpretation, but I, for one, would be perfectly willing to walk out on a game where the house rules include things that I don't agree with and cannot live with, as long as the house rules are not going to get changed. I think it is just common sense that any house rules need to be something everyone can both see the need for, and are in fair agreement as to how they work. Otherwise, the disenfranchised could just walk out, and, indeed, start their own game with "better" house rules.
#10 gc1ceo Mar 19, 2009 1:39:02	When it comes to RPing, I have had a house rule for a while in many games where I give small, but significant bonuses to certain social skills for good RPing (or at least a good attempt at). For example a player rping the highlights of a speech their character is giving I think is worth at least a +1 on their Diplomacy roll.
#11 Kurald_Galain Mar 19, 2009 10:55:22	When it comes to RPing, I have had a house rule for a while in many games where I give small, but significant bonuses to certain social skills for good RPing A +1 on diplomacy is certainly small, but certainly not significant (in that 95% of the time it will accomplish exactly nothing).
#12 hmjewsus Mar 19, 2009 18:22:10	When it comes to RPing, I have had a house rule for a while in many games where I give small, but significant bonuses to certain social skills for good RPing (or at least a good attempt at). For example a player rping the highlights of a speech their character is giving I think is worth at least a +1 on their Diplomacy roll. Ah, see my approach with a check like that is that I won't let the player's take the roll until they can tell me the highlights of the speech (Or I will let them do so at a penalty). I've come across too many cases of Diplomacy being used as a Charm Person spell, so I figure if they want to diplomance it up, they might as well have an idea what they're going to tell the NPC.