The laws of gaming

[sirpercival]

Alright, I'm current to here.

[Halinn]

Never engage in a fair fight if you have a choice.

"Kick in the door" is all the strategy you need.

"Charge!" is an acceptable battle-plan.

[Zionpopsickle]

All problems can be solved with creative use of a fish hook, some twine and a ten-foot pole. 

[Keldar]

DM's Corollaries
1. Always listen to your players.  Their evil ideas have more immediacy than yours.
3. Yes, it is a Trap.
7. Never trust a player.
    7c. Always get it in writing.
          7cI. In duplicate too.
8. Life is more fun with Frenzied Berserkers.
10. A lone scout is an invitation to comedy.
11. If they don't fall for the Head of Vecna try the Dread Gazebo!
13. If they haven't seen the body, its not dead.
20. Fallen Paladins are old hat.  Mess with the cleric.
23. Overkill is easy.  Just enough kill is Art.
24. Always have a backup.
     24a. Always have a backup for your backup.
     24b. When in doubt: Bullshit.
27. Don't give it stats unless you're ready for it to die.

[LordBlades]

DM's Corollaries

27. Don't give it stats put it in the game unless you're ready for it to die.

Fixed for crafty enough players.

Also: There's always a bigger fish.

[veekie]

If there is dice and a table involved, somebody will hate it.
-Somebody else won't be able to resist trying it.

[phaedrusxy]

All problems can be solved with creative use of a fish hook, some twine and a ten-foot pole.

Violence IS always the answer. If it isn't working, you're just not using enough violence.

[ariasderros]

23. There's no such thing as overkill. (FlaminCows)

I am always quoted as saying in my D&D sessions, when I go way too far on making damn certain
"In RPG's, there is no such thing as overkill, only certainty".
See also:

    13a. Even if you've seen the body, cut it in pieces, set it on fire and throw the ashes in a river just to make sure. (oslecamo)

25. Guards are always incompetent. (cannotthink)
    25a. Unless they're after you. (cannotthink)

25b. But not so incompetent as to let you do whatever you want. (ariasderros)
25c. Even being incompetent, there are always enough of them to zerg rush you, no matter how small the town. (ariasderros)

DM's Corollaries

27. Don't give it stats put it in the game unless you're ready for it to die.

Fixed for crafty enough players.

Also: There's always a bigger fish.

You guys are forgetting the lesson of pun-pun:
If you include an ability in the game, the players will get access to that ability themselves.

[Keldar]

Good point about Pun Pun, but that one is more for Designers.   

Remember, if it doesn't have stats, no one can call your bullshit, so it doesn't have to die.  Giving it stats arms the players.

[zook1shoe]

26. make a Spot check..... there is no Sun

[ariasderros]

26. make a Spot check..... there is no Sun

Rules Compendium, page 79.

DISTANT LIGHT
In open spaces, a light source can be spotted from much farther away than its radius of illumination. An observer who succeeds on a DC 20 Spot check sees the light from a distance as indicated below, and one who fails the Spot check automatically notices the light source at half that range.
Observer in Complete Darkness: A light source can be spotted at a distance equal to 20 times its radius of illumination.

So, given the illumination radius of the sun, considering without it you would be in complete darkness, you could see it from at least 20 times the distance of the planet from its sun away. Only 10 times that if you can't make a DC 20 Spot check.

Those other stars must be much closer than in IRL, but other than the fact that the stars in the night sky are likely around three times the distance between the Sun and Pluto, rather than light-years, there is RAW for seeing the Sun.

Note, the RC was written after people figured out that you couldn't see the sun, and I choose to believe that that was written because of that.

[zook1shoe]

damn i missed that one in the RC :-p

[Lord Slasher]

29. All captive maidens are either succubi and/or doppelgangers. All of them.

[phaedrusxy]

29. All captive maidens are either succubi and/or doppelgangers. All of them.

29a. So are the prostitutes.

[sirpercival]

OK, I'm current to here.  I'm liking the way this is shaping up.  A good set of bylaws.

By the way, these are not intended to be D&D specific (though many of them are most applicable to D&D and similar games).  So, for example, I wouldn't have included the Spot check thing either way.

[Greybender]

NPC's never have names, just relative descriptions, even when you have given them names.

[Jackinthegreen]

Don't cast Magic Missile at the Darkness.

[Argent Fatalis]

Ensure never to trust the player who is always "Chaotic Something" with any relevant plot device.
- a. Ensure that you keep tabs on this player at all times if they're even remotely gullible.
-- a1. Especially when that gullibility extends into the real world.
--- a1A. And most of all when they believe themselves smarter than any DM. Ever.

[Karlton]

33: If a DM describes something on the floor, be it a symbol, a rug or a puddle of water, bad things will happen to characters that step on it.

[FireInTheSky]

33: If a DM describes something on the floor, be it a symbol, a rug or a puddle of water, bad things will happen to characters that step on it.

3. Always check for traps. (sirp)
    3a. It's a trap. (Solo)
    IIIa. Yes, they're right -- it is a trap. (Keldar)