Author Topic: The laws of gaming  (Read 10952 times)

Offline sirpercival

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 10855
  • you can't escape the miles
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #20 on: November 04, 2012, 07:45:25 AM »
Alright, I'm current to here.
I am the assassin of productivity

(member in good standing of the troll-feeders guild)

It's begun — my things have overgrown the previous sig.

Offline Halinn

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2067
  • My personal text is impersonal.
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #21 on: November 04, 2012, 07:58:46 AM »
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.

Offline Zionpopsickle

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • **
  • Posts: 242
  • Lurking
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #22 on: November 04, 2012, 11:09:35 PM »
All problems can be solved with creative use of a fish hook, some twine and a ten-foot pole. 

Offline Keldar

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1032
  • What's this button do?
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #23 on: November 05, 2012, 05:18:07 AM »
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.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2012, 05:28:28 AM by Keldar »

Offline LordBlades

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 914
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #24 on: November 05, 2012, 07:56:50 AM »
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.

Offline veekie

  • Spinner of Fortunes
  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 5423
  • Chaos Dice
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #25 on: November 05, 2012, 12:47:35 PM »
If there is dice and a table involved, somebody will hate it.
-Somebody else won't be able to resist trying it.
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

Offline phaedrusxy

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 10717
  • The iconic spambot
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2012, 12:50:24 PM »
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.
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline ariasderros

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2507
  • PM me what you're giving Kudos for please.
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #27 on: November 05, 2012, 01:25:22 PM »
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.
My new Sig
Hi, Welcome

Offline Keldar

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1032
  • What's this button do?
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #28 on: November 05, 2012, 01:46:21 PM »
Good point about Pun Pun, but that one is more for Designers.   :smirk

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.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4938
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #29 on: November 05, 2012, 01:53:35 PM »
26. make a Spot check..... there is no Sun ;)
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline ariasderros

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2507
  • PM me what you're giving Kudos for please.
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #30 on: November 05, 2012, 02:29:45 PM »
26. make a Spot check..... there is no Sun ;)
Rules Compendium, page 79.
Quote
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.
My new Sig
Hi, Welcome

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4938
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #31 on: November 05, 2012, 02:36:09 PM »
damn i missed that one in the RC :-p
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Lord Slasher

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 54
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #32 on: November 05, 2012, 04:35:04 PM »
29. All captive maidens are either succubi and/or doppelgangers. All of them.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2012, 04:38:10 PM by Lord Slasher »

Offline phaedrusxy

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 10717
  • The iconic spambot
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #33 on: November 05, 2012, 07:55:15 PM »
29. All captive maidens are either succubi and/or doppelgangers. All of them.
29a. So are the prostitutes.
I don't pee messages into the snow often , but when I do , it's in Cyrillic with Fake Viagra.  Stay frosty my friends.

Offline sirpercival

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 10855
  • you can't escape the miles
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #34 on: November 10, 2012, 10:20:59 AM »
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.
I am the assassin of productivity

(member in good standing of the troll-feeders guild)

It's begun — my things have overgrown the previous sig.

Offline Greybender

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 191
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #35 on: May 31, 2013, 01:18:15 PM »
NPC's never have names, just relative descriptions, even when you have given them names.

Offline Jackinthegreen

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 6176
  • I like green.
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #36 on: May 31, 2013, 01:24:58 PM »
Don't cast Magic Missile at the Darkness.

Offline Argent Fatalis

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ***
  • Posts: 315
  • Nature, red in tooth and claw.
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #37 on: May 31, 2013, 02:40:40 PM »
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.

Offline Karlton

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 107
  • I'm new!
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #38 on: June 02, 2013, 10:25:52 AM »
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.

Offline FireInTheSky

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3870
  • "Insight is the sudden cessation of stupidity."
    • View Profile
Re: The laws of gaming
« Reply #39 on: June 02, 2013, 11:56:50 AM »
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)