Running the Game - Dungeon Master's Guide (2014)

Running the Game. Rules enable you and your players to have fun at the table. The rules serve you, not vice versa. There are the rules of the game, and there are table rules for how the game is played. For instance, players need to know what happens when one of them misses a session. They need to know whether to bring miniatures, any special rules you've decided to use, and how to treat a cocked die (a die that lands so that its face can't be clearly read). These topics and more are covered in this chapter. Table Rules Ideally, players come to the gaming table with the same goal: to have a fun time together. This section gives recommendations for table rules you can establish to help meet that goal. Here are some fundamentals: Foster respect Don't bring personal conflicts to the table or let disagreements escalate into bad feelings. Don't touch others' dice if they're sensitive about it. Avoid distractions Turn off the television and video games. If you have young children, hire a babysitter. Reducing distractions helps players stay in character and enjoy the story. It might be fine to have players wandering away from the table and back, but some players prefer planned breaks. Have snacks Decide before a session who will bring food and drink. This is often something the players can handle. Table Talk Set expectations about how players talk at the table: Make it clear who's speaking: the character or the player (out of character). Decide how you feel about a player sharing information that his or her character wouldn't know or that the character is incapable of sharing as a result of being unconscious, dead, or far away. Are you all right with players retracting what they just said their characters did? Dice Rolling Establish expectations about rolling dice. Rolling in full view of everyone is a good starting point. If you see a player rolling and scooping the dice up before anyone else can see, encourage that player to be less secretive. When a die falls on the f...