DM Rules To Follow

[Lanthar D'Alton]

The following is posted in the DM Forum, but at some point it was decided to make that forum dm only, and the thread went with it. Here it is for those that want to know the rules I lay down for DMs.

This is a list of rules I expect all of you to abide by. Violation of these rules will be punished without remorse. In extenuating circumstances you may plead a case. If I feel convinced of absolute guilt, regardless of pleas, the following will be the punishments:
1st offense: 1 to 2 week suspension of DM access.
2rd offense: 2 to 4 week suspension of DM access.
3th offense: permanent suspension

I may go soft in bizarre circumstances... here are the rules.

• 1: Thou shalt not interfere in another DMs quest
  
• 2: Before taking any action that may interrupt another DM, be certain it is either okay with them, or will not affect them.
  
• 3: Upon joining the server, inquire for presence of other dms on the dm channel.
  If other DMs are present, ask whether anything is going on.
  You should make certain you are aware of other events taking place.
  
• 4: DMs are not to distribute items or gold without them being the result of a quest.
  This applies to when they are on as players as well. i.e. no giving your own pc stuff then handing it out.
  
• 5: You will not drop monsters in civilized central areas unless part of a major quest, and even then, you are to make certain all created monsters are dead when quest is over, and clean up any mess left behind.
  
• 6: Do not drop monsters unless part of a quest. The monsters dropped should be appropriate and fitting.
  i.e. no spawning balors in the Lomatin Fields.... only orcs and such would dare come so close to civilization unless part of a massive demon invasion (don't even think about it without consulting me).
  
• 7: Do not DM on unsuspecting PCs without their knowledge. That is to say, don't just show up and drop trolls on some unsuspecting player who you've never seen. If you know the PC, and they have a specific hate of trolls, then it might make some sense, but if they would have no clue they are being DMed, then don't do it.
  
• 8: Do not Raise PCs if they die in normal combat unless you are running a quest and have accidentally overburdened them.
  Acceptable: "oops I created too many bodaks for a 5th level group of 3... this encounter wasn't supposed to kill you all and end the
  adventure, so I'm now going to retract the last 5 minutes and redo that a different way so we can continue."
  Actually a better way to handle that is to suddenly have some great warrior save them
  (kill the bodaks and create an npc and possess and claim to have been invisibly tailing them or something),
  or even let the PCs die, then teleport to a church and have cleric claim to have raised them...
  
• 9: Don't use the player bonus wand without considerations. The bonuses or negatives it gives are quite permanent.
  
• 10: If a PC wishes you to desist in your DM activities affecting them, do so.
  
• 11: You are not to interfere in game politics. Do not use your DM power to settle disputes. In the event a dispute gets out
  of hand, put the pcs in jail, and let me know.
  
• 12: Do not metagame. No DM should use DM powers in any way in relation to disputes involving their PC characters.
  
• 13: Lastly, a tip: Role play the quests you run. Don't just possess something at the start and end of a quest... Appear in various forms throughout, and guide them. This helps to make the world more real for them.
  

Amusingly, it seems the reason I had to repost this involved a DM dropping trolls on some unsuspecting PCs... which is word for word against rule #7.

Anyway, there are the rules for the players to see them. If you are a player and experience these issues, let me know (preferably in private). I prefer to address things behind the scenes, and protect identities to prevent causing grudges.

-Lanthar

[Lanthar D'Alton]

Player rules can be found here:

lanthar.dyndsl.com/modulerules.html

-Lanthar