At the start of every role-playing adventure with a new group of fellow adventurers it is important to agree on some house rules. There are different ways to role-play: different people might expect different things. That's why at Hexers we make sure to share our vision on the game early on: that way everyone is on the same page.
We wanted to share our house rules at Hexers in this blog post. Make sure to share some of your own rules.
Hexers House Rules
Introduction
Hey fellow adventurers! This is a quick introduction to the house rules of our gaming group. It allows players to have an idea of what they can expect of the role-playing sessions before committing to this adventure.
General
Consistency in applying/bending the rules
Focus on narrative
Focus on communal story building
Ensuring everyone has a fun time
Practical
At least one session per 4 weeks
Session lasts at least 2h
Commitment of every player
Details
Consistency in applying/bending the rules
The rules will be used in their entirety. Players should not worry that they do not understand everything from the beginning and just play with their gut. Most of the rules follow common sense (e.g. when you are underwater your movement is slower). The dungeon master will explain the necessary details when required.
We recommend players to focus more on role playing their character and less on performing optimal actions (like you would in a tabletop boardgame). Full understanding of the rules is hence not required. Various character traits might also drive suboptimal actions (rushing in as an enraged ogre, being unaware of surroundings as a confused sorcerer, ...) and thus we recommend always choosing roleplay above optimal combat tactics.
We recommend every player to have access to or buy a relevant rulebook (e.g. Players Handbook for DnD 5e).
The dungeon master will try to follow the rules strictly and consistently. If a rule is not know and would require pausing the game for a long time, a master might improvise a rule on the spot to enhance the flow of the game. These improvised rules do not have to last for an eternity but might be replaced by the correct rules in the next session. The DM has the final ruling on everything.
Rules are just rules and may be very sparingly bent to allow an epic story moment to unfold.
Focus on narrative
More of a focus on stories and characters, less of a focus on fighting/metagaming/loot. Fighting will still be a component but will primarily serve to advance the story and add danger, excitement and sense of accomplishment.
Focus on communal story building
Every player will be encouraged to play in character, to add depth to their character (social status, relationships, desires, passions, alignment, story arch, origin story, life goals, religion, ...) and to add their specific flavor to the story. This does not have to be thought out and exposed all at once but can slowly emerge during the game.
Ensuring everyone has a fun time
Balance and group fun will always have priority over individual drives. If a character becomes overwhelming, nerfing might occur. It is okay for a fighter to have the highest damage output, it is okay for a mage to have some OP spells, it is not okay for one character to dominate every fight or every interaction. The dungeon master will try to ensure everyone has a moment to shine (a rogue will have opportunities to use his stealth, a bard to sing his songs, a fighter to bash some bad guys head in).
For this reason alignment of characters will also be harmonized (especially for first timers). Either the whole group is neutral/evil or neutral/good. One character 'sabotaging' the rest every session will hamper the overall fun. Exceptions to this rule could be made during sidequests, one-shot campaigns or for guest players.
Example
A group we all enjoy watching role-play here at Hexers is Critical Role.
Be sure to share your house rules!