4th DMG, page 12:

QuoteTips from the Pros
When I started working at Wizards of the Coast, it took a
long time before I felt comfortable running a game for any
of my coworkers, even though I used to always DM for my
friends back home. They all knew the rules better than I
did, and I didn't want to get caught in a stupid mistake.
Eventually, I got over that. When I'm not sure of a rule, I ask
my players what they think. If I make a mistake, my players
point it out respectfully, and I reconsider my decision.
From my perspective, the DM is the person who prepares
adventures, plans a campaign, and runs the monsters and
NPCs. I don't want to be a referee or judge, and my players
don't expect me to.
—James Wyatt

Discuss.

That's actually the reason I don't want to DM 3.x D&D.  

I think all the players of a game should agree to the rules before the game begins.  D&D 3.x has a lot of rules, and I think players (rightfully) expect you to be using those rules.  If you want to play a looser game with more rules improvisation and making stuff up -- why are you playing 3.x?  Why not play OD&D?

That statement can be either sensible or idiotic, depending on context and where you're coming from.

No grand pronouncements from me until I have the fucking book!!11!

Quote from: StuartIf you want to play a looser game with more rules improvisation and making stuff up -- why are you playing 3.x?  Why not play OD&D?

Because 3.5e material is easy to find, and 3.5e is no harder to modify than OD&D, in our experience.

We do expect our GM to be the ref, but he accepts input from all his players when doing so. Our GM is the person who prepares our adventures, plans our campaigns, runs the monsters and NPCs and, at the table, is the referee or judge, as well. It works for him and for his players, so it is, by my standards, as good as any other method which works for the GM and players.

Quote from: ZulgyanDiscuss.

Been playing that way for a decade.

Seanchai

Quote from: Pierce InverarityThat statement can be either sensible or idiotic, depending on context and where you're coming from.

There is very little context: it's a sidebar, and I believe the entire sidebar was quoted in the original post. [From the leaked proofs, if the line breaks are to be believed.]

Quote from: StuartIf you want to play a looser game with more rules improvisation and making stuff up -- why are you playing 3.x?  Why not play OD&D?

In my case it's pretty arbitrary. 3.5e books were easy to get, had lots of online support, and were cheap. So far we've only felt the need to change a few rules, and only two are a complete divergence from the optional rules-we made up our own cover and concealment rules, and we use Action Dice.

But I by no means look at the setting, or the system, as a ball and chain that binds me to do whatever mindlessly. All of our rule changes, including the usage of optional rules, was approved by the group. In almost every case unanimously-I think we had a few people abstain because they just didn't care.

But yeah had Castles and Crusades caught my eye at the time, or had Engine walked in with a copy of Tunnels and Trolls maybe we'd be playing that. We designed our own setting completely from scratch, and we do not use the module style adventures.

Quote from: EngineBecause 3.5e material is easy to find, and 3.5e is no harder to modify than OD&D, in our experience.

In fact, my experience is that 3.5e is pretty well supported online. I can get Character Generators (Redblade), the SRD, maps, creatures, millions of generators if I need them.

I have no idea if this stuff is available for OD&D, but it's what influenced my decision to play D&D 3.5e. Also the fact that by learning the basic rules we could also play D20 Modern, Future, and a host of other D20 settings helped. A lot.

By learning one basic set of rules we can play in nearly any setting. That's handy when my players don't always have time to learn a new setting or system.

Fuck that!  First time a player at my table contradicts one of my rulings, he gets his fingers smashed with the nearest gamebook at hand (The Hero System, even though we play with the Savage Worlds Explorers Guide).  Second time it's a straight blow to the head!

Holy christ, bunch of hippies.

OD&D is not hard to get.

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=28306&it=1

And it's not unsupported either.

http://odd74.proboards76.com/

It appears James Wyatt and I have significantly different approaches to the game.

Feel free to replace "OD&D" with any other system you like that has less rules to learn than 3.x.  (eg. Traveller, MSH, B/X D&D, Vampire, Exalted, DitV, FtA!, Risus, etc etc etc)

Quote from: wulfgarOD&D is not hard to get.

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=28306&it=1

I only see PDF's available. I need something that my players can put their grubby mitts on. I can snag 3.5e books at half.com or Amazon.com for cheaper than even this PDF is selling for.

You may be right that it's available, but so far I like what I get from 3.5e more.

QuoteAnd it's not unsupported either.

http://odd74.proboards76.com/

One forum support does not make, in my book. Maybe that site is gold-but between the SRD, and other resources 3.5e still looks pretty heavily supported to me. Maybe that will change, or maybe I'm just not looking deep enough-but then I don't have to. I'm not buying OD&D. I already bought a D&D game.

Quote from: Pierce InverarityNo grand pronouncements from me until I have the fucking book!!11!

What's the matter?  Chicken?

!i!

Quote from: StuartFeel free to replace "OD&D" with any other system you like that has less rules to learn than 3.x.

This is just for fun on my part:

QuoteTraveller

Never played it. But I'm also pretty uninterested in SCiFi RPG's. I'd play in one, but have no interest in running one. I knew people who played this, but I never had any interest.

QuoteMSH, B/X

I have no idea what these are.

QuoteVampire

I played Mage once. Once. White Wolf games just don't sit well with me. I usually feel the need to wash myself after looking at them.

QuoteExalted

Never played it, but it sounds somewhat interesting.

QuoteDitV

Don't know what that is.

QuoteFtA

Until he has the balls to sign his name to this I won't even give it a chance.

QuoteRisus

Damn I haven't played anything have I? I think my geek credentials are in jeopardy!