House rules are one of the oldest traditions in tabletop gaming, no matter what game you’re playing. Every DM has them, every player has opinions about them, and every system designer quietly hopes you do not break their meticulously crafted game system too badly. I believe house rules aren’t inherently good or bad, but they’re tools. And like any tool, they can either keep the game moving or smash the pacing and fun to pieces.
This post breaks down some of the most common house rules and shows both sides of each one (in no particular order).
This is a new, longer post format we’d love to continue using in order to give you as much Beginner info, DM tools, and content to digest!
Declare Intent Instead of Actions
Good Example: Intent Speeds Up Play
A player says, “I want to check the room for danger before entering.” The DM handles the rolls and pacing.
This keeps the focus on meaningful decisions instead of procedural or minuscule narration.
Bad Example: Intent Becomes Vague Hand‑Waving
A player says, “I want to do everything I can to avoid danger,” and the DM interprets it as a free pass to skip checks or bypass obstacles.
This removes tension and can undermine the mechanics.
Group Skill Checks
Good Example: Use the Highest Modifier
If the whole party is sneaking or climbing, use the best character’s skill as the baseline.
This prevents the weakest link problem and keeps the party acting like a team.
Bad Example: Everyone Rolls and One Failure Ruins It
Four players succeed, one fails, and suddenly the entire group is caught.
This punishes teamwork and slows the game with unnecessary rolls.
This is an example of a fine line in my opinion, and it can vary widely based on the situation. If the party is creeping through a hostile castle and someone rolls low and trips over a bucket, that’s feasible to expose the entire group. But if the party is climbing a rockface, and one player plummets suddenly, the entire party shouldn’t fail in climbing. (And…They should have the opportunity to quickly save their comrade!)
Failing Forward
Good Example: Failure Complicates, Not Stops
A failed lockpick opens the door but makes noise that alerts nearby guards.
This keeps momentum and makes failure interesting.
Bad Example: Failure Halts Progress Completely
A failed lockpick means the door cannot be opened at all, forcing the party to backtrack to another route or stall.
This kills pacing and turns a single roll into a roadblock, or worse, and entire change in the DM’s storyline.
Combat Clocks for Tension
Good Example: Visible Progress and Pressure
A four‑segment clock fills when players fail checks during a chase scene.
This creates urgency and keeps the stakes clear.
Bad Example: Hidden Clocks That Feel Arbitrary
The DM secretly tracks a timer and suddenly announces failure without warning.
This feels unfair and removes player agency.
Table Veto for Unfun Rules
Good Example: Collaborative Rule Suspension
If a rule consistently frustrates players, the table votes to pause it for the session.
This keeps the game fun and prevents resentment.
Bad Example: DM Veto Only
The DM alone decides what is fun or unfun and overrides player concerns.
This creates an adversarial dynamic and discourages feedback.
This is ideally handled during a Session Zero conversation (stay tuned for our DM’s Guide to Session Zero post coming soon!).
Playing Strictly by Alignment
Good Example: Alignment as a Guiding Compass
A DM uses alignment as a soft guideline. A chaotic good character might get a gentle reminder if they drift too far into cruelty, but they still have freedom to grow.
This supports roleplay without restricting agency, acting as a guide rail of sorts, and can prevent a mostly Good-aligned character from constantly causing issues.
Bad Example: Alignment as a Punishment System
A lawful good paladin lies once and immediately loses powers. A rogue helps someone and gets lectured for being out of character.
This treats alignment like a straightjacket and punishes creativity, stifling player and DM creativity in future sessions.
Banning Spells After They Have Already Been Allowed
Good Example: Pre‑Campaign Spell Restrictions
Before the campaign begins, the DM explains which spells are banned and why. Players build characters with clear expectations, and are able to select spells and abilities knowingly.
This is transparent and benefits the entire table.
Bad Example: Mid‑Campaign Bans After a Spell is Cast
A player uses Silvery Barbs effectively. The DM gets annoyed and bans it.
This breaks trust, invalidates character builds, and feels reactionary if the DM doesn’t like something situationally.
This is another great example of a Session Zero rule. (And you know we had to mention Silvery Barbs in this section!)
Tracking Resources
Good Example: Abstracted Resource Tracking
Instead of counting every arrow, the DM uses a simple rule like “mark off one unit of ammo after each major encounter.”
This keeps scarcity meaningful without bogging down play or getting too far into the weeds of every morsel of food consumed, every arrow fired, or every pinch of a spell material used.
Bad Example: Hyper‑Detailed Bookkeeping
Players track every arrow, torch, ration, and footstep.
This slows the game and rarely adds tension unless the campaign is specifically about survival and clearly laid with these expectations.
Critical Failures on Skill Checks
Good Example: Narrative Consequences Without Slapstick
A failed investigation roll means the player overlooks something important or misinterprets a clue.
This adds drama without turning the scene into a joke and allows the party to figure out an alternative.
Bad Example: Cartoonish Mishaps on Every Single Nat One
A failed dexterity check while picking a lock results in the character accidentally jamming the pick into his own eye, or some other nonsense.
This breaks immersion and punishes players for engaging with the system.
Roleplaying Every Conversation
Good Example: Roleplay the Key Moments
Players summarize intent for routine interactions and fully roleplay important scenes.
This respects pacing and player comfort.
Bad Example: Mandatory Full Performance
Every conversation must be acted out in character, even for players who are shy or uncomfortable.
This drags scenes and alienates quieter or newer players who may not be veterans.
Secret Death Saves
Good Example: Open Rolls with Clear Stakes
Players roll death saves publicly so the party can make informed decisions.
This builds tension through transparency and can lead to some great party-driven strategies.
Bad Example: Hidden Rolls Behind the Screen
The DM rolls death saves in secret and announces outcomes.
This removes agency and creates mistrust.
Banning Multiclassing or Homebrew
Good Example: Boundaries with Flexibility
The DM says, “Multiclassing is allowed, but let’s talk through your concept to make sure it fits the tone.”
This encourages creativity while maintaining cohesion at the table, and prevents players who want to run the show with an overpowered technical build or implement homebrew changes that affect the entire lore.
Bad Example: Blanket Bans Without Explanation
“No multiclassing. No homebrew. No weird builds.”
This shuts down player expression and makes the game feel rigid.
Where do I start with this one? We temporarily had a player at our table who had a very rigid, multi-multiclass that they absolutely “must be allowed” to play because it technically fit into the rules. That didn’t last long.
The Litmus Test for Any House Rule
Before adding a house rule, ask:
Does this make the game smoother? Does this make the game clearer? Does this make the game more fun? Does this reduce arguments? Does this help the story develop?
If the answer is no to most of these, the rule probably belongs in the toilet with the poopoo and the doodoo.
Final Thoughts
House rules, in my experience, are absolutely necessary for every table. They can elevate a system, fix friction points, and tailor the experience to your group by setting initial expectations. They can also bog down the game, frustrate players, and turn sessions into bookkeeping marathons.
The best house rules are invisible, and shouldn’t require constant reminding. The worst ones are unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
