House rules
Encyclopedia
House rules are rules applying only in a certain location or organization. Bars and pubs in which games take place frequently have house rules posted. For example, it is a house rule in United States Air Force
officers' clubs that if an officer enters the club wearing headgear and is officially noticed (i.e., the bell near the bar is rung), the entering officer must buy a round of drinks for the bar.
In households, house rules are rules set by the head of the family, generally to be followed by children.
s to signify a deviation of game play from the official rules. The usage of house rules is encouraged in a number of official game materials, as a way to personalize the game. Many other games do not explicitly encourage house rules, although house rules are commonly used in casual settings. Games that are played in tournaments typically have very explicit official tournament rules that obviate the need for house rules. The anime
-based RPG Mekton
refers to house rules as "changing the laws of physics."
House rules can range from the tiniest of changes or additions to substantial deviations that alter the entire game play, depending on the imagination of the players. Most groups have house rules to some extent. In miniature wargaming
, house rules may be used to represent equally unofficial miniature conversion
s, or can be used as scenario specific rules. House rules date back to the earliest days of role-playing: the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons
suggested that players should have a copy of the Chainmail
historical wargame for measurement and combat rules, and even more confusingly, it also presumed ownership of the Avalon Hill
game Outdoor Survival (at the time, Avalon Hill was a competitor to D&D's publisher, TSR, Inc.
; later, TSR and Avalon Hill would both come under the Hasbro
/Wizards of the Coast
umbrella). Since many players who purchased D&D did not own copies of Chainmail or Outdoor Survival, they simply made up rules to cover the holes in D&D; many of these house rules later became the basis for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Most house rules are made up by the members of a particular group of players, and are never published. Generally, the companies that produce wargames allow their use alongside official rulesets as long as it is non-commercial, as is the case with Games Workshop
. Nevertheless countless of them have been posted on the web or published via other channels, such as the Games Workshop Online Community. In fact, any rule book which is not a part of the core rule books, even if it ultimately comes from the original publishers of the game, could be seen as being house rules.
House rules are sometimes used in board games such as Monopoly
as well.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
officers' clubs that if an officer enters the club wearing headgear and is officially noticed (i.e., the bell near the bar is rung), the entering officer must buy a round of drinks for the bar.
In households, house rules are rules set by the head of the family, generally to be followed by children.
Gaming
A common use of the term is in role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s to signify a deviation of game play from the official rules. The usage of house rules is encouraged in a number of official game materials, as a way to personalize the game. Many other games do not explicitly encourage house rules, although house rules are commonly used in casual settings. Games that are played in tournaments typically have very explicit official tournament rules that obviate the need for house rules. The anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
-based RPG Mekton
Mekton
Mekton is a role-playing game which centers on the conventions of mecha anime and science fiction...
refers to house rules as "changing the laws of physics."
House rules can range from the tiniest of changes or additions to substantial deviations that alter the entire game play, depending on the imagination of the players. Most groups have house rules to some extent. In miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming that incorporates miniature figures, miniature armor and modeled terrain as the main components of play...
, house rules may be used to represent equally unofficial miniature conversion
Miniature conversion
Miniature conversion refers to the practice of altering the appearance of a miniature or model so as to deviate from the standard version purchased in a boxed set....
s, or can be used as scenario specific rules. House rules date back to the earliest days of role-playing: the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
suggested that players should have a copy of the Chainmail
Chainmail (game)
Chainmail is a medieval miniatures wargame created by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. Gygax developed the game with fellow Lake Geneva Tactical Studies Association member Perren, a hobby-shop owner with whom he had become friendly, and the game was first published in 1971...
historical wargame for measurement and combat rules, and even more confusingly, it also presumed ownership of the Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. Its logo contained its initials "AH", and it was often referred to by this abbreviation. It also published the occasional miniature wargaming rules, role-playing game, and had a popular line of sports simulations...
game Outdoor Survival (at the time, Avalon Hill was a competitor to D&D's publisher, TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
; later, TSR and Avalon Hill would both come under the Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
/Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
umbrella). Since many players who purchased D&D did not own copies of Chainmail or Outdoor Survival, they simply made up rules to cover the holes in D&D; many of these house rules later became the basis for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Most house rules are made up by the members of a particular group of players, and are never published. Generally, the companies that produce wargames allow their use alongside official rulesets as long as it is non-commercial, as is the case with Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
. Nevertheless countless of them have been posted on the web or published via other channels, such as the Games Workshop Online Community. In fact, any rule book which is not a part of the core rule books, even if it ultimately comes from the original publishers of the game, could be seen as being house rules.
House rules are sometimes used in board games such as Monopoly
Monopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
as well.