Most of the people in the games I run are very experienced. Most of the people in the games where I am a player are very experienced. (So that's the context) 

On a spectrum of fun - not fun. I think on balance everyone enjoys the more creative - crazy homebrew stuff - weird pets - just all in all a more rules are the starting point not the ending point. We ALL know the rules - we know some of them suck - so lets tweak them. So long as its called the same way for the entire campaign its fine. 

As an example I have been giving all clerics in my campaigns items that bump healing - we all knew healing was broken. Clearly so did WOTC although the fix is far from enough imo. 

Example gave a L8 cleric a mace - useable # of times upto proficiency as a bonus action does not count as a spell can cast Mass Healing word with a 60' radius 3d4+Wis. 

Otherwise its a regular +2 mace. Yes did it on purpose so they can "cast" a regular spell then use the mace as a BA without issue. 

I just don't get the whole dm style where the rules are the holy grail and the game turns into an exercise in the DM proving to the table he knows the rules better (doubtful at a lot of tables) and then using said rules to make the game less fun. 

Last example rolling for stats - I prefer people that understand how their stats work and take the time to roll up a decent character on D&DB if it takes an hour so what - now you will have a character that's playable - particularly if its a MAD class and wont be a drag on the group - what's with the standard array only or you get 2 rolls and I must be watching thing?  Is a screenshot of the rolls on D&DB not enough? Why force people to play a bad character they will be using for 20-30-40 sessions. 

As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible. 

Curious to hear what others may have to say. 

My group is definitely a "play for fun" group. We don't take anything too seriously and I throw in as many jokes as possible. Last session everyone was talking about some goofy meme? Make an NPC make a reference or two.

For rules stuff, my players couldn't give two pennies about the rules. I've read through every even slightly D&D book I know and have most of the "important" rules memorized by heart. My players instead like to study spells and come up with disastrous combos to meet their end goal of me saying "Meanwhile in another world in the multiverse."(A phrase I use whenever we get seriously derailed). I also fudge some rules because they aren't as fun.

Does anyone else make custom items for a campaign or am I just a weirdo. I like to make custom items that fit a character's style for the campaign because I think it makes them more memorable.

Rolling for stats is we do manual/rolled. If we think somebody rolled horribly or it just doesn't fit a character you get to reroll. Ex: Cleric rolls a 4, 10, 14, 6, 8, 9. He gets to reroll because that is really bad rolling. Also, we give him new dice.

Time to copy and paste that last bit.

"As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible."

I agree but for me its more like 80%.

Quote from James_Bard >>

Last example rolling for stats - I prefer people that understand how their stats work and take the time to roll up a decent character on D&DB if it takes an hour so what - now you will have a character that's playable - particularly if its a MAD class and wont be a drag on the group - what's with the standard array only or you get 2 rolls and I must be watching thing?  Is a screenshot of the rolls on D&DB not enough? Why force people to play a bad character they will be using for 20-30-40 sessions. 

 On this point - part of the fun is the understanding that players are on relatively an even playing field. The reason Standard Array is used so often is because it's standardized across all PC's. I personally don't like having players roll for stats, because you could end up in a situation where one player vastly outshines another in pure numbers - a cleric who rolled all +0/-1 being worse at Religion lore than a barbarian who rolled all +2/+3 will just feel bad for the player who rolled worse stats to start. 

Standard Array helps alleviate the disparity, at least for stats. You say you don't want someone to play a "bad" character, but that's exactly what SA stops from happening. Everybody's stats are even. I know that the classes aren't balanced and that's a discussion that's been played out forever (which I won't go into here), but that's my 2cp on the matter.  

Quote from ShadowLander >>

My group is definitely a "play for fun" group. We don't take anything too seriously and I throw in as many jokes as possible. Last session everyone was talking about some goofy meme? Make an NPC make a reference or two.

For rules stuff, my players couldn't give two pennies about the rules. I've read through every even slightly D&D book I know and have most of the "important" rules memorized by heart. My players instead like to study spells and come up with disastrous combos to meet their end goal of me saying "Meanwhile in another world in the multiverse."(A phrase I use whenever we get seriously derailed). I also fudge some rules because they aren't as fun.

Does anyone else make custom items for a campaign or am I just a weirdo. I like to make custom items that fit a character's style for the campaign because I think it makes them more memorable.

 

Time to copy and paste that last bit.

"As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible."

 

I agree but for me its more like 80%.

 Same. Except we have very specific movie characters or names for movie characters that we use. We called a lich Darth Hideous once

Quote from IMPLAYS >>

Quote from ShadowLander >>

My group is definitely a "play for fun" group. We don't take anything too seriously and I throw in as many jokes as possible. Last session everyone was talking about some goofy meme? Make an NPC make a reference or two.

For rules stuff, my players couldn't give two pennies about the rules. I've read through every even slightly D&D book I know and have most of the "important" rules memorized by heart. My players instead like to study spells and come up with disastrous combos to meet their end goal of me saying "Meanwhile in another world in the multiverse."(A phrase I use whenever we get seriously derailed). I also fudge some rules because they aren't as fun.

Does anyone else make custom items for a campaign or am I just a weirdo. I like to make custom items that fit a character's style for the campaign because I think it makes them more memorable.

 

Time to copy and paste that last bit.

"As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible."

 

I agree but for me its more like 80%.

 Same. Except we have very specific movie characters or names for movie characters that we use. We called a lich Darth Hideous once

 Mind if I stea- I mean barrow that idea?

D&D has always been a game of rules and D&D traditions.  The rules are written and designed as a baseline for the game, something the game teaches you by reading them but D&D traditions are sort of unspoken rules, part of the culture which is always evolving, waxing and waning over the years but never really explicitly written down anywhere.

For example how you generate ability scores has always had "rules" but creating alternative methods for creating ability scores is one of the oldest traditions in the game.  Meaning that its quite customary for every table, every DM to have "their own way" and this is a normal and accepted part of the D&D traditions.  

D&D traditions are important because it is what makes D&D... D&D.  There are many D&D traditions that used and I find that often new players are confused by this process.  They read the rules and in their eyes, they now understand how D&D is played, but the reality is that its a rare table that you will sit at where the game is played RAW (Rules as Written).  I have been playing and running the game for nearly 40 years and to this day I have never played or run a game where we just used the rules as they appear in the book, adjustments are always made and its kind of expected that when a DM says "I'm going to run a campaign", one of the first thing you will here them describe about their campaign is how and what, about the standard rules they are altering.

Its in a word, abnormal to play RAW, the standard way to play is to customize the crap out of the game and this is probably one of the oldest D&D traditions.

I have found that by staying true to most rules (not all, but most) you increase the fun over the long-term. At my table, we have implemented homebrew rules that are more often more gritty than standard 5e. The point for this is for the DM to ensure that there is a proper challenge for the players who, in turn, reap the benefits of a hard-won victory. As a group, we learned that our game (maybe not others, but certainly ours) is far more fun and thrilling when the party comes out victorious over a challenge that required them to think, rationalize resources, and operate within the bounds of play-tested/fair rules.

Quote from James_Bard >>

Most of the people in the games I run are very experienced. Most of the people in the games where I am a player are very experienced. (So that's the context) 

On a spectrum of fun - not fun. I think on balance everyone enjoys the more creative - crazy homebrew stuff - weird pets - just all in all a more rules are the starting point not the ending point.

As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible. 

Curious to hear what others may have to say. 

 The crucial part is for the whole table to be having fun including the DM. Some DMs like their monsters to be scary and dangerous and letting the players do whatever they want would undercut that fun to them. Some players want a coherent and realistic world where choices have realistic consequences and don't want silly melodramatic villains or memes in their game. For instance one of my friends who DMs a lot really like horror, and runs a creepy, scary, dangerous game where the party often fails and has to flee because that's their fun and as long as they have players who are into that they have a great time. Another one of my DM friends really likes running challenging combat where players need to be strategic using their abilities to the fullest or they're going to die. Whereas when I DM I prefer more of a relaxed game but one where everything makes sense, so there isn't just loot for loot's sake because one player wants a thing for their character build rather loot exists because somebody put it there. 

Quote from IMPLAYS >>

Quote from ShadowLander >>

My group is definitely a "play for fun" group. We don't take anything too seriously and I throw in as many jokes as possible. Last session everyone was talking about some goofy meme? Make an NPC make a reference or two.

For rules stuff, my players couldn't give two pennies about the rules. I've read through every even slightly D&D book I know and have most of the "important" rules memorized by heart. My players instead like to study spells and come up with disastrous combos to meet their end goal of me saying "Meanwhile in another world in the multiverse."(A phrase I use whenever we get seriously derailed). I also fudge some rules because they aren't as fun.

Does anyone else make custom items for a campaign or am I just a weirdo. I like to make custom items that fit a character's style for the campaign because I think it makes them more memorable.

 

Time to copy and paste that last bit.

"As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible."

 

I agree but for me its more like 80%.

 Same. Except we have very specific movie characters or names for movie characters that we use. We called a lich Darth Hideous once

I've had Neo and the Scarecrow from the Wizard of oz make cameos lol tons of fun - and yes I usually homebrew an item for each player as a reward at the end of a long quest arc - I typically structure the arcs 5-10 10-15 15-20 so they get 1 at 10 and 1 at 15 - the gear caters to their playstyle so they usually enjoy them vey much. 

In so far as making it a challenge its always a challenge I have a boss in one fight that has a lair skill that reflects 100% of damage (done to him and his minions) from the next round at the beginning of the bosses next turn - HAH! - Its Boss uses Lair skill at the top of a round  - round happens - Boss Turn - then I read off the list of exactly what each player did and say please take xxx fire damage lol that fight is always good for some laughs!   

Great conversations looking forward to hearing more views on this! 

Quote from ShadowLander >>

Quote from IMPLAYS >>

Quote from ShadowLander >>

My group is definitely a "play for fun" group. We don't take anything too seriously and I throw in as many jokes as possible. Last session everyone was talking about some goofy meme? Make an NPC make a reference or two.

For rules stuff, my players couldn't give two pennies about the rules. I've read through every even slightly D&D book I know and have most of the "important" rules memorized by heart. My players instead like to study spells and come up with disastrous combos to meet their end goal of me saying "Meanwhile in another world in the multiverse."(A phrase I use whenever we get seriously derailed). I also fudge some rules because they aren't as fun.

Does anyone else make custom items for a campaign or am I just a weirdo. I like to make custom items that fit a character's style for the campaign because I think it makes them more memorable.

 

Time to copy and paste that last bit.

"As DM's I think we need to focus more on the fun part than on the rule part you can follow 90% of the rules - be fair - consistent - and still give players some latitude to play the game the way they want so they have the most fun possible."

 

I agree but for me its more like 80%.

 Same. Except we have very specific movie characters or names for movie characters that we use. We called a lich Darth Hideous once

 Mind if I stea- I mean barrow that idea?

 I don't mind.

for me, I love homebrew and very high-concept and brow stuff. I homebrew new everything. monsters, items, rac-imeanspecies, even entire worlds. sometimes I make an excuse to homebrew, sometimes not. I always make an excuse for cameos though. I allow my players to use whatever stat calculation style they want(from a list. standard array, 3d6, 4d6 drop lowest, point buy, and the last one requiers some explanation) as for that explanation, I call it weird point buy. 

feel free to use this btw.

you have 30 points to dide up between 

Str

Dex

Con

Int

Wis

Cha

and SPEED.(the number is how many spaces you can move)

this is the style I used with my dad when we started playing. my dad has scince forgotten this system ever existed, even though he claimed it was the system he used in the 90's when he started playing.

If any of you can figure out if this is an actual thing or something my dad made up i'd be mutch obliged