You've convinced me that I'm not really communicating. So now I think my sub-rule should become the main rule. What do you think of this revision?

The “Rule of Cool” must always be governed and limited by the “Rule of Don’t Be Ridiculous.”
a. Support player ideas that are cool, creative, imaginative, and reasonable. That does not mean supporting ideas that are cool, creative, imaginative, and unreasonable.
b. If the idea is one you can see Aragorn, Conan, Captain America, or James Bond trying, then allow it – for the right character. [Don’t let the Conan-clone play the James Bond stunt.]

This makes the strongest point the main rule, followed by two sub-rules that explain, and then give a tool for considering the question.

Is that better?


Quote Originally Posted by GrayDeath View Post
Well, you should clarify youre not palying Scion or Exalted then, cause bringing down a castle with a sword?
Eminently doable.

Jumping over the mountain high Werethingy and binding it with twine? Dont be ridiculous, its a kitty, it willö poaly with the Twine isntead ^^
That shows the limitations of my example, not my rules. Feel free to substitute an example of your own (as you in fact did).

And doesn't the title "Rules for DMs" clarify that I'm not talking about Scion or Exalted? Do those games use the term "DM"?

[To be fair, I have run several games, including Champions, Flashing Blades, TOON, Pendragon, and several versions of D&D. The principles behind these rules apply to all of them, whether they have Dungeon Masters or not. But two rules and one sub-rule are D&D-specific, and the examples I use are all fantasy role-playing examples using D&D terms.]

I considered calling it "Rules for GMs", but that titles seems less interesting, somehow. I suspect that's because I started in 1975, when D&D was the only rpg.