Useful for funny games

[laughing.fox]

In one of my first D&D games, the DM set a fairly silly tone for the game. Then the characters would start joking around a lot, often at the expense of getting anything done. The DM brilliantly introduced a d20 "reality check." Whenever we were joking about doing something really silly or stupid, he would roll a d20. On a high roll, he would hustle the game along and make us get back in character. On a very low roll, he would play along, often with hilarious results.

At one point we broke into a bank vault where we found the bank owner performing some bizarre ritual with a dead chicken. We knocked him out and searched him. Then someone suggested we search the chicken. "Ok," someone else said, "I turn the chicken upside down and shake it." The DM made a reality check: 2.

"The chicken lays an egg," he told us. "The egg hatches. Who wants a psuedodragon familiar?"

I raised my hand first, so my bard got a little dragon who sat on his shoulder and made snide comments in his head all the time.

The "reality check" can help the game get back on track without alienating the players... OR it can lead to hilarious random events. I recommend it to any DM who doesn't take him or herself too seriously.

[Bag_of_Holding]

That's a brilliant idea! I like it.

[Khanderas]

That's a brilliant idea! I like it.

I agree with the above poster and quote.

[Gardakan]

It's a pretty nice idea since the DM is not hilarious to....

[Shas aia Toriia]

That sounds like a really good tool in a silly game. Good job.