Code of Conduct

Community Conduct

These rules and expectations apply to everyone in the TorontoDND community space. These apply to community members at all times, whether in person or on any social media platform.

• Be respectful: TorontoDND strives to create a healthy, respectful community space for all its members. We will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment against anyone in our community, whether in person or on social media. TorontoDND defines harassment as: ‘engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct toward anyone affiliated with the TorontoDND community that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome’. If a community member is found to be harassing anyone affiliated with the community, they may be issued a Suspension or a Ban.

  • Retaliation, defined here as ‘an action or threat that is intended as retaliation for a past disciplinary action by the Code of Conduct Committee’, is also unacceptable. Anyone found to be retaliating against another community member based on prior discipline may be issued a Ban immediately.
• Be inclusive: TorontoDND aims to deliver inclusive service regardless of heritage, education, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental health, physical or cognitive capabilities, or socio-economic status. We will not tolerate any abuse or discrimination based on any of these factors. If a community member is abusive or otherwise discriminatory, we may issue a Suspension or Ban.
• Use people’s preferred pronouns: We encourage all community members to indicate their pronouns on their name tags at our events and to include them in affiliated online spaces, such as our Discord channel. You may exclude pronouns if you are not comfortable indicating them. We require all community members to respect and use the pronouns that others indicate.
• Comply with sign-up rules: Do not take an open seat at a PW level 5-8 bracket or above table unless you have a character in that level range or the game time is within 72 hours. Furthermore, if you take a seat at one of those tables within 72 hours of the game without a character in that level range, you must play one of TorontoDND’s pregenerated characters for that bracket. Finally, please be reasonable when buying tickets to PW tables. Reasonable means:
  • Buying 3 or fewer tickets at PW tables in the L9-12 or higher brackets within the same month.
  • Buying only tickets to events you will try to attend (no buying tickets to different events in the same time slot ‘just in case’).
  • Buying only tickets for yourself during the 24-hour GM advance ticket window.
• Be on time: Because people depend on the TTC, they will be late from time to time. If you’re going to be late, please go to the event page on our website and click the Running Late button! If you do show up late and the game is in progress, please join in as quietly and as minimally disruptive as possible. The GM will catch you up on anything you missed but may wait until a suitable break in the action to do so.

Dealing with Harassment

If you feel as though you have been harassed or discriminated against in any way, either at our events or by someone else in the community in another medium, please reach out to the organization’s administration. Depending on the situation, you can:

• Ask the GM for assistance in the moment
• Talk to the Host during or after the event
• File a complaint on our website on your Complaints page
• Reach out to TorontoDND’s admin team via email: admin@torontodnd.com or complaints@torontodnd.com

Table Conduct

The second set of rules and expectations applies to anyone sitting at one of our community tables to play a game, regardless of the game system.

• Abide by the TorontoDND Content Standards: These standards apply to both GMs and players and exist to create a safe space for all participants.
• Only play approved sources: Almost all of our games restrict character creation. These restrictions help GMs plan their adventures and provide power balance across levels. You can find all the details under our Allowable Character Options. If you arrive with a character using materials not on our allowable content, you may not be able to play that character.
• Don’t talk over anyone else: We all get excited from time to time, but if somebody else is in the middle of speaking, let them finish! Constantly interrupting is disrespectful.
• Give everyone the spotlight: Enjoy your PC's moment in the sun, but make sure other players have theirs too. If you are always in the spotlight, that means other players get less of it.
• Don’t put down another player for their actions in game: No matter what you think of their choices. Their choices are theirs alone. Also, don't insult or annoy a player who isn't playing their character the way you would. It is okay to remind someone of a feature they may have forgotten, but if they clearly know their Barbarian can rage in most combat and choose not to, that is up to them.
• Consider the party: When making choices that will impact the whole party, take a moment to consider how your actions affect the other players' enjoyment of the game. It is acceptable to play chaotically now and again. Still, if you constantly work against the interests of the rest of the party, it likely won’t be a very fun session for the other players at the table.

• No PvP: Unless otherwise specified at an event, intentional player vs. player violence is not allowed. The only exception would be when a player's action would injure another player as a side effect of achieving another goal. In those cases, consent is required. Players being cursed by the story and forced to attack the nearest combatant is also acceptable.

  Example:
  Player 1: Okay, I'm going to cast Fireball on those cultists before they do any more damage.
  Player 2: Oh no, Billy the Badass Barbarian is going toe-to-toe with the leader and will take damage!
  Player 1: My bad, I'll think of something else to do then.
  Player 2: Actually, go ahead and cast Fireball. Billy can take it.
  GM: Smiling quietly because their players are great...

• The GM has the final say: It’s fine to point out a different interpretation of a rule, but once the GM has ruled, it’s time to move on. You may, of course, discuss further and respectfully plead your case after the session is finished.
• Pay attention to the game, even when your character isn’t involved: Asking for a recap because you were on social media or just zoned out is disrespectful. Also, keep side conversations to a minimum; they are distracting and can wait for a break.
• Mobile devices should be used sparingly: If you are not using your phone as a character sheet, please consider just putting it away for the game. If you are using it to run your character, please close other apps and don’t use it for anything else.

• Be mindful of players you don’t know: The nature of our group means you will often be playing with people you haven’t met before. Be as inclusive and understanding with them as you would be with any friends at the table. If they’re new, you’re welcome to offer help if needed, but let them try to play their character as they choose.

  • Do not solicit or sell non-TorontoDND products or services during the game. Just because someone is at the same table as you does not mean they are interested in a product you are selling. Our Bulletin Board Discord channel is the best place to advertise to the community.
• Respect other tables: Be mindful of the noise level at your games, so that you don’t drown out other tables at the venue. Avoid interrupting an ongoing game to speak with a Game Master (GM) or players. Conduct all games at any event with minimal disruptions.
• Be willing to learn: Do your best to know how your character works. If you’re new to the game or it’s your first time playing a particular class, it’s okay not to know everything. It is, however, important to be open to learning about the mechanics of playing your PC. If you have been playing a Sorcerer for 6 sessions, you should be comfortable with the rules of the character. This helps take some of the burden off the GM and the other players, giving you more time to do cool stuff at the table!
• Be a good guest: We play at businesses, and we expect you to be a good customer. Unless otherwise stated, outside food and drink are prohibited. Our venues provide us with space in exchange for our business, so please plan to order something. Be sure to tip the wait staff appropriately; anything below 18% is considered below average. Refrain from any behaviour that negatively impacts the venue, including being excessively messy or annoying other customers. Finally, don’t overstay your welcome: your game should be over no later than 15 minutes past the event end time.
• Remember, it’s just a game! Have fun and make sure everybody at your table is having fun too!

CoC Breaches

• Reminder: This is for relatively harmless, non-repeating, honest mistakes. We collect and review Reminders alongside other incident reports before taking any action. Reminders can also fall under behaviour that is annoying or moderately disrespectful. Someone who gets repeated Reminders for the same reason will get a Warning.

  • Excessive lateness (more than 15 minutes)
  • Not paying attention to the game
  • Talking over other players/GM
  • Arguing with the GM
  • Being too loud at a table
  • Playing unapproved sources
  • Forgetting to pay their tab
  • Not following table sign-up rules

• Warning: Behaviour that requires a Warning regardless of the participant’s history. A Warning includes action steps to correct the behaviour, which must be taken immediately. If there is already a history of similar offences, Probation or Suspension may be considered.

  • Overtly disrespectful behaviour
  • A collection of three or more less severe but related offences at one event
  • No-showing to an event without a message
  • Unwelcome physical contact

• Harmful: Behaviour that must be prevented right away. This calls for an immediate Suspension of the subject pending an investigation. If the report is accurate, a Ban is generally recommended. Behaviours in this category include:

  • Slurs based on ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation
  • Malicious insults of any kind (ie; body shaming, insulting intelligence, etc)
  • Intentional or malicious misgendering of other participants
  • Harassment, either in-person or virtually
  • Repeated unwelcome physical contact
  • Significantly offensive gestures
• Probation: The subject is told that for a given time period, usually 6 weeks, the Committee Lead will be actively monitoring their behaviour by checking in with event Hosts. Further infractions are likely to result in a Ban. Members on Probation may not act as GMs or Hosts at any of our events. Additionally, GMs in upcoming games may be notified that one of their players is on Probation if the Probation is in any way related to physical contact or overtly disrespectful behaviour. A collection of smaller offences or no-shows does not require warning to GMs.
• Suspension: The subject is notified by email that they may not attend or sign up for events while this is in place, and they may not post on the Discord server. This is usually used when harmful behaviour is alleged as part of an investigation.
• Ban: The subject is no longer allowed to attend or sign up for any TorontoDND events and has been removed from the Discord server. A Ban is reserved for subjects who have not changed their behaviour despite multiple Warnings or complaints, or who have been found to engage in overtly harmful behaviour toward the community.

The Code of Conduct Committee investigates all complaints submitted by community members. If you have a complaint about an experience at a TorontoDND event, please visit the TorontoDND website and submit one through our ticketing system.