Truth or Dare "Wuss" Rules
(Ver 1.7, updated 6/98)
Copyright 1998 by Jay Wiseman
These rules are intended to provide players with a non-threatening introduction to a game played for many years at SM-type events: "Truth or Dare." This game is intended to be fun, to foster greater closeness and communication among the players, and to facilitate personal growth. Limits may be pushed a bit, but may not be sprained or broken. As they say of the New Games: "Play fair. Play hard. Nobody hurt."
1. Spectators, wimps that they are, may be told to go elsewhere for the duration of the game. If at all possible, players only! (Late-arriving players may watch the current round.)
2. A person highly experienced in playing the game under these rules is chosen by majority vote to be the Umpire. This Umpire does not participate in playing. (If he's present, Jay will be the Umpire for the first round.) The primary purpose of the Umpire is to make sure that the game stays fun for all players and that nobody's physical or emotional limits get pushed too hard.
This Umpire is issued "the Wuss paddle." (Loud whack. Little pain.) The Umpire will also need access to a timing device capable of measuring passing minutes and seconds. The players may be quickly polled as an advisory jury on various
game-related matters, but all final decisions rest with the Umpire.
3. After briefly reviewing the rules for all players, and especially new players, the Umpire picks a person to start the round -- preferably by some means of random selection. (A die with six, or more, sides can be useful here.) The Umpire may ask for volunteers to go first, and then choose randomly among these volunteers. This chosen person is called the Original Asker. (One of the benefits of being the Original Asker is that you will get to ask "truth or dare?" of two people.)
4. The Original Asker looks at another person and asks "truth or dare?"
5. The questioned person responds with "truth," "dare," or the especially admired option "your choice." (Note: after this questioned person has successfully responded, they may then ask "truth or dare?" of any player except the Original Asker. Thereafter, however, the Original Asker becomes as eligible as the others who have not yet been asked.)
6. If "truth" is chosen, the questioned person must answer a "fair" question truthfully and in a manner that all can hear. (Cracking a joke can be amusing, but will not be considered an adequate answer.) Questions may be probing and pointed but, because the purpose of the game is to have fun, they may not be harsh, mean-spirited, transgress a hard emotional limit (asserting that a question violates a hard limit will be accepted at face value, but the questioned person should try to not be a wuss about this), reveal information about another person without that person's consent, or violate serious "real world" confidentiality matters. The Umpire makes final determination as to the fairness of a question. Answers should usually take less than three minutes, but may be a bit longer if they are especially interesting. No filibustering!
If the Umpire rules that the question is unfair, the questioned person is automatically entitled to a "pass." Alternatively, the questioned person may, up to two more times, request either another "truth" or another "truth-or-dare" question. The asking of a third unfair "truth" and/or "dare" results in the automatic awarding of a pass. Once the question has been satisfactorily answered, as determined by the Umpire, or once a pass has been awarded, go on to step number nine. (Well-answered "truths" may be applauded.)
7. If "dare" is chosen, the person must perform the requested action. A "fair" dare must be something that can be done then and there, and in the presence of the other players, and take less than three minutes. Dares may not be harsh, mean-spirited, dangerous, transgress a hard physical or emotional limit of the dared person (see above), or bring the game or its players to the attention of, or in any way inconvenience, neighbors, passersby, and similar non-involved individuals.
Dares involving explicit sexual or SM-type contact, including self-play, may be declined without penalty and a pass automatically awarded (or, of course, accepted). Dares involving nudity are fair. Dares involving additional people may be done only with the consent of those people. Dares involving any sort of SM-type play will be done only with a safeword in effect (and which must be honored), which shall be "safeword" itself, or two short, sharp grunts on the part of any person who has been gagged. Daring someone to answer a question is allowed, but slightly contrary to the spirit of the game and thus discouraged.
Play may be enhanced by including a small number of carefully chosen "relatively low risk" SM toys such as a few lengths of rope, a paddle, and so forth.
If the Umpire rules that a dare is unfair, the dared person is automatically entitled to a pass. Alternatively, the questioned person may, up to two more times, request another "dare" or another "truth-or-dare question." The requesting of a third unfair "truth" and/or "dare" results in the automatic awarding of a pass. Once the dare has been adequately performed, as determined by the Umpire, or a pass has been awarded, go on to step number nine. (Well-performed "dares" may be applauded.)
8. If a player refuses to answer a fair question truthfully, or refuses to perform a fair dare, or if the Umpire determines that the questioned person has inadequately responded to a fair question or a fair dare (getting input from the other players is suggested for this), then the questioned person has revealed that they are a "Wuss." They must then accept three swats upon their either clothed or bare (recipient’s choice) buttocks, administered by the Umpire, from "the Wuss paddle." This is called "wussing out." (Keeping your buttocks clothed while receiving your swats is called "totally wussing out.") Once the swats have been administered, go on to step number nine. Note: If the person refuses to accept their swats, they must leave the game.
9. After the questioned player has successfully completed their "truth or dare," or has been awarded a pass, or has wussed out and accepted their swats, it is then their turn to ask "truth or dare?" of another player. This must be someone in the game who has not yet been asked that question during the current round. If the questioner is not sure who is eligible, they may request that those people who have not yet been asked to please raise their hands. (Don't forget the Original Asker, who will thus end up asking "truth or dare" of two people.)
When there is only one person left in the round to be asked "truth or dare," that person can, when it is their turn to ask, ask the question of anyone in the game. A round is over when all players except the Umpire have had a chance to ask "truth or dare?" and receive a reply. (This will result in one person being asked "truth or dare" twice.)
10. At the end of the round, if the players wish, a new Umpire can be chosen and another round started.
11. "What is said and done in the game stays in the game." While it's understandable that playing the game may raise issues that you wish to discuss with others after the game is over, it's both unfair and poor sportsmanship to "go after" someone if they came up with a (legal) "truth" or "dare." If you can't agree that there will be no post-game reprisals, don't play.
12. "Hot Seat" variant: It's possible to play this game with one person always being "it" -- answering all the truths and taking all the dares. A round is over (and, if all agree, a new "it" can be chosen) after everyone except the referee has had a chance to ask "truth or dare" and receive a proper reply.
As for deciding who is the next asker, the referee can either chose randomly among those who haven't had their turn yet or ask for volunteer and then choose among them. A six-sided die can be helpful in this process.