The maximum magnitude - rate of decline (MMRD) relation of classical novae is briefly reviewed, and attention is drawn on superluminous and subluminous novae. Such objects play an important role when the MMRD relation is applied to small or magnitude-limited samples of novae. Direct imaging tance, reddening and luminosity are derived. With MV = -6.7, V1229 Aql is 1m fainter than predicted by the MMRD
