Houserules

Blade of Desecration · 22nd April 2005, 05:01 AM

Sorry, but at some time we all have to, at least unconsiously, admit to ourselves that some of D&D rules suck. I'm sorry to all those of you out there who are the hardcore gamers screaming "No! The rules are perfect!", but there really is no nicer way of saying it. Whatever the rule, from flat DCs to experience charts, there will always be something about the game that you do not like.

Now then, this is out to those of you who decided not to cry about it, but to do something. What rules do you think are BS? Which ones just need a little tweaking, and which do you think are completely broken? Gather round, post your problems, solutions, and general fixery of the precious game.

Mr_GrinReaper · 22nd April 2005, 05:05 AM

O-O A house rules thread

hmmmm... too tired to thing, and besides im getting kicked off the comp, have something, maybe tomorrow, if i decide i don't like a rule

wolf70 · 22nd April 2005, 05:46 AM

I have often house-ruled stuff. Through that, I have learned much about game balance and the effects of various rules on such.

Most recently, I have changed the favored class rule to reflect that a PC's first chosen class IS that PC's favored class. I know why the rule exists (or think I do), but think that the 20% XP penalty is not really a balancing factor here.

Among other house-rules I have used in the past:
*limiting arcane casters to sorcerers in a homebrew world with no written learning
*Ken Hood's Grim & Gritty v2.6
*Spell Point/Manna Point system
*No militant Clerics, just Druids and Adepts (fit campaign world above)

I am currently running with the RAW, with the one exception I just made last week (favored classes).

DM

Nightcloak · 22nd April 2005, 06:00 AM

Well this is ironic, house rules is Chapter 8 in my notebook thread, should be done for Fri Night.

I'm always tinkering with rules, I like the idea of a thread to compare and discuss HRs.

Two house rules I implemented was:

The dodge feat's +1 bonus is a continuous bonus unless you lose your dex bonus (as normal). No more remember it ir lose it problems from, well, everyone at the table including me

Not to mention I thought it was pretty week as written. No issues with the improved version so far, and other friends have started useing it as well.

Weapon sizing is reverted to the 3.0 weapon rules. I just didn't care for the 3.5 version.

I have more in my folder I need to dig out later...

XCorvis · 22nd April 2005, 04:13 PM

I use the fractional BAB/Save system for multiclass characters. It actually doesn't come up to much, but it always bugged me. It's in Unearthed Arcana, but I don't remember what it's called.

The Smite Alignment ability only works on magic items, spells, outsiders and divine spellcasters, ie supernatural sources of the alignment in question.

I also allow the character a single re-write in order to qualify for a prestige class. They can re-tool their feats and skills (with DM approval, of course) so they can just squeek by. Some prestige classes are just too hard to get into if you're not prepping 5 levels beforehand.

Catavarie · 22nd April 2005, 07:25 PM

I allow Paladins to Multi-class as fighters or clerics without Penalty, meaning that the can train further levels into Paladin even though they decided to concetrate more on either their Physical Prowess or their Spirituality.

ChaosEvoker · 29th April 2005, 05:08 AM

Initiative seems too random sometimes, a house rule our group has is to use d10 for init. Also we've thought about a spell point system does anyone have a good working one, because it seems sorcerors woudl work on a spell point system rather than a spell/day system. Makes more sence to me that way.

Blade of Desecration · 29th April 2005, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaosEvoker

Initiative seems too random sometimes, a house rule our group has is to use d10 for init. Also we've thought about a spell point system does anyone have a good working one, because it seems sorcerors woudl work on a spell point system rather than a spell/day system. Makes more sence to me that way.

Do you have Unearthed Arcana? If you don't, then you should get a copy. It has a spell-point system in it. Some of the variants are crap, but others make more sense than the standard rules.

wolf70 · 29th April 2005, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaosEvoker

Initiative seems too random sometimes, a house rule our group has is to use d10 for init. Also we've thought about a spell point system does anyone have a good working one, because it seems sorcerors woudl work on a spell point system rather than a spell/day system. Makes more sense to me that way.

Back in my 1E days I used a segment system for initiative, but have not figured out how to do it in 3E yet. I have also been searching for a workable spell point system. I will have to check UA.

DM

ChaosEvoker · 29th April 2005, 02:17 PM

I've also thought about a cast by creativity system. Where you have a certain power level you can channel and you can add or change things basically creating any spell you want.

For Example, to cast fireball:
Factors:
Fire Damage
Area of Effect
Standard Action casting

These things could add to its Power Rating which, if it exceeds your abilities (the PC shoudl have a power rating limit or something) than you cannot cast it. This woudl be a difficult system but one that woudl allow for much broader creativity and power in spellcasting. Combine that with a spell point system to limit the number of spells/day and you have a perfect (IMHO) spellcasting system for sorcerors

Mr_GrinReaper · 30th April 2005, 04:58 AM

That rule would be fun to use, but a little too open ended, definitly needs some dm descretion, after all, what would happen when people start creating wish spells......

Blade of Desecration · 10th May 2005, 04:55 AM

I personally think that the experience charts are bogus. I mean, I know that other people like being high-level, but I think that the speed at which PCs gain power is completely unrealistic.
[rant] Of course, these thoughts might have something to do with the fact that I like being low level. See my thoughts are that the lower the level, the more fun. I mean, a first level PC is going to get more satisfaction, IMHO, from going "Booyah! We totally kicked those orcs' collective ***es!" than a forty-bajilionth level PC saying "Yay, we saved the world... again." When I play a game, I'd like to stay around the same level for a long while, so that by the time I finally hit a high level, my character is completely fleshed out. Unfortunately, for most people I've met, their idea is "Bigger numbers= more fun". [rant]
Anywho, I was wondering if anyone had any good houseruled XP charts that take at least a bit longer to level up.

Evilhalfling · 10th May 2005, 07:03 AM

nope
but I hear giving half the calculated XP gimick works just fine. You just need to 1/2 the treasure as well to keep it even.
Also figuring out how often (in # of sessions) you want to advance and then giving a flat rate of xp, to meet that goal. This work intermitantly for my last game.

My problem is that I tend to set up villians who are to powerful to take at first, and the players need to advance a good clip to handle those challanges. For example possible Villians -
Evil psionist - cr 8, Aboleth cr 9, Ghoul king cr 9, minor neighborhood dragon cr 10, Demons cr 11-18, major neighborhood dragon cr 14.

The players are 4th and 5th level. they started at 3rd six sessions ago. They can face a villian who is ecl +3 but chose to avoid the psion (last session) I am aiming for 1 lvl per 3 sessions -
and pretty close to that, even without adjusting xp at all. I think I will cut down XP when they reach 7th - so we stay in my favoriate levels longer.

ChaosEvoker · 10th May 2005, 01:58 PM

AS far as levels go: STARTIGN at high lv will fix that problem. Say your character has been in war, studies under a famous Archmage, was in the blood wars, something that would grant expereince, but it wasn't "saving the world."

This way when they go and save the world its still new and you get to play with the higher-end stuff.

Mr_GrinReaper · 11th May 2005, 01:35 AM

The point BoD is making is that he thinks that it is too short to level early on, and is looking for a way to make it last longer. He is saying that he doesn't want high levels till a long time....

Personally I disagree, part of the fun of playing is when you level up! But one way to solve that is to use the static exp system in Unearthed arcana, and then modify the exp values to your liking....

I remember when you implemented the x10, and then the reduced x6 modifier on the exp for leveling up... That took excruciatingly long.....

wolf70 · 11th May 2005, 04:14 AM

I have used the 1/2 XP effectively at lower levels, but IME it tends to bog down past level 8 or so. It kept advancement at about 1 level per 3-5 sessions, depending. At level 8, I dropped it and levelling stayed about the same.

We have played about a dozen sessions in my latest campaign and the party is at 6th level. They seem to average a level per two sessions, but since different groups play sessions of differing lengths, I would say that with our play style, which has become more cohesive and effective since group membership was forcibly changed by me a few sessions ago, the PC's gain a level per 8 hours of actual gaming. IMO, this is a bit quick, but the players are having a blast, so any cool ideas I don't get to use this time will be saved for the next campaign.

DM

Blade of Desecration · 11th May 2005, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_GrinReaper

The point BoD is making is that he thinks that it is too short to level early on, and is looking for a way to make it last longer. He is saying that he doesn't want high levels till a long time....

Personally I disagree, part of the fun of playing is when you level up! But one way to solve that is to use the static exp system in Unearthed arcana, and then modify the exp values to your liking....

I remember when you implemented the x10, and then the reduced x6 modifier on the exp for leveling up... That took excruciatingly long.....

Yeah, thats why I stopped using that rule. You guys just couldn't wait to get all your shiny new XP. *sigh* I really do prefer a much slower and more relaxed rate of play, and having a party you can actually get to know before they get too high level to play anymore. And in my opinion, I'm much more satisfied if my levels were earned slowly and with difficulty. I'd rather my PCs do a good deal of stuff before he gets powerful. Its just that in the current XP system it feels like gaining levels and power is common, and it doesn't really feel like I've earned it. Sure, its a major boost to your power, but especially at lower levels it feels like they're being given to you. At first level, kill a grand total of ten goblins and you are now level two. That just seems a little too easy to me, and not only when I'm DMing, but when I'm playing too. Also, because you level up so quickly, it feels like you never really get to know the character. It feels like it's just a bunch of numbers you rattled off to use for a few months then toss it. I just prefer to slowly develop my character.
Anyways, sermon over.

Quote:

I remember when you implemented the x10, and then the reduced x6 modifier on the exp for leveling up... That took excruciatingly long.....

Yeah but, I don't know about you guys, but to me it felt like you guys had really earned those levels when you did get them. And you gotta' admit, you guys were a good deal more excited about leveling up than you normally would have been, since it was rare, instead of just happening every few sessions.

derbacher · 21st July 2005, 03:54 AM

My biggest house rule has to do with experience as well. I generally award experience based on where I want the players to be. My general guidline is two sessions to get to 2nd lvl, three to four each for levels 3 through 5, then between 6 and 10 per level thereafter. They level when its appropriate for the story, not when they've killed X number of orcs, goblins, demons, bunnies, or whatever. I've had no complaints on this in many years, since I always give out some kind of experience every session. My players see advancement coming, and concentrate on playing the game rather than earning the next "level".

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Mission continues.

Nightcloak · 22nd July 2005, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derbacher

My biggest house rule has to do with experience as well. I generally award experience based on where I want the players to be. My general guidline is two sessions to get to 2nd lvl, three to four each for levels 3 through 5, then between 6 and 10 per level thereafter. They level when its appropriate for the story, not when they've killed X number of orcs, goblins, demons, bunnies, or whatever. I've had no complaints on this in many years, since I always give out some kind of experience every session. My players see advancement coming, and concentrate on playing the game rather than earning the next "level".

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Mission continues.

I use to do that back in 1E. I stopped in when I figured out some classes were balanced by taking longer to advance (like the original Barbarian).

I may need to reconsider that idea now that 3E has all classess balanced.