D&D 4E How I Fixed 4e

[Sytonis]

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd add some of my home games house rules here for discussion. Note I am a player, not the DM.

Natural 20 - Always a hit/success no matter the defense/DC
Natural 1 - Always a fail/disaster for combat either you re-roll and strike at a randomly nearest ally or drop your weapon if nobody could logically be hit
6d6 (drop lowest 3) for Stats at Creation - I dislike point buy, it also helps differentiate characters more

All of the above have been house rules for the group through Rules Cyclopedia, 2E, 3E and now 4e.


Add Con Mod to HP on Levelling - this again helps to differentiate characters
No Equipment Parcels - treasure given as and when, usually makes sense with the previous owner
No Player Equipment Wish Lists - as above

All of the above are our house rules for 4e


No starting equipment
Monster Ritual/Alchemy Components Parts - found on monsters that would otherwise not have treasure, specifics not noted just that the value is X towards alchemy
"Legacy" Magic Item - each character has 1 item that will level with them

All of the above are our house rules for current campaign


We're also still debating a few things:-

Minions - the DM doesn't like the 1 HP, especially at higher levels
Spontaneous Magic Items - Made magical through action, rather than ritual (yoinked from this thread)



More when I remember.

Sytonis

 

[Pale Jackal]

Action Point idea is great.

For wounds, I'm considering: if a PC fails a death save, etc. (basically works like Rel's version), then one of the following occurs: a) -2 to all defenses, b) -2 to hit, or c) -2 to speed. Roll 1d3 to determine the effect. Maybe I'll make some marker (circular thing of red paper) that a PC can drop on their miniature so they don't forget they're wounded.

 

[Rel]

Thanks for all the more recent additions to this thread. Always enjoyable to read other perspectives on various house rules.

Just when I was thinking that my Wounds crop up too rarely to bother with, we had an epic combat the other night that resulted in the PC's being wounded six times. It made me glad that mine doesn't result in a sort of "death spiral".

Which prompts me to ask, Pale Jackal, would your wounds be cumulative if the target were wounded more than once n a combat?

 

[Pale Jackal]

Which prompts me to ask, Pale Jackal, would your wounds be cumulative if the target were wounded more than once n a combat?

Knew I should clarify, but yes. However, I was thinking that death saves reset at an extended rest, and not just any rest. However, since I use a two fight day, hopefully things won't get too ridiculous, and I don't think it'll cause a death spiral, but feel free to chime in if people think otherwise.

 

[Rel]

Knew I should clarify, but yes. Though since three failed saves = you're dead, at most a PC should get two during a fight.

Oh I see. When you said, "if a PC fails a death save, etc" I thought that meant there were other circumstances under which they would take a Wound. Yeah I'd say that you don't have much of a death spiral going on then.

Also I've discovered that it is relatively rare for the players in my group to have to even make a death save, much less fail one. That's not to say that they never go unconscious. But the Cleric is mightily efficient and her combination of Melora's Tide, Healing Word and Consecrated Ground have been very effective at preventing the other PC's from making a death save.

Hmm...I need to start targeting the Cleric more heavily with monster attacks...

 

[Obryn]

Also I've discovered that it is relatively rare for the players in my group to have to even make a death save, much less fail one. That's not to say that they never go unconscious. But the Cleric is mightily efficient and her combination of Melora's Tide, Healing Word and Consecrated Ground have been very effective at preventing the other PC's from making a death save.

Yep. I have a Warlord and an Artificer in my group. Additionally, the Fighter has Armor of Sacrifice and gets to basically use a Lay on Hands ability 1/day.

Unconsciousness happens pretty regularly, but it doesn't last long at all.

-O

 

[Rechan]

I just wanted to take a second to talk about the Action point/Character Traits/etc etc business.

What Rel is trying to do sounds a lot like Spirit of the Century/Dresden Files RPG's "Aspects".

[sblock]In this system, when you create your character, you get to write down 5-10 adjectives/phrases that describe Who Your Character Is. "Stubborn as a Mule" "First on the Scene" "Smartest Man in Two States", etc.

At the beginning of each session, everyone gets 5 Fate Points. Fate points are the fuel of the system, and they do one or two things unrelated to aspects*, but I'm focusing on that right now. You can use these points to "Tag" an aspect to give yourself a bonus when doing something related to an Aspect. When you tag, you either get to reroll the dice you rolled for your action, OR gain a +2 to the roll. This is a big thing, because all rolls are skill+(4d3-8). For instance, you could tag "Stubborn" if someone is trying to intimidate you, and get a bonus. Your group could be running towards a fire, and you could tag "First on the Scene" and just arrive there before anyone else, and get to act first. Or your character may need to deactivate an alien bomb, and your "Smartest Man" could be argued to be smart enough to figure out the alien configuration of the bomb for defusing it.

The DM can also compel these aspects. This means that he invokes your Aspect to complicate things. If there's a negotiations where the outcome is in the PC's favor, the DM might compel your "stubborn" aspect to make you resist when it's in your best interest not to. He could compel your "First on the Scene" so you walk into an ambush alone, with your group delayed. Your "Smartest Man in Two States" could be compelled for you to leap before looking, because you're too confident in your smartness. When a DM compels your Aspect, you get a free Fate Point. However, if you want to say "No, I'd like to not do that", you have to instead pay a fate point.

Aspects (and Compels) can even account for rivals, your arch nemesis, etc. If the Dm is going to use these, then he gives you a free fate point at the beginning of the adventure; your rival/nemesis is working behind the scenes.

Players also gain a free fate point if they just roleplay in accordance to their Aspects, without needing to be compelled. Like Rel's example of a guy stopping to drink once they find the casks of alcohol. Of course, the DM could still compel the lover of alcohol to stop right there and drink it, when the PCs are in a hurry to go somewhere.

There's a whole lot more to it than that**, but it's not relevant to what Rel is doing. Aspects (and the Fate Points that are used to activate them) are one of the biggest parts of the system, rather than an add-on like they are being treated here. Not to mention PCs get lots more fate points than they do Action Points in D&D. But, I could definitely see using Aspects as they are, especially since Rel is incorporating them into Stunts.

*Fate Points also work to allow PCs to have a certain narrative control of the story. You can spend a fate point to make a declaration. For instance, if your PC does not smoke, but having a lighter would be very useful at that moment, you spend one and declare, "My character whips out a lighter from his pocket." Or, if your character is not in the current scene, you could spend a fate point and arrive at a dramatic moment.

**For instance, a place can have an Aspect like "Full of Shadows" which a PC can tag when he's trying to be stealthy, granting him a bonus to his stealth roll. Players and enemies can induce aspects; throwing sand in someone's eye can give them the "Blinded" aspect, so the next PC can tag that Blinded aspect to give him a bonus on his next attack, or if the "Blinded" enemy is going to attack, the PC could tag the "blinded" aspect to give himself a boost to his defense ("He is more likely to miss me because he's got grit in his eye!") Players can also try to figure out the aspects of villains, and tag/compel them.[/sblock]

 

[Rechan]

I meant to ask.

With regards to Power Stunts - the PC still needs to roll to do whatever effect they're looking to do, right? Either a skill check or an attack roll to succeed, where the Power Stunt simply gives them the juice to try?

Also, any general rules for balancing Power Stunts? Especially when Zanne has modified her powers (turning a single-target power into an AoE or Multi-target power, allowing teleporting allies with her in a crucial moment).

 

[Rel]

I meant to ask.

With regards to Power Stunts - the PC still needs to roll to do whatever effect they're looking to do, right? Either a skill check or an attack roll to succeed, where the Power Stunt simply gives them the juice to try?

Also, any general rules for balancing Power Stunts? Especially when Zanne has modified her powers (turning a single-target power into an AoE or Multi-target power, allowing teleporting allies with her in a crucial moment).

Typically yes.

If it is just a minor modification to an existing power then I just give it to them. Zanne teleporting somebody else or modifying the area of effect of an existing power are examples of this (after all, she still has to roll to-hit rolls vs. any extra foes).

My guideline is that an effect generated from scratch should be no more powerful than an Encounter Power. A modified Encounter Power should be no more powerful than a Daily. A modified Daily...well I just try to keep it within reason.

 

[Rechan]

Thanks Rel!