Interesting homebrew mechanics to add to my campaign

[Arctic Wolf]

Hello all. I am starting a campaign this month (hopefully) and was wondering what homebrew mechanics you think would be interesting to have. Right now I am flirting with the idea of making attack increase each level so getting weapons and feats won't hinder PC interaction and kinda redoing hp by having 1/4 hp count as blooded and the 3/4 count as temp hp which will represent stamina and such (healing surges would be redone too of course but that is for another thread). Can't wait for your feedback and thanks for posting (if ya do )

 

[Ratinyourwalls]

I saw this on RPG.net earlier this month but I can't find it anymore:

A universal skill system. Everybody gets five skills they choose regardless of class and are trained in them. The skills your race gets bonuses in are mandatory skill choices for that race, but otherwise go nuts.

I haven't tried it but the guy who posted it seemed to believe that this lead to better roleplaying and character variety in his game.

 

[Ikalos]

What exactly are you trying to do with your house rules? Before I can help, I need to know what you intend on fixing/adding by using your new proposed mechanics.

 

[Unwise]

I don't think that different mechanics really add anything to a game myself. As Ikalos said, mechanics are really for fixing problems, not adding interesting things.

For instance, in a low magic game in a specific world, I might add in intrinsic bonuses for PCs. It is the world/genre that adds the interest, not the mechanic.

In a LotR game, I might add in mechanics for detection/corruption for magic users. Any spells over a certain power level have a chance to attract the attention of the dark one. Same goes for a Warhammer game.

In an Arthurian game I would add in an honour system and maybe some tangible benefits for certain vows that are taken.

In a Harn style game (obscure reference?) which is very gritty low fantasy, I would make regular use of diseases and on-going injuries. I might even add in rules for social status, limiting classes and providing certain benefits and limitations for each social strata.

That is all a long winded way of saying, we need to know what you game is about and/or what problems you are facing with the game mechanics as they are.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

That is all a long winded way of saying, we need to know what you game is about and/or what problems you are facing with the game mechanics as they are.

Err I guess I am asking for your opinions on what you all use to fix the game in your own way. I just wanted to see if I could maybe take something from it. Sorry if that sounds weird, I just try some stuff out.

 

[Ikalos]

Oh.

I have whole pages of house rules that I pick and choose from, most that I got online.


'Idiot' Rule - Player is IC unless his hand is on his forehead. (Used because my players would talk OOC constantly and I would have to remind them to be in character. Super effective)
3 minute egg timer - Player has 3 minutes to take his turn. (Used to speed up combat and made sure they paid attention or they lose out. We found that 3 minutes was actually too much at times)
SARN-FU - A very abstract set of rules that allows 4e combat without a grid. It's not my own, but I can't remember the name of the guy that created it. Origin: WoTC forums
Level-0 Characters - Someone else's rules on creating level 0 characters. Helped my players come up with backstory and it helped them get in their character's personality better.
Obsidian - Someone else's rules that replaces WoTC's skill challenge system. Instead of having varying difficulties, the players roll against a level specific DC that a trained player will beat 80% of the time and the untrained player about 60%.

Inherent Bonuses- This is actually from DMG2. I use it because I didn't want my campaigns to constantly turn into a Monty Haul.

Those are the "constant" house rules I have anyway. I have others but they're in my DM's notebook which I've misplaced (!).

 

[Arctic Wolf]

[MENTION=6685703]Ikalos[/MENTION] : Well I can say right now that currently all my friends would be dead because of the *Idiot* Rule lol xD But that may help tone it down to only important stuff.

 

[Quickleaf]

Yeah Stalker0's Obsidian skill challenge rules are very well done.

I also use inherent bonuses.

When it comes to grid-free fights I probably should use a house rule, but so far me winging it has worked just fine.

As I mention in my Planescape thread, I'm going to try an action point variant.

At 1st level I give the PCs an expertise feat for free (since I consider it a feat tax). I also give out bonus non-combat feats & boons during the course of a campaign.

That's all that the players see upfront. Behind the scenes I do lots of monster tweaking. I could fill an entire thread about monster design/conversion/customization, but the big changes are:
all monsters use updated MM3 math,
1/2 HP for standard monsters,
Quickleaf's minions,
awesome-ified staged solos,
weapon type (slashing/piercing/bludgeoning)
unique (Damovan's Blade/blood of an innocent victim) resistances & vulnerabilities,
replacing traits & conditions contributing to grind (insubstantial, weakened, stunned),
removing multi-attacks (e.g. instead of secondary attacks for disease-inflicting attacks I up the base damage a bit and require the PC make a save when hit to resist disease)

I've found that my games work best when my "house rules" are really just baked in monster/encounter design.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION] : Sounds good and I have read most of your stuff which I think owns . I know I will use quite a bit of it heh

 

[Dragonblade]

I use inherent bonuses and magic items are rare and hard to come by. Most PC magic items work more like mini artifacts.

PCs may choose one Post-Essentials Expertise feat or the Master of Arms feat for free.

I allow PC encounter powers to be refreshed by spending a standard action.

I allow two backgrounds, or one background and one free multi-class feat.

A natural 20 on a save ends all ongoing conditions, not just the one you are currently rolling for (monsters get this too).

PCs simply have one action point at the start of every encounter and they cannot be saved. I don't mess with the whole milestone thing.

On the DM side of the screen, I add +5 damage per attack per Tier for all monsters created prior to MM3.

If I feel a monster (usually solos and elites) are getting too many conditions stacked on them, I will occasionally at the beginning of their turn simply wipe all conditions away whether they are save ends or not. I try to do this sparingly. I don't want the PCs to feel they are wasting their powers, but I don't like the monsters getting pig piled with conditions either.