Optional rules, toolkits, and other rule goodness

[Gold Roger]

Though almost only seen as completely new game, Iron Heroes is excelently suited as toolbox as well. For example:

-Stunts and Zones: Make games more dynamic and excelent for all those crazy ideas you have on the fly the system usually doesn't support. Doesn't really affect power level, but adds options. Stunts are in Iron Heroes, Zones in Mastering Iron Heroes.

-Combat Challenges: Found in Iron Heroes. Again makes combat more dynamic, needs time to get used to though. Basically you trade off an advantage in one part of combat to get one somewhere else in combat (for example AC for AB).

-Skill Challenges: Take mali at skill checks for advantages in use, for example faster use. Gives you an advantage to really shine in some skills. Found in Iron Heroes

-Advanced Skill Use: Gives you loads off additional options to use your skills. Nice to give skills more significance. Some off these are a little overpowered though.

-Skill Groups: Allt skills can be taken as class skills, instead classes get skill groups. Take one rank in that skill group and you have a rank in all skills included in it. Great for more well rounded charakters.

-Villain Classes: Simplified classes only NPC's may take that fill classical evil roles.

There are loads off others, sometimes not as obvious as others. For example the Classes, Traits and Mastery Level feats seem very deep seated in the system, but with some work should work in "standart" D&D games.

 

[ZombieButch]

What he said. Also, Levi Kornelsen (sp?) has a nifty toolkit that he calls 'Perfect 20' available for free download (sorry, but I don't have a link for that handy at the moment).

I haven't had a chance to sit down and read it yet, but here's the link:

http://members.shaw.ca/LeviK/Perfect20_2005.pdf

 

[DMH]

If you want a mutants/superheros feel, there is prestige races from Oathbound (Bastion) or leveled templates in Shaping the Self (Genjitsu).

Take a look at just about everything from ST Cooley- he has created tons of varient rules and most of them are cool.

Adamant changed divine magic with Miracles and Wonders that involves actions and how they affect divine casters and how how divine magic functions.

Occult Lore from Atlas has a bunch of different magic systems that can be the basis for "creative settings".

 

[Nellisir]

The Advanced Players Manual is good, but the Advanced Bestiary and Advanced Gamemasters Manual are better. I'm in the process of swiping some classes from Thieves' World, Black Company, and Northern Crown.

Players Roll All the Dice is my favorite variant out of UA.

Enhanced/diminished spells from AE/AU.

 

[Gahnomen]

I've been thinking about a system for a couple of days now, just letting the ideas churn around in my head.. I'll call it Gestalting for the time being (based off of the Gestalt characters from Unearthed Arcana).

The idea sprung out after I became sufficiently annoyed by the following scenario:

The high level wizard, let's say 15th level, has gained a growing interest in divine magic. He decides to spend a lot of time and resources to pursue this, even humbling himself to go into apprenticehood for a period of time. After he emerges from all this, he can now cast 0th and 1st level spells, and gaining more beyond this is likely to take a looooong time (at least, cost a *lot* of exp for very little return).

The idea with gestalting is that you can "multiclass" a second class rather cheaply, but you will not improve *yourself* as you do with a normal level (meaning skillpoints, hitpoints, saves, bab and such). You will only learn some additional tricks/spellcasting.

If you choose to raise a "gestalt level" to level 1, it will only cost 1000exp regardless of your actual character level. Raising it to level 2 will cost 2000exp more, and so on, following the normal cost for levelling up.

For instance, a Fighter 8 could decide to gestalt a level of Rogue in addition to his normal fighter training. This would yield him 1d6 Sneak Attack and Trapfinding, nothing else. A paranoid Cleric could Gestalt a level of Wizard so he wouldn't have to rely on others for identifying his items.

The "gestalt levels" would not count towards a character's HD or Character Level, no feats or skillpoints would be gained.

I'm sure this opens up cans upon cans of worms, and you would have to tinker with the idea yourself for a while to get it working I think. So far, I think restricting the number of Gestalted Classes to two. The first gestalt level can not be higher than half the characters level -1. The second can not be higher than half the first gestalt level. I'll leave an example:

Ranger 6 / Gestalt Rogue 2 / Gestalt Bard 1

This might sound incredibly muddled and nonsensical, but in my own defense I'm typing it in here late at night In any case, there's probably more restrictions and rules issues to be worked out. Some classes, like Paladin or sorcerer, should not be allowed taking Gestalt Levels in.

Also, you might want to disallow PrC's altogether, or at the very least the ones who perform for two classes, a'la Arcane Trickster.

 

[Nyaricus]

check out my Tasty Bits thread (in my sig) where I have a growing number of threads i like linked up.

I have my weapon groups post in there which i created before UA came out - I actually was basing it off of Diablo II weapon groups. Kinda funny that it was in UA - except my version is better IMHO. Exotic weapons profs are treated differently than in UA, and weapon groups are a bit different as well.

anyways other than that, i am all for tweaked base classes and PrC's, my homebrew campaign (or FR if we do a published one) and long walks on the beach . . . wait wrong forum

Hope that helps!!

 

[DarrenGMiller]

I have a thread over on the House Rules forum about the house rules I am planning on using in my next game. If you are interested, you can find it here.

DM

 

[Wolv0rine]

If you're interested in a less overt alternate, UKG Publishing has a nice little alternate Language skill. It's not a huge game changer, but at 49 cents I think it's interesting.

(Hey, I'm not the first person to pimp something. hehe)

 

[Psion]

Unearthed Arcana has been mentioned a few times, but I'll also heartily second the recommendation for Green Ronin's Advanced GMs Manual.

A few things I do or am considering doing:

- Action Points from UA.
- Second World Sim's Masters of Arms - Combined with the emulate feat option from UA's action points, it gives you dozens of nifty maneuvers you can try.
- Some of the power variation options from AGMG. In particular, I use the "Free ECL" option to allow players a little more variety in race selection, and the class based score generation.
- Magic item creation from Artificer's Handbook (except the feats, which I feel removes too much flavor from item creation.)
- 2 bonus skill points per levels coupled with character backgrounds from Second World Sourcebook. Makes for a more skill oriented game.
- Levin (scavenged magic item power) and special abilities as rewards from AGMM

 

[Steel_Wind]

Not sure what you are using right now. I can tell you what I recently did.

I started a new campaign - Age of Worms set in Greyhawk.

For new rules I permitted anything in 3.5, except Unearthed Arcana.

In particular: Exp Psionics, Complete Series and Spell Compendium are all good and are being used. This is a good way to go as it keeps the focus on WotC books (some players don't want to buy non-WotC books) but it makes it all fresh again. The Complete series and the Spell Compendium, in particular, have been very successful and are a "hit" with the players.

Character classes in use are a mix of old and new:

Psychic Warrior (Exp PH)
Warmage (Complete Arcane)
Cleric of St. Cuthbert (PHB)
Rogue (PrC about to come from Complete Adv though)
Fighter (PHB)

All humans.

For a new first level campaign, Age of Worms has been excellent. Besides, having a new baby in the house myself, I don't have time to design my own adventures right now - so AoW fits the bill very nicely.

Players are enjoying it and I'm loving it.