IMC we have play tested these rules pretty thoroughly and after discussing them with my group we really like them. The first rule is something i got for a board somewhere a long time ago. So whoever, wherever, thanks.
Turn Undead
Instead of the turn undead rules in the Player’s Handbook, we will use the following variant from Complete Divine with some necessary modifications. Instead of making undead run and cower, turn attempts deal positive energy damage to all undead within a 30 ft. radius burst of the cleric. The goal of this variant system is to have the cleric contribute to the destruction of the undead in a fashion that interacts well with the other characters in the party such as the fighter and the wizard. Sometimes when the undead are turned they run away and are never seen again, or they are destroyed outright. Other times when undead are turned, there are no effects at all. This variant provides a more consistent, simpler method of dealing with the turning of undead.
Turning undead is a standard action that deals 1d6 damage/cleric level to all undead within a 30-ft. radius burst of the cleric. The affected undead get a Will save (DC 10 + cleric level + Charisma modifier) for half damage.
Evil clerics (or any cleric that can swap out spells for inflict spells) instead heal undead under their control or harm enemy undead within 30 feet for 1d6/cleric level + Charisma modifier. Paladins work just as you would expect, they turn undead as a cleric three levels lower.
House Rule: Undead with turn resistance now treat that ability as damage reduction verses turning damage, at a rate of DR 3 per point of turn resistance. Thus, a vampire with turn resistance 4 would essentially have DR 12/– verses turning damage. Turn resistance does not reduce the effects of the healing that evil clerics provide with their turn attempts.
When this ability is used against incorporeal creatures, you do not have to roll a 50% miss chance; turning hits them automatically.
House Rule: Under this variant system, a greater turning works like an empowered spell. After rolling turning damage, multiply the result by 1.5.
House Rule: Some turning feats work differently under this system.
Disciple of the Sun: You may spend two turn attempts in a single round to perform a greater turning.
Exalted Turning: Instead of dealing extra damage, this feat increases the save DC of turn undead by 2, or by 4 on consecrated ground. On hallowed ground the save DC is increased by 6. These increases stack with the sacred bonuses for turning undead on consecrated and hallowed ground (see the individual spell descriptions for more details).
Quicken Turning: This feat works as described on page 84 of Complete Divine, except that it now costs one turn attempt to quicken a turn undead.
Widen Turning: This feat replaces Empower Turning. When you perform a turn undead, you may spend two turn attempts to double your turn undead radius from 30 feet to 60 feet.
The effects of Disciple of the Sun, Quicken Turning, and Widen Turning stack.
This will encourage the use of turn undead as it is simple and profitable for pc clerics, who tend to use flame strike for ‘turning’ undead at present. Any feats not covered will be converted on a case by case basis.
Spell Save DC
Spell save dc’s will be done with a new method that will increase dc’s only one or two points in most circumstances while taking into account caster level and a sense of randomness. It may seem like more to remember but all spell’s dc’s can be calculated as they will be a static bonus to a save dc roll.
DC = d20 + ½ spell level + 1/3 caster level + ability score mod.
All fractions are to be rounded up. Thus a 1st level wizard with an 18 intelligence would cast a spell with a save dc of d20 + 6. Under the old rule his save dc would have been 15.
Critical Hits & Sneak Attacks/Skirmish on Undead/Constructs
Whenever an attack roll threatens a critical hit on a creature otherwise immune to critical hits, you may roll to confirm. On a successful critical hit, any critical based weapon effects (i.e. burst quality, etc.) occur normally. In addition, you may roll damage dice a number of times equal to your weapons critical modifier and take the highest result. In other words if you threaten a critical hit against a zombie using a longsword then you roll to confirm the critical hit normally. If the critical hit succeeds you may roll 2d8 for damage taking the higher die roll. If you were using a warhammer in the above example you would roll 3d8 and take the best result.
Sneak attack is a different ability. Even so when your attack would qualify as a sneak attack you can gain some extra damage against the creature. For every d6 of sneak attack damage you normally do, you do one extra point of damage to undead or constructs that you hit with a sneak attack.
Both of these apply to corporeal creatures that are immune to sneak attack and critical hits by nature. These changes do not apply to uncanny defense or the like.
Drexes
Turn Undead
Instead of the turn undead rules in the Player’s Handbook, we will use the following variant from Complete Divine with some necessary modifications. Instead of making undead run and cower, turn attempts deal positive energy damage to all undead within a 30 ft. radius burst of the cleric. The goal of this variant system is to have the cleric contribute to the destruction of the undead in a fashion that interacts well with the other characters in the party such as the fighter and the wizard. Sometimes when the undead are turned they run away and are never seen again, or they are destroyed outright. Other times when undead are turned, there are no effects at all. This variant provides a more consistent, simpler method of dealing with the turning of undead.
Turning undead is a standard action that deals 1d6 damage/cleric level to all undead within a 30-ft. radius burst of the cleric. The affected undead get a Will save (DC 10 + cleric level + Charisma modifier) for half damage.
Evil clerics (or any cleric that can swap out spells for inflict spells) instead heal undead under their control or harm enemy undead within 30 feet for 1d6/cleric level + Charisma modifier. Paladins work just as you would expect, they turn undead as a cleric three levels lower.
House Rule: Undead with turn resistance now treat that ability as damage reduction verses turning damage, at a rate of DR 3 per point of turn resistance. Thus, a vampire with turn resistance 4 would essentially have DR 12/– verses turning damage. Turn resistance does not reduce the effects of the healing that evil clerics provide with their turn attempts.
When this ability is used against incorporeal creatures, you do not have to roll a 50% miss chance; turning hits them automatically.
House Rule: Under this variant system, a greater turning works like an empowered spell. After rolling turning damage, multiply the result by 1.5.
House Rule: Some turning feats work differently under this system.
Disciple of the Sun: You may spend two turn attempts in a single round to perform a greater turning.
Exalted Turning: Instead of dealing extra damage, this feat increases the save DC of turn undead by 2, or by 4 on consecrated ground. On hallowed ground the save DC is increased by 6. These increases stack with the sacred bonuses for turning undead on consecrated and hallowed ground (see the individual spell descriptions for more details).
Quicken Turning: This feat works as described on page 84 of Complete Divine, except that it now costs one turn attempt to quicken a turn undead.
Widen Turning: This feat replaces Empower Turning. When you perform a turn undead, you may spend two turn attempts to double your turn undead radius from 30 feet to 60 feet.
The effects of Disciple of the Sun, Quicken Turning, and Widen Turning stack.
This will encourage the use of turn undead as it is simple and profitable for pc clerics, who tend to use flame strike for ‘turning’ undead at present. Any feats not covered will be converted on a case by case basis.
Spell Save DC
Spell save dc’s will be done with a new method that will increase dc’s only one or two points in most circumstances while taking into account caster level and a sense of randomness. It may seem like more to remember but all spell’s dc’s can be calculated as they will be a static bonus to a save dc roll.
DC = d20 + ½ spell level + 1/3 caster level + ability score mod.
All fractions are to be rounded up. Thus a 1st level wizard with an 18 intelligence would cast a spell with a save dc of d20 + 6. Under the old rule his save dc would have been 15.
Critical Hits & Sneak Attacks/Skirmish on Undead/Constructs
Whenever an attack roll threatens a critical hit on a creature otherwise immune to critical hits, you may roll to confirm. On a successful critical hit, any critical based weapon effects (i.e. burst quality, etc.) occur normally. In addition, you may roll damage dice a number of times equal to your weapons critical modifier and take the highest result. In other words if you threaten a critical hit against a zombie using a longsword then you roll to confirm the critical hit normally. If the critical hit succeeds you may roll 2d8 for damage taking the higher die roll. If you were using a warhammer in the above example you would roll 3d8 and take the best result.
Sneak attack is a different ability. Even so when your attack would qualify as a sneak attack you can gain some extra damage against the creature. For every d6 of sneak attack damage you normally do, you do one extra point of damage to undead or constructs that you hit with a sneak attack.
Both of these apply to corporeal creatures that are immune to sneak attack and critical hits by nature. These changes do not apply to uncanny defense or the like.
Drexes
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