3.5 Rules, 1E Feel

[Lidgar]

Use percentile dice (remember those?) to determine NPC/monster actions, encounters, treasure, and spell lists. Definitely limit or remove stat boosting spells and magic items, and go with the limitations on XP progression, magic item access, and classes. Emphasize character quirks that can affect game play versus game play being a simple reflection of character stats. And lastly, do not be afraid to introduce weird, powerful magic items that are "out of level" for the party, assuming they will wreck havoc (either through their random functionality or through an antagonist that wants it). Good luck!

 

[joethelawyer]

We basically do an old school 3.0 game. Were are the houserules we use that I think make it that way:


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[FONT=&quot]Ability Score Buff Spells: do not exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Ability Score increasing items: do not exist. This includes permanent stat increases gained through books.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Prestige classes do not exist. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]DR (Damage Resistance) does not exist[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Save buff spells: do not exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Only the core 3.0 races/classes are allowed for PC’s to play unless otherwise stated herein.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Psionics do not exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Sorcerers do not exist. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Assassin prestige class is now a full class. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Most social type skills do not exist. Any checks must be role-played out with the DM taking into consideration your relevant ability scores as a modifier. The now-dead skills are: bluff, intimidate, innuendo, sense motive. Put points placed in those stats into other things.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Rangers are per the ranger class in 3.5, except they use a 10 sided HD.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Rogues can only backstab if he has surprise. He cannot do it in combat unless invisible or hiding in shadows, and silent, and has studied the opponent in combat for 1 full round. Merely flanking an opponent does not give a backstab chance.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Grappling is a useless pain in the ass and does not exist. Monsters can still grab you and throw your ass around and/or rend your ass off, per the DM’s discretion.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Haste spells and increased speed effects on weapons or items that duplicate haste or speed or increases in number of attacks per round do not exist. Wizards lose haste spells, weapons of speed don't exist, anything that multiplies or adds to number of attacks per round doesn’t exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Metamagic feats: Each metamagic feat taken allows for one spell to have that metamagic placed upon it per day. Multiple metamagic feats of the same type are allowed. More than one metamagic effect can be placed on the same spell. Metamagic spells are memorized at the same level as normal spells. Metamagic effects cannot be placed into magic items or scrolls. In other words, if a wiz takes 2 maximize feats and one silence feat, he can memorize a maximized fireball, and a maximized and silenced fireball, each memorized at third level, per day.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Skill buff spells: do not exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Caster concentration checks when getting hit: DC= 10, plus 2 for every full 10% of your total max hp you took in damage, plus spell level of spell you are trying to cast. In other words, a 100 hp wizard takes 20 hp damage when casting a 5th level spell, concentration DC is 19.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Spell DC's: 10 + spell level + attribute bonus, plus 1 for every 3 caster levels. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Ability scores increase by +1 every four levels for one ability score chosen by the player.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Saving throw items: items that add a bonus to saving throws as a group do not exist. Characters can have no more than a total of +5 to saves, broken out by individual saving throw, every 20 levels. for example, +2 fort, +2 reflex, +1 will, being the max you could get if 15th level, or some other combination of those 5 points. You could never get an item that gives a bonus to any more than 1 type of save. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]No amount of magic items can give more than a +5 cumulative bonus to any one skill for every 10 levels of the character. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]One ability point can be purchased for one feat for every 10 character levels.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Saving throw modifiers of +2 can be purchased with one feat for every 10 levels, per saving throw type.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Skill point modifiers of +4 can be purchased with one feat, stackable and not dependent on level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Magic item creation does not use xp, but does take 1 day per every 1000 gp in market value of the item. Cost to make each item is half of market value. Potions take one day to make regardless of cost or level of spell in them. Scrolls take one hour per spell level to scribe. Permanency must be cast for every non scroll or non potion item which costs over 5000 gp. If you cast permanency on an item you lose 1 constitution point permanently. You get 10% of the market value of the item as xp. Permanency is not needed for teleport or sanctuary portals. Charged items like wands do not require permanency.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Staffs: spells cast out of them are at the level and dc of the caster holding the staff.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Spells: only those in 3.0 rules allowed. Exceptions allowed with vote of group. Even those already in the game adopted from other than 3.0.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]No feats, skills, etc allowed from other than core sources unless approved by the group.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Level drain = take one point away from every stat, save, ac, attack, skill, and ½ hit die for every level drained.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]1 magic ring may be worn per hand.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]1 magical broach, amulet, pendant, etc may be worn on a person.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Healing Spells: [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Cure light: 10% of the total max hp of the injured, plus caster level up to 5, plus 1d4.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cure moderate: 20% of the total max hp of the injured, plus caster level up to 10, plus 2d4[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cure serious: 30% of the total max hp of the injured, plus caster level up to 15, plus 3d4[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cure critical: 40% of the total max hp of the injured, plus caster level up to 20, plus 4d4[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Heal: 100% healed[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Resurrection / Wish / Limited Wish/Miracle: must have been a proven active and devoted follower of the god whose power you are drawing upon, or become a follower by being given that choice upon resurrection, or perform some significant quest for that god if resurrection or wish granted. If granted, it will be with a geas on you for your (new) god's greater glory of some sort. A mission you must accomplish or something along those lines. 9th level spell. Only major one left.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]A tied initiative roll results in a roll-off to see who goes first between the two opponents.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]You can purchase a feat that gives you +2 to any particular school for one feat, stackable with no level restrictions. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]You can purchase a feat that gives you a +2 bonus to beat spell resistance every 5 levels.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]No magic items give the ability to fly.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Spells can only give the ability to fly, it is a 7th level spell, and it lasts 10 minutes per caster level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]You can take feats to give you additional attacks per round. Cost depends on weapon size. 2 feats for tiny, 3 for small, 4 for medium, 5 for large weapons.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Magic Missile, and other damage dealing spells which have a level cap of 10th level caster or less can be memorized as a 6th level spell to give them a damage cap of a 20th level caster, and as a 9th level spell to give them a damage cap of a 30th level caster. If done like this, the DC is for a 6th or 9th level spell accordingly.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Any spell can be memorized and cast as a higher level spell for the purposes of giving it a higher DC.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]A character armed with a melee weapon who is proficient in that weapon can choose not to melee attack or cast spells in a round and use up to half of his attack bonus in that round towards his AC for the full round against all attacks, or deduct 4 from his AC as per Total Defense in the PHB, whichever is greater, at the cost of 1 feat. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Wizards can take a feat which takes 5% off of arcane spell failure chances when casting in armor, assuming they have a proficiency in the armor type they are casting in. This is stackable.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Polymorph is now a 7th level spell. 10 minutes per level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Diplomacy is open to all classes except Barbarians with no cross class penalty.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Wizards can scry on familiars as per the PHB 1 x per day without the crystal ball.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Mage Armor and Greater Mage Armor last 1 round per level of caster.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Magical bonuses to natural armor doesn’t exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Magic Missile[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Same as per PHB except that no level limit on number of missiles.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Burning Hands[/FONT][FONT=&quot] changed to a Fire, Lightning, Acid, Sonic, or Cold Fan Attack. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5 separate spells.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1st level spell.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Damage is 1d4 plus 1 per caster level. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No save.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Magic Resistance applies.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Range/Area is a 120 degree fan shaped area, radiating outward from the caster’s hands, at 5 feet plus 1 foot per caster level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Fireball and Lightning Bolt[/FONT][FONT=&quot] changed to Fire, Lightning, Acid, Sonic, Cold Attack. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5 separate spells.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cone of Cold no longer exists.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3rd level spell[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Reflex save for half[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Spell resistance applies.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Choose Ball, Burst, Cone or Bolt at time of casting.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]All of them do 1d6 +1 level of the caster damage, no level caps.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Ball:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Range 400 ft plus 40 ft/level[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Area of effect 20 foot radius plus 1 foot per caster level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Burst: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Range is centered on you spreading outward in a circle. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Area of effect 20 feet radius plus1 foot per level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Bolt:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Range for a 5 foot wide bolt is100 feet plus 10 feet/level, for a 10 foot wide bolt is 50 feet plus 5 feet/level, starting at the caster.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Area of effect = same as range.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Cone:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Range is 25 feet plus 5 feet every 2 levels[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Area of effect is as a cone. Shape is determined as color spray graphic for shape of cone.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Delayed Blast Fireball[/FONT][FONT=&quot] changed to Delayed Blast Fire, Acid, Cold, Sonic, Lightning.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5 separate spells.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]7th level spell[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Damage is 1d6 plus 2 per level of caster.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Range 400 ft plus 40 ft/level[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Area of effect 20 foot radius plus 1 foot per caster level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Mordenkainen's Disjunction: can only be cast at one item per person, or one person. If on a person it takes away all enchantments via spell a person might have on them. I.e. all buffs. No knowledge ahead of time as to what enchantments an item or person might have. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Etherealness: merged with plane shift spell.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Dispel Magic: when cast you understand the levels of power or enchantment you are trying to dispel, as well as the school of the spell. For example, 9th level abjuration, 3rd level charm, etc. If cast in an area, you dispel one random item or enchantment on a person for every 5 levels of the caster. If cast at a particular person, you can choose what item or enchantment to dispel, one per every 5 levels. If you dispel an item, it simply does not work for 1 round per caster level. For purposes of dc, the item's dc is 10 plus ½ the caster level of the person who created it. If you dispel a permanent spell, those spells do not work for one hour per caster level.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Scrying: does not exist as a spell or a skill. It only operates through a device. Wizards can do it through a mirror or a ball, clerics through an altar with holy water in it, druids through a sanctified pool of water in nature. All three have to have been sanctified/magically created at a cost of 100,000 gp. The device can be used 3x per day with a 5 minute duration each time. You can see, hear, and communicate telepathically if you have the spell, looking at either a location 40' x 40', or a person, from any angle chosen. That angle can change as you wish. If crystal balling or scrying in any other form is detected by the observed, then it can be stopped by the use of darkness or dispel magic, the observed simply noting the small disturbance in the air caused by the magical viewing and casting the spell upon that spot, thus causing the scrying to cease for the length of the darkness spell or for a full day in the case of dispel magic.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Chances of successful scrying are: [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Subject is[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Personally well known 100%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Personally known slightly 80%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Pictured 50%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Part of in possession 50%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Garment in possession 25%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Well informed of 25%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Slightly informed of 20%[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On another plane -25% to total[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Teleport: 9th level spell. Casting time 1 hour. Only from one specific location to another, each location having a teleportation circle. Each circle costs 10,000 gp to make, and is attuned to the person who made it. It costs 1000 gp for each additional foot in diameter. Wizard can always use each circle, as long as each one is his, or he has a key to another wizard’s circle made specifically for him by that other wizard. He can bring along anyone he wants as long as each person has specially attuned keys, attuned to that passenger and both the starting and destination circles, and as long as everyone can fit into the circles. Each key costs 1000 gp to make. A guild offers keys to their guild to member wizards in good standing for 5000 gp per key so they can teleport into or out of the guildhall. No wizard is allowed to bring non wizards into the guild hall via teleport circles. Other than a wizard's familiar, no other life forms allowed without a key, even if smuggled in a portable hole or something like that. A caster always knows if a circle at the other end is occupied, destroyed, or operational as soon as you cast the spell, but before you go. So he can call off the teleport at that time if unsafe, not blowing the spell.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Astral Spell: incorporated into plane shift.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Plane Shift: either wizard or cleric, 9th level spell. Casting time 4 hours. 1000 gp per person taken along with the spellcaster. Can either go astral, ethereal, or shift whole body to that plane.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Wind Walk--doesn’t exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Shadow Walk--doesn’t exist.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Tree Walk: 7th level spell. One round casting time. Can go from one tree of same type to another, miles traveled is the level of the caster. Can take no one along with you. Rangers can use it as a 4th level spell. Rangers can only use it to go from one tree type to another, which he declares the first time he uses the spell. Can never later in life change tree types. Tree type must be one from his home forest. Druids can always switch tree types each time he casts a new spell.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Sanctuary: goal is to get cleric back home, or to save a life. 9th level spell. Casting time 1 rnd. the cleric must sanctify one particular space in a shrine to his god to teleport himself to, cost 10,000 gp for a 10' diameter space, 1000 gp each additional foot diameter. Cleric can take along one person of his choice with him. Can cross planes with the spell, no error. Can teleport from anywhere, but only to his specifically attuned shrine. Can only have one shrine attuned to him at a time[/FONT]

 

[Reynard]

I think the exclusion of certain classes and class/race combinations is a good idea. I am also considering using a modified "gestalt" system for multiclassing -- that is, no alternating of levels but equal progression in both at a reduced rate.

Definitely on the randomosity -- encounters, items and absolutely starting stats.

Keeping things limited to the Core books seems like a good idea, although I kind of want a more "sword & sorcery" vibe so I might allow one or two of the complete books classes - -swashbuckler and scout being at the top of the list.

As for feel, I think letting the dice fall where they may and rewarding players for thinking (as opposed to simply making rolls) while punishing the opposite will help immensely.

 

[Greg K]

I would say part of it has to do with races, classes, prestige classes, and multiclassing:

1) Encourage players to run the four core classes with possible branching out to paladin and ranger.

I think he can keep them (maybe using the spellless variants from Complete Champion, if access to spells earlier makes a difference).

Honestly, I think he can also keep the monk and barbarian (using the crafty hunter and the favored foe variant: Favored terrain to capture more of the 1e Barbarian feel which was not a rager).

I think spell selection goes a long way toward that feel as well. Consider removing some spells that you think change the atmosphere of the game - I personally would consider removing the stat-boosting spells.

 

[Ydars]

I am surprised that no-one has said that you need to change what XP are awarded for;

Old school= XP for treasure, so that PCs don't feel that killing everything is essential, or else quests.

New school= XP for killing things.

 

[MichaelSomething]

This might be worth your time to check out.

 

[Greg K]

Reynard,
Cool idea! Althoug, I prefer 3e rules, 2e feel (drawing from UA to reintroduce some elements of kits, specialty priests, specialist wizard variantabilities, weapon groups, PO: Combat and Tactics crits, PO: Spells and Magic spell points, )

I'd definitely say start with the following:
Slower Leveling: Is this option stilll in the 3.5 DMG? Anyway, double the cost from 6-10 and double again every five levels. Or just ignore anything over 9th

Races: PHB Races only (maybe, add the half-ogre with a slight adjustment to be ECL). No half template creatures or monster PC races.

Classes: Really think about the classes you want in.
- Barbarian: I would use the UA crafty hunter and favored terrain variants as 1e barbarians were not ragers.

- Cavalier: Use either Hong's Knight (a variant of the OA samurai) or the Cavalier (Green Ronin's Cavalier's Handbook). Personally, I prefer the former, but using the latter for support material.

PrCs: None
Spells: Drop the animal buffs.


Tone: That depends on how your group viewed 1e. We stopped with rat bastard dming and characters as avatars (PC's intelligence and knowledge rather than the characters) about the time the Dragonlance adventures came out. I prefer the approach we took around the time of Dragonlance. YMMV

 

[Reynard]

This might be worth your time to check out.

I went with Goodman, more on a whim than anything else. i must say i rather like the 0-level adventure in the Known World Boxed set. However, i'm sure there's somenecromancer stuff that would be of some use. Any particularly stand out supplements or adventures?

 

[ProfessorPain]

4) Strongly discourage multiclassing, especially outside of the 'classic' combinations. And ban prestige classes. (That said, if you want the classic elf fighter/mage, the Eldritch Knight or the Duskblade is almost a necessity - without one of these, that archetype is painfully suboptimal.)
.

I think the key to making prestige classes work (in old shool campaigns or regular ones) is to keep restrict them to GM approval, which is how they are supposed to be used. Just because a prestige class exists, that doesn't mean it has to be available in your campaign. You need to make sure the ones you allow are not broken, are in keeping with the flavor of your setting, and don't mutate out of control when put together.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Pick up Wilderlands of High Fantasy if you can.....best "old school" 3.5 product in existence, IMHO.

RC