Akrasia
Procrastinator
One of the things I like the most about C&C is the fact that it facilitates the use of house rules.
In my campaign, I have been using the following house rules, and they have worked out really well so far. (I have a few others, but they are relatively minor.)
What are yours?
Fighter styles. At fourth level a fighter can choose one of the following four 'styles'. The fighter gains additional benefits at 7th level based on the style in question. Some of these styles work in conjunction with the 'extra attack' ability fighters get at 10th level.
(a.) Aragorn. At 4th level the fighter can fight with two weapons with only a -1 penalty to each attack, so long as his 'off-hand' weapon is a 'small' weapon (i.e. short sword or smaller), and the fighter is wearing 'light' armour (chain shirt or lighter). At 7th level the fighter can move up to a jog and attack without penalty, or attack and withdraw from combat (up to a normal move only, not a jog) without penalty. Also at 7th the fighter gains a +1 bonus to his AC if he is wearing 'light' armour. A fighter using two weapons can attack three times at level 10 (once with his primary weapon without penalty, and once with both his primary and secondary weapons with a -1 penalty). The fighter must have dexterity as a prime in order to choose this fighting style.
(b.) Boromir. At 4th level the fighter gains the 'combat dominance' special ability. Combat dominance gives the fighter an extra attack with any weapon when fighting opponents with 1 HD (and the HD must a d6 or less). In order to use this ability, the fighter must direct all attacks in a combat round toward opponents that meet these criteria. The fighter can split the available attacks among qualified opponents as desired. This ability improves as the fighter progresses in levels (he gains an additional attack for every four levels after 4th level, so an 8th level fighter is allowed a total of 3 such attacks, etc.). At 7th level the opponent HD increases to a d10 (i.e. at 8th level the fighter can make 3 attacks against opponents with 1d10 HD or less in a single round, and at 12th level he can make 4 attacks against opponents with 1d10 HD or less, etc.). At 10th level the fighter gains an extra attack per round, but this ability cannot be used in conjunction with the fighter's 'combat dominance' ability.
(c.) Gimli. At 4th level the fighter can 'cleave': if the fighter fells one opponent in melee, he gets one free attack on an adjacent opponent (an opponent that is within the 'reach' of his weapon, and whom he can attack without moving). At 7th level the fighter can 'great cleave': i.e., the fighter can cleave up to four opponents (if he fells one opponent, he gets a free attack; if he fells that second opponent, he gets another free attack; if he fells that third opponent, he gets a free attack on a fourth and final opponent.) The character must be using a two handed weapon or wielding a one handed weapon (if feasable, like a battle axe) two handed. 'Cleave and 'great cleave' can only be used with slashing or blunt weapons, not piercing weapons. At 10th level the fighter can attack twice per round, but only the first attack can use the 'cleave' or 'great cleave' ability.
(d.) Legolas. At 4th level the fighter can 'rapid fire': i.e., attack with a bow twice per round with a -1 penalty to each attack. The fighter can also fire into melee without penalty, and with no chance of hitting an ally. Both of these abilities cannot be used at the same time (i.e. the fighter cannot fire twice into melee). At 7th level the fighter can complete a full move and fire his bow with no penalty (but can fire only once). Also at 7th level, the fighter suffers no penalty using his bow in close quarters (even when in combat with an opponent who is using a melee weapon). At 10th level the fighter's 'rapid fire' ability enables him to fire three times per round with a -1 penalty, or fire twice per round with no penalty. The fighter must have dexterity as a prime in order to choose this fighting style.
Spellcasting Abilities
Daily spell lists for spellcasters.
Each day a spellcaster prepares a list of spells for each spell level that he can cast 'spontaneously' as he chooses. For example, a second level wizard with 15 intelligence can cast 4 0-level and 4 1st-level spells per day. He would thus choose a 'list' of four cantrips and four first level spells, and could cast any combination of those four cantrips and four first level spells that day (though cantrips cannot be cast in place of first level spells, and vice versa). For example, say the wizard prepared for his first level spells burning hands, charm person, identify, and spider climb. He could then cast each of those spells once that day, cast identify four times (and not cast any of the others at all), or cast burning hands twice and spider climb twice. This option obviously makes spellcasters a bit more versatile, but is balanced by the fact that many spells will be unavailable. (FYI I got this option from the 3E UA. See p. 153 for a more complete description.)
Wizard staffs and Illusionist wands.
Arcane spellcasters require no material components or normal 'spell books'. Instead, the wizard's focus is his staff. The wizard can choose one spell from each spell level known (i.e. one 0 level spell, one 1st level spell, etc.) that he can cast without his staff, but for all other spells he needs his staff. Moreover, all arcane magic is rune-based (so scrolls and books found typically contain runes of spells). As the wizard learns more spells, he carves these runes into his staff, so the staff serves the role of a 'spell book'. The exceptions are those spells he can cast without his staff -- those are tattooed onto the wizard himself (his hands and arms). As a consequence, the wizard is heavily dependent on his staff (this is the main constraint he faces, to balance the increased flexibility gained from the 'spell list' house rule I am using, and to keep the sorcerer more or less balanced with the wizard). The wizard's staff is considered a magical item, and has a spell resistance of 15 + the wizard's level. Spells like 'shatter' and 'warp wood' would have to overcome that resistance to work. Illusionists are like wizards, except they use multiple wands instead of a single staff (and normally try to conceal their wands 'up their sleeves' and whatnot).
Secondary skills
Players can either choose one skill, or roll randomly (with the possibility of getting 2 skills). These skills reflect the PC's background, and are treated as 'class skills' (i.e. the PC adds his class level to attempts to use the skill in question). Here is the list of skills [with d100 roll in brackets]: Armorer [1-2]; Bowyer/fletcher [3-4]; Farmer/gardner [5-10]; Fisher (netting) [11-14]; Forester [15-20]; Gambler [21-23]; Hunter/fisher (hook and line) [24-27]; Husbandman (animal husbandry) [28-32]; Jeweler [33-34]; Leather worker/tanner [35-37]; Limner/painter [38-39]; Mason/carpenter [40-42]; Miner [43-44]; Navigator (fresh or salt water) [45-46]; Sailor (fresh or salt) [47-49]; Shipwright (boats or ships) [50-51]; Tailor/weaver [52-54]; Teamster/freighter [55-57]; Trader/barterer [55-57]; Trapper/furrier [61-64]; Woodworker/cabinetmaker [65-67]; Entertainer (storyteller, musician) [68-70]; roll twice ignoring this result hereafter [71-00].
Where a secondary skill appears to resemble a class ability (e.g. 'tracking' by the forester and the ranger), the secondary skill ability will generally not be possible in 'hard cases', whereas the class ability can be attempted in all cases.
Many secondary skills are obviously inappropriate for certain races (e.g. forester or sailor for Vadhre/dwarves). If the PC is a nonhuman and is rolling, keep rerolling until a suitable secondary skill is generated, or choose to have your character be somewhat unusual in his background (though check with me first).
In my campaign, I have been using the following house rules, and they have worked out really well so far. (I have a few others, but they are relatively minor.)
What are yours?
Fighter styles. At fourth level a fighter can choose one of the following four 'styles'. The fighter gains additional benefits at 7th level based on the style in question. Some of these styles work in conjunction with the 'extra attack' ability fighters get at 10th level.
(a.) Aragorn. At 4th level the fighter can fight with two weapons with only a -1 penalty to each attack, so long as his 'off-hand' weapon is a 'small' weapon (i.e. short sword or smaller), and the fighter is wearing 'light' armour (chain shirt or lighter). At 7th level the fighter can move up to a jog and attack without penalty, or attack and withdraw from combat (up to a normal move only, not a jog) without penalty. Also at 7th the fighter gains a +1 bonus to his AC if he is wearing 'light' armour. A fighter using two weapons can attack three times at level 10 (once with his primary weapon without penalty, and once with both his primary and secondary weapons with a -1 penalty). The fighter must have dexterity as a prime in order to choose this fighting style.
(b.) Boromir. At 4th level the fighter gains the 'combat dominance' special ability. Combat dominance gives the fighter an extra attack with any weapon when fighting opponents with 1 HD (and the HD must a d6 or less). In order to use this ability, the fighter must direct all attacks in a combat round toward opponents that meet these criteria. The fighter can split the available attacks among qualified opponents as desired. This ability improves as the fighter progresses in levels (he gains an additional attack for every four levels after 4th level, so an 8th level fighter is allowed a total of 3 such attacks, etc.). At 7th level the opponent HD increases to a d10 (i.e. at 8th level the fighter can make 3 attacks against opponents with 1d10 HD or less in a single round, and at 12th level he can make 4 attacks against opponents with 1d10 HD or less, etc.). At 10th level the fighter gains an extra attack per round, but this ability cannot be used in conjunction with the fighter's 'combat dominance' ability.
(c.) Gimli. At 4th level the fighter can 'cleave': if the fighter fells one opponent in melee, he gets one free attack on an adjacent opponent (an opponent that is within the 'reach' of his weapon, and whom he can attack without moving). At 7th level the fighter can 'great cleave': i.e., the fighter can cleave up to four opponents (if he fells one opponent, he gets a free attack; if he fells that second opponent, he gets another free attack; if he fells that third opponent, he gets a free attack on a fourth and final opponent.) The character must be using a two handed weapon or wielding a one handed weapon (if feasable, like a battle axe) two handed. 'Cleave and 'great cleave' can only be used with slashing or blunt weapons, not piercing weapons. At 10th level the fighter can attack twice per round, but only the first attack can use the 'cleave' or 'great cleave' ability.
(d.) Legolas. At 4th level the fighter can 'rapid fire': i.e., attack with a bow twice per round with a -1 penalty to each attack. The fighter can also fire into melee without penalty, and with no chance of hitting an ally. Both of these abilities cannot be used at the same time (i.e. the fighter cannot fire twice into melee). At 7th level the fighter can complete a full move and fire his bow with no penalty (but can fire only once). Also at 7th level, the fighter suffers no penalty using his bow in close quarters (even when in combat with an opponent who is using a melee weapon). At 10th level the fighter's 'rapid fire' ability enables him to fire three times per round with a -1 penalty, or fire twice per round with no penalty. The fighter must have dexterity as a prime in order to choose this fighting style.
Spellcasting Abilities
Daily spell lists for spellcasters.
Each day a spellcaster prepares a list of spells for each spell level that he can cast 'spontaneously' as he chooses. For example, a second level wizard with 15 intelligence can cast 4 0-level and 4 1st-level spells per day. He would thus choose a 'list' of four cantrips and four first level spells, and could cast any combination of those four cantrips and four first level spells that day (though cantrips cannot be cast in place of first level spells, and vice versa). For example, say the wizard prepared for his first level spells burning hands, charm person, identify, and spider climb. He could then cast each of those spells once that day, cast identify four times (and not cast any of the others at all), or cast burning hands twice and spider climb twice. This option obviously makes spellcasters a bit more versatile, but is balanced by the fact that many spells will be unavailable. (FYI I got this option from the 3E UA. See p. 153 for a more complete description.)
Wizard staffs and Illusionist wands.
Arcane spellcasters require no material components or normal 'spell books'. Instead, the wizard's focus is his staff. The wizard can choose one spell from each spell level known (i.e. one 0 level spell, one 1st level spell, etc.) that he can cast without his staff, but for all other spells he needs his staff. Moreover, all arcane magic is rune-based (so scrolls and books found typically contain runes of spells). As the wizard learns more spells, he carves these runes into his staff, so the staff serves the role of a 'spell book'. The exceptions are those spells he can cast without his staff -- those are tattooed onto the wizard himself (his hands and arms). As a consequence, the wizard is heavily dependent on his staff (this is the main constraint he faces, to balance the increased flexibility gained from the 'spell list' house rule I am using, and to keep the sorcerer more or less balanced with the wizard). The wizard's staff is considered a magical item, and has a spell resistance of 15 + the wizard's level. Spells like 'shatter' and 'warp wood' would have to overcome that resistance to work. Illusionists are like wizards, except they use multiple wands instead of a single staff (and normally try to conceal their wands 'up their sleeves' and whatnot).
Secondary skills
Players can either choose one skill, or roll randomly (with the possibility of getting 2 skills). These skills reflect the PC's background, and are treated as 'class skills' (i.e. the PC adds his class level to attempts to use the skill in question). Here is the list of skills [with d100 roll in brackets]: Armorer [1-2]; Bowyer/fletcher [3-4]; Farmer/gardner [5-10]; Fisher (netting) [11-14]; Forester [15-20]; Gambler [21-23]; Hunter/fisher (hook and line) [24-27]; Husbandman (animal husbandry) [28-32]; Jeweler [33-34]; Leather worker/tanner [35-37]; Limner/painter [38-39]; Mason/carpenter [40-42]; Miner [43-44]; Navigator (fresh or salt water) [45-46]; Sailor (fresh or salt) [47-49]; Shipwright (boats or ships) [50-51]; Tailor/weaver [52-54]; Teamster/freighter [55-57]; Trader/barterer [55-57]; Trapper/furrier [61-64]; Woodworker/cabinetmaker [65-67]; Entertainer (storyteller, musician) [68-70]; roll twice ignoring this result hereafter [71-00].
Where a secondary skill appears to resemble a class ability (e.g. 'tracking' by the forester and the ranger), the secondary skill ability will generally not be possible in 'hard cases', whereas the class ability can be attempted in all cases.
Many secondary skills are obviously inappropriate for certain races (e.g. forester or sailor for Vadhre/dwarves). If the PC is a nonhuman and is rolling, keep rerolling until a suitable secondary skill is generated, or choose to have your character be somewhat unusual in his background (though check with me first).
