Well, I've been on a break from D&D for a while, mostly designing my game Pagoda (pluggidy plug plug) and dabbling in GNS theory. Consequently, I realized my Gamist motives are quite strong: I Need Strategy. D&D is the best game I know of for this, with huge numbers of options, and I'm not just talking about class choice: the feats, skills, and spells are limitless. And the system is infinitely tinkerable.
So, I'm back.
I'm revving up my engines for a relatively "standard" (as standard as I ever run, anyway) game. That is to say, basically your normal game, with a large swath of the torso ripped out and replaced with something else entirely. The cosmology will be strongly influenced by Sep's Wyre, as the magnificent bastard's writeups are, to speak plainly, awe inspiring. I plan to start the game at 7th level. So anyway, an amalgam of house rules I'm planning to use for the game (based off of 3.0, not 3.5)..
Characters
Ability Scores
All Ability Scores will be generated by distributing 32 points among them, using the Point Buy method described in the DMG.
Races
Humans, for the most part. There are a very few number of Fey Blooded, which use the statistics of Elves, differing as follows: Fey-Blooded characters do not gain the Elven weapon proficencies. Fey-Blooded with a Wisdom of at least 10 may cast the following Orisons, each once per day: Heal Minor Wounds, Know Direction, Light. The favored class of a Fey-Blooded is the Druid.
Floating Class Skills
At character creation, each player may choose two skills for their character to be "floating class skills." These skills are always treated as class skills for the character, no matter the class. If the character enters a class where these skills are already class skills, they gain a permanent, one-time +1 bonus to checks with that skill.
PHB Classes
The following classes from the PHB will NOT be appearing in the game: Bard, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, and Sorcerer. The remaining classes (Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard) appear without (or with minimal) modification. If a player wants to portray the paladin type, they will multiclass as a Fighter/Cleric. If they wish to play a ranger type, they will multiclass as a Fighter/Druid (for the spellslinging ranger) or take a few levels of the Rogue or Wayfarer (see below).
The Cleric's ability to Turn Undead becomes the ability to Turn Devils and Fiends, and works in an identical manner. A Wizard must specialize, and may choose to take either Spell Focus in their chosen school or Scribe Scroll as their first level bonus feat.
New Class: Wayfarer
The Wayfarer is a sojourner and traveler across the land. This class's design is based upon the Scoundrel from the SWd20RPG and the analogue class in the Wheel of Time role playing game. This is meant to be a jack of all trades class, allowing for a good deal of customization.
Hit Die: d8
Base Attack Bonus: Medium
Saving Throws: The Wayfarer may consider any one saving throw a good save, and the remaining two poor, depending upon the choice of the player.
Class Skills: The Wayfarer may consider all non-restricted skills as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Proficencies: Simple weapons and light armor, and then either shields, medium armor, a single exotic weapon, or martial weapons, depending upon the choice of the player.
Remarkable Luck: Starting at first level, the Wayfarer becomes extremely lucky. Once per day, they may reroll a single attack, save, check, or damage roll that they have just made. They may choose to instead force another to do the same with a roll that directly affects the Wayfarer. This ability may be used twice per day at 2nd level, thrice per day at 10th level, and four times per day at 18th level.
Skill Emphasis: The Wayfarer is prone to picking up a variety of talents. At 4th level, and then again at levels 8, 12, 16, and 20, the Wayfarer may choose a single skill (they need not have any ranks in this skill unless it is a restricted skill, in which case they must have at least 1 rank in that skill picked up as a member of another class). They gain a +3 bonus to checks with that skill. The same skill may not be selected more than once.
Bonus Feat: At level 9, the Wayfarer learns some esoteric method or useful practice. They may select a single bonus feat. There are no additional restrictions upon what feat may be selected.
Prestige Classes
The following Prestige Classes are permitted: (from the DMG) Arcane Archer with the race requirements eliminated, Assassin, Loremaster, Shadowdancer. (from Sword and Fist) Devoted Defender, Duelist, Ghostwalker, Lasher, Order of the Bow Initiate, Tribal Protector with the race requirements eliminated, Wepon Master. (from Tome and Blood) Acolyte of the Skin, Alienist, Arcane Trickster, Blood Magus, Candle Caster, Elemental Savant, Fatespinner, Mindbender, Spellsword. (from Song and Silence) Dread Pirate, Dungeon Delver, Outlaw of the Crimson Road, Royal Explorer, Spymaster, Thief-Acrobat, Vigilante, Virtuoso. (from Defenders of the Faith) Church Inquisitor, Consecrated Harrier, Contemplative, Divine Oracle, Hospitaler, Knight of the Middle Circle, Sacred Exorcist, Templar, Warpriest. (from Masters of the Wild) Animal Lord, Bloodhound, Deepwood Sniper, Exotic Weapon Master, Foe Hunter, Frenzied Berzerker, Geomancer, King/Queen of the Wild, Tamer of Beasts, Tempest, Verdant Lord, Watch Detective, Windrider.
All other Prestige Classes are handled on a case by case basis. For all prestige classes, any background material is completely erased, and may be redefined by the player to any extent. Prestige classes are to be used to emulate a character concept with game statistics, not to emulate game statistics with a character concept.
Feats
All feats from the PHB and the splat books, as well as Oriental Adventures, are permissable. The following feats may also be taken by any character.
Wide Talent
REQUIREMENTS: This feat may only be taken at first level.
BENEFIT: Pick one additional Floating Class Skill for your character.
Synergy
REQUIREMENTS: At least 2 ranks in each of the chosen skills.
BENEFIT: Choose two skills that are somehow related (Wilderness Lore and Knowledge [nature], for example). You gain a +2 bonus to checks with both of those skills.
The feat Skill Focus is altered to grant a +3 bonus to the chosen skill, instead of +2. The 3.5e version of Weapon Finesse will be used, granting the ability to use a character's Dexterity modifier with ALL applicable weapons. The Deflect Arrows feat is changed to the following.
REQUIREMENTS: Base Attack Bonus +2, Weapon Focus with a finessable weapon or Weapon Finesse
BENEFIT: You may Parry ranged attacks with any finessable weapon in which you have Weapon Focus, or any weapon in which you have Weapon Finesse. You may only do so once per round, and at a -4 penalty to your roll.
SPECIAL: If you have both Weapon Focus and Weapon Finesse with a weapon, you do not suffer the -4 penalty on your parry attempt.
Improved Unarmed Strike is changed to the following.
BENEFIT: You deal 1d6 points of lethal bludgeoning damage with an unarmed attack, and do not provoke an attack of opportunity with your punches, kicks, and similar manuevers. If you wish, you may deal subdual damage without penalty.
SPECIAL: This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time that it is taken, increase the damage die by one step, to a maximum of d12.
A character that takes Weapon Focus with the Shortbow or Longbow also has Weapon Focus in any Composite equivalent that they are strong enough to draw.
Combat
Parry
When a character takes a partial or full attack action, they may choose to withhold any number of their attacks, and use the withheld attacks as parries later on. For instance, suppose a character with attacks at +9/+4. As a full attack action, they could choose to attack twice at +9/+4, attack once at +9 and parry once at +4, attack once at +4 and parry once at +9, or parry twice at +9 and +4.
A parry may be used at any time before a character's next turn. When their next turn arrives, any withheld attacks that have not been used to parry are lost. When a character is attacked and they have a withheld attack, their player may declare that they are using any one of these stored attacks to parry. The player then makes an attack roll with their weapon, substituting their Dexterity modifier for their Strength modifier. Medium sized but finessable weapons gain a +1 bonus to this roll. If this roll is greater than the character's Armor Class, the result of the roll replaces their AC against the incoming attack (and no other). Only physical, melee attacks may be parried; spells are flat impossible to plock, and ranged weapons may not be parried without an appropriate feat. You may only parry an attack that you are aware of (you may not be denied your Dex bonus to AC against the attack).
Example: A character using a Spiked Chain takes a full attack action. They have attacks at +17/+12/+7. Their Strength modifier is +4, and their Dexterity modifier +2. Their AC is 19. They do not have Weapon Finesse. They decide to withold the last two attacks (+12 and +7) for parries. Later in the round, they are sneak attacked by a rogue, and cannot parry. After this, a the rogue makes two normal attacks. Our hero parries both, using bonuses of +11 and +6. (replace the +4 Strength with +2 Dex, add 1 for a finessable medium sized weapon). For the Parry at +11, they roll a 13. Their AC against the incoming attack is (13+11) 24. For the second Parry, they roll a 12. Since 12+6=18, and their AC is normally 19, our hero uses his normal AC against the incoming attack.
Knockback
Whenever a character suffers at least 20 points of damage from a Bludgeoning source, 25 points of damage from a Slashing source, or 30 points of damage from a Piercing source, they must make a Dexterity or Strength check (DC 10, +1 for every 2 points of damage dealt past the minimum required for the damage type). If they fail this check, the character is knocked back 5 feet and must make a Balance check, at the same DC as the initial Strength or Dexterity check. If they fail this second check, they are also knocked prone.
When a character makes an attack, they may choose to suffer a -2 penalty on their attack roll in order to eliminate any possibility of forcing their target to roll against Knockback.
Death's Door
Instead of dying when a character reaches -10 HP, they die when they reach negative Hit Points equal to their Constitution score plus their total Hit Dice. Thus, a human 7th level Fighter with a Constitution of 14 dies at -21 HP. If a character's level plus their Constitution score is 9 or less, their Death's Door is increased to 10. This benefit applies to player characters only; all NPCs have a Death's Door of 10, no matter what. A character at negative HP who is losing hit points does not have a 10% chance to stabalize, but instead stabalizes with a successful Constitution check (DC 19).
Spells
Prohibited Spells
All spells that revive the dead are prohibited. The only way to restore a dead is with a Wish or Miracle spell or to petition an Outsider of 100 HD or more.
Harm
Harm allows for a saving throw. On a successful save, the target is mearly dealt 3d6+your Caster level in damage. This damage may not take them below 1 HP, and is not applied to creatures at 0 or fewer HP already.
Clerical Domains and Deities
There are only two Gods in the cosmology: Baalel, the Master God, the Creator; and Loshem, the Nameless, the Destroyer. Baalel's Domains are Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Protection, Strength, Sun, Travel, and War (longsword). Loshem's Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, Luck, Magic, Trickery, and War (Longbow). There is also the Binding Force, the subject of the religion of The Way of Seeing Virtue in the Earth and Heavens. Although most clergy of the Way are druids, clerics of the order may choose from the following domains: Air, Animal, Death, Earth, Fire, Healing, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Sun, Travel, and Water. There is no god associated with the Way.
As usual, all who care to opine upon, praise, rave against, or state a proposal of marriage to the above text is welcome to do so.
Thanks,
--Jeff
EDIT: Coding, length warning
EDIT2: Fixed plug
So, I'm back.
I'm revving up my engines for a relatively "standard" (as standard as I ever run, anyway) game. That is to say, basically your normal game, with a large swath of the torso ripped out and replaced with something else entirely. The cosmology will be strongly influenced by Sep's Wyre, as the magnificent bastard's writeups are, to speak plainly, awe inspiring. I plan to start the game at 7th level. So anyway, an amalgam of house rules I'm planning to use for the game (based off of 3.0, not 3.5)..
Characters
Ability Scores
All Ability Scores will be generated by distributing 32 points among them, using the Point Buy method described in the DMG.
Races
Humans, for the most part. There are a very few number of Fey Blooded, which use the statistics of Elves, differing as follows: Fey-Blooded characters do not gain the Elven weapon proficencies. Fey-Blooded with a Wisdom of at least 10 may cast the following Orisons, each once per day: Heal Minor Wounds, Know Direction, Light. The favored class of a Fey-Blooded is the Druid.
Floating Class Skills
At character creation, each player may choose two skills for their character to be "floating class skills." These skills are always treated as class skills for the character, no matter the class. If the character enters a class where these skills are already class skills, they gain a permanent, one-time +1 bonus to checks with that skill.
PHB Classes
The following classes from the PHB will NOT be appearing in the game: Bard, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, and Sorcerer. The remaining classes (Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard) appear without (or with minimal) modification. If a player wants to portray the paladin type, they will multiclass as a Fighter/Cleric. If they wish to play a ranger type, they will multiclass as a Fighter/Druid (for the spellslinging ranger) or take a few levels of the Rogue or Wayfarer (see below).
The Cleric's ability to Turn Undead becomes the ability to Turn Devils and Fiends, and works in an identical manner. A Wizard must specialize, and may choose to take either Spell Focus in their chosen school or Scribe Scroll as their first level bonus feat.
New Class: Wayfarer
The Wayfarer is a sojourner and traveler across the land. This class's design is based upon the Scoundrel from the SWd20RPG and the analogue class in the Wheel of Time role playing game. This is meant to be a jack of all trades class, allowing for a good deal of customization.
Hit Die: d8
Base Attack Bonus: Medium
Saving Throws: The Wayfarer may consider any one saving throw a good save, and the remaining two poor, depending upon the choice of the player.
Class Skills: The Wayfarer may consider all non-restricted skills as class skills.
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int modifier
Proficencies: Simple weapons and light armor, and then either shields, medium armor, a single exotic weapon, or martial weapons, depending upon the choice of the player.
Remarkable Luck: Starting at first level, the Wayfarer becomes extremely lucky. Once per day, they may reroll a single attack, save, check, or damage roll that they have just made. They may choose to instead force another to do the same with a roll that directly affects the Wayfarer. This ability may be used twice per day at 2nd level, thrice per day at 10th level, and four times per day at 18th level.
Skill Emphasis: The Wayfarer is prone to picking up a variety of talents. At 4th level, and then again at levels 8, 12, 16, and 20, the Wayfarer may choose a single skill (they need not have any ranks in this skill unless it is a restricted skill, in which case they must have at least 1 rank in that skill picked up as a member of another class). They gain a +3 bonus to checks with that skill. The same skill may not be selected more than once.
Bonus Feat: At level 9, the Wayfarer learns some esoteric method or useful practice. They may select a single bonus feat. There are no additional restrictions upon what feat may be selected.
Prestige Classes
The following Prestige Classes are permitted: (from the DMG) Arcane Archer with the race requirements eliminated, Assassin, Loremaster, Shadowdancer. (from Sword and Fist) Devoted Defender, Duelist, Ghostwalker, Lasher, Order of the Bow Initiate, Tribal Protector with the race requirements eliminated, Wepon Master. (from Tome and Blood) Acolyte of the Skin, Alienist, Arcane Trickster, Blood Magus, Candle Caster, Elemental Savant, Fatespinner, Mindbender, Spellsword. (from Song and Silence) Dread Pirate, Dungeon Delver, Outlaw of the Crimson Road, Royal Explorer, Spymaster, Thief-Acrobat, Vigilante, Virtuoso. (from Defenders of the Faith) Church Inquisitor, Consecrated Harrier, Contemplative, Divine Oracle, Hospitaler, Knight of the Middle Circle, Sacred Exorcist, Templar, Warpriest. (from Masters of the Wild) Animal Lord, Bloodhound, Deepwood Sniper, Exotic Weapon Master, Foe Hunter, Frenzied Berzerker, Geomancer, King/Queen of the Wild, Tamer of Beasts, Tempest, Verdant Lord, Watch Detective, Windrider.
All other Prestige Classes are handled on a case by case basis. For all prestige classes, any background material is completely erased, and may be redefined by the player to any extent. Prestige classes are to be used to emulate a character concept with game statistics, not to emulate game statistics with a character concept.
Feats
All feats from the PHB and the splat books, as well as Oriental Adventures, are permissable. The following feats may also be taken by any character.
Wide Talent
REQUIREMENTS: This feat may only be taken at first level.
BENEFIT: Pick one additional Floating Class Skill for your character.
Synergy
REQUIREMENTS: At least 2 ranks in each of the chosen skills.
BENEFIT: Choose two skills that are somehow related (Wilderness Lore and Knowledge [nature], for example). You gain a +2 bonus to checks with both of those skills.
The feat Skill Focus is altered to grant a +3 bonus to the chosen skill, instead of +2. The 3.5e version of Weapon Finesse will be used, granting the ability to use a character's Dexterity modifier with ALL applicable weapons. The Deflect Arrows feat is changed to the following.
REQUIREMENTS: Base Attack Bonus +2, Weapon Focus with a finessable weapon or Weapon Finesse
BENEFIT: You may Parry ranged attacks with any finessable weapon in which you have Weapon Focus, or any weapon in which you have Weapon Finesse. You may only do so once per round, and at a -4 penalty to your roll.
SPECIAL: If you have both Weapon Focus and Weapon Finesse with a weapon, you do not suffer the -4 penalty on your parry attempt.
Improved Unarmed Strike is changed to the following.
BENEFIT: You deal 1d6 points of lethal bludgeoning damage with an unarmed attack, and do not provoke an attack of opportunity with your punches, kicks, and similar manuevers. If you wish, you may deal subdual damage without penalty.
SPECIAL: This feat may be taken multiple times. Each time that it is taken, increase the damage die by one step, to a maximum of d12.
A character that takes Weapon Focus with the Shortbow or Longbow also has Weapon Focus in any Composite equivalent that they are strong enough to draw.
Combat
Parry
When a character takes a partial or full attack action, they may choose to withhold any number of their attacks, and use the withheld attacks as parries later on. For instance, suppose a character with attacks at +9/+4. As a full attack action, they could choose to attack twice at +9/+4, attack once at +9 and parry once at +4, attack once at +4 and parry once at +9, or parry twice at +9 and +4.
A parry may be used at any time before a character's next turn. When their next turn arrives, any withheld attacks that have not been used to parry are lost. When a character is attacked and they have a withheld attack, their player may declare that they are using any one of these stored attacks to parry. The player then makes an attack roll with their weapon, substituting their Dexterity modifier for their Strength modifier. Medium sized but finessable weapons gain a +1 bonus to this roll. If this roll is greater than the character's Armor Class, the result of the roll replaces their AC against the incoming attack (and no other). Only physical, melee attacks may be parried; spells are flat impossible to plock, and ranged weapons may not be parried without an appropriate feat. You may only parry an attack that you are aware of (you may not be denied your Dex bonus to AC against the attack).
Example: A character using a Spiked Chain takes a full attack action. They have attacks at +17/+12/+7. Their Strength modifier is +4, and their Dexterity modifier +2. Their AC is 19. They do not have Weapon Finesse. They decide to withold the last two attacks (+12 and +7) for parries. Later in the round, they are sneak attacked by a rogue, and cannot parry. After this, a the rogue makes two normal attacks. Our hero parries both, using bonuses of +11 and +6. (replace the +4 Strength with +2 Dex, add 1 for a finessable medium sized weapon). For the Parry at +11, they roll a 13. Their AC against the incoming attack is (13+11) 24. For the second Parry, they roll a 12. Since 12+6=18, and their AC is normally 19, our hero uses his normal AC against the incoming attack.
Knockback
Whenever a character suffers at least 20 points of damage from a Bludgeoning source, 25 points of damage from a Slashing source, or 30 points of damage from a Piercing source, they must make a Dexterity or Strength check (DC 10, +1 for every 2 points of damage dealt past the minimum required for the damage type). If they fail this check, the character is knocked back 5 feet and must make a Balance check, at the same DC as the initial Strength or Dexterity check. If they fail this second check, they are also knocked prone.
When a character makes an attack, they may choose to suffer a -2 penalty on their attack roll in order to eliminate any possibility of forcing their target to roll against Knockback.
Death's Door
Instead of dying when a character reaches -10 HP, they die when they reach negative Hit Points equal to their Constitution score plus their total Hit Dice. Thus, a human 7th level Fighter with a Constitution of 14 dies at -21 HP. If a character's level plus their Constitution score is 9 or less, their Death's Door is increased to 10. This benefit applies to player characters only; all NPCs have a Death's Door of 10, no matter what. A character at negative HP who is losing hit points does not have a 10% chance to stabalize, but instead stabalizes with a successful Constitution check (DC 19).
Spells
Prohibited Spells
All spells that revive the dead are prohibited. The only way to restore a dead is with a Wish or Miracle spell or to petition an Outsider of 100 HD or more.
Harm
Harm allows for a saving throw. On a successful save, the target is mearly dealt 3d6+your Caster level in damage. This damage may not take them below 1 HP, and is not applied to creatures at 0 or fewer HP already.
Clerical Domains and Deities
There are only two Gods in the cosmology: Baalel, the Master God, the Creator; and Loshem, the Nameless, the Destroyer. Baalel's Domains are Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Protection, Strength, Sun, Travel, and War (longsword). Loshem's Domains are Chaos, Death, Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, Luck, Magic, Trickery, and War (Longbow). There is also the Binding Force, the subject of the religion of The Way of Seeing Virtue in the Earth and Heavens. Although most clergy of the Way are druids, clerics of the order may choose from the following domains: Air, Animal, Death, Earth, Fire, Healing, Knowledge, Plant, Protection, Sun, Travel, and Water. There is no god associated with the Way.
As usual, all who care to opine upon, praise, rave against, or state a proposal of marriage to the above text is welcome to do so.
Thanks,
--Jeff
EDIT: Coding, length warning
EDIT2: Fixed plug
Last edited:
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