DreadArchon
First Post
I'm working on house rules to create an environment with limited spell use and PC's that are moderately stronger than usual (but not as strong as gestalt, ideally). There will be a lot of planehopping.
With all that in mind, are there any large problems with this set of rules?
GENERAL
Magic Ratings
Magic Ratings are used, as given in Unearthed Arcana.
Action Points
Action points are used, as given in Unearthed Arcana.
New Feat: Improved Open Mind
Benefit: The character gains +1 skill point per level, applied to all past, present, and future levels. (Like Improved Toughness, this feat may only be taken once.)
DAMPED MAGIC
Spell Resistance
All creatures have Spell Resistance (SR) equal to their hit dice. This SR may not be lowered willingly, and thus applies against spells normally intended to be helpful, if such allow SR (Cure Light Wounds, for example). If the creature would have SR from some other source, that spell resistance is instead increased by one half of the creature's hit dice.
Spell Resilience
All creatures receive +4 to saves against spells and spell-like abilities and +4 to AC against spells and spell-like abilities. (Supernatural abilities function normally.)
Item Limitations
Items may not grant continuous (or near-continuous) bonuses to ability scores and all magical items and magical item properties, excluding potions, cost 10% extra.
CHARACTER PROGRESSION
Alignment
Alignment restrictions are, in general, eliminated. Alignment-based effects still exist, however.
Skill Points
All classes gain +2 skill points per level (x4 at first level as normal). These skill points may only be spent on Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge, Perform, Profession, Ride, Speak Language, Swim, or Use Rope skills. These skills are always class skills. (These skills are either common to average individuals, a facet of the adventurer's background, or both.)
Multiclass Penalties
These do not exist. Races with “Favored Class: Any” gain one bonus language of their choice.
Level-Based Feats, Abilities
Characters receive feats every odd level and ability improvements every even level.
Fighter “Dead Levels”
At level 3 and every odd level thereafter, the Fighter class grants +1 to each listed roll in one of the following sets: {Str checks, Str-based skill checks, Con checks, Con-based skill checks} or {Dex checks, Dex-based skill checks, Initiative rolls}. The player chooses which set at each eligible level (i.e. one need not take the same set every time).
CHARACTER CREATION
Ability Scores
30-point point buy, minimum 8 in any stat (after racial modifiers) and maximum 18 in any stat (before racial modifiers).
Mongrels and Planars
All player characters are considered to gain a -2 Level Adjustment (LA), which may not allow for the creation of characters with class levels exceeding their ECL. Characters with an Effective Character Level (ECL) equal to their class levels (or one higher than their class levels) must make up the difference with Bloodline levels, each of which gives the character +1 to Magic Rating and +1 to skill rank cap in addition to the usual benefits of a Bloodline of the appropriate strength.
Racial Changes
Goblins: No Str penalty; Goblins are unusually strong for their size.
Half-Elves: +2 Cha, but no additional bonus to Diplomacy or Gather Information; Half-Elves end up with the best parts of the personalities of their parent races.
Kobolds: Str penalty reduced to -2, no Con penalty, no Light sensitivity; Kobolds aren't physically useless, nor are they unfamiliar with bright light.
Orcs, Half-Orcs: No Cha penalty, no Int penalty; Orcs do not have especially weak personalities, nor are they particularly stupid (though true Orcs are still rather dense and careless).
With all that in mind, are there any large problems with this set of rules?
GENERAL
Magic Ratings
Magic Ratings are used, as given in Unearthed Arcana.
Action Points
Action points are used, as given in Unearthed Arcana.
New Feat: Improved Open Mind
Benefit: The character gains +1 skill point per level, applied to all past, present, and future levels. (Like Improved Toughness, this feat may only be taken once.)
DAMPED MAGIC
Spell Resistance
All creatures have Spell Resistance (SR) equal to their hit dice. This SR may not be lowered willingly, and thus applies against spells normally intended to be helpful, if such allow SR (Cure Light Wounds, for example). If the creature would have SR from some other source, that spell resistance is instead increased by one half of the creature's hit dice.
Spell Resilience
All creatures receive +4 to saves against spells and spell-like abilities and +4 to AC against spells and spell-like abilities. (Supernatural abilities function normally.)
Item Limitations
Items may not grant continuous (or near-continuous) bonuses to ability scores and all magical items and magical item properties, excluding potions, cost 10% extra.
CHARACTER PROGRESSION
Alignment
Alignment restrictions are, in general, eliminated. Alignment-based effects still exist, however.
Skill Points
All classes gain +2 skill points per level (x4 at first level as normal). These skill points may only be spent on Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Jump, Knowledge, Perform, Profession, Ride, Speak Language, Swim, or Use Rope skills. These skills are always class skills. (These skills are either common to average individuals, a facet of the adventurer's background, or both.)
Multiclass Penalties
These do not exist. Races with “Favored Class: Any” gain one bonus language of their choice.
Level-Based Feats, Abilities
Characters receive feats every odd level and ability improvements every even level.
Fighter “Dead Levels”
At level 3 and every odd level thereafter, the Fighter class grants +1 to each listed roll in one of the following sets: {Str checks, Str-based skill checks, Con checks, Con-based skill checks} or {Dex checks, Dex-based skill checks, Initiative rolls}. The player chooses which set at each eligible level (i.e. one need not take the same set every time).
CHARACTER CREATION
Ability Scores
30-point point buy, minimum 8 in any stat (after racial modifiers) and maximum 18 in any stat (before racial modifiers).
Mongrels and Planars
All player characters are considered to gain a -2 Level Adjustment (LA), which may not allow for the creation of characters with class levels exceeding their ECL. Characters with an Effective Character Level (ECL) equal to their class levels (or one higher than their class levels) must make up the difference with Bloodline levels, each of which gives the character +1 to Magic Rating and +1 to skill rank cap in addition to the usual benefits of a Bloodline of the appropriate strength.
Racial Changes
Goblins: No Str penalty; Goblins are unusually strong for their size.
Half-Elves: +2 Cha, but no additional bonus to Diplomacy or Gather Information; Half-Elves end up with the best parts of the personalities of their parent races.
Kobolds: Str penalty reduced to -2, no Con penalty, no Light sensitivity; Kobolds aren't physically useless, nor are they unfamiliar with bright light.
Orcs, Half-Orcs: No Cha penalty, no Int penalty; Orcs do not have especially weak personalities, nor are they particularly stupid (though true Orcs are still rather dense and careless).
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