House rule #1: "You can attempt to go anywhere."

[Asmor]

This is the house rule that most people find most intriguing, because it seems to violate a core principle of D&D:

I allow my players to tailor their characters' gear however they like, subject to the standard wealth guidelines in page 135 of the DMG. Every time the characters level up, they get to re-select whatever gear they want, up to the standard wealth guidelines for a character of their new level. So, a 2nd-level PC with 900 gp of gear, say, a masterwork greatsword, breastplate, a composite longbow [+2 damage bonus], ammunition, and other adventuring equipment, makes a level. He can select up to 2,700 gp of gear, say, a masterwork spiked chain, full plate armor, a masterwork composite longbow [+1 damage bonus], a potion of bull's strength, a potion of cure light wounds, ammunition, and other adventuring equipment. This completely replaces his previous equipment.

In addition to cutting down on intra-party squabbling about who gets what, it also saves me the hassle of second-guessing what the players want, and placing appropriate treasure in the adventure. It also ensures that the PCs are relatively well-balanced with respect to each other (nobody gets all the good magic items) and with the challenges they are expected to face (they are always equipped with a reasonable amount of gear for their level).

The standard in-game explanation for how the PC's gear improves is that he belongs to an organization that keeps him appropriately equipped. Along the way, we have developed additional handwaves: some magic items actually improve with the character (as a paladin grows in power, the +1 longsword he frequently uses becomes a +1 holy longsword, for example) or change because of in-game events (the +1 holy longsword dealt the final blow to a demon and now thirsts for the blood of other fiends, becoming a +1 holy evil outsider bane longsword), the character is given a reward, the character gains an inheritance, the character actually finds treasure at the end of the adventure, etc.

That's basically what the RPGA does. The only difference is that expendable items-- everything from wands to arrows to rations to tanglefoot bags-- cost 5 times as much, to make up for the fact that the player can freely refresh at the beginning of each adventure.

You know, I've loved that rule and considered running an RPGA almost entirely because of it... Never occurred to me to just steal the rule and play regular non-sanctioned D&D with it.

I definitely like the fact that it takes a lot of the burden off the DM for treasures.

As an aside... Maybe you could start a "party pool" that all the gold they gain from adversaries goes to, which is used for roleplaying purposes like purchasing land and constructing a keep.

 

[FireLance]

I'm not sure whether this is brilliant or insane.

Could be both. It will work for some groups, but not for others. That's the case for most rules, right?

There's a lot to be said for it, but doesn't it prevent you from giving out those interesting knicknacks? Don't you get a lot of sameness?

If I really wanted to give out an interesting knicknack, I'll put it in the adventure and a PC could hold on to it if he's willing to pay the gp cost. Since different characters will benefit from different magic items, there tends to be as much variation in magic items as there is variation in characters.

 

[Nifft]

Argue your point after the game.

Cheers, -- N

 

[papastebu]

I clicked on "new reply" just as I read Nifft's rule about arguing, which is what I was gonna say. Anyway, add to that, "Don't argue the point unless it is key to the way you want to play your character, how you want to develop your character, or you reall think your idea is that much better." Also, there is such a thing as a final ruling, beyond which, no arguing should occur. Stuff like these three really louse up everyone's fun, for, I think, obvious reasons.

 

[Slife]

This isn't a house rule so much as a deliberate lack of one... I don't like critical fumbles
If you roll a natural one when attacking, you have to roll on this table.


Critical Fumble Table (D100)
01-10 Automatic Miss
11-20 Your blade slips and your attack misses
21-30 You temporarily are off-balanced and your attack misses
31-40 A speck of dust gets in your eye and you miss
41-50 You get a splinter in your hand and you miss automatically
51-60 You briefly forget your combat training and your attack misses
61-70 You slip on some blood on the floor and your attack misses
71-80 An ally distracts you and your attack misses.
81-90 Your opponent dodges out of the way and you miss.
91-99 Automatic Miss
00 Roll twice on the table above.
Shamelessly stolen from http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=12188095#post12188095

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

My house rule #1: If I don't own it, you can't use it. In other words, character options may only come out of game books I personally own.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Action Points to reward player (and character) accomplishments.

That is, if the player does (or is about to attempt) something cool, I give them an action point... Or if the character accomplishes some goal... or if the player makes a really lucky roll, I give them an action point.

I also give 1 + (1/4 level) + Cha bonus action points at the beginning of each session.

The action points can be used in the normal way (to boost a roll, heal some damage, stabilize a dying character, etc.), and also replace the experience point cost for spellcasting and item creation. I don't use experience at all, levelling up the characters whenever we feel that it is appropriate.

Later
silver

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

No level loss from raise dead.

It's been my experience that:
a) characters who end up dying in fights either died due to bad luck or for being heroic and standing their ground for the protection of the rest of the party (or some other such example, too broad for me to define easily). One sample: trapped in the entombment chambers of the demon lietenant of Orcus, after stupidly setting him free w/o realizing who he was. The ever-cowardly psion had his heart literally torn from his body, and given the option of turning on us or death. He shocked us all by giving the bastard one last energy missile salvo. The thought of punishing players for stuff like that disgusts me to no end.

b) This goes hand-in-hand, but players tend to be a bit more selfless when they know they won't be penalized so badly for dying. My sorcerer in the current game sacrificed himself so that multiple party members who had been hit hard by Blasphemy wouldn't die (he was the only one out of the radius). While I'd like to say I'd do that any time, the fact is, knowing that death wasn't quite so devastating played a huge role in my deciding not to run away and protect numero uno.

I've heard the arguments about not taking death seriously, and I don't care. The cost is still prohibitive enough for it to be a common occurance, and in all games I've been in w/out the level penalty, the players all still seemed to fear death and avoid risking it as much as possible.

But, that's just my Rule #1a. Rule #1b is that Swashbucklers are proficient with bucklers.

 

[phindar]

Combat is off the grid. Please measure all distances.

Seconded.

 

[Vahktang]

I have a rule 0.
Have fun.