House Rules Poll

[Drifter Bob]

DO you use house rules, and if so, what area of the game ?

 

[LazerPointer]

I've allowed casters to identify things with a successful spellcraft check.

And I house rule anything else I want when it suits me.

 

[Drifter Bob]

other modifications

If you enetered "other" please (briefly) explain

DB

 

[Deadguy]

I was set a challenge by a fellow DM (and a player in another of my games) to create a campaign that followed just the core rules.

Though it hasn't yet started, so far I have drifted away from that ideal in a couple of areas. Firstly I wanted the Lizardfolk to play a role in the game, so I created a Monster Class (a la Saveage Species) to accommodate them from Level 1. I also wanted to try out Action Points, so I have added them too (basically as written in Unearthed Arcana).

I think my motto has become 'Core Only... except where the Core Rules don't cover something that I need'!

 

[Gothmog]

For my low-magic games, I use:

Combat, weapons mechanics & / or damage- use lowered MDT dependent on size, Con mod, natural armor, and Fort save.

Combat, AC versus defensive roll / damage absorption- use level and class based AC bonus

Spell System / magic system (higher or lower or totally different)- lower magic, and completely different classes. No bards, wizards or sorcerers; new spell levels gained every 3 levels rather than every two, spellcasting rolls, etc.

Alignment- only outsiders, some undead, and inherently supernatural creatures show up on the Detect spells, and only those critters are affected by any spells that specificy they affect and alignment type.

Classes or Races- Only humans as race, although there are 14 different cultures that are effectively different "races" in D&D terms. 6 new arcane casters, 1 new divine caster, and 1 spiritual caster (the witch).

Experience Points / Leveling- None of that CR/EL crap- I level the group after an appropriate period of time.

Skills/Character Generation- I use social class tables for character generation that take into account a few extra skill points based upon background. Its semi-random, but the players have some control too.

 

[2WS-Steve]

I answered other: I imported action points into my last campaign--they were nice but not terribly exciting, and added background options (like d20 Modern professions).

 

[Piratecat]

I've allowed casters to identify things with a successful spellcraft check.

You mean spells, or just "things?"

"Look! That's a rock!"

"Umm.. yeah?"

"Yeah, I made a successful spellcraft check. And that's a dog. And over there? That's a sausage. Wait, oh my god! The sausage is eating the druid's face!"

"Dude, that's cause it's an owlbear. Not a sausage."

"Oops, right. Sorry guys. I think I rolled a 1."

 

[Nifft]

I think he means identify like the 1st level Sor/Wiz spell Identify.

-- N, thankful that sometimes a sausage is just an owlbear

 

[Hypersmurf]

"Yeah, I made a successful spellcraft check. And that's a dog. And over there? That's a sausage. Wait, oh my god! The sausage is eating the druid's face!"

[johnson]Sausage? Sausage!? Oh, blast your eyes![/johnson]

-Hyp.

 

[EricNoah]

My AU game uses an alternative "injury" system where characters can gain a "mobility injury" if they get hit with a lot of damage in one blow. This cascaded into expanded rules about subdual/nonlethal damage (blunt weapons, short falls, sonic and cold are all sources of nonlethal damage now) and new uses for the Heal and Craft skills that deal with herbal remedies. It's been a fun, slightly grittier experience.