House Rules Poll

[LazerPointer]

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."

Your criticism is noted....now I gotta re-tool my system....

 

[Nilhgualcm Leahcim]

In my home game, wizards are like really big wands. They have 400 charges, when they are empty, it's time for a new wizard!
No, in our game now, we are doing a couple of things as house rule (1/2 + 1 for hit points per level, ranger, paladin, and bard are prestige classes i.e. UA.)
ONe thing one of our DM's started was the god roll on cure spells. If you roll a cure spell and don't like the result, you can take the DM's roll. SOmetimes that option is funny
"I rolled a 2. I'll take your's"
"OK. I rolled a 1 "
My next campaign is going to be Eberron. We are going to incorporate more of the action point uses, the taint rules, the dodge on everybody rule, and so forth.

 

[Thanee]

We made some changes to spells (voted other for it) and some combat mechanics (very, very little) mostly.

The rest is pretty much within the rules.

Bye
Thanee

 

[feydras]

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.

I like these ideas. I searched your site for details but was unable to find them listed. Any plans to put them up?

- Feydras

 

[Ferret]

I would like to use the VP/WP variant.

 

[starkad]

For those using spellcraft to identify items...

Do you have a chart or system you use? If so, can you either email me it, or PM me it, or post it?

I've been trying to find a scale that works for ages, and I had the one Icewind Dale 2 used, but lost it.

starkad@gmail.com is a good email to reach me at!

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Mods we use:

-75% hit points a level, max at first.
-4d6 drop lowest, 3 sets, choose best. You can reroll 1 die, ONCE, over a given set. Results in high ability scores, but we generally play mid-low magic, high combat, pulp action games that requires this. Plus we just have more fun this way.
-We use drama dice (a converted version of the 7th sea roll&keep system), but might switch to action points.
-Facing rules - 3x3 grid. pick facing when you move, or can spin instead of 5ft step, or change facing 1 side on a 5ft step move. Front 3 squares are normal combat. The 2 'side' squares on either side and slightly behind the opponent gets +2 to hit you, and you are -5 to hit them. If opponent is directly behind, you do not need to have a flank to get a sneak attack, opponent has +4 to hit you (+6 if they are actually flanked), and you are -10 to hit them. This emphasizes, rather heavily I might add, tactics in combat - as well as great teamwork. We prefer gritty action games with pulp feeling, using dramatic moves and abilities, with high combat and lots of tactical movement with miniatures.

 

[Gez]

I've changed a lot the magic system, and I'm continuing to modify it!

Otherwise, some customizations to most aspects of the game, the combat and weapons being the less affected. I haven't changed alignments at all.

 

[Gez]

One thing one of our DM's started was the god roll on cure spells. If you roll a cure spell and don't like the result, you can take the DM's roll. Sometimes that option is funny
"I rolled a 2. I'll take yours"
"OK. I rolled a 1 "

I use that for HD when levelling up.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

For those using spellcraft to identify items...

Do you have a chart or system you use? If so, can you either email me it, or PM me it, or post it?

I've been trying to find a scale that works for ages, and I had the one Icewind Dale 2 used, but lost it.

starkad@gmail.com is a good email to reach me at!

I'm not sure of any chart or if the DM just has a DC that he pulls out of his head, so to speak. I'm just a player, so I'm not sure.

Additional house rules:

If one rolls a critical hit, he rolls again. If it's another critical threat roll, then he keeps rolling until it stops falling within the weapon's crit range.

Critical misses: roll a 1 on that first roll? Then roll again. If it would've been a hit otherwise, then it's considered a "normal miss". If you roll and "miss" on this second roll, then out comes a chart which you roll a d20 again (no modifiers this time) to see the result. Like Sat. night when my paladin accidentally hit a fellow party member with her longsword. Ooops.

 

[Drifter Bob]

Our house rules are pretty extensive at this point.

Combat
A lot of my players have been ex military, and martial artists and / or historical fencers, so combat modificatoins are probably the most radical. It's sort of our own version of a grim and gritty system. There are a lot of options and potential outcomes, but combat actually goes faster than with the core rules, perhaps because there is less arithmetic to do.

• Hit points max out at 3x Constitution
• AC is broken down into damage reduction for armor (or natural armor) and a defense roll. The defense mod is Base Attack plus Dex bonus.
• Every weapon has an attack bonus and a defense bonus. The former is essentially based on reach. The latter is handled like a shield.
• If a Defense roll beats an Attack roll by ten or more, the defender gets a 'free' counterattack as an A of O
• if the Defense roll and Attack roll are equal, the weapon has struck the defending weapon (if any) and damaged it. This way weapons get broken once in a while.
• The DR for armor varies by attack type. It's a fixed factor for natural armor.
• You can optionally bypass armor to avoid the damage reduction, for a To Hit Penalty. Easy for light armor very hard for full (Cap a Pie or Natural Armor)
• There is a different critical hit system based on attack type, (IMO is simpler). This includes Impalement rules for arrows and some missile weapons
• There are a lot of new combat Feats based on real fighting dynamics. Some of these (like sidestep and counterstroke) are in the Primer.
• A few ridiculous feats like Cleave and Manyshot were eliminated.
• Naturally, there is a different weapon list, based on the actual weapons really used in Europe and parts of Asia during the pre-firearms era. No two ended weapons. No 10 lbs swords.
• The available weapon and armor also vary according to the time period of the campaign, broken down into a bronze age [pre 1,000 BC], Classical (greek and roman) Medieval (dark ages through 14th century) Renaissance (14th -16th century) and enlightenment period (16th century on out). That way in each era you have a slightly more manegable (smaller) list of available kit.

Magic we use the spell failure / success rules from the Primer of Practical Magic (c). All spells can succeed or fail and can also have extraordinary success or failure, normaly based on a spellcraft check.

We also use the extended list of cantrips and spells from the Primer , (c) and also Magic of Faeurun (c) and a few other books. Not all magic items can be manufactured. Familiars are gained from a spell as in the old days.

We also allow spellcraft checks to identify items and such.

I'd like to make a more radical modification to the spell system but haven't had the time to really think it through.

Class and Race

We have included some Classes from The Complete Warrior (C) and some races from Monsters of Faeurun (c) (Genasi, in particular) We use some classes from Celtic World (c) by Avalanche Press.


Alignment

Alignment detection spells only work on supernatural creatures. We have talked about adding another layer of variation to the alignment system but haven't done so yet.

Feats and Skills
All classes get a Feat every 2 levels. We use some Feats and Skills from Celtic World (c) by Avalanche Press.

Experience
Xp cost is doubled after 5th level.

Other

No multiclassing penalties or restrictions. I encourage multiclassing because it makes the characters less immensely powerful while giving them more options.

We have drawn up a Charisma modifier rule based on personal grooming, value of clothing worn, and quality of weapons and armor carried (in some circumstances) but it hasn't been implemented yet.

We have also been fooling around with a morale rule but haven't tried that out yet either.

We discuss the rules after every session (while trying not to argue about them too much during the actual game) and modifications if any, are suggested then and tinkered with. Our house rules have been pretty stable for a while now though.

DB