D&D 3E/3.5 How much do you mod 3E?

[Heretic Apostate]

Back in the day, when I had an RPG collection, I wanted to combine 3E/d20 with parts of GURPS and Alternity. (Well, also parts of other RPG systems, as well....)

Anyway, how much do you modify 3E?

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I drop/add races and classes per campeign, but the only consistant change I can think of is the tumble check versus reflex save.

If the harm spell ever comes up, then a save will be there.

FD

 

[Plane Sailing]

For my current campaign, lots!

If you look at my web site (see .sig) you will find regional classes, modifications to classes, prestige classes, feats, skills, combat rules, language rules, changed blood drains - probably several pages.

Would I use all of these rules for every campaign that I run? No. But I'm perfectly happy with instituting changes to fit the flavour of a particular campaign.

Cheers

 

[ichabod]

Lots. For my current campaign that just started I have:

• Changed several of the base classes
• Made NPC classes the same power as PC classes
• Converted the CoC psychic rules
• Changed the spell lists, which required writing several new spells
• Changed the way metamagic works
• Changed and added numerous weapons
• Completely redid all of the races
• Added aging to raising the dead

At this point I have to restrain myself from making more changes, out of fear of confusing my players too much.

 

[Crothian]

Very little. I think the game runs fine and having to big a change makes it confusing for PCs and new players.

 

[ForceUser]

Back in the day, when I had an RPG collection, I wanted to combine 3E/d20 with parts of GURPS and Alternity. (Well, also parts of other RPG systems, as well....)

Anyway, how much do you modify 3E?

Mechanically, as little as possible. I try to follow core rules and the SRD. Creatively, the (game) world is my oyster, and I'm here to mack.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Hmmm... Overall, a lot. If you looked at different sections, it would vary.

Races: Complete Revision

Classes: Most are Revised, Some Dropped, Some Added

Skills: A Few Changes (mostly added detail and a few new ones, Opposed Rolls rather than set DCs)

Feats: A Bit (added prereqs to redefine power-levels, a bunch of new ones, etc.)

Equipment: Changed per Region, New Weapons, New Armor, etc.

Combat: A Bit (W&V, Facting Rules, Defense Rolls, etc.)

Magic: Most Aspects Revised (Elemental-based Spell List for Sorcerers, development of "Higher Arcana" spells that while leveled 1-9 are "PClass Only", Greater Difficulty and Cost to Item Creation with a degree of failure, etc.).

Monsters: Mostly unchanged stat-wise, but require the proper "feel" to be used. If used, then given a suitable niche within the world and its history. Also, encounters with magical beasts and monsters aren't the norm, but rather the exception.

 

[Drawmack]

I don't change it all that much, the reason being is that I'm lazy. For example battle touches to many other things so I don't mess with it, same with magic.

What I have changed is:
Coupe De Gras - First time I read it, it seemed like a movie thing so I made my players write a description of their Coupe De Gras and they aren't allowed to say I'm performing a Coupe De Gras but rather they have to read their description, but I didn't change the mechanics of it at all.

Resurection - It is not automatic anymore and it can only be used a limited number of times. Resurection is difficult in my game because you're supposed to keep your character alive. However, the rules for this do not affect any other rules.

Preferred Class - I loosened it up, but like above it doesn't touch anything else and can be changed in a modular fashion.

I added a race.

That's about it except that a lot of the skill checks I don't force PCs to roll if they RP them unless it's an opposed check.

 

[DrSkull]

It depends. I ran a 33-session long campaign in which we stuck as close as possible to the rules as printed (I think we allowed the alt-ranger, disallowed coup-de-grace against someone under a hold person spell, and a few very minor other things).

But now I'm doing a Viking-flavored game and in order to capture the flavor, I changed quite a bit:
1) Eliminated some classes for "native" characters (wizard, cleric, paladin, monk, druid)
2) Added a few new classes (berserker, rune-smith, rune-master, vola, brewmaster, rune weaver)
3) added one race (trollson)
4) Changed NPC average level: most ordinary NPC's are 4th level as a default instead of first, to make warfare and raiding adventures more interesting.
5) created a new mode of spell casting--rune magic, that doesn't work like standard spells, but more like a scroll or wand.
6) monkeyed with available weapons and armor
7) Dropped alignment for all humans, humanoids and demi-humans.

 

[Ace]

Back in the day, when I had an RPG collection, I wanted to combine 3E/d20 with parts of GURPS and Alternity. (Well, also parts of other RPG systems, as well....)

Anyway, how much do you modify 3E?

I ahve 2 different D20 rules sets I use

The main one is a series of flavor changes and very minor rules mods.

The second is not really D&D its more of a D20 game and combat is rather deadly