If you could pick only three house rules for your game, what would they be?

[Bigwilly]

1. DM is always right even if I was wrong.
2. Power attack is one for one and counts for any weapon (3.0 version)
3. Metamagic as in Unearthed Arcana - see PCs post

Actually these are about the only house rules I have in place. I am pretty flexible on other stuff. I'm not keen on PCs taking multiple prestige classes, but that is more of a concept thing than anything else.

Bigwilly

 

[Berandor]

- Every spell, PrCl, feat, etc. from a source other than the PHB must be sanctioned by me. Also, just because I use a magister from AU to throw your off your feet, doesn't automatically mean you can play one. On the other hand, if you have your sight on specific items, feats, PrCl, etc. that I allow, I'll be happy to include them in-game to facilitate the aqcuisition.
- If at all possible, there will be no battlemap for combats. You will most likely have an advantage for it, as I will be lenient in terms of range, reach, and AoOs. Please try to speed up combat as good as you can, and know your abilities (feats, spells etc.)
- My changes to social skills are detailed in a document and on the web. Read them through carefully to know the distinction between bluffing and lying and the changes to diplomacy and intimidate.

Everything else is good to go - fun and ease of play are top priorities.

 

[DM_Matt]

vsdv

 

[Gez]

1. Fractional BAB and saves.
2. Fractional spellcaster power instead of caster levels. Non-spellcasting classes (barbarian, fighter, monk, rogue) and poor spellcasting classes (paladin, ranger) get a 1/2 level progression. Medium spellcasters (bard) get a 2/3 level progression. Strong spellcasters (cleric, druid, sorcerer, wizard) get a full progression.
   There's only one "spell per day" table, which depends on your spellcaster power; the same way as there's only one "attacks per round" table, which depends on your BAB. Some classes may give additional spell slots, which are then dependent on class level. Access to spell lists is likewise dependent on classes. That way, a wizard 5/cleric 5 gets as much spells per day as a wizard 10, and access to arcane spells of level 0--3 and divine spells of level 0--3. Bonus spell slots for high ability scores depends on the highest of his spellcasting abilities (either Int or Wis). He can uses his spell slots for either arcane or divine spells, as he wishes. He can use his spell slots of level 4 and 5 for lower-level spells, and for metamagic purposes. Also, he gets three extra spell slots, for domain spells of level 1 to 3.
   He can still only converts divine spells to cure spells, so a prepared arcane spell cannot be turned into a cure wounds spell.
   A multiclassed sorcerer/cleric can cast spontaneous sorcerer spells with spell slots left empty. He also gets two spell slots for spontaneous spells for each level of sorcerer spells he has access to.
   A multiclassed psion/spellcaster converts a spell slot in a number of power point equal to the spell slot's level. Two 0-level spells give 1 PP.
3. There are only four spell lists, arcane, divine, natural, psionics. Bards get access to arcane spells of the enchantment, illusion, and transmutation spells, as well as all arcane spells with the [Light] or [Sonic] descriptors. Cleric get access to all divine spells. Druid get access to all natural spells. Paladins get access to all divine spells from the Abjuration, Conjuration (Healing) and Transmutation schools, as well as all [Lawful] and [Good] spells. Rangers get access to natural spells from the Abjuration, Conjuration, Transmutation schools. Sorcerers and Wizards get access to all arcane spells.

 

[berdoingg]

1. No psionics
2. No dinosaurs
3. No guns

 

[FireLance]

Action Points: 1st-level PCs get 5 + Charisma modifier action points. Action points reset (they are not cumulative) to 5 + 1/2 Character Level + Charisma modifier every time the PC gains a level. A PC may spend an action point at any time to add 1d6 to a d20 roll. A roll of natural 1 modified by an action point is not an automatic failure. Other uses for action points may be found in Unearthed Arcana and the Eberron Campaign Setting.

I use action points to allow PCs to a better chance succeed when they really want to, and a lower chance to fail when they really want to avoid it. I find this makes the players happier and the game more enjoyable. Adding the Charisma modifier is to the number of action points per level is my way of giving a non-class specific mechanical advantage to high-Charisma PCs.

Character Gear: 1st-level PCs start with 300 gp of gear. The gear value resets (gear is not cumulative) to the standard PC wealth level every time the PC gains a level. PCs can have whatever equipment they want, provided no single item is worth more than half his wealth level.

My in-game justification for this is that the PCs all belong to an organization that keeps them supplied with gear appropriate for their level. I find that this gives the PCs the chance to play with the cool gadgets that they want (instead of waiting for me to supply them), and this makes the players happier and the game more enjoyable. It also encourages the use of one-shot and charged items. It also shifts the game's focus away from looting, accounting and bookkeeping towards the plot, the characters and the challenges. This also makes the game more enjoyable, in my view.

Magic Rating: All classes have a Magic Rating (MR) which stacks with the MR of all other classes. MR is used to determine the caster level of the spells cast by the character. Clerics, Druids, Wizards and Sorcerers get +1 MR/level (as Good BAB progression). Bards, Monks, Paladins and Rangers get +3 MR/4 levels (as Medium BAB progression). Barbarians, Fighters and Rogues get +1 MR/2 levels (as Poor BAB progression).

I find that this helps to make multi-classed spellcasters more viable. They still have access to less spells and can cast fewer spells per day, but the spells that they do cast are more effective.

 

[MerricB]

1) On attack rolls and saves, a natural 1 is -10; a natural 20 is 30.

2) Spell Focus gives +1 DC for spells with (non-harmless) saves; a +1 Caster Level otherwise.

Those are pretty much my only house rules.

Cheers!

 

[Berandor]

You've all got only three house rules? Whoa. I can think of a dozen more things I would like to add...

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

While not so much a house rule, it is more of a 'common consideration' I would say something to the effect of 'before you open your mouth to gripe about a situation, make sure you know what is going on.'

It is the kind of thing that comes up when a GM has created a hallucination or some kind of realistic dream and everything is going wrong for the PCs. Instead of thinking the GM is trying to screw you over, use the fact that things 'seem wrong' as a clue.

 

[Gez]

You've all got only three house rules? Whoa. I can think of a dozen more things I would like to add...

I have something like 90 pages of house-rules... Races, classes, prestige classes, skills, feats, alchemical items, weapons & armors, special materials, spells, poisons, magic items, hazards, fauna, flora, monsters...