Interesting homebrew mechanics to add to my campaign

[Arctic Wolf]

I use inherent bonuses and magic items are rare and hard to come by. Most PC magic items work more like mini artifacts.

PCs may choose one Post-Essentials Expertise feat or the Master of Arms feat for free.

I allow PC encounter powers to be refreshed by spending a standard action.

I allow two backgrounds, or one background and one free multi-class feat.

A natural 20 on a save ends all ongoing conditions, not just the one you are currently rolling for (monsters get this too).

PCs simply have one action point at the start of every encounter and they cannot be saved. I don't mess with the whole milestone thing.

On the DM side of the screen, I add +5 damage per attack per Tier for all monsters created prior to MM3.

If I feel a monster (usually solos and elites) are getting too many conditions stacked on them, I will occasionally at the beginning of their turn simply wipe all conditions away whether they are save ends or not. I try to do this sparingly. I don't want the PCs to feel they are wasting their powers, but I don't like the monsters getting pig piled with conditions either.

I like all that stuff and the nat 20 on saving throw sounds awesome. I have been doing the action point every encounter and I think it works out well. Also yeah, I don't like that milestone stuff anyways, just too situational for my tastes.

And I guess since I have time to explain stuff, I go into detail about my health idea. It will still be the same total but bloodied would be at 1/4 total hp and the rest will be considered temp hp. This simulates the energy used to absorb attacks and when it is depleted, real long-term effects can happen when a PC is damaged beyond bloodied.

With this system I am also redoing healing surges to restore 50% total hp as the temp hp and is used for short rests and they don't get any real hp back until they take an extended rest and it still takes awhile to fully regen that. There will also be no number of healing surges just if they decide to take a short rest, they will just waste time which could be used for other things.

Do you think this system is too brutle on the PCs?

 

[CypherWulf]

I printed up a half-dozen "roleplaying reward" cards for when my players get into things. The effects are pretty minor, but they're enough to encourage in-character thinking. Basically they say you can do one of the following and hand the card back to me as a free action:

Gain temporary HP equal to healing surge value
Re-roll any one die (taking the better result)
Force the GM to re-roll one die (taking the worse result)
Gain an automatic success in a skill challenge

Each character can only have one at a time, however I've had occasions where they role-played using the reward well enough to earn a new one.

I use these cards for several reasons. Firstly since I run an open table at my USO, I sometimes have inexperienced players who don't really get into the concept of roleplaying, and the cards help nudge them toward it. Second, since it is an open table, not everyone's character is at the same power level, the cards help me keep everyone feeling useful. And finally, on nights where only 2-3 players show up, judicious use of them can make up for the lack of PCs, and keep things moving.

 

[Quickleaf]

And I guess since I have time to explain stuff, I go into detail about my health idea. It will still be the same total but bloodied would be at 1/4 total hp and the rest will be considered temp hp. This simulates the energy used to absorb attacks and when it is depleted, real long-term effects can happen when a PC is damaged beyond bloodied.

With this system I am also redoing healing surges to restore 50% total hp as the temp hp and is used for short rests and they don't get any real hp back until they take an extended rest and it still takes awhile to fully regen that. There will also be no number of healing surges just if they decide to take a short rest, they will just waste time which could be used for other things.

Do you think this system is too brutle on the PCs?

The only problem I see off the bat are PCs who like to hang out at "bloodied" for extra bonuses (e.g. shifters and some barbarian builds).