D&D 3E/3.5 joela's KISS DnD 3.5 Houserules

[joela]

Place to keep houserules if (re)start another DnD 3.5 campaign:

Guidelines:

KISS = Keep it simple, stupid. The more esoteric the rules, the more players' eyes will glaze over and the DM will have difficulty keeping the game going.

Compatibility. Especially with published materials. Do you really want to go through ever NPC in, for example, Ptolus or the city of Sharn to make sure all fighters have a feat per level plus can wield stances/maneuvers from ToB: Bo9S? Or, worse, every NPC sorcerer/wizard is customized per the mish-mosh mix from UA? And let's don't even get started with monsters...!

 

[Aus_Snow]

Hong's Villain Classes might help here. Or another variant of that kind of thing, whatever.

Stripping out iterative attacks, too. Then add in Double Attack and Triple Attack as feats, as per Star Wars: Saga Edition.

AoOs are also pretty easy to get rid of, assuming in the first place you're indeed after simpler and faster prep and play.

One of these options could help, too.

Sorry if I'm completely off on a tangent. What sort of thing did you have in mind for these house rules, anyway?

 

[joela]

Classes

Use the Generic Classes from Unearthed Arcana with the following modifications:

Experts get a Skill Trick (see Complete Scoundrel) on every even level.

Spellcaster:
There are no separate arcane/divine spells. If multiple classes use the same spell, spellcasters select the lowest class level when determining if they can add the spell to their spell list.

Player chooses which ability score (INT, WIS, CHA) controls their spells for purposes like DC.

Use the Wizard's Spell table from the PH. Spellcaster prepare their spells per day like wizard but don't designate spellslots. Instead, like sorcerers, they expend slots as they use the prepared spell. They cannot, however, expend higher-level spellslots to power lower-level spellslots. (Hmmm. Add a feat?)

Warriors use the Ritual Warrior Combat Rites table from Arcana Evolved. Hmmm. See about adding Stances/Maneuvers from ToB: Bo9S as rank 6-9 Combat Rites? If so, only select the Extraordinary ones (everything except Desert Wind and Shadow Hand).

 

[joela]

Skills

One of these options could help, too.

Still debating about that one. I'm thinking all PCs use the "Maximum Ranks, Minimum Choice" option for their class skills, and use the "Level-Based" option for their cross-class skills. Thus, its easy to advance skill ranks by simply adding 1 as the PCs gain levels. Similar to SWSE, I may have feats available if players want certain more ranks in cc skills.

Thanks, Aus_Snow!

 

[joela]

Ability scores, feats, and level progression

Players may choose either to increase one of their PCs' ability score or select another feat when given the option to do either on the character level progression chart in the PHB. Thus, at every third level, a PC may increase an ability score instead of gain a feat as per the chart if the player so desired.

 

[joela]

Using metamagic

Spellcasters apply metamagic feats as a free action. Higher level spellslots are not used; instead, spellcasters suffer nonlethal damage equal to the cost of the metamagic feat. Empower, for example, would inflict 2 points of nonlethal damage.

 

[Derro]

Pretty good NPC classes here .

Spellcasters apply metamagic feats as a free action. Higher level spellslots are not used; instead, spellcasters suffer nonlethal damage equal to the cost of the metamagic feat. Empower, for example, would inflict 2 points of nonlethal damage.

That would make meta-magic go through the roof. Particularly if you are unifying the spell list. Any one of those druid fast-healing spells turns your spell-casters into meta-magic machines. Maybe not at really low levels (say 1-3) but by the time they hit 5th it is good night, nurse.

I'd suggest doubling or even squaring the value. 16 hp of damage is a considerable deterrent when you are talking about a caster quickening a blast every round. Maybe add the meta-magic level and the spell level together for the total damage. Either way you'll definitely want a heftier deterrent.

The skill tricks from CS are pretty cool but are there enough to offer at lower levels? I count 18 you can get by 2nd level so I guess so.

I always thought that Expert needed more bonus feats. It's meant to emulate the rogue and bard who've got an ability at just about every level. You might want to amp that up first or maybe alternating with the skill tricks.

Can't really comment on the Bo9S.

 

[joela]

That would make meta-magic go through the roof. Particularly if you are unifying the spell list. Any one of those druid fast-healing spells turns your spell-casters into meta-magic machines. Maybe not at really low levels (say 1-3) but by the time they hit 5th it is good night, nurse.

I'd suggest doubling or even squaring the value. 16 hp of damage is a considerable deterrent when you are talking about a caster quickening a blast every round. Maybe add the meta-magic level and the spell level together for the total damage. Either way you'll definitely want a heftier deterrent.

Thanks! I'll also consider it for my Eberron campaign which it's currently in use.

 

[Li Shenron]

Spellcasters apply metamagic feats as a free action. Higher level spellslots are not used; instead, spellcasters suffer nonlethal damage equal to the cost of the metamagic feat. Empower, for example, would inflict 2 points of nonlethal damage.

That's way too cheap. Plus, self-damage cost for spellcasting very often degenerates in uncontrolled class balance

If the reason for removing the higher spellslot cost is that you want them free to apply metamagic at casting time (rather than at preparation time), then try the route of making them pay the +X spell level increase by "burning" an X-level spell.

So for an Empowered Fireball, make them pay by "burning" 2 slots: the 3rd level Fireball + any other 2nd level prepared spell.

This is generally a benefit to the characters, since it makes each metamagic available at an earlier level. For very-high level PCs is still too good perhaps, when low-level spells are not so useful by themselves and casters have lots of slots to waste.

 

[joela]

Spellcasting and nonlethal dmg

That's way too cheap. Plus, self-damage cost for spellcasting very often degenerates in uncontrolled class balance

Thanks, Li Shenron. Those are good points. I'm now looking another house rule posted by Griffith Dragonlake. In it, spellcaster suffer nonlethal damage each time they cast a spell. Damage is spell level + caster level to, I assume, achieve the regular effect. I could easily see adding metamagic level into the equation.
A 5th wizard who then casts a Quicken (cost 4) fireball (3rd level spell) would take 12 points of nonlethal damage. Assuming s/he has 15 hit points without CON modifiers, that's a pretty big hit.