CAMPAIGN RULES AND GUIDELINES
(3RD EDITION CAMPAIGN)
v. 1.1 02/13/2002
FOREWORD
The purpose of this document is to explain some of the rules and guidelines that we will be following for the new campaign. We will be using a number of variants from various rulebooks and d20 guides. Most of these “house rules” were already adopted in our 2nd edition game and some of them will carry over. Some of the rules are new and are designed to work with the new 3rd edition rules and our style of play. My intent is to make this new campaign fresh and exciting. If you have not taken the Gaming Poll, please request one and take the time to fill it out. For those of you who have taken the poll, I really appreciate your honesty and candor about campaigning. I will do my best to honor your thoughts and ideas for our game.
Although most of you are new to this version of the game, I am not. I have spent the last year preparing for when we would eventually switch over to the new edition. Some of these house rules may not make sense to you at the moment and you may ask yourself why we are switching any of them. Plainly put, even though 3rd edition clarifies a lot of the vague game rules that plagued the previous two editions and their variant rule systems (Unearthed Arcana, Player’s Option, Complete Handbook Series), not all of the canon rules have a place in my campaign. Some are not balanced correctly for the kind of campaign that I want to DM. Most of you have not played under these new stricter guidelines. You have played in a free-form game where the rules are made up on the spot and rarely adhered to for long. This is about to change.
For simplicity’s sake, I have organized the “house rules” by listing the Table Rules first, then each of the applicable books (starting with the Player’s Handbook) that we will be using, by chapter and page number. Most of the changes occur in the PHB and will be easy to follow. I will be leaving spaces for additions and subtractions of the “house rules” where I feel they are necessary and will occasionally pass out an addendum sheet. That stated, you should be aware that any or all of these rules are subject to change at my discretion. If a campaign rule changes, the DM will attempt to notify the Players at the beginning or end of a game session with appropriate replacement sheets for your “house rule” binders. This does not mean that a notification is required to the Players for the DM to add, change, or remove an established rule. Rest assured, most of these initial rules would not be changed once play commences. If you lose or misplace your binder, it is up to you to request the latest copy from one of your fellow Players. Alternatively, you may e-mail me a request for the latest version and I will send you the newest electronic file. I can be reached at
sriley@carolina.rr.com. Most correspondence about the campaign should be handled through this address also. Please feel free to contact me about the campaign at any time.
When we decided to take on this new campaign, I felt that we should just go with the flow, be flexible, and treat this as a great opportunity to experiment and try things we'd never tried before. Heck, it's just a game, right? We'll add to, and take away from, these house rules as the campaign progresses. If you have ideas or comments please pass them along to me via e-mail or we can discuss them before or after a game session. I encourage all Players to take an active interest in the development of the campaign. Your help and participation will be greatly appreciated.
Now, without further ado, Sean Riley’s, 3rd Edition, Campaign House Rules!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: TABLE RULES 1
1.1 Quorum for Play 1
1.2 Character Sheets 2
1.3 Integrating New Characters 2
1.4 Dice Conventions 3
1.5 Books Used 3
1.6 Rules Discussions 4
1.7 Jokes and Off-Topic Discussions 4
1.8 Character History 5
1.9 Playing IN Character and Letting Others Make Their Own Decisions 5
1.10 Miniatures 6
1.11 Miscellaneous House Rules 6
SECTION 2: PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 7
2.0 Character Creation 7
2.1 Abilities 7
2.2 Races 8
2.3 Classes 8
2.3.1 Prestige Classes 9
2.4 Skills 9
2.5 Feats 10
2.6 Description 11
2.7 Equipment 11
2.8 Combat 12
2.9 Adventuring 13
2.9.1 Level Advancement and Character Records 13
2.10 Magic 14
2.11 Spells 14
SECTION 3: DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE 15
3.1 Experience Petitions 15
3.2 Experience Log 16
3.3 Most Valuable Player Vote 16
3.4 Optional Rules 16
3.4.1 Optional Rules: Opening Doors 17
3.5 Magic Item Creation 18
SECTION 4: PSIONICS HANDBOOK 18
4.1 Psychometabolism and Size 18
4.2 Use of Psionic Device Skill 18
SECTION 1: TABLE RULES
1.1 QUORUM FOR PLAY
A quorum will be achieved and play will start if:
1) We have a group totaling no less than two party members missing from the original group count,
OR
2) Those attending (Players and DM) unanimously agree that missing members (more than two) will not hinder play.
The following rules deal with tardy or absent Players and the definition of “quiet mode.”
Absent Player. If a Player cannot attend, and his up-to-date character sheet is on hand, I’ll run or choose someone to run the character in “quiet mode.” As in, "gee, character X seems quiet lately." The character will still participate in adventures and receive 80% of his total share of experience points for that particular session.
If the character sheet is unavailable, the character will somehow find an excuse to leave the game temporarily; i.e., sudden illness, ailing relative, kidnapped, etc. at the DM’s discretion. The character in question will receive no experience points for that session.
Players who know that they cannot attend the next game session should inform the group, particularly the DM, in advance. Arrangements for your character can be made at that time.
Be aware that Players who are frequently absent tend to have characters who become very brave when played by others! Do not fault them for your character’s death or disfigurement. It is very likely that you would have fallen to the exact same circumstance had you been here to play!
Late Player. If a Player knows he will be tardy (with a good excuse), and lets the group know at the previous game session, he will be considered to be in “quiet mode.” Arriving during the first hour of play (by 8:00 PM) will excuse the “quiet mode” penalty if we (the group) were warned during the previous session.
If a Player knows that he will be late to the game on the day of the session (knows he will be over 20 minutes tardy), he should inform the DM with a phone call as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in a quorum check (or vote, if necessary) when the other Players arrive. The character in question will then be considered to be in “quiet mode” for purposes of determining experience for the rest of the session.
If you are arriving late, do your best to fit right into the game. Try not to disturb the game (and other Players) when arriving late. If necessary, ask immediately to be updated about what has gone on in the session so far. This will help you make the transition easier and will keep down the “chatter” about outside topics not related to the gaming session that has already started.
Note. Obviously Players will not be able to make the game on time for every single session because of work, debilitating accident, etc. It is understandable that Players have lives outside of the gaming group. Excuses such as these will be evaluated on a case by case basis (probably by vote). The DM can and may excuse the tardy penalty at his discretion or leave it up to a Player vote if he chooses to, depending on the circumstances.
1.2 CHARACTER SHEETS
Please submit a copy of your updated character sheet. This ensures that your character will not break “story continuity” just because you could not attend. It has the side benefit of each Player always being assured of having their character (if they forgot it) so that they can play. Consider this to be a “snapshot” of your character at the time it was last updated. The character sheets that I have provided (Ema’s) or other similar sheets will suffice if filled out properly.
Character Record. (See section 2.9.1, Gaining Levels.) Character Records should be given to the DM after every new level. I recommend keeping a copy Record with your character sheet.
A character sheet should have the following items on it to be considered updated.
1) A clear and concise number of current Hit Points, melee and ranged attack bonuses with damage, armor class breakdowns (including flat-footed and touch attack), saving throw breakdowns, movement rates, and treasure/money you possess.
2) A detailed list of objects carried with their location and weights. Movement is very important in this game for combat purposes.
3) Feats and skills should be easy to find and read. Please make a note of what each Feat does on the sheet. A quick reminder and page number comes in handy with these. Skills should have totals listed separately from ranks, ability modifiers and conditional modifiers.
4) Magical Item lists with any important details about them (page numbers).
5) Any other pertinent information so that someone else may run your character.
1.3 INTEGRATING NEW CHARACTERS
Integrating new or replacement characters into the campaign will happen during the course of gaming. These rules specify the level at which a new character will begin. Players will be expected to flesh out new characters with the DM before the NEXT gaming session if your new character is to play with us. Make arrangements to discuss your character with the DM at your earliest convenience. This is not to say that if your character is killed in the course of a gaming session that you may not begin rolling up a new character at the table. Just announce your intentions and I will have someone next to you verify your ability score generation so that you may begin the process. New characters who start play with more than one level will need to chart their progress of character development just like any other character (see Maintaining your Character below).
If party’s average level is 1 through 3. New characters that start in the campaign when the existing party’s average level is 1 through 3 will start out at FIRST level. This is due to the fact that average level advancement for these characters will be quicker than the existing, higher leveled party members (see Experience and Gaining Levels below). These characters will start at the minimum experience needed for their new level.
If party’s average is 4 and above. In this case, the new party member will start at a level that is equal to the lowest current PC level that is actively adventuring with the minimum number of experience points needed to achieve that level.
Starting money and equipment. Starting wealth is as listed in the table on p. 43 of the DMG. Buying magic items with starting wealth is allowed for characters beginning at fourth level or above, but I reserve ultimate veto power on your shopping list.
1.4 DICE CONVENTIONS
Arguments over die rolls are not necessary when simple rules are put into place about how they work. These rules are practiced on gaming tables the world over. They are:
1) Dice must remain on the table and in view of others to count.
2) Dice that are leaning against some surface (cracked in a book) and are not properly sitting flat on a solid surface do not count.
3) All die rolls made for Hit Dice MUST be witnessed by the DM (see exception in Character Creation below).
4) Players, who roll multiple dice for percentages, attacks, damage, etc. MUST specify which die counts for what purpose BEFORE the dice are rolled. Otherwise, the rolls do not count. If you regularly make multiple attacks, specify which die is which on your sheet.
5) All rolls that have the fate of your multiverse on the line must also be made in the presence of the DM. I’ll determine whether the multiverse’s fate needs judging.
6) Dice may not be re-rolled for any reason just because you didn’t like the particular outcome.
7) Players caught with loaded or double marked dice will suffer greatly at the DM’s amusement.
8) Sloppy Dice, drink twice!
1.5 BOOKS USED
It is my intent to implement all Official D&D 3e Rules published by WoTC, plus other selected, high-quality D20 expansion products, these latter being at the discretion of the DM. Players should only need to use the Player’s Handbook during play. Other books, however, might be handy for Players in creating or detailing their characters. Most of these tomes, though, have sections that are only valuable to the DM. Other tomes will be handy for spells that will come up in play during the campaign. I have marked all “Player usable” books with asterisks. I encourage you to not look at other volumes, for the details will hurt your enjoyment of the game in the long run. Looking up creature statistics in any rulebook during play is forbidden.
For clarification, the books chosen for rules so far include:
*The Player's Handbook
The Dungeon Master's Guide
The Monster Manual
*Psionics Handbook
*Manual of the Planes
*Oriental Adventures
*Relics & Rituals (d20)
Creature Collection I (d20)
Creature Collection II (d20)
*Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
*Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
*Magic of Faerun
*Book of Eldritch Might (d20)
Traps and Treachery (d20)
*Dragons (d20)
Evil (d20)
*Hero Builders Guidebook
*Sword and Fist: A Guidebook to Fighters and Monks
*Defenders of the Faith: A Guidebook to Clerics and Paladins
*Tome and Blood: A Guidebook to Wizards and Sorcerers
*Song and Silence: A Guidebook to Bards and Rangers
*Masters of the Wild: A Guidebook to Barbarians, Druids and Rangers
*Dragon Magazine, issue 274 on…
1.6 RULES DISCUSSIONS
This topic is best mentioned here rather than being discussed at a game session. “The Rules” have been a hotly debated part of our gaming of late, and I feel that this new game version will quell some of the arguments that come up over rulings in play. Hell, I believe that this document will, in itself, stop some of the unnecessary fighting that seems to occur frequently.
So, I’m decreeing a cease-fire with regard to the rules debates that occur DURING a gaming session. Sometimes I interpret rules incorrectly during the game. Nobody’s perfect. But, in the interest of maintaining game flow, a quote from the DMG:
“It’s probably best if Players don’t question your rulings or established rules, propose new house rules, or conduct discussions about other aspects of the game (aside from what’s immediately at hand) during the game itself. Such matters are best addressed at the beginning or end of the session.”
I’m asking you to bring your rule debates to me before or after (rather than during) the game. If some dispute springs up, please remember that others are playing too. I’m also asking you to stop debating my judgments to garner the very best result for your character at every turn. Creative ideas are very welcome at this table, but constantly arguing about rules is annoying. If I rule against you, move on! Discuss it with me at the end of the game session or e-mail me if you think that I was unfair. The next time the situation comes up, I will again do my best to judge fairly. That’s my job, to judge fairly, and arguing over every decision I rule on makes my job very difficult. It is important to note that most every Player finds rules debates distracting from the game. Remember that we are all here to have fun.
On a similar note, regarding mistakes and misquotes on both sides of the DM’s screen. One of the reasons this particular group gets together is because we have similar personalities; i.e., we all enjoy debating, and we happen to be sticklers for accuracy. If I make a mistake or misquote from the rules that affects the course or play of the game, please call me on it so that we may repair it and move on. If the mistake is minor, or isn’t relevant to the flow of the game, don’t waste the party’s time. Accuracy debates cost time, interest, and FUN. If you persist in nitpicking over small mistakes, I’ll need to talk to you for fun’s sake. If you continue to argue constantly and disrupt the other Player’s enjoyment, I’ll (regrettably) have to ask you to leave.
1.7 JOKES AND OFF-TOPIC DISCUSSIONS
Here is a quick word about off-topic discussions. I appreciate getting together each week to game. There are many off-topic subjects that NEED to be discussed when we all get together. I’m not disputing this. Sometimes, however, enough is enough. If we are trying to get something accomplished right in the middle of a game, let’s try to not get too far from what we’re doing. The only house rule that I have about this is, if you come late to the game, say your hellos and then try to fit into to what we are doing rather than trying to get us to pay attention to what you are doing or saying. Just ask me to update you on the game and then try to fit in. There will always be time for joking around during the campaign, don’t worry!
1.8 CHARACTER HISTORY
All Players should (but don’t have to) write up a history for their character. Details should include where the character was born, what kind of family he/she had, how he/she was raised, and his/her reasons for adventuring. I recommend using some of the personality charts that I have handed out to help you get into your character. They are extremely helpful in determining your character's motives and personality. The charts are meant to aid in character creation and role-play, not to hinder you. If something is used during the character history that you find boring or uninteresting, you have the option of recreating your character’s personality—within reason.
Regardless of whether you choose to use these personality charts, I would like a brief background of your character. The history should include all of the following elements of character: culture, social status, family, weaknesses or fears, significant events of your character’s life, and his/her personality as a result of those events. The history should be written out (typed preferably) and be at least half a page. If you have any questions regarding your character’s history, or you want to know what I will tolerate, please ask me. I am free to work on your character at any time outside of the game session.
Don’t feel that you need to fill in every detail for your character at the very start. A lot of your character’s personality will be decided by your interactions with other PCs and the game world around you (i.e., the DM). When writing your character history you may get the opportunity to gain free ranks in a Professional skill. If you wish to receive this benefit, it must result from a particular event that you will have to keep as a part of your character’s history. Loyalties to the various institutions in your character’s life should also be noted in the background. I ask and recommend that you don’t go overboard. I reserve the right to veto any part of a history that will make a mockery of my campaign (basically, no outrageousness). Most characters would only need the thought of dissatisfaction with the lot that life had handed to them to go adventuring. No better reason than that for seeking your fortune and risking the perils of an adventuring life.
If you have questions regarding your character’s history, feel free to ask (or see 2.6). Histories should be finished by the end of the third full gaming session that the particular PC had a part in. Please contact me with your ideas so that I can help shape them to my particular vision.
1.9 PLAYING IN CHARACTER AND LETTING OTHERS MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS
Playing in-character is very important to help establish a world of fantasy and get you into the game of Dungeons and Dragons. Role-playing is the key to this. A Player should take every opportunity to be in-character. I believe that when you are at the table, you should be in-character. “If you say it, you do it” will be the new motto for the game. This is not to say that discussion about what is going on should not happen. I will take every opportunity to describe the current situation to the Players. If you need me to clarify something that is going on, just ask me. If I feel that your character would know the information, you will be told and given an opportunity to make your decision. I’m setting this rule in place because if you yell out, “NO!!! Don’t touch THAT!!!”, that is what your character really said (see next paragraph). If something detrimental happens because of your character’s actions, you can’t go back and say, “I really meant to do this,” after the fact and then expect that is what “really” happened.
We all know full well when your neighbor Player is about to make a critical mistake and get himself killed. Or worse, we demand that the character do something different, because it interferes with a well-crafted plan. Most of the time this happens during combat, but occasionally it occurs when the stakes are not so high. So, simply put, this new rule is in place for Players who dictate the actions of others. If you do so, you will receive a warning. If you persist, I will dream up some horrible fate for your character (probably experience point loss)! Plainly put, let other Players make their own decisions. You don’t like being told what to do; neither do they.
1.10 MINIATURES
We will be using miniatures to represent your character in most battles. This will help keep the pace of the action going and keep you aware of your surroundings and combatants during the action. Use of miniatures will be discussed below under Combat. I request that each Player come with some token to represent his/her character for the game. This does not have to be a fully detailed miniature. Other items will suffice, as long as the base is not larger than one inch across. An inch is the unit of measure we will use for combat grids. Each square inch represents a five-foot square area. I will reward Players for bringing a painted miniature to the table for play. Be prepared to leave your miniature with the DM so that we may have consistency in combat if you cannot attend. Miniatures for summoned creatures will also be highly valued. Other implements for the Combat map will be helpful, and suggestions to help speed up the combat process are always needed. Crafting “templates” that mimic your spell area of effects will come in handy for seeing who is “hit” and who is not.
1.11 MISCELLANEOUS HOUSE RULES
Player Character’s Planning. As long as all the Players are having fun, I encourage you to concoct schemes, plans, and strategies. I highly recommend doing it in-character. When you start doing this, however, I see it as a chance to grab some pizza, hit the bathroom, do bookkeeping, or figure out what the NPCs are up to. So I'll completely tune out unless some refereeing is needed. This offers the additional benefit of reducing my temptation to modify NPC plans based on yours. When you are done, or when I think enough time has passed, I'll return to Dungeon Master Mode and ask what you are doing. Do not assume that I have any idea of what your beautiful plan is. Just tell me what your characters do when I get back. If Players forget what their roles are in the plan, that's life.
Food and Provisions for Characters. You should make every effort to chart the amount of food, not water (although in a desert…) that you carry and consume. You might quickly find yourself in an unsettled area and lack of food could contribute to your demise. The same holds true with other provisions such as spell components (see 2.10 Magic), ammunition, etc. Keep an accurate tally of what you expend. Once it’s gone, you will need to find some way to replace it. Don’t expect every little hamlet that you run across to have all (or any) of the provisions that you need. Even some of the largest cities have trouble keeping a stock of rare items.
Summoned Creatures, Animal Companions, and Familiars. It is up to the Player who summons these creatures to keep full statistics for their new companions for game purposes. Frequently summoned creatures statistics are best kept on an index card. The DM will roll up the variable statistics (mainly HP) for these creatures. In combat, it will help to have something depicting the creature, animal or familiar for the combat board. I recommend a miniature for familiars and companions because of their regular use, but other summoned creatures could use a die or chit for their placement in combat. All of the above creatures should have their own initiative rolls, although they frequently wait for their master’s initiative number for a command before acting.
Cows. Be very wary of cows. They are deceptive, malign beasts.
Snacks. Bring if you got them! I’ll still provide beer, although I need to reiterate that it costs me money to do so. Please contribute. Again, blame the bovine for the high cost of alcohol in our region. The price is still 75¢ a can.
SECTION 2: PLAYER’S HANDBOOK
2.0 CHARACTER CREATION
1) For Ability Scores Generation, the campaign uses the 4d6, six times method described in the Player's Handbook, with a slight modifier. You may re-roll any one, once, to obtain a better result per set of four dice. If the re-roll is a one, you may not roll it again.
If you do not care for your first set of 6 scores, you may discard them (permanently) and start over. If you dislike the second set, you may discard these also for another attempt. Your third try is your last try. You MUST take the third set, regardless of the other two. Be very careful when discarding your first and second set of scores. You cannot go back!
Ability scores must be rolled in front of the DM. Ability scores rolled outside of the DM’s presence will not be counted. Good luck!
OR USE
2) Use the Standard Point Buy system detailed on pages 19 to 20 of the DMG with 36 points. When using this method, you start with an eight in each of the six Ability Scores. Use this table for the point conversion. For example, to achieve a score of 17 in one Ability you must spend 13 points.
9 1 14 6
10 2 15 8
11 3 16 10
12 4 17 13
13 5 18 16
You may use the point buy system to roll up your characters without the DM being present. I will follow up by checking the scores. You will find that you can end up with a Total Ability Modifier of +11 with this system. No luck needed!
Hit Points at 1st Level. All classes get the maximum number of Hit Points for their Class at 1st level, plus their Constitution Ability Modifier, for the total.
2.1 ABILITIES
Nothing in this section will change from the printed rules. You should make note of the descriptions below each entry for each of the Ability Scores. Some things have changed from earlier versions and it never hurts to look. One thing of importance: when an Ability Score that is associated with spell casting drops to a nine or below, the affected individual cannot cast spells at all, until cured.
From page 83 of the DMG: A Str of 0 means a character falls to the ground helpless. A Dex of 0 means the character is paralyzed. A Con of 0 means the character is dead. An Int, Wis, or Chr of 0 means the character is unconscious.
Remember that a character gets to add +1 to any Ability Score at 4th level and every four levels after that (i.e., one at 8th, one at 12th, etc.).
2.2 RACES
Nearly anything goes. Humans can belong to any of the sub-races of Greyhawk (Oeridian, Sueloise, etc.). Unless otherwise specified, humans are assumed to be of mixed blood. Other sub-races will be allowed only if approved by the DM. Be aware that sub-races might carry different Ability Score modifiers than their basic counterparts. Also, sub-races tend to be more powerful then races from the Players Handbook and, therefore, carry a larger Effective Class Level. Before you decide to play any sub-race, check with the DM to see if it is allowed in the campaign.
Monster races will also be allowed if you meet the following prerequisites.
1) You can afford the monster levels at the start of the character process.
2) You have played at least one character with a race from the Players Handbook (or sub-race of a PH race) for at least six months of game time.
3) The character type MUST fit in well with the other Player Characters (DM’s prerogative). Don’t expect a storm-giant monk to work well with others.
Any creature that can become invisible at will, become ethereal or astral, or can fly, will NOT be allowed as PCs (at this time). The DM can deny a monster character at any point if it proves to be unbalancing to the game. If this is the case, I will notify the Player and then retire the character in a game session appropriately.
2.3 CLASSES
You may select from any of the 11 basic character classes outlined in the Player's Handbook. No custom classes will be accepted at this time. All characters begin with one character class; no first level multi-classing will be allowed. Feel free to deviate from the starting packages (given at the end of each class description) to create your own character. They were designed to be guidelines to help with the process of character creation.
The following Classes have had some modifications made to them.
Druids. Druids will start the game with access to all Druid spells from the Relics & Rituals book (see section 2.11 for details).
Rangers. I will be using Ranger Redone (Monte Cook) for outlining the Ranger Class. Please ask the DM to have a copy of this work if you are considering picking up a Level of Ranger during the campaign. Briefly, the Ranger is allowed better saves, Skill Points, Feats and spell casting in exchange for a lower Hit Die (d8) and less automatic Feat gains (no automatic Ambidexterity or Two-Weapon Fighting if in light armor).
Sorcerers. Sorcerers may only learn Arcane Spells whose names do not contain proper names (i.e., "Tenser's Floating Disk,” "Nystul's Magical Aura"). They may learn other spells (up to their maximum) only if the spell is on a scroll, in a spell book, or if they do spell research after the first level.
2.3.1 PRESTIGE CLASSES
Prestige Classes can be a big part of character creation. These specialty classes allow characters to narrow their development focus and become experts within their new class. Prestige Classes always have prerequisites for their use in the campaign. These prerequisites will be strictly adhered to, and may be augmented if the DM chooses. Some Prestige Classes will require special role-playing before they may be adopted. Any Prestige Class is subject to DM approval for PC use. Remember that half of the Prestige Classes apply to NPCs only. Please request DM consideration well in advance if you are considering playing a Prestige Class. Don’t wait until the last minute and expect that your Prestige Class will be available for play.
Below is the list of Prestige Classes that have been accepted for use by Player Characters. Changes introduced are noted next to the class. Sources and page numbers are listed for convenience.
Arcane Archer. DMG, p. 28.
Dragon Disciple. TB, p. 55.
Dwarven Defender. DMG, p. 32.
Shadowdancer. DMG, p. 34.
Stonelord. Dragon #278.
2.4 SKILLS
Certain character skill checks will always be determined by the DM. This is due to the fact that a Player should not know the result of the check made for the character. If the Player did know, it would result in extreme Metagame thinking. Metagame thinking is when Players make their characters do something that the characters wouldn’t possibly know to do. For example, if I let a Player roll a search check against a DC of 15 and he rolled a total of 10, he would automatically know that he didn’t make a high enough roll to find something. He would probably try again.
Some of the skills that I roll for are: Appraise, Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, and Wilderness Lore.
If you have a suggestion for a new Craft, Knowledge, or Profession skill, please make it known for DM consideration.
The following skills have undergone some changes.
Bluff. Feinting in Combat. PHB, page 64. This function of Bluff is not allowed.
Spellcraft. The ability to identify a spell as it is being cast will be played as “not an action.” In addition, you and the spellcaster must be within (roughly medium range) 100 feet +10 feet per level of each other, in order to use this ability.
Wilderness Lore. Choose a terrain upon attaining this skill in any of the following: arctic, aquatic, barrens or badlands, desert, forest or woods, hills, jungle, marsh or swamp, mountain, plains, or underground. Wilderness Lore checks made within this terrain gains a circumstance bonus of +2. Wilderness Lore checks in other terrain types receive a circumstance penalty of –2 until the character has become accustomed to the new terrain (typically 3d4 days). He must then make a Wilderness Lore skill check at DC of 10 to become acquainted with the new terrain. After the orientation and the successful skill check, the penalty moves to 0. Each time a character reenters a previously visited terrain, he must make a skill check with a DC of 15 to retain knowledge of that terrain type. Otherwise, he must reacquaint himself within it. Characters with the Wilderness Lore skill must mark the terrain type they have ranks in, as well as the types they have become acquainted with, on their character sheet.
2.5 FEATS
A quick word about Feats. If you look at the list of books that we are using for the campaign and add up the Feats you find within them, you would have 363 Feats to choose from (# of current official WoTC Feats). This is quite a few, considering that a human fighter character (which receives the most Feats) will only receive 19 of them by the time he achieves 20th level. The average character could expect half that amount. With over 400 total Feats for the campaign (and the list is growing), it is understandable that you might have trepidation over the Feats you choose for your character. I will work with you to make your decisions. A number of these Feats have prerequisites that will lead to more powerful choices. It is up to the Player (with DM help) to sort out the large number of Feat options. Although it may seem daunting, remember that Feats are what help a character stand out from the rest of the crowd. Just remember these rules when choosing Feats.
1) Once a Feat is chosen, it is final. Carefully read the description of the Feat(s) you want to choose. You will not be allowed to go back and change your choices.
2) Feats will only be accepted into the game after they have been reviewed and approved by the DM. This rule applies to any Feat that is not in the Players Handbook. All Feats in the PHB are deemed acceptable for the campaign (PHB Feat changes below).
3) If you have a Feat for me to consider (one that is not listed in the PHB), please bring it to me early (before you need to pick it). If you do not give me enough time to weigh the Feat’s impact for the campaign, you will not be allowed to gain the Feat at that point in time.
4) Feats from sources outside our listed books will not be considered for the campaign until the source (book, internet, etc.) is reviewed and added by the DM.
5) You may design your own Feats! These will be picked over thoroughly by the DM before they can be added to a character. Rule 3 is very important here. Please allow enough time for me to consider the impact of your Feat and be able to give input on it.
6) Not every Feat from the approved manuals will be accepted. Some are unbalanced for the campaign. A list of Feats that have been banned will appear at the end of this section.
Changed Feats.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency. Requiring someone to take this Feat once for every exotic weapon seems a bit harsh, especially considering the large number of exotic weapons in the campaign. Choosing this Feat will now give you proficiency with one exotic weapon for free. After that, you can spend four Skill Points to become proficient with any other exotic weapon. You may spend the four Skill Points multiple times to gain additional exotic weapon proficiencies.
Brew Potion and Scribe Scroll. (see section 3.5, Magical Items, below)
Skill Focus. The Skill Focus Feat is worth +3. Normal is +2.
Sunder. Works with Bludgeoning weapons. Normal is Slashing weapons, see PHB, page 136.
Toughness. Gives +5 extra hit points. Normal is +3.
Banned Feats.
There are no banned Feats at this time.
2.6 DESCRIPTION
Alignment. Three Alignment deviations will be recorded before a non-magical alignment change occurs. Players will be informed of any Alignment deviations after the game session in which they occur. If three deviations occur in one game session, Alignment change may occur without Players’ prior knowledge. I WILL be a stickler about Players following a character’s Alignment. Be very careful when you choose it. Role-playing “In Alignment” is very important for creating a believable character.
If a character slips a place in Alignment, the slip may have associated consequences. Please review Alignment under the following classes: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk and Ex-Monk, and Paladin and Ex-Paladin. Prestige Classes typically have Alignment Restrictions as well.
Please review the PHB, page 89, for information on Alignment. I recommend that every Player review this section before choosing a character’s Alignment.
Religion. I will be using the deities listed in the PHB as well as in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. We are playing in the Greyhawk Campaign Setting and will be using those deities as a base. If you wish to worship a deity that is not listed in one of these two sources, please bring it to the DM for consideration.
Aging effects. The affects of aging on characters (PHB, page 93) will be applied during play. Certain sub-races and monster races are not represented on the chart (6-5). If you have been allowed to play such a character, the DM will provide the Player with the age brackets and maximum age a character can achieve.
Looks, Personality and Background. Most of this has been covered in section 1.8. Please refer to the PHB, pages 93-94, for more ideas on developing your character.
2.7 EQUIPMENT
Coins and Exchange. The different regions of Greyhawk use various mints of coins. If a realm mints its own coin, they most likely will be named and referred to as such (for example, Veluna’s coins are: Brilliant(pp), Crook(gp), Staff(ep), Tower(sp), and Hand(cp). If a barkeep requests three hands for a glass of ale, you need to give him the three coppers he needs). Most engravings display the ruler of the realm or their coat of arms.
The common exchange rate is 1 pp = 10 gp = 20 ep = 100 sp = 1,000 cp. Expect to need to change money to the common currency before spending it. The common taxation for coin exchange varies, but is usually 5 or 10 percent. Coins to Gems or vice versa, are always taxed at 10%. A moneychanger or tax officer is usually needed for this exchange.
Selling Loot. Please refer to the PHB, page 96. The rule will be played as written.
Equipment and Upkeep. Only the equipment listed in the Players Handbook is available for purchase by beginning or joining characters. Equipment from other sources is considered treasure and will be found or bought as such; in addition, it will usually require real game-time training to use proficiently. All equipment is assumed to be on the character’s person unless otherwise arranged during role-playing, and is subject to being stolen, rained on, fireballed, etc. There will be a monthly upkeep fee contingent on a character’s lifestyle, per PC and NPC per month (see DMG, page 142), to represent the basic care and repair of items, and room and board costs. The amount will vary with the economy, activities of the characters involved, and, mainly, the character’s desired lifestyle. Rates range from Meager (5 gp) to Extravagant (200 gp). Ask the DM to elaborate on monthly upkeep costs.
2.8 COMBAT
We will follow all of the standard rules given in the PHB except these.
Firing Into Melee. There are two ways to fire into melee: carefully and carelessly. An attack roll of a natural one is subject to a Fumble Check. In either case, if a creature provides cover to the target creature and you roll within the bonus provided by the covering creature, you roll again against its normal AC to see if you hit.
If you fire carefully, you are -4 to hit as per the PHB, and can only accidentally hit a creature if it provides cover to the creature you are targeting.
If you fire carelessly, you do not take the -4 penalty, but if you roll a natural 1 through 4, you have a chance to hit a random creature within the target area (even if the roll would have normally hit the creature). A natural roll of one is subject to both the Fumble Check and the random hit. The DM rolls to determine which creature in the area (a 10’ radius) might get hit. The attacker immediately rolls another to hit roll against the random creature’s AC. Again, cover applies.
The Feat, Precise Shot, if used, negates the choice of firing carefully or carelessly.
Recovering Arrows. 25% of Magical Arrows that are fired and miss their target can be gathered (if possible) and reused. Any non-magical arrows that hit are no longer useable, as per the PHB. 50% of any missed, non-magical arrows can be recovered after combat (again, if possible).
Critical Fumble. Combat is unpredictable. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll, make a Fumble Save to see if something bad happens. The Fumble Save has a bonus equal to your first Base Attack Bonus plus your Dexterity Ability Score. Fumble Saves have a DC of 15. If you roll a second 1 while making your Fumble Check, the failure is automatic. Failure on the check will result in a roll on the Fumble chart. I will then apply the results from the chart to the particular combat as I see fit.
If the DM decides conditions are unusually dangerous, like fighting on the edge of a cliff or under other adverse conditions, your character might find himself in greater peril after failing a Fumble Save. In such circumstances, you might get something like a DC 20 Reflex save to grab the edge of the cliff as you slip off into space. Or, you might not get any roll at all!
Dying (-1 to –9). When characters are below 0 Hit Points and dying, they receive a percentage roll to stop the bleeding. The percentage roll is equal to the character’s current Constitution score (termed as a percentage) or the usual 10%, whichever is higher. This percentage roll also applies to the Recovering without Help section in the PHB, page 129.
Fighting in Tight Spaces. Tunnels and corridors are rated by the largest creature that can use the tunnel without penalty. Creatures cannot use tunnels two sizes smaller than they are. If in a tunnel one size smaller, opponents get +2 to hit them and their base move speed is halved.
Diagonal Movement on a Grid. When using a grid for combat, diagonal movement is assessed by a 5’ move on the first diagonal movement, and 10’ move for the second. Continued diagonal movement repeats these steps.
2.9 ADVENTURING
Carrying Capacity. Please use and understand the rules in the PHB, pages 141-142.
Vision and Light. (PHB, p. 144) These guidelines will be enforced. Please consider this when gathering your gear for adventuring.
Treasure. It is up to Players to create a workable system for the division of treasure for their characters. I will not be baited into making rulings about splitting treasure. I recommend that you devise a system that works, and stick with it. Undue arguments about treasure division are not recommended during a gaming session.
Who knows who might be listening in on you (in-character of course) if you bicker about treasure earned. Maybe, they’ll want a piece of the pie... maybe, they’ll just take the treasure away from you while you bicker… maybe they’ll just take ALL of your treasures.
Other Rewards (Reputation). Reputation is a very real concept in the campaign. Your character’s actions will have lasting repercussions that will affect the way he is treated by NPCs. Rumors about adventuring groups will spread across the land, near and far. PC actions might be remembered for a long time in the minds of peasants and kings, wizards and dragons. Be wary of your actions and let your alignment and character traits guide the way.
2.9.1 LEVEL ADVANCEMENT AND CHARACTER RECORDS
When a character advances a level, there is an extreme need to maintain a Character Record of the advancement. There is a very real possibility that a character may lose a level during the course of the campaign. This can occur in many ways. Two of the most common ways are level drains from undead, and loss of level when raised from death.
The Character Record should detail every step of the advance process following the guidelines in the PHB, pages 145-146. If you ever lose a level, you will immediately lose all of the benefits of gaining that level, including: (1) Class Level, (2) Base Attack Bonus, (3) Base Save Bonus,
(4) Skill Points, (5) Ability Scores, (6) Hit Points, (7) Feats, (8) Spells, and (9) Class Features. Experience will be set back to the midpoint of the level you have attained. It is very important to keep this record accurate; without it, the maximum amount of each category you have gained must be taken to satisfy the level loss (this mainly applies to Hit Points). The DM will keep the updated record of each character.
Hit Points. When determining new Hit Points for a character who has advanced in level, you may use any of the three following methods to determining your character’s new Hit Point total. Remember that a character receives the maximum number of Hit Points (for the appropriate class level) plus his Constitution Ability Modifier at 1st level. The constitution Ability Modifier applies for all three of the Hit Point methods. The DM only needs to be present for the first two options to witness the rolls. The third option can be done anywhere.
1) Straight Roll. You may roll once for the appropriate Hit Die and take your chances. You may re-roll a one, but only once.
2) Median Roll. Roll three of the appropriate Hit Die and take the median of the numbers. You may NOT re-roll any ones.
3) Average. Take ½ of the appropriate Hit Die.
2.10 MAGIC
Arcane Rest. Mages receiving "a good night’s sleep" may memorize spells. The DM decides what constitutes a good night’s sleep. It usually means that a character’s sleep was interrupted once or twice through the night but that he otherwise rests normally for 8 hours (Elves too), and wakes feeling rested. Should the mage have to keep a wakeful watch all night, or have nightmares that prevent his ability to rest, he may not be able to memorize spells until rested.
Arcane Caster Spell Selection and Preparation Limits. Canon Rule, from the PHB, page 154. "When preparing spells for the day, the wizard can leave some spell slots open. Later during that day, the wizard can repeat the preparation process as often as they like, time and circumstances permitting. During these extra sessions of preparation, a wizard can fill these unused spell slots. She cannot, however, abandon a previously prepared spell to replace it with another one or fill a slot that is empty because she has cast a spell in the meantime. That sort of preparation requires a mind fresh from rest. Like the first session of the day, this preparation takes at least 15 minutes, and it takes longer if the wizard prepares more than one-quarter of her spells."
House Rule. Arcane casters *may* abandon a previously prepared spell and replace it with another spell, repeating the preparation process as often as she likes, time and circumstances permitting. She still may not fill a slot that is empty because the spell has been cast.
Arcane and Divine Caster Recent Casting Limit. Canon Rule, from the PHB, page 154 and 156. "As with arcane spells, at the time of preparation any spells cast within the previous eight hours count against the number of spells that can be prepared."
House Rule. Arcane and Divine Casters *do not* have this limit.
Spell Components. Spell components do not grow on trees (well most don’t). If the component has a gold cost under 10 gold pieces, you may assume that you have 5 of such components when you first receive the spell, if it was from your trainer. All other components must be bought or located in order to cast the spell, no exceptions.
2.11 SPELLS
Druid Spell Selection. Druids will start the game with access to all Druid spells from the Player's Handbook and the Relics & Rituals book. This rule is meant to compensate for the (this DM's) belief that Druidic restrictions slightly handicap the class.
Spells. Some changes have been made to spells. In addition to the errata for the PHB (very important), the house rule changes are:
Harm allows a Will save to reduce damage to 4d8 + caster level.
Haste. The subject of this spell must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) at the end of the spell’s duration. If the save succeeds, the subject is not adversely affected by the spell. If the check fails, the subject is Fatigued; -2 Strength and -2 Dexterity; and cannot charge or run, until having rested for eight hours. In addition, the subject cannot receive another Haste spell until rested. This check does not apply if countering the effects of a Slow spell.
Summon. The Player must have the complete statistics for the creatures summoned at the time the spell is cast, or the creature will not be available. Further, the Player is expected to know and understand the creature's abilities, including Feats, special attacks, and special defenses. The game should not be held up for Summon spells.
Time Stop. Time Stop may not be cast while another Time Stop is in effect.
SECTION 3: DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE
3.1 EXPERIENCE PETITIONS
The normal way I dole out experience is by having each Player keep what I call an "Experience Petition." This is simply a list of all the actions that your character took in, for which you believe you deserve an experience award. Everything the character accomplishes that might be worthy of an experience award should be recorded. At the end of the adventure (or several sessions of play), I will ask the Players to present their experience petitions; individual experience awards will be granted from their responses. On the sheet in front of them are approximately 11 categories with a line beside each one. The categories and suggestions pertaining to your responses are:
Combat. List the combats in which you participated (all is OK), and whether you did anything above and beyond the norm during those battles.
Magic. Detail any unusual magic that you encountered or any item use you have found.
Learned. Tell whether you found out any pivotal information in the campaign. Also, document any new skills, magic, etc. you learned during the adventure.
Creation. Tell whether your character created anything in the game using his craft skills. Also, jot down if you’ve spent any out-of-game time making something that contributes to the overall gaming environment, like painting figures or making high-quality maps from the rough sketches I've made. Any campaign development will be rewarded, like detailing a town or part of a city.
Skills. Document your skill use here. If you used a skill creatively or used one to solve a problem, make note of it here.
Social. Document times when your character has had meaningful interactions with any NPCs. You can also write down if you went out of your way to talk to someone in whom your character would have a special interest.
Puzzle. This is for those times when you've figured out a particular trick or trap and you have used your wits to solve the problem.
Goal. If you meet a stated individual or group goal that you’re striving for, write it down here. Let me know what goals you set for yourself in order to get credit. A side benefit of this is that it makes it fairly clear what direction I should be developing the campaign.
Sacrifice. Document any time a character gives up something or puts himself at excessive risk for something he feels is right. Some may argue that the lawful good paladin is going to outstrip the chaotic neutral rogue’s experience by getting lots of rewards for sacrifice. My response: those who are heroic get more experience in my campaigns than those who are not!
Character. Every Player should write in this category. Use this space to point out the ways in which your character was played in accordance with the personality you have developed.
Rules. If you contributed to the game by helping with the rules to speed things along, detail it here.
I will give credit for each of the things with which I agree. Ordinary play does not need to be documented. Just detail times when your character performed above and beyond the scope of normal gaming. These categories are here to help develop the campaign, and your characters, in the right direction.
3.2 EXPERIENCE LOG
I will be keeping a log for each of the character’s experience totals. I would like to calculate them for every session if at all possible. Some characters will find that they can go up in level before others, due to their actions (due to their Experience Petitions). If you need to know your experience total, just let me know. I’ll try to calculate it for the next game session. The totals I will keep for each session will contain the “creatures defeated” totals as well as story award bonuses. Individual awards will be given at the end of each adventure, and are based on individual Experience Petitions.
3.3 MOST VALUABLE PLAYER VOTE
At the end of each gaming session, a character will be secretly voted as the most valuable player for the evening. This vote will determine the gaming session’s Most Valuable Player. For the subsequent game session only, the winner of the award will have the following benefit: He will receive a token of the award that he will be able to display before him at the gaming table. If, at any time, the Player wishes to “cash in” on his reward, all he needs to do is say so. The reward will grant the Player’s character a 1d4 amount of luck points that can be used on any random die roll in the game. All of the rolled points must be used at the same time, and the roll to which the luck points are applied must be used BEFORE the roll is made. The luck points are actually applied to the die so that if a three is rolled for the luck and an 18 is then rolled for an attack, the roll would be considered an actual roll of a 21, a threat for a critical hit! If the Player chooses to not use the roll during the game, he may roll the d4 to accumulate experience at the end of the session. Each luck point is worth 100 experience points to the Player’s character.
3.4 OPTIONAL RULES
This is a list of the optional (variant) rules that we will be using out of the DMG.
Monsters as Races. (p. 22) (see 2.2 Races)
1st-Level Multiclass Characters. (p. 40) Not allowed.
Gaining Class Abilities. (p. 42) Essentially, this is training. A character must find a tutor to train them for any new abilities, feats classes or skills. Training times and costs are based on current level and the DM’s discretion, usually, one week per level.
Death from Massive Damage Based on Size. (p. 66) This rule is in use. Size does matter!
Skills with Different Abilities. (p. 91) Sometimes a different Ability Modifier should apply to a Skill check. When this is the case, I will let you know and you will apply the correct modifier.
Power Components. (p. 96) This variant rule allows for exotic material components that counter an experience cost for spell casting. These components are unknown to PCs at the start of the campaign.
Upkeep. (p. 142) This rule is in effect (see 2.7 Equipment above). A monthly fee will be assessed based on character’s choice of lifestyle. Each character must choose one of the following cost options: Meager (5gp), Poor (12gp), Common (45gp), Good (100gp), and Extravagant (200gp). Please ask for a description of each for role-playing purposes. Characters who typically stay in Inns and eat tavern food are at the Common level.
Story Awards. (p. 168) This rule is in effect as well as Experience Petitions (see above).
3.4.1 OPTIONAL RULES (CONTINUED): OPENING DOORS
The Player's Handbook has rules for opening doors, but they don't deal with what happens when there's somebody on the other side of the door. First, I'll discuss the standard rules; then I'll add a few notes on what happens when characters push on a door from both sides.
Opening doors without resistance (standard rule). This isn't difficult at all: you simply take a move-equivalent action to open the door. This does not draw attacks of opportunity.
Opening locked or stuck doors (standard rule). You must make a Strength check to open a locked or stuck door. This, too, takes a move-equivalent action, and does not draw attacks of opportunity. The DC to break down a typical (strong) door is 18; success indicates that you've broken the latch, the hinges, or both. House rule. If you have at least 10 feet of room to run up to the door, you can break it down as a charge action, with the usual +2 charge bonus to your Strength check and -2 penalty to AC. If the door breaks, you can continue moving past it up to your full movement rate.
Helping out (standard rule). If more than one character cooperates in opening a door, pick one of them to act as "leader" for the open door check. All the other characters make Strength checks at DC 10; everyone who succeeds adds a +2 circumstance bonus to the leader's Strength check.
Closing a door without resistance (house rule). Strangely enough, the rules don't say how long it takes to open a door. In my game, closing a door is a move-equivalent action that does not draw an attack of opportunity (just like opening a door).
Locking or unlocking a door (house rule). If the lock mechanism is simple, and you have any necessary keys in hand, locking or unlocking a door is a move-equivalent action that does draw an attack of opportunity.
Opening or closing a door with resistance (house rule). If, when you try to push a door open or shut, there is another character on the other side of the door, the other character can try to push back. I treat this as similar to a bull rush action, except that it is a move-equivalent action (not an attack action). You only need to enter the door's space (not the opponent's space), and it does not draw attacks of opportunity.
To open or close a door when another character is in the doorway, make opposed Strength checks. Each opponent gets a +4 bonus per size class larger than Medium-sized or a -4 penalty per size class smaller than Medium-sized. The winner of the check decides whether the door stays open or shut. As with an overrun, the character on the other side can choose to avoid the door rather than block it.
Other characters can help with this check, just like when opening a door (or cooperating on any other task). Each helper who makes a DC 10 Strength check adds a +2 circumstance bonus to the main check.
You can "bull rush" a door with a charge action instead of a move-equivalent action. In this case, you get a +2 charge bonus to open the door and a -2 AC penalty for the following round. If you break through the door, you can continue moving up to your full speed.
If you try to open a door that is both latched and held from the other side, don't use an opposed Strength check; instead, treat the characters holding the door as if they were "cooperating" with it. That is, each character who makes a DC 10 Strength check adds +2 to the door's break DC.
3.5 MAGIC ITEM CREATION
Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion. Characters with this Feat may scribe or brew multiple potions/ scrolls in a day provided the total does not exceed 100gp.
0 Level Scrolls and Potions. Creating Scrolls or Potions with 0 level Spells costs half of 1st level equivalents.
Holy Water. You must have a holy font or, at the very least, holy ground to create holy water. By the way, the "holy" bit must be dedicated to your deity.
Experience Cost for Magic Item Creation. Use 1/20th of the market price for determining experience point cost rather than the normal 1/25th for determining XP cost.
DM Veto Power. The DM has the power to restrict or disallow any item that he feels will unbalance the game.
Sources. Players may use different sources from the DMG when creating Magic Items. Remember, though, that these sources and their contents must be thoroughly examined before they are allowed in play. Don’t bank all of your resources on an item without getting prior DM approval.
SECTION 4: PSIONICS HANDBOOK
4.1 PSYCHOMETABOLISM AND SIZE
Psionics Handbook modification. To determine a psionicist's effective Strength (EStr) Ability Score with respect to the Psychometabolism discipline, do not use any modifier to actual applied Strength, due to the size of the psionicist's race. EStr normally only affects bonus power points for Egoist Psions, prerequisites for psionic Feats, and making Id Insinuation attacks. Magic/ psionic changes in size will not affect EStr.
4.2 USE OF PSIONIC DEVICE SKILL
Psionics Handbook modification. Ranks in Use Magic Device can be used as ranks in Use Psionic Device, stacking for using psionic devices if both skills are possessed. Ranks in Use Psionic Device do not count when using magic devices.
