Dungeons and Dragons House Rules. These are a work in progress, and I wanted to enlist the help of enworld before having the serious discussion with my group.
Desires:
1. Streamlined XP system which rewards role-playing as well as combat.
2. Not to have to subtract three. (Note: I have a math undergrad, and am a logic student, yet I don’t like doing sill ranks – 3 to figure out the level. Or even to add 3.)
3. Less gap between super-powerful and the least powerful.
4. No really high level spells in the world. Each of the classes stays relevant.
5. Fighter-only feats to have a greater impact. For there to be a good reason to stay fighter.
The ways in which I’ve accomplished these have been taken largely from enworld, and various other RPGs.
To accomplish these:
1. Instead of a linearly increasing amount of XP required for each level, to increase in level takes 25 XP. XP is rewarded for the following:
+1: Showing up.
+1: Finishing a story. More for a Story Arc.
+1 to +3: Defeating a powerful encounter.
+1: Players decide which among them should get a bonus XP.
+1: Good roleplaying.
+1: “Learning Curve”. If the character has learned something particularly useful, or grown.
… etc.
2. Max skill ranks = total hit dice, not hit dice + 3. A third level expert has 6*3 = 18 (plus int, human bonus, etc) skill points, no more than 3 ranks in any one skill.
3. Starting characters have 3 levels in an NPC class, or one of the racial paragon classes. The “+1 spellcasting level” bonus from the racial paragon classes CAN be used towards a spellcasting class that they do not already have. The racial paragon classes should be allowed only in specific circumstances.
The total number of levels attainable is 10. At tenth level, characters can have 10 skill ranks, +10 BAB, access to 5th level spells, etc.
At 10th level, continued character development becomes point-boy instead of level-based. At tenth, characters can purchase:
Feats, BAB, Base Save Bonuses (Also up to +10), spellcaster level, skills, etc.
Cost for each:
Feat: 3
BAB: 4
BSB: +5
Spell caster Level: +6.
Skills: 2 points for … 6 skill ranks? 4? Is there a feat?
Prestige Class Ability: To be decided as above by the DM.
New Sorcerer Spell: A lot. Probably 3*Level.
New Warlock invocation: More. 3 for the least, probably 8 for the lesser.
Each is limited to no more than a 10th level character would have access to. At 10th level, characters are forced to developed breadth over depth in a chosen area. A 3rd level warrior / 7th level fighter might be master of a particular weapon, but only at the expense of developing other areas that can now be developed.
Additionally, a standard cooper, blacksmith, or merchant will have at least 3 levels, and probably a fourth. As PCs will begin with four levels, this means they are on the same footing. Three levels indicates competency, and fourth is one who has some skill in his area of expertise.
4. This way, no one can have access to higher than fifth level spells. Fifth level spells are very powerful (teleport, raise dead, etc) but not devastatingly game breaking (teleport without error, resurrection).
5. Slight Change to the Fighter-only feats. As of now, the fighter-only feats in the SRD are: Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Spec. Weapon Specialization will stay as it is, but GWF and GWS are gone. They will be replaced with:
Weapon Mastery: Fighter Level 6th. Gives Improved Initiative when using the chosen weapon, and stacks with the feat. (character level 9, remember)
Weapon Supremacy: BAB +10, Fighter Level 7th. One additional attack per round at highest BAB with the chosen weapon.
Again, any comments will be appreciated. I know that the racial paragon classes trump the NPC classes, and that commoner is absolutely atrocious, but I doubt that anyone will take commonor.
Desires:
1. Streamlined XP system which rewards role-playing as well as combat.
2. Not to have to subtract three. (Note: I have a math undergrad, and am a logic student, yet I don’t like doing sill ranks – 3 to figure out the level. Or even to add 3.)
3. Less gap between super-powerful and the least powerful.
4. No really high level spells in the world. Each of the classes stays relevant.
5. Fighter-only feats to have a greater impact. For there to be a good reason to stay fighter.
The ways in which I’ve accomplished these have been taken largely from enworld, and various other RPGs.
To accomplish these:
1. Instead of a linearly increasing amount of XP required for each level, to increase in level takes 25 XP. XP is rewarded for the following:
+1: Showing up.
+1: Finishing a story. More for a Story Arc.
+1 to +3: Defeating a powerful encounter.
+1: Players decide which among them should get a bonus XP.
+1: Good roleplaying.
+1: “Learning Curve”. If the character has learned something particularly useful, or grown.
… etc.
2. Max skill ranks = total hit dice, not hit dice + 3. A third level expert has 6*3 = 18 (plus int, human bonus, etc) skill points, no more than 3 ranks in any one skill.
3. Starting characters have 3 levels in an NPC class, or one of the racial paragon classes. The “+1 spellcasting level” bonus from the racial paragon classes CAN be used towards a spellcasting class that they do not already have. The racial paragon classes should be allowed only in specific circumstances.
The total number of levels attainable is 10. At tenth level, characters can have 10 skill ranks, +10 BAB, access to 5th level spells, etc.
At 10th level, continued character development becomes point-boy instead of level-based. At tenth, characters can purchase:
Feats, BAB, Base Save Bonuses (Also up to +10), spellcaster level, skills, etc.
Cost for each:
Feat: 3
BAB: 4
BSB: +5
Spell caster Level: +6.
Skills: 2 points for … 6 skill ranks? 4? Is there a feat?
Prestige Class Ability: To be decided as above by the DM.
New Sorcerer Spell: A lot. Probably 3*Level.
New Warlock invocation: More. 3 for the least, probably 8 for the lesser.
Each is limited to no more than a 10th level character would have access to. At 10th level, characters are forced to developed breadth over depth in a chosen area. A 3rd level warrior / 7th level fighter might be master of a particular weapon, but only at the expense of developing other areas that can now be developed.
Additionally, a standard cooper, blacksmith, or merchant will have at least 3 levels, and probably a fourth. As PCs will begin with four levels, this means they are on the same footing. Three levels indicates competency, and fourth is one who has some skill in his area of expertise.
4. This way, no one can have access to higher than fifth level spells. Fifth level spells are very powerful (teleport, raise dead, etc) but not devastatingly game breaking (teleport without error, resurrection).
5. Slight Change to the Fighter-only feats. As of now, the fighter-only feats in the SRD are: Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Spec. Weapon Specialization will stay as it is, but GWF and GWS are gone. They will be replaced with:
Weapon Mastery: Fighter Level 6th. Gives Improved Initiative when using the chosen weapon, and stacks with the feat. (character level 9, remember)
Weapon Supremacy: BAB +10, Fighter Level 7th. One additional attack per round at highest BAB with the chosen weapon.
Again, any comments will be appreciated. I know that the racial paragon classes trump the NPC classes, and that commoner is absolutely atrocious, but I doubt that anyone will take commonor.
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, i voted awful
