Please critiqe my house rules.

[Li Shenron]

Several of these HR are actually quite popular and many groups use them with no problem

When casting a touch spell, a caster cannot cast & move & touch in the same round. A caster can cast-touch & then move, or move & then cast-touch, but no move in between during the same round. This keeps the core standard action + move action each round (instead of standard action + move action + standard action).

The core rule is actually an exception often overlooked. If you don't want to allow that exception, you won't disrupt anything. Touch spells already have the advantage over ranged touch spells that if you miss you can try again, and often have no saves, there would be little to complain for half a round lost.

Mirror Image: all images are in the same 5' square as the caster.

This can help avoiding weird circumstances or player's complaints. Just keep the effects the same as in the PHB.

To use a wand or scroll (or other spell trigger or completion item), the character must be of high-enough level to actually cast spells, not just have the spell on the character's list. This means rangers and paladins cannot use wands or scrolls until at least 4th level, at which time they have a caster level.

I like this one as well, wands are IMO quite too popular and don't fit with the idea of these classes very much, which should be just "casual spellcasters".

Magic items will resize to fit only within its size category. A magic ring sized for a halfling will fit any other Small size creature, but will not fit a human, elf, ogre, etc.

Never thought of this before, but it makes sense, although the party will complain here and there when splitting the treasure...

Magic items are available to buy through a broker or by commission in most settlements (based on the gold piece limits explained in the DMG). Acquiring a magic item takes 3 days per 1,000gp in its market price (with a minimum of 3 days). This includes the effort of actually looking for shops, brokerage firms, and/or guilds, and the wait for the item to be located or created. [Not really a change of anything.]

This is a setting issue rather than rule, and actually it's nice to have a guideline about availability of equipment. Many people use Gather Information or Diplomacy to add some little drama.

Paladins have the option of keeping their special mount permanently, instead of summoning and dismissing each day. A summoned and dismissed special mount arrives at the summons without equipment or gear, and carries away no equipment or gear when dismissed. Any gear worn or carried by the special mount when dismissed falls to the ground. Otherwise, a summoned and dismissed special mount follows the core rules. A kept special mount also follows the core rules, but has no duration on how long it stays with the paladin each day.

It's fine as it has always been before 3.5 I think the revision changed it to summoning to actually help the paladin (the duration is normally long enough 99% of the time), but it prevents nice character concept IMO. You do the best by leaving both options open instead of just one.

Rangers have the option of taking a favored terrain instead of a favored enemy. In a favored terrain, a ranger gets a +2 bonus to all Survival, Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, and Search checks.

Makes all the sense as a variant and is already suggested in a couple official books.

Druids gain the extraordinary abilities of the forms they take when they wildshape, not just the extraordinary attacks.

This is possibly the only HR of yours that may require some care... probably not animals but some plant or elemental may have some extraordinary abilities that should better not be granted; I like believing that a DM can still adjudicate polymorphing abilities on a case-by-case basis to keep balance, and I suggest you to keep an eye open for possible abuses, but overall it's a good idea.

No prestige classes

Another setting issue which cannot be criticised...

Feats
You can save taking a feat until another level up. For instance, you do not have to take a feat at 1st level; you can save it till 2nd or 3rd or whatever later level.

Contrary to what purists say, I think this gives NO problems at all. Very occasionally someone may delay the feat to actually get an advantage (qualify for the feat itself, or something else), but (1) delay the feat is a disadvantage since the start so it's up to the player and (2) most of the time a player would do this just because she doesn't know which feat to take right now

Dodge gives a +1 AC bonus against all opponents.

It's already used a lot, no problem - only that it is effectively quite a good feat for everyone IMHO.

Natural Spell is a metamagic feat. When preparing spells, the caster must determine which spell will be affected, and which form the spell can be cast in. A Natural Spell cannot be cast in any other form, including the caster's natural (humanoid) form. There is no increase in spell level for using this feat.

Quite strict but the normal NS is effectively too good not to be taken, so you put it back to "useful but not must-have".

Improved Critical stacks with the keen weapon enhancement.

I am ambivalent on this one. Special effects which happen on a critical may require some other restriction or be too good.

Versatile [General]
Benefit: Pick any two cross-class skills. Those two skills are class skills for you.

One would be too few, two sounds quite too good... up to you

Expanded Study [General]
Benefit: You gain 2 extra skill points when this feat is chosen, and then 2 extra skill points each level thereafter. If this feat is taken at first level, gain 8 extra skill points at this time, and then 2 extra skill points each level thereafter.

Mmm... it's quite a lot, what about 3 points now and then +1 per level afterwards?

Equipment
Half-plate and full-plate armor can be "stripped down" to just a chain shirt-equivalent (for city wear or sleeping). Removing the full armor down to the chain shirt takes 1 minute less than removing the entire suit. Donning the full armor from the chain shirt base takes 1 minute less than donning the entire suit.

Never heard before, actually a very original idea.

The Battle Grid
All squares on the battle map are 5', even diagonals. No need to worry with counting 5', 10', 5' through the diagonals. Area effect spells are square on a square grid.

I don't like very much a square area, it means that the spell can be cast only towards N, S, W, E?

Special
Player characters have Luck Points. A character starts the game with 2 LPs, and gets another with each level gain. A LP can be used to reroll one die, before or after learning what the result would be from the first roll. LPs do not regenerate---once used they are gone. NPCs do not have Luck Points.

I am not fond of action points or luck point, and I am not fond of character stuff which is a one-time use, so I won't comment this one.

At level up, PCs gain a set amount of hit points according to their hit die size: d4 = 3 hit points, d6 = 4, d8 = 5, d10 = 6, d12 = 7.

It's ok to use the averages, although IMXP it leaves the impression that higher-HD characters are penalized. It's untrue, but the impression still remains

 

[Veritas]

At level up, PCs gain a set amount of hit points according to their hit die size: d4 = 3 hit points, d6 = 4, d8 = 5, d10 = 6, d12 = 7.

Oh, I missed this one when I read through the first time.

I've seen this method suggested on the other forum I hang out on. I'd say the only variation on this I would suggest is to allow the players a choice. They can roll, or take the average. Yes, more wizards and sorcerers will take the average than roll... but they might want to take a chance once in awhile.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

A summoned and dismissed special mount arrives at the summons without equipment or gear, and carries away no equipment or gear when dismissed.

Isn't there a -5 penalty to ride without a saddle? Something to consider.
10', 5' through the diagonals. Area effect spells are square on a square grid.

Player characters have Luck Points. A character starts the game with 2 LPs, and gets another with each level gain. A LP can be used to reroll one die, before or after learning what the result would be from the first roll. LPs do not regenerate---once used they are gone. NPCs do not have Luck Points.

You may want to change this to use-or-lose. Otherwise the PCs will just save up the luck points

At level up, PCs gain a set amount of hit points according to their hit die size: d4 = 3 hit points, d6 = 4, d8 = 5, d10 = 6, d12 = 7.

I do this. We play a lot of one-shot games and it comes in very useful. You're giving a slight edge to the d4 and d6 classes, but they need it.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Rangers have the option of taking a favored terrain instead of a favored enemy. In a favored terrain, a ranger gets a +2 bonus to all Survival, Spot, Listen, Hide, Move Silently, and Search checks.

I'd never take this, it is horribly underpowered compared to favoured enemy. +2 damage to an enemy you are likely to encounter a few times at low level is great, +4 damage against them at 5th level is fantastic. A slight bonus on some skills - bleh. Just not worth it. Now if you gave a damage bonus against anything while IN that terrain (or anything that LIVES in that terrain) it might be worthwhile - so you get a arctic-ranger who is really good at hunting polar bears and white dragons and yetis, or an marsh ranger who is good against black dragons, will-o-wisps and marsh wiggles.

Cheers

 

[Quasqueton]

Li Shenron, thanks for the item by item review.

"The Battle Grid All squares on the battle map are 5', even diagonals. No need to worry with counting 5', 10', 5' through the diagonals. Area effect spells are square on a square grid."

I don't like very much a square area, it means that the spell can be cast only towards N, S, W, E?

I don't understand this.

I am not fond of action points or luck point, and I am not fond of character stuff which is a one-time use, so I won't comment this one.

I did this mainly because I've seen really bad things happen by a single or couple of bad rolls (TPKs, plot-important character death, etc.). I'd prefer the PCs survive/succeed because of spending LPs, than have them die/fail because of a ridiculously bad die roll. I'd rather the PCs live and learn that doing something was really dumb, than have them die as a result. The Players will learn the lesson anyway (in theory), but I'd like to keep the campaign going with the same characters. [I don't fudge, and we let the dice fall as they may.]

I'd rather the PCs emerge from the fight with the BBEG battered and worn, having spent all their luck, than have a TPK, and need to make new characters. One makes a good story without breaking/ignoring the rules of the game, the other is just aggravating.

Quasqueton

 

[Veritas]

Now if you gave a damage bonus against anything while IN that terrain (or anything that LIVES in that terrain) it might be worthwhile - so you get a arctic-ranger who is really good at hunting polar bears and white dragons and yetis, or an marsh ranger who is good against black dragons, will-o-wisps and marsh wiggles.

Cheers

That's one of *my* house rules. It can be a little overpowered, but seeing as it's only in a specific terrain, if you're "deprived" of that terrain, it doesn't get used anyways.

 

[Quasqueton]

I'd never take this, it is horribly underpowered compared to favoured enemy. +2 damage to an enemy you are likely to encounter a few times at low level is great, +4 damage against them at 5th level is fantastic. A slight bonus on some skills - bleh. Just not worth it. Now if you gave a damage bonus against anything while IN that terrain (or anything that LIVES in that terrain) it might be worthwhile - so you get a arctic-ranger who is really good at hunting polar bears and white dragons and yetis, or an marsh ranger who is good against black dragons, will-o-wisps and marsh wiggles.

Well, I give this option because my campaign takes place on a newly discovered continent, with monsters not in the core MM. I didn't want rangers to get frustrated with a useless favored enemy choice. The PCs could go their entire careers without encountering goblins, ogres, trolls, and dragons.

And I think I need to explain that it still works like the favored enemy ability---at 5th level will be +4, +2. At 10th will be +6, +4, +2.

Though I will consider your idea of damage bonus against enemies in the terrain. But maybe just +1, +2, +3, instead of +2, +4, +6? A little weaker for a more broad use?

Quasqueton

 

[Veritas]

Though I will consider your idea of damage bonus against enemies in the terrain. But maybe just +1, +2, +3, instead of +2, +4, +6? A little weaker for a more broad use?

Quasqueton

Perhaps a slight change would work, rather than a blanket-halving. In my house rule, I state that they get the full bonus when they are *in* that terrain, fighting those creatures, however if the swamp ranger encountered a black dragon outside the marsh/swamp, his bonus would be halved. He still has knowledge of the weaknesses of the species, but he's more adept at taking advantage of them within his chosen terrain... thus half the bonus from terrain, half for creature.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Magic items will resize to fit only within its size category. A magic ring sized for a halfling will fit any other Small size creature, but will not fit a human, elf, ogre, etc.
* * *
QUOTE]

I would certainly agree to this for armor and for some clothin like wonderous items but for rings (caster lvl 12 required) there should be no impediments, afterall the most famous of all rings resized automatically.

The other rules seem just fine, but I wonder if natural spell would be better as +1 caster level, and no form restrictions.

 

[Liquidsabre]

Though I will consider your idea of damage bonus against enemies in the terrain. But maybe just +1, +2, +3, instead of +2, +4, +6? A little weaker for a more broad use?

Quasqueton

Aye, this looks right and smart. I use the favored terrain option as a houserule as well. I may consider adding the +1 bonus to dmg on creatures while in this terrain (only creatures native to terrain perhaps is best?).