Possible houserules

[Primitive Screwhead]

2) I would suggest a modified 'Reserve Hit Points' that gives a pool of reserve points of CON stat + level. So far I have playtested this at low levels. At higher levels it might be better to use CON mod + level reserve pool that is usable after any encounter... not sure.
Are these hps that the character can restore to themselves after a combat?

Check out Reserve Hit Points, courtesy of Hypertext SRD

Yes, we do have a lot of dispel magics firing off. Basically every intelligent foe that's heard of our characters must make steps to do this or they will get absolutely wailed on. The problem with your solution is that it will still pick out one spell and possibly force a cascade of recalculations, especially if it's a stat enhancing spell.

Ouch... perhaps I am glad that my group has yet to do this to me

Power attack as a standard action would be difficult to balance too. If you change every attacks +3(.5) damage to a +1d6 damage, that would work, but the consolidation of iteratives into one attack would require much more complexity...

My issue with it was the second use involved a critical hit from a Large Great Axe... one-shot take down of the groups primary fighter on the first round.... Perhaps with a 4e'ish maximize damage instead of dealing 3D12 + 9d6 + 3* ( 1.5*str mod )...

The more powerful barkskin is weaker under this house rule, so I'm thinking a response could be to make mage armour a personal spell?

Works for me... I don't generally see Mage Armor being cast on others anyway. And this would make potions of Mage Armor more popular

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Thanks for the additional replies guys (& gals?). This thread was not forgotten, it's just that we've been debating via email.

1st up a few responses.

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Thank you for the pointers eschwenke & Tequila Sunrise, I gave them a look over.

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Infiniti2000

We use the various animal buffs prolifically, and they require a cascade of recalculations as they go up and when one but not another goes down.

I do agree that the AoE dispel magic house rule is far reaching. Essentially, (greater) dispel magic serves a central need in mid level+ combat. Fiddling with it is not being taken lightly.

The idea behind selecting the same spell multiple times is that instead of the cleric having 'divine power', 'deathward', and 'divination', he takes 'divine power' x 3.

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Thank you for your pointers Xath. Your analysis has been taken on board. Likewise, thanks Primitive, same goes.

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The group discussion has moved on and here are the results from the suggestions I presented. Remember, our group likes to limit house rules as best we can.

1. Drop the variety of spells and take the same spell numerous times.
Player choice, and this idea has been developed into creating a prepared spell-buffed stat block sheet for when the character has time to prepare. In other words, the available spells have been grouped into 4 lists, each for an encounter, and each list has been calculated into a stat block.

2. Tanking away for longer each day. This means more less-powerful encounters and less spell dumping.
In combination with 1, the dm will make some effort to facilitate this play.

3. Possibly even have the Cleric cast his spells like a sorcerer.
Not happening because of player choice.

4. Drop ability damage and ability score buffs, compensate with stat increases every odd level.
Not happening due to work involved. It has been noted by all that ability damage contributes to an unfair or not fun encounter. It can't be eliminated but it doesn't need to be seen more than very occasionally.

5. Damage spells that throw a lot of dice around should be like in 4th edition where 2/3 of the damage is a + bonus.
Player choice with dm checking and approval. My frosting weapon now does +3 frost damage (sigh, the lost 0.5).

6. Dispel magic is limited to targeting free standing spell effects (wall of fire), magic items and individual characters.
Big discussion raging. We've want to keep the power & utility of dispel magic, but lose the recalculation complexity. So far we're leaning towards keeping the AoE but making the spell all-or-nothing. The varied CL of spell buffs is a complication, and the big swing of all-or-nothing is problematic.

7. Use a predetermined value for power attack.
Player choice. Done.

8. Ditch the leadership Feat and allow the character to choose again.
Player choice. Done.

9. Possibly limit the number of active buffs on a character to ?...
Not happening.

10. Ditch natural armour amulets and spells.
Not happening. We'll provide updated info on our character combat stats and the DM needs to adjust the attack bonus of the minions. Otherwise there's a bit too much complexity involved, and potential for balance issues.

11. Do to Combat expertise what I suggest for Power attack...
Player choice. Done.

12. Don't allow the fighting defensive combat option, the aid another's AC combat option, and the Combat expertise feat to be allowed together.
Not such a problem area, so it's not happening.

A major other issue we have that's under discussion is scry-buff-teleport. It annoyed the dm, and led to an anti-climactic fight, so it's not popular with any of us. But we (and our characters) can not deny the power of the tactic.

The discussion we're having is focussed around the sentence within the spell description that talks about the spell malfunctioning around massive physical and magical energies. Specifically, what exactly does that mean? Our solution also needs to assure the player with a teleporting character that the spell is still a worthy 5th level spell choice for his Sorceress.

We're focusing on this sentence because it means we're not changing any rule, and it potentially will allow a boss to inhabit a lair close to a great energy, which will provide some protection from scry-buff-teleport.

Thanks all.

 

[evilbob]

A major other issue we have that's under discussion is scry-buff-teleport.

We call it "scry & fry," which is actually a name taken from another group.

Honestly, "scry & fry" is high-level D&D (especially when you start getting into extra-planar adventures). However: if, as a GM, you'd like to limit this tactic, there are many options. There are several high-level spells - like mind blank - that make scrying impossible. There's a nice mid-level spell (4th?) in the Spell Compendium called anticipate teleportation, or something like that... Anyway, it allows the caster to react for about a round or two before anyone teleports into the range of the spell. PERFECT for BBEGs to use, and not nearly useful enough for players to bother with. Hit them with this once or twice, and you've got a group that will use the tactic more sparingly. There are also big-time spells that don't allow teleporting into an area, and other stuff like that. Anyway, the idea is that while "scry & fry" is a great tactic, it's also something that would be anticipated, and so likely countered. ALSO don't forget: PCs are just as vulnerable to this tactic as well.

Sorry you didn't get anything going with dispell magic. Maybe a simpler solution would be to allow it to knock just one ability off of the attacker's choice. That's not ideal, but at least then the GM could pick the easiest thing to lose and avoid things that require re-calculating. Or, to balance it out and make it easier, you could make it defender's choice, but the dispeller would only need to roll against the minimum caster level of the effect. So no more having to remember who cast what on whom.