Post Your House Rules

[Jack Daniel]

I've got a heck of a lot of house rules. My campaign is pretty different from the core.

1. Ability scores. You can use the standard 4d6 method in the PHB, or set your own scores from a pool of 75 points.

2. Allegiances (from d20 Modern) replace alignments.

3. Everyone recieves +1 defense bonus to AC at every 5th character level. Armor uses the DR rules from Unearthed Arcana. Armored adventurers are rare (the campaign is mostly swashbuckling style), and bracers of armor cost 1/25 their normal price to buy or craft.

4. Your massive damage threshold equals your Con score. If you fail the DC 15 Fort save after taking massive damage, you fall to -1d10 hit points.

5. Weapon Groups and Action Points from UA are also used. Normally, characters earn 3 + 1/2Lv action points, but advancing in your favored class grants +2 bonus APs (so there are no longer any XP penalties for multiclassing).

6. ECL +0 playable races: human, high elf, gray elf, wood elf, half-elf, half-dwarf, half-merfolk, half-orc, half-ogre, rune dwarf, sigil dwarf, ryl gnome, knook gnome, hairfoot halfling, stout halfling, tallfellow halfling, and noble centaur.

7. 20-level character classes: berserker, fighter, dragoon, monk, rogue, technologist, priest, witch, wizard, sorcerer, psionicist.

8. 15-level advanced classes: bard, ninja, paladin, ranger, battlemind.

9. 10-level prestige classes and 5-level elite classes: anything from the Dungeon Master's Guide, Expanded Psionics Handbook, or Sorcery & Steam; plus my own setting's archaeologist, combat engineer, guardian-monk, knight-templar, mad scientist, philosopher, vigulante gunslinger, and and thief-mechanic.

10. Since massive damage is used, Power Attack is weakened (x1.5 damage with a two-handed weapon) and two-weapon fighting is strengthened (Improved 2WF requires BAB +9, but grants as many off-hand attacks as primary attacks).

11. Characters can become proficient in akijutsu, atemi, jujutsu, kung-fu, karate, ninjutsu, sumo, or taekwando, effectively gaining the unarmed combat ability of a level 1 monk.

12. All sorts of firearms abound in the campaign world. Firearms are slow as heck to reload, but they ignore armor DR. Adventurers may find antique fuse or matchlock weapons; most them will have flintlocks and wheelocks; but with gunsmithing skill, they can tinker up percussion-cap weapons, breech-loaders, repeaters and revolvers, sniper rifles, etc.

13. Only the technologist (and technically-inclined prestige classes) can treat the Craft (mechancial, chemical, electrical, and therapeutic) skills as class skills. Technologists can use mechanics to make powerful weapons and armor, useful gadgets, and even automata and vehicles. Chemistry can be used to make acids, explosives, poisons, propellants, and fuels. The electrical discipline includes shocking weapons, gadgets that use electricity, and for the mad scientist in all of us, animated corpses. The therapeutic skill includes drugs of both the healing and harmful variety.

14. All spellcasters use the Daily Spell List variant from Unearthed Arcana. You prepare your spells like normal, and then you can cast them in any combination based on how many spells per day you can cast.

15. The sorcerer changes from an innate mage to one specialized in summoning and divining. Sorcerers are barred from three schools, but they recieve a domain (choice of Magic, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Good, Evil, Law, or Chaos) and specialization in both Conjuration and Divination.

16. The psionicist is pretty much a combination of the psion and the erudite. They learn and manifest powers like an erudite, but select a discipline like a psion.

17. Characters earn experience and advance in levels based on the Level-Independent XP Awards in UA.

18. Any character can choose to customize their class skill lists. Instead of the standard list, classes have Craft, Profession, and a number of class skills equal to their base skill point number plus four (so, six for a fighter, eight for a berserker, ten for a bard, or twelve for a rogue). Knowledge (all skills) costs two skill slots, and only bards and rogues may take Decipher Script or Use Magic Device.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Well, I'm running a 3.0 game, slowly introducing 3.5 rules.

Improved Crit and Keen stack (magical enhancements should be able to stack with skills)

ECL races get an extra d8 hit points per ECL. This doesn't count for their hit dice, they don't get feats, they just get some extra hit points so they don't die so easily.

Genasi have some small or large tweaks, and I use quasi and para-genasi as well.

I use the scaling druidic animal companion.

And I make tweaks to many published PrCs, as well as using some of my own.

 

[Pbartender]

No bonuses, just props for being a cunning linguist.

Paging Dr. Freud... Dr. Freud to the Emergency Room... Dr. Freud...

Anyway, I'd reread through all of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd & Grey Mouser stories recently, so below are the house rules I'm prooposing for our group's next campaign. Most of them are taken straight from Green Ronin's Skull & Bones pirate suppliment, or from Unearthed Arcana. Some bits, mostly the spellcasting variations, are all my own.

Elysium is a country that has entered a magical and technological renaissance. Being an island unto itself it is, however, a fairly isolationist country and has not had contact with the outside world. The 'barbarians' of the outside world are considerably less advanced, ranging from bronze-age up to early medieval.

You are a group of professional adventurers hired by a wealthy patron to explore the outer world, find the ancient knowledge and artifacts of lost civilizations, and bring them back to him.

Here are the house rules that I'd like to use for the campaign. Look them over and tell me what you think...

• Skull & Bones Swashbuckling Combat rules... Including Parrying [Use up an attack from your next turn to make an opposed attack roll against an enemy's attack], Lives [A cinematic way to avoid Ressurection and Reincarnation spells, only the DM knows how many Lives ewach player has], Fast Hit Point Recovery [HPs heal by the minutes, not the by the day. When HPs are gone, characters take Con damage], Rolling the Bones [A dramatic action point system of sorts] and all associated feats and prestige classes. Within Elysium, the Skull & Bones equipment list, including firearms and such, would be standard.
  
• No Alignments... Alignment no longer exists. Alignment spells and magical effects are still available and still work, but only on creatures with the appropriate alignment subtype.
  
• Legedary Heroes (Gestalt Rules)... Characters get to choose two classes every level, gaining all special abilities and the best stats from each. This is to make up for the decreased availability of magic in the setting (as detailed below), while keeping encounter power levels the same.
  
• Complex Skill Checks... Requires multiple successful skill checks for some actions, but also allow for occasional failures.
  
• Contacts... I'd like to use contacts, but have not yet decided whether to use the rules from Skull & Bones or Unearthed Arcana.
  
• Craft Points... Characters would gain "craft points" that they can use to create magical items.
  
• Prayer Books... Divine casters would not automatically learn all spells of a given spell level. Instead, they would have a prayer book which would in all ways act like a Wizard's spellbook.
  
• Spontaneous Domain Spells... Domain spells are automatically learned and copied into the cleric's prayer book whenever the cleric gains a level. Clerics can spontaneously swap out a prepared spell for any domain spell spell they know of equal or lower level. This replaces the ability to spontaneously cast Cure or Harm spells and the bonus spell slots for preparing domain spells. Druids may still spontaneously cast Summon Nature's Ally spells, and automatically learn those spells at each level.
  
• Decisive Turning... The ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead is no longer determined by alignment. Any cleric can do either, and may decide which method they wish to use at the time of turning.
  
• Spontaneous Specialists... At each level, a Wizard specializing in a spellcasting school can select one spell from his school of specialization. The spell must be of a spell level the wizard can cast. This spell is gained in addition to the two spells a wizard nromally gains each level. The bonus specialist spells chosen at each level may be cast spontaneously by swapping it out with a prepared spell of equal or higher level, much like a cleric can sponteously cast domain spells. This ability replaces the bonus spell slots normally gained from specialization. Wizards still gain a +2 bonus to Spellcraft check to learn spells from their school of specialty.
  
• Incantations... Incantations are similar to scrolls, but take a considerable amount of time to cast, only require certain skill checks to cast, and do not disappear after use. Anyone with the appropriate skills may attempt to use an incantation. Any spell written within a spell book or prayer book is considered an incantation. Spells can no longer be learned from scrolls, but can be copied from incantations instead.
  
• Magical Availability... This is more of a setting guideline, than an actual rule. Most powerful spells are considered proprietary by the wizards that know them, and so they be particularly difficult to find. Outside of Elysium, any magic item will be difficult to purchase, though potions would be the most commonly available. Within Elysium most potions, many minor scrolls and wands, and any item that gives a flat bonus to attack, damage, AC, saves or skill checks would be readily available, within reason. Any other magic items would be difficult to find for sale.

 

[Darmanicus]

House rules, mmm.......

1. Wipe your feet before you come in.
2. Flush the toilet after you've used it.

Apart from that, I'm pretty easy going.

 

[Greg K]

I have a lot of house rules. Here are several from the current campaign.

Books
The following books are allowed to players
1) PHB
2) Green Ronin's Psychic Handbook
3) Green Ronin's Shaman's Handbook
4) Green Ronin's Witch's Handbook
5) I may allow feats, spells, or classes from other books on a case by case. For instance, I will allow the Healer (sans Unicorn companion) and certain spells (e.g., the orb spells) from the Minature's Handbook.

Races:
Humans can add +2 to one ability score

Classes:
Barbarian: Barbarians have a Favorite Environment determined by their culture. The environment determines whether the character has a Combat Style or Rages. Furthermore, barbarians start proficient only with light armor and a limited set of weapons determined by their culture.

Bard
Bards are not trained in Medium armor.
Bardic music must be audible (i.e., oratory, singing or music). Furthermore some spells are changed or not available(see the section on spells below).

PHB Bard: Cannot cast cure spells, Healing Circle Neutralize Poison, and Remove Disease. Also loses the following spells: Unseen Servant, Magic Mouth, Sepia's Snake Sigil, Mass Haste

Divine Bard: The Divine bard gains Bless, Divine Favor, Augury, Prayer, Discern Lies, Atonement, Commune, and Mark of Justice to their spell list.
However they lose Appraise, Balance, Disguise, Escape Artist, sleight of Hand, and Tumble and the following spells. They also lose the following spells: Grease, unseen servant, Glitterdust, Magic Mouth, Sepia's Snake Sigil. Mass Haste

Bard Sage: The Bardic sage loses Appraise, Balance Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silent, and Sleight of Hand and Tumble as class skills. The Bardic Sage cannot cast curing spells/healing spells

Cleric:
Clerics are proficient in light armor, simple weapons and, if appropriate, a martial weapon of their deity

clerics receive d6hp and 4+Int skill points per level
Knowledge (History), and Perform (oratory) are class skills

All clerics have a unique spell list determined by their deity's spheres of influence and alliances with other deities. In addition all clerics receive access to Bless, Divine Favor, Bestow Curse, Command, Augury, Prayer, Atonement, Commune, Great Command, Mark of Justice and Geas/Quest.

Turn/rebuke/ command undead are domain abilities. However, due to the relationships and alliances among deities, clerics without the appropriate domain may turn/command as a cleric of two levels lower as appropriate to alignment

Clerics are the representatives of their deities. Therefore, clerics receive Divine Grace as a class ability.

Clerics spontaneously cast their domain spells rather than healing spells.

Clerics may receive additional benefits (e.g., increased hit die, armor usage
lay hands, etc.) as appropriate to their deity


Druid
Druid's are clerics of the nature goddess and thus must have a deity
The following are class skills for the Druid: Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Religion)Perform (oratory), Sense Motive

Spells: Druids gain the following spells: Bless, Divine Favor, Command, Augury, Prayer, Commune, Greater Command, Mark of Justice, Geas/Quest
Hypnotism, Sleep, Suggestion, Lesser Geas, Break Enchantment, Legend Lore, Bestow Curse, Storm of Vengeance

Druids lose the following spells: Goodberry, Faerie fire, Barkskin, Chill Metal, Fire Trap, Flaming Sphere Heat Metal, Contagion, Meld into Stone, Poison, Rusting Grasp, Reincarnate, Unhallow, Fire Seeds, Live Oak, Change Staff, Creeping Doom, Sunbeam, Heal, Finger of Death, Reverse Gravity, Sunburst, Shambler, Mass Heal


Fighter:

Fighters are not proficient with Medium Armor until 2nd level and Heavy Armor until 3rd

Fighters can choose the following tailored archetypes: Corsair/Mariner, Duelist/Swashbuckler, Gladiator, ex-Hunter, cavalier/Knight, soldier, ex-Thug. The archetype may grant additional bonus feats or class skills/skill points.

Weapon specialization is a feat as per Sean Reynold's board.

At 5th level, 10th level, 15th level and 20th level, the fighter reduces the threat rating of any weapons he is specialized in by 1. This does not stack with the improved critical feat.

Monk: The DND monk does not exist. There is a paladin variant that fits the role exchanging the following

Balance and Tumble for the Paladin's Handle Animal and Ride.
Good Reflex Save, evasion, unarmed AC in exchange for the paladin's proficiency with Armor and Shield.

Monk's flurry of blows, unarmed strike and d6 UA damage replace the Paladin's Martial Weapons.

Better spell progression than the paladin, but BAB and hit die are reduced to that of a monk.

Paladin

The Paladin loses Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty)

Paladin's cannot cast create water

Paladin's mounts are not summonable.

The following are Paladin spells: Augury, Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Atonement, Mark of Justice, Spell Resistance, and Holy Aura

Ranger: The Ranger is a PrC

Rogue:
The Wilderness Rogue is available

Sorceror
Sorceror's do not gain a familiar at first level. Instead they do not require component's to cast spell. Also see spells below.

Wizard
Specialists do not use the rules in the PHB, but the alternate rules in the Unearthed Arcana. Also see spells below.

Psychic (Green Ronin)
Shaman (Green Ronin)
Witch (Green Ronin)


Feats:
The following feats from d20 Modern are used: Agile Riposte, Brawl, Combat Martial Arts, Defensive Martial Arts

The following feats are house feats
True Faith: Turn Undead 1/day: Wis 13+ Cha 13+ Lawful Good
Divine Favor: Use True faith to add a Cha bonus to saves: Pre requisite: True Faith
Divine Strength: Use True faith to add Cha bonus to str bonus: Prerequisite: True Faith

Power Stun: The force of a character's unarmed punch can stun an opponents. As Stunning Fist in the PHB, but with the following changes:
The prerequisites are BAB +4, Str 13+, Wis 13+, Brawl and Power Attack. The DC= 10 + 1/2 character level+ Str bonus. This has not effect vs creatures immune to critical hits or lacking discernable anatomies.

Nerve strike: As Stunning fist but with the following changes: The prerequisites are BAB +4, Dex 13+, Wis 13+, Combat Martial Arts (or Defensive Martial Arts), and Weapon Finesse
DC=10 + 1/2 Character level + Wis bonus. This has not effect vs creatures immune to critical hits or lacking discernable anatomies.

Some other feat are
Weapon Group, Broad
Weapon Group, Tight

Action Points
Combat
Class Defense Bonus
Armor as Dr
Wound/Vitality
Fatigue and Exhaustion due to Vitality loss (adapted from Michael's Imagination)

All out attack: This is the untrained version of power attack. The character takes a -4 to hit but inflicts +2 points of damage

Magic
Spell Points

Spells:

Summon Monster: Not all creature's listed in the PHB can be summoned. Arcane casters may only summon Demons, Devils and Elemental creatures using Summon Monster. They may also summon creatures listed under Nature's ally.

The following Arcane spells are not available: Bigsby spells, Leomund Spells, Mordenkainen's Sword, Primsmatic spells, Flaming Sphere, Rope Trick

Additional available spells finclude the orb spells from Tome of Blood and Minature's Handbook

Divine Spells
The following Divine Spells are not available: Spiritual Weapon and Blade Barrier

Summon Monster: Divine casters can only summon creatures (normal or celestial/infernal) which are associated with their deity although evil divine casters may also summon demons and devils.

Magical Vestment works on the cleric's robes not armor or shield. When wearing magic magical vestments the cleric receives a +2 bonus to saving throws and is considered 1 level higher determining the effects of domain spells.


New Spell:
Lesser Magical Vestment
cleric 1; Druid 1
As Mage Armor, but this spell only works on the cleric and only if the cleric is wearing his or her clerical vestments and no armor.


Domain spells have been reworked to reflect the campaign's deities. For instance, the God of death is of good alignment. Spells such as Gentle Repose and True Ressurection are appropriate domain spells while the spells listed in the PHB version of the Death Domain are more approriate for his adversary.

 

[Aluvial]

Here is a thread I started on this a while back

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=60289

Aluvial

 

[exempt]

I'm still getting the hang of 3.5e, and so some of these may not be pertinent.

I use some flavor feats for my OA setting:

Tea Master [General]You have discovered not only calmness but purpose in the way of serving tea.
Prerequisites: 4 or more ranks in Craft (Tea Ceremony)
Benefit: You gain +2 bonus to saving throws against fear and a +2 bonus to Concentration.

Poetry Master [General]
Your verse imparts a virtue into the way you relate to the world.
Prerequisite: 4 or more ranks in Craft (Poetry)
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Innuendo and Diplomacy checks.

Painting Master [General]
Your ability to depict life enhances your own life.
Prerequisite: 4 or more ranks in Craft (Painting)
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Search and Concentration skill checks.

Flower Arranging Master [General]
Your expertise in ikebana, flower arranging, allows you insight into normal life.
Prerequisites: 4 or more ranks in Craft (Flower Arranging)
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Detect Motive and Innuendo.

Calligraphy Master [General]
Your mastery in shodo, the art of calligraphy, extends into your daily life.
Prerequisites: 4 or more ranks in Craft (Calligraphy)
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Intuit Direction and Innuendo skill checks.

Any many more feats. Combat house rules are:

Crossbows can be fired at an adjacent target without drawing an attack of opportunity from the target. Other creatures threatening the crossbow-wielder are allowed attacks of opportunity against her however, for firing a missile weapon. Loading a crossbow draws an attack of opportunity as usual.

A loaded crossbow be used to flank an adjacent target.

Iaijustu damage in normal combat applies to the first strike against a flat-footed opponent when the weapon is being drawn. It cannot be applied to unarmed attacks. Perhaps this could be better explained in the OA book so it wouldn't need a house rule.

To fire more than one arrow or throw more than two hand-held missile (assuming one is held in the off-hand ready for use), a character must also possess the Quick Draw feat. In other words, to attack multiple times in a round with a bow, a character must have the Quick Draw feat. Sorry, Legolas.

Creatures immune to certain weapons are not threatened by them (e.g., a nonmagical sword vs. an incorporeal creature). If a creature is not threatened by a weapon, it cannot be flanked by its wielder. Wielders of "ineffective" weapons are allowed attacks of opportunity against opponents they cannot hit (though it does them little good).