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<blockquote data-quote="Galethorn" data-source="post: 1489676" data-attributes="member: 7888"><p>Well, my new campaign (one and a half sessions so far; one five-hour character creation session, one normal-length actual adventure) has quite a few house rules...mostly to keep the rules match better with the setting. The setting is basically 50% Tolkien inspired, 25% other-fantasy-I've-read-and-enjoyed-a-lot inspired (Salvatore's demon-war series, and that series that included 'The Iron Cauldron' and 'The Book of Three', and had an author who's name elludes me), and 25% amalgamated things that fell together from my wide field of knowledge and experience (not large, but wide; I know a fair bit about computers (hardware, software, and games), most physical sciences, history, all things Tolkien, all things D&D, weapons and/or warfare (and a self-proclaimed expert in the medieval part of this field), blacksmithing, woodworking, jewelry-making, and a slew of other things. I couldn't tell you the first thing about most modern sports, modern music, or high-end chemistry or biology however.).</p><p></p><p>Anyway, the setting is quite earthlike compared to, say, Faerun. For instance, most non-human races are quite rare, few people even <em>believe</em> in magic, and magic itself is a lot less flashy. Anyway, on comes the list(s)...</p><p></p><p>Basic Changes to the Rules (mostly from UA)</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><br /> Customized VP/Wp system (Wounds=Con, +1 per even level, and weapons keep their original critical multiplier and range. For instance, a Greataxe gets a critical on a 20, and does x3 damage...and it goes to wounds)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Armor doesn't give you ANY bonus to not getting hit; it just gives straight damage reduction equal to the AC bonus. This also applies to natural AC, but not deflection. Enhancement bonus gives +2 DR for every point of enhancement.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Class based Defense Bonus. More on this later.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Honor (as per UA)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Reputation (also as per UA)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Action Points (as per UA, except can't be used to 'break the rules' and use a feat that you don't have and so on. Meta-magicing a spell with an action point costs 2 action points instead of the usual 1)</li> </ul><p></p><p>Basic Things</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No silly names, at least out-of-character silly. A warrior named Bob Dole, for instance, wouldn’t be acceptable. An elf named Belenaer (Strong Sad in Elvish), however, would be.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Any non-evil Alignment is fine.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Classes, Using my own version of the generic classes in UA...</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Three classes; warrior, expert, and spellcaster.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warrior is D10vp, good BAB, gets lots of bonus feats. 4 skillpoints/level</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Expert is D8vp, 3/4 BAB, gets not so many feats. 8 sp/lvl</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spellcaster is d6vp, 3/4 BAB, very few feats, 4sp/lvl, casts spells like a sorcerer, but from any spell-list, since there's only one kind of magic (more on this later). Prime casting stat is the character's choice (int, wis, or cha).</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I've converted ALL class abilities into feats, so you could have a spellcaster with favored enemy, a raging blacksmith (expert), or a singing knight.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Expert gets two good saves and one average, spellcasters and warriors get two average and one good.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Warriors get “Best” defense, Experts get “Good”, and Spellcasters get average. For each armor category heavier than light, you move down one ‘notch’ in defense category. For instance, it’s just as hard to hit a warrior in plate as it is to hit an unarmored spellcaster, if all other factors are even (dex, level, etc.)</li> </ul><p>All skills are class-skills to everybody</p><p>[/list]</p><p></p><p>Races</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No Favored classes (free multiclassing)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human; same as PHB</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dwarf; same as PHB</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf; same as PHB</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Halfling; same as PHB, but is actually a race of humans that were shrunken by the goddess Lyri.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Giant; 7.5-9ft.-tall, large race. +4 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha. -4 to all charisma or intelligence-based skills, other than craft and handle animal. Gains +1 Str/5 levels, +2 con/6 levels. A race of dwarves who were 'embiggened' by Lyri.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Erynedhil; half-elf, half-dryad. Make up most 'Elven' nobles. -2 Str and Con, +2 Dex and Cha. Can cast 'Commune with Nature' once per day at caster level 1.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elfling; half-elf, half-sprite (magic was involved; don't worry for the poor sprites<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />). -4 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Con. Gets Wild Empathy, Weapon Finesse with light blades (daggers, shortswords), and 10 minutes per day of Prestidigitation.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Magic</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Many spells are banned because they couldn't possibly work within the setting. Mostly includes Bigby’s spells, Mordenkainen’s spells, and a few others (summoning; there isn’t any outer plane to summon <em>from</em>)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Almost all Lazy-Mage spells don’t exist. This includes Fly (and all versions of fly that don’t involve being on something that could reasonably be enchanted/have wings), and anything that lets casters become too tough (Stoneskin, Tenser’s Trans., Polymorph, and so on). To counterbalance this, the spellcaster class has D6 HD and 3/4 BAB as mentioned before.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Nature’s ally works, but takes 3d8 rounds to come into effect (“Here, Badger, Badger, Badger!”)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Since all magic is the same type, there isn’t any difference between divine and arcane. </li> </ul><p></p><p>Combat</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">VP/WP, as mentioned before.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Easier CDGs (case by case basis)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Natural 1 requires a DC10 Reflex save to avoid dropping your weapon. If a melee weapon, make a strength check. The weapon flies a number of feet equal to the result of the check.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Equipment</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Weapons and armor weight what the <em>actually</em> should. A greatsword weighs between 5 and 8 pounds. A bastard sword weighs between 2-1/2 and 4. A Longsword weighs between 2 and 3…and so on.</li> </ul><p></p><p>XP and Treasure</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">25% of normal XP and treasure as per encounter level (to slow the leveling down)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No negative levels (XP debt instead)</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Silver is much more common in loot than gold</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">XP goes to the whole group, except in the case of things that only one character does, without any help</li> </ul><p></p><p>Table-Rules</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don’t get side tracked talking about unrelated things…I do so myself enough that we barely get anything done as-is.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain bonus XP for the whole group if you have a good out-of-game idea (like a way to make a better gaming table, or whatever), without it interfering. The amount depends on many factors.</li> </ul> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You also gain bonus XP for the whole group if you do something to wow me in game. Roleplay really well? Bonus XP. Get everybody focused again after a particularly long-lasting laughing fit from a joke? Bonus XP.</li> </ul><p>Don’t steal my pencils. I bought them for us to use at the game, and nowhere else.[/list]</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stiny? Get me a danish!</li> </ul><p></p><p>Jeebus. That’s a lot more than I thought. Maybe I should save this and make a printout for the players.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Galethorn, post: 1489676, member: 7888"] Well, my new campaign (one and a half sessions so far; one five-hour character creation session, one normal-length actual adventure) has quite a few house rules...mostly to keep the rules match better with the setting. The setting is basically 50% Tolkien inspired, 25% other-fantasy-I've-read-and-enjoyed-a-lot inspired (Salvatore's demon-war series, and that series that included 'The Iron Cauldron' and 'The Book of Three', and had an author who's name elludes me), and 25% amalgamated things that fell together from my wide field of knowledge and experience (not large, but wide; I know a fair bit about computers (hardware, software, and games), most physical sciences, history, all things Tolkien, all things D&D, weapons and/or warfare (and a self-proclaimed expert in the medieval part of this field), blacksmithing, woodworking, jewelry-making, and a slew of other things. I couldn't tell you the first thing about most modern sports, modern music, or high-end chemistry or biology however.). Anyway, the setting is quite earthlike compared to, say, Faerun. For instance, most non-human races are quite rare, few people even [i]believe[/i] in magic, and magic itself is a lot less flashy. Anyway, on comes the list(s)... Basic Changes to the Rules (mostly from UA) [list] Customized VP/Wp system (Wounds=Con, +1 per even level, and weapons keep their original critical multiplier and range. For instance, a Greataxe gets a critical on a 20, and does x3 damage...and it goes to wounds)[/list] [list]Armor doesn't give you ANY bonus to not getting hit; it just gives straight damage reduction equal to the AC bonus. This also applies to natural AC, but not deflection. Enhancement bonus gives +2 DR for every point of enhancement.[/list] [list]Class based Defense Bonus. More on this later.[/list] [list]Honor (as per UA)[/list] [list]Reputation (also as per UA)[/list] [list]Action Points (as per UA, except can't be used to 'break the rules' and use a feat that you don't have and so on. Meta-magicing a spell with an action point costs 2 action points instead of the usual 1)[/list] Basic Things [list]No silly names, at least out-of-character silly. A warrior named Bob Dole, for instance, wouldn’t be acceptable. An elf named Belenaer (Strong Sad in Elvish), however, would be.[/list] [list]Any non-evil Alignment is fine. [/list] Classes, Using my own version of the generic classes in UA... [list]Three classes; warrior, expert, and spellcaster.[/list] [list]Warrior is D10vp, good BAB, gets lots of bonus feats. 4 skillpoints/level[/list] [list]Expert is D8vp, 3/4 BAB, gets not so many feats. 8 sp/lvl[/list] [list]Spellcaster is d6vp, 3/4 BAB, very few feats, 4sp/lvl, casts spells like a sorcerer, but from any spell-list, since there's only one kind of magic (more on this later). Prime casting stat is the character's choice (int, wis, or cha).[/list] [list]I've converted ALL class abilities into feats, so you could have a spellcaster with favored enemy, a raging blacksmith (expert), or a singing knight.[/list] [list]Expert gets two good saves and one average, spellcasters and warriors get two average and one good.[/list] [list]Warriors get “Best” defense, Experts get “Good”, and Spellcasters get average. For each armor category heavier than light, you move down one ‘notch’ in defense category. For instance, it’s just as hard to hit a warrior in plate as it is to hit an unarmored spellcaster, if all other factors are even (dex, level, etc.)[/list] All skills are class-skills to everybody [/list] Races [list]No Favored classes (free multiclassing)[/list] [list]Human; same as PHB[/list] [list]Dwarf; same as PHB[/list] [list]Elf; same as PHB[/list] [list]Halfling; same as PHB, but is actually a race of humans that were shrunken by the goddess Lyri.[/list] [list]Giant; 7.5-9ft.-tall, large race. +4 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Cha. -4 to all charisma or intelligence-based skills, other than craft and handle animal. Gains +1 Str/5 levels, +2 con/6 levels. A race of dwarves who were 'embiggened' by Lyri.[/list] [list]Erynedhil; half-elf, half-dryad. Make up most 'Elven' nobles. -2 Str and Con, +2 Dex and Cha. Can cast 'Commune with Nature' once per day at caster level 1.[/list] [list]Elfling; half-elf, half-sprite (magic was involved; don't worry for the poor sprites:)). -4 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Con. Gets Wild Empathy, Weapon Finesse with light blades (daggers, shortswords), and 10 minutes per day of Prestidigitation. [/list] Magic [list]Many spells are banned because they couldn't possibly work within the setting. Mostly includes Bigby’s spells, Mordenkainen’s spells, and a few others (summoning; there isn’t any outer plane to summon [i]from[/i])[/list] [list]Almost all Lazy-Mage spells don’t exist. This includes Fly (and all versions of fly that don’t involve being on something that could reasonably be enchanted/have wings), and anything that lets casters become too tough (Stoneskin, Tenser’s Trans., Polymorph, and so on). To counterbalance this, the spellcaster class has D6 HD and 3/4 BAB as mentioned before.[/list] [list]Summon Nature’s ally works, but takes 3d8 rounds to come into effect (“Here, Badger, Badger, Badger!”)[/list] [list]Since all magic is the same type, there isn’t any difference between divine and arcane. [/list] Combat [list]VP/WP, as mentioned before.[/list] [list]Easier CDGs (case by case basis)[/list] [list]Natural 1 requires a DC10 Reflex save to avoid dropping your weapon. If a melee weapon, make a strength check. The weapon flies a number of feet equal to the result of the check. [/list] Equipment [list]Weapons and armor weight what the [i]actually[/i] should. A greatsword weighs between 5 and 8 pounds. A bastard sword weighs between 2-1/2 and 4. A Longsword weighs between 2 and 3…and so on. [/list] XP and Treasure [list]25% of normal XP and treasure as per encounter level (to slow the leveling down)[/list] [list]No negative levels (XP debt instead)[/list] [list]Silver is much more common in loot than gold[/list] [list]XP goes to the whole group, except in the case of things that only one character does, without any help [/list] Table-Rules [list]Don’t get side tracked talking about unrelated things…I do so myself enough that we barely get anything done as-is.[/list] [list]You gain bonus XP for the whole group if you have a good out-of-game idea (like a way to make a better gaming table, or whatever), without it interfering. The amount depends on many factors.[/list] [list]You also gain bonus XP for the whole group if you do something to wow me in game. Roleplay really well? Bonus XP. Get everybody focused again after a particularly long-lasting laughing fit from a joke? Bonus XP.[/list] Don’t steal my pencils. I bought them for us to use at the game, and nowhere else.[/list] [list]Stiny? Get me a danish! [/list] Jeebus. That’s a lot more than I thought. Maybe I should save this and make a printout for the players. [/QUOTE]
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