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D&D 4E Trying to run 4E before its release?
- Thread starter BradfordFerguson
- Start date
BradfordFerguson
First Post
Oh thanks Jack, I did not know that. I stand corrected.
Still, being charmed and completely taken out of combat sucks if you are a player at the table and combats can take a half hour...
Still, being charmed and completely taken out of combat sucks if you are a player at the table and combats can take a half hour...
My 4e style House Rules
New characters choose ability bonuses instead of assigning ability scores. Each character starts with 6 bonus points to assign to abilities. Each character may subtract one point from up to two other abilities to gain two more bonus points. Each character gains one ability bonus point at level 8 and level 16.
Classes include: Warlock, Warblade, Sword Sage, Crusader, Rogue, Paladin, Favored Soul, Sorcerer, Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, and Binder.
Hitpoints are calculated by maxing out first level and then adding 1/2 the max die roll rounded up: 1d4 = 3, 1d6 = 4, 1d8 = 5, 1d10 = 6, 1d12 = 7.
Skill bonuses = level + attribute bonus + 5 if it is a primary attribute of the class or the class is a rogue or the character is human. This +5 bonus does not stack for human rogues.
Characters have two action points per session. These action points equate to + 1d6 roll to any 1d20 roll. This increases to 2d6 at level 8 and 3d6 at level 15.
Spell casting characters can turn group buff spells into "Auras" which are permanent but permanently remove one spell casting slot. These bonuses can then be calculated into the character sheets.
Spell damage = five dice max + 1/2 the die roll rounded up: 1d4 = 3, 1d6 = 4, 1d8 = 5, 1d10 = 6, 1d12 = 7. For example, a 10d6 fireball does 5d6+20.
Turn Undead = 1d6 damage per level, will save for half, DC 10 + cleric level + cha. Favored Souls gain Turn Undead as a class ability.
Rangers and Paladins lose their spellcasting abilities but gain one additional feat.
There are no full round actions. All previous full round actions are now attack actions. During their turn, all characters have a move action, an attack action, and a swift action. Move actions include "shifts" or 5 foot steps; or movement up to the character's speed. Attack actions can be any normal action or instead be replaced with a move action.
There are no iterative multiple attacks. Instead add 1/2 character level to all melee and ranged damage. At BAB +10, characters gain an additional attack at the same attack bonus. Haste adds one more attack.
Creatures with multiple attacks will have their number of attacks reduced. For example, a Pit Fiend which previously had six attacks now will have two: a pair of rending claw attacks. Other creatures may have to hit with a previous attack to get another. For example, a Marilith must hit with her first attack to get a second and hit with her second to get a third, etc.
Charges only need line of site and only add +1 bonus attack. Charges are considered attack actions and thus can be performed after a move action.
Two weapon fighting equates to -3 on each attack without any feat; -2 with two-weapon fighting; and -1 with improved two-weapon fighting. One weapon must be larger and one must be smaller.
Diagonal Moves count as 1.
No Critical Threats, all critical threats are critical hits. Add 1 to threat ranges; 19,20 becomes 20, 18,19,20 becomes 19,20, etc. No 3x crit bonuses, all crits are double damage.
Flank, sickened, surprised, stunned, being caught flat footed and other similar conditions give the opponent a "combat advantage" this advantage equates to a +2 bonus to hit. There is no flat footed AC.
Death: At 0 hp or less, you fall unconscious and are dying. Any damage dealt to a dying character is applied normally, and might kill him if it reduces his hit points far enough. Characters die when their negative hit point total reaches -10 or one-quarter of their full normal hit points, whichever is a larger value. If you’re dying at the end of your turn, roll 1d20: Lower than 10: You get worse. If you get this result three times before you are healed or stabilized (as per the Heal skill), you die.; 10-19: No change; 20: You get better! You wake up with hit points equal to one-quarter your full normal hit points. If a character with negative hit points receives healing, he returns to 0 hp before any healing is applied.
New characters choose ability bonuses instead of assigning ability scores. Each character starts with 6 bonus points to assign to abilities. Each character may subtract one point from up to two other abilities to gain two more bonus points. Each character gains one ability bonus point at level 8 and level 16.
Classes include: Warlock, Warblade, Sword Sage, Crusader, Rogue, Paladin, Favored Soul, Sorcerer, Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, and Binder.
Hitpoints are calculated by maxing out first level and then adding 1/2 the max die roll rounded up: 1d4 = 3, 1d6 = 4, 1d8 = 5, 1d10 = 6, 1d12 = 7.
Skill bonuses = level + attribute bonus + 5 if it is a primary attribute of the class or the class is a rogue or the character is human. This +5 bonus does not stack for human rogues.
Characters have two action points per session. These action points equate to + 1d6 roll to any 1d20 roll. This increases to 2d6 at level 8 and 3d6 at level 15.
Spell casting characters can turn group buff spells into "Auras" which are permanent but permanently remove one spell casting slot. These bonuses can then be calculated into the character sheets.
Spell damage = five dice max + 1/2 the die roll rounded up: 1d4 = 3, 1d6 = 4, 1d8 = 5, 1d10 = 6, 1d12 = 7. For example, a 10d6 fireball does 5d6+20.
Turn Undead = 1d6 damage per level, will save for half, DC 10 + cleric level + cha. Favored Souls gain Turn Undead as a class ability.
Rangers and Paladins lose their spellcasting abilities but gain one additional feat.
There are no full round actions. All previous full round actions are now attack actions. During their turn, all characters have a move action, an attack action, and a swift action. Move actions include "shifts" or 5 foot steps; or movement up to the character's speed. Attack actions can be any normal action or instead be replaced with a move action.
There are no iterative multiple attacks. Instead add 1/2 character level to all melee and ranged damage. At BAB +10, characters gain an additional attack at the same attack bonus. Haste adds one more attack.
Creatures with multiple attacks will have their number of attacks reduced. For example, a Pit Fiend which previously had six attacks now will have two: a pair of rending claw attacks. Other creatures may have to hit with a previous attack to get another. For example, a Marilith must hit with her first attack to get a second and hit with her second to get a third, etc.
Charges only need line of site and only add +1 bonus attack. Charges are considered attack actions and thus can be performed after a move action.
Two weapon fighting equates to -3 on each attack without any feat; -2 with two-weapon fighting; and -1 with improved two-weapon fighting. One weapon must be larger and one must be smaller.
Diagonal Moves count as 1.
No Critical Threats, all critical threats are critical hits. Add 1 to threat ranges; 19,20 becomes 20, 18,19,20 becomes 19,20, etc. No 3x crit bonuses, all crits are double damage.
Flank, sickened, surprised, stunned, being caught flat footed and other similar conditions give the opponent a "combat advantage" this advantage equates to a +2 bonus to hit. There is no flat footed AC.
Death: At 0 hp or less, you fall unconscious and are dying. Any damage dealt to a dying character is applied normally, and might kill him if it reduces his hit points far enough. Characters die when their negative hit point total reaches -10 or one-quarter of their full normal hit points, whichever is a larger value. If you’re dying at the end of your turn, roll 1d20: Lower than 10: You get worse. If you get this result three times before you are healed or stabilized (as per the Heal skill), you die.; 10-19: No change; 20: You get better! You wake up with hit points equal to one-quarter your full normal hit points. If a character with negative hit points receives healing, he returns to 0 hp before any healing is applied.
BradfordFerguson
First Post
No! I will not be tempted into the WoW dark side! 
mshea, cool thanks for the run-down. I'm doing some of what you're doing, but not all of it. It appears that there are some bits I need to add. I'm going to the extreme of average damage for all attacks. I totally agree that turning should be redone; simple is good; undead cowering = dumb.
mshea, did you reduce melee damage across the board? Or does the + 1/2 your level to damage make up for the difference?
mshea, cool thanks for the run-down. I'm doing some of what you're doing, but not all of it. It appears that there are some bits I need to add. I'm going to the extreme of average damage for all attacks. I totally agree that turning should be redone; simple is good; undead cowering = dumb.
mshea, did you reduce melee damage across the board? Or does the + 1/2 your level to damage make up for the difference?
BradfordFerguson
First Post
Thanks for the compliment!
I'm putting the bard spell list in a new thread:
My pre-4e bard spell list
I'm putting the bard spell list in a new thread:
My pre-4e bard spell list
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