Unearthed Arcana - Which rules do you use regularly?

[Ry]

We tried this variant, but it was too difficult to unlearn the standard method, and we gave up halfway through the session.

That's a sad story.

I remember when I started doing it, the main thing was asking players for Armor Checks and Save Breaker checks. Once I did it I could stand while GMing and focus on other things; making the combat interesting, doing voices, and caricaturing enemy reactions / injuries.

 

[Flynn]

Players Roll All The Dice.

I've used it and I'd use it again. However, many of my players have issues with it. The campaign we used it in, they rolled for crap, and I was told on numerous occasions that they'd rather it be my die rolls that did them in, rather than their own dice turning traitor on them. I roll in the open, so the results should be the same. It's all a matter of perspective.

I do find that I have more freedom to DM in combat if I use this variant, instead of focusing on rolling for the masses, so to speak.

I still hope I get to use it in the future, though,
Flynn

 

[Kesh]

Last campaign, I played as a Wilderness Rogue (sneak attack with a bow FTW), and a friend played a Battlesorcerer.

I want to try Action Points and bell-curve rolling (3d6 instead of 1d20) next time I run a campaign, and maybe use the Reserve Points system as well. I'm hoping that will ease the need for a direct healer, while still providing enough action to keep it going.

 

[Insight]

Y'know, this might be better as a poll...

Anyway...
Action Points
Buying off LA (I wish LA didn't exist, or it was modeled on a point buy system *sigh*)
All of the Paragons (well, I don't think anyone in my groups have tried a few of them, but in general, yes)
The Environmental Racial Variants
Bloodlines (to a certain extent, they are mostly crap, although they are almost worth doing in a gestalt game)
Variant Classes (again, to a certain extent, some of them aren't worth doing, and some no one has tried to use)
Weapon Groups
Scions (classes that level with a specific weapon)
Gestalt
Class-Based Defense
Vitality/Wounds

 

[blargney the second]

I'm running a campaign right now where we're using a few UA variants to highlight the heroic abilities of the PCs:
1) Players roll all the dice. This gives them the feeling of having more control over their characters' destinies, especially in conjunction with...
2) Action points (Eberronian). They can apply to AC checks in addition to the usual suspects.
3) Semi-bell curve rolling with 2d10. If a character is good at something, they will be a bit more consistently good at it. Relative ability is emphasized more than luck.
4) Armor as damage conversion. The PCs are going to be taken out just as quickly as regular D&D. The difference is that they will be unconscious rather than dead. A little nonlethal damage goes a long way.

There are some others in effect as well, but those four define most of the feeling in our game. It's been awesome so far!
-blarg

 

[DreadArchon]

Actual Rules Changes:
Magic Rating
Action Points

Class options that don't require rules changes (e.g. Urban Ranger):
Whatever the PC's want.

 

[Alisair Longreach]

In my camapign I use these variant rules:

Fractional BAB and saves.
Craft Points
Action Points
Spontaneous Metamagic
Alt. massive damage
All class skills at rank equal to level
Prepared spells cast spontaneously

 

[Sqwonk]

In my Eberron game -

Urban Ranger
Battle Sorceror
Whirling Rage
Spont. metamagic - like this one a lot.
Bloodlines- lost levels = dead . I will try Fifth Element Games version next time.
Action Points - this "season" (at 10th level characters) we have been using 2 action point chips each game session instead of AP per level. They seem to get remembered and used more.

 

[Yair]

Action Points (variant)
Traits, sort-of (using Paizo's traits)
Flaws (seem overly good, IMO - not pleased with them)

 

[Perun]

We use the LA buy-off regularly, as we've had more than a fair share of planetouched characters.

We've also used a cloistered cleric, but most class variants would be allowed if anyone wanted to play them.

Nobody expressed any interest in other rules. Although I have this idea about a Lyrandar half-elf paragon/dragonmark heir character (if I ever get to play in Eberron, instead of DMing )

We do use action points in Eberron, though, but that's not really an UA thing there.