Unearthed Arcana - Which rules do you use regularly?

[Emirikol]

Our list:

Class variations (all available)
Action points
Classes: Spellcaster, Expert, Warrior

We also use "Taint" for ALL spellcasters (yes, including paladins and LG clerics..magic is EEEEEEVILLLLLL in our campaigns.

Jay

 

[Ry]

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

I'd keep trying, but that's me.

One thing I did was to describe each hit in the blow-by-blow as if it WAS the character's action; it was a "YOU almost dodge the hobgoblin's spear, but he drives it downward at the last second" "YOU nimbly duck under the sword swings"

 

[Erywin]

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

I can't remember, are we using the buy off LA rules or not? I know we are in the Mercs.

 

[rgard]

We also use "Taint" for ALL spellcasters (yes, including paladins and LG clerics..magic is EEEEEEVILLLLLL in our campaigns.

Jay

Not sure I'd want to play in that campaign, but it's a cool concept.

 

[Dragonhelm]

All class skills at rank equal to level

How has this worked out for you? I'd be tempted to use this variant, but I also kind of like the Star Wars SAGA Edition take on skills.

I know this would cut down on time, but how would you have a character who is specialized in one particular skill? (i.e. a master diplomat) Just the skill focus feat?

 

[TerraDave]

-spontanous/horizontal metamagic
-cloistered (or as we call it "scholarly") cleric
-magic rating (kinda sorta)

All work real good.

 

[DreadArchon]

-magic rating (kinda sorta)

Heh, true, some things just really do require "class levels in the class that gives this" rather than your Magic Rating. It's a good system for people who aren't allowed to munchkinize it, though.

Also, I don't think I've mentioned my hatred for the Generic Classes in this thread. Allow me to do so now, as this is vaguely a suitably related place for such. (Hatehatehatehatehate.)

Edit: Oh, and LA buy-off. At high levels it starts to slant things in favor of those who took LA+1 or LA+2, as they catch up to the party and are just better all around, but given the high-magic nature of my campaign, there's nothing stopping my players from taking templates retroactively. (I had a Dwarf who became a half-celestial at mid levels, for example.)

 

[GreatLemur]

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.

Have you got any more to say on precisely how this works out for you (unexpected consequences, etc.)? It sounds like a rather attractive idea, since the flat 1-20 probability seems to end up leading to more weird, spectacularly good or bad results than is really desireable (that is, extremely rolls happen often enough that they're not as interesting as they oughta be). Seems like it would be a mild benefit to the PCs in the long run, since they generally have the weight of bonuses on their side, and more reliable results favor the kind of careful planning players often get into, while occasional dumb luck is the only thing their hordes of weaker enemies have going for 'em.

 

[blargney the second]

2d10 rewards investment in an ability and encourages use of tactics. There's a Knight in the group who has focused on AC, and he's quite difficult for a single equal-CR monster to hit since their attack bonus is usually a tad less than his AC bonus. However, with a judicious application of tactics (flank, aid another) their attack eclipses his defense, and the monsters can hit him fairly consistently.

Good saving throws tend to succeed consistently, but still tank every once in a while. Poor saving throws tend to just barely fail, which encourages the use of action points. With opposed rolls, whoever has the higher modifier will usually come out ahead, or at least close enough that action points are valuable.

Critical hits don't happen as often, but they do still come up occasionally - probably about once per game. I'm actually okay with that because I was specifically aiming for a more heroic, less revolving-door campaign. Critical hits favour monsters by default, so it suits me fine that there's less random fatalities of the heroes.

Overall, there is still enough randomness that there are plenty of unusual successes and failures, but skill and focus are a bit more reliable.
-blarg

 

[Jhaelen]

In theory: the paragon classes. I allow them, but I've never used them so far; nor have my players.
Nothing else.