D&D 3E/3.5 What are your current 3.5 House Rules?

[Sanackranib]

I am really curious to know what other DMs are house rulling for their 3.5 games. Right now I'm attempting to compile a list of the best house rules for the new version.

Post them here if you don't mind, or links to someone's home page if they have a list up.

If you post the link (or your link) please comment on why your rules have changed.

Thanks,

Aluvial

one of the best in my game is Toughness grants 1 extra hit point per level and can only be taken once. it is retroactive.

 

[Larcen]

Actually I think this rule makes a lot of sense. The dwarf did spend time training with it when he was a wee lad they all had waraxe toys that were scale modles of the real thing. If exoctic weapons are exoctic purly because they are difficult to use then why is the whip a simple weapon?

For that matter, why is the sling a simple weapon? Ye gods, ever try using one? No way someone without extensive training could use one properly.

 

[Larcen]

... Clerics get Sense Motive...

My cleric has been wanting this for so long and it makes so much sense to me, that it almost makes me cry that someone else agrees. In fact, I once heard that this ability of the spiritually developed is called "Discernment".

 

[d10]

My only house rule is that Humans get a +2/-2 to whatever ability scores the player chooses.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Just a couple we've started experimenting with:

1. Sorcerers have double the number of spells known, but each day must select half at each level as usuable that day (yoinked from AU). This has caused some very interesting choices for the sorcerer, e.g., he didn't take Disrupt Undead the day the party was attacked by skeletal trolls with regeneration - oops.

2. To help wizards, we're experimenting with giving them access to all PH arcane spells (just like clerics and divine spells). Wizard characters still tend to take the same spells day to day, changing only when they have specific knowledge/plans. Of course, since a gm usually wants to encourage players to think before jumping in, this is a good thing, IMO. It also eliminates the whole problem of wizards finding and scribing new spells, which is incredibly expensive under the standard rules.

If we find either to be unbalancing, we can always scale back. Since our campaigns rarely reach high levels (10+) before switching gm's, we don't expect too many problems. It also helps that we don't have much trouble with players trying to twink the system. (Mostly it's that a player falls in love with a character concept from a book and finds that 3E doesn't recreate them very well...)

Another I've experimented with in the past are allowing characters to spend XP on feats, skills, items, and so on. Unfortunately, almost no one took advantage - leveling up was always more fun. Maybe I'll try giving out two separate groups of XP, one for levels, one for "character improvement"...

 

[Tywyll]

Another I've experimented with in the past are allowing characters to spend XP on feats, skills, items, and so on. Unfortunately, almost no one took advantage - leveling up was always more fun. Maybe I'll try giving out two separate groups of XP, one for levels, one for "character improvement"...

What kind of system did you use? I would be interested in seeing it in detail. I am considering allowing PCs to spend Xp on feats and what not. I'd be interested in seeing how others handled it.

 

[Tywyll]

We have compiled a 300+ page rules sourcebook for our Dark Sun based campaign. I won't bore you with all the details, but here are a few highlights.

I'm interested in some of your house rules and would be interested in reading more (like how you implemented the class ability of create magic items, etc). Do you have them posted to a website somewhere? I went to your link, but it was too difficult to navigate, I'm afraid.

Thanks!

 

[Sir Whiskers]

What kind of system did you use? I would be interested in seeing it in detail. I am considering allowing PCs to spend Xp on feats and what not. I'd be interested in seeing how others handled it.

I never devloped the system in detail, as my old campaign ended before anyone took advantage of the idea. The only part I fleshed-out was for skill ranks. I allowed characters to purchase additional skill ranks, but no more than their level. Cost for the first rank purchased was 50 xp, the second was 100 xp, the third 150 xp, and so on. A character could purchase no more extra ranks than their level, but the cost remained the same regardless of when purchased.

Example:

Bob the fighter purchases an extra skill rank at 1st level, spending it on his Ride skill. The cost is 50 xp. Later, when Bob has reached 4th level, he purchases three more ranks, spending two on Ride and one on Handle Animal. The total cost for these three ranks is 450 xp (100 + 150 + 200). As Bob has now purchased a total of four ranks, he cannot purchase another until he reaches 5th level.

Obviously, the cost increased too quickly - a 4th level character spending 500 xp for 4 skill ranks is too expensive. I'm considering a flat cost of 50 xp per rank, still limited by level.

For other abilities, I'm kicking around 300-500 xp for a feat (probably the higher number) or scaling it based on current level. For spells, I'd consider allowing sorcerers and wizards to gain new spells known for 100 xp * spell level (wizard), 200 xp * spell level (sorcerer). Also, I'd like to include the rules for prestige races from Dragon 304.

Tywyll, when you have something put together, I hope you'll post it - I'd be interested in seeing your approach.

 

[ciaran00]

What kind of system did you use? I would be interested in seeing it in detail. I am considering allowing PCs to spend Xp on feats and what not. I'd be interested in seeing how others handled it.

We had implemented such a system for feats (an exponentially growing cost), rudimentary spellcasting (fighters could learn how to cast a magic missile, for example), and buying ability points (again, an exponentially growing cost). The first was scrapped in favour of improving feats. The second was scrapped to avoid too much complexity (how many times can a fighter cast MM per day? Would he need material components, etc). We kept the third. It's something like 2^n * 100 XP per ability point, n being the instance. As you can see it blows up pretty quick.

I like to award extra skill points for good bookkeeping. Since they have tens of followers, this can get hairy if they're not careful. A few skill points now and then is a good motivator.

I wouldn't mind showing you our game doc, Tywyll... unfortunately, it's about 70 MB and I have been trying to upload it to my site for ages... the process breaks and starts over around 25 megs. So here is an example of class construction (the wizard). Note that abilities that cost "auto" cannot be avoided. The wizard has 175 CPs he can spend. This is very much like the skills and powers system, but with quite a few added purchasables. Descriptions follow the summary...

A "-" costs CPs, a "+" adds them to your total. Number in parentheses are when powers are granted for the class.

BASIC
Casting Method (Defiler) ... auto (1st)
Casting Method (Preserver) ... -30 (Corequisite: Level Adjustment: +2) (1st)
Followers ... -5 (10th)
Granted Powers (High Level) ... auto (special)
Hit Points (Wizard) ... auto (1st)
Level Adjustment: +2 ... +30 (corequsite: Casting Method: Preserver) (1st)
Transformation Capability ... auto (1st)

FEATS
Bonus Feat: Cubability ... auto (1st)

ITEM CREATION
Enchant Item: Armour and Shields (12th), Rings (16th), Rods (14th), Staves (16th), Wands (14th), Weapons (12th)... -5 each
Enchant Item: Magical Liquids ... auto or -5 if they want to do so at 3rd level (9th or 3rd)
Enchant Item: Miscellaneous Magic ... -10 (16th)
Enchant Item: Scrolls ... auto or -5 if they want to do so at 1st level (6th or 1st)

ITEMS
Armour Access (Wizard) ... auto (1st)
Bookworm ... -20 (1st)
Limited Magical Item (Cleric) ... -15 per (1st)
Magical Item Access (Wizard) ... auto (1st)
Magical Item Forbidden ... +5 per category (1st)
Weapon Access (Wizard) ... auto (1st)
Weapon Forbidden: All ... +30 (1st)

MAGIC
Arcane Memory ... -5 (1st)
Armoured Casting ... -5 (for light armour) or -15 (for heavy armour) or -25 (for no armour restrictions) (1st) NOTE: We don't play with chance of spell failure, wizards cannot cast in armour at all
Automatic Spells ... auto (1st)
Dispel Magic ... -10 (5th) ... this is 2/day
Limited Spell Selection ... auto (1st)
No Material Components ... -10 per school (1st)
Permanent Spell Effect ... -10 for 1st, -15 for 2nd or 3rd (5th)
Read Magic ... -5 (1st)
School Access (Major) ... -15 per school (1st)
School Access (Major): Universal ... auto (1st)
School Access (Minor): -5 per school (1st)
School Resistance ... -20 per school (1st)
School Specialist ... -15 per school (1st)
Wild Mage ... -30 (1st)

MERITS
Arcanist ... -15 (1st)
Chargecaster ... -20 (1st)
Construct Master ... -25 (1st)
Flesh Focus ... -10 (1st)
Materialist ... -20 (1st)
Resistance to Horror ... -10 (1st)
Spellhound ... -10 (7th)
Undead Master ... -25 (1st)

SKILLS
Limited Skill Access (Thief) ... -10 per skill (1st)
Skill Access (Wizard) ... auto (1st)

Now I'll explain the ones that need an explanation...

• Transformation Capability: All characters who have achieved 20th level simultaneously in two specific classes can choose to transform into a higher being. The choices available are outlined in the table below. A character who has the capability to transform is not forced to do so; he may continue on in his present classes without restriction.
• Bonus Feat: Cubability: All wizards have the capability of sensing and activating a cube: a device of the greatest power, only one of which can ever be safely activated on Sernia. Because control of the device is so difficult, and because other wizards are aware of an activated cube-- those who can vy for its control-- caution is advised... but not necessary.
• Bookworm: The character is either blessed with a fraction of Cthulhu wisdom, or he is an expert of Cthulhu lore and is able to retain the information of a number of Oraculum Furiae equal to his Intelligence modifier; the character need not be in possession of the particular book to use its abilities. The selection of memorised books can be changed, but only by destroying the particular book that must be flushed out of the character’s system.
• Limited Magical Item (Cleric): The character can use a single magical item of choice reserved for the stated class (like a wand of fire for wizards) as if he were that class. Each additional 5 CPs spent on this ability grants access to another normally-restricted item.
• Magical Item Forbidden: The character is unable to use a certain class of magical item. Valid choices are outlined in the table below. Forbidden magical items cannot be used in any magical capacity by the character (even if he is multiclassed). This ability cannot be purchased twice for the same class of magical items by a multiclassed character. Each additional forbidden class of magical items awards 5 additional CPs for use. For a wizard the choices are: Magical liquids, rings, rods, scrolls, staves, and wands.
• Weapon Forbidden: The character gains no initial proficiency in weapons. Additionally, he may never gain proficiency in a single weapon, ever. This ban includes natural weapons that the character would not normally be proficient in—such as newly gained natural weapons or armaments grafted to his body—and any katas that would otherwise be available to him.
• Arcane Memory: The character is able to retain 3 spells of his choice permanently in his memory. Memorising such a spell in this manner requires 1 month (this time need not be solely dedicated to the task: the character is assumed to be studying the spell intensely in his spare time). Spells so memorised do not require the character to have them in written form for his perusal; thus, if the character ever loses his spellbook he can still cast these spells.
• Arcanist: In matters of the occult and supernatural, the knowledge of an arcanist is unmatched. Some have remarked wryly that bards know a little bit about everything, while arcanists know a little bit about everything spooky. (this is from Ravenloft. Cool skill).
• Chargecaster: The character can power his spells or theurgies with item charges. The number of charges consumed in the process of casting is equal to the spell or theurgy power cost for the spell or theurgy. The character can only use items that he can normally use for this function.
• Construct Master (Undead Master works too): The character is able to affect any constructs (such as gargoyles or golems) that are normally immune to spells belonging to the enchantment/charm or illusion schools as if they did not possess such immunities.
• Flesh Focus: The character can substitute his own health for spell foci (bone-metal). The cost in hit points is equal to the spell level. Hit points lost in this manner can regenerate normally.
• Materialist: The wizard is able to manufacture foci that enable him to ignore the somatic and verbal components of his spells. Manufacture of such foci require an hour per spell level and cost 3 times as much as the spell’s material components, if any.
• Spellhound: The character can analyse dwoemers and spells to find their trail and point of origin or destination. Teleport spells can be tracked to their destinations, casters can be pinpointed by the spells they leave behind, and causes for active spell effects can be found (a hidden staff radiating a cause fear spell). All the spellhound requires to track a spell or theurgy’s origins is a successful opposed Spellcraft check.
• Limited Skill Access (Thief): The character can access a single exclusive thief skill as a cross-class skill. Each additional 10 CPs spent on this ability allows the character access to another exclusive thief skill. The character can also spend CPs on this ability to use a skill in a certain capacity, as in a thief’s ability to find traps using the Observation skill. The exclusive skill Use Device cannot be purchased through this class ability.

That's just cut and paste from the doc. Hope that makes more sense now. Note that class construction is a cut above feats and other abilities that characters can gain after character creation. These are generally more powerful than feats.

ciaran

 

[The_DarkAngel]

Damn, good thread topic. Im personally writing a free (of-course) e-book house rules/supplement and doing the art for it as well. Its going to take another month or two to finish. However, I hope you guys dont mind me picking a few good ideas up that some of you have posted.

Heres a pick of a new godess I created and a few other pics that will be in the book. (and "no" these arent photos, get a wacom tablet).

http://www.pdidarkangel.net/pdie8.html (new half-elven godess for FR)

http://www.pdidarkangel.net/pdia4.html (warrior drawing)

http://www.pdidarkangel.net/pdic3.html (gladiator drawing)

More to come. Please keep in mind the artwork is copy-righted.

DA