Here are some of my house rules. We still play 3.0, and I'm amazed how many of these changes have been made (or similarly made) in 3.5.
Probably the most controversial thing will the limitation on what classes are available. It's my way of making sure that magic stays low in this campaign. Under these rules, I can still challenge our 8th-9th level party without having to make a bunch of "save or die" type effects. Plus, it effectively eliminates raise dead, teleport, and all the other spells that really tick me off from the game
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In our past games, by the time we get to 12th-ish levels, the power - especially magical - has been so out of control that they're just not very fun for us. As weird as these may seem, they're working pretty well for us.
What do you guys think? I have a 28-page word file that includes this stuff, campaign background data, and summary of playing sessions if anyone is interested
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Campaign Rules
CHARACTER-BASED RULES
Character Generation
Race: Must be human.
Attributes:
Initial core characters: base score of 10 in each attribute. Each player receives one +2 card for each attribute and one +2 wild-card. Players may trade cards amongst themselves.
New characters for new players: hat includes two cards for each attribute and one wild card, player may choose seven cards from hat.
Replacement of characters: put previous character’s card in hat. The hat also includes one +2 card for each attribute. Player may choose seven cards from hat.
Characters add a +1 to each attribute every two levels. No more than half these points may be allocated to any one attribute (except at 2nd level).
Class:
At first level, character must choose one of: Woodsman (ranger), Armsman (fighter), Sneak (rogue), or Minstrel (bard). At least half of levels must always be in that class. The campaign version of ranger used will be Monte Cook’s version.
Characters may generally gain levels in only one prestige class. All requirements must be met to enter a prestige class.
The psionic classes, barbarian class, and monk class are unavailable.
Equipment: Initial core characters begin with only slaves’ clothes, having no equipment of any sort. Subsequent characters will be decided upon.
Level: Initial core characters begin at 3rd level. Subsequent characters will be decided upon.
Alignment: Non-evil.
Books/source material available: DM must approve availability of any classes, feats, skills, etc. not in the players handbook.
Background information: The DM will award permanent XP percentage bonuses for background information. As always, some character-specific traits would be appreciated, but not to the degree formerly requested. In particular, the DM would appreciate names and basic relationships with a list of 5-15 NPCs who have some meaning in the character’s life. An ideal mix would include the names of, brief descriptions, and summary relationships with family members (I haven’t seen my saint of a mother Mary Cumberson in 3 years, since the slavers grabbed her one night), childhood friends (“Old” Biggs was like a little brother, he could whup up on anybody he ever cared to, I sure hope he’s doing well), enemies (that worthless
head John Crasburn who knocked up my sister and ran out on her, or my Mama Yarn Oldsly who ran out on us when I was eight), and mentors (old Gabby Johnson taught me everything I know about tracking, that self-righteous old bastard, may the racist bastard rot in hell).
Base Saving Throw Bonuses
Fort: str+con.
Ref: int+dex.
Will: wis+cha.
New Feat Rules
The feat Weapon Finesse applies to all applicable weapons, rather than to a specific weapon.
Two Weapon Specialist – Fourth level fighters or rangers who already have the ambidexterity and two-weapon fighting feats may gain a feat called Two-Weapon Specialist that reduces penalty for attacking with two weapons by two. This feat may be taken with a fighter/ranger bonus feat. Characters with this feat may use a shield as an offensive weapon while retaining its AC bonus.
Block – Characters with the Two-Weapon Specialist feat may gain a feat called Block. The Block feat allows the character to forego attacks on his turn, and to use those attacks later in the round to block attacks that would otherwise be hits against him. The blocking character receives a –4 penalty for each size difference between the opposing weapons. The character must be using a weapon in each hand to use this feat. This feat may be taken with a fighter’s bonus feat.
Dodge – The dodge feat gives a +1 to AC against all attacks and can be taken multiple times.
Power Attack – When used with two-handed weapons, the damage bonus is double the attack penalty taken.
New Skill Rules
Tumble: DC to avoid provoking attack of opportunity while moving is 10+opponent’s base attack bonus (20+ BAB if going through enemy-occupied square).
Concentration:
DC to avoid provoking attack of opportunity while casting is DC 10 + opponent’s base attack + spell level.
DC for perfect placement of area-effect spells is a check (d20 + caster level/2 + INT) vs. DC of spell level plus situation adjustment (+5 might be trying to avoid allies in close positions, +10 for difficult angles seen through crowded areas, +15 for magical darkness, etc.). [Bruce – put a placement bonus on the character sheet spell sheets, it’ll always be the same.]
Knowledge: DM will prepare special supplementary information for characters with knowledge skills in geography, religion, history, etc., and in some cases allow the player to reference the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer.
Characters must have 2 ranks in a trained-only skill in order to use that skill.
Characters with access to an exclusive class skill may not use cross-class points from other classes to increase that skill.
At first level, each character may select one skill (whether or not it is considered a class skill for that first class taken) that will henceforth be considered a class skill for all that character’s classes.
Intimidate is a class skill for fighters (in addition to barbarians and rogues).
Material Available
Unless otherwise ruled, anything in the Players Handbook is available.
Anything not in the Players Handbook must be approved. This will likely be granted when the power level of the material is appropriate (almost always) and when the character has already meaningfully demonstrated interest in the material – for instance, the Brawler prestige class would only be available if the character had been in many unarmed fights, etc.
Prestige classes that are organization-based, such as Guild Mage or Knight of the Watch must make meaningful in-game connections to that organization. Further advancement in that class will be dependent upon further cooperation.
It is unlikely that more than one prestige class will be allowed per character.
GENERAL
Significant Injury, Unconsciousness, and Death
Between 0 hit points and a negative hit point total equal to character level, the character is reduced to one partial action move per round.
At a negative hit point total greater than the character’s character level, the character falls unconscious.
If a negative hit point total exceeds the sum of a character’s level and constitution, the character dies.
New Healing Rule
Any cure spell can be used to cure subdual damage or to convert normal damage into subdual damage.
Normal damage heals at a rate of character level plus constitution bonus per day, with a minimum of one HP/day.
Subdual damage heals at a rate of character level plus constitution bonus per hour, with a minimum of one HP/hour.
If resting and with a tended by a healer (Heal check DC10) you regain hit points at double the normal rate.
Potions of healing are exempt from this rule –damage healed by potions heal immediately and entirely.
Certain Spell Effects
Haste – The haste spell effects are hereby changed to the following: (i) an extra move action, and (ii) a +1 to attack rolls and armor class. If the character uses the full-attack option and has not used the extra move action, haste grants an additional attack at the character’s highest attack bonus.
Stuns / Hold Effects – These effects can be actively fought against. While stunned, characters may attempt to make a fortitude or willpower check each round, DC equal to original stun effect. If successful, the character is allowed a partial action that round and is not considered stunned/helpless during that round. Freedom of Movement and similar effects do not remove stun/hold effects.
Harm – Targets of the Harm spell may attempt a fortitude save to take only half damage.
Charm – Charmed creatures gain a new save each time they are asked to do something materially against their nature, with a bonus according to action requested. A successful save permanently negates the effect.
MULTI-CLASSED SPELLCASTERS
In the base rules, multi-classed spellcasters stink. To help make up for that, every multi-classed spellcaster has access to a custom prestige class with the characteristics outlined below.
Requirements
Class A: The character must be able to cast third level spells as a cleric, shugenja, sorcerer, wizard, or similar “casting” class.
Class B: The character must be at least fifth level fighter, ranger, rogue, or similar “non-casting” class.
The player must come up with a cool name for his custom prestige class.
Base Statistics
The character’s base attack progression (good, medium, bad) is the average of classes A and B, rounded down.
The character’s hit die is the average of classes A and B, rounded down to nearest die.
The character receives good saving throw bonuses for saves in which either class A or B has good bonuses, bad otherwise.
The character has skill points equal to the average of classes A or B, rounded down to the nearest multiple of two. All class skills for Class A and Class B are class skills for this class.
Class Abilities
Every level in the custom prestige class grants an additional spellcasting level in Class A. Every level in the custom prestige class grants the non-spellcasting abilities in an alternating fashion, starting with Class B.
Example #1
Bob is a 5th level fighter / 5th level cleric / 7th level redeemer (cool name, +5). The redeemer prestige class has the following properties:
BAB progression: would be medium, the average of fighter (good) and cleric (medium), rounded down.
Hit die: fighter d10, cleric d8, so redeemer is d8.
Saves: Fighters have good fort, clerics have good fort and will, so redeemer has good fort and will saves, bad reflex.
Skill Points: Fighters have two, clerics have two, so redeemer has two and access to both skill lists, no rounding needed.
Spellcasting: A 5th level fighter / 5th level cleric / 7th level custom would cast as an 12th level cleric (5+7).
Class features: A 5th level fighter / 5th level cleric / 7th level custom would have all the feats of a 9th level fighter (5+7/2 rounded up) and all non-spellcasting abilities (turning undead, etc.) of an 8th level cleric (5+7/2 rounded down).
Example #2
Bob is a 5th level ranger / 5th level wizard / 4th level nature’s fireball cannon (not acceptable, -10). The unacceptably-named prestige class has the following properties:
BAB progression: would be medium, the average of ranger (good) and wizard (bad), no rounding needed.
Saves: Rangers have good fort and reflex, wizards have good will, so class has good bonuses in all saves.
Skill Points: Rangers have six, wizards have two, so class has four and access to both skill lists, no rounding needed.
Spellcasting: A 5th level ranger / 5th level wizard / 4th level custom would cast as a 9th level wizard (5+4).
Class features: A 5th level ranger / 5th level wizard / 4th level custom would have all the feats, animal companions, etc. of a 7th level ranger (5+4/2) and all non-spellcasting abilities (bonus metamagic feats) of a 7th level wizard (5+4/2).
ROLE-PLAYING BONUSES
I haven’t been doing a good job of awarding good role-playing through experience bonuses, so I need your help.
At the end of each session, each player votes for one fellow player to receive extra experience. The vote should be based on the following:
Playing in character: Do you know what the character is all about? Could you describe him? Is the character distinctive? Are his actions and motivations consistent?
Focus: Staying on task, minimizing talking outside of game, being ready to act when it’s his turn during combat, etc.
Fun: Creating memorable moments, whether through neat stuff in combat, interesting character conversation, whatever.
Neither the votes received nor the effect of the experience will be revealed at any time.
