What house rules do YOU use?

[Kanegrundar]

My primary houserule deals with LA races:
Start LA race as a level 1 character with a character class with the full benefits of the race. The LA vaule equals to a penalty to To Hit, Saves, and Skill checks equal to the LA. With each level increase, the LA penalty is reduced by 1. Ignore any racial HD (which leads to some modification of the LA's) as well. However, if the race has a racial class in the style of the AE racial classes, they take that instead of using these rules.

So far, it's worked out pretty well. I don't really see any more LA races versus non LA races since the implementation of these rules.

Kane

 

[Pinotage]

Hmm. There are a few, and here are those I can recall of the top of my head:

1) Buff spells last 10 minutes per level
2) Heal/Harm does 10 hp per level damage with no cap
3) You can draw any item from your belt or HHH as part of a move action, but not from a normal backpack
4) Persistant spell only increases the duration by one category, i.e. 1 round per level becomes 1 minute per level etc.
5) Several spells have been banned as well, including Firebrand, Mace of Odo, etc.

Pinotage

 

[Belen]

House Rules

General

Death’s Door: A PC becomes unconscious at –1 hit point. They will lose –1/round until healed. Death occurs as –10 + -constitution score.

Raise/ Resurrection: Should a character die, the character gains a negative level until reaching the next level. This effect stacks.

Spell Components: A character may choose to add expensive spell components to their maximum allowable magic item limit rather than constantly buying expensive components, such as the diamonds needed for resurrection spells. These items become focal points for the spells.

Supernatural affinity: Characters may imbue themselves with supernatural ability, rather than use a magical item. Limited use equals double the cost of the related magic item. Unlimited use requires triple the cost of the related magic item. A character may have a maximum of three supernatural affinities.

Skills

Social Skills: Bluff, diplomacy, gather information, perform, and sense motive are class skills for all classes. Training in the skills should be mentioned in character histories, if applicable.

Perform skill (Bard): Bards may choose a number of performance styles equal to their charisma modifier. Skill checks are counted as if they were one skill. Should the charisma modifier increase, the character must train for one year in order to take a new style.

Craft skill: Characters may choose a number of related crafts equal to their wisdom modifier. Skill checks are counted as if they were one skill. The craft skills chosen must be an intimate part of the character class, such as armor/ weaponsmith for a fighter. Should the wisdom modifier increase, the character must train for one year in a craft in order to learn a new craft.

Spells

Animal buffs: Duration for spells such as bull’s strength equals ten minutes/level.
Feats

Ambidexterity (Feat): By taking this feat, a character may deal full strength damage using their off-hand weapon.

Skill Affinity (Feat): By taking this feat, a character may take any two non-class skills and make them class skills.

Signature Spell (Feat, Wizards only): Prerequisite: Spell Focus (School from which spell belongs), Spell Mastery (Signature spell must be one chosen). Benefit: For a wizard, a signature spell becomes a part of their self. It becomes a spell-like ability that can be cast once per day for every 3 arcane levels (starting at level 1). The spell is cast as if by a wizard one level higher and adds +2 to penetrate SR.

Craft Masterwork Item (Feat): Prerequisite: Skill Focus (craft); 9 ranks in related craft skill. Benefit: A character may create a masterwork item in the time it would take to make a non-masterwork version of the item.

Craft Magical Item (Feat): Prerequisite: Craft Masterwork Item; 18 ranks in related craft skill. Benefit: A character may use their craft skill to create magical items. These items mimic any arcane, divine or psionic ability desired. Special materials, level limits, and experience costs still apply.

Dodge (Feat): Gain a +1 bonus against all opponents during combat.

Weapon Focus(Feat: Fighter): / Specialization (Feat: Fighter): Instead of applying to one weapon, choose either slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning. You gain the use of the feat with all weapons of the type.


Classes

Wizard/ Sorcerer: They gain a bonus feat in place of Summon Familiar. Summon Familiar may be selected at any level they would normally gain a feat. A special familiar may be chosen at the GMs discretion should the feat be selected as a higher level.

Fighter: Gains a bonus feat at levels 13, 16, and 19.

Berserker: Replaces the Barbarian. Does not suffer an inability to read/ write.


Prestige Classes

The GM must approve requested prestige classes. Prestige classes must be requested two levels before the player wishes to gain the class. When requesting a prestige class, the player should answer the following questions:
• Why does the character wish to join the class?
• How does this class enhance the character concept?
• How do you envision the character with this class?
• What can the GM do to enhance the fun/ playability of a character with this class?
Basically, I need to know how to deal with this prestige class in game. I want to make the game for and challenging and I really need to know what you’re concept is with a class in order to serve you better.

Additional rules for Prestige classes:

• Each prestige class requires training. I will work with you to see that you fulfill that requirement.
• Each class will require a role playing prerequisite.
• You must take at least 3 levels of the prestige class.

Third Party Material: This material must be approved for use before it can be used. Third party material includes Dragon and Dungeon magazines.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

5) Several spells have been banned as well, including Firebrand, Mace of Odo, etc.

Just curious as to why Mace of Odo is banned? I've not used it much, but when I have it's been entirely useless...

 

[Belen]

Sorry for the Hijack. Wormwood, pls elaborate on Druids. They seem to me to be vastly underpowered. thanks

Then whoever plays them in your game knows nothing about using them. In 3.5, they get a companion that levels with them or can be switched to have abilities like a croc with grapple or a weasel's blood drain. They can summon spontaneously, and cast spells while wild shaped as some uber creature with high armor and physical stats.

Druids are disgusting. They will kick the crap out of a cleric or wizard any day of the week.

 

[The_Universe]

We use a number:

1.) Roll 4d6, dropping the lowest roll 10 times (rather than 6 or 8) and choose the 6 highest when rolling stats.

2.) You die at negative CON, rather than -10.

3.) a natural 1 on a D20 counts as -10, a natural 20 on a D20 counts as 30.

4.) Flaws (a al Unearthed Arcana) must be taken at first level. Characters must have at least one flaw, but may have no more than two.

5.) Toughness is 1 hit point per level from the time you take the feat (meaning it's advantageous to take it early), rather than 3 hit points, once.

I had a lot more when we were playing regular D&D, but we're playing D20 Modern right now, and the slight differences between the two systems have really made it so we're still trying to figure out what kinds of house rules we might want.

 

[Pinotage]

Just curious as to why Mace of Odo is banned? I've not used it much, but when I have it's been entirely useless...

It's not a great spell most of the time, but it's a fantastic spell some of the time in that it can absorb a spell of any level that's targetted at you. It's a badly designed spell, IMO, and I wasn't happy with the idea of it being able to foil 9th levels spells just like that given that it's only a 4th level spell.

Pinotage

 

[Thanee]

Some noteworthy ones:

- If a character rolls less than half the HD during level up, the result is half the HD (i.e. 4 for a d8) instead.

- Instead of raising one ability by one every four levels, a character gains 3+level/8 (round up) PB points to distribute as desired (cost per raise: up to 14: 1 each, 15-16: 2 each, 17-18: 3 each, 19-20: 4 each, 21-22: 5 each, etc; the base ability is raised, unmodified by racial, enhancement, inherent or any other ability bonuses; points cannot be saved up for later). [Note: I'm currently testing this house rule in my PbP game.]

- Half-Elves gain extra skill points per level just like humans do. I'm also considering to give them Favored Class: All classes.

- Half-Orcs have a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.

- The cost to write a spell into a spellbook is only 1/10th of the given cost. Inks are not that expensive.

- Some spells with a 1 min./lvl duration have a 10 min./lvl duration instead (stat buffs, Invisibility, Fly).

- Polymorph is a personal spell with 10 min./lvl duration.

- Characters with the Trapfinding ability automatically make a (secret) search check against any trap within 5 ft. during movement, much like elves can find secret doors.

- Detect Magic and Arcane Sight count as interacting with an illusion when detecting/viewing an illusion aura. An immediate (secret) Will save determines, whether the extra sense provides a correct reading, or is fooled by the illusion, in which case a false reading is determined (i.e. a different school of magic, as determined by the creator of the illusion).

- Prone 5-foot step: 5-foot step + Move Action (no AoO).

- Range penalties apply when exceeding, not upon reaching the range increment.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Steverooo]

All (N)PCs receive a number of extra Racial Background Skill, depending upon Race & Age. The skills are chosen from a Racial list, which always includes some Crafts, Knowledges, Languages, Performance styles, Professions, and (more rarely) some "adventuring skills".

Barbarians, Clerics of Travel, Druids, and Rangers who can track can also tell certain things about the thing being tracked, IF they roll above the level needed to track it by a certain amount. The "certain amount" depends upon where the thing resides, and how rare it is. Exceeding the required number by 20 or more yields: Type, direction of travel, number and pace, time of passage**, features, natural clues (if any), Size and weight (for Humanoids, only), Above, plus size, weight, and load carried (for anything).

** "Time of passage" is how long ago a track was made, and generally only applies in areas with air movement and either dirt/dust or precipitation which can "age" the tracks, and where the tracker is familiar with the weather. On other planes, when teleported halfway around the world, etc., this information cannot be gained for at least a day (and then only for tracks made within that day). It is normally not available indoors or underground, either, although, for instance, a tracker could tell that the dried, muddy bootprint on the floor was at least a week old, since it was totally dry and crumbly. They could also probably tell you the last time that it rained.

"Features" are distinctive things noticable about a track (such as the tread on a bootprint, or a scarred paw) which could aid in identifying a creature, telling its tracks from another's, or give some other useful bit of information (walks with a limp, has his hands tied, trips a lot).

"Natural clues" are things that can be learned from in and around the tracks (but not items findable with a Search/Spot check), such as a blood smear on a rock or inside a track (indicating a cut foot), a large blood drop and associated spatters on the ground (indicating a wound), impressions (indicating a fall, where a creature sat or lay), etc. Lost and discarded items, for instance, are not natural clues!

Actions are declared in reverse order of Initiative. Highest Initiative roll declares last, and moves before anyone else can even think of stopping them! <Swish!>

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

My biggest houserule is a stated intention to stick as close to the core rules as possible, and to avoid supplements. All additional houserules have to justify themselves against this.