What house rules do you use?

[Draegara]

I'd separate them into House Rules and Campaign Rules.

House Rules:

1: Ability Splits (similar to the 2E Skills and Powers) are allowed, not mandatory.
2: Skill Flattening (All classes get 8+Int/Knowledge bonux - but all the skills cost differing amounts with a much wider range of costs)
3: Blood Points and "Skill Points" (not quite Vitality - they are straight hitpoints, but can determine fights "to the blood" and pain thresholds)
4: Recognizing there are multiple types of subdual/fatigue points. Red Subdual are those that take conditions to remove (such as sleeping 8 hours, extra food, extra water, warm conditions, etc.) and Green Subdual are those that come back as "normal" subdual in 3E. The cleric ability to recover subdual had to be modified to take this into account.
5: Fatigue levels - similar to Combat and Tactics, there is a graded system of fatigue in combat, from spell casting, pain, etc. You hit "fatigued" and "exhausted" statuses but there are more gradations.

and (IMHO) our crowning achievement that I should publish sometime

6: Multiskills - such as perform, knowledges, wilderness lore, etc. These are the skills that do much more than one thing and a system that allows for variations chosen by the players. You can actually be better at playing a flute than singing instead of just being +9 on Perform across the board.

Campaign Rules for the Alate Campaign:
1: ONLY humans
2: Detailed Language skills
3: Cantrips as separate spells with some moving back to 1st level spells.
4: Alchemy and Herb rules in a myriad of details and consequences.
5: New Core Classes: Huntsman, Scout, Minstrel, as different versions of Ranger, Rogue, and Bard. These are closer to NPC classes, but if you can't tell from above, we like a gritty, low-level, detailed, simulationist game.

Draegara

 

[Numion]

1) No Harm

2) Arrow +'ses and weapon +'ses don't stack

3) Players invented this, but still: As full round action you can drink 2 potions.

4) Heal wands heal the average amount if used outside combat. (To avoid rolling 20d8)

5) Hmm.. no sonic substitution. Hasn't come into play yet, but I'd just hate if everyone just used sonic spells (because monsters rarely have sonic resistance.)

All in all, nothing major. Only one of these was made because something was noticed as overpowering in-game. That was no: 2, the arrows & weapon. Attack bonuses just got too insane.

 

[conor]

House rules in my Kingdom's of Kalamar game:

1) While a natural 20 is always a hit in combat, always a critical threat, it is not an automatic success. If a skill check or saving throw is made with a "natural 20", but with the addition of modifiers does not succeed... A second attempt is made, with an additional +10 circumstance modifier to the second check. The same goes with a natural 1, while an automatic miss in combat, out of combat, it allows for a second check with a -10 circumstance modifier.

2) With a detect magic cast, a spellcraft check is allowed for each spell already in place on an item. The DC for this roll is 20 plus the level of the spell. A successful knowledge check (DC 20) allows for a +2 circumstance bonus to the spellcraft check. Additionally, some items, especially ones that are just a +X item, are self identifying. In this instance a spellcraft check, DC 15, is allowed. A detect magic does not need to be cast when making this check, but an appropriate knowledge skill does not provide a bonus.

3) I have added a number of new monster specific knowledge skills. Each skill is specific to a particular monster sub-type. While some existing skills assist in this, Knowledge (undead) being the most obvious, some other existing knowledge skills help too. Knowledge (nature) applies to monsters with the animal descriptor. Knowledge (the planes) offers somewhat more generic information on all outsiders, modifiers will apply based on obscurity. Knowledge (arcana) covers magical beasts. Knowledge (religion) provides information on a subset of both outsiders (demons/devils) and undead, and usually provides a synergy bonus with Knowledge (the planes) or Knowledge (undead). Outside of this, new skills such as: Knowledge (dragon) and Knowledge (giant) have been added, There is a corresponding knowledge skill for each monster type. These skills are generally considered cross class, with two notable exceptions. As wizards have all knowledge skills as individual class skills, these new skills are class to them. In addition, any class that grants a favored enemy, the knowledge skill for that favored enemy is always considered a class skill to that class.

4) Created after continious comments on the lack of zero level spells for non-pure spellcasters, such as rangers and paladins... While there is a feat in the KoK player guide that gives you zero level spells per day equal to your Int mod, I modified it so it gives you zero level arcane spells per day equal to your Int or Cha mod, or zero level divine spells per day equal to your Wis mod. Secondly, you can choose to cast one less first level spell, permanently, in order to allow for casting 3 zero level spells per day.

5) The -4 modifier applied when shooting into combat is a cover penalty, the cover is the other combatant. Thus a miss caused by the -4 hits the cover. I have the attacker reroll to hit to see if the hit peirces the armor of "the cover". Additionally, I allow you to pick the better cover bonus, they do not stack... someone in combat through a doorway wouldn't get both cover bonuses, nor would a mage in melee combat with the shield spell up, instead they pick which of the cover bonuses they want to use.

 

[conor]

A couple of thoughts on the suggestions others have posted here.

•I have always allowed Skill Focus to grant a +3, but recently have given the option to keep it a +2 but that it is not a bonus, it is a bonus 2 ranks (can go above max ranks) for the skill. Players have responded favorably.

•I LOVE the idea of prepared cure spells healing more then non prepared ones. I tried this (after reading it here), raising the dice of the prepared spells went over favorably, except with the druid. In afterthought, I added the spon. cast ability to the druid too.

•page 56 of the PHB does state that if one of your skills is considered class, it always is, as far as maximum ranks goes. This does not change the cost of taking this skill, it still costs 2. For example, a Ftr4/Wiz2, leveling as fighter, still has to pay 2 for spellcraft skill points, but his max ranks is (4+2+3) 9.

 

[Archibald Theocliste]

So many time reading these boards and this is only my first post, I feel like a newbie!
Here we go! (Please forgive my horrible english)

1) CLASSES CHANGES (note that classes wich main strenght is a high number of feats had less impact with my training feat system -see below-, so they were "adapted") :
- Barbarian : DR starts at lv 5 and ends 6/- at lv 20.
- Bard : Ok, total void here, nobody wants to play them, Monte Cook version is very good but disallow the use of all the bard spells available, and I am still thinking about what to do with this class... The only things I am sure of are that they will use 6sp/lv and music will be dependant only on BARD lvs.
- Cleric : Additional domain at lv 11
- Druid : Elemental Shape (HUGE) at lv 20
- Fighter : Bonus Feat at lv5 and lv11, auto Weapon Spe. at lv4 similar to Psychic Warrior but still available as a feat at later lvls.
- Knight : Non magical combat class replacing the Paladin, but with only a lawful alignement prerequisite.
- Monk : Bye Bye, a samurai is waiting for you next door.
- Noble : Same as SWRPG revised.
- Paladin : Now a prestige class.
- Psion : A little complicated, using ITCK tables and Chris Farrow combat system.
- Psychic Warrior : Chris Farrow combat system and use STR in order to determine bonus PP.
- Ranger : Well, another variant, too long to explain for this thread.
- Rogue : Free defensive Roll at lv7.
- Shaman : Waiting for Green Ronin and Mongoose Shamen Hanbooks to reach my store.
- Sorcerer : d6 HD, 4sp/lv, Eschew Material at lv 1, Heighten Spell at lv 4.
- Wizard : Craft Wands at lv 5 (the bonus feat is still remaining).

2) All characters start with an additional 8 sp or a bonus feat chosen from a restricted list.
Additionaly, as a racial bonus available to all sentient races, each time such a race gain a new level in a class it gets an additionnal 2 sp.

3) At lv 1 all characters have to chose one of their abilities unmodified by any bonus (not even racial bonuses). This ability mod. represent the number of feats the players are able to gain through training and adventuring. These feats have to be tied only to this ability or not tied to any ability at all.
For exemple a half-orc player has a STR of 16, minus his racial bonus we have a STR of 14 and a mod of +2, so if he encouters a weaponmaster willing to train him during his adventures he will be able to gain access for exemple to Imp. Init (no carac. tied) and Power Atk. (tied to STR) but not a feat tied to WIS or both STR and CHA. After gaining access to these two feats he won't be able to learn any more.
At Lv 11 the players will chose another ability, unmodified by anything but increases due to leveling at lv 4 and lv 8 and start again. And so on until the last carac. at lv 51.

4) SKILL CHANGES :
Sense Motive is a class skill for all combat oriented classes.
Use of Skill Emphasis (+3 to any skill or cross-class skill)
Skill Focus : (Prerequisite Skill Emphasis with chosen skill) Increase the maximum rank available in chosen skill by 1, but you still have to pay the points in order to reach such a rank.

5) Weapons are categorized, SWP allows you to be proficient with all simple weapons categories, MWP allows you to be proficient with two martial weapons categories and finaly EWP allows you to be proficient with one exotic weapons category.
SWP categories : Unarmed, Melee, Ranged
MWP categories : Axes, Hammers, Lances and Polearms, Bladed, Bows, Guns and Rifles
EWP categories : Alternate Wielding Ability, Chains and Nets, Double Weapons, Imp. Blades, Imp. Spears and Polearms, Martial Arts Weapons, Massive Weapons, Whips, Additional Limbs Only, Imp. Missiles, Imp. Crossbows, Imp. Guns and Rifles, Ballistas and Canons, Siege Engines.

My friends and myself are more or less old players, so these rules are not going out of control, and the campaign lv is very high (not about magic items, about how hard monsters will kick your... errr... I mean how challenging will be your oponents). I suppose they are unusable elsewhere.
Note that I am actually a DM exclusively in the Iron Kingdoms (maybe will go back to FR or Greyhawk one day...). Very nice setting, plus I plan to use the CoC Sanity Rules wich seem perfectly adapted to this setting. Poor, poor players.

 

[dcollins]

How about that, the day this pops up I add a new house rule. And that is:

- No partial charges are allowed; charge/run actions share AC loss of Dex bonus or -1 (PH124-7, superdan.net).

This is to make the rules compatible with entirely (behind-the-curtain) deleting the whole notion of "partial actions". This is further discussed on my website, at the bottom of this page: www.superdan.net/dndmisc/terminology_changes.html

(And also this separate House Rules thread, here: http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13890 )

 

[Quickbeam]

These are the House Rule changes which most frequently affect game play:
1) The skill focus fix with +3 or 2 skills at +2...and on a related note, Bards get six skill points per level.
2) Sorcerers are not required to use spell components, but rather have a token or fetish serve as the material source of their magic.
3) Our group uses two alternate Ranger versions.
4) 1's rolled for attacks result in possible critical failure results -- tripping; broken weapon/snapped bow string; lose grip on weapon; etc.
5) HP rolls can get either: one re-roll with the secondary results being final, or Old One's rule of player and DM roll (DM in secret) and player chooses which roll to use.

There are some more exotic House Rules we use, but they don't affect our games nearly as often as these five.

 

[FullTinCan]

1) Skill Focus grants a +2 bonus and that skill is always considered a class skill.

2) Sorcerer's do not require spell components. Instead when a spell component has a GP cost, they must pay XP equal to 1/25 the GP cost (ala Monte Cook's Sorcerer)

3) Sorcerers know one additional spell per level than indicated on the chart. In addition they gain two domains, along with these domain powers. The spells in the domain count against the total # of known spells for a Sorcerer.

4) The toad familiar is gone.

5) Use stat buy 28 or 32 (derived from a cool spreadsheet, and ironically the default stat area is slightly below the expected value). Also hit points are defaulted to the following;

• d4 - 3
• d6 - 5
• d8 - 6
• d10 - 8
• d12 - 10

 

[Moulin Rogue]

This is the current top 5 of what will be in my next campaign:

1) Star Wars-style WP/VP.

2) using PsiHB and ITCK, a point-based arcane magic system (still working on what to do with the psion).

3) you can break the ceiling on max ranks in skills but it gets expensive because they cost more and more and more points. This is kind of aimed at what I wanted to do with certain NPC experts who can afford to 'grind' a skill rank higher if they don't have use for a wide range of skills beyond their craft or profession.

4) multiclass restrictions have been nerfed, and half-elf gets to pick one of two possible goodies to compensate.

5) an option to either advance in class levels as they're already set up, or do a semi-'point buy'. When leveling you'd be able to trade in unwanted boosts in HP (well, VP) and BAB for skill points or a feat from a restricted list - gives characters more options and eliminates NPC scholars with tons of combat ability, since they'll trade that stuff in. Everyday NPC folk will often use this house rule to buy points for 'grinding' skills even more under house rule 3, so maybe I should watch how high I let them go up to in level.

 

[Renz]

1. Cleric can switch a learnt spell with a domain spell of same level, The ability to turn off undeads is a power of the domain of life (new...), The possibility to cast a cure wounds spell is not allowed as a base ability.

2. Ranger & paladin are prestige classes. Ranger is nearest to druid (Trackless warrior...)

3. Racial hit points dice rather than class. (ex: Dwarf 1D8, Elf 1D4 ) With boni from classes (fighter +4, Mage +0).

4. 2d6 for initiative, 1d20 is too high & linear...

5. The DC for a save against a spell is 10+half the level of the caster not 10+level of the spell. The minor spells are more efficients and interesting...

And so on... I work to make the class a little more flexible,for example i don't like the idea that a fighter is systematicaly good with a heavy armor and all weapons, the players will have to choice between several feats...