What house rules do you use?

Umm not sure I can break it down to 5 let's see, most are minor.

1. Skill focus is +3 or +2 to two skills.

2. After first level you can either take half the die on the hit die or roll twice and take the higher number, has to be declared before you roll.

3. Bards get 6 skillpoints per level

4. Everyone get's an additional skill point per level (4 at first level), for knowledge, profession or craft skill only.

5. Ranger has been reworked

6. Elves are immortal (not much of a balance change just personal belief here)

7. Knowledge skills are class skils if you can give me a reason for you knowing it.

I have more, but most are rather small, I am looking at fixing psionics some, but haven't done it yet since no one plays one in the campaign I was in.
 

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Hmm... Just five? That's hard, our group has 26 pages of House Rules that weve been using for half a year now.
Well, here's a few quick examples.

1)Harm (errata)
PHB version but with changes below.
Has will save to loses only 5d8 hit point due to negative plane damage; if save is failed the target is brought to the brink of death, subject loses enough hit points to reduce them to 1 hit point.

2)Time Stop (errata)
PHB version but with changes below.
Time stop is a speed-effecting spell so it’s effects will not stack with other speed effects like haste. Instantaneous effects that are cast during time stop “go off” as soon as they are cast during time stop so they can only affect the caster of time stop. Spells with durations take effect immediately, only lingering effects (such as spells with durations longer then instantaneous like wall of fire or delayed blast fireball) can last until the spell ends. The caster of time stop cannot pick up, move or damage any object he was not already carrying while time is stopped. Spells with durations already in effect when time stop is cast become suspended until the end of time stop – the spells durations resume when the time stop ends. There is a chance of being “lost in time” while in time stop if in time stop for too long in, a single days time. If you are in time stop for more than 5 rounds in one day you have a communicative 1 in 20 chance per round of being lost in time. (I.e. Joe has been in time stop for 5 rounds during the coarse of the day, on the 6th round he rolls a d20 if he rolls a 1 he it lost. He rolls a 2 so he is fine the next round he must roll again, if he rolls a 2 or less he is lost, he rolls a 5 so he’s fine, time stop ends, later in the day he casts it again if he rolls a 3 or less he is lost, he rolls a 1, Joe is now lost in time). When a character is lost in time he has sped up so fast he has been lost in time itself and no longer to exist. A character lost in time cannot escape. Someone who knows him must cast wish or miracle to grab him out of the stream of time and get him back. There is a high chance there will be a mishap in doing so and some thing or someone or another dimensions version of the caster will comeback instead at that point the “caster is back” and the original caster can never return from he’s state of unreality.

3)Holy Avenger (errata)
Does 2d6 Holy damage (not 1d6). Spell Resistance is now 15 + the wielder’s number of paladin levels (instead of just SR15).
So if a 10th level fighter 5th level paladin used a holy avenger he would have SR20.

4)Implosion (errata)
PHB version but with changes below.
Add 5d10 impact damage on a successful save.

5)Spell-craft Skill Use (rule errata)
The ability to identify a spell as it is being cast is a free action.
The spells in the Players Handbook are considered common.
Spells from any other source are considered rare.
The Spell-craft check DC is 10 + Spell level for Common spells on a given caster’s list
If you and the spell-caster are within (roughly) 60 feet of each other there is no penalty, +1 DC for each additional 30 feet further away you are.
+1 DC for a spell you currently cannot cast (i.e. not known or above your level)
+1 DC for a spell you cannot ever cast (i.e. restricted school, different realm of magic arcane/divine)
+1 DC for a rare spell (this does not apply if you know the spell)
+5 DC for ultra rare spells (spells created a caster and only known by her)
 

Oh my god...

Only 5? Well.
- 5ft steps don't change anything. Essentially, stepping back 5ft and casting will give the opponent an AoO. Essentially 5ft steps are useful for combat manoevring, nothing else. Additionally, everything that happens at your initiative may distract you or interrupt your casting.
- Curing: Cures heal more hp. If you are cured, you get your (BAB+con modifier)/2 multiplied with the spell level extra hitpoints back. But all cured stuff is subdual. After combat a heal check as first aid may bring back hitpoints.
- Skill Focus: +3...
- hitpoints at each lvl: OldOnes rule: player rolls and DM rolls secretly... player chooses.
- No PrClasses. It's usually easy to trade class abilities into feats or PrClass abilities.
- no Magic Missile.
- No generic magic weapons +x. DR is against certain materials. Non magical weapons can have enhancement boni up till +3.
- Medium armour grants DR 1/-, heavy DR2/-.
- negative hitpoints does not mean unconsciousness but perhaps longlasting injuries or mental flaws. Death certainly will mean such things.
- Critical miss: Refl save DC15 or youre flatfooted one round and the one you tried to hit has an AoO.
- Clerics only get the spells from their list that fit their god. (No doom for good clerics)
- Arcane spellcasters can cast healing.
- Whole load of alchemical items
- Doubleweapons are a bit better...
- Feats have to be teached and learned.
- Everyone has 2 skillpoints more each level.
- Tumble checks and similar stuff only gives your AC for this action... no immunity.
- Silver coins. Scarcely gold.

Well... That's a SHORT excerpt.
 


Crothian said:
That does give spellcasters a lot of versitility. What metamagic feats do you allow?
All PH and most from the handbooks.


Does this also apply to NPCs? Have you used any NPC cleric/mages to see how they work?
It does apply to NPCs. Sorcerers get the most milage out of it since wizards and clerics must pick the metamagic when the spell is prepared.


Did you think spellcaster were eek that they needed inproved or are you just trying to entice players to play one?
Neither, I believe that the cost of the metamagic is paid for with the spell level increase, no need to also burn a feat.


The house rules are very interesting. I'm alweays curious on what made people make the changes they did.
 

Well since others gave more than 5 I might as well tack some more on here from my doc....


Armor: Bonuses for medium/heavy armor increased, see this thread for list of changes...

http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=961

Raising Ability Scores: Permanent increases to your Intelligence are retroactive with regards to skill points. Basically recalculate your total based on your new Intelligence. This reflects the unlocking of hidden potential.

Abilities and Spellcasters: All spellcasters may add their relevant ability modifier as a bonus to the number of 0-level spells that they can cast per day.

Universal Skills: The following skills are automatically considered universal for all characters: Craft, Knowledge (Local), Profession, & Speak Language.

Psions/Psychic Warriors: Merged into the Psionicist class with alternate rules for psionic combat. Basically it deals subdual damage rather than ability damage and Psionicists may use defense modes freely so long as their base PP equals the cost listed for the defense mode.

Rangers: reworked version of my own design.

Knacks: Each character begins with 3 “knack-points”, except humans, who receive 4.
One point can make a cross-class skill into a class skill for a particular class, or it can make a class-skill “universal” for your character, which means it will forever after be considered a class-skill for you no matter what class you are advancing in.
A second point will make a skill you just knacked into a class-skill universal or it will grant a +1 bonus to use a skill that has already been made universal. You can devote additional knack points to get a bonus greater than +1. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses your character may be entitled to from race, skill focus, etc…

Critical Success or Failure for Skills: If you roll a natural 20 on a check, treat it as if you had rolled a 30. Conversely, on a natural roll of ‘1’ treat the roll as a –10.

Auto-Skill Success: If your ranks in a skill meet or exceed the DC, you can choose to automatically succeed at that task rather than rolling, or taking 10 or 20. This limits the chances of extraordinary success, but cuts down on the time it takes to use the skill in game.

Intimidate: You may substitute Strength as the key ability for this skill

Perform: You may choose to specialize in one particular type of performance by devoting multiple performance slots to it. You gain a +1 synergy bonus to use the particular type of performance per 3 slots devoted to it.
For example, a bard with 15 ranks in Perform may choose devote 9 of these to the violin, gaining a +3 to all Perform checks made while playing the violin, or a +5 if had devoted all 15 ranks to it.

Wilderness Lore: new use: “Camouflage”: Using this skill you can attempt to conceal yourself, your companions, and inanimate objects by using natural or man-made materials. In forests and jungles, you might use shrubbery or mud. Arctic or similarly barren terrains usually require some sort of special clothing or paints. However, “digging-in” is an old trick that might work depending on the terrain. A single check is made for the entire group that is to be camouflaged, but many factors are involved. For each additional person, large object, and animal that needs to be camouflaged equals a –2 penalty to the check. Individuals who can succeed in a wilderness lore check, or hide check, of DC 10 will negate this penalty with relation to themselves. Determine the size of the largest individual or object in the group to be camouflaged, and then add a modifier to the DC based on that individual’s (or object’s)… Colossal -16; Gargantuan -12; Huge -8; Large -4; Medium- no mod; Small +4; Tiny +8; Diminutive + 12; Fine +16. Camouflaged individuals and objects can be noticed with a successful opposed Spot or Search check If at any point you move at more than ½ your base speed, or more than speed-20, in a round you negate your camouflage bonuses. Five or more ranks in Hide grant a +2 synergy bonus to all Camouflage checks. In addition, anyone who takes special steps to camouflage themselves with this skill and rolls a successful camouflage check (DC10) will gain a +2 synergy bonus to their own Hide checks. Also, a specialized “Terrain Suit” will add an additional +4 circumstance bonus to both hide and camouflage checks.

Deflect Arrows: You can deflect a number or missiles equal to your Dex modifier each round so long as you have a free hand. The mechanic for this feat is a Reflex save opposed by the attacker’s to-hit roll (Min. DC 20). In addition, as a full-round action a monk (and only a monk) may attempt to deflect a number of projectiles equal to his Monk level + his dexterity modifier

Extra Spell (from Tome & Blood): This feat allows bards and sorcerers to add a number of spell levels known equal to their Charisma modifier. You need not choose your new spells immediately. The spells gained must be at least one level lower than the highest-level spell the caster can use. This feat is retroactive (meaning if your Charisma rises after taking it, you gain additional spells known).

Eagle Claw Strike (from Sword & Fist/OA): This is simply the MA name for the Sunder feat, not a separate feat.

Signature Spell (from FRCS): Requires Int 19+ & Spell Mastery. You are capable of spontaneously casting this spell in place of other memorized spells. Additionally, when memorized, you also cast this spell as if you were 2 levels higher and the save DC versus its effects raises by +2.

Weapon Finesse: May be taken with scimitars, fencing sabres, and cutlasses.

Critical Hits: When a natural 20 is rolled for a critical threat, a crit-check roll is made to see if that attack is a critical hit. If that crit-check roll is also a natural 20 the damage multiplier may be increased by one (x2 to x3 for example), if an additional crit-check is successful. If that crit-check roll is also a natural 20 the damage multiplier may increase again (x3 to x4 to continue the prior example). This process goes on until you fail to roll a natural 20 on your crit-check roll.

Critical Fumbles: Whenever you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll you must check to see if that attack is a critical fumble. Make another attack roll with the exact same modifiers. If this attack also misses then you have critically fumbled. The DM determines the exact effect of this, but generally you have opened yourself up to an attack of opportunity from any opponents within striking distance, in addition you are now off-balance and lose your dexterity bonus to AC until your next action. If your crit-fumble checks roll is also a natural 1 something particularly nasty happens (DM’s discretion).

Disabled and Dying: Characters can fight until they reach (–10 + their Con. Modifier). Once they reach the equivalent to –10 they may make one last attempt to cling to life. The chance for the character to stabilize in this final round is modified by their Wisdom modifier + their Constitution modifier x3%.
For example, a character with an 18 Con and a 14 Wis can survive until –14 hp, and makes their final stabilization roll with a << 10 + (4+2x3%) >> 28% chance of success.

Saving Throws: A natural 20 always passes and a natural 1 always fails. In the case of a natural 1 a critical failure may have occurred. In such a case reroll the save, if the second roll is also a natural 1 then a critical failure has indeed occurred. The actual result of this is at the DM’s discretion.

Harm: Allows a Will save for a reduced effect. If the save is successful the target receives 5d8 +1 per level (max. +20) damage. This rule also applies when the Heal spell is directed against undead to damage them.

Wall of Ice: additional option: Ice Sheet: This casting cause a horizontal sheet of ice to fall upon opponents. The sheet covers up to one 10’ square per level and causes 1d6 impact damage +1 point of cold damage per level (max +20); targets within the area of effect may save for ½ damage. In addition the area is covered in ice. Any natural (non-magical) fires within the area of effect are extinguished. Anyone who attempts to move at greater than ½ speed must make a reflex save or fall instead.

Web: additional option: you may target a single creature with this spell. In this case you create a small sphere of webbing that you launch at the target. The target must make a Reflex save or be subject to the effects of the web spell

Disappear (from R&R): Casting this spell is a free action. This counts against the one the one quickened spell per rnd limit.

________________________________________________

Hero / Luck Points

These points may be expended to achieve heroic goals or simply to save your @$$ when the chips are down.
PCs receive 3 initially and then automatically gains + 1 per character level. Characters may also earn these points during the course of the game. What justifies such a reward is completely at the DM’s discretion. A may never have more than their character level +3 held in reserve. Please note that PCs who start their careers at an advanced level only receive 1 point per 3 character levels. NPCs may never possess/earn these points. You may expend these points as follows…

·Proactively spend one point to gain a +20 to a single d20 die roll.

·Reactively spend one to reroll a single d20 roll that was just made.

·Proactively spend one to gain a saving throw versus an effect that normally doesn’t allow one with no special bonuses allowed.

·Proactively spend one to be able to reroll anything below ½ on damage dice for one full round.

.Spend one to turn successful critical hit into a called shot. It requires 2 points to make a called shot to the head or similarly vital area. Roll a d12 with a special size modifier based on how big the weapon is in relation to you (-1 per size smaller and +1 per size larger) to determine the effect of the called shot. The victim receives a Fort save (DC = 10 + your BAB) to negate the effect. Even if this save is successful the victim suffers the effects of specific damage noted on page 67 of the DMG.

·These points may also be spent to accomplish other heroic feats that are beyond the scope of the rules (DM discretion).
 
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1. Skill Focus grants +3 bonus instead of +2 (duh). Nearly all +2/+2 feats are not allowed (for now; I may revisit this one soon)

2. Shield is a 2nd-level spell.

3. 100% halfling-free

4. Monte Cook's opposed tumbling check.

5. Elves are immortal and do not die from disease, though they do periodicly "purge" their memories (beginning again at 1st level) and can fall into a coma for months as the result of disease, effectively removing them from the campaign.

6. Since I'm currently running a fast-advancing, combat-heavy, dungeon crawl campaign, suggested treasure levels are out the window.

7. Numerous minor modifications to classes & races...

Cheers
Nell.
 

Half orcs without any orcs? That is some wierd genetics you've got going on there.

How I work it is that Half-Orcs are a regressive strain in humans which occasionally appear (say 1 in 300 births).
These children are beleived to be the offspring of the Punga (minor god of Ugly Creatures -Sharks, Reptiles, Amphibians, Oozes & Aberations) and in many cases are killed at birth due to the stigma attached to these children (infantacide is practice by some cultures imc).

Occasionally however the god Punga will inspire sympathy within the hearts of the parents or grandparents and they will take the child and raise it to maturity. Ironically Half-Orc adults are often valued by their communities because of their ferocity & skill in battle and in this way Punga is honoured

Wizard spells cost only 10gp per spell level to scribe.

Isn't this rather cheap? and is your campaign awash with magic items?
 

IMC...

In no particular order:

- Rangers may substitute any two feats for Ambidexterity/Two Weapon Fighting provided the first requires no other feats/attack bonus as prerequisites & the second requires none or only the first feat as a prerequisite.
- Falling causes subdual damage equal to the standard hit point damage.
- HPs are replaced by Vitality Points (equal to normal HPs) & supplemented by Wound Points (equal to the Character's Con, or Cha for creatures with no Con). Damage generally reduces VPs, then WPs. Characters who suffer WPs are effectively fatigued until fully healed. Characters reduced to zero or negative WPs suffer the same effects as for zero or negative HPs. Critical Hits (or Critically Failed saving throws against effects normally causing HP damage) cause one WP damage per dice of damage. Cure spells cure one WP damage per dice, plus one WP per 5 bonus points (for high caster level etc). Rest and natural healing heals one WP per full day of rest.
- While in negative Wps (effects as standard negative Hps), every 5 Hps of magical healing received cures one negative Wp.
- Death occurs when Hps are reduced to the character's negative Constitution score.
 

Every level after first, roll hit points normally, except you can chose to discard that roll to roll one dice size less, but if that roll is under what you rolled before, you can't go back. (Note that if you really want to, you can repeat this another dice down, all the way down to d4, d3, and d2.)

Fiddle around with a couple of the races, with a special eye towards removing darkvision. In compensation, half orcs get a free scent feat, and dwarves get free, at will use of the My Light psionic power. (Darkvision and infravision before it always irked me as encouraging a "why should I worry about the rest of the party and their torches" attitude.) Orcs also get cultural/racial bonuses to intimidate and wilderness lore (+2 for full orcs, +1 for half orcs). Dwarves get a -2 DEX instead of -2 CHA

Leaf through the books, and give every character who can use them "free" access to the following feats; Off Hand Parry, Pin Shield, Arcane Preparation, Cooperative Spell, Sanctum Spell, and anything else where using the feat by itself is sufficient cost.

Swap the base divine and wizardly spell charts (base divine is the druid's, or the clerics without domain spells). Halve the base cost to scribe a spell to your spellbook, copying a "backup" of a spell you know merely takes 16 gold pieces per page: the cost of high quality, colored inks. To compensate the sorcerer, give them another third level spell knownat 13th level, and another sisxth level spell known at 17th level. To compensate clerics and druids, point out everything they already have.

Fighters and sorcerers have intimidate as a class skill. Fighters also have a +2 compotence bonus to sense motive when used to avoid being bluffed (feinted) in combat. If it comes up, warriors gain a +1 compotence bonus.

Give 1 XP for every gold earned with a craft, perform, or profession skill. For these purposes (both money and XP), alchemy is considered a craft skill, and heal a profession. Other skills may be used if circumstances allow, but most of the time at a penalty.

The ubiquitous +3 skill focus. If anyone wanted one of the very limited +4 feats, I wouldn't mind upping it to +5.

And special if new characters come in...

No more than half of a beginning character's levels may be in spellcasting classes (round up here). This is to prevent both the player and DM getting overloaded in having to keep up with new spells, as well as to prevent the "I play a barbarian at low levels, kill him off at middle-high levels, and come in as a caster" attitude to have the most powerful character for a given play level. Of course, levels earned in game may be in any class the player choses. (Of course part two: background and PRC prerequisites allowing.)

The bonus stat point every 4 levels is seen as a reward for playing, not an inherent powerup. As such, said "every 4 levels" is counted from the level you start play with. Gold is rolled once for every class-level you have. (A fourth level paladin, fourth level sorcerer has [6d4 x 10] x 4 + [3d4 x 10] x 4, f'rex.) This assumes that the party will reallocate the previous character's equipment. Feats and all other level bonuses are based on total character level.
 

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