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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ashockney" data-source="post: 210873" data-attributes="member: 1363">Wow, what a great thread!  I'm going to hit the highlights of some of our biggest house rules that we've implemented.  (Skipping the little stuff like max hp at first, no less than 1/3 hp per level, net +7 stat bonuses on starting characters, and so forth).1) Instant kill spellsModified all spells that can do an instant kill, including harm, with a damage cap on the maximum hp they can affect (instant kill or drop hp).  This includes adding a save to all of these spells (including harm), and if the save succeeds (or fails, but they exceed the hp limit) then it deals damage based on the spell level.2) Adding quicken to SorcerersTo powerful, and important, a feat to forfeit. Casting a spell modified by (any number of) metamagic feats, requires a move equivalent action.  If one of those feats is "quicken" then, the spell goes off as a MEA, and the caster still has their standard action that round.3) Spell bonuses don't stack.The bonuses to spell saving throw dc's and spell penetration checks from prestige classes don't stack.  This gets out of control too easily.  Allowing up to a net +5 from prestige classes, accomplishes the intended benefit.4) New ECL Templates = Variant Prestige ClassesOur limited exposure to the different monster/racial templates and ECL's was met with imbalance and frustration.  A new system was developed, based loosely on the Dragon Mag article for building monsters and partly on intuition and reading.  This new system allows PC's and NPC's to break down abilities of a race or template, and take them (like prestige class levels).  This provided a better balance for power (ie, certain abilities couldn't be gained until ECL 11+) and also had less of an impact to  character creation.5) Magic Item Locating and IdentifyingBecause of the way our group plays (very limited on time) we changed the way magic items are found, identified, and managed by each character.  In essence, any character can purchase items of low or moderate power (no more than 1/3 their total gpv for that level may be spent on one item).  We added unique magic items, set magic items (ala Diablo II) which can only be found, and allowed skills and altered some spells so that items found can be identified for use during play (dungeon-crawling).  Finally, the item creation feats allow any low and moderate items to be made for no xp penalty and at a lower gpv.  They also open the door for the creation of unique and rare "high" powered magic items.Many other changes implemented to offset time wasting rules, with a general appeal towards common sense (no components required to cast spells, unless GPV is involved, no level loss on ressurrection/raise dead but there is a gold piece cost, no encumberance, etc.)</blockquote>

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