What single houserule has made your game AWESOME?

[Fanaelialae]

Removal of the +2 defense bonus for both solos and elites and the x5 hp multiplier for solos. Also, they recommend solos should deal more damage once they've been bloodied.

 

[Talysian]

I've also taken to making sure Solo's have either an option for attacks on less then standard actions. I usually give them an Immediate reaction or interupt and then a, minor type one. Followed by when bloodied this happens effect as well.

 

[Keenberg]

The purple index cards (http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-fan...dex-cards-fly-setting-plot-collaboration.html) totally make my game. A year from now I won't remember how often a PC hit or missed against an equivalent level monster or whatever, but these little toys put memorable moments in every session. ^.^

Agreed. We have only used them once (in our most recent session) but the game was awesome. I had all kinds of contingency things prepared that I didn't know when I'd be able to use, but when the players made up the story that session, I was able to use a bit of it. We all had a blast.

 

[Zaphling]

I also let my PCs roll an initiative for their team versus the initiative for my monsters. I agree, this way it will force the players to create tactics and teamplay.
I also make my battles dynamic. Attack rolls vs Defense rolls. As stated earlier, you just subtract the flat 10 in defenses. So defense stats will look like this.

AC: +7
Fort: +4
Ref: +7
Will: +2

I also added critical effects to make the game more random and fun.
If ever they roll a natural 20, excluding the full damage, they will also roll d%. and compare it to a char of effects.
D%: Critical
95-100 Knocked unconscious or stunned
90-94 bleeding (ongoing 5 damage)
76-80 weakened
66-70 crippled (slowed)
56-60 dazed
46-50 blinded (-5 attack)
31-40 Knocked prone
20-26 immobilized
1-10 normal damage

If they also roll a natural 1. Not only they will grant combat advantage to all enemies until the end of the PCs next turn. They will roll a d% for effects too.
D%: Fumble
95-100 Full Damage self
88-94 Half Damage self
75-80 Reroll attack
51-70 Knocked prone
31-40 Disarmed (1d8 direction; 1d6 distance)
21-25 Sundered
1-10 Attack ally (dice depending on number of allies)

Then if ever they rolled a natural 20 or 1 in defense rolls, the effects are just simple but really nice.
Perfect Block [20]: the defender can make a free action melee or range basic attack against his attacker.

Fumbled Block [1]: the defender grants combat advantage to his next attacker

Another little but nice house rule. if you push or slide a creature against a wall, you have +1d4 bonus dmg.

Giving my rogue PC access to Improved Feint feat. Feinting is now a minor action instead of standard.

and I borrowed from Dragon Age, if ever PCs faint or in other words, reaches 0hp or below as long he is not dead, whenever he comes back into consciousness, he rolls a d% and compare it to a chart of negative effects. These effects are cumulative per faint. and they cannot be removed until they reach extended rest.

 

[Mentat55]

I've had great success with monsters doing +33% damage and having 75% hit points. Since I play 4e almost exclusively on RPOL, speeding up combats (# of rounds) has a huge effect on the pace of combat in the play-by-post format.

 

[the Jester]

Colorful critical hits.

Makes crits matter more when they might put yer eye out!

I've adapted my 3e system- the severity of the crit is determined by the proportion of damage you take compared to your current hps- thus, you'll only get "Decapitated" or "Unseemed from Nave to Crotch"* if the damage is severe enough to kill you.

Of course, that's not quite true- having severity on critical hits allows me to put out items and feats that give a bonus to their crit severity, meaning that it is possible to get outrageously lethal effects with slightly less than outrageously lethal damage. If you're really lucky.


*Bonus points if you get the reference.

 

[Keenberg]

"Unseemed from Nave to Crotch"*...
*Bonus points if you get the reference.

Macbeth! Certainly one of my favorite lines of any Shakespeare.

 

[renau1g]

I've had great success with monsters doing +33% damage and having 75% hit points. Since I play 4e almost exclusively on RPOL, speeding up combats (# of rounds) has a huge effect on the pace of combat in the play-by-post format.

Thanks for the tip. I'll steal it for my PbP games. Have you looked at any here on Enworld?