What's the first thing you guess you'll have to house-rule?

[Emirikol]

Pure speculation and past experience: what are the first things you think you'll have to house rule in 4E (after you've tried it out of course)? Is it because you guess you won't like the power set-up, for simple flavor, or for some other tailoring of your game?

abilities (strength-cha), abilities (feats/skills/per-day/per-encounter), classes, races, equipment, combat, magic, spells, magic items, monsters, encounter set-ups, NPC classes, or other

jh

 

[Patlin]

Death and Dying. In past editions, we've expanded the zone of unconciousness before death and reduced the death penalty. Unless 4e makes some unexpected changes, that house rule will probably continue.

 

[WayneLigon]

Usually the first thing I will consider house-ruling is a flavor-based ability or constraint; the race-based favored classes were the first thing to go in 3E, for instance, just like race-based level-and-class limits in 1E/2E. At first, for instance, I did new ones - most races had two favored classes: elves had ranger and druid, dwarves had fighter and cleric, etc. Then I just abandoned the entire concept for simplicity's sake.

Certain spells get dropped. Force effects and the orb spells will be dropped in the next 3/x game I GM.

 

[Li Shenron]

Even if there is a bunch of things I really don't like, I promise that I will first try the new edition rules as-is.

Hence I don't really know yet what fill be my first HR.

 

[ZappoHisbane]

Even if there is a bunch of things I really don't like, I promise that I will first try the new edition rules as-is.

Hence I don't really know yet what fill be my first HR.

House rule #1: There are no house-rules.
House rule #2: See house rule #1.

 

[Nifft]

House Rule #1: If you have a problem with a ruling, discuss it with me after the game. Not during.

Cheers, -- N

 

[I'm A Banana]

Monsters, probably. I'll need them to fill roles beyond "interesting sack of XP to kill" in my games, and it appears that they are leaning to focus design on making them that.

I will probably vastly expand the concept of "roles." Those four seem good, but I'm sure they're not exhaustive, and monster roles should include allies and social challenges and other less-obvious roles that the creature should be able to adopt and switch between.

Setting. "Points of Light" is fine, but I'm partial to more cosmopolitan and urban settings. I might give the default a whirl, but I don't think I'll be happy there for long.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Material Components aka bat guano. I don't know they're still there - but I swear, if I see such stuff again, I break out a sharpie.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Anthtriel]

The first thing is completely killing alignment. Also killing random attributes/hitpoints if they made the cut (which they hopefully won't, as I don't know any decent game that employs them).

I will probably vastly expand the concept of "roles." Those four seem good, but I'm sure they're not exhaustive, and monster roles should include allies and social challenges and other less-obvious roles that the creature should be able to adopt and switch between.

Interesting. I have never seen or heard of roles besides "tank", "healer/buffer", "dps" and " debuffer". Well, in no system that actually worked.
I suppose you could add "noncombat guy", who reads a book during the combat sections, or "specialist", who is very good in half of the encounters and spends the other half on the benches along with "noncombat guy".

Or further diversify the four roles into: "Tank", "AoE-Guy", "Melee DPS", "Ranged DPS", "Buffer", "Healer", "Debuffer". But then you need more than four players, and you need to divide the roles very strictly (i.e. no worthwhile damage dealing for the Tank), otherwise they overlap too much, because their focus is so narrow. You would need to redesign all classes.

 

[Cadfan]

Probably nothing. The only houserule I use in 3e is a short, post game discussion with players abusing certain spells.

I often give the players restrictions during character creation, but I don't consider that a houserule. That's just setting the scene for the game.