Which variant rules do you use, and why?

[Psion]

1. Action points, with some tweaks to their distribution
2. Use lots of additional source material which I won't enumerate here.
3. New core classes = Priest (AEG Good), Shaman, Psion, Wilder, Psychic Warrior, Martial Artist.
4. Used bard variant performance abilities from Path of Magic
5. Injury house rules inflict penalties from severe damage.
6. Fumble rules from Kalamar
7. Many spells tweaked (see a thread I started in rules). I also nerf conjuration damage spells.
8. Lots of planar rules variants and variant cosmology

 

[Aus_Snow]

Actually, here's a supplementary question for anyone wanting to answer it:

What are the benefits, that you've noticed, from the rules variants you've decided to adopt? Better 'balance'? 'Accuracy' / 'plausibility'? More fun? More grit and grimness? More 'cinema'? Anything else. . .?

 

[moritheil]

Actually, here's a supplementary question for anyone wanting to answer it:

What are the benefits, that you've noticed, from the rules variants you've decided to adopt? Better 'balance'? 'Accuracy' / 'plausibility'? More fun? More grit and grimness? More 'cinema'? Anything else. . .?

Less cinema, which is the point. If I want cinematic, I play In Nomine.

 

[Steverooo]

Actually, here's a supplementary question for anyone wanting to answer it:

What are the benefits, that you've noticed, from the rules variants you've decided to adopt? Better 'balance'? 'Accuracy' / 'plausibility'? More fun? More grit and grimness? More 'cinema'? Anything else. . .?

I edited my post, above, to answer this...

 

[Mystery Man]

I use the alternative XP and level progression from Unearthed Aracana. Much, much, much easier to determine EL's and tally up XP, I don't see myself going back to the old way ever.

 

[Psion]

Actually, here's a supplementary question for anyone wanting to answer it:

What are the benefits, that you've noticed, from the rules variants you've decided to adopt? Better 'balance'? 'Accuracy' / 'plausibility'? More fun? More grit and grimness? More 'cinema'? Anything else. . .?

Well, I'll update my list and tack these on:

1. Action points, with some tweaks to their distribution. I like pusing characters to their limit but don't want to have characters die off too quickly and build in a little more tolerance for miscalculation and bad luck; this it has done. I also would like to see more use of metamagic; this it has not done. Finally, I wanted to have the players have spontaneous access to feats, treating them as sort of "stunts", this has had some successes.
2. Use lots of additional source material which I won't enumerate here. I like keeping the game fresh and keeping the players guessing with new monsters and npc villains with interesting classes, spells, and psionics.
3. New core classes = Priest (AEG Good), Shaman, Psion, Wilder, Psychic Warrior, Martial Artist. I like psionics and think it serves as a more mysterious magic for players to fear; this has worked like a charm. I also like classes that are a little more general in nature to serve as a substrate for NPCs - priests and martial artists are more general and flexible than clerics and monks. I like the cosmology assumptions behind Shamans and think they fit the role of spontaneous divine caster well.
4. Used bard variant performance abilities from Path of Magic - because I feel bards are too pidgeon-holes; a "celtic spell singer" is too specific and should be a PrC. I want the bard to be a more generic "lore keeper" with more cultural variety; this is a half-step in that direction.
5. Injury house rules inflict penalties from severe damage. It really dimishes the feel that players have accomplished something when they go through a rough fight and the PCs have nothing to show for it the next day. The injury house rules make combat a bit more vivid, but the way I do it, no additional rolls are invoked until the last 1 or 2 hits on a target, so it largely keeps the existing balance of the game.
6. Fumble rules from Kalamar's. Because players expect them and it adds a little tension. But usually, it has no effect.
7. Many spells tweaked (see a thread I started in rules). I also nerf many spells from Comple Arcane, Ultimnate Divine Spellbook and Eldritch Sorcery. As it stands, I consider the sorcerer too weak, and the parsed up spells just make that worse, and many of the 3.5 changes were unjustified in my eyes. OTOH, I consider some complete arcane spells neat, but find the convention of no save and no
8. Lots of planar rules variants and variant cosmology. The great wheel is cool, but the additions to the planes is Portals & Planes, Book of the Planes, Book of the Righteous, and Shamans Handbook are cool, so I sort of retooled the cosmology. Call it a creative excercise and a desire for something new.
9. Class variant rules - Sorcerer abilities from Quintessential Sorcerer make it a bit more competant of a class. Ranger variant rules from Wildscape make it a bit more flexible while letting me plug into existing ranger support (something that cannot be said for variant classes like scout.)
10. I kick using CR for XP to the curb; I use the "XP per level per hour" method in the DMG, and adjust for level spread and grant individual bonuses. I find CR fidgety to use and find that it does not map easily to non combat challenges, so instead I simply grant bonuses for how difficult I consider the adventure and how well the players did (both in terms of cleverness and roleplaying.) (I still use Cr and EL to guage appropriateness for encounters. It does work if the publisher has done their homework.)
11. I am using Airship rules from Bation's Airships as I am about to start using Ouno from Beyond Countless Doorways. I am also planning on using chase rules in Hot Pursuit because I like "teh drama".

 

[Krypter]

I really like the Iron Heroes variant rules. Armor as DR and Skill Groups make so much more sense to me. Reserve points are also a good innovation.

Oh, and definitely Defense Bonus instead of AC to hit. Your skill as a fighter should count when defending as well as when attacking.

 

[Odhanan]

I leave aside the specifics of the setting and additions from various books (races, classes from Complete series, BoEM, Book of Roguish Luck, Hallowed might, use of Chaositech etc etc) and precise that my game combines AE and D&D, with AE rules being the base (overrides D&D in case of contradictions: Keen + Imp. Critical stack, no favored classes, etc):

- d10 instead of d20 for Initiative rolls: less variables in initiative and more value for Improve Initiative feat.
- AC is rolled with d20 instead of "10": Players more active in their defence. More fun for everyone around the table and it doesn’t slow down combat in our experience.
- Action points from Eberron plus uses from Luck rules of Book of Roguish Luck for specific classes (Unfettered, Rogue, Assassin...) – a blend of action and luck points allows for more strategic choices from players. They are separated from Hero Points, which in our game are rare and used for well, truly heroic actions.
- Automatic failure on 1, Critical hit if critical threat reached (no confirmation check but AC roll can still overcome the hit for normal damage, and no damage on 20 – plus with home feats): This makes the combat much quicker, instant kills happen more often, overall gameplay is cinematic IME.
- Weapon Groups variant – because Exotic Weapon Proficiencies applying to just one precise weapon are just waste.

Plus maybe a few minor ones I forget at the moment.

 

[Odhanan]

Variant: Turn undead deals 1d6/cleric level positive energy damage instead of its normal effects. Source: Complete Divine. Reason: Ease of play and group synergy. Damage is easier to resolve that fear.

Variant: Various class variants from Unearthed Arcana. Reason: They don't break the game, and they expand a player's options. I use many of the UA options as regional or cultural variants in my homebrew campaign.

I would accept any balanced variant or class from any book at my game table, provided I review it, accept it (it depends on the character concept, the base balance issue - I'm not too anal about it though - and if I can work it out in the game in a plausible fashion).

I really like the Cleric variant. I had forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[KB9JMQ]

The major variants I use are Action Points (though playing in Eberron now that is not really and variant) and death is Negative Con rather than then -10.

Croth, did you have to do anything else to balance out letting the characters have a feat every level ? I am interested in doing this.