Your Personal "3.75"

[Scurvy_Platypus]

The Monte product does sound interesting (wasn't he supposed to be quitting the rpg business after Ptolus? I mean, MCWoD? He's like some of these singers that "retire". ) I might pick it up next year, depending on what the reviews sound like.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure I really bring much new to the mix...

I'd start with blending the Anime SRD and Fantasy Concepts. I'd keep a lot of Fantasy Concepts as it is, since it already made a bunch of the changes I wanted. I'd modify it with a number of the mechanical changes that Everstone made to the Anime SRD as well.

Really, blending together those three things is about 80% or more of what I'd want.

Magic is just that... magic. I don't see a point to the whole Arcane/Divine thing, unless you're doing some sort of story/setting specific difference (like "arcane" magic corrupts in the Warcraft world).

I'd cap magic at 4th or 5th level spells, with some specific spells being yanked out additionally.

If I really wanted to go different with the magic, there's two bits I'd consider using. Both of them are a skill based approach to magic. The first is the Slayersd20/Advanced Magic book from Guardians of Order. The system does seem a bit fiddly though. The Advanced Magic book is an expanded version of the magic found in Slayersd20.

An alternative that appeals to my "simplify it" soul, is the Unusual Core Classes: Spellweaver product from Misfit Studios. You can find it here:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?from_home=1&it=1&motds_id=414&products_id=12636

Either of those 2 products would be a solid way to go. I'd personally take the Spellweaver, but tastes vary.

A while ago, I would have gone with Elements of Magic: Revised, and rebuilt the magic system from the ground up. I already _did_ do a lot of that for C&C (before I trashed everything and put my C&C books away). But at the end of the day, it was an awful lot of work, and while spells were much more consistent in terms of their overall cost, I'm not sure it was really worth it. If they'd had some sort of Excel sheet or something to help build the spells, that would have gone a long way towards me still using it.

Between the innate leveled spells like Everstone has (which uses spell points), the skill based approach to magic like the Spellweaver, as well as the traditional Vancian system, I'm basically covered for just about any kind of magic I'd want. Tattoos, runes, whatever... one of those 3 approaches should cover it.

I'd yank the Psychic's Handbook from Green Ronin, and tweak it a bit to work with the above. I like the idea of a skill-based psychic system, just without all the fiddle of the usual skill rules. Having a Fantasy Concepts derived skill system (with some further tweaks) would take care of a lot of that.

Since I'd be carving out Divine Magic, it means healing (along with a bunch of other bits) suddenly goes up in the air. I'm thinking that I'd take care of it by a combination of small magic bits (items/wands/potions), as well as it being a part of the Psychic's power set. Which would mainly consist of a psychic taking on the wound of someone else, and then accelerating their own healing. Which means raising the dead is going to be almost unheard of, and a healer in general will have to be careful how much they can heal. Someone like Conan could probably sustain enough damage to take out more than one healer.

There's various 3rd party classes floating around that I'd probably consider adding in. Some from Green Ronin, maybe something out of Monte's stuff.

Dweomercraft: Familiars seems like a pretty nifty product.
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=17983&it=1
Being able to make familiars available to different people and have them be something other than the usual thing I see in D&D is a good thing I think.

Adamant Entertainment released the Foe Factory: Modern product which seems _very_ spiffy.
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=51080
Although I'd like to see them release the fantasy version (in theory it's done, but they're not putting it out until after 4E), you can certainly use this with relatively little difficulty. Meaning, I've experiemented a bit with it, and it hasn't blown up in my face. Caveat: the difficulty depends on the next thing...

Grim Tales Creature Creation:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=18836&it=1

You might not agree with all the numbers (it's based on work done by Upper_Krust), but it _does_ present a consistent way of building monsters. This particular bit also comes with an Excel sheet, which makes life much easier. I own the GT book, and I still bought this.

The combination of the Foe Factory and the GT Creature means you can build a consistently scaling critter, and have a really good idea that the CR is going to be about right. I'm not going to claim it's perfect, but it's certainly good enough. And pretty consistent.

What I've done so far is use the Foe Factory product as the "base" for the creature, and then I make what's effectively a template and apply it to the creature. I use the GT rules to give me the CR modifier.

The Foe Factory book basically gives you a quick scaling system for stats, saves, etc. I believe it's inspiried by the NPC system out of Spycraft. Not certain about that though, so don't quote me.

If you don't have GT, then the usefulness of the Foe Factory product drops off quite a bit I feel. I'm not entirely certain I agree with all of the Foe Factory's CR adjustments, and it really doesn't come with enough to make it useful for a fantasy game. The fantasy version might be a different story, assuming it's actually released.

I'd also look at using the Artificer's Handbook from Mystic Eye Games (it's now sold by Ronin Arts I believe). If you can't find a physical copy, you can buy the pdf from a number of other places (e23 and Your Games Now). I'm not 100% certain what it'd look like since the skill system is being changed, but I think it'd still be pretty workable.

I'd cap everything at level 8, and then hand out an extra feat for every 5k of XP. Yeah, basically E6 only 8th level instead of 6th.

I'd also tap an OGL source of feats (like the AEG book of the same name), and use it fill out some of the different options in the system. Obviously some feats wouldn't be appropriate depending on the setting, and others would be pointless (like AoO related feats) due to certain elements being missing from the system.

In case anyone reads this and wonders, "Hey, wait a second... isn't he already doing a bunch of that already?" You're right, I am. Which is why I already know that a number of these things work for me. It's not all integrated at this point, but I'm slowly working on it.

 

[tbiaslorin]

I've messed with some of the nitty-gritty of the game for my new campaign. My new rule is 'if it's simpler, it's better'. For example, I've eliminated rolling for damage and instead use averages instead (So a monster doing 1d6 damage will do 3, 4, 3, 4 etc damage) For low level monsters, I've converted their hit dice to 'hits' instead. A 3hd monster has 3 hits. Any damage done to it by a player counts as 1 hit. Sure, it might make the fighter feel like he's been nerfed some, but when we can get through 3 additional encounters an evening due to the various simplifications, everyone is happy. Premiere monsters and NPC's have normal HPs.

Messing with the base game a little more, I am trying to do away with saves altogether, though this is a work in progress (we're only through one session so far). As this campaign I have eliminated direct damage spells and most wizard-base classes in favor of more classes with special abilities (a la Nine Swords), it's a little less drastic than it sounds. Hold abilities, buffs/debuffs and the like are automatically effective, but they are typically very short-lived and some skills still have a chance of breaking them (Escape Artist). I know this has the potential to break down at higher levels and will need to be modified, but so far it has worked ok. Any ideas for this would be appreciated (and I've noted someone's comment above about making saves more like targets for monsters to hit)

Character creation has many more options, and this is something folks have liked and is likely to be re-used in future campaigns. We're running 28-point attribute buy, but in addition to ability scores, folks can buy additional skill points (8), feats (2), or 1 special ability for each attribute point. Each character also has a spell-point like pool to run any special abilities or alternate class abilities they may take.

We've done away with almost all magic items, and most 'twinking' is done through 'factions, orders and covens'. Instead of having a +3 sword, +2 ring of protection, and +2 armor at level 7, a character might be part of a faction (The Order of the Whitefeather Crane, for example; these are similar to prestige classes with just the special abilities) that at level 7 has granted 3 special abilities, such as +2 strength, +2 dodge AC, and blink 10' (displacement) as a swift action (using the spell-point like attribute). The spell-point like ability regenerates much slower than spells (although the pool might start fairly large) so rationing becomes important. This has gone over very well and we've really enjoyed the options it opens up, and monsters/NPC's are extremely varied also. So far in-game we're at over 25 potential factions and counting (and I anticipate over 100 by the time the campaign is done), and each player is limited to 2.

I've changed Diplomacy so it works more as I thought it should. Move silenty and hide have become stealth (I think I got this from NWN2 or some other game). Listen, Search and Spot have combined to become Perception.

Some of what we're doing is pretty drastic and might not even be 3.5 anymore, and I know there will be some balance issues, as we're only through one session, but on first impression it's definitely pushed us to cooler characters/NPC's and simplfied gameplay.

 

[Arkhandus]

Some quick solutions, cuz I feel like throwing in my 2 cp

Something I haven't done but I would love to do if I could find a slick way to do it:
- Replace iterative attacks with a different multi attack system or damage bonus or somesuch
- Make feats more comparable

Well, here are a few workable ideas along those lines.
[sblock]Two (sorta three) ideas for the first, either one could work.
1) Base Damage Bonus: A character's Base Damage Bonus equals his or her Base Attack Bonus (or half, or double, whichever you think best). This is a bonus that the character adds to damage with each attack he or she makes (but only attacks that would normally deal damage, such as an unarmed strike, not a disarm attempt).

Base Damage Bonus does not apply to spells, powers, supernatural abilities, spell-like abilities, or psi-like abilities except for those that require an attack roll and that would normally deal damage on a successful attack roll. Base Damage Bonus does not apply to any recurring damage, such as from a bleeding wound or the further damage dealt by an Acid Arrow spell on rounds following the initial hit. Base Damage Bonus is halved, rounded down, on natural weapon attacks if the creature has multiple natural weapon attacks.


2) Alternate Iterative Attacks: A character with Base Attack Bonus of +6 or higher may choose to make multiple attacks during a full-attack action. When doing so, the character may make up to one extra attack per 6 points of Base Attack Bonus possessed, or fewer if desired. The choice must be made at the start of the full-attack action. For each extra attack the character will take in this manner, during any given full-attack action, he or she suffers a -2 penalty on each attack roll during that action.

Each attack is made at the character's full Base Attack Bonus, but suffers the aforementioned penalty. Thus, with a +6 BAB, the character could attack once at +6 on the attack roll, or twice at +4 on the attack roll. With a +12 BAB, they could attack once at +12, twice at +10, or three times at +8. With a +18 BAB, the character could instead attack once at +18, twice at +16, three times at +14, or four times at +12.

3) Other Alternative Iterative Attacks: A character with Base Attack Bonus of +6 or higher may choose to make multiple attacks during a full-attack action. When he or she does so, they make a second attack at their full Base Attack Bonus. The choice to do so is made after the first attack; if they choose not to, then it is just a standard action attack.

If the character's Base Attack Bonus is +11 or higher, then he or she may make two extra attacks instead of one on a full-attack action, when desired, but both of the extra attacks are made at one-half the character's Base Attack Bonus, rounded down.

If the character's Base Attack Bonus is +16 or higher, then he or she may make three extra attacks on a full-attack action instead, with the first extra attack at his or her full Base Attack Bonus and the other two attacks at one-half the character's Base Attack Bonus, rounded down.

(if you don't want the multiple attacks to be better than in the core, then just reduce the 1st/2nd extra attack bonuses mentioned above by half, like the others, for the second alternative method, but maybe allow characters with BAB +11 or higher to make one extra attack at full BAB instead of the multiple extra attacks at half BAB)


Regarding the second point: You could make feats more comparable (and maybe more numerous) by just giving each feat a Feat Point cost, and providing characters with a certain number of FP to spend at each new level (or just at each level that would normally grant a feat or bonus feat).

Unspent FP would remain until the next level, but no longer than that (or until the next level at which they would normally gain a feat of the appropriate type). So you could save your FP from 1st-level until 2nd-level but no later (or until 3rd-level if going for the "FP only at levels that normally grant feats" route), while a Fighter could save his Bonus Feat Points from 1st-level until 2nd-level but no later. Maybe just allow FP to be saved indefinitely, but that would encourage FP being spent only on good feats, never on ones that they just qualify for early on.

Probably-adequate feat values could be....either a scale of 1-5 or 1-6, would probably be best (1-8 or 1-10 could also work, but wouldn't likely be as efficient or easy to handle in exchange for only a minor increase in granularity). Let's say a scale of 1-6. Good feats would be assigned a cost of 5 or 6 FP, so they'd effectively be worth a full 'feat slot' by the normal rules. Weak feats would probably be assigned a cost of 2 FP, with maybe any really pathetic ones given a cost of 1 FP. Relatively average or mediocre, slightly weak feats would be assigned a cost of 3 or 4 FP.

So you could, for example, assign Toughness a cost of 2 or 3 FP, Skill Focus a cost of 3 or 4 FP, Alertness a cost of 4 FP (and the rest of its ilk a cost of 3 or 4 depending on which two skills they're boosting), Weapon Focus a cost of 4 FP, Power Attack a cost of 6 FP, Dodge a cost of 2 FP, etc., or whatever. The few really strong feats might even have a value higher than 6, like maybe Robilar's Gambit is given a value of 9 or 12 FP, for example, I dunno.

At each level, maybe characters get 3 FP, doubled at 1st-level to 6 FP (or even quadrupled like skill points at 1st-level, if you like). If going for the 'FP only at levels they would normally get a feat' model, then just make it 6 FP at each of those appropriate levels (1st, 3rd, 6th, etc.). Either way, figure out how classes with bonus feats would get FP.

In the first model, Fighters would get 3 or 4 FP at each level in the Fighter class, doubled to 6 or 8 FP at 1st-level in the Fighter class (even if it isn't their 1st character level, due to the nature of the Fighter class and its feat progression, being a little better than 1 feat per 2 levels, and thus much better than the general feat progression). In the second model, Fighters would just get 6 FP or so at every level that would normally give a Fighter bonus feat. Either way, these bonus FP gained from Fighter levels would probably be separate from normal FP gained through character level advancement, to be spent only on Fighter bonus feats.

Similarly, Wizards would get either 2 Bonus FP at each level of Wizard, doubled at 1st-level in the Wizard class (the item creation feats would probably be worth 4 FP or less, or at least Scribe Scroll should be), or 6 Bonus FP at each level that they'd normally get a bonus Wizard feat, as appropriate.

Adjust the value up or down as desired (maybe 5 or 6 FP per level to effectively match a 'feat slot at every level' model, if you like). But if adjusting it downward, make sure characters can somehow save up enough Feat Points to acquire a strong feat every so often, like Power Attack or whatnot.[/sblock]

1) Improved play at levels 1-4. After playing in a campaign that rose to level 26, I started a new campaign with level 2 characters. Some classes worked fine (fighter/rogue), but the spellcasters felt frustrated by their lack of magical ability. I'm considering adding an "eldritch blast"-like at will power for spellcasters. Or perhaps making magic missile an at will standard action. I'm also considering giving 1st level characers +10 hit points.

2) More automatic feats. I'm going to review the feats and add a few for each class similar to what 4E is doing. For example, all PC fighters will get Power Attack for free. I"m thinking of giving the True Believer feat to all divine spellcasters. Some arcane spellcasters (non-spontaneous casters, who use spellbooks) will automatically get the item creation feats at their minimum required levels.

3) No more magic wal-marts for items (although low level [1-3] potions and scrolls may still be available from temples or guilds). The tricky part is making sure that PCs still have things to spend their gold on once they advance to the higher levels.

Lessee.
[sblock]1) An extra 10 HP at 1st-level would be good, certainly, to keep PCs from dying after a single mistake or bad judgment call, or a single critical hit (though even +10hp might not be enough against a battleaxe/greataxe/warhammer crit). Maybe even +20 HP.

Or just give characters a few action points; maybe even ones that never refresh, just a one-time allotment of a few AP; and give them the ability to spend an Action Point at any time to reduce the damage they take from any attack or effect, short of unavoidable ones (like immersion in lava or falling off a cliff), by something like 5 or 10 points. Possibly allow the expenditure of multiple AP to reduce damage from an effect, if desired; but have a caveat that Action Points cannot reduce damage from any attack or effect below 1 damage (so the character suffers a minimum of 1 damage regardless).

For spellcasters, you could just give them something like......
Magic Pulse (Su): As a standard action, you may use this supernatural ability to focus a bit of magical power into a short pulse from your hand, damaging a creature in line of sight and line of effect, with the brief flare of magic. This requires a melee or ranged touch attack to hit, and the ranged touch attack is a ray that has an absolute range of 60 feet, with no range increment. If your touch attack hits the target creature, Magic Pulse deals 1d6 damage to the target creature, +1 damage per caster level. Magic Pulse is a magical force effect, useable once per day per point of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma you possess, whichever is higher. As a force effect, Magic Pulse can harm ethereal or incorporeal creatures, if you can manage to see them well enough to target them. Each use of Magic Pulse deals 1 point of nonlethal damage to you, as feedback from the flare of raw magic coursing through your hand, and this feedback cannot be prevented or reduced.

Give an identical but psionic version, Psionic Pulse, to manifesters, and there ya go.

That or just give everyone Magic Missile at will, which is kinda lame, since MM is practically unavoidable and far-reaching, and it's normally restricted to wizards and very similar spellcasters. It also brings up questions about why apprentice mages don't go around assassinating everyone they hate while sitting up in trees or other advantageous spots, due to Magic Missile's great reach and automatic success. This Magic Pulse idea at least has limits and a minor drawback.

2) You could either choose a few feats for each class that members of that class get for free at certain levels, or just give characters a feat at every level instead of every 3 levels. If nothing else, any levels where they can't find a worthwhile feat they qualify for can be levels at which they just pick Toughness or Skill Focus.

3) It may help to adopt one or two parts of the stat-boosting-magic-items replacement suggestions I give below for Greg K. Then you can cut down on the amount of wealth gained by PCs, without weakening them too much, so they don't have mountains of gold they can't spend. They should still have plenty enough to build castles and palaces and other things to establish themselves as rulers over their own personal domains.

And aside from that, they could spend their gold on, perhaps, hiring dragons or other powerful creatures to serve as allies in battle, or to guard their lands (what better guardian for your realm than a gold or silver dragon, for example? Or several of them?).

Or perhaps....perhaps Efreet (or noble Djinn) actually eat gold for sustenance, and PCs could barter with them to trade piles of gold in exchange for Wishes or choice items from an Efreeti's (or Djinni's) vault, or for the Efreeti (or Djinni) to create a few magic items for them? There could be a well-known Efreeti (or Djinni) lord who deals in such things, for example.[/sblock]

Oops! I forgot a few things.

1. Slower leveling
2. less reliance on magic items.

Easy enough to do.
[sblock]1) Cut XP rewards down to 1/2, 1/3, or 1/5 normal (for most, maybe all, XP awards in the DMG this should be an easy and even division).
2) Integrate a simple level-based set of benefits, similar to what I do in Rhunaria with Gifts of the Warrior's Spirit but even simpler still. Ex.:
2i) Characters receive a magical +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with weapons, natural weapons, and unarmed strikes for every 4 character levels obtained, and an equal enhancement bonus to AC from any armor worn and from any shield used. This might be from absorbing ambient magical forces from the monsters they fight or from the places they travel through.
2ii) Characters receive a +1 enhancement bonus to any ability score for each character level obtained beyond 2nd, and this enhancement bonus may be divided amongst multiple ability scores, but each point of the enhancement bonus must be allocated at the time it is gained. No single ability score may receive more than 1 point of this enhancement bonus per 3 character levels.
2iii) Characters receive a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws for every 3 character levels obtained.
2iv) Lastly, characters receive a +1 enhancement bonus to natural armor AC for every 2 character levels obtained.

Of course, you could just make these nonmagical, but then I'd suggest removing most of the related magic items from the game entirely (Cloaks of Resistance, Belts of Giant's Strength, etc.). The little set-up I just put together would allow for a moderate or significant reduction in the amount of wealth and/or magic items that characters get, without affecting their ability to handle level-appropriate challenges to any notable degree. If you wanted to remove stat-boosting items altogether, just double the automatic bonuses (and double the limit noted for part 2ii).[/sblock]

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

Sean Reynolds did an article on Feat Points to try and balance out Feats. You can read it here:
http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/featpointsystem.html

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Bump. I have been working in this with GlassJaw for some time; many folks have (privately) already seen it.

Some folks have playtested it. (It went well.)

As you can see, it is gathered from many sources, old and new, including some of the better 4e philosophies.

Overall design goal
Maintain backwards compatibility as much as possible.
By preference, change the PC mechanics-- don't change the world mechanics.

Power Curve
• All PC’s receive three maximum HD + 1x Con bonus at 1st level.
• At each subsequent level, a PC may choose to take the average hit points (rounded up) or roll. This allows for better survivability at 1st, a smoother power curve, and "bigger, better, badder" encounters.
• NPC statblocks can remain unchanged and can be used "as is" – for example, 1st level Wizard PC, 30 hit points. 1st level Wizard NPC, 4 hit points – again, big distinction between the Heroes and everyone else.

10-minute rest period
• The previous 8-hour rest period becomes 10 minutes.
• Most per day abilities changed to “per rest” (Ex. smite, rage, etc). (Up for debate: bard song, druid wild shape, others?)
• All hit points are restored after a 10 minute rest.
• Any ongoing spell effects on your person are dispelled when your rest is complete, regardless of any duration they may have remaining. This does not apply to instantaneous or permanent durations.
• Remaining per day abilities are recharged every 24 hours, regardless of rest.

New spellcasting system
All spells are designated as Simple, Complex, or Exotic:
• Simple spells refresh for free after a rest period. Most single-target combat spells and short duration buffs (bless) are Simple spells.
• Complex spells do not refresh after a rest period unless you spend 1 Action Point. 1 AP refreshes all Complex spells.
• Exotic spells do not refresh after a rest period. You can refresh one Exotic spell per AP spent.
• 0-level spells are always Simple.
• Any single target, short duration (1 min/level or less) spell is most likely Simple.
• Any multiple target spell is Complex. Certain low level, short duration spells may be exempt (e.g., bless).
• Any spells with a duration of 10 minutes or longer are at least Complex.
• Any Conjuration (creation, calling, or teleport), and any Conjuration (summoning) with a long duration, is Complex.
• Exotic spells include the big “game breakers” (Divination/Commune, Teleport, Raise Dead) and a few select edge cases.

Regardless of classification, and at no AP cost, all spell slots are still refreshed once per day (a 24-hour period). That is, no spellcaster will cast fewer spells per day under this system than in 3.5e.

Action Points
• Characters receive AP’s equal to 5 + ½ their level. This pool of Action Points refreshes when the PC gains a level.
• PCs receive additional action points when significant Quests and Milestones (as designated by the DM) are accomplished. Some DM’s may want to hand the PCs a physical reminder of each Quest (index card, etc.) that shows how many AP’s it is worth on completion.
• When forming a party, the PCs may decide to create a Party Pool. The AP’s in a Party Pool may be used by any member of the party at any time. In order to create a Party Pool, each PC must contribute one of their own AP’s to the pool. Once created, players may only add AP’s to the Party Pool when designated by the DM (usually at the beginning of a Quest).
• Some Quest rewards only add AP’s to the Party Pool.
• AP’s may be spent on the following five broad uses:
o Improve any d20 roll.
o Negate a critical threat.
o Confirm a critical threat without having to roll.
o Use a limited (“per rest”) ability an additional time.
o Emergency stabilize – If you have 0 or less hit points, you may spend an action point to automatically stabilize; you do not have to make a Fort save to stabilize.
• A PC must spend an AP to get raised from the dead (dying with no AP’s = bad news).

Death and Dying
• At 0 hp or less, you fall unconscious and are dying.
• There is no negative hit point limit.
• On your turn, you must make a Fort save (DC = 10 + your current negative hit point total) to stabilize.
• If you succeed, you stabilize at your current hit point total. If you fail three stabilization rolls in a row, you die.
• If you receive additional damage while stable, you are returned to dying status and must begin trying to stabilize again.
• If a character with negative hit points receives healing, he returns to 0 hp before any healing is applied.

Iterative Attacks / Damage bonus
• Remove iterative attacks.
• Gain bonus to damage equal to one-half BAB.
• Monsters and characters with multiple attacks (claw/claw/bite and TWF, for example) retain their multiple attacks. Multiple attacks are distinct from iterative attacks.

Attacks of Opportunity
• If you begin your turn in an unthreatened square, your movement that round does not provoke an attack of opportunity, even if you move through threatened squares.
• If you begin your turn in a square threatened by an opponent, you will provoke an attack of opportunity from each such enemy if you move away, as normal.
• Other sources of AoO’s remain.

Sneak Attack
• Sneak attack is effective against any creature that can be flanked.
• Immunity to critical hits no longer grants immunity to sneak attack.

Destroy Undead turning variant
• Turning deals damage instead of causing undead to flee.
• Area of Effect: 60’ radius burst; must have line of effect.
• Damage is 1d6+1/turn level (Will save DC = 10 + ½ level + Cha for half damage)
• Turn Resistance grants the creature DR against turning equal to TR rating * HD and a bonus to their Will save.
• Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks grants a +2 damage bonus to the damage roll.
• Improved Turning feat: +1 turn level (unchanged).
• Empower Turning feat: 1.5 x damage rolled.
• Greater Turning domain ability: Maximizes damage.

Save or Die / Save or Suck Spells
• This change mitigates the problem of a single bad roll at the beginning of a battle completely removing the PC (and more importantly, the player) from the rest of the encounter.
• This category includes any harmful spell or effect where the Save is specified as negates or partial, and the duration is instantaneous or permanent.
• If the target is not bloodied, the target receives two saving throws against the effect; if either save succeeds, the spell has no effect.
• Targets that are bloodied receive only the one save, as normal.
• Bloodied is defined as “less than 50% hit points remaining.”

Passive Perception
• All characters are assumed to Take 10 with Perception at all times. This allows the PC to “get a feeling” that a trap or secret door is close.
• Search is still required to find the actual location.
• Trapfinding is required to notice traps with DC’s above 20.
• Trap sense grants a bonus to Passive Perception.

Static NPC opposed rolls
• For special attack actions such as disarm, bull rush, trip, grapple, etc, players always roll, whether defending or attacking, whereas NPC’s and monsters always “Take 10”.

Energy Drain
• Remove chance of permanent level loss.

Skill Consolidation
• Spot and Listen become Perception
• Hide and Move Silently become Stealth.
• Others at GM discretion... (Balance and Tumble become Acrobatics, etc)

Feat Changes
• Dodge adds +1 to AC at all times (no single target/designation required).
• Skill Focus adds +3 to one skill or +2 to two skills.
• Toughness adds 3 hit points at 1st level, and +1 hit point each additional level.
• Weapon Focus (and Greater), Weapon Specialization (and Greater), Improved Critical: Choose one weapon damage type (slashing, piercing, bludgeoning, ranged) rather than a specific weapon.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

I've decided I'll be sticking with 3.X
At the moment I'm compiling all the various house rules or subsystems plugged in and regularizing them. As well as pulling various features from SWSE and potentially 4e. Right now I'm grabbing together all the parts and putting them together piece by piece into a Tiddlywiki which will become my 3^ SRD. The organization is based on the Hypertext SRD since it's the best example I've seen of that.

 

[Flynn]

I've decided I'll be sticking with 3.X
At the moment I'm compiling all the various house rules or subsystems plugged in and regularizing them. As well as pulling various features from SWSE and potentially 4e. Right now I'm grabbing together all the parts and putting them together piece by piece into a Tiddlywiki which will become my 3^ SRD. The organization is based on the Hypertext SRD since it's the best example I've seen of that.

I'd be interested in seeing your SRD file once it is compiled. Do you have plans to post it somewhere? Or will you make it available on request?

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

I'd be interested in seeing your SRD file once it is compiled. Do you have plans to post it somewhere? Or will you make it available on request?

With Regards,
Flynn

When I get it more fleshed out I'll put it up somewhere as a site. Since most of my notes are badly organized hardcopy or scribbled into rulebooks what I've got now is mostly an outline of headers and subsections without much of the info in it yet.

 

[DaveMage]

Wulf: Thanks for posting that! You've certainly given us a lot to think about.

Arkhandus: Thanks for your thoughts as well - more to contemplate.

 

[GreatLemur]

I'm still on the edge of just forking my own "D&D" (or d20-ish fantasy game, anyway) into something strongly True20-influenced, but so heavily divergent I'd pretty much need to make my own PHB. Some perverse part of me actually wants to call it "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons", but I do know how blatantly retarded that would be.

Anyway, before I really do anything, I've got to wait and see if D&D 4e offers up new mechanics worth cannibalizing. ...And, for that matter, I'd better find out if any of the people I play with would even be interested in indulging my amateur game designer megalomania.