(3.5) Interesting houserules?

[Mattarias, King.]

Hello playground. First of all, thanks for answering my previous thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110920) concerning SLAs. I was wondering- What houserules do you frequently add on to your games or see implemented in your games?

I'm asking because I'm looking for some to spice up my game and/or propose for use in a friend's game. So far the only ones my group really uses are "diagonal movement is just like straight movement" and "cure/inflict spells have a range of short instead of touch". Any suggestions?

[TSED]

Save or Dies become stat damage.

Petrification is dex damage / drain, necromantic SoDs are con damage / drain, etc.

I think it works pretty well. You can even give them fort half.



No class skills - this lets soooo many roleplaying ideas come out. Why can't you get a fighter who's good at lying or a wizard who can live in the wild? Why can't you get a paladin who knows who to work wands and read scrolls? Etc.

[yilduz]

No class skills - this lets soooo many roleplaying ideas come out. Why can't you get a fighter who's good at lying or a wizard who can live in the wild? Why can't you get a paladin who knows who to work wands and read scrolls? Etc.

I really like that one. Do you think it unbalances anything? I mean, having a bunch of skills is one of the great things about being a rogue. You know what I mean?

[Hawriel]

Double cost for cross class skills is tossed out. Keep the rank limit.

Bastard swards are not exotic weapons. No they are not. Nor are hand crossbows.

Lances are not two handed weapons. No they are not. Have you ever seen a knight use a lance with two hands?

Classes that get 2 skill points get 4.

The paladin's mount is a real animal. It is not a magic atherial creature. It must be taken care of.

[Deepblue706]

I enjoy enhancing a few "special attacks":

Upon a successful Bull Rush or Overrun, make a free unarmed attack against the defender. If carrying a shield, you may attempt a shield bash instead. If wearing armor spikes, you may attack with them instead.

Feinting is a move action. Improved Feint allows you the option to feint as an attack.

Opponents you successfully Feint against are not only flat-footed against your next attack, but also receive a -4 circumstance penalty to AC against that same attack.

[TSED]

I really like that one. Do you think it unbalances anything? I mean, having a bunch of skills is one of the great things about being a rogue. You know what I mean?


I don't really, because every one gets as many skills as before. (Though to be fair I've not had to deal with a fighter yet).


Sure, the wizard COULD put skill points in skulduggery or stealth (I mash some skills together to prevent overspending) but he doesn't.

This may or may not be group dependent. I'm the DM and I find I am the most interested in the group of the rules side. All the players basically just want to roleplay with one exception, who (as far as I can tell) just wants to kill stuff.

(Uh, this group hasn't started yet, by the way.)

I'm basically helping every one make their characters and almost every one has been all "hurray I can be useful for once."

But yeah, consider:

Warlock gets 2 skill points + int. Puts his 3 skill points in <whatever>.

The human rogue gets 8 + 1 + int. Puts HIS 11 (I think) in whatever.

The warlock can do a couple of things he wants, but the rogue still has 8 full skills on top of him. And when you consider spot / listen, sneak / hide, open lock / disable device were mashed together...

There's a pretty big gap despite everyone being able to do whatever.

[penbed400]

I prefer to really hammer my players with dumbing down some of the power on them. I like some of the rules from the older versions better because it forces a person to really roleplay and make a character their own instead of just having it be one other character that they have made so I have these rules:

-2nd edition spells only
-All magic items must be approved and I am a hard person to get them passed
-2nd edition class limits i.e. (must have at least these stats and be one of the approved races so you can't have an half-orc paladin...it's just silly!)
-Harder DCs for poisons than what's written in the books
-3 dice for stats but it goes down the list, so no getting to choose your stats, you get what you get except for re-rolls on 3, 4 and 5's

I kind of make a combination between the two editions because otherwise the little farmer boy that the character should be...turns into a superhero a little too fast for my taste sorry if it seems harsh, all of my players think I'm a good DM though so thumbs up :smallbiggrin:

*EDIT: Oh I forgot, in order to get all the bonuses from leveling up a character must spend a week somewhere without any combat. It's kind of like making checks on a Runequest campaign only you have to do it lest often.

[Yahzi]

I was wondering- What houserules do you frequently add on to your games or see implemented in your games?
Max Hit Points. For everybody.

Oh, and check out my sig for a few more.



Lances are not two handed weapons. No they are not. Have you ever seen a knight use a lance with two hands?

I think that's just so you get x1.5 STR bonus instead of x1. Although, really, you should get x1 from your STR bonus and x1 from the horse's STR bonus.

[Satyr]

I have a few. (http://wiki.faxcelestis.net/index.php?title=Serpents_and_Sewers) 250 pages or so. But if you improve every single aspect of the game, is it still a houserule?

For personal favorites (from this whole mess): Anything that nerfs spellcasters is a good idea. Something like "casting a spell requires a successful Concentration check (DC 10+ Spelllevelx4). If the check fails, the spell is not casted and the caster may try again next turn. If the spell fails with a margin of 5 or higher, the spell is fizzled instead."

Another favorite: "Any character may use all iterative attacks as a standard actiion. When attacking as a full round action, the character gains an additional attack with the highest attack bonus."

[Tempest Fennac]

My house rules list can be found at http://mydndgame.com/campaign/329 . Most of them are because I'm an auteur DM who likes to change things to suit how I think the game should work, but a few of them (eg: the lack of save-or-die spells and DMM ban are there for the sake of game balance).

[Starscream]

Recently did a thread I asked the Playground for help with some of mine.

Got some pretty good advice (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111055).

[Curmudgeon]

Some weapons get short shrift in D&D. I like these house rules to fix the problem:

Rapid Reload and Manyshot (up to 4 bullets in a pouch) work for slings, too.
Great Crossbows (Races of Stone) are treated the same as heavy crossbows from feats and enhancements that work on heavy crossbows. (But great crossbows are still exotic weapons.)

And, just because experienced adventurers should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time:

You can split a regular move around a non-movement move action: walk to a door, open it, and continue through in the same round.

[Faleldir]

Some house rules to make armor and shields slightly less useless:

Medium armor gives 1 more armor bonus than normal. Heavy armor gives 2 more. Light, heavy and tower shields give 1 more.

If you fight defensively or take a total defense action with a shield, its bonus increases by 2.

If you wear armor, spells that affect objects (such as Disintegrate) have a 10% chance per point of armor bonus of targeting your armor instead of you.

Note that I have never tested these, but they seem fair considering how few players wear more than a mithral breastplate.

[Swooper]

Mine are here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106913).

[Chiron]

Character creation:
Any combination of bonuses up to a total of +8 before racial modifiers. 3 odd and 3 even stats, you don't get extra for taking a negative.

General gameplay:

Instances of good Roleplay earn you a bonus to your next D20 roll (+2 for good, +4 for very good).
Consistently lackluster RP (i.e. throughout an entire session) will earn you penalties to your next D20 roll.
I got this one from Feng Shui
If you can think it, you can try it. But the DM gets to tell you how difficult it is.

"I leap off my horse mid-ride and try and tackle the Rogue as he flees."
"Okay give me a ride check, a jump check, and if you pass those you may make a grapple check at +2."

"Can I break down the castle gates by blowing kisses at them?"
"You can try, but it's impossible."

This one arose out of my endless fascination with the spell 'create water'. at high levels that's a serious amount of weight (especially if you have it fall from a good height) appearing in, virtually whatever shape you want it to. Though it's really hard to get it to be lethal right off the bat it could conceivably knock a flying creature out of the air, stun or knock down a medium or large-sized enemy, or in the case at hand: appear in the open mouth of a red dragon just as it is about to flame. I passed the concentration check, and the dragon 'got wet.' Personally I think if 50 litres of water appeared in the back of a dragon's open mouth when it is breathing in there should be a fortitude save against choking. But, when I DM I like to reward lateral thinking of that sort.

[Chronos]

One I've been considering, but haven't had a chance to test:

A spell (or spell-like ability, or psionic power) can be disrupted by any damage taken on the same initiative count. If two spellcasters act on the same initiative count, whichever one has the higher initiative modifier works normally and can disrupt the other. The concentration check is based on all damage done during that initiative count.

The net effect of this is that, instead of readying an action to disrupt spellcasting (and then only getting a single standard action, and wasting even that if your target doesn't cast a spell, or moves first), you can delay your action to the same initiative count as the spellcaster, and still unload a full attack, a move and an attack, or a charge. I think this would be enough to make it actually possible to disrupt a spell, giving casters the weakness they were supposed to have in the first place.

[Gorbash]

Mine are here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106913).

I used most of these (without Race/Class changes) in my games. I also added that DC for tumble checks:

When tumbling through opponent's threatened area DC is 5 + opponent's BAB.
When tumbling through opponent's squares DC is 15 + opponent's BAB.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

In the games I run, it's all about freedom and story quality and/or longevity. So, I run with max hp for all creatures and, in non-gestalt games, all skills are class skills for everyone (though class skill points remain the same). As far as serious homebrew goes though, I've been working on a classless, pointbased, system for custom character creation. Making a 3.75 that is the love-child of 3.5 and M&M just seems like too good of an idea to pass up.

[Harperfan7]

-d12 for initiative
-If an attack roll is equal to the targets' AC, roll for half damage.
-diagonal movement doesn't cost two squares
-MW/Magic stacks for ammunition and projectile weapons
-You can get a maximized roll for potions if used carefully outside of combat (so a cure light would always give 9hp)
-Scimitars are finessable
-Weapon Finesse does not require an open hand
-Falchions can be used one handed like bastard swords
-Firing in melee doesn't cause AoO's (throwing does).
-Dwarves can't use longbows
-Crossbows deal different damage
-hand (1d3+1) small (1d2+1)
-light (2d4) small (2d3)
-heavy (2d4+2) small (2d3+2)
-I use rich's diplomacy fix
-I use Satyr's wounded rules, but added on speed penalties...
-at 75% hp, you take a -1 to all rolls and a 5ft. speed penalty
- 50% -2 10ft.
- 25% -3 15ft.
(We usually forget these, though)

I've seen people on these boards say that Improved Overrun cannot be used as part of a charge against someone else, and that the opponent cannot avoid you, it can, and you can let them avoid you.

Sorcerers get Intimidate, Eschew Materials at 1st, and a bonus feat at 5th/10th/15th/20th as long as it increases spell power (spell focus or penetration) or gives you more spells to cast (extra spell slot).

Familiars are half character level, whatever the class.

No multiclassing penalties.

Druids can't spontaneously summon.

Some pretty notable racial changes, some not so notable
-Humans get another bonus feat at 1st as long as it involves a bonus to a skill/skills.

-Half-elves get a +2 vs. charm, not enchantment. They can reroll any roll (except saving throws) 1/day/level and can grant this to an ally withing 30ft. at a cost of two uses.

-Elves have 35ft. base speed (except when encumbered or wearing heavier than light armor). This also gives them +2 Jump.

-Dwarves have -2 Dex, not Cha. They don't suffer speed penalties from being wounded. They do not get weapon familiarity. They get +2 damage vs. orcs, not +1 attack.

-Half-Orcs don't have -2 Cha. They get +3 when charging. They get +2 Intimidate and Survival and +2 vs. Disease.

-Halflings get +2 Cha, not Dex. They have a base speed of 30ft. They get a +2 to Climb, Jump, Swim, Move Silently, Ride, and Sleight of Hand (instead of what they had). Speak Language is always a class skill for them.

-Gnomes are heavily revamped. They get +2 Int, -2 Wis. They treat light repeating crossbows as simple weapons and heavies as martial. They keep their +1 DC to illusion spells and +2 vs. Illusion, except now this encompasses spells that deal with light (such as prismatic spray or sunburst). They retain their 20ft. speed and small size. They keep their +2 Craft (Alchemy) and gain +2 Decipher Script, +1 to any two craft or knowledge skills, +1 disable device and open lock, +2 survival (when tracking due to scent), +2 handle animal, and +2 wild empathy (class feature). They gain use magic device as a class skill as long as the class they are taking doesn't already have any spells (includes paladins and rangers).

-(New Race) Half hobgoblins. They get +2 Wis, -2 Cha. +2 Grapple and Endurance (not a skill) checks. +2 Concentration and Move Silently (when not wearing anything on their feet). +1 to all Bull Rush, Disarm, Sunder, & Trip and a +1 vs. Bull Rush, Disarm, Overrun, & Trip. +2 Knowledge (A&E) and Proffession (Seige Engineer). Goblin Blood.

That's all I got.

[averagejoe]

Lances are not two handed weapons. No they are not. Have you ever seen a knight use a lance with two hands?

It specifically says (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#lance) that the lance is usable in one hand on a horse. Lances make sense two handed weapons when unmounted, especially since they have reach.

[Jack_Simth]

For house rules to be particularly interesting, they need to change from one game to the next; otherwise, they're just a slightly different set of mechanics - campaign rules as it were, rather than house rules.

For instance, in the game I'm currently DMing (see my signiture), it's gestalt... but the "second" side is fixed as Ninja. Additionally, they all gain a spell-like abilities (if they've got the Charisma to support them, items count) based on their level - started the game at 3rd level, with a cantrip useable at will, a 1st level spell-like usable a number of times equal to character level, and a 2nd level spell-like useable a number of times equal to character level - 2. At each odd level, they gain a new spell-like of another spell level (useable once per day initially, and one additional time per day at every level after that). Any time a spell-like ability hits 5 uses per day, it becomes at-will. At 5th, they piked up a domain power. They just recently discovered that these spell-like abilities don't register as magic. Nobody's hit tenth yet to find out what surprise is lying there.

There's actually an IC reason for this, that the players are working on figuring out while they go about other tasks.

The campaign rules make it interesting - but it really only works that way because they are built into the story, and not planned for re-use. When this campaign ends and I start another, there will be a different set of campaign rules.

[herrhauptmann]

It's a 4th edition game, but this is a rule which can be used in any edition.

I have a d30 in my dice bag, and the DM came up with a good idea when someone grabbed my 30 by mistake.

The d30 is a dice that anyone can use, once per game session instead of their regular dice roll. So it pretty much requires the whole party to be okay with it. If used on an attack, any roll from 20-30 counts as a critical hit, and a 1 is still a fumble.

[yilduz]

I prefer to really hammer my players with dumbing down some of the power on them. I like some of the rules from the older versions better because it forces a person to really roleplay and make a character their own instead of just having it be one other character that they have made so I have these rules:

-2nd edition spells only
-All magic items must be approved and I am a hard person to get them passed
-2nd edition class limits i.e. (must have at least these stats and be one of the approved races so you can't have an half-orc paladin...it's just silly!)
-Harder DCs for poisons than what's written in the books
-3 dice for stats but it goes down the list, so no getting to choose your stats, you get what you get except for re-rolls on 3, 4 and 5's


I've never liked playing (as a PC or DM) in a game that was so limited. That's why I don't like 2E (and actually why I love BESM d20). The way you have it set up, it seems like character creation is EXTREMELY railroaded. Once you roll your stats, find out what you're capable of being, you don't have much of a choice.

I think it's an interesting concept, and maybe something I'd be willing to try (once), but I couldn't continually do it that way.

Also, being a good DM is different than having PCs with characters they actually like. There are races and classes I have much less fun playing than others and to be forced to those because of stats rolled would make the game less fun for me. This game, for me, has always been about fun, and not huge stacks of rules. To me, house rules were always meant as a way to give players more options, not fewer.

Just my two cents. To each his own. :smallwink:

[Xuincherguixe]

Yeah. I've got to say. Why doesn't a Half Orc Paladin make sense? I can think of about a dozen reasons why that's a good character concept, and only a few that it wouldn't. And those are stereotypes. When a game breaks down to a lot of stereotypes, it becomes really dumb really fast.

[Starscream]

Yeah. I've got to say. Why doesn't a Half Orc Paladin make sense?

Yeah, I have never approved of race/class restrictions. If you can come up with a good reason why a half-orc would be a paladin, then you should be able to go for it. The rules are there to provide opportunities to flesh out a concept logically, not limit the sort of concepts allowed.

[LOLC2k]

Yeah, I have never approved of race/class restrictions. If you can come up with a good reason why a half-orc would be a paladin, then you should be able to go for it. The rules are there to provide opportunities to flesh out a concept logically, not limit the sort of concepts allowed.

I don't approve of them much either, but I think some people went far calling the idea stupid. Stereotypes are stupid? No, see, the world, and a believable fantasy world, will have tons of them. Because it's a Paladin, or perhaps a knight, it requires the DM to have some lord who inducted that character into the order. If the DM says that the lord is way too racist to allow such a thing, it should be disallowed. Not because "You can't do it in this edition." Just, "you can't do it in this campaign." Which is what I like about 3.5. If I want, I can say no half-orc knights in this kingdom. It allows me to have them in other kingdoms, though.

So I agree with race/class restrictions, but I don't support them being done with a mechanic that bans them across the whole edition.

[Harperfan7]

I don't approve of them much either, but I think some people went far calling the idea stupid. Stereotypes are stupid? No, see, the world, and a believable fantasy world, will have tons of them. Because it's a Paladin, or perhaps a knight, it requires the DM to have some lord who inducted that character into the order. If the DM says that the lord is way too racist to allow such a thing, it should be disallowed. Not because "You can't do it in this edition." Just, "you can't do it in this campaign." Which is what I like about 3.5. If I want, I can say no half-orc knights in this kingdom. It allows me to have them in other kingdoms, though.

So I agree with race/class restrictions, but I don't support them being done with a mechanic that bans them across the whole edition.

Me four! Rabble Rabble Rabble!

[Jarrick]

Character creation Guidelines:

- Stat roll: all stats start at 10, players have 28 points to add to these on a point-for-point basis. No more than 8 points may be allotted to a single stat.

- Starting gold: PCs receive 300gp starting gold regardless of class.

- Prohibited classes: Pactbinder (too close to real-world necronomicon magic), Factotum (confusing) Classes from Complete Psionic (crap), Classes from Magic of Incarnum (confusing crap), Hulking Hurler (broken).

- Obscure races and Monster classes on a case by case basis. Must have darn good reason for adventuring near Sharn.

- Traits and flaws are allowed (Unearthed Arcana).

- Players with good background stories as judged by the DM may be rewarded with bonus starting gold or other boons.

- Players may, with DM’s permission, swap out certain class skills if the player can cite a good reason for it.

House Rules:

- Disable Device and Open Lock are the same skill (Use disable device).

- Drow and the Planetouched races use their lesser variations, ergo no level adjustment.

-Characters with a base attack bonus of 1 or higher do not provoke attacks of opportunity when making an unarmed strike. This is to encourage fistfights to better fit the tone of eberron.

- Insanity rules will be used. Players will be educated regarding this system. Taint mechanics will likewise be employed and explained.

- DM reserves the right to conspire with players against other players should it serve his plotline. Trust your DM, he knows what he’s doing.

- New PCs start one level below the average party level, whether the former PC was killed in battle, or switched out voluntarily on the part of the player. Some exceptions may occur as determined by the DM.

- Dice rolls must be made in plain sight. DM is, of course, the exception to this rule. If a die lands sideways, rolls off the table, or otherwise isn’t entirely clear, player must reroll. Players may replace “faulty” dice AFTER the result of the offending roll is given, not before. Dustin, I’m looking at you.

[Dhavaer]

Because it's a Paladin, or perhaps a knight, it requires the DM to have some lord who inducted that character into the order.

A Knight, maybe, but Paladins are called through supernatural agency, not necessarily inducted into a temporal order.

[LOLC2k]

A Knight, maybe, but Paladins are called through supernatural agency, not necessarily inducted into a temporal order.

Sure, that may be the case, but it may not be. If you're one who has played since 1st edition, they were part of an order, typically. Now, perhaps it's the opposite, and most aren't, but in first they were typically agents of a lord.

Which basically shows my point: In some campaigns, the restriction makes sense. In some, it doesn't. Hell, in my campaign world it would make sense in 7/11 countries that a half orc could be anything, in another 3 it would be somewhat restricted and in another no player would dare make a half orc.

[AslanCross]

I always ban Flaws. IMO, Instead of making actual flawed characters, they end up making min-maxed characters. This might be caused by that one guy I play with hardly ever RPing.

[Zhalath]

I combined the paladin with the knight, which my party really likes now.

[Shpadoinkle]

I really like the "All skills are considered class skills for all classes" that someone mentioned... I think I'll have to use that.

Anyway, my biggest (and favorite) houserule is "Rule of Cool (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfCool) and Rule of Fun (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfFun) trump the books."

If you try to do something rediculous, like jump on a wyvern's back just as it's about to take fight, climb up to it's neck and decapitate it while it's in the air, then surf the body down and jump off right before it hits the ground, and make it sound really cool, I'll probably allow it.

Note this does not apply to really stupid things, like random murder. If you go around murdering people in town for no reason other than because you want to, either you'll have to deal with the guards, or someone much more powerful than you will come along and murder you right back.

[Chronos]

A couple of people now have mentioned that they make diagonal movement only count as one square, not 1.5. Why? Sure, an octagon isn't a perfect circle, but it's a lot better than a square is.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Shpadoinkle: I like the cut of your jib. :smallamused:

[Starscream]

I'm considering a new one, let me know if you think it's balanced.

If a player threatens a critical, and then gets a 19 or 20 on their confirmation roll, they strike the target in a vital extremity and put it out of commission.

The player can "aim" at a specific limb by making a third roll. This works like a normal critical confirmation, with the player just needing to hit the target's AC, but they take a -5 to the roll because of the increased difficulty of hitting a specific area. If they fail then no limb is disabled, and it is just a normal critical.

So if they hit a humanoid, it will make it impossible for them to use one of their limbs (determined randomly without aiming).

If they get stabbed in an arm they won't be able to fight with that arm. They'll have to switch weapon hands (a move action), drop their shield, etc. Two handed weapons and bows (but not crossbows) are unusable. Arcane spellcasters get a 20% ASF.

If they get struck in the leg they fall prone, and after getting up will only be able to move at half speed.

Creatures with other types of anatomies will be likewise affected. A creature who takes a shot to its wings will be unable to fly, a beholder will lose a random eyestalk, etc.

Certain creatures that are normally immune to critical hits can still be disabled this way. You may not be able to sneak attack a golem or a zombie, but they can still be inconvenienced by taking a sword to an arm or leg.

Creatures that are particularly decrepit (such as zombies, and other undead that are not "preserved") are especially vulnerable, because they are falling apart anyway. For them the threat range of losing use of a limb is doubled, from 17-20.

For the most part these limbs will simply be badly injured, not severed or anything. That would be a bit too gory for the tone of my usual campaigns. To regain the use of a disabled limb the character must be healed to full HP and rest for 24 hours. A regeneration spell is an instant fix.

[SoD]

Petrification is dex damage / drain, necromantic SoDs are con damage / drain, etc.

You what? I'm so confused right no-oh...wait a second...I see what you did there.

My houserules; Each character has 3 'lifes'. I keep track of how each character has 'died', and how many times. If something would cause a character to use up a 'life', instead merely incapacitates them, or misses, or something like that. Once the three 'lifes' are used up, however...they're done. Next death stroke will kill them. The players don't actually know this. They've been lucky. All still on 3 lives, except for one, who's lost two (attacking a hydra?! At 2nd level?! What the f#%k were they thinking?!).

Coolness CAN trump books, if DM allows it.

DM and players may request to leave the room to go over a secret plan. The other players must remain in the original room, and not try to overhear. This also allows all the players to leave and plan without the DM overhearing.

Notes may be passed. Do NOT try and read other people's notes, or try to
'accidentally' show someone else your note.

XP will be handed out randomly for roleplaying. Not huge amounts, but enough for a difference. Comments you make can sometimes give someone else XP. E.G: Captain is playing an adult warblade. Ducky is playing an eight-year old psion. Captain: *groan* "For gods sake! It's like we're actually playing with an eight-year old!" DM: "50 XP for the kid." Hilarity ensues.

DM trumps books, players, global economies, and mind-thrusts. If you have a different opinion to the DM, by all means, speak. The DM will listen. If he agrees you have a point, he will concede. If he thinks you have a point, but has his own reasons for not condeding, or if he doesn't think you have a point, he won't concede. Don't argue with him. Once debate is over, it's over.

There's a bunch of minor changes to classes (e.g. Healers can wear armour without breaking their vows, but still need to gain proficiency, dragon adepts get knowlege (arcana) as a class skill, a few other small changes like that).

Feel free to take flaws, and traits, but I want to see them roleplayed.

Backgrounds are fun things, and I look forward to incorporating them.

Etc.

[Mattarias, King.]

:smallsigh: I REALLY, really need to actually bookmark threads I've made..

Seriously though, great lists! I wouldn't have thought of changing save-or-dies like that. :smalleek:

I just want to say thanks again. I feel like a jerk for replying so late. :smallredface:

[Epinephrine]

Remembered another rule we use:

Adamantine doesn't ignore hardness, it ignores 10 points of hardness - it thus cuts steel as if it weren't there, and treats other adamantine as steel weapons treat other steel weapons. Didn't make sense that adamantine could cut through adamantine so easily. Also makes adamantine useful to protect your weapon from being smashed up by folks with adamantine weapons.

[Crow]

This could be a good place to post my graded weaponry houserule (spoilered). I started using this because I got tired of handing out +1 swords and such. It was for a low-er magic campaign. Basically, I like the magical loot to be special.

Inferior : -1 to hit and -1 damage
Normal : (normal)
Fine : +1 to hit
Superior : +1 to hit and +1 to damage
Masterwork : +2 to hit and +1 to damage

Optional rule for Inferior weapons : Breaks on an attack roll of "1". So a 5% chance.

Optional rule for all weapons : If a blade is commissioned as a custom piece (rather than picked up from a treasure hoard or something), it gets an additional +1 to hit (on top of all other bonuses). This is because the piece can be specifically sized and balanced for the intended wielder. This bonus only applies to the intended wielder, but can apply to another person if they are of close to the same height/build as the original owner.

The damage bonuses are small because it is hard to make a weapon actually do more damage (that is up to the wielder). It is possible however to make a weapon easier to use, which is why the highest grade gets the +2 to hit.

Crafting modifiers (add to base DC for weapon):

Inferior : -3
Normal : +0
Fine : +4
Superior : +8
Masterwork : +12

Costs:

Inferior : -50%
Normal : (normal)
Fine : +300gp
Superior : +1000gp
Masterwork : +2000gp


I use the same grades for armor as well.

Inferior : -1 AC
Normal : (normal)
Fine : -1 armor check penalty
Superior : +1 AC and -1 armor check penalty
Masterwork : +2 AC and -1 armor check penalty

Optional rule for all armor : If a suit of armor is commissioned as a custom piece (rather than picked up from a treasure hoard or something), it gets an additional -1 armor check penalty (on top of all other bonuses). This bonus only applies to the intended wearer, but can apply to another person if they are of close to the same height/build as the original owner.

Crafting modifiers (add to base DC for armor):

Inferior : -3
Normal : +0
Fine : +4
Superior : +8
Masterwork : +12

Costs:

Inferior : -50%
Normal : (normal)
Fine : +150gp
Superior : +1000gp
Masterwork : +2000gp

[Fitz10019]

>When a class feature includes a specific feat that the character already has, the class feature feat becomes an open feat. For instance, a human ranger takes Endurance and Diehard at 1st level. At his 3rd level of Ranger, when he would normally get Endurance as a class feat, he may treat this as an open feat, and even get a feat that he would not have qualified for until 3rd level.

>Rogues get Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at 8th level. [The previous house rule is important for this to make sense. Placing it at 8th should limit the access to true rogues.]

>The Dwarves' favored class is Cleric, not Fighter.

>Any character taking the 5th level of his race's specified favored class gets an open bonus feat. For instance, a Halfling Barbarian3/Rogue4 would get a bonus feat at 8th level if he chooses to level as a rogue. A race with favored class 'Any' does do not qualify. [Encourages the racial stereotypes; Humans are no longer the ideal build for every class]

>Half-elves gain a bonus feat the first time they multiclass, or take a prestige class. There is no way to have more than one bonus feat through this rule. [Encourages half-elf characters to exist, and be adaptive.]

>Every character has a BAB +1 at their first character level that does not stack with their class BAB. [anyone can take WeaponFinesse/ ExoticWeaponProf/ QuickDraw at 1st level, anyone can draw a weapon during a move action]

[Twilight Jack]

Elves in my campaign world reach physical maturity at around 30 years of age, although they still are generally 110+ before they get around to doing any adventuring. To reflect this, elves receive racial skill points at first level only, equal to their IntX4 (minimum 4 points if no Int bonus). The catch is that these points may only be spent to reflect a broad base of shallow knowledge, all skill choices are subject to DM approval, no skill which receives racial skill points may receive class skill points at 1st level (later level increases may allow the character to improve these skills as normal for their class), and all skills bought this way are treated as cross-class with respect to max ranks (only 2 ranks max).

I've found that this adjustment helps elves to match up their mechanics with their fluff without overpowering them in relation to other races. Since humans get their extra skill point at every level and face no restrictions on to spend it, humans still shine as the endlessly adaptable quick learners of the core races.

Instead, you get elven fighters who can passably play the lute and write a poem, while still having their class ranks to put into climb and jump. You get elven wizards who know how to survive in the wild and can build themseves a serviceable house, without having to shortchange spellcraft, concentration, and knowledge (arcana). Elven clerics have read up a bit on history and can impress a travelling companion with the recitation of an epic poem. Their long lives up to this point have allowed them to pick up many odd bits of knowledge and skill, while their generally flighty nature ensures that they rarely spend more than a decade on any single pursuit.

[Curmudgeon]

Remembered another rule we use:

Adamantine doesn't ignore hardness, it ignores 10 points of hardness - it thus cuts steel as if it weren't there, and treats other adamantine as steel weapons treat other steel weapons. You've made up a house rule because you didn't understand the actual game rule.
Weapons fashioned from adamantine have a natural ability to bypass hardness when sundering weapons or attacking objects, ignoring hardness less than 20.
Didn't make sense that adamantine could cut through adamantine so easily. It doesn't.
Adamantine has 40 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 20. Adamantine will ignore hardness 19, but has no special properties when trying to cut through something with hardness 20 or higher. Basically, adamantine doesn't cut adamantine at all unless you've got a lot of damage (21+ points) in the blow.

[Epinephrine]

You've made up a house rule because you didn't understand the actual game rule. It doesn't. Adamantine will ignore hardness 19, but has no special properties when trying to cut through something with hardness 20 or higher. Basically, adamantine doesn't cut adamantine at all unless you've got a lot of damage (21+ points) in the blow.

Very well, I'm still happier with ignoring 10 points - it's easy, and provides a more linear benefit. Mithril provides some protection compared to steel against an adamantine weapon.

And it's not that I didn't understand the game rule - I had never read the game rule, but been told an incorrect version of it, and simply never bothered to look it up. It's a pretty easy rule to understand, if you have it accurately presented.

Honestly, materials need a bit of work anyway; steel should damage softer materials more easily - and it should be harder to damage adamantine with a bronze axe than with mithril, let alone adamantine. Yet by the book, any weapon delivering 21 damage gets one point through adamantine's hardness, regardless of the strength of the material doing the striking.

[Harperfan7]

Honestly, materials need a bit of work anyway; steel should damage softer materials more easily - and it should be harder to damage adamantine with a bronze axe than with mithril, let alone adamantine. Yet by the book, any weapon delivering 21 damage gets one point through adamantine's hardness, regardless of the strength of the material doing the striking.

Technically it does, because bronze weapons have a -1 to attack and damage.

You could say that a weapon ignores half its own hardness when attacking another material. I think that would be reasonable.

[Epinephrine]

Technically it does, because bronze weapons have a -1 to attack and damage.

You could say that a weapon ignores half its own hardness when attacking another material. I think that would be reasonable.

Right - bronze was a poor example. Stone axes or something.

Simply making all weapons ignore up to half their hardness would make some sense, but would require rewriting all hardnesses to keep breaking through walls/cutting iron bars/sundering of weapons at an equivalent difficulty. I suspect that you want most things defined as having that hardness versus steel, and then you modify from there - possibly just by the difference in hardness - makes smashing through stone with a wooden club a tough affair (explaining why you bother fixing a steel cap on a battering ram...).

[Tequila Sunrise]

My favorite house rule is called NO BS. Any rule that exists for no good reason is ignored. For example, Weapon Finesse has no prereqs, classes have no alignment or multiclass restrictions, barbarians are literate, etc. want an illiterate character, go ahead. But seriously, if the druid and the street rogue have the head start program in their class histories, the barbarian can too.]

[Decoy Lockbox]

- Prohibited classes: Pactbinder (too close to real-world necronomicon magic), Factotum (confusing) Classes from Complete Psionic (crap), Classes from Magic of Incarnum (confusing crap), Hulking Hurler (broken).


You do realize that the Necronomicon is a fictional book invented by the author H.P. Lovecraft, right?

[Matthew]

Back when I was playing D20/3e I had quite a few:


1) Power Attack being shifted down to 1:1 for all weapons, coupled with 1.5 Strength Bonus to AB and DB (minimum of +1 Bonus, so -1 becomes 0, 0 becomes 1, etc..) for Two Handed Weapons (but only Two Handed Weapons). In higher powered games all weapons get 1:1.5 or 1:2 from power attack.

2) Combat Expertise as a Bonus Feat for all Martial Classes,

3) Weapon Finesse applies to all weapons.

4) Dumping of Iterative Attacks in favour of an Extra Attack at their Full Attack Bonus when they reach Base Attack Bonus 11 .

5) Strength Bonus applies to Bow AB and Thrown Weapons (does not stack with Dexterity)

6) Full Strength Bonus to Off Hand Attacks

7) Adios retarded Race Weapons

8) Clerics learn spells like Wizards

9) Only Spells on my list are available.

10) Great Swords do 1D12 Damage

11) Critical Hits are gone, many weapons move up a Damage Die.

12) Elves get automatic Proficiency with Short Swords, Long Swords, Short Bows and Long Bows.

13) Spears and Long Spears can be used One Handed (but do 1D6 Damage)

14) Tower Shields are Two Handed Weapons

15) Armour doesn't reduce Movement Speed, only Running Speed [i.e. no armour/light armour = x4, medium armour = x3, heavy armour = x2].

16) One Handed or Light Weapons used Two Handed move up a Damage Die (i.e. 1D6 becomes 1D8, 1D8 becomes 1D10, etc...). Conversely, Two Handed Weapons used One handed move down a Damage Die (i.e. 1D12 becomes 1D10)

17) Shields grant a Block Manoeuvre as an Immediate Action

18) Orcs are just another word for Hobgoblin. Half Orcs undergo significant reforms...

19) Monks get full Base Attack Bonus progression, amongst other things

20) Saving Throws become +1 per Character Level for all Classes and Prestige Classes

21) Skill Focus becomes +4 and can be bought in stages; other Skill Boosting Feats are removed.

22) Two Speed weapons means two extra attacks, haste has a similar effect.

23) Dwarves lose Giant Dodge Bonus, but are proficient in picks, axes and hammers

24) Half Orcs and Half Elves get the human bonus feat and set skill bonuses.

25) The following table for armour:

{table="head"]Cost | Weight | Armour | Speed | Dexterity

10 |
20 |
+1 |
x4 |
+9 |

20 |
25 |
+2 |
x4 |
+8 |

40 |
30 |
+3 |
x4 |
+7 |

80 |
35 |
+4 |
x3 |
+6 |

160 |
40 |
+5 |
x3 |
+5 |

320 |
45 |
+6 |
x3 |
+4 |

640 |
50 |
+7 |
x2 |
+3 |

1,280 |
55 |
+8 |
x2 |
+2 |

2,560 |
60 |
+9 |
x2 |
+1 |
[/table]