House rules... we all have a few. Not many actually play the game exactly as written in the book, without taking some liberties, some flexibility that you would prefer because it's easier, it's faster, or you just think your way is better... So, I thought it might be interesting to see what house rules you might happen to use at your table? Everyone share!
At my table, I house-rule an extra spell per spell level for every core caster. If it says you get 1 1st-level spell, you really get two. If the book says you know this many spells of 2nd-level per day, you get that many, plus 1. Orisons, cantrips, 1st-level, etc.... all get a bonus, both in spells known (for bards n' sorcerers) and in spells per day. This rule was originally started to encourage my players to play sorcerers now n' then. I'd introduced an NPC sorcerer who was actually a pretty kewl character, but although the party liked hanging with this guy, no one wanted to play one of their own due to limited spell choices. So I introduced this house rule, and that one extra spell known made all the difference. One more spell per spell level known to get something different, a utility spell or detection spell or travel spell. And it's still completely balanced b/c the bad guys get the same bonus... everyone gets the extra spells, not just PCs. Helps to round out some of the NPCs in pre-written adventures, too...
So, what are your house rules?
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At my table We've included the use of the Critical Hit and Fumble Decks to determine those outcomes.
Also we've been using a version of Damage Threshold from Unearthed Arcana! Characters would begin play with a threshold score equal to their Con score +2pts per HD (so a 4th lv character with a 14 CON would have a threshold of 22). The DC to resist the massive damage if the threshold is hit is set at DC 15 (Fort), which has proven to be enough when a characters threshold goes off! Other than that it's pretty much how the rule-set it designed and we're all looking forward to continuing on our adventures!
Keep those dice rolling all!
I usually make stabilization easier one way or another.
Fireball gets a serious nerf, usually making the AoE a cone.
Critical Hit and Fumble Decks
The GameMastery products are great, but the decks are not what I'm looking for. I need to find a great fumble table somewhere, or make one.
Fighter: 4 skill point/level.
Wizard: Prohibited means never.
Sorcerer: Removed spell lag
Skills: Include Concentrate, Search, Tumble as 3.5 and all skill checks are made with 2d10's
Feats: Include Practiced Spellcaster [Max +2 CL] and Versatile Spellcaster.
Power Attack [Deadly Aim etc.] use 3.5 rules, you choose the amount up to BAB.
Equipment: Wands can be purchased with 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 charges.
Bucklers cannot be used with 2-handed weapons [bows]
Death: Negative levels caused by character death cost 500gp x level lost, in diamond dust.
Combat: CMB 11+, use Fumble & Crit decks.
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These are all still 3.5.
Anyone with ranks can find or disable traps. Rogues only get the bonus that no one else really gets it as a class skill.
Alternate paladins are ok.
You don't die until negative your con score, (I personally don't like this one and don't use it as it overly favors Barbarians and Fighters I think).
Imp Crit, Keen, and Bashing stack, but never better than 15 - 20, except in something that is like 1/day.
Boots of Exp. Retreat exist.
Detect Evil (and good, etc . . .) can detect evil acts to a point, even on a good target.
Sometimes I disregard alignment spell restrictions for divine character to make things more interesting.
Our table runs with a few house rules:
*Death is permanent. Raise dead spells can only be successful if cast within 1 round/level of the character dying. Raise Dead is on every spell list, which makes it a great grab for sorcerers.
*We usually play Scarred Lands, which comes equipped with double arcane spell failure. While this sucks, the flavor behind it is amazing.
*We play without alignments. This reduces the stupid arguments of "Well my character would do that because she's chaotic." Outsiders retain their alignment subtypes, paladins/monks must abide by their codes, and detect/smite/protection from [alignment] is based entirely on a character's god (Divine) or personal views (arcane).
*Divine magic comes from the gods. End of story. This means that no divine caster can be without a god, and that PrCs that offer "godless casting" cannot exist, like the Ur Priest or Chameleon. It also means that there's no free reign on Miracle, and that offending your god has some serious consequences.
*PrCs & class changes must be ok'd by the DM first and roleplayed over a series of sessions. Characters can't spontaneously develop wizard casting ability during the course of a 4 hour watch shift.
*Magic items are far and few between. While high powered magic items certainly exist, they are considered relics of the world. Purchasing magic items in a town is basically out of the question.
That's pretty much all I can think of at the moment.
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Modified version of 2nd ed action speeds and initiative.
Superior to the "I go - you go" locked initiative system of 3.5. Requires a little more bookkeeping on my part and planning on the players part, but eliminates attacks of opportunity and a bunch of other nonsense plus players are not locked into the initiative step of the first die roll. Makes fighters much better since their declared action changes per round (making the base modifier faster or slower) and has more of a heroic feel when characters decide on expediency vs. a slower normal attack or action action to save a buddy's life. Gives them a feel that at the start of the round they may be able to do do something that gives them a jump and chance to go earlier.
Ex- A fighter sees a buddy going down across a fight with some orcs, at the beginning of the next round instead of swinging at the orc in front of him he decides to pull a dagger and throw it at the orc standing over his friend. Faster action, if he is lucky on his roll he may drop the orc before he finishes off his companion.
Also a DC based turn undead system with a target DC, T, D and D* results similar to 1st & 2nd ed. The tougher the undead the harder the DC, some undead for low level clerics are just out of reach -again, similar to earlier editions.
Don't like the cleric spam damage vs undead, kills the whole feel. As it stands in PFRPG a bunch of low level clerics can spam damage a lich with repeated turning attempts - even if he saves, and that just doesn't make any sense to me.
Those are the two biggies for my game.
Massive damage threshold is lower, and the DC scales.
Ha! That totally reminded me- we don't use massive damage.
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If you reach -10 (or -Con), there's a one round 'grace' period for you to be healed to above the threshold before you actually die. If you hit -(10+Con) you are dead, dead, dead.
Paladin's code is slightly relaxed. You can work with evil, but only to stop a greater evil and only if they don't actually do anything evil while you're working to them. Who knows, you might even reform them by keeping them on the straight and narrow.
Critical Hit and Fumble deck are in use. The former for PCs and named NPCs, the latter for everybody.
Charge is a standard action to take a move in a straight line and a single attack at the end of it. You can combine it with a move action to double move.
Some additional home-brewed feats. Anything not in Beta is allowable, if I say so.
* During character creation, no character may have a stat higher than 17 (incl. all modifiers)
* Magic items that boost stats are extremely rare,expensive and occupy a special slot. House rule to prevent stat inflation. Some players don't entirely agree with this since spellcasting DCs will start lagging behind on saving throws at higher levels, especially due to the previous house rule. My int as wizard is still 19 at lvl 9.
* If you are in close combat with someone and you take a 5 foot step, your opponent is entitled to follow you (basically the step up feat for free). Not sure if thise house rule will stay when the new concentration checks are in, since it will royally screw casters then.
Then we have some house rules on level up spell selection (only 1 non-PHB core book spell per spell level allowed). In magic shops, magic item & spells are abundant though. If DM agrees we may buy anything we want.
I addapt the house rules from campaign to campaign to potenciate an style of game or another. For example in the last D&D campaign I begin (a Pathfinder campaign based in a group of pathfinders with diverse motivations) we have sixteen points of house rules, how the critical and fumble decks, a variant of the feat rules of the Collected Book of Experimental Might (in that book says feats every level, I give free feats every two levels, as Pathfinder and social and background feats the odd number levels), etc...
Note that the following is PF Beta. I'll revise them once I get the final fules.
There's more stuff, but it's specific.
Critical Hit and Fumble decks (for PCs and "boss-types" only).
Magic Rating - add caster levels, only for caster level (effects/SR/etc) (+ Measured Power feat)
Alternate Ranger Styles - based on a Dragon magazine article.
Initiative over 30 counts as previous round (-30) [pretty much epic only].
DMG Optional rule: Threat to kill on 20-20 (thanks Frogboy!)
Action point "cards" - +1 per session, if on time, and additionally can be used for HP rerolls.
A few other small things I refuse to give up (from multiple editions), but I can't think of them at the moment.
Weapon finesse isn't a feat - everybody can do it.
Weapon Finesse always bugged me especially in 3.0 when I believe you actually had to choose a specific weapon. I am tossing this one out too the next time I DM, which will be pretty soon, I imagine.
* So, no one else plays with critical death? (Two natty 20 and a confirm roll).
* Cross class skills only cost 1 skill point but still can't be raised higher than 1/2 max. PF rules will replace this one.
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* So, no one else plays with critical death? (Two natty 20 and a confirm roll).
My group uses this one too! :D
Some of our others include;
- Critical Hit and Fumble Decks; though players can choose to roll standard Crits or use the deck
- Ability Generation; Roll 4d6(rerolling ones) and if the stat bonuses don't add up to +10, try again
- Buff spells that are a minute a level are now 10 minutes a level (we found this to be a nice compromise between v3's hour a level and v3.5's minute a level.
- D20 rolls; Instead of 1 and 20 being auto fail and auto success, we do a -10 when you roll a 1 and +10 when you roll a 20.
- Keen and Improved have been proven by Sean K. Reynolds to NOT be overpowered. So I allow it.
(Check out his self-proclaimed rant about it here
http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/rants/keenimprovedcritstacking.html )
Be sure and check out the rest of his site too. It's filled with awesome!
Ken
Domain spells (and now arcane schools) : replace the bonus spell per day with the ability to default to that spell (sacrifice any slot of that level to cast your domain/school spell instead). Only Clerics with the Healing domain can spontaneously default to Cure spells.
Prohibited Schools: Don't exist, and neither do Universalists.
We use Pathfinder Beta core only - no splat books. (although I use all monster books)
No mental abilities below 10, (unless racial, then 8 minimum).
Starting hp = Max HD + con mod + 3
Monster hp= MM normal + 1/HD up to 3 (Boss monsters sometimes get special DM bonus)
Everyone gets happy side of average (+con mod) when leveling up.
Starting wealth based on campaign.
If you come up with a good back story, you get something like a trait. For example, I gave a player knowledge (local) as a class skill.
Because we often play with different players from week to week, treasure and leveling are based purely on DM discretion. Leveling is fairly slow, and magic items are generally very good, or very minimal.
Identify doesn't really exist, Detect Magic basically does it for you.
When Summoning, fiendish/celestial templates are interchangeable. No more crocodiles are evil and alligators are good.
I often break the rules when applying templates, and lately I've been inverting some of the iconic good creatures to use as evil villains.
Example: I created a "vampire spawn" template, and applied it to a couple of young Brass Dragons. Very nasty! Fire immune, everything else resistant and a 200' fly speed!
Papa's House Rules
General
1. I will provide guidelines on what kind of characters and will provide an overall plot/outline of what to expect.
2. You must be willing to play an adventurer, ie. you must be willing, even eager, to go into situations no sane, average citizen would get into.
3. I run "Adventure Paths", ie. you must be willing to follow the campaign premise and plot.
Character Creation and Maintenance
1. PCGen to be used for character creation and maintenance.
2. Pathfinder RPG rules
3. Patthfinder RPG 15 point buy (only 1 score below 10)
4. 1st level hitpoints. Max + Con bonus + Racial bonus
5. Maximum hitpoints every level
Others
1. All CMB items are Standard Actions (ie. non-iterative)
2. Iterative action reduction:
.....a. BAB +6 = 2 attacks at -2
.....b. BAB +11 = 2 attacks at -1
.....c. BAB +16 = 2 attacks at normal
3. Alternate Animal Companion document (from BETA)
4. Fear never forces a character to flee. Each stage of fear (Shaken -> Frightened -> Panicked) creates a stacking -2 penalty to all rolls. The afflicted character can choose to remove one stage of fear by taking a full withdraw action.
5. Any source other than the Pathfinder RPG must be pre-approved and not many will be.
6. Complete Gear including optional variants:
.....a. Small Influences for potions & scrolls. ie. the container or parchment crumbles to dust after being used.
.....b. Special Materials, ie. can not spend IPs on "creating" special materials or masterwork items. Must have purchased the material / masterwork item.
-- david
Papa.DRB
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Alignment: Oversees your attitude and outlook on life. Has no mechanical function whatsoever. Monkeys and Bards have the alignment requirement changed to a suggested alignment.
Paladins: Paladins only exist for the goodly gods, but can be anything on the L,N,C axis. Paladins are exemplars of their respective faith, and as such, actions they perform that are against the nature of their god or the tenants of their faith result in 'fallen' status.
Clerics: Alignment requirements don't exist. Gods can refuse spells based on how the cleric acts according to the gods' nature (aka Iomedae wouldn't give spells to a raving murderer).
Fumbles: Weapon based fumbles on a natural 1 are REF DC 10+BAB. If failed adjacent allies must make the same save, or any ally in the path of the ranged attack must make said save. Failure = anything from dropping the weapon to sticking an arrow in your buddy's eye. Spell based fumbles generally backfire on the caster.
No Massive Damage rule
Death = -CON
(Non-pf): Negative levels slowly dissipate (1wk/level) if the initial saves are not made. Restoration spells can only remove up to 1/3 of your regular HD (rounded up) per casting.
Level 1 HP: 6+MaxDice+CONBonus; aka a wizard no longer becomes frailer when he graduates from expert or commoner to wizard.
Man I have heaps! However I will just put out a couple or random ones from my 3E campaign... I now play 4E and am going PFRPG when it is out and I have finished the campaign ;)
1. You may drop an armour proficiency level for an extra 2 skill points per level (and an extra skill on your class list). If you are prof in med or heavy armour and go to no armour proficiency you drop a hit die level and BAB progression level...cloistered cleric style. Wiz have 4, (Rogue have 9 skill points to start) and get double for knowledge skills. You can also loose 2 skill points per level and take a higher armour prof (ranger goes to 4 per lvl and gets med armour prof).
2. We have health points (take damage from health points after hit points are gone or if you are helpless). They don't increase (although toughness gives a few more) and are based on size: small 4, med 6, large 12, huge 24, garg 48, col 92. Some creatures get bonuses to this (constructs) some creatures have no or much reduced hit points (like NPC classes or NPCs that are not involved in combat... Wizard who levels up by research).
3. Master work armour and wep can be +0, +1, +2, or +3. magic only +1 or 2... low magic campaign in items.... cos of XP cost. Might change with PFRPG
4. 'barbarian' as a class doesn't exist... berserker prestige class instead. Probably will have a berserker class in PFRPG, I loathe the all non civilised have raging warriors cliché.. what rubbish!
5. No Aristocrat class, they are experts or warriors or whatever.
6. Alignment very toned down, no detect evil so you can kill every thing that sets it off type stuff.
There are pages, but that is a taster :-)
EDIT: great thread BTW I can read this stuff all day, little bits of other's great ideas
We had several, but one of my personnal favorite was the "Overland Round", a system of actions for the adventuring day.
Basically, every actions where divideed in Overland Free Actions (set-up camp), Overland Swift Actions (prepare spells), Overland Move Actions (travel half the distance of the chart in PHB, which was restablished by taking a double "Overland Move"), Overland Standard Actions (forage for food) and Overland Full-Day Actions (complete day of rest).
The conversion was surprisingly easy and worked superbly.
Since the group consisted of a ranger and a druid (and their pets), it was particularily useful.
'findel
We had several, but one of my personnal favorite was the "Overland Round", a system of actions for the adventuring day.
Basically, every actions where divideed in Overland Free Actions (set-up camp), Overland Swift Actions (prepare spells), Overland Move Actions (travel half the distance of the chart in PHB, which was restablished by taking a double "Overland Move"), Overland Standard Actions (forage for food) and Overland Full-Day Actions (complete day of rest).
The conversion was surprisingly easy and work superbly.
Since the group consisted of a ranger and a druid (and their pets), it was particularily useful.
'findel
Wow, this idea is intriguing...
Can you give an example of how this system works during play? (i.e. Where would you use it and how best to implement it?)
Thanks!
Wow, this idea is intriguing...
Can you give an example of how this system works during play? (i.e. Where would you use it and how best to implement it?)
Thanks!
Typical day for that duo of PC.
Need to travel from point A to B the good old fashion way...
Day 1
- pack-up, have hearthy breakfast (free overland action)
- Druid prepare its daily spells, puma goes-off having its breakfast (overland swift action)
- Druid cast extended longstrider to accelerate speed to 40 ft. (overland free action; considering the druid's level, it will last for 12 hours or two Overland Move Actions)
- Group travels 16 miles (overland move action. Speed = 40 ft., in forested terrain along paths)
- Group travels 8 miles (overland move action. Speed = 40 ft. in forested terrain trackless)
end of day as their "round" is over. Set-up camp and cooking supper are free actions.
Day 2
- pack-up, have hearthy breakfast (free overland action)
- entering dangerous territory, druid cast a bunch of spells but does not prepare new ones (free overland action)
- Travel 4 miles (overland move action. Speed = 40 ft., in forested terrain trackless, half distance for traveling cautiously and reduce random encounters %)
- Forage for food (overland standard action. note that foraging does not sloww the group down, it takes an action. Same goes for most of the Survival skill fineprints).
- Ranger looks for a secure camp site to reduce random encounter %, druid cast scrying (overland swift action in both cases since spell has casting time = 1 hour)
end of day
Day 3
- pack-up, have hearthy breakfast (free overland action)
- Druid prepare its daily spells (swift action)
- ranger goes forage for food, druid goes hunting for curative herbs (overland move action for both)
- hunt results were not satisfactory, so they do the same again (overland move action for both)
group travels 1 mile (their 5ft. step equivalent)
end of day. Group sets camp
We used the system whenever we felt that things that one can do in a single day had to be rationalized. Until they reached higher levels, the group was traveling a lot the conventional way. As a DM, I pressed the fact that travelling could be dangerous, and random encounters (and the way to avoid them) became an important theme of the game.
With groups that use teleport all the time or with DM that prefer to put emphasis on the action hapening within point A and B point (as opposed to between point A and point B), this system does not add much to the game. Unlike most housrules however, the end result (what the PCs acheived in their day) is really close - if not identical - to the RAW.
'findel
The bulk of my house rules are as follows:
Starting Hit Points:
All characters start with bonus hit points equal to their Constitution score.
ex. A 1st level Barbarian with 16CON starts out with 28HP (12 for max 1st level + 16 CON)
Static Hit Dice Advancement
Hit Point Increase Per Level:
Class Per Level after 1st
Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard (d6) 3+Con Bonus
Rogue, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Ranger (d8) 4+Con Bonus
Fighter, Paladin (d10) 5+Con Bonus
Barbarian (d12) 6+Con Bonus
Confirmations of Critical Hits have been removed.
Feats that allow instant confirmation of critical hits now increase the critical multiplier by 1 or allow an extra attack at full BAB.
10 minute rest period (modified from Bad Axe Games upcoming Traillblazer project)
A “rest period” is redefined as 10 minutes of uninterrupted rest, to include no more than conversation and light activity.
After a successful rest period, at no cost of Action Points:
• One extra use of the PC’s abilities are refreshed.
• All characters heal an amount of hit points equal to 50% of their normal hit point total.
After a successful rest period, at a cost of 1 Action Points:
• Full use of the PC’s per day abilities are refreshed.
• Spell refresh – 10 minute rest period will recover ½ spell level plus relevant spell casting ability modifier in spell levels.
For Example: Violer 5th level Sorcerer with a 18 Cha during a 10min rest decides to try and recover some spells. After making the DC 15 spellcraft check he recovers ½ his spell casting level. Since he’s a 5th level caster he recovers 2 spell levels (5 / 2 =2.5 rounded down = 2). He adds his ability modifier from his 18 CHA (the relevant spell casting ability) which is +4 . So he’s able to recover 6 spell levels worth of spells. Since he’s a 5th level spell cast this means that he can recover all 6 of his 1st level castings or 3 of his 2nd level castings.
The 10 min rest period can only be used as * many times a day = to CON bonus.
*The Spell refresh can only be achieved once in a 24 hour period.
Action Points
Used only for:
*Adding to a roll
*Activate Class Ability
*Extra Attack
*Spell Boost
*Stabilize
Book of Experimental Might Metamagic Feats
Instead of using the metamagic feats in the Player’s Handbook were using these modified ones. (Taken from Book of Experimental Might by Monte Cook) Instead of giving up spell slots to cast spells you can use the chosen metamagic feat Xtimes a day.
We actually wrote up a list a few years ago when we had some intragroup strife, many were rules for RP for the sake of 1 person.
The biggest ones that have stuck are:
Character creation:
4d6, pick 3 reroll 1s. Sometimes we even reroll 2s for more butch characters.
Starting HP are max HD+CON bonus.
Other stuff:
0 Level spells are at will. DM's discretion over the use of Cure Minor; it can be used for 2-3 per person. But it's not an insta-heal that takes the casting time.
Feat: Improved Weapon Finesse - [General] Pre-Req: Weapon Finesse. Taking this feat allows you to apply your DEX bonus to damage. You must use a finessable weapon.
It's a way for our Dex based attackers to get some real hurt in there. It's not the greatest, especially with a gateway feat, but we've found it helps our more attacking based rogues.
Other books: DM descretion whether we'll allow a 3PP product or not after reviewing it. We're pretty lenient tho.
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House Rules:
characters:
races: pathfinder
classes: 3.5 modified with BoXM
spells & feats: BoXM, PH 3.0, P.H.2 3.5
every class gets +2 skill points to their base
Karma:
every rol of 1 in the dice gives you a Karma point, 2 rolls below 5 give you a Karma point. Karma points can be used to either reroll or add +4 to a roll... max stack on karma points used: 2
Extremes:
1 is always a botch, 20 is always an extraordinary success... no exceptions, even if your bonus say you pass or hit... a 1 is a failure... no need to confirm crits, and even if your enemy has AC 50 if you roll 20 you hit... period.
Defense:
sine we are playing a swashbuckling campaign they use light armor, so they recieve the alternative rules of defelction, with a light DR from their armors, they have keep them going when otherwise theoy would have fallen.
Flaws:
Falws system is used
Covenant Items:
Usually i give little treasure and much less magic items, i compensate this with covenant items (Midnight rules) where the item grews in pwoer with the user
Spell Points:
we have found that preparing the spells and be free to use them is a lot more satisfying for all classes... the only reason i haven't banned the sorceres from a lot of years pass is not "bloodlines"
Modified version of 2nd ed action speeds and initiative.
Superior to the "I go - you go" locked initiative system of 3.5. Requires a little more bookkeeping on my part and planning on the players part, but eliminates attacks of opportunity and a bunch of other nonsense plus players are not locked into the initiative step of the first die roll. Makes fighters much better since their declared action changes per round (making the base modifier faster or slower) and has more of a heroic feel when characters decide on expediency vs. a slower normal attack or action action to save a buddy's life. Gives them a feel that at the start of the round they may be able to do do something that gives them a jump and chance to go earlier.
Ex- A fighter sees a buddy going down across a fight with some orcs, at the beginning of the next round instead of swinging at the orc in front of him he decides to pull a dagger and throw it at the orc standing over his friend. Faster action, if he is lucky on his roll he may drop the orc before he finishes off his companion.
I am really interested in this, could someone explain how this works exactly?
Our rules are pretty standard.
1. Roll 4D6 drop the lowest reroll 1's
new method just tried last night roll 24d 6 drop the 6 lowest plug and play as you like.
HP are max at first, starting cash max at first.
NO paladins, we the players dont want our fun ruined by sir stick up his arse.
Once a class skill always as class skill(rouges and rangers are the first choice to cherry pick)which helps the obvious glaring holes in the skill point system. How is a wizard without appraise supposed to know if the 1K GP diamond is really the genuine article or a really nice shined up peice of glass. Plus anyone should have spot,search,listen and ride as a class skill.
Aristocrate is a viable player option as a charecter.
We use UA for the traits and flaws(the extra feats are great)
1. You may drop an armour proficiency level for an extra 2 skill points per level (and an extra skill on your class list). If you are prof in med or heavy armour and go to no armour proficiency you drop a hit die level and BAB progression level...cloistered cleric style. Wiz have 4, (Rogue have 9 skill points to start) and get double for knowledge skills. You can also loose 2 skill points per level and take a higher armour prof (ranger goes to 4 per lvl and gets med armour prof).
I like this although I think that I am going to simplify it. I plan to allow you to either drop down from heavy to light armor proficiency and gain an extra 2 skill points or to jump up one step in armor proficiency at the cost of 1 skill points per level.
Frankly, if you are going to choose either of these options, it's because what you are giving up isn't going to hurt you in any way. I like the idea of making a more skillful Fighter/Paladin, give Clerics who don't want to wear full plate something for their sacrifice and give the Ranger a way to upgrade his armor if he really wanted to. I'd might stipulate that you can't go below 2 per level base to avoid the Warmage from upping his armor faster than he normally can but no one really plays Warmages so I don't see that becoming a problem anyway.
We had several, but one of my personnal favorite was the "Overland Round", a system of actions for the adventuring day.
Basically, every actions where divideed in Overland Free Actions (set-up camp), Overland Swift Actions (prepare spells), Overland Move Actions (travel half the distance of the chart in PHB, which was restablished by taking a double "Overland Move"), Overland Standard Actions (forage for food) and Overland Full-Day Actions (complete day of rest).
The conversion was surprisingly easy and worked superbly.
Since the group consisted of a ranger and a druid (and their pets), it was particularily useful.
'findel
More on this please! New thread would be quite nice!
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Besides stuff already said:
As long as no healer-pc is on the group, we use RESERVE POINTS Link to the D20SRD. As soon as a healer is joining the group, this rule is cancled. It works fine.
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More on this please! New thread would be quite nice!We had several, but one of my personnal favorite was the "Overland Round", a system of actions for the adventuring day.
Basically, every actions where divideed in Overland Free Actions (set-up camp), Overland Swift Actions (prepare spells), Overland Move Actions (travel half the distance of the chart in PHB, which was restablished by taking a double "Overland Move"), Overland Standard Actions (forage for food) and Overland Full-Day Actions (complete day of rest).
The conversion was surprisingly easy and worked superbly.
Since the group consisted of a ranger and a druid (and their pets), it was particularily useful.
'findel
Seconded!
I am really interested in this, could someone explain how this works exactly?Modified version of 2nd ed action speeds and initiative.
Superior to the "I go - you go" locked initiative system of 3.5. Requires a little more bookkeeping on my part and planning on the players part, but eliminates attacks of opportunity and a bunch of other nonsense plus players are not locked into the initiative step of the first die roll. Makes fighters much better since their declared action changes per round (making the base modifier faster or slower) and has more of a heroic feel when characters decide on expediency vs. a slower normal attack or action action to save a buddy's life. Gives them a feel that at the start of the round they may be able to do do something that gives them a jump and chance to go earlier.
Ex- A fighter sees a buddy going down across a fight with some orcs, at the beginning of the next round instead of swinging at the orc in front of him he decides to pull a dagger and throw it at the orc standing over his friend. Faster action, if he is lucky on his roll he may drop the orc before he finishes off his companion.
In second edition, initiative was rolled at the start of every round with a d10. I assume the d10 will be replaced with a d20, but other than that, I would also very much like to know how this works. I eagerly await your reply.
For my BoXM games:
+2 skill points/level
PF's skills system and (beta) combat system.
Karma points (Montalve already mentioned them): Because the random of ORPG's dice tool sucks, dice are loaded, and not precisely to win.
Player options: SRD options and splatbooks. Not only I play with adults, I also cherrypick my players, so I can trust them to use additional material without them being disruptive.
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In second edition, initiative was rolled at the start of every round with a d10. I assume the d10 will be replaced with a d20, but other than that, I would also very much like to know how this works. I eagerly await your reply.I am really interested in this, could someone explain how this works exactly?Modified version of 2nd ed action speeds and initiative.
Superior to the "I go - you go" locked initiative system of 3.5. Requires a little more bookkeeping on my part and planning on the players part, but eliminates attacks of opportunity and a bunch of other nonsense plus players are not locked into the initiative step of the first die roll. Makes fighters much better since their declared action changes per round (making the base modifier faster or slower) and has more of a heroic feel when characters decide on expediency vs. a slower normal attack or action action to save a buddy's life. Gives them a feel that at the start of the round they may be able to do do something that gives them a jump and chance to go earlier.
Ex- A fighter sees a buddy going down across a fight with some orcs, at the beginning of the next round instead of swinging at the orc in front of him he decides to pull a dagger and throw it at the orc standing over his friend. Faster action, if he is lucky on his roll he may drop the orc before he finishes off his companion.
Yes, I do use a D20 vs the 2nd ed d10. Good guess on your part for that one. I'll give a run down of the basics.
Everything is modified by dex, improved initiative (I have two types, Caster Imp Init and Combat/Action Imp Init, each one adds +4 and they dont stack with each other)
All creatures have a base initiative modifier tied to their size. As a base/guideline "fine" may have a +15 whereas a "human/Medium" would be +7 while a "Gargantuan" creature would be +0, with all the little variables in between. These size base modifiers are used to track their movement resolution (where they are at on the battlefield as the initiative steps count out) and if they are using "natural" melee attacks. If using a spell or weapon then use those speed factors instead. Individual actions also have speeds (turning, climbing, ect) so most if not all basic action types are covered.
Again, the base Initiative for size is used for natural attacks and the first part of movement (second part of movement is at +0)
Ex.
A Human Fighter with Imp Init (Combat)(+4) armed with a longsword (+5) with a dex of 15(+2) for a total bonus of +11 to his die roll. His movement resolves simultaneously but with different modifiers. Size mod Human(+7), plus dex mod (+2) for a total movement in initiative mod of +9 first half 10ft/+2 for second half (second 10ft if he isn't attacking). If he had Mobility he would add another +4 (works as Improved Init for movement).
So what ends up happening is that if you have a fast attacker his attacks are only going to resolve as fast as his move - he can't hit the guy until he gets within a 5ft strike range. In other words he can't get that first hit in until he closes with the foe, so his attack can only be as fast as the speed/step which gets him to striking range.
Confused? probably.
So as to my example:
At the beginning of each round you declare your actions based up perception, situation etc. Metagaming is barred.
So our Fighter and his party are caught up in a melee with some orcs. Going round to round with the same action (just trying to kill the orcs in front of him) his die roll for init is +11 (he isn't really moving, already engaged) vs whatever the orc has (Longsword +5, no dex bonus, so his total is +5). Odds are on the D20 the Fighter will probably win every round of initiative vs his foe. At the end of the previous round he sees the party wizard get bowled over on a overrun by a large wounded orc. He is too far to realistically close in one round and he thinks the wizard is also hurt, so at this point even if he tries to run he may not beat that orc standing over his buddy. Since he can't read minds and doesn't know what the rest of his party is going to do (or even if they see what is going) on he decides to act.
So he declares at the beginning of the round to pull a dagger (quick draw as a swift action +15) and throw a dagger at the monster.
Now for the new round we get ready to roll, our Fighter now has a +6 base (counting his dex mod +2 and imp initiative +4) and a thrown dagger is fast at a +8 for a total mod of +14. The quickdraw init speed is mentioned just to see when the dagger comes out (+15, + dex mod), so it will always - as a base action- be faster than the throw. I include it in because I'm nuts and detail all this stuff (like feather fall triggering at +15, quick drawn weapons, quickened spells, etc)
He has now changed his action for the new round based upon what he saw happening at the end of the last round. Now he has a chance of dropping the orc before he gets his attack in. At initiative +6 for the Orc (+5 for longsword, +1 for dex 12 for a total of +6) vs. the fighters new speed for the round (+14) there is a good chance our fighter will beat him or anyone else in the round while reacting. Initiatives are rolled and actions resolved on the steps the fall under. I roll once for the bad guys and apply all my mods, the players may roll individually or once as a group to save time as they go around and apply all their individual modifiers to see who goes first. The guy doing the fastest action (firing off a bunch of magic missiles) vs the guy digging through his backpack all resolve at different times but from one roll if need be. Players write out all their weapon + dex mod + feat which affect initiative for their total initiative modifiers ahead of time for the sake of speed. Every weapon has a weapon speed, as do spells, and items which generate effects or spells so it is all covered and detailed ahead of time.
The Fighter in the above example may get some free hits on him from surrounding orcs if he took a 5 step or gave them his back or flank to get the throw in. Consequences for not being focused.
So that was probably more than most want to know or deal with, but my guys seem to like it. Far more chaotic and sim than the 3.5 offering.
That is the "low" SAN loss rundown, sorry if I scared or bored anyone.
...lots of stuff...
That's frakkin' awesome! I wish my group was focused enough to do something like that.
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thanks frogboy, I am currently working on a more streamlined mass market version of the system - something with easier tracking and more intuitive calculations.
I love what Paizo is doing with the game, even if I am not using all their mechanics. I think these guys still have the right overall idea and direction for the game and their love for the game shows in all their products.
So you going to put a PDF out with this or something? That'd be awesome.. as I said before I love all this stuff. Alternate rules are just so interesting to read through :-)
We normally use three, one of which I stole from Conan RPG.
1. Skills from Int bonus can be used for any skill...even trained only. Skill points awarded from class must come from class skills.
2. When rolling for HP at new levels we allow characters to roll (2) dice and take the highest. (Increases chances of more HP, but still allows for bad roll)
3. In a similar vein, when rolling cure spells we allow an extra dice to be rolled, and the lowest die discarded. (ie...Cure Moderate...Roll (3) d8, and keep the highest two.) for similar reasons to the above rule on HP generation. *Note same applies to Channeling positive energy for healing.
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Character Generation:
Everybody gets the following stats - 18, 17, 15, 13, 11, 10.
Races: Pathfinder Beta or any +1 EL (Warforged have a +1 EL already, and the other Eberron races get the net +2. Changelings Cha +2, Shifters get +2 in their shifter trait, Kalashtar +2 in any one mental stat).
Classes: Pathfinder Beta, PHB2 + Warlock and Artificer. Anything else just washes out as a little weak compared to those.
We either use Action Points from Eberron/d20 Modern or we use Hero Points from Mutants and Masterminds to give the characters a bit of a buffer vs death or guarantee of success for particularly nifty actions.
Iron Heroes Stunts/Challenges: Technically the Players don't realize we use this one, but when they want to do something particularly nifty I tend to use the Iron Heroes rules as a guideline so they feel like there's something in place to handle any action they can come up with. Whenever one of my players wants to try DMing I usually show them that section of Iron Heroes so they can get a feel for ruling unorthodox actions (I want to slide down the bannister and tackle hug that goblin!)
Spellcasting: Any class with prepared spells can cast any combination of spells they've prepared (Clerics need never prepare Cure Spells, Druids need never prepare Summon Nature's Ally Spells).
So a first level wizard with 2 spell slots might cast magic missile once, and grease once, or magic missile twice or grease twice. Depending on the situation. It just makes the caster feel like they haven't prepared any dead spells for the day. Although with the Specialist Powers I'm thinking of removing this one since casters always seem to have something that they can do.
1. crit+fumble decks, with the crit deck being optional
2. crit death(two natural 20's confirmed)
3. as a free action, monks can spend a ki point while charging to unleash a "flurry of kicks"
4. alignments are important, chaotic does not mean you can go around being an a**hole freely so say a CG character steals a +1 MW silver dagger from somone, they get -1 alignment points after you get five neg. points your alignment shifts to CN, and stays that way until you regain thoser points back however once you gain 5 positive alignment points, yoin gain one skill point. if you choose not to accept that reward you can save them until you gain 15 alignment points, which lets you gain a bonus feat
there are more, but I forgot
aha! in regard to alignment points,
GOOD
- clerics do not simply get alignment points for healing wounds, they do however gain points for using rebuke death or healing NPC's.
- sacrificing one of your potions to heal a player,
- other acts of generosity such as help blacksmiths forge weapons if you have metalcraft
EVIL
- performing succesful coup de graces
- stealing from party members or NPCs.
- using intimidate as a means of acquiring things
[b]NEUTRAL[b]....we havent figured it out yet since our only neutral aligned character left the game about a month and a half before the DM thought of this concept, but suggestions are welcome
Another houserule I forgot to mention. When used outside of combat, supernatural healing heals maximum amount. This was first instituted in our Absalom urban game, as a bard was the closest the party had to a healer. Also we abhor the concept of the "healbot", the fact that someone can cast healing spells doesn't mean he'll be using every single spell slot healing the party... so spellcasters will only heal you with whatever few spell slots they can -spare- (if any).
1. You may drop an armour proficiency level for an extra 2 skill points per level (and an extra skill on your class list).
YOINK!
I'll suggest this to my table ASAP! Great one!
1. You may drop an armour proficiency level for an extra 2 skill points per level (and an extra skill on your class list).YOINK!
I'll suggest this to my table ASAP! Great one!
Cool I'm glad you (and someone else up thread) like, my fave house rule. I even like it for NPCs, like NPC warriors of cultures that don't have heavy armours but need more survival type skills. It just makes sense to me :-)
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Here are a few of ours:
cure spells any time a cure spell roll has all 1s, the caster can ask for a DM re-roll. The re-roll stands.
pushing spells if a caster runs out of a given spell level, he can attempt to push his body beyond the normal boundaries and try to cast another spell of that level. This does not come without cost. The rules are as follows:
-the caster must first make a magic channeling check (DC10+2xlevel of the spell attempted) vs. d20 + casting attribute modifier. Success means he casts the spell. example- wizard with Int 20 tries to cast a 4th level spell. Dc is 20(10+8)and his attempt would be d20+5.
-success or failure, the caster is drained 2x spell level attempted of Con. (in example above, our caster would be drained of 8 Con) This Con damage cannot be magically healed, but is recovered at 1 point per hour of bed rest.
-In addition, this causes the caster to become fatigued. A second attempt causes exhaustion.
As you can guess, pushing spells is dangerous, and can easily kill spellcasters, but if one mage's death saves the rest of the party by casting that last spell, think of the glory.
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Cool I'm glad you (and someone else up thread) like, my fave house rule. I even like it for NPCs, like NPC warriors of cultures that don't have heavy armours but need more survival type skills. It just makes sense to me :-)
I like the idea, except for the drop in HD and BAB. A fighter that dropped heavy and medium would end up with d8 and average AB, and 6 points per level. Thats two more than a swashbuckler who still has his AB and d10, and two less than the scout who has 8 points and the same HD and AB. Just my 2 cents.