What are YOUR houserules?


Homebrew and House Rules

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So almost anyone ive known or heard about who plays with friends at a actual tabletop...eventually starts hourseruling things.

Some may be large, some may be small. But everyone seems to do it.

I want to make a thread where people will post there houserules they use, and why, and there experience with them be it good or bad. at the moment we have little in the way of houserules because we have started our first campaign in pathfinder, after wich...we will compile our experiences nad houserule as we see fit.

About only thing that comes to mind is the way temp hp works with a barbarian, we didnt like the feat tax or sudden death syndrome, so now it acts s actual temp hp and goes first. We havent had much experience with it yet tho, we have one barbarian, and there has only be one isntance that it saved him. he merely went below 0 hp, isntead of dead.


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Martial and gish classes can take a weapon proficiency at lvl 1 that is not standard for their class, as a bonus feat if the player wants it.


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Well I'm sure there are a lot of small things and rules interpretations that aren't coming to mind right now, but here are some of the bigger ones I have.

Counterspells: To counter a spell, you must ready an action to do so. Assuming the readied action is triggered, you must successfully identify the spell being cast with a spellcraft roll, then use up a spell of the same level or higher. (I found the actual counterpsell rules so difficult as to be near-useless, this fixes that.)

Languages: Intelligence modifiers do not grant bonus languages, instead you must take linguistics. Upon putting the first rank in linguistics you gain a bonus language, after that you gain another bonus language at each increment of an effective +10. Thus if you would normally (only permanent bonuses taken into account) roll linguistics at +20, you would receive three bonus languages, one for having a single rank in the skill, one for +10, and one for +20. (I found it way too easy to pick up mass amounts of bonus languages, plus this makes the skill matter a little more.)

Mundane Ammunition: I don't make anyone keep track of non-masterwork, non-magical, non-special material arrows, bolts, or bullets. The cost of obtain them quickly becomes trivial and then it's really just a pain. The exception is if a player is firing off a very high amount of ammo in a short period with no way of recovering it (say they were trying to shoot down every seagull on the coast) then at a certain point I tell them they are low on ammo and the next natural 1 on an attack roll means they are out.

Silver Crusade

I have a few.

A national feat system (everyone gets a bonus feat selected from a narrow list of homebrews based on the country of their origin.)

Also a luck system that I introduced, which functions primarilly as a 'saving throw' of sorts against fumbles.

Fumbles only on first iterative.

Allied defended squares. If an ally is occupying a square, it doesn't count as threatened for purposes of movement based AoOs.

IE: You can move up to a guy with reach if there's someone standing ten feet out from him, without getting AoO'd. If you try to cast spells while laying prone beneath the legs of your friend Gangam style, you get AoO'd.

Also, I apply unique properties to items produced by crafting based on the crafter's luck score.


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We've had a "Last Desperate chance" rule to save dead party memebers

If you get killed (IE: -Con or worse hps) The rest of the group has 1 full round to save you by healing you up to a point where you aren't dead. If you are still at -Con or worse after that 1 round off to the Dead Character Pile you go.


I just have a couple of hard and fast house rules.

1. The spell Rope Trick does not exist. I think that it encourages the 15 min work day...and I just plain dont like it.

2. There is no leadership feat.. you can still get cohorts if an RP oppertunity presents iteslf but they will be created/controlled by the GM (unless delegated to a player) and will get a share of XP (we still use XP).

there are a few more that changed based on campaign such as availability of guns. But those are the only two that stay the same in all home games I run.


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The only house rules I have are things that I've adjusted just to make things make more sense.

Things like Pearls of Power work for spontaneous casters too, but they can only recast a spell they already cast.

The same with metamagic rods. I don't see any reason why wizards should gain a larger benefit from using metamagic rods when compared to sorcerers.

There's the corner reach thing where you can't sneak into an adjacent square to avoid reach attacks of opportunity.

Stuff like that.

I have quite a bit of cosmological and magical generation rules for my world that aren't really "house rules" since they don't replace existing rules, they just provide a rationale for the existence of magic and allow me to adjust the campaign world to higher or lower magic content as I wish. Plus I have my own pantheon of gods, but I map them into the PF gods to allow for standard character creation and advancement.

That's about it really.


We started using "active defense," love it. I've incorporated some aspects of "Torn Asunder" for critical effects, which makes the game more "believable," and dangerous, even for higher level characters.

I'm considering dropping the roll to "confirm" a critical hit, just let it happen anyway. I should read pro's and cons on that.

Otherwise, I'm pretty 'by-the-book.'


I like last desperate chance, good wy to give that list ditch effort.

as for crits autoconfirming, id only have it autoconfirm on a natural 20. i think crits below that need confirming. otherwise it just pushes things like scimitars and falcata's even further into dominance.


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I am a consummate houseruler, but I have only a page or two at any give time.

I have some meta-houserules; rules I use to limit my own house ruling.

1) If the players seem irritated, scrap it.
2) Never rule to increase realism.
3) State the perceived problem, and stick to solving it. Don't let other ideas creep in.
4) Audit your rules every campaign. Anything that's not be used, archive it.
5) Always try to change as little as possible. You'll be surprised how deep the roots go.
6) Try new and different solutions. Making everything work the same way is boring.

I could probably add some more.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

A few houserules of mine:

• There is no such thing as a prerequisite of +1 BAB.
• A few changes to darkness spells; they don't automatically shut down light sources, they just lower the final light level in the area. I have a new 1st-level spell called lesser darkness that drops it by one step, darkness is two, and deeper darkness is three (with the ability to hit supernaturally-dark). Daylight doesn't have that weird mutual-negation clause.
• All light weapons use DEX to hit. Weapon Finesse lets you use DEX to hit with the non-light Finessable weapons (like rapiers), and lets you pick one weapon to get DEX to damage with.
• Power Attack is always 2:1. Period.


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I have a few.

  • Roll d12 for Initiative rather than d20
  • Spell Resistance raising/lowering is reversed (i.e. it's a free action to drop, standard to raise)
  • 1 bonus feat at level 1, must be one of the feats that grants a bonus to two skills (alertness, persuasive, etc)
  • A homebrew feat that allows one to use vital strike in conjunction with spring attack and charge

    And I have one other that I use in games with less than 4 PCs:

  • Cure spells are automatically maximized out of combat, must be rolled during combat


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    Stealth works...


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    Things I want to try next chance I get to run a game:

    --Vests of Resistance instead of cloaks
    --Ki Strike just gives a +1 enhancement bonus to unarmed strikes at level 4, +1 every 3 additional level (max +5), and this does count for bypassing material/alignment damage reduction.
    --You can make a slotless version of any item for twice the price.
    --You can combine items from the same slot by paying +50% for every ability besides the most expensive (yes I know this is in the book but it's only a suggestion, not RAW)
    --You can improve a named item by paying the difference on the upgrades to the base form you're upgrading. For example: I want to upgrade my flametounge to +4, so I pay the difference between a +3 weapon (+1 Flaming Burst) and a +6 weapon (+4 flaming burst).


    These are just a few from the list:

    Casting on the defensive provides a +1 Dodge bonus to your AC until your next turn.

    All squares are 5 feet. No extra move costs for diagonals.

    A confirmed critical draws a crit card. A confirmed fumble draws a fumble card.

    Cure potions provide the full bonus possible plus the die rolls.

    A roll of 20 to confirm a critical threat allows you to do maximum damage.


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    My house rules are:

    1) Rogues get +1 to hit on sneak attacks only at every even sneak attack die.
    2) Fighters get their choice of second good save
    3) Fighters get 4 skill points
    4) Monks are Full BAB
    5) Vital Strike can be used on any attack action, if you are attacking you can use it on the first attack only. So you can use it with a full attack, spring attack, charge, cleave or what ever.

    I also like that Dal Selpher's cure spell house rule, going to use that one.


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    I came up with a nice one.

    At character creation everyone gets 1 rank in every class skill. Why?
    Because Fred the Wizard and Bob the fighter did something before they became a PC. Like read books, ride a horse or what ever else.

    My 2 cents


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    I have a bunch of them for my Pahtfinder game, all codified on my campaign home page.

    Here are a few...

    1) The spell breath of life is renamed cure deadly wounds, meaning that it can be spontaneously cast by a positive-channeling cleric.

    2) Create water is a 1st-level spell with a slightly different write-up. (No 1st-level clerics irrigating the desert!)

    3) Reach weapons work like they did in 3.5. (i.e. the diagonal is threatened.)

    4) Ability damage and drain work like they did in 3.5 (i.e. they actually lower the ability score.)

    5) I have adjusted the available domain spells for some deities that have some inappropriate spells on the list. (e.g. Pharasma hates undead, yet has the Death domain. I have a custom Death domain spell list for clerics of Pharasma.)

    6) Some changes to teleport: a) you can use teleport to duplicate the effects of dimension door; b) there is normally no miss chance if you can see your destination clearly (e.g. through a window or from a cliff to the valley floor below); c) scrying does not give enough of sense of place to teleport to an otherwise-unknown destination; d) there is a much greater risk of a mishap if the caster doesn't know where he is at the time of casting.

    7) Spell Rarity: Spells from the Core Rulebook, plus a few other spells I have specifically added, are considered "common", and are generally available to casters without extra research. Spells from other official Paizo sources are "rare," and are not available to casters until they have been found. Such spells must be found as treasure in the form of spellbooks, holy texts, or scrolls; or must be discovered by the PC via independent spell research. Spells from unofficial Paizo sources require the approval of the GM before entering play. (The reason for this rule is game supplement bloat: I need to be familiar with a rule before I will allow it.)

    8) Core races only, no alternate racial abilities; Core Classes only plus the cavalier, inquisitor, magus, oracle, and witch. Archetypes are allowed, subject to GM approval. All official prestige classes are allowed.

    I have a few more, but they're in line with the above.


    I give my players two feats every second feat increase, it just makes them seem more heroic. Also, given the right RP circumstance a player could end up with an extra ability based on story awards, ex. sneak attack or favored enemy.

    RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

    In the current game I'm running, I'm not using a massive number of house rules because I don't want to confuse the relative newbs that make up this particular group with a list of house rules on top of the rules they are trying to learn (I'd rather them know the rules as written before they know any changes I want to make, because otherwise they might come to assume a house rule of mine is a real rule which will trip them up if and when they play with another GM). There are probably a few I will want to cover at some point.

    But generally, this is my list off the top of my head:

    - Martial proficiency allows you to use quarterstaves as trip weapons (and that utterly ridiculous feat tree that ends in some trip-staff ability doesn't exist, because you should not have to be something like 8th level to figure out how to knock somebody over with a sturdy, long stick).

    - In mounted combat, even if neither you nor the mount has moved, both rider and steed cannot full attack, only one can, or both can make a standard attack. Guiding with your knees takes a swift action, not a free action (guiding with your knees is not easy). If your mount moves while you are riding it, you are both considered to have taken a move action as you are controlling it while it moves and can only make a standard action on such a turn.

    - +5 to most Ride DCs (they seem bizarrely low to me. And yes, I've had some trouble with mounted combat getting broken, but I'd change this regardless, the DCs are just way too easy. Riding horses is hard.).

    - Brass knuckles do damage equal to your unarmed strike damage. They can only be worn on hands, and if for some reason (say, a monk is fighting with his hands tied behind his back) you can't hit with your hands, you don't get the benefits of wearing brass knuckles.

    - Waves of exhaustion allows a saving throw to be fatigued instead of exhausted. (I had a player spam this spell on my monsters a lot, and then I had a monster--one extremely appropriate for the campaign, mind--use it on the party in a crucial combat. It went from, "I love this spell," to "You know, maybe you're right, we should houserule this" very quickly.)

    - Use of Crit and Fumble cards (this I do use with the current group).

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    Things I've never ruled before, but would like to try with an experienced group of players:

    - Eliminating Power Attack, Combat Expertise, and ability score requirements for Combat Maneuver feats.

    - Making the TWF feat scale (automatically turning into Improved and then Greater at the apppropriate BABS, rather than making the feats be taken separately)

    - Fighters get 4 Skill Points per level.

    Liberty's Edge

    1) Automatic Success or Failure only applies to attacks.If the PC's are fighting something that that they can only save on a 20 automatically is a failure of me as a DM to make appropriate encounters.

    2) A player can declare individual targets for as many attacks as he has. All of the attacks must be designated before rolling starts. Ex. a TWF with 8 attacks being completely surrounded can attack each opponent. If you occasionally throw a lot of minions that should die in 1 or two hits to the party, they should be able to be heroic doing so.

    3) Natural 1's on attack rolls must roll to confirm the fumble just like a critical threat. If the attack misses on the second roll, it goes to the Criticl Fumble Deck/Tables. If the re-roll would have resulted in a hit, it is simply a miss (An embarrassing one described by the DM).

    4) You may min-max as much as you like, but I reserve the right as a DM to have your character summarily executed by a time-travelling deity (suddenly blinking the character out of existence) if you start deliberately and maliciously breaking my campaign world and damaging the experience for other players.

    5) I will allow any rule in any book without prior approval on the condition that myself or the player possess a physical copy of said book for reference. PDF copies and web sources must be approved. I like all the splat books and the vast amount of homebrew items but I need to know what I'm dealing with on the characters. Especially when flaws are allowed.

    Silver Crusade

    Darigaaz the Igniter wrote:

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    Things I want to try next chance I get to run a game:

    --Vests of Resistance instead of cloaks
    --Ki Strike just gives a +1 enhancement bonus to unarmed strikes at level 4, +1 every 3 additional level (max +5), and this does count for bypassing material/alignment damage reduction.
    --You can make a slotless version of any item for twice the price.
    --You can combine items from the same slot by paying +50% for every ability besides the most expensive (yes I know this is in the book but it's only a suggestion, not RAW)
    --You can improve a named item by paying the difference on the upgrades to the base form you're upgrading. For example: I want to upgrade my flametounge to +4, so I pay the difference between a +3 weapon (+1 Flaming Burst) and a +6 weapon (+4 flaming burst).

    Beware of slotless items. I used to use them and they got freaking abused. If you're going to allow them at all then I'd say put a limit on how many a person can have. It's not a slotted item, it doesn't take a space, but it's a balance ruling.

    Combined items make more sense but even then you get abuse. I'm going to try and work something out with my players to bring down the power level on item usage to make it more manageable for me, while still keeping it fun for them but oi I hate combining items and I REALLY hate slotless items.

    Just a word of advice from someone who's been there. The combo thing can be good because you don't have to keep swapping items when you need one thing over another or choosing your ring of sustenance (convenience) over that ring of protection (practicality).


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    1)- If it makes sense narratively, fits in with your back story, and you can justify why your character should be able to do x, I'm open to letting you do it. The better your prepared backstory at the start of the game, the more willing I am. For instance, I let my party's gnome paladin animal rights vegetarian pacifist have trapfinding and disable device, but only in relation to snares and animal traps... especially because we have a ranger butcher's hunter in the party too, so that's fun. :-D


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    - Fumbles(1 to hit followed by a miss) cause the attacker to provoke an Attack of Opportunity.

    - Like Ninthmuskiteer, I have changed counterspelling, but I changed a lot more. I even have a new spell called counterspell that deals damage to the caster if you successfully counter their spell.

    - Multiclassing uses progressive saves(IE if you take a level of fighter, barbarian, and cleric your fort save is a +3, not a +6)

    - Weapon finesse, strike back and similar feats are free.

    - Vital Strike and TWF are scaling feats(IE you get the later feats in the chain for free when you qualify)

    - Combat Expertise lets you add half your int modifier(min of 1) to you CMB and CMD, so that the prereq feat for combat manuvers actually helps you with combat manuvers.

    - I completely reworked fighting defensively and all out defense to scale with level and ranks of acrobatics.

    Stuff I want to do

    - I want to remove the cleric and paladin, and put in a faith system that any class can make use of. Divine casting is too predictable, and a fighter should be able to cast divine spells if they have enough faith.


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    Greylurker wrote:

    We've had a "Last Desperate chance" rule to save dead party memebers

    If you get killed (IE: -Con or worse hps) The rest of the group has 1 full round to save you by healing you up to a point where you aren't dead. If you are still at -Con or worse after that 1 round off to the Dead Character Pile you go.

    I have added a similar rule, you don't die from HP damage until your turn. So if an enemy drops you to -con then your buddies have until your turn to save you.


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    Weapon Proficiencies

    Proficiency is tied to BAB. +1 BAB classes gain 4 proficiencies at 1st level. A +3/4 BAB class gains 2 proficiencies at 1st level. A +1/2 BAB class gains 1 proficiency at 1st level.

    Each proficiency allows a selection of One Weapon Group, or one Exotic Weapon Group. For example, a Fighter gains 4 proficiencies at 1st level, and could pick Blades, Heavy, Blades, Light, Exotic Blades, Heavy, and Bows.

    When multiclassing, you gain half the number (round down) based on BAB. So, a +1 BAB class gives +2 proficiencies, and a +3/4 class gives +1 proficiency.

    Feats that normally require you to pick a weapon (for example, Weapon Focus) instead require a Group. So Weapon Focus (Heavy Blades). Exotics count as base group for such feats. EWP covers an entire group if you take it as a feat, same with Weapon Proficiency.

    Everyone get's simple weapon proficiency.

    We've found this works really well, and gives multiclasser's a bit of a boost. Plus it makes it more likely someone will change weapons, since they aren't tied to one specific weapon for all their feats, just a group of them.

    We have others, but this is a good one that everyone who has played with it likes.


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    Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

    One I haven't done yet, but would like to add, is free Teamwork feats at certain levels. I am not sure which ones, though. Was thinking every 4 levels (4, 8, 12 16, 20) or every 5 levels (5, 10, 15, 20).


    Count me as another consummate houseruler, but while I've pretty much housruled everything at one point or another, I rarely houserule more than two or three things per campaign acording to who the players are, what their character are and what genre/mood/feel that campaign is about.

    Presently, I use Evil Lincoln's Strain/Injuries rule, and a home-made "action card" system. I play with a single player, so both regeneration of hit points and "having an ace up your sleeve" were my concerns for this campaign, since there are no other players to heal/save his butt.

    Strain/Injury:

    The strain/injuries variant basically makes a difference between hit points lost by voiding a serious blow and hit points lost to an actual connecting hit (both are described as part of what hit points are by RaW). Unlike many other attempts to do so, this houserule doesn't split your hit points in two distinct pools a la vitality/wounds of Unearthed Arcana, which is neat. Check it out here; its worth it.

    In this campaign,it is less about dissatisfaction of hit points by RaW (actually my gripe is more about how hits points are recuperated), and more about allowing the player to recuperate quickly and without magic, or on the contrary stressing the moments when things get more critical.

    Action Cards:

    In this campaign, all natural "1" imply something bad. While they are not necessarily automatic failure, something automatically goes wrong.

    However, every natural "1" you roll earns you an action card. Each card is unique and a "one time use". They all have a title and a mechanical effect, such as...

    This is gonna Hurt Tomorrow! ignore damage from one fall, trap or attack until next morning

    or

    Learn form your Mistakes You can play this card when you fail a skill check. Next time you use that skill, you gains a +2 bonus on that roll"


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    Bah, I feel self-important today, so I'll dust off some of my older houserules.

    I had a campaign with two players; a ranger and a druid (a third player playing a wizard tagged along at one point). The game was big on traveling and exploring the wilderness (figures!). They started level 1 and the campaign finished at level 11th or 12th, so we mainly played low levels: no teleport/wind walk for the most part of the game.

    They used a herb lore ruleset for finding and using plants with magical properties which can be found here

    and a houserule about daily "action economy" ruleset dividing activities like actions in a round. It was called the Overland Round.


    Iterative Criticals - when confirming a critical, a natural 20 applies the crit multiplier as normal, and also allows another confirmation roll to increase the multiplier by one. This continues for each successive 20, enabling truly massive multipliers. Each successive 20 increases the multiplier by one.

    Fumbles - natural ones require a dex check of 10. Failing this check means the character drops their weapon or falls prone, their choice. Iterative fumble checks apply, successive ones mean you damage yourself, your friends, critical yourself, your friends, or worse. As the GM, I can get pretty creative with crappy results.
    - addendum to this, that I've never used since none of my players are arcane casters - fumbling on a targeted spell (ray attack) is not a dex check, but rather a mental attribute check, based on caster type or character. I try not to unduly penalize players with this rule.

    Friends in melee - rather than getting a bonus for flanking, the +2 attack bonus is based on the number of allies adjacent to the enemy - and on the number of his allies adjacent. 3 on 2 would mean a net +2 for the 3; 5 on 2 would be a net +6 for the 5. Ganging up on lone enemies gets nasty. Zerg rush!
    - this rule makes it difficult for rogues to get their sneak attacks in. I'm old school with this, as I think 'sneak' attacks must be by surprise, and it's really no surprise when someone you're toe-to-toe with attacks you. I'm considering ways to expand the feint rules to allow rogues more leeway and hold their own in combat (as much as they did before this nerf).

    Silver Crusade

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    Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

    CMB checks only provoke on a failure.

    Shadow Lodge

    My house rules. I need to update them some.


    DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
    CMB checks only provoke on a failure.

    ooooo, interesting...

    Silver Crusade

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    Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
    Laurefindel wrote:
    DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
    CMB checks only provoke on a failure.
    ooooo, interesting...

    It makes the gamble of trying to trip/steal/bullrush/sunder what-have-you a much more interesting choice. The feats still do pretty much what they say on the tin (Improved Trip: +2 to trip CMB/CMD & Don't provoke even on failure).

    Try it for a few sessions, if your combats don't become more interesting I'll give you a full refund.


    Dotting for later posting.


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    Written on the inside of my GM screen:
    1. Don't be a dick
    2. Everyone has fun (but see #1)
    3. The gods hate cheese

    The little rules:
    - There is no such skill as "Antagonize"
    - No guns
    - No Summoners
    - Don't argue rules at the table. Find the rule within 2 minutes or we move on.
    - Roll your dice where I can see 'em
    - Don't hide behind a laptop
    - There is no "Summon Instrument Cantrip", as this isn't a Disney cartoon
    - all PvP is resolved using dramatic rulings only. I don't recommend PvP


    Just Pete wrote:

    Iterative Criticals - when confirming a critical, a natural 20 applies the crit multiplier as normal, and also allows another confirmation roll to increase the multiplier by one. This continues for each successive 20, enabling truly massive multipliers. Each successive 20 increases the multiplier by one.

    Fumbles - natural ones require a dex check of 10. Failing this check means the character drops their weapon or falls prone, their choice. Iterative fumble checks apply, successive ones mean you damage yourself, your friends, critical yourself, your friends, or worse. As the GM, I can get pretty creative with crappy results.
    - addendum to this, that I've never used since none of my players are arcane casters - fumbling on a targeted spell (ray attack) is not a dex check, but rather a mental attribute check, based on caster type or character. I try not to unduly penalize players with this rule.

    Friends in melee - rather than getting a bonus for flanking, the +2 attack bonus is based on the number of allies adjacent to the enemy - and on the number of his allies adjacent. 3 on 2 would mean a net +2 for the 3; 5 on 2 would be a net +6 for the 5. Ganging up on lone enemies gets nasty. Zerg rush!
    - this rule makes it difficult for rogues to get their sneak attacks in. I'm old school with this, as I think 'sneak' attacks must be by surprise, and it's really no surprise when someone you're toe-to-toe with attacks you. I'm considering ways to expand the feint rules to allow rogues more leeway and hold their own in combat (as much as they did before this nerf).

    wow, i really wouldn't want you as my DM

    My houserules:
    -Standard Attack: standard action, make one attack at your full BAB.
    If you BAB is 11+, you may take your first iterative attack.
    If your BAB is 16+, you can take second iterative attack.
    This does not affect natural attacks.

    -Guarding: if you haven't acted in the round that a creature adjacent to you takes is hit by
    a ranged or melee attack (including touch attacks), you can interpose yourself and take the hit.
    The hit is automatic, although you are allowed any saving throws or whatever. You also considered
    flat-footed until your turn.

    -Readying: you can choose to dismiss your ready action after somebody's turn, during the same
    combat round. You can then take any standard action you are allowed. Your initiative is reset
    to a the same number of the combat participant you acted after.

    -Final act: if you would be drooped unconscious when damage exceeds your hp, you can make a Fort
    saving throw (DC=damage dealt) to remain conscious and immediately take a single standard action.
    After you complete the action, you fall unconscious and the damage you took is considerd doubled
    (which means it will probably kill you). You can do this even if the damage you take would
    automatically kill you, but the DC is doubled. This only works on hp damage.

    -For every 10 points your check exceeds the base DC of 10,
    the bonus you grant with Aid Another increases by +1.

    -Regeneration: you heal the listed amount of hp damage every round at the start of your turn.
    When brought below 0 hp you continue to heal damage and cannot be killed by hit point damage,
    except damage of a certain types (usually fire and acid). That damage is not healed while the
    regenerating creature is below 0 hp (if it is at 0 hp or above, that type of damage IS healed),
    and can be killed by it.

    -Returning weapon returns at the end of the turn you threw it. It returns to you if you are
    within 100 ft of the location you threw it from. If you are farther, it returns to that location
    and falls to the ground.

    -Death effects deal usually deal lots and lots of damage(as per Pathfinder), but if they reduce
    you to 0 hp, you are automatically slain. Death Ward protects from this effect, but not from damage.


    + odd number stat boost items (not sure if that is an official rule or just a house rule)

    No Monks, Gunslingers, Ninjas, Magi, or Samurai (we haven't decided on other classes yet)

    Most magic items can be made for different slots at no increased cost (some items are too specific to their location to be changed)

    There are always a few that are specific to the current campaign, like the last one which was CRB and APG only.


    Only house rules we have is "any material you bring, has to be approved", "anything that isn't forbidden is allowed" "Adventures are played as they are told, a player does not decide the story"

    Most of it is roleplaying rules. Never had any problems with game rules. Roleplaying intrest and ability varies widely, so we try and make players choose their table carefully or conform.


    -To Sneak Attack an Undead or Construct, the player must "confirm" the attack roll, as if a critical threat was made. Success means Sneak Attack is ago for that damage roll, failure means damage is rolled as if the target was immune to Sneak Attack.

    -Weapon/Armor enchantments can be added to a Weapon/Armor that is Masterwork, or that has at least a +1 Enhancement bonus. The enchantment does not add to the piece's effective Enhancement bonus. This means that a Masterwork Longsword can have the Flaming property added to it, but it remains standard Masterwork (not +1). Adding an enchantment only costs that of the listed modifier (adding Keen to a Holy Mace only costs the modifier of Keen, not both modifiers combined). A piece can only have a total of enchantments (measured by their modifiers) added to it equal to twice its effective enhancement modifier (Masterwork counts as 1/2). So a +3 Scimitar can have Shocking and Vorpal added for the price of a +1 modifier, and then a +5 modifier (NOT the price of a +6 modifier). If you wish to add Axiomatic to the Scimitar, you must first raise its effective modifier (Which DOES cost that of a +4 modifier, not simply a +1 modifier to raise it by one).

    -Always round up instead of down. A Reflex save to halve a Fireball's damage, which dealt 17 damage takes 9 damage, not 8.

    -Matching AC or CMD counts as a miss. You must beat the number.


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    > The game starts at level 2.

    > If it's on the PFSRD, you can play it/use it without asking, 3rd-party stuff included. Otherwise I need a copy of whatever you're using.

    > Critical Hit and Critical Fumble decks may be in play unless there is significant player request otherwise or the current GM does not wish to use them.

    > Characters who desire so may begin with a single item - magical, rare, anything - of their choice (subject to GM approval) for free, under the stipulation that the item carries some kind of curse. The character is unaware of this curse, and the nature of the curse is at the GM's discretion, though it will always be considered proportional to the item’s power. Will need at least a short explanation of how the item was acquired as part of the character's backstory.

    > Clerics and other characters with Domains may spont-cast their Domain spells by sacrificing memorized spells, just like Clerics do with Cure/Inflict spells and Druids do with Summoning spells.

    > Paladins and Rangers gain Orisons. Paladins use the Cleric list for both available spells and progression of Orison slots. Rangers do the same using the Druid list. Any spells on their normal spell list that are Orisons on these additional lists are moved to 0 level.

    > Spontaneous full casters (IE. Sorcerers, Oracles, etc.) are treated as one level higher for purposes of Spells Known and Spells Per Day, except at levels 19 and 20. (19 gets a customized advancement to fill the weird jump between normal 19 and 20. 20 is unchanged.) This brings them on par with prepared casters for spell advancement.

    > If your character has a significant backstory reason for not using one of your class’s class skills - for example, a character in the desert having Swim - feel free to speak with the GM about negotiating a swap for a skill more suited to the character’s story.

    > Cure and other healing spells have been moved to the Necromancy school.

    > Breath of Life is called Cure Deadly Wounds; classes that automatically receive Cure spells also receive Breath of Life, and it can be spont-cast by clerics as if it were a Cure spell. If necessary, a Negative counterpart will be created.

    > We use an inherent bonuses system to free up item slots from the "big six" and allow opportunity for players to use more interesting items without sacrificing the expected magical enhancements the game is built around. Starting at level 1 each character gains a bonus to Natural AC, Deflection AC, and Saves that scales with level (we have a chart on our gaming group's forum), and beginning at level 5 characters can choose one "Heroic Distinction" per level, granting things like +2/4/6 to a stat, a bonus to attack and damage with a specific weapon (though we're considering changing that to weapon group), a bonus to armor's AC, a bonus to a skill, and a few other options. Heroic Distinctions do not stack with magic items that provide the same bonus.


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    Mine.


    Laurefindel wrote:

    a houserule about daily "action economy" ruleset dividing activities like actions in a round. It was called the Overland Round.

    Oh, yeah! I forgot about that one! I use those rules too (at least in theory). I even have a hyperlink on my campaign site to your post!

    Of course, we haven't done any overland travel in a while. (Stupid teleport!)


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    I only have a few, but I'll just post my favorite one here. Chases are resolved by creating a "move bonus" to add to a d20 roll. This is arrived at by dividing a character's movement rate by 5 (a 30 becomes +6). Chases simply become opposed d20 checks with these modifiers. A GM can add other modifiers for terrain, head starts, etc on the fly as necessary. Much faster (in our experience) for resolving chases and similar actions.

    Liberty's Edge

    Your character's gender has to match your own.

    No Evil characters

    We have a rule similar to another up thread where a natural 20 on a confirmation check raises the crit multiplier by one. Just once though, not iterative as above.

    Max hit points until 3rd level, reroll results below half the die after that.


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    Here is a list of my House Rules. They have been used by a couple of other GMs. Since it is fairly long I hid them.

    House Rules:
    1. A 20 point buy system, start at 10 nothing below 7 nor above 18 before adding in racial bonuses. 
    2. Hit Points: HD + Con bonus + Racial Bonus; Racial Hit Points – Elf, Gnome, Halfling - +4;  Half-Elf and Human - +6;  Dwarf and Half-Orc - +8.. 
     
    3. Each level either roll your PC's HD or take avg (avg = d4=3; d6=4; d8=5; d10=6; d12=7). You must make this decision BEFORE you roll…
     
    4. Feats from sources other than the PFRPG must be cleared with the GM
     
    5. Class modifications from other Paizo products are usually acceptable (Golarian Campaign Setting)
     
    6. Outside sources must be submitted with copies of the source and an explanation of the back-story to go with the choice. Not allowed until reviewed, once reviewed it is available to ALL if approved.
     
    7. I need copies of everyone's Character Sheets at each level. I need a hard copy not an electronic one.
     
    8. Starting gold is max for your class.
     
    9. Starting equipment from outside the PFRPG needs to be cleared with the GM. 
     
    10. Your first Raise Dead or Resurrection is free of any penalty. Subsequent ones cost a -1 level each time. Reincarnate uses this rule also.
     
    11. When drawing an item as part of a move, anything reasonable may be drawn.  Example, a wand or potion or perhaps a scroll.
     
    12. Everyone gains 2 Traits during character creation – from any of the PFRPG products; subject to GM approval.   Traits are covered in the Advanced Players Guide in the back.
     
    13. The GM (me) may break any rule, at any time to further game progress and enjoyment! Discussion is allowed but, in the end, GM fiat is the rule at the table.
     
    14. The allowable resources are Races from Core Rulebook.  The allowable classes are taken from the Advanced Players Guide and the Core Rulebook, the only exception is no Summoner.  Any other Races or Classes are on a case by case basis (See item 6). I prefer to keep races and classes fairly simple for new players to Pathfinder.


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    Silver reminded me of one I forgot.

    > Hit points are rolled with a d4, plus a bonus based on class:

    d6 class (Wizard, Sorc): +2
    d8 class (Rogue, Cleric, etc.): +4
    d10 class (Fighter, Paladin, etc.): +6
    D12 class (Barbarian): +8

    Quote:
    Your character's gender has to match your own.

    Welp I'm out


    On skill checks, a natural 1 counts as -10, a natural 20 counts as 30. This helps keep our excitement on rolling the natties, but still allowing character (in)competency to matter.

    When aiding another, the primary is whoever rolled highest, any lesser rolls count as the aiding attempts. This encourages teamwork and avoids the frustration of a wasted successful roll.

    Quick draw works with unattended weapons in your square, as well as any object stored in an easily accessible manner, like a bandolier or specially made harness.

    Dice rolls that hit the ground, disrupt the map, or otherwise create a mess all count as natural 1s (or equivalent worst outcome if that would not be a penalty).

    During combat, each PC has no more than 1 minute to declare their actions. Failing to do so results in delaying to last. The same goes for the GM for each NPC or initiative group thereof.

    Grand Lodge

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    Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

    On a natural 20, the first damage die is maximized. If the confirmation roll is a natural 20, the second damage die is maximized.


    Check it out:

    Homebrewapalooza

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