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Let's see what everyone can come up with and see if there are any good ones we might want to incorporate into our own games. Let us know why you made the changes.
I run a fairly deadly campaign, and I allow the players quite a bit of room to make really good characters. Munchkinism is kept in check in my game by very tough opponents.
I've played in a number of campaigns where the DM was, for some reason, afraid to let a PC die. I once had a character jump straight into the mouth the a elder red dragon just to see if the DM would let me survive. He did, and I singlehandedly killed the beast too! Anyway back to my point, I have no problem letting something relatively random kill a PC. That's the hazard of the adventuring life.
My house rules:
In general ability scores are standard, 18, 16, 14, 12, 12, and 10 before racial modifiers. The PC's are supposed to have superman potential, but they have to be up to performing superman tasks if they want to live.
In addition, at levels 1 and 2, each PC gets maximum HP for his class. After that it's up to the dice. This prevents some of the REALLY random deaths at lower levels.
Spellcasters do not need to prepare spells ahead of time; however they require roughly twice the amount of rest specified in the PHB to regain available spell slots. The classes that are already spontaneous spellcasters require the regular amount of rest.
There is no range limit to a rogue's sneak attack with a ranged weapon. If the target is unaware or otherwise unable to react at any range, the rogue is able to precisely line up an easy shot to a vital area.
The 'lawful' requirement for monks is dropped. One's outlook on social organization does not affect meditation and self-improvement through mastery of internal forces.
The paladin's code of conduct is still present but not quite as rigid. The paladin himself is not allowed to perpetrate evil, but he is not honor bound to chase down the party's rogue every time the rogue's fingers get a little sticky at the local tavern. Major sins are not tolerated, but paladins in my game do not feel their values are threatened by tolerating a few minor infractions by an otherwise good person every now and then. I enacted this rule so that the entire party doesn't have to live by the paladin's code.
Handing out treasure - I give out about 1/3 to 1/2 of the suggested amounts in the DMG
Regarding XP - I really, really despise 3/3.5 experience rules. It makes no sense that a fighter would get just as much experience as say, a rogue, if the challenges of an adventure consisted of nothing but traps that the rogue disabled.
My system is this:
All PC's-
For Combat - 1/5 the experience recommended by the DMG
For Combat the PC's barely survive - 2/5 recommended xp
For Traps Disabled - 1/5 of the suggested experience
For Traps Sprung and Survived - 2/5 suggested experience (nothing like learning the hard way)
For Every Gold Piece Equivalent Earned - 1/20 experience (varies from campaign to campaign based on how much loot I give out)
Magic Item Creation - No experience cost, materials cost doubled (except for scrolls / potions) experience earned equals 1/20th material cost.
Archetype Bonuses:
Fighter/Barbarian - 10xp per HD of creature personally engaged and defeated in combat
Bard - 10 xp per successful use of a spell that significantly contributes to adventure progress
Rogue/Bard - 10xp per successful use of a skill/sneak attack that significantly contributes to adventure progress
Rogue - 1/5 Experience per gold piece equivalent earned
Paladin/Ranger/Monk - 5 xp per HD of creature personally engaged and defeated in combat.
Paladin/Ranger/Monk/Druid - 5*current_level xp per successful use of a class non-combat ability/skill that in some way contributes to adventure progress
Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard - 20xp per use of a spell or spell-like abilityintended to contribute to adventure progress
End of Adventure-
Adventure Wildly Successful - 30% Bonus (unlikely)
Adventure Fairly Successful - 20% Bonus
Adventure Successful - 10% Bonus
Adventure Barely Successful - 50% Bonus (assuming the PC's tried their best)
Adventure Barely Failed - 30% Bonus
Adventure Failed - No Adjustment
Adventure Miserably Failed - 50% penalty (only if due to poor roleplaying)
There are more, but my homebrew PHB is at my other house and I don't feel like flying up to get it.
My favorite house rule: don't use house rules -- not ever :)
Check out this thread ...there's like 60 + responses on house rules there....
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Check out this thread ...there's like 60 + responses on house rules there....
Holy cow. I wasn't even paying attention when I posted. I thought this was like the 3rd page of that thread.
Get the dungeon master loooooooooaded!
Bottle of bourbon gets you xp.
Let's see what everyone can come up with and see if there are any good ones we might want to incorporate into our own games.
The older a character gets, the wiser they get...but that is already in the game...sort of. if all creatures gain wisdom at the same speed.
All weapons were based on the length of the weapon, but were named based on the proportions to the user. if my son pulls out his long sword and I pick it up, it suddenly becomes a short sword. The damage, no matter who uses it, stays the same.