To practice my InDesign Fu I'm writing up a pdf document of all the best house rules and variants of 3rd edition. I'd like the community's suggestions about favorite house rules, as I will be making the pdf available for free download after it's completed. Before making your suggestion, consider the three traits of a good house rule:
1. Funness. A good house rule makes the game more fun, either by making the rules easier to run or by bringing the rules closer to the game setting. Funness is of course subjective; what's fun for one group might not be fun for another, but the best house rules and variants are fun for a large number of groups.
2. Simplicity. A good house rule can be basically described with a sentence or two and can be defined within a page or less. There are exceptions of course but all house rules and variants should strive for this ideal.
3. The Ripple Effect. A good house rule has a limited impact on other game rules. Often it is impossible to change one area of the rules without affecting another, but all house rules and variants should strive to limit their ripple effect on other rules.
Also could someone tell me just how much I can write about WotC published HRs and variants? For example if I wanted to recommend the variant turning rule from Complete Divine, I'm pretty sure I could give a non-detailed description of what it does, but I could not actually reproduce the variant in my pdf. Is this assumption correct? What if I wanted to slightly redefine it or create rules for how it interacts with Improved Turning and Greater Turning?
Thanks everyone,
TS
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One of my house rules since 2nd Edition has been 'max gold and hit points at first level.'
It's simple, it's not specifically 'fun' but it does decrease unhappiness ('cause nothing is less fun, IMO, than starting out on a bad foot because of a crappy roll *before play even starts,* with Traveller character design, where one can *die in character generation* being the gold standard of 'WTH where they thinking?') and there's hardly any ripple, as I ruled that it only counts for PCs. NPCs and monsters still use the MM guidelines of half hp, rounded up.
The skill consolidation thing (Listen + Spot being replaced by a single Notice skill, for example) seems to be a hot topic at the moment, and while it does simplify things, it's not specifically 'fun,' and it does have ripple effects (changing several of those crappy '+2 to two skills' Feats, and requiring one to adjust the list of Skill Synergies).
Another would be giving +2 skill points per level to each of the classes that only have 2 skill points per level (Fighter, Cleric, etc). Simple, fun for the classes that generally don't get to use skills, due to their anemic number of skill points, and negligible ripple, since the real skill-meisters (Rogue and Bard) already have 6 or 8 skill points per level, and larger skill lists, meaning that they'll always be comfortably in the lead.
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Here's a good controversial one.
Hero Stubbornness (or whatever): automatic 6th Level "Feat."
Starting at 6th lvl, if a PC falls below -10 HP, I'll let that Player choose to spend 250XP/Level to "stay up" until the end of that encounter before dying. This way no one sits out of a long fight and I don't have to fudge anything but can really go after my PCs. And TPKs never happen. Encounters never derail the game anymore.
It's kinda like a Feat for heroes that everyone automatically gets at 6th. As far as game effects, when you're in a really important fight, this allows for TPK avoidance without really fudging any dice. The PC still has level loss and the PCs have to figure out what to with a dead PC as soon as initiative ends.
Some Players, knowing PC death is iminent, do something dramatic and go out with style -- making great memories for a long time.
And since combats at later levels take a long time -- the DM can go "ho holds barred" on the PCs and not worry about a Player having to sit out the entire 2 hour fight just because of an early PC death.
It doesn't derail an encounter and at higher levels, that 250XP/level really adds up. PCs will often decide NOT to spend the XP. At lower levels the players haven't invested as much into the PC. The PC isn't much of a hero. And fights don't last as long. Besides, low level, permanent death is a good part of D&D fun. At mid to high levels, though, it sucks.
-W. E. Ray
To practice my InDesign Fu I'm writing up a pdf document of all the best house rules and variants of 3rd edition.
What a great project! I mostly stick to RAW, but here are some rules that feel to me to meet the criteria of easy, fun, with few bad ripples...
1. Sorcerers get Eschew Materials for free at 1st level. It fits their flavor without major impact.
2. Wizards and sorcerers can swap out their familiar for a feat.
3. Skill-boosting feats like Athletic turn the skills into class skills for you. All of a sudden, they're worthwhile feats!
4. Bonus 4 skill points at 1st-level for everyone, but usably only toward Craft, Perform, Profession, and Speak Language.
5. I encourage the battle sorcerer and cloistered cleric from Unearthed Arcana. They work well, although I'd say the Bloodline feats from Dragon 311 (and later) are needed to offset the battle sorcerer's weak spell list.
6. A player can take an LA+1 race but gets 4 fewer points using the point-buy method compared to everyone else. (I usually do 32 point buy, so aasimar, hobgoblin, et.al. start with 28 point-buy instead).
7. I give +0% to +20% bonus XP for good role-playing. At the end of the session, when we list out what obstacles the party overcome, the group also names who did what RP-wise that was interesting. Basically, +5% per notable playing.
8. I encourage fighter types to take Wild Talent and the psionic feats Psionic Weapon, Greater Psionic Weapon, etc. These boost weapon damage to keep pace with spellcasters. The PC can name the feats something else if s/he doesn't want the psionic flavor.
9. After expending a feat slot, a spellcaster can swap out all of his/her spells for the day to bind a vestige instead.
10. Certain class / prestige class abilities such as poison use and trapfinding can be taken as feats.
11. I give 1/2 treasure compared to normal, because a) Christmas trees should come put only once a year, and b) characters with 32-point buy made by power gamers are already above their normal CR.
12. Recently, I'm toying with no Leadership feat and no animals companions. Druids and rangers can get speak with animals or something instead.
13. No divine meta-magic feats. Clerics are servants, not gods.
I'm liking these ideas, so keep 'em coming!
These go back to 3E (thus the shield entry, the fixes to the horribly gimped 3E rtanger, etc.), but most are still relevant:
Favored Classes
High Elves
Favored class is Sorcerer.
Grey Elves
Favored class is Wizard.
Wood/Sylvan Elves
Favored class is Ranger.
Bugbear
Favored class is Barbarian.
Hobgoblin and Half-Hobgoblin
Favored class is Fighter.
Orc
Favored class is Barbarian.
Goblin
Favored class is Rogue.
Centaur
Favored class is Ranger.
Classes
Clerics have limited domain selection. Adharic Priests have a larger selection, but are a dying order due to the fading faith of the people of maen'la.
Paladins are Prestige Classes (vanaar, shiaar, etc).
Ranger, revised. Rangers can apply their Favored Enemy damage bonus to creatures normally immune to critical hits, such as undead, constructs, and some outsiders.
Fighter, Ranger, Barbarian: Bluff, Intimidate, and Sense Motive are Class Skills (due to expanded combat application. See Sword & Fist). Use Rope is class skill for all fighter classes, standard or prestige.
Sorcerer. Sorcery is generally an indication of faerie blood, not draconic. Some sorcerers may, however, have draconic blood, but this is exceedingly rare. Sorcerers do not require spell components to cast spells (receive the Eschew Material Component feat for free at 1st level), but instead require a focus item of some sort. If the focus item is lost, the sorcerer's spellcasting ability is greatly inhibited until either the old focus item is recovered, or the a new focus item is attuned. A sorcerer bereft of his focus item must cast all spells as a full-round action and applies only one-half (round down) his sorcerer levels when calculating all level-based effects (range, damage, etc.). If a sorcerer without a focus item wishes to apply a metamagic feat to a spell, then the casting time becomes one minute. The focus item is usually associated with the socerer's recognition of the sorcerous abilities and the player should provide an appropriate background story to explain how/where they acquired their initial focus item. Some magic items may have the sorcerous focus descriptor, allowing them to function as focus items for sorcerers who can successfully attune to them.
Skills
All characters select a number of skills equal to their Int bonus (if any) at 1st level. These skills are always considered Class Skills for the character. These are skills that the character is presumed to have learned while growing up and should fit with the character background. DM can rule against inappropriate skills.
Forbidden Weapons
* Orc Double Axe
* Dire Flail
* Gnomish pick-hammer thingy
Armor
Shields
Shields provide a shield bonus (new descriptor type). Shields may be combined with either a suit of armor or a magical spell or device which provides an armor bonus.
Sleeping in Armor
Sleeping in any armor other than Padded, causes automatic fatigue the next day and will result in a -2 temporary Dexterity penalty if a Fortitude save (DC 12-Armor Check Penalty) is failed.
Feats
School Specialization
Specialists receive a +2 bonus to the DC of spells cast from their specialty school. This bonus stacks with the bonus from the Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus feats.
Whirlwind/Cleave/Great Cleave/Supreme Cleave
Whirlwind is a Full Attack Option. A 5-foot step may be taken before or after Whirlwind is begun. After Whirlwind Attack is resolved, if any foes are dropped, Cleave/Great Cleave/Supreme Cleave options may be exercised. Any foe dropped by the Whirlwind Attack can be chosen as the starting point for Cleave attacks. Cleave attacks do not interrupt a Whirlwind Attack.
Spells
Slow/Haste
One negates the other for the duration of the effect. If the first spell has a longer duration than the second, it's effects are resumed when the second's duration expires. One does not dispel the other.
Wizards and Adharic Priests get 4 skill points per level.
My group allows Wizards and Sorcerers (and what ever other classes that might have familiars at first level) to start with their first familiar for free. After that, pay as normal.
After all, familiars tend to be as much of a hinderance as they are helpful - at least for us.
Also, we allow taking 50% (round up) of a hit die OR rolling - players choice each level.
((And Molech, I use 1/2 Orcs. I had a fun Half Orc Druid there for a while... Even sparked a discussion of how many crow companions would be needed to fly while carrying him. The discussion never went anywhere... But it was fun.))
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Here's what I'm planning on using for my next campaign:
PLAYER INFORMATION
STARTING LEVEL: 1st Level
PLAYABLE RACES: Standard Player’s Handbook races (With the follow exceptions noted below). Racial variants, such as from the Monster Manual or Unearthed Arcana, will only be considered if accompanied by a reasonable backstory.
PLAYABLE CLASSES:
From the PHB: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard
Altered from the PHB: Fighter, Paladin, Sorcerer
From Unearthed Arcana: Racial Paragon Classes
New Base Classes: Blue Mage, Champion, Juggernaut
STARTING STATS: 4d6 (drop the lowest roll) six times, one “free” 18
OUT-OF-GAME INFORMATION:
- A character with item creation feats or skills can buy starting equipment associated with that feat or skill as if they had made it themselves taking a 20 on the necessary rolls. However, the character must be able to make the item with their 1st level resources.
- While neutrality makes the most sense, I’m not restricting alignment. However, I’d like everyone in the party to be no more than one alignment-axis away from one another.
- PCs get max starting gold for their class (see either their class entry in the attached packet or page 111 in the Player’s Handbook), in addition to whatever extra money their feats may grant them. Most starting equipment will be purchased from Falcon’s Hollow general store, Goose’n’Gander. In addition to the gear outlined in the Player’s Handbook, the gear outlined in the Pathfinder Player’s Guide and from the attached packet may also be used. More exotic starting gear (such as gear or materials from a non-OGL book) should be cleared with the DM before purchase.
House Rules in effect:
- DM Review: First and foremost, all players’ character’s race, class, feats, and equipment must be reviewed by the DM prior to the first session.
- Core Race Changes:
Gnomes: Same as listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the following changes.
• Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day – speak with animals (burrowing mammals only). Upon reaching 1st level, a gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 chooses two 0-level bard, cleric, druid, or sorcerer/wizard spells and can use each once per day, using his character level as his caster level. This replaces the gnome’s standard spell-like abilities.
Half-Elves: Same as listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the following addition.
• Human Heritage: Half-elves gain 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. (The 4 extra skill points at 1st level are added on as a bonus, not multiplied in; see Chapter 4: Skills of the Player’s Handbook). Half-elves are just as versatile and capable as humans.
Half-orcs have the following racial traits:
• +2 Str, -2 Int or -2 Cha. All half-orcs draw strength from their orcish ancestry while their human side tends to make them intelligent yet slightly introverted or charismatic and a slow-learner.
• Medium size
• Base land speed of 30 feet
• Darkvision 30 ft
• Weapon Familiarity: Half-orcs treat the orc double axe and the orc shot-put as martial weapons, not exotic weapons.
• Orc Blood: See Player’s Handbook page 19 for details.
• +2 racial bonus on Intimidate. Half-orcs are naturally brusque and use that to their advantage.
• +2 racial bonus on Survival. Having been outcasts, half-orcs know how to fend for themselves.
• Languages: See Player’s Handbook page 19 for details.
• Favored Class: Barbarian
These supercede the standard half-orc racial traits found in the Player’s Handbook.
- Core Class Changes:
Druid: The druid’s weapon proficiencies change slightly. The druid is now proficient with shortbows and longbows, including the composite versions of each, and is no longer proficient with the light or heavy crossbow.
Fighter: I am using a newly updated/modified fighter base class. While it is encouraged to use this version, players may still use the fighter presented in the Player’s Handbook.
Paladin: I am using a newly updated/modified paladin base class. While it is encouraged to use this version, players may still use the paladin presented in the Player’s Handbook.
Rogue: The rogue’s armor proficiency is expanded slightly. The rogue is now proficient with bucklers, but no other types of shield.
Sorcerer: I am using my newly updated/modified sorcerer base class. While it is encouraged to use this version, players may still use the sorcerer presented in the Player’s Handbook.
Wizard: I would prefer that any wizards use the Recharge Magic system presented in Unearthed Arcana (also found in the online System Reference Document, www.d20srd.org) instead of the Vancian Magic system presented in the core rule books. However, players may still use the wizard presented in the Player’s Handbook.
- Back-Story Feats and Skills: Not only will your back-story grant you 25 Xp at the beginning of the campaign, but you’ll also be allowed to take a bonus feat and receive bonus skill points to put towards your “back-story skill set”. The bonus feats you may choose from are as follows: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Big Game Hunter**, City Born**, Competent Crafter*, Country Born**, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Endurance, Insightful Knowledge*, Investigator, Lone Wolf**, Magical Aptitude, Merchant’s Eye*, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, On the Job Learning*, Performance Artist*, Persuasive, Planar Student*, Professional*, Self Sufficient, Skill Focus (Any), Stealthy, Toughness, Totem Spirit**, Varisian Tattoo**, War Bellow*, or World Traveler*. While these feats are free, any prerequisites must still be met. Feats that provide extra money, such as Merchant’s Eye or Professional, grant the PC with 10% more starting gold.
Also, each PC will receive 4 free skills ranks, regardless of race or class, to place into the Profession skill(s) of their choice. Enough ranks in these skills will grant bonuses on other skill checks (see “Profession Synergy” below). The skills and feats taken should complement each other and fit into your back-story. This is an effort to reward roleplaying, not an opportunity to min/max or munchkin.
*This denotes a feat that is found later on in the packet.
**This denotes a feat that is found in the Pathfinder Player’s Guide.
- Crafting Skill Changes: The Craft skill is virtually unchanged except for one aspect: Instead of making the appropriate Craft check to represent one week’s worth of work, the check represents one day’s worth of work. If you choose to make an item more quickly, you can make checks by the hour instead of the day.
- Stacking Synergy: Every 5 ranks in a skill will add a +2 synergy bonus to its associated skills. I.e.: 10 ranks in Balance grants +4 to Tumble.
- Profession Synergy: Much like Stacking Synergy, 5 ranks in a Profession will grant a +2 circumstance bonus to certain skill checks. I.e.: 5 ranks in Profession (scribe) would grant a +2 bonus on Decipher Script or Forgery checks. These bonuses are circumstantial, handed out by the DM, and are not to be recorded on your character sheet.
- Relative Encumbrance: Encumbrance will only be enforced in a common sense, non-screwing-the-PCs, manner. You can carry your gear, but if you try carrying your gear, the pack mule, a solid mahogany oak table, and the minotaur’s corpse, you’ll incur a penalty.
- Class Variables: Racial substitution levels and class variants may be utilized.
- Hero Points: You PCs are heroes and occasionally, as heroes often do, you need to the laws of physics and/or fickle fingers of fate to sit down and shut up. A hero point does just that. By using one, you briefly cinematize the rest of your turn, making whatever grandiose and epic feat your character partakes in happen without any dice rolls. You could conceivably do anything from flicking a burning tindertwig into a bar patron’s pipe that’s 100 feet away or slice through all 10 heads of the marauding hydra at once, killing it instantly. However the only caveat is this: the idea must be your own. You cannot use anyone else’s suggestion for your hero point.
You start with only one hero point. At the end of a session where you use a hero point, the party will vote on whether or not your use of the hero point was “hero worthy”. If the party agrees, then you gain that hero point back. If this system begins to be abused, I (the DM) will revoke this system. This is meant as something to enhance game play, not break it.
The only other way you can gain a hero point is if you do something amazingly heroic by only using die rolls. In example: If you take a flying leap off the side of a cliff to save the falling noble, catch up to him, secure him to you, then throw a grappling hook out to grab at the lone branch at the last second before impact, then you’ll gain another hero point. As long as you have a hero point, there is no limit as to how many hero points you can spend per session.
- Critical Fumble: If you roll a natural 1, you will need to roll again. If you fail to hit the target’s number a second time, you fumble and draw from the Critical Fumble Deck. You’re heroes, and as such, you screw up just as grandly as you triumph.
- Threat Range Augmentation: The Improved Critical feat stacks with magical means of increasing a weapon’s threat range, such as the keen edge spell or the keen weapon special ability. One is derived from skill while the other is purely magical.
- Magic Item Creation: Custom magic items may be specially created for a lower than normal price (see pg 282 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Each price reduction will be factored in independently of each other.
For example: If Kelara the bard wanted a scarf that granted +5 to Diplomacy made so that only creatures with at least 5 ranks in Perform (dance) (10% discount) and Perform (vocalist) (another 10% discount) could use it, it would cost 2,025 gp ([2,500 gp × 90%] × 90%). Keep in mind that selling such items will net far less money than items without limitations.
The total cumulative discount on such items can never be more 30% of the item’s normal cost.
- Disclaimer: These house rules are not the only ones that will be used. Others may be added or taken away as the campaign progresses, as per DM/PCs consensus.
3. Skill-boosting feats like Athletic turn the skills into class skills for you. All of a sudden, they're worthwhile feats!
This one is simply awesome. I'll start doing this in my campaign.
daedel, el azote.
Diehard does not let you stay up until you die, because that's stupid. It means your character is always kicking until you kick the bucket. I t makes non-lethal failure much more difficult. Instead, Diehard lets you remain active until you reach -5 hp, and increases you hp to death by +5 or to your Con, whichever is greater. (IE if you have a 16 or higher Con, you die at neg hp equal to your con, 15 con or less you die at -15). This also allows warriors to expand their to death range, which can be important at mid-to high levels, when single blows start doing 30-50 hp can can take you from fine to dead too easily.
At every level, you may select *either* a +1 ability score boost, *or* a feat. This replaces the normal feat every 3 and ability socre point every 4. The power up to PCs is actually minimum (over 12 levels you get 12 ability scores or feats, rather than the 8 you get by core rules), but it makes certain character types (including low ability socre, high skill heroes) much easier to construct. (Most people feel players need more feat anyway).
When a creature takes a "5 foot step," it goes a distance equal to its natural reach. Colossal dragons aren't casually scootching the length of one claw anymore, they now take a stride or two, just like Humans.
The identify pearl is a focus, with a 10% chance of breaking each time it's sued. There are lots of ways to avoid paying the pearl cost nowadays, but you should still think twice about casting identify when low on supply.
Scribing spells into your spellbook costs 10 gp per spell level. gaining access to new spells is hard enough for wizards without a 5th level spell running you the same as +1 armor just to write down. Potions, scrolls, and magic healing and defenses dont cost less for wizards, why should gaining their basic class ability cost so much more?
Contributor
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I have trapfinding allow characters to spot traps within 5' just like Elves do with secret doors. That way the game doesn't crawl with searching every square, but I can put traps in adventures as much as seems appropriate. I also allow anyone to search for traps with search skill, but without trapfinding they have to declare it.
Disclaimer: None of these are originals to me (for the most part). I've stolen them - either whole cloth, or partially modified - from somebody else. :-)
1. Death is not at -10 hp. Death is at -9 - (level) - (Con mod). So 1st level, 10 Con, death is at -10 (the standard). 3rd level, 14 Con, death is at -14, etc.
2. Raise Dead does not cause a reduction in level, it imposes a special negative level, which can only be removed when gaining another level.
3. I use Monte Cooke's "magic equivalence" chart so that a +3 weapon can overcome DR #/cold iron, for example.
Greg
Here are a couple that I use.
Ability Scores
Players roll ability scores in the following manner: two scores rolled as 1d6+12, two scores rolled as 2d6+6, and two scores rolled as 3d6. The final numbers are assigned as the player likes. I have used this method in a number of games and like the feel that it creates for the characters.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy checks are opposed rolls. The target rolls 1d20 + target's Will save + current attitude modifier.
Current Attitude Modifiers
Hostile: +20 (or more, DM's discretion)
Unfriendly: +10
Indifferent: +0
Friendly: -5
Helpful: -10
If the character's Diplomacy check is higher, then the character succeeds at what he was attempting.
Circumstance modifiers can be applied as needed:
Character has known, good reputation: +4 bonus to Diplomacy check.
Character has known, bad reputation: -4 bonus to Diplomacy check.
Character attempts to convince target to do something fairly run of the mill: +0 bonus to Diplomacy check.
Character attempts to convince target to do something distasteful: -2 penalty to Diplomacy check.
Character attempts to convince target to do something inconvenient: -5 penalty to Diplomacy check.
Character attempts to convince target to do something disadvantageous: -10 penalty to Diplomacy check.
Character attempts to convince target to do something dangerous: -20 penalty to Diplomacy check.
((And Molech, I use 1/2 Orcs. I had a fun Half Orc Druid there for a while... Even sparked a discussion of how many crow companions would be needed to fly while carrying him. The discussion never went anywhere... But it was fun.))
Rock on. I've always wanted a murder (swarm) of ravens as a druid animal companion.
Identify doesn't have a material component and has a casting time of 1 round, rather than 1 hour. There's a lot of magic items, and it's just not realistic to spend a day identifying them. Of course, our group comes from a rich tradition of Baldur's Gate, so...
"Favored Class" is extra accounting. Disregard it wholesale. No mucking about with multiclassing XP penalties. If you're taking enough classes that it would have really come into play, the DM should have already called shenanigans on you.
By the RAW, animal companions and special mounts are a nightmare to account for in combat. Don't muck about with handle animal checks, don't worry about "tricks", just say what your animal buddy does, the same way you say what you do.
It's not really a house rule, but there's kind of an unspoken agreement to not take Leadership, because it just makes life harder for everybody.
One I liked from the Rules Compendium was regarding a better way to handle Use Rope - that is to say, not at all. Handwave it. We've never mucked about with Read Magic, either.
Maiming was much cooler before they changed it for the Magic Item Compendium. Disregard the MRP on it.
Pretend the Diplomacy rules, as written, don't exist. They're a bad idea. Adjucate on the fly how NPCs react to diplomacy checks, based on a highly unscientific scale of the PC's check result and what they're saying.
One of my house rules since 2nd Edition has been 'max gold and hit points at first level.'
Happily, it's already in the rules that you get max HP at first level.
I have trapfinding allow characters to spot traps within 5' just like Elves do with secret doors. That way the game doesn't crawl with searching every square, but I can put traps in adventures as much as seems appropriate.
This is how it works in 4e.
I'll stop gloating.
Some time ago, I found a variant rule for poison saves.
Basically, each time you get poisoned (excluding the first) the save DC increases by 2. These "doses" have to be from the same type of poison and be within an hour of each other. Once an hour goes by, a "dose" wears off, an hour after that and another wears off, and so on.
I like this rule because it is simply too hard to poison someone in-game. I mean, the highest DC that comes to mind right now is 26 (don't have any materials with me to check) and costs several THOUSAND gold for a single dose, while cheaper poisons have DCs around 13 to 15... You MIGHT get a sickly orphan with that. The party meat shield or caster? Dream on...
Another variant my group uses is class weapon groups, taken from the Unearthed Arcana. Instead of your race / class setting what weapons you're proficient with, you choose a certain number of weapon groups that you want. It cuts down on feat usage to get that *insert random weapon here* you've been wanting.
And as of late, we've been using the Traits and Flaws from the UA as well.
-Kurocyn
Also does anyone know what the name of that rogue class feature is from Dungeonscape? The one that lets rogues deal half precision damage against creatures normally immune.
TS
I like this rule because it is simply too hard to poison someone in-game. I mean, the highest DC that comes to mind right now is 26 (don't have any materials with me to check) and costs several THOUSAND gold for a single dose, while cheaper poisons have DCs around 13 to 15... You MIGHT get a sickly orphan with that. The party meat shield or caster? Dream on...
One thing to realize is that a 1 on a save roll is an autofailure. So it might be that your meat shield would have a better chance of failing against say 5 lowish poison bites DCs, then from 1 highish DC roll.
I implemented a house rule in my AoW campaign about skills. At first level, a character may select a number of cross class skills equal to his Intelligence bonus +1 (so, minimum of 1) and they become class skills forevermore. So far, most of my players have taken mostly flavor skills or picked "required" skills that are cross class(Spot & Listen anyone?)
I am mildly frightened by the fighter who chose Use Magic Device, but we already have a warlock, so that might make for some interesting in fighting. (No, I want the wand of lightning bolts!)
Oh, and extra fun...our warlock picked Perform. Eldritch bard, anyone?
It's not a very major one out of the few I use, but I make the toughness feat add 5 hp instead of 3. Hmm, what else? Barbarians do x2 str dam (instead of x1.5) with 2 handed weapons and start with DR 1/- at first and it progresses from there (they have some magic penalties/restrictions to balance it - they're more like the bezerker prestige class than the old barbarian in my games.
Some time ago, I found a variant rule for poison saves.
Basically, each time you get poisoned (excluding the first) the save DC increases by 2. These "doses" have to be from the same type of poison and be within an hour of each other. Once an hour goes by, a "dose" wears off, an hour after that and another wears off, and so on.
I like this rule because it is simply too hard to poison someone in-game. I mean, the highest DC that comes to mind right now is 26 (don't have any materials with me to check) and costs several THOUSAND gold for a single dose, while cheaper poisons have DCs around 13 to 15... You MIGHT get a sickly orphan with that. The party meat shield or caster? Dream on...
Another variant my group uses is class weapon groups, taken from the Unearthed Arcana. Instead of your race / class setting what weapons you're proficient with, you choose a certain number of weapon groups that you want. It cuts down on feat usage to get that *insert random weapon here* you've been wanting.
And as of late, we've been using the Traits and Flaws from the UA as well.
-Kurocyn
I have an idea to use damage to have damage rolled and added to the DC then have the save subtracted from the result, giving a range of damage, corresponding to the amount of poison transfered. This is still in the idea stage and I would need to reprice poisons. Requiring additional resources.