My players dont want to play Pathfinder till its completly playtested and finisher here are my house rules (stole alot of things from Pathfinder)
House Rules
Background Skills
Characters start out with an extra 3 ranks of any single Knowledge, Craft, or Profession skill, or 2 ranks of any two such skills, if desired. These extra allocations work with the character’s background to help flesh out the PC.
Hit Points
Characters start first level with max hit points any time a character rolls new hit points they can take half of the max dice roll instead of rolling the dice, players can also roll for themselves and if they don’t like there roll have the DM roll for them.
Extra Feats
Characters gain an extra feat at every even level (ex 2, 4, 6) these must be non combat feats. Non combat feats are feats that do no effect combat directly (ex Skill Focus, Item Creation Feat) any feat in question must be discussed with the DM prior to taking the feat
Disabled, Dying, and Dead
Characters no longer necessarily die at –10 hit points, as in the Core Rules, Instead, If the character’s hit points drop to a negative number lower than 10 plus there Constitution modifier, the character is dead. A character also can die from taking massive damage or after suffering ability damage or drain that reduces his Constitution to 0
Drawing an Item
Any character who can draw a weapon as a part of a move can draw anything reasonable (a wand, potion, etc.) as a part of move.
? Move Silently and Hide?
In these rules, Move Silently and Hide are combined into one ability, called Sneak when ever you are trying to use both Move Silently and Hide, roll one skill check with the bonus being your average from your Move Silently and Hide skills (Ex you are trying to Sneak past the guard your Move silently is at +12 and your Hide is at +16, your sneak score would be +14)
? Identifying Magic Items?
Characters can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions at no cost: just a taste. The Difficulty Class is 15 + the item’s caster level.
PCs can attempt to identify any magic item by casting detect magic and making a Knowledge (arcana) check. The Difficulty Class is 20 + the item’s caster level.
These are for a very baseline identification of the item.
This formula, however, is subject to the approval of the DM—he may rule that some items are easier or harder to identify than others. A ring might have secret sigils inscribed on the interior of the band that hint at its true nature, if only you could find them. A +1 sword might be the simplest thing in the world to spot. A staff of power might hide its nature until certain conditions are met. Standard retries of both the Craft and Knowledge checks are not allowed. However, a character who devotes a full day to examining an item may take 20 on the check.
Wizards Familiar
Wizards may choose not to take a familiar and get a bonus feat (only at first level)
Instant Death
If a character rolls 3 20s in a row on an attack the victim of the attack dies instantly. If a character rolls 3 1s in a row on an attack the attacker dies. (Character must be vulnerable to instant death)
Fumbled Saving throws
If a character rolls a 1 on a saving throw and the character takes double damage from the attack
Dodge (General, Fighter)
Prerequisite: Dex 13
Benefit: You receive a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class (Not just against one enemy) a condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to your Armor Class also makes you lose your dodge bonuses. Also dodge bonuses stack with each other
? Zero Level Spells?
Spell casters can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day. They can cast these spells at will as a spell-like ability. The number of cantrips a spell caster can prepare each day is the number of Zero level spells they can usually cast. Cantrips are treated like any other spell cast by the wizard in terms of duration and other variables based on level.
Spell Changes that go along with this rule, Replacing Cause Minor Wounds and Cure Minor Wounds
Bleed
School necromancy; Level cleric 0, Druid 0
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Effect
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; Spell Resistance: yes
Description
You cause a living creature that is below 0 hit points, but stabilized, to resume dying. Upon casting this spell, you target a living creature that has –1 or fewer hit points. That creature begins dying, taking 1 point of damage per round. The creature can be stabilized later normally. This spell causes a creature that is dying to take 1 point of damage.
Stabilize
School conjuration (healing); Level cleric 0, druid 0
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Effect
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance: yes (harmless)
Description
You stanch the most grievous wounds of a dying creature. Upon casting this spell, you target a living creature that has –1 or fewer hit points. That creature is automatically stabilized and does not lose any further hit points. If the creature later takes damage, it continues dying normally.
? Critical Fumbles?
If a character rolls a 1 on an attack roll and fails to confirm the character will consult there roll to this chart
20 No effect
19-15 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round
14-10 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone
9-6 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon
5-2 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon and does max Weapon damage and all modifiers to your self, and do sunder damage to your weapon
1 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon and does A critical hit to your self and do double sunder damage on your weapon
Toughness
Benefit: You gain +3 hit points plus 1 hit point per Hit Die. Every time you gain a level or gain Hit Dice, you gain +1 hit points
? Hit Dice Change?
Hit dice will now directly tied to your base attack bonus progression (barbarians are the exception)
Slow Base Attack D6s
Standard Base Attack D8s
Fast Base Attack D10s
Books in Use
Players Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Monster Manuel
Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide
Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting (OGL) Hardcover
The players before the game starts will pick 2.5 books per PC to be shared amongst the group
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If your Players are new to gaming then run with it; everything's okay.
If your Players are experienced gamers then you need to get not only their input but also the "group approval" -- that is, the group as a whole must agree.
But nothing in there jumps out as being problematic. In fact, nothing in there stands out as being novel. All these things have been done. Lots.
-W. E. Ray
It might be easier to just use the 4th edition rule that at a critter is dying if its hit points are between 0 and negative half its full hit points.
Of course, I've been using an alternative rule that you can go down to minus your Constitution SCORE minus your level. For example, a 10th level PC with Con 15 can go down to neg 25.
I ran them by the main rules lawers of the group (made them with one of thems help) and they seemed to fly
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Comments below, OP in spoilers. If there is no comment, it is because I didn't have one (probably because I like the rule and had no opinions to offer).
Background Skills
Spoiler:Characters start out with an extra 3 ranks of any single Knowledge, Craft, or Profession skill, or 2 ranks of any two such skills, if desired. These extra allocations work with the character’s background to help flesh out the PC.
I like this idea, I've seen similar rules employed successfully before. It does work better mechanically if you provide some templates (eg. Nobleman, +2 Knowledge (nobility) and +2 Knowledge (history))
Hit Points
Spoiler:Characters start first level with max hit points any time a character rolls new hit points they can take half of the max dice roll instead of rolling the dice, players can also roll for themselves and if they don’t like there roll have the DM roll for them.
The only problem I see with the "half-result" option is that it rewards the lower HD classes (ie. a 20th level wizard has 42/80 hp and a 20th level barbarian has 126/240 hp, that is a huge difference for the barbarian)
Extra Feats
Spoiler:Characters gain an extra feat at every even level (ex 2, 4, 6) these must be non combat feats. Non combat feats are feats that do no effect combat directly (ex Skill Focus, Item Creation Feat) any feat in question must be discussed with the DM prior to taking the feat.
I like the system, but it might be too many (for example, item creation can be a big deal). You might give one at 4th level and every 3 levels afterward: 7, 10, 13, 16, 19)
Disabled, Dying, and Dead
Spoiler:Characters no longer necessarily die at –10 hit points, as in the Core Rules, Instead, If the character’s hit points drop to a negative number lower than 10 plus there Constitution modifier, the character is dead. A character also can die from taking massive damage or after suffering ability damage or drain that reduces his Constitution to 0
Not a huge change, but it will be appreciated by fearful players. Another easy fix that is similar is death a -Con score (ie. a character with Con 14 dies at -14 hp)
Drawing an Item
Spoiler:Any character who can draw a weapon as a part of a move can draw anything reasonable (a wand, potion, etc.) as a part of move.
My group has done this for years, but we still limit Quick Draw.
? Move Silently and Hide?
Spoiler:In these rules, Move Silently and Hide are combined into one ability, called Sneak when ever you are trying to use both Move Silently and Hide, roll one skill check with the bonus being your average from your Move Silently and Hide skills (Ex you are trying to Sneak past the guard your Move silently is at +12 and your Hide is at +16, your sneak score would be +14)
Not a bad idea, but I would just have one roll and add the modifiers seperately (getting two results and skipping the work of averaging). As long as you keep Spot and Listen as seperate skills (but maybe combine those into one roll. In short, I like the one roll concept, but prefer keeping the skills seperate.
? Identifying Magic Items?
Spoiler:Characters can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions at no cost: just a taste. The Difficulty Class is 15 + the item’s caster level.
PCs can attempt to identify any magic item by casting detect magic and making a Knowledge (arcana) check. The Difficulty Class is 20 + the item’s caster level.
These are for a very baseline identification of the item.
This formula, however, is subject to the approval of the DM—he may rule that some items are easier or harder to identify than others. A ring might have secret sigils inscribed on the interior of the band that hint at its true nature, if only you could find them. A +1 sword might be the simplest thing in the world to spot. A staff of power might hide its nature until certain conditions are met. Standard retries of both the Craft and Knowledge checks are not allowed. However, a character who devotes a full day to examining an item may take 20 on the check.
I can see this as a functional work-around to Identify costs or lack of Identify spells. You might consider making it a combined Appraise/Knowledge check, or add other Knowledge checks as appropriate (eg. a demon-bane longsword might be more readily revealed to someone with Knowledge (the planes))
Instant Death
Spoiler:If a character rolls 3 20s in a row on an attack the victim of the attack dies instantly. If a character rolls 3 1s in a row on an attack the attacker dies. (Character must be vulnerable to instant death)
Workable, but how do you account for proficiency in this system? A 20th level fighter has as much chance to auto-kill a 1st level fighter as he does to auto-kill himself (and comparatively, vice versa)
Fumbled Saving throws
Spoiler:If a character rolls a 1 on a saving throw and the character takes double damage from the attack
Maybe rule that if a natural 1 + the save would normally still save they suffer the effects, but if a natural 1 would result in failure anyway, they take extra damage.
Books in Use
Spoiler:Players Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Monster Manuel
Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide
Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting (OGL) Hardcover
The players before the game starts will pick 2.5 books per PC to be shared amongst the group
Good idea limiting the books, my group has a standard list that people can add to, but generally we don't take away from it. I have also considered allowing a PC 1 (maybe 2) books, subject to approval, from which they can build their character.
It sounds like your campaign will be particularly brutal. I hope you have fun!
Our Group love the idea of death around every corner thats why we play the 20 20 20 1 1 1 rule
The big thing we are working on is Defining Non Combat feats
After all the books are picked im going to go through them and figure out what feats will count
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The big thing we are working on is Defining Non Combat feats
After all the books are picked im going to go through them and figure out what feats will count
Well, if it helps, here is a list of feats I put together for a non-combat core class I wrote up (check here for a list of feats and sourcebooks):
In addition to those listed below, you could consider any Heritage feat. I avoided feats that require a class feature, spellcasting feats, or a racial type, or special categories of feats (Domain, Luck).
Acrobatic
Agile
Agile Athlete
Alertness
Altitude Adaptation
Animal Affinity
Apostate
Appraise Magic Value
Athletic
Blindsight-5ft
Brachiation
Charlatan
City Slicker
Cold Endurance
Daredevil Athlete
Darkstalker
Dash
Deceitful
Deep Denizen
Deft Hands
Desert Dweller
Diligent
Disease Immunity
Dragon Cohort
Dragoncrafter
Dragon Steed
Earth Sense
Endurance
Enduring Life
Expert Swimmer
Extra Followers
Extraordinary Trapsmith
Flying Fish Leap
Font of Life
Force of Personality
Gift of Faith
Grass Trekker
Great Captain
Great Fortitude
Hear the Unseen
Heat Endurance
Improved Cohort
Improved Cold Endurance
Improved Diversion
Improved Heat Endurance
Improved Swimming
Indomitable Soul
Insane Defiance
Inside Connection
Insightful Reflexes
Inspirational Leadership
Iron Will
Investigator
Jack of All Trades
Keen-Eared Scout
Leap of the Heavens
Leadership
Lichloved
Lightning Reflexes
Low Profile
Magical Aptitude
Magic Device Attunement
Mask of Gentility
Master Manipulator
Master of Knowledge
Master of Poison
Mighty Leaping
Multicultural
Natural Leader
Negotiator
Nimble Fingers
Obtain Familiar
Old Salt
Open Minded
Peak Hopper
Persuasive
Poison Immunity
Practiced Cohort
Pyro
Renown
Resist Disease
Resist Poison
Resourceful Buyer
Run
Sacred Vow
Sailor's Balance
Sand Camouflage
Sandskimmer
Self-Sufficient
Scorpion's Instincts
Scorpion's Resolve
Scorpion's Sense
Scourge of the Seas
Shadow
Skill Focus
Smatterings
Snowrunner
Spirit Sense
Steadfast Determination
Steady Concentration
Steady Mountaineer
Stealthy
Strong Stomach
Swamp Stalker
Tactile Trapsmith
Track
Trap Engineer
Treefriend
Trophy Collector
True Believer
Undead Leadership
Unnatural Will
Unspeakable Vow
Urban Stealth
Urban Tracking
Vampire Hunter
Versatile Performer
Veteran Knowledge
Vow of...
Wanderer's Diplomacy
See the problem is one rules lawer thought the saving throw feats were combat and another one didnt
You didnt either
oh yeah Thanks for the list
Seems to me all your rules actually make the characters stronger. Except for the 3-20 or 3-1 rule which I calculate the odds being similar to winning the lottery, so that discussion is moot.
Feat seem to unbalance, unless you are using that humungous list from a previous poster rather than the core books you mentioned. See it takes away from the plain fighter who gets bonus combat feats, now everyone gets free non-combat feats so they can safely use their standard slots for combat, thus having the opposite affect of what I assume you were going for (more non-combat oriented builds) And the fighter suffers.
Also it makes magic crafting ridiculously easy, since a spell caster no longer has to carefully plan their career to encompass one or more crafting feats. Now they just can go crazy with it.
As for death HP, how often do people go below -10?? Do you have monsters continue to attack them when they are bleeding unconcious? The only time -10 has been too few for my players is when they take massive damage, but that already has its own rules, so I dont understand, maybe at very high levels the -10 rule would get uncomfortable, but still... I see little need for improvement.
I like your cantrip idea though! I think I will make allcantrips spontaneous in my campaign, a brilliant little mini-boost for low level spellcasters who need it!
I want a house rule that allows a cleric to be more than a heal-bot. How about something like instantaneous cure cast to go along with the spontaneous cast rule for clerics?
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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This is one of the better packages of house rules that I've seen. Most of what you're doing I either like or would be happy to accomodate as a player. I only have three comments:
1. I'm not sure how you and your players feel about rolling hp, but my experience is that if you make rolling approximately the same as not rolling, they'll choose to roll. Your system further encourages rolling by including a reroll rule. If you want to make fixed hp attractive, you should consider juicing those up just a little. Instead of receiving a value equal to half the max on the die, you could make it a little closer to half die +1, and in the case of d10 and d12 HD, maybe even half die +2. If you like rolling hp or your players are the types that prefer certainty, none of this may be an issue.
2. Why consolidate stealth and not listen/spot? I'm not sure, but my gut is that having one roll for the stealth guy and two rolls for the detecting guy seems to favor the detecting guy. However, your house rule is still better than the core rules IMO (which are almost in the form of: stealth guy takes the worse of two checks, detecting guy takes the better of two checks). I'm mostly just curious.
3. This is probably my pet peeve, but I also like to lay down house rules for character death and new characters. It's one of those things that is either not well covered in the core rules or so frequently house ruled that no one has a fixed expectation as to how they will be handled. If I am running a core rules game, I still tend to point out that I will be using Raise Dead as written and with the xp penalty as written. Again, this might not be a problem with your group because you may well play with normal Raise Dead all the time, but what I find is that if I don't set forth the rule in the beginning, then at the time of the death, I will end up adopting a different rule (which may or may not be remembered going forward). The typical case where the xp loss becomes an issue is when you are very close to reaching, say, 6th level and you die and go back to halfway to 5th level. That can really suck and I know a lot of DMs change the rule as a result.
As for replacement characters, I like to spell out how much xp they start with, whether they can craft anything, how valuable their most expensive piece of gear can be, etc. Again, you may have house rules for this or not have a strong preference, but I find they are one of the most referenced house rules in any game I run.
I hope that helps. As I said, in general I like your house rules and wouldn't mind playing under them.
Edit: One more comment - how would the sundering of your own weapon on a critical failure work in the case of a monk or a caster with a spell requiring an attack roll? I generally avoid sunder because it requires so much additional rules baggage and bogs down play, but your table might know the rules better than I or not mind such slow down.
For the most part these are fine house rules. A few things that haven't been touched on much...
Instant Death
If a character rolls 3 20s in a row on an attack the victim of the attack dies instantly. If a character rolls 3 1s in a row on an attack the attacker dies. (Character must be vulnerable to instant death)
The odds of killing yourself on any given set of three rolls is one in 8000. Quite low, but I'd be damn pissed if it happened to me. Randomness such as this tends to penalize players, but if they like it why not.
Fumbled Saving throws
If a character rolls a 1 on a saving throw and the character takes double damage from the attack
Would this double effect duration as well? Does the lack of a save constitute rolling a one? Conceivably a prone character stands a 5% chance of taking less damage from a fireball than the non prone character who might duff his reflex save. Not broken, just something to think about.
? Critical Fumbles?
If a character rolls a 1 on an attack roll and fails to confirm the character will consult there roll to this chart
....
5-2 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon and does max Weapon damage and all modifiers to your self, and do sunder damage to your weapon
1 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon and does A critical hit to your self and do double sunder damage on your weapon
This is the only rule I would have serious trouble with. In short you have a one in 80 chance of doing max damage to yourself or worse every time you swing. Says the young monk to his master "Whenever I attempt a flurry of blows I end up punching myself in the groin! What am I doing wrong?"
I like the idea of a critical fumble, but I'd tone it down. Perhaps a fumble range tied to the critical hits. Give it the same spread but tone down the damage multiplier by one (you aren't trying to kill yourself, but got unlucky)
16-20 x2 --> 1-4 x1
19-20 x2 --> 1-2 x1
20 X3 --> 1 x2
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See the problem is one rules lawer thought the saving throw feats were combat and another one didnt
You didnt eitheroh yeah Thanks for the list
Quite welcome. I did ignore quite a few saving throw feats that were obviously combat related (like resistance to specific attacks) but threw in some of the more general ones. For the same reason, I ignored any feats that gave an initiative bonus (1 or 2 might have creeped in based on a judgement call).
I would be pretty easy to parse my list and remove them, though. (Or just say "no saving throw feats"). In the end, I put them in the list because I figure it is easier to remove them later then track them down.
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From the looks of things, there are a few things in a similar thread of mine you may find useful. I won't paste it all here, because there's a lot, but feel free to steal what you like.
Says the young monk to his master "Whenever I attempt a flurry of blows I end up punching myself in the groin! What am I doing wrong?"
"Ah, Grasshopper, is it not self-evident? You are punching yourself in the ba**s".
That said, I like the house rules, although I agree that the fumble table is pretty hard-core.
That said, I like the house rules, although I agree that the fumble table is pretty hard-core.
Agreed.
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That said, I like the house rules, although I agree that the fumble table is pretty hard-core.Agreed.
I prefer to use the Paizo Critical Fumble Deck
Nothing funnier than a gnoll shooting its buddy in the arm with an arrow, then having it whack itself in the head with an axe.
This is one of the better packages of house rules that I've seen. Most of what you're doing I either like or would be happy to accomodate as a player. I only have three comments:
2. Why consolidate stealth and not listen/spot? I'm not sure, but my gut is that having one roll for the stealth guy and two rolls for the detecting guy seems to favor the detecting guy. However, your house rule is still better than the core rules IMO (which are almost in the form of: stealth guy takes the worse of two checks, detecting guy takes the better of two checks). I'm mostly just curious.
We did in a recent rewrite of the house rules I will post the updated ones soon
Updated
House Rules
Background Skills
Characters start out with an extra 3 ranks of any single Knowledge, Craft, or Profession skill, or 2 ranks of any two such skills, if desired. These extra allocations work with the character’s background to help flesh out the PC.
Hit Points
Characters start first level with max hit points any time a character rolls new hit points they can take half of the max dice roll instead of rolling the dice, players can also roll for themselves and if they don’t like there roll have the DM roll for them.
Hit Dice Change
Hit dice will now directly tied to your base attack bonus progression (barbarians are the exception)
Slow Base Attack D6s
Standard Base Attack D8s
Fast Base Attack D10s
Extra Feats
Characters gain an extra feat at every even level (ex 2, 4, 6) these must be non combat feats. Non combat feats are feats that do no effect combat directly (ex Skill Focus, Item Creation Feat) any feat in question must be discussed with the DM prior to taking the feat
.
Move Silently and Hide now Sneak
In these rules, Move Silently and Hide are combined into one skill, called Sneak. When ever you are trying to use either Move Silently or Hide, or both the skills you roll a sneak check. The DCs are the same as Move Silently and Hide. This skill costs two skill ranks per rank.
Spot and Listen now Perception
In these rules, Spot and Listen are combined into one skill, called Perception. When ever you are trying to use either Spot of Listen or both you roll a Perception check. The DCs are the same as Spot and Listen. This skill costs two skill ranks per rank.
Toughness
Benefit: You gain +3 hit points plus 1 hit point per Hit Die. Every time you gain a level or gain Hit Dice, you gain +1 hit points
Wizards Familiar
Wizards may choose not to take a familiar and get a bonus feat (only at first level)
Wizards Scribe Scroll
Wizards may choose not to take scribe scroll and get a bonus feat (only at first level)
Cleric Weapon Proficiency
Clerics gain proficiency in their Deity's Favored Weapon at first level.
Dodge (General, Fighter)
Prerequisite: Dex 13
Benefit: You receive a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class (Not just against one enemy) a condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to your Armor Class also makes you lose your dodge bonuses. Also dodge bonuses stack with each other
Drawing an Item
Any character who can draw a weapon as a part of a move can draw anything reasonable (a wand, potion, etc.) as a part of move
Critical Fumbles
If a character rolls a 1 on an attack roll and fails to confirm the character will consult there roll to this chart
20 No effect
19-15 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round
14-10 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone
9-6 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon
5-2 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon and does max
Weapon damage and all modifiers to your self, and do sunder damage to your weapon
1 Loses all attacks for the rest of the round and falls prone and drops weapon and does
A critical hit to your self and do double sunder damage on your weapon
Disabled, Dying, and Dead
Characters no longer necessarily die at –10 hit points, as in the Core Rules, Instead, If the character’s hit points drop to a negative number lower than 10 plus there Constitution modifier, the character is dead. A character also can die from taking massive damage or after suffering ability damage or drain that reduces his Constitution to 0
Instant Death
If a character rolls 3 20s in a row on an attack the victim of the attack dies instantly. If a character rolls 3 1s in a row on an attack the attacker dies. (Character must be vulnerable to instant death)
Fumbled Saving throws
If a character rolls a 1 on a saving throw and the character takes double damage or effect from the spell
Zero Level Spells
Spell casters can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day. They can cast these spells at will as a spell-like ability. The number of cantrips a spell caster can prepare each day is the number of Zero level spells they can usually cast. Cantrips are treated like any other spell cast by the wizard in terms of duration and other variables based on level.
Spell Changes that go along with this rule, Replacing Cause Minor Wounds and Cure Minor Wounds
Bleed
School necromancy; Level cleric 0, Druid 0
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Effect
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; Spell Resistance: yes
Description
You cause a living creature that is below 0 hit points, but stabilized, to resume dying. Upon casting this spell, you target a living creature that has –1 or fewer hit points. That creature begins dying, taking 1 point of damage per round. The creature can be stabilized later normally. This spell causes a creature that is dying to take 1 point of damage.
Stabilize
School conjuration (healing); Level cleric 0, druid 0
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Effect
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft. /2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance: yes (harmless)
Description
You stanch the most grievous wounds of a dying creature. Upon casting this spell, you target a living creature that has –1 or fewer hit points. That creature is automatically stabilized and does not lose any further hit points. If the creature later takes damage, it continues dying normally.
Identifying Magic Items
Characters can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions at no cost: just a taste. The Difficulty Class is 15 + the item’s caster level.
PCs can attempt to identify any magic item by casting detect magic and making a Knowledge (arcana) check. The Difficulty Class is 20 + the item’s caster level.
These are for a very baseline identification of the item.
This formula, however, is subject to the approval of the DM—he may rule that some items are easier or harder to identify than others. A ring might have secret sigils inscribed on the interior of the band that hint at its true nature, if only you could find them. A +1 sword might be the simplest thing in the world to spot. A staff of power might hide its nature until certain conditions are met. Standard retries of both the Craft and Knowledge checks are not allowed. However, a character who devotes a full day to examining an item may take 20 on the check.
Books in Use
Players Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Monster Manuel
Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide
Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting (OGL) Hardcover
The players before the game starts will pick 2.5 books per PC to be shared amongst the group