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In my constant search for a better D&D experience, I have created lots of house rules for my games. As a result, I am interested in what rules people have created for their D&D game. So, post your house rules here.
I'll start with a few of mine:
Attacks of Opportunity
All PCs, NPCs and Monsters have 1 less Attack of Opportunity per round, which usually means 0. To compensate for this, all feats which ignore attacks of opportunity (usually with ‘Improved’ in the title) add a +2 bonus to the attempted manoeuvre which adds to any other benefits the feat gives normally. Combat Reflexes gives ½ Dex modifier attacks of opportunity per round (minimum of 1). Note: the Withdraw action is still useful for withdrawing from people with Combat Expertise.
Movement in Combat
Combatants do not have to use all their movement in one go. They can move, attack and move again, but cannot move more than their maximum (x1) movement.
Full-Attacking now allows characters to move upto half their movement at any time during their turn. If the full-attacker kills the enemy in one hit, he can choose to forgo any other attacks and move any remaining movement (upto x1 for the whole round).
Ride-by-Attack and similar feats allow a character to Full-Attack and move upto x1 their movement in a turn.
Chargers cannot move again after charging.
Melodramatic Death
If a PC or important NPC fails the ‘dying test’* three times, he/she has upto 1 minute for his or her last words if another character can make them conscious with a DC15 Heal check. Healing magic cannot help in this case as the damage and blood loss is too much to heal. This is purely for role-playing opportunities and a bit of fun!
*Another rule similar to 4e death.
Cheers! :D
In order to keep my list of house rules down to a mere one page of single spaced ten point font, I restricted them to the things that I absolutely had to change like "ignore alignment restrictions and codes of conduct" and "cross-class skills do not exist" and "Weapon Finesse has no prereq". I have a huge pdf of 3e house rules, but I never used nearly all of them at once.
TS
We use Action Points from UA, and you can spend an action point to use a skill trick (from Complete Scoundrel) you do not have but would otherwise qualify for. It hasn't really come up yet, but I think you could also spend 1 action point to re-use a luck feat even if you are out of your daily supply of luck re-rolls.
A PC does not die until it has negative hit points equal to its Constitution score plus its character level.
NPCs casting Empowered Magic Missiles just roll 1d6+1 per missile instead of 1d4+1 x 1.5. (I hate rolling d4s!) (I'm not sure if that is technically a House Rule or just lazy DMing, but there you have it.)
When swinging from a rope and jumping, you add the result of your Use Rope skill check to your Jump skill check to see how long or high you Jumped. (I currently run a swashbuckling, ship-centric campaign.)
To simulate haggling and trade of bulk goods, the buyer and seller make opposed Diplomacy checks. Whoever wins gains a discount on buying or a profit on selling equal to a percentage equal to the amount they won the opposed Diplomacy checks by. For example, the PC half-elf beguiler and the NPC expert leader of the Lake Bay Trading Company make opposed Diplomacy checks when the PC is trying to buy 10000 gps of goods. The PC rolls a 35, the NPC rolls a 15. The PC won by 20, so she can buy 10000 gps of goods for only 8000 gps. The PCs ship the goods to another port and sell them. The PC and the NPC merchant prince again make opposed Diplomacy checks. The PC only rolled a 25 and the NPC rolled a 30, so the PCs are only able to sell 10000 gps worth of goods for 9500 gps. But they still profitted by 1500 gps.
Unfortunately for me, the half-elf beguiler is built for Diplomacy checks. She has max ranks in Diplomacy, has synergy bonuses from Bluff, Knowledge nobility, and Sense Motive, is a half-elf, has a Circlet of Persuasion, and a Cloak of Charisma +6. I don't think she has Negotiator or Skill Focus Diplomacy, but it wouldn't surprise me. And since she's not big on combat (there are 7 other PCs), she can afford to spend Action Points on important purchases. So if she's 15th level, that's around a +35 to Diplomacy checks, WITHOUT the bard using Aid Another or Inspire Competence.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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My current campaign has enough hosue rules, and those rules go deeply enough, that I'd call my campaign a variant D&D game system.
The principal difference is in combat: (non-magical) fortification and damage reduction are common in armor (and heavier armors can accept more of each), and the massive damage threshhold (MDT) is much lower (CON + 2 per HD; every 5 points of damage beyond that increases the Fort save DC by 2; failing the save results in enough non-lethal damage to drop the victim to -1 hp). This means that many enemies go down because of one good, solid hit, rather than being whittled down to 0 hp.
And characters can use experience points to buy things besides levels: feats (which cost about a half-level of experience), skill points, action points, and crit confirmations.
There are other changes, such as Rich Burlew's recasting of the Diplomacy skill, and Test-based Pre-requisites. But those two, MDT and experience pool, are the ones that affect every character, every session.
These are our house rules for out upcoming RORL Game
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 for core classes (and most Prestige Classes) will now be directly tied to their base attack bonus progression (barbarians are the exception)
Slow Base Attack D6s
Standard Base Attack D8s
Fast Base Attack D10s
Extra Feats
Characters gain two additional bonus feats at first level.
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Maximum Starting Gold
All characters begin play with the maximum possible gold for their 1st level class rather than rolling for it.
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 and Sorcerers Familiar
Wizards and Sorcerers 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.
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.
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.
Books in Use
Players Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Monster Manuel
Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide
Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting (OGL) Hardcover
Pathfinder Chronicles: All
The players before the game starts will pick 2.5 books per PC to be shared amongst the group
1) Characters can make a "called shot" against a certain part of an enemy, modified by the size of the target: for example, hitting someone's eye would be aiming at a diminutuve target, but a successful hit would blind the person in that eye AND do double damage (not including a critical hit, which would be rolled normally). Hits on legs would also slow the enemy's move (for one leg) or make them prone (if both legs are damaged). Arm hits are self-explanatory. Of course monsters and NPC's can do this too, so no one abuses it...
2) If a character loses over half his hit points in one hit, he must make a fortitude save equal to (10+ the number by which the damage exceeded half his hit points) or be reduced to 0 hp but stable.
3) Spell saves are equal to (10+half your caster level (rounded down)+ your primary casting ability modifier). Why shouldn't an 18th level caster's first level spells be harder to resist than a 3rd level caster's first level spells?
4) The Jack of all Trades feat makes ALL skills class skills, but the feat can only be taken at first level.
5) Characters get one re-roll per gaming session. It can be used for ANY one die roll, but you only get one, no exceptions. Usually saved for those save-or-die moments.
6) We also do not like the spell-per-day system, and use a spell point variant almost identical to a psion.
And lots more, if anyone cares.
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My house rules currently vary from Pathfinder chalking up at 20 pages, but they include 3.5 spell versions, Paizo feats I make available, the revised Paladin and Barbarian rules Jason put out, etc.
One of the house rules I use is requiring Diplomacy checks and time to acquire expensive goods, to avoid an "instant economy" shopping mentality. Characters who want a potion can wander down to the bazaar, but if they are shopping for a +1 adamantine floating shield, it might take a few days ...
I used to use a lot of house rules, but I've gone back to basics lately. The only house-rules I still use are:
1) Stabilize on a DC20 Fort check instead of 10%.
2) Barbarian Rage provides regular temp hit points, same as any other temp hp, but when the rage ends the barbarian takes an equal amount of non-lethal damage. This goes for the Dwarven Defender feature that works the same way too.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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I used to use a lot of house rules, but I've gone back to basics lately. The only house-rules I still use are:
1) Stabilize on a DC20 Fort check instead of 10%.
2) Barbarian Rage provides regular temp hit points, same as any other temp hp, but when the rage ends the barbarian takes an equal amount of non-lethal damage. This goes for the Dwarven Defender feature that works the same way too.
Repairman Jack, those are both great rules. The first rule means that experienced characters, who can make the Fort check more easily, don't die of neglect as often, which is good for roleplaying. Also, it's an established mechanic and easy to remember.
The second rule would allow Barbarian rages to end when the character drops unconscious.
Alignment:
Classes:
Combat:
1. before or after the move for a single move (player’s choice)
2. between the first and second move for a double move.
3. after the second move for running (x3, x4, x5, etc)
Equipment:
Races: (listed are the changes, all other characteristics are assumed to still be in place)
Skills:
PAIN:
All characters (PC/NPC/Monster) make a pain save when they are below half hit points. Fort DC = 10+HD. Failure imposes a -2 penalty equivalent to shaken, but it is classified as pain (thus removed by effects such as restoration).
At below one quarter normal hit points, the save is made again, only now the DC is 15+hd. The penalties from both saves stack. My PCs use this to appraise monster strength, and it tends to play well thematically. High HD monsters actually fail the save more often, like dragons, despite good fortitude. Which makes sense. How often do you really feel pain when your an armored assault weapon on legs?
DEATH:
Roll to stabilize is percentile, equal to 10+your fortitude modifier. Fighters stabilize faster than mages, and cloaks of resistance help a little bit to resist the call of death.
Death threshold is not -10, but - (10+fortitude modifier). Constitution applies, as does training and magic, in the wide world of the D&D combat engine.
FAVORED:
Favored class mechanics scrapped. Instead, taking a level in a favored class grants +1 skill points. Added extra favored classes to most races.
Prestige Classes with racial requirements become "racially favored" and are treated as a favored class (+1 skill points) to that race.
Alignment restrictions are also "favored". (You can tell I like skill points). Lawful monks get +1 skill points, but you can be a chaotic monk just fine otherwise. Certain divine classes do not benefit from this (Paladin, Druid). Others operate slightly differently. Clerics have the Deities alignment as a favored alignment, but may be one step away, they just don't get the bonus then.
Those are the biggies.
I strive to follow the "one-page rule," so mine are pretty short and simple.
Core Only (with a few exceptions): The only non-core base classes I currently allow are ninja, scout, swashbuckler, and the racial paragon classes from Unearthed Arcana. Non-core spells can only be learned by capturing enemy spellbooks or similar means. Non-core feats and prestige classes must be DM-approved on a case by case basis.
Hit Points Are Gained at a Fixed Rate: DMG, page 198. Also, to reduce swinginess at low level, 1st-level PCs begin with twice the normal amount of hit points they would have, but do not gain additional hit points from leveling until the normal amount of hit points they would have exceeds this beginning amount. This seems to do a pretty good job of reducing low-level swinginess.
Save or Die: Any effect that would kill a creature regardless of damage inflicted (e.g., death spell, coup de grace, death from massive damage, etc.) instead reduces the creature's current hit points to -1.
A player character is considered to be "dying" until his negative hit points equal one-half his normal total.
Trapfinding: Any character can find and disable traps (whether magical or non-magical) regardless of the DC involved; these abilities are not restricted only to rogues. However, a character with the trapfinding ability is entitled to make a Search check to notice a trap before triggering it as if he were actively looking for it (similar to the way an elf detects secret doors). Note that this means dwarves and other creatures with stonecunning have a chance to automatically detect stonework traps.
Combat Casting is replaced wherever it appears by Skill Focus (Concentration).
Dodge provides a simple +1 dodge bonus to AC, and is not limited to a single opponent.
Magic Items can be sold for 20% of their market value (rather than 50%), and are not normally available for purchase. PCs who want to buy a particular magic item have to find a seller (using Gather Information checks, role-playing, etc.) or hire a craftsman to make it.
Alchemical Items are similarly rare.
No Spell Resistance vs. Energy: Spell resistance cannot prevent energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) damage or force damage, though it still works against any other effects of spells dealing such damage.
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These are all really interesting and as a result, I've stolen some! :)
Keep them coming!
Here's another one from me:
Flanking, Ganging-Up and Sneak Attack
Flanking does not exist; instead Gang-Up is used. For each attacker attacking a target after the first in that round, a cumulative +1 Gang-Up bonus to all attacks is applied. Any creatures that are immune to flanking are not immune to Gang-Up, but still immune to Sneak Attacks etc. if they have that ability.
Unlike in the PFRPG, Rogues with Sneak Attack cannot roll the extra damage against creatures immune to critical hits and/or flanking, but only have to gang-up against a creature to get their extra damage die. Being flat-footed in the first round of combat still counts towards ganging-up.
Cheers! :D
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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PAIN:
All characters (PC/NPC/Monster) make a pain save when they are below half hit points. Fort DC = 10+HD. Failure imposes a -2 penalty equivalent to shaken, but it is classified as pain (thus removed by effects such as restoration).
Black Bard, how does this work with undead, or constructs?
Black Bard, how does this work with undead, or constructs?PAIN:
All characters (PC/NPC/Monster) make a pain save when they are below half hit points. Fort DC = 10+HD. Failure imposes a -2 penalty equivalent to shaken, but it is classified as pain (thus removed by effects such as restoration).
I imagine it's a Fort save effect that doesn't affect objects, so undead and constructs would be immune.
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Owner - Johnny Scott Comics and Games
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We only have a few house rules:
We don't really worry about encumbrance. The DM has the final say regarding how much a PC can carry.
Spell components that cost less than 100gp are always assumed to be on hand for the spellcasters.
When we have a confirmed crit, we roll the damage dice once, then multiply the result (instead of multiplying the dice). We then add any additional damage dice, such as Sneak Attacks.
Spells found on scrolls can automatically be scribed into a spell book.
Wizards do not automatically get spells each level. They must locate a spellbook, or contact other wizards to trade spells.
A PC cannot buy magic items, other than healing potions. There is no such thing as a "Magic Shop." A PC can, however, create one for themselves or pay an artisan to create a magic item for them.
All of the above rules help us streamline the game a bit, and provide a certain flavor to the game that we enjoy. The rules have been in place since we started playing 1st edition, with the exception of magic item creation. We've always played that magic is rare, and is generally discovered while adventuring, rather than purchased at a shop.
YMMV