Cheapy's Houserules

[Cheapy]

These are the assorted houserules I plan on implementing. My main goal for these were to allow for interesting character concepts, preferably early on. A halfling rogue that was a finesse fighter and focused on disarming wouldn't be able to do what he wanted until level 5 (1st feat: Combat Expertise, 2nd level rogue power to get Weapon Finesse, 3rd level feat Agile Maneuvers, 5th level feat Improved Disarm. That's far too late, even if they can get it at level 4). I want more viable characters, and if powercreep is necessary for this, so be it.

Extra Feat at level 1:

Extra feat for everyone!

Weapon finesse as a weapon property:

Weapon finesse is now a quality of the weapons listed in its description, and anyone can choose to use dexterity or strength when using them.

Use Str or Dex for CMs:

Combat maneuvers use Dex or Str, whichever is higher.

[spoiler="Heighten spells, to give prepared casters some flexibility"]All spellcasters receive Heighten Spell for free. Prepared casters can prepare a spell with Heighten Spell, and then "cash in" the extra levels for other metamagic feats at the time of casting. Doing so increases the casting time to a full-round action, just like a spontaneous caster using metamagic. You can not apply a metamagic feat which has an adjusted spell level higher than the number of Heightened levels. You can apply as many metamagic feats as you want, as long as you don't go past the number of Heightened levels. For example, if a Wizard prepares Heightened Charm Person in a 3rd level spell slot, at the time of casting he can choose to apply Extend spell. This causes the Charm Person to be cast as a 2nd level spell since one of the spell levels was "used up" by Extend spell.

Blasting gets some love, and closes the damage gap:

All spells that require a save and solely do damage with no other effects do one extra damage per die rolled. This type of damage is of the same type as the spell's normal damage. In the case where a spell does multiple types of damage, the caster chooses which type the extra damage is. This stacks with all other extra damage per die effects.

Fix multiclassing problems in Saves and BAB:

How BAB is determined for multiclass characters is different. Figure out how many levels you have in 1/2 BAB classes, how many levels you have in 3/4ths classes, and how many levels you have in 1/1 classes. Look up what your BAB would be in each track if you had stayed with only one class of that track. That is your BAB from that track. For example, a rogue 1 / cleric 1 / inquisitor 1 would normally have a BAB of 0. With this rule, you see that you have 3 levels in the 3/4th track, 0 in the 1/2 track, and 0 in the 1/1 track. You look up what a 3rd level character with 3/4ths BAB would have, and use that as your BAB. In this case, the rogue/cleric/inquisitor would have a BAB of 2. Same for figuring out saves.

3/4ths BAB characters can now take Power Attack, et al at level 1.:

3/4ths BAB classes count as 1/1 BAB classes at level 1 for Feats (and only feats). For example, an alchemist can now take Power Attack at level one, and any 3/4ths BAB class can get weapon proficiency at level 1, meaning they don't have to be a Half-Elf to get whatever weapon they want from the start.

Introduction of Specialization Points, to allow for more versatility, and to give 2+mInt skill point classes some more skills if so desired.:

All characters gain two "Specialization Points" per level. These points can be turned in for different things, and can be saved up.
One extra skill point for that level can be bought for one spec point.
One extra hit point can be bought for 2 spec points.
One extra trait can be bought for 6 spec points.
One extra feat can be bought for 12 spec points.

Instead of one extra skill point per level, Humans recieve one extra spec point per level.

Personal thoughts: I'm aware that the changes to Heighten Spell and metamagic are quite powerful. I hated how Prepared Casters are screwed with needing to prepare metamagic spells ahead of time. This works great for blasting spells, but not so much for anything else.

The changes to blasting can get quite large with a half-orc crossblooded sorc, but now other sorcs can do a decent amount of damage, without limiting yourself to a specific bloodline / race combination.

3/4ths BAB characters being treated as 1/1 BAB for purposes of feats at level 1 is something I'm quite happy about.

I'm pretty iffy about the extra Feat from specialization points, especially for humans. It means they can get an extra feat at level 4, instead of level 6. But hey, they're meant to be versatile. If I do end up not using the Extra Feat part, traits will be 4 Spec Points, to keep them inline with the Skill Points. 4 skill points would equal the +1 + class skill bonus many feats give.

[wraithstrike]

Cheapy wrote:

These are the assorted houserules I plan on implementing. My main goal for these were to allow for interesting character concepts, preferably early on. A halfling rogue that was a finesse fighter and focused on disarming wouldn't be able to do what he wanted until level 5 (1st feat: Combat Expertise, 2nd level rogue power to get Weapon Finesse, 3rd level feat Agile Maneuvers, 5th level feat Improved Disarm. That's far too late, even if they can get it at level 4). I want more viable characters, and if powercreep is necessary for this, so be it.

** spoiler omitted **

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** spoiler omitted **[/spoiler]...

Blasting can be made to hurt as is. It just requires more effort. It does not really need boost since it is not weak. It is just not the best choice most of the time.

I would leave the BAB and saves alone.

As for the spec points I would only give them out if I had struggling players. If the players are doing ok I would not. I will also say I would only give them out after other options have failed. Taking things from players later on after they get used to the game is hard to do without hearing about it.

[Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus]

I would add the UA from 3.5 suggested rule about caster levels.

There are two types of caster levels, divine and arcane. This is treated identically to base attack bonus, but sometimes at different points and rates.
Divine and Arcane caster levels stack. So if a 3rd level wizard took 1 level in sorcerer their caster level would be 4 for both spells. This would leave open all sorts of RP moments, where high level paladins retire to cleric-dom, similar even with ranger to druid, Maybe even alchemist to wizard, or even sorcerer to synthisist summoner (really getting into their blood line :D ).

[Cheapy]

Why would you keep the BAB and saves alone with multiclassing? You're fine with a level 3 character having +0 BAB?

[wraithstrike]

Cheapy wrote:

Why would you keep the BAB and saves alone with multiclassing? You're fine with a level 3 character having +0 BAB?

I am. It normally takes care of itself in some other way later anyway.

You are losing combat fighting with weapons, but you probably just made yourself useful in some other way.

A person can also multiclass in a different order

My friends normally multiclass X/Y/X/Y, which causes the issue you are bringing up at times.

What I do is go X/X/X, for a while, and then go Y/Y/Y.

What that does is make class X strong enough to hold up class Y until it can contribute instead of making you struggle at the beginning of the game.

PS:X and Y are different classes.

[Cheapy]

Captain Sir Hexen Ineptus wrote:

I would add the UA from 3.5 suggested rule about caster levels.

There are two types of caster levels, divine and arcane. This is treated identically to base attack bonus, but sometimes at different points and rates.
Divine and Arcane caster levels stack. So if a 3rd level wizard took 1 level in sorcerer their caster level would be 4 for both spells. This would leave open all sorts of RP moments, where high level paladins retire to cleric-dom, similar even with ranger to druid, Maybe even alchemist to wizard, or even sorcerer to synthisist summoner (really getting into their blood line :D ).

I like this a lot. Not the alchemist bit, but other than that, I am going to add that to the list.

[Cheapy]

Whoops, forgot a [/Spoiler] tag.

"Use Dex or Str for CMs" has two things in it.