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BooNL
2009-09-09, 10:02 AM
So, almost every DM and every group has their own set of houserules.

Which are some of yours?

arguskos
2009-09-09, 10:03 AM
I have so many, they're not worth listing. :smallwink:

Temet Nosce
2009-09-09, 10:04 AM
Eh, they vary. I never use multiclass penalties though. The rest though - from character creation methods to variant rulesets - changes depending on the concept. I am rather fond of Gestalt with the PrC limitations removed though.

JeenLeen
2009-09-09, 10:17 AM
Most important:

1. Must finish a PrC to begin a new one. (To hinder over-optimizing.)

2. All skills on your class list count as class skills. (Originally a misreading of rules that we kept.)

3. Divine Metamagic does not work with Druid spells. Owl's Insight is an enhancement bonus, not an insight bonus to Wisdom. (Weaken Druid.)

4. No dual-progression spellcasting (or other similiar ability) PrC.

5. Most broken spells banned: Celerity tree, Polymorph tree, Fleshshiver, Elemental Body, etc. (Weaken wizard.)

6. Magic does not automatically overcome any DR types. A level 3 spell overcomes DR /+3. A level 7 spell overcomes DR /+7.

7. Certain classes and PrC banned, including any that can cause infinite stats (the vermin class from BoVD and the corrupt arcanist from Heroes of Horror) and very broken spellcaster classes (Planar Shepherd, Incanatrix, Dweomarkeeper, Iot7V). Also Factotum.


Edit: In an odd twist of houserule interactions, at one time my Conjuration-specialist wizard was barely having any effect in battle. After buffing and some initial crowd-control, it always come down to the chargers (Druid/Clerizillas) pounding the enemy. Enemies were making themselves immune to negative levels, and save-and-sucks were banned, so I ended up just tossing a couple orbs, then sitting back and letting the fighters handle it lest I had no spells for the next battle.

Starscream
2009-09-09, 10:19 AM
Did a threed for mine a while back. Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111055) it is.

Zeta Kai
2009-09-09, 10:32 AM
I have so many, they're not worth listing. :smallwink:

Seconded. I've been basically playing a vastly different game from RAW for a while now. Until I finally switch to my own system...

Tyndmyr
2009-09-09, 10:52 AM
I never adhere to multiclass penalties.

I use the "Once a class skill, always a class skill" method, instead of the much more annoying official version.

Sometimes we play where crits don't need to be confirmed...it's interesting.

RS14
2009-09-09, 10:53 AM
I let destroyed items be repaired fairly easily. This actually makes sunder usable.

Typewriter
2009-09-09, 11:01 AM
I tend to make feats that require 'X BAB' require 'X Level' instead. It always bothers me that nor martial melee classes get hosed on some things because they don't have full BAB. It's obvious they don't want people to take X feat until level 12, so why not just say 'level 12'...

Dracons
2009-09-09, 11:13 AM
Spot and Listen are class skills for everyone.

Rangers get their favored enemy bonus to Knowledge <creature> checks only.

Natural 20s are treated as 30, and Natural 1s are treated as -10.

No multi-classing penelties.

Half-Orc and Half-Elves need to choose both parent races, and thus get different bonuses and penelties depending on what they are.

While all spells, (Yes, even /broken/ ones) are still in the game, but broken ones require high levels of spellcraft and knowledge aracana, plus a few other tibits to learn, for example Shivering Touch requires a Spellcraft 28, Knowledge Arcana 23, and must have been in Cold Areas, seen it in action to learn.

Infinite Loop cheat characters are allowed, but upon it happening once, the character can't stop and becomes ether a god, spirit, sentinet item, or landmark that can grant certain bonuses. Even to this day, kobolds can still be seen gathering to PunPun Hill in Tashala, his fist raised to the sky in defience of the gods. He can grant a 1d3 bonus in several areas for up to a week. (Spellcasters get bonus caster levels, Fighter type can get bonus to atttack rolls, or armor class, etc etc)

Though I mostly DM Forgotten Realms, it does have a somewhat future bent ala Eberron to it, with magical items becoming somewhat like convience items we have. Though my group knows it started before Eberron ever came out so nay. Also, most of the items are made by the greatest gnome inventer of all time, Dr. Zook, while his evil Twin Brother is the greatest gnome wrecker of all time, Dr. Kooz.

There is a super powerful NPC that wanders the realms. His character level is 20 in all base classes, and 5/10 in all PrC classes. He never fights, never helps, simple just wanders. The reason he is so powerful, was because all the gods were surprise when he was named Bob. Not Ghaker, or Ikalavaosers the Necroseer, or Pala Din, just a simple name.


Those are the only ones I can remeber at the top of my head.

lesser_minion
2009-09-09, 11:41 AM
I tend to vary my houserules from occasion to occasion. Generally I houserule in the 3.0 versions of a lot of material (in general, I prefer quite a bit of 3.0, and it is also a little better balanced), including quite a bit of the Druid class.

I usually throw out Natural Spell, and I use the Summon Monster variant where the monster is always a specific creature (this makes them a little less expendable, especially if you increase the 'respawn time' on creatures).

Badgercloak
2009-09-09, 11:49 AM
I use the spontaneous magic and metamagic from UA.

Dodge gives a +1 dodge bonus, period.

And turn damage actually damages undead.

ken-do-nim
2009-09-09, 11:53 AM
resist energy spell is per round, not per attack resisted. You know, the way it works for monsters.

Diamondeye
2009-09-09, 12:18 PM
I've got a large number of them, but here's a few high points

Natural Spell is banned

elemental and plant wildshapes are banned

The Druid calculates animal companion based on level -2

Planar Shepherd, Incantatrix, Iot7FV and a number of other PrCs are banned and any build must be run by me at the beginning of the campaign. I expect players to know what their general class progression will be at the beginning of the campaign.

Oriental classes, base or PrC must be approved with a background before the game, and no more than one in the party. If you got it last time, it's someone else's turn and I'm not running an oriental campaign.

I use my own armor chart

Mithril armor does not reduce the armor weight category but otherwise is unchanged

celerity, wish, and miracle are banned, as are their limited forms

time stop does not allow any action or spell affecting anything other than the caster.

gate costs double exp

a number of other prolem spell nerfs

All nonstandard races must be approved, and generally anything over +2 ECL won't be allowed. Many races have their ECL adjusted, however.

Quite a few more.

Telonius
2009-09-09, 01:09 PM
Character Creation
- One free 18. Roll d8+10 five times, rerolling any one, once. (If it comes up as another one, it was meant to be). Arrange as desired.

Race
- Half-Elves get one extra skill point per level.
- Half-Orcs lose the CHA penalty and gain a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate.

Class
- Remove favored classes. Multiclass is free.
- There can be Lawful Barbarians, Lawful Bards, and Chaotic Monks.
- All Clerics are Cloistered Clerics.
- Clerics gain proficiency with their deity's favored weapon. (War domain still gives them the Weapon Focus feat).
- Paladins take the alignment of their deity (if any) and must act as a prime example of the ideals of their deity, philosophy, or cause.
- Monks get full BAB, proficiency with Gauntlets (which are also a Monk weapon), and can spend time/gold/xp enchanting their own body as though it were a weapon/armor, flurry as a standard action.
- Sorcerers get free Eschew Materials at first, and their HD improves to d6.
- Rogues get an additional Rogue Ability at level 20.
- Knowledge (Religion) is now on the Druid class skill list.
- Sense Motive is now on the Cleric's class skill list.
- Druids use the Shapeshift variant
- Rangers' animal companion uses the Druid's progression.

Skills
- Open Lock and Disable Device are rolled into one skill.
- Balance and Tumble are now one skill.
- Listen and Spot are now one skill.
- Hide and Move Silently are now one skill.

Feats
- Remove the +1 BAB requirement for the Weapon Finesse feat
- Metamagic feats do not take more time for spontaneous casters
- Natural Spell is stricken from the game.
- The Two-Weapon Fighting feat now scales to include extra attacks with each iterative Attack. Improved Two-Weapon fighting lessens the penalty by 1 for each attack. Greater Two-Weapon fighting lessens the penalty by an additional 1.
- Toughness grants you HP equal to your current HD.
- Greater Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Specialization grant a bonus of 2+(Fighter Level/4)

Spells
- The following spells are stricken from the game: the Polymorph school, Time Stop, Wind Wall, Contingency, Knock.
- Divine Power is no longer a standard Cleric spell. It is still on the War domain list.

Miscellaneous
- SR does not have to be turned off in order to receive a beneficial spell.
- Successful sundering of an item renders it nonfunctional, not destroyed. It can be repaired using the standard Craft rules.
- All adventurers are issued the following items free, not counted against WBL:
1 Handy Haversack, 1 MW armor or MW weapon, 10 trail rations (kept in the haversack), 1 spellbook (if a wizard), 1 holy symbol (if a cleric or paladin)
- There are no Vorpal weapons in my game. If you ever encounter a Vorpal weapon, you can be assured that you will soon be facing a Jabberwocky, which will be an epic-level foe.
- Don’t try to break the game. I reserve the right to say no to any race/feat/class/PrC/equipment/whatever combination. If you’re not sure, ask; I’m willing to work with you if it’s not too ridiculous.
- Add Pun-Pun as an over-deity of Cheese, Exploits, and Metagaming. Pun-Pun is aware that he is a god in a fictional gaming world. Anyone that slips something past me in an attempt to break the game will bring down his wrath. He is jealous of his ultimate power, and will personally act to prevent any player/character from approaching it.

Eloel
2009-09-09, 01:12 PM
- Listen and Spot are now one skill.

But Hide and Move Silently are still different? Blasphemy! (no really, I think you forgot it.)

Telonius
2009-09-09, 01:38 PM
They were just hiding and/or moving silently underneath the spoiler tag. Honest. :smallredface:

(Did I mention that DMs get +20 to Bluff?)

valadil
2009-09-09, 01:54 PM
Mine vary per game. The exception is fate chips. I level all players at an equal rate. I still feel the need to give out individual rewards from time to time, so I give out fate chips. They let you fudge the dice in your characters favor, where appropriate.

Typewriter
2009-09-09, 02:48 PM
Oh yeah, I forgot one.

Once a battle parry.

Every noteworthy character, whether it be named enemy(not generic villains) or players can all each attempt to parry a non-magical attack once per round. Arrows, sword, ballista, bullrush, etc.

The defender declares he is parrying after the attack (or crit) is confirmed then he and the attacker each roll a d20. If the defender is higher the (single) attack is deflected, if the attacker is higher the only change is that the one player has used up (unsuccessfully) his once per battle parry. Tie is roll again.

This rule is kind of fun, as it gives players a slight edge since not every enemy has it, but it also raises the bar when the PC barbarian rolls and confirms a critical against the BBEG, who attempts to parry the blow.

Just kind of fun :)

The Dark Fiddler
2009-09-09, 06:07 PM
No Favored Classes and Multiclassing penalties.

A Crit on a Crit confirm is a double crit. A natural 20 on that confirm is an auto kill.

Spot and Listen are class skills for everyone.

Fighters get one Exotic Weapon Proficiency for free.

That's about it for now, but we've only been playing for a few weeks.

Edit: Clerics with domains that grants extra skills get more skill points.

Monks are full BAB. *hasn't yet come up*