Corporate M
2010-06-13, 05:51 PM
A little houserule I've been playing with to mix Diablo and other mmo's "breaking" mechanic when a weapon is used too much with the ability to nova basic weapons...
The gist of it is that each weapon has a reserve of damage dice it can use. After it's been used up, the weapon breaks and you have to use a different one. Criticals and multiplyers can remain the same.
Ranged weapons also do not require ammunition, but instead follow the same pattern.
Lightmace
Damage: (20)d8 Critical: 20 Multiplyer: x2
Crossbow
Damage: (25)d10 Critical: 19-20 Multiplyer: x2
Some blatant problems are that ceartain feats (like rabid reload) are worthless, and power attack becomes alot less useful. As well, adventurers who use weapons will have to probably pack a few extra weapons or head toward a shop all the time to get more.
But the upside is that if you're using a weapon, you can decide how much damage dice you want to use to fit the event. If you're going to be shooting down a dragon, you're probably going to invest all the dice it has to spare. Where as against a lowly goblin minion you'd probably feel it reckless to use even one.
Masterwork:
Masterwork now give +1 in attack roll for every damage dice you invested. So say I used 3d10 on my crossbow, +3 attack roll.
This sortof variant rule would be good for low magic campaigns. I could imagine Conan the barbarian using this houserule to explain how he's such a badass despite not being that high of a level.
The gist of it is that each weapon has a reserve of damage dice it can use. After it's been used up, the weapon breaks and you have to use a different one. Criticals and multiplyers can remain the same.
Ranged weapons also do not require ammunition, but instead follow the same pattern.
Lightmace
Damage: (20)d8 Critical: 20 Multiplyer: x2
Crossbow
Damage: (25)d10 Critical: 19-20 Multiplyer: x2
Some blatant problems are that ceartain feats (like rabid reload) are worthless, and power attack becomes alot less useful. As well, adventurers who use weapons will have to probably pack a few extra weapons or head toward a shop all the time to get more.
But the upside is that if you're using a weapon, you can decide how much damage dice you want to use to fit the event. If you're going to be shooting down a dragon, you're probably going to invest all the dice it has to spare. Where as against a lowly goblin minion you'd probably feel it reckless to use even one.
Masterwork:
Masterwork now give +1 in attack roll for every damage dice you invested. So say I used 3d10 on my crossbow, +3 attack roll.
This sortof variant rule would be good for low magic campaigns. I could imagine Conan the barbarian using this houserule to explain how he's such a badass despite not being that high of a level.