Houserules

[Alabenson]

I'm just curious what sort of hourserules people tend to play with, and what the reasoning behind those rules are.

For those curious, I've compiled a list of the houserules I use in my own games;
Banned:
Books:
Weapons of Legacy
Prestige Classes:
Planar Shepard
ACFs:
Cloistered Cleric, Spontaneous Divination, Convert Spell to Power
Spells:
Ice Assassin, Shun the Dark Chaos, Embrace the Dark Chaos
Feats:
Precocious Apprentice

Subject to DM Approval:
Dragon Magazine material
ACFs for Tier 1 and Tier 2 classes
Evil Characters
Homebrew
3rd party sources
Unearthed Arcana
Leadership

General Houserules:
Stats are rolled as 5d6, less the lowest 2. (Note that I am very lenient with regards to rerolling stats if the dice decide they hate you)
When rolling Hp, if the die roll is less than half of the average, the player may reroll and take the higher of the two results.
Ability increases now work the following way: At 4th level and every eight levels after that (12th, 20th, etc.), the player increases any two abilities by 1 each. At eighth level and every eight levels after that (16th, etc), the player increases all of their abilities by 1 each.
Fractional BAB and BSB
No Multiclass XP penalties
Any Class with dual-stat casting are changed to single stat casting, using the stat which determined their max spell-level as the primary casting stat
The following mechanics are not used: Action Points, Taint
Attempting to gain wishes from evil outsiders is strongly not recommended.
If a character initiates an infinite loop, they are spontaneously removed from the multiverse. No save.
Players are asked to be able to provide the names of any books used in building their characters if requested.

Rules Changes / Rulings
Races:
Nonstandard age categories notwithstanding, Dragonwrought Kobolds are not considered True Dragons.

Base Classes:
DFA;
The DFA’s breath weapon is considered to have a recharge time of 0 rounds. Therefore, they do qualify for metabreath feats.
Monk;
A monk is considered proficient with their unarmed strikes.
A monk may enchant their unarmed strikes in the same manner that an OA Samurai may enchant their daisho.
Swordsage;
The Swordsage receives (6+Int)x4 skill points at first level.
A Swordsage receives its Wisdom to AC if they are wearing light or no armor.

Prestige Classes:
The Cancer Mage’s disease host ability negates all mechanical effects of diseases, including beneficial ones.

Spells:
Shivering Touch allows a Fortitude save to negate.
Constructs created via Simulacrum do not retain the spellcasting, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities of the original creature.
Magic items created by Wish may not exceed 25,000 gp in value.
The duration of Polymorph Any Object will be determined by the DM on a case-by-case basis, using the listed table as a guideline.
When the PCs conjure NPC allies with spellcasting via spells such as Gate, the spells prepared/known of those NPC allies shall be determined by the DM, i.e. just because a Solar can have Gate prepared does not mean they actually do have Gate prepared.

Feats:
Enhancement bonus to abilities, such as from bull’s strength or gloves of dexterity, cannot be used to qualify for a feat’s prerequisites. However, once the feat is taken, they may be used to determine whether a character can continue to use said feat.
Versatile Spellcaster does not allow you to cast spells of a higher level than you could cast normally.
Blistering Spell, Flash Frost Spell, and Fell Drain may only be applied to spells that target or have a tangible effect on creatures.

Items:
The armor weight category reduction imparted by mithral applies to proficiency.
The price of the Candle of Invocation has been increased to 25,300 gp.
Metamagic reducers may not be applied to items.
The final cost of magical traps, including beneficial magical traps, will be determined by the DM.

[nyjastul69]

This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287715) thread has quite a few of them including mine.

[Flickerdart]

These are mine:

What's a multiclass XP penalty? What's carrying capacity? What's keeping track of mundane ammunition? Dirty communist lies, is what.
Deity prerequisites for PrCs and suchlike do not exist.
Alignments in crunch can eat a ****.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency grants proficiency with one exotic weapon per point of BAB you have (which improves as you level).
Gauntlets deal unarmed strike damage or their own damage, whichever is higher.
A psicrystal counts as a part of you for the purpose of Confusion and similar effects.
You may delay gaining stances as an initiator until you gain access to a new stance level. You may only have one stance delayed in this manner at any given time.
Conjuration(Healing) spells are now Necromancy(Healing) and are affected by all effects that modify Necromancy or Conjuration(Healing) spells.
Conjuration spells that have [Element] tags (such as Orb of Acid or Force) are now Evocation.
The exception is Mage Armor and derivatives, which are Abjuration.
Familiars scale with character, not class, level.
Dodge and Mobility no longer exist. Anything that has these feats as prerequisites doesn't anymore.
Flyby Attack, Rideby Attack, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack and Swimby Attack are now one feat with Spring Attack's prerequisites. You automatically get the extra functions once you have the prerequisites for those feats.
Call Weaponry is now a standard action.
Two Weapon Fighting turns into ITWF and GTWF as soon as you qualify; same thing goes for Rapid Shot -> Improved Rapid Shot and Manyshot -> Greater Manyshot.
Bows and crossbows add 1/2 Dexterity to damage.
Rangers and Druids exchange animal companion abilities. Paladins gain their stupid horse at level 3, and are treated as 2 levels higher for all stupid horse abilities.
Druids must use either the Shapeshift (PHB2) or Aspect of Nature (UA) variants. Wildshape Rangers must use the Aspect of Nature variant.
You cannot trade away an ability for an ACF if it's already been modified by another ACF.
In order to gain a benefit that requires a cost, you must pay that cost; if you mitigate all of the cost away, you're not paying the cost and the benefit does not happen. I'm looking at you, Hellfire Warlock and Body Fuel abusers.
Leadership of any kind may not be taken before the game begins. In game, Leadership may only be used to acquire existing NPCs that the PCs are familiar with as cohorts/thralls/wild companions/what have you. The same thing applies for animal companions, improved familiars and controlled undead - if you want something, seek it out in-game.
You don't need to be a spellcaster to use Craft: Alchemy
Everything has a masterwork tool as long as you make a good case for what it is
Vow of Nonviolence only affects the character with the feat; if anyone else breaks its terms, that character suffers the -1 penalty.
Combined skills (if any subskill is a class skill, the combined skill is as well; synergy from a subskill cannot affect any other skill in the combined skill; bonuses specific to one subskill do not apply to all uses of the combined skill):
Stealth (Dex) - Hide, Move Silently
Legerdemain (Dex) - Sleight of Hand, Open Lock, Disable Device
Awareness (Wis) - Spot, Listen, Search
Linguistics (Int) - Speak Language, Forgery, Decipher Script
Deceive Device (Cha) - Use Magic Device, Use Psionic Device
Average HP per hit die, rounded up:
d4 = 3
d6 = 4
d8 = 5
d10 = 6
d12 = 7

[nyjastul69]

I forgot to ask. Why do you ban Weapons of Legacy?

[Alabenson]

I forgot to ask. Why do you ban Weapons of Legacy?

Frankly, I absolutely despise Weapons of Legacy; virtually all of the listed weapons are garbage, the system for making your own is convoluted and involves far too much work for far too little gain, and most of the uses for the Legacy Champion prestige class are the sort of optimization tricks that set my teeth on edge.
Which makes it particularly annoying that someone at WotC apparently loved the stupid mechanic enough to insert it into a number of their later adventures :smallannoyed:.

[Flickerdart]

The idea of WoL is perfectly fine - trying to minimize perceived gear dependency of mundane characters by giving them an item with many abilities that relies on their personal power and sacrifices to function is definitely a lot more interesting than rocking faces because you found or bought a stack of items that would work for literally anyone else wearing them.

Now, the execution? Rubbish.

[Alabenson]

The idea of WoL is perfectly fine - trying to minimize perceived gear dependency of mundane characters by giving them an item with many abilities that relies on their personal power and sacrifices to function is definitely a lot more interesting than rocking faces because you found or bought a stack of items that would work for literally anyone else wearing them.

Now, the execution? Rubbish.

I agree that concept of items that improve as you level is fine, and I've played around with items like that in one or two of my own games. It's just that the rules for that idea as presented in WoL are so horrible that I'd rather set the book aside and work from scratch.

[nyjastul69]

Frankly, I absolutely despise Weapons of Legacy; virtually all of the listed weapons are garbage, the system for making your own is convoluted and involves far too much work for far too little gain, and most of the uses for the Legacy Champion prestige class are the sort of optimization tricks that set my teeth on edge.
Which makes it particularly annoying that someone at WotC apparently loved the stupid mechanic enough to insert it into a number of their later adventures :smallannoyed:.

Fair enough. I love the idea though. It really is almost a perfect example of the wrong execution of the right idea. Too bad really, it had so much potential.

[Sylthia]

These are mine:

What's a multiclass XP penalty? What's carrying capacity? What's keeping track of mundane ammunition? Dirty communist lies, is what.
Deity prerequisites for PrCs and suchlike do not exist.
Alignments in crunch can eat a ****.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency grants proficiency with one exotic weapon per point of BAB you have (which improves as you level).
Gauntlets deal unarmed strike damage or their own damage, whichever is higher.
A psicrystal counts as a part of you for the purpose of Confusion and similar effects.
You may delay gaining stances as an initiator until you gain access to a new stance level. You may only have one stance delayed in this manner at any given time.
Conjuration(Healing) spells are now Necromancy(Healing) and are affected by all effects that modify Necromancy or Conjuration(Healing) spells.
Conjuration spells that have [Element] tags (such as Orb of Acid or Force) are now Evocation.
The exception is Mage Armor and derivatives, which are Abjuration.
Familiars scale with character, not class, level.
Dodge and Mobility no longer exist. Anything that has these feats as prerequisites doesn't anymore.
Flyby Attack, Rideby Attack, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack and Swimby Attack are now one feat with Spring Attack's prerequisites. You automatically get the extra functions once you have the prerequisites for those feats.
Call Weaponry is now a standard action.
Two Weapon Fighting turns into ITWF and GTWF as soon as you qualify; same thing goes for Rapid Shot -> Improved Rapid Shot and Manyshot -> Greater Manyshot.
Bows and crossbows add 1/2 Dexterity to damage.
Rangers and Druids exchange animal companion abilities. Paladins gain their stupid horse at level 3, and are treated as 2 levels higher for all stupid horse abilities.
Druids must use either the Shapeshift (PHB2) or Aspect of Nature (UA) variants. Wildshape Rangers must use the Aspect of Nature variant.
You cannot trade away an ability for an ACF if it's already been modified by another ACF.
In order to gain a benefit that requires a cost, you must pay that cost; if you mitigate all of the cost away, you're not paying the cost and the benefit does not happen. I'm looking at you, Hellfire Warlock and Body Fuel abusers.
Leadership of any kind may not be taken before the game begins. In game, Leadership may only be used to acquire existing NPCs that the PCs are familiar with as cohorts/thralls/wild companions/what have you. The same thing applies for animal companions, improved familiars and controlled undead - if you want something, seek it out in-game.
You don't need to be a spellcaster to use Craft: Alchemy
Everything has a masterwork tool as long as you make a good case for what it is
Vow of Nonviolence only affects the character with the feat; if anyone else breaks its terms, that character suffers the -1 penalty.
Combined skills (if any subskill is a class skill, the combined skill is as well; synergy from a subskill cannot affect any other skill in the combined skill; bonuses specific to one subskill do not apply to all uses of the combined skill):
Stealth (Dex) - Hide, Move Silently
Legerdemain (Dex) - Sleight of Hand, Open Lock, Disable Device
Awareness (Wis) - Spot, Listen, Search
Linguistics (Int) - Speak Language, Forgery, Decipher Script
Deceive Device (Cha) - Use Magic Device, Use Psionic Device
Average HP per hit die, rounded up:
d4 = 3
d6 = 4
d8 = 5
d10 = 6
d12 = 7



Many of yours look similar to mine. When you say 1/2 Dex for ranged weapons, do you mean the Dex modifier?

[Flickerdart]

Many of yours look similar to mine. When you say 1/2 Dex for ranged weapons, do you mean the Dex modifier?
Yes. Referring to the ability scores themselves for anything is just weird.

[limejuicepowder]

I have a pretty decent sized list of house rules, though it barely overlaps with what you guys have down. Not that I disagree with what your lists, I just sum up a lot of that stuff under "gentlemen's agreement."

My list looks like this. I also often include game-specific rules when it gets down to play.

Major Changes
-Melee attack rolls key off of Dex or Str, whichever is higher
-Dexterity modifier is added to ranged damage rolls with projectile weapons
-Characters add 1/2 of their base attack bonus to their AC whenever they are aware of the attack as an untyped bonus
-Spells of level 7 and higher are not automatically available to learn. Higher level spell slots are still gained to be use for metamagic, etc.
-Sneak Attack and skirmish applies to all enemies, not just those susceptible to precision damage
-Fighters may select any combat or skill oriented feat with their bonus feats
-Every character gets a combat maneuver pool equal to their BaB. Spending a point allows the character to make a standard action full attack, or perform a special combat action without drawing a AoO (trip, bullrush, sunder, disarm, etc). Only 1 point can be spent each round, and the pool replenishes each day.
Minor Changes
-Increase the armor bonus of all medium armors by 1 and all heavy armors by 2
-Wearing medium armor only decreases the wearer's speed by 5 rather then 10 ft (when speed is affected in other cases and the penalty for medium or heavy armor is normally greater then 10 ft, halve the difference between light and heavy to find the medium armor penalty)
-double the base armor benefit of all shields
-only mindless undead are immune to fear effects, not undead in general
-DR stacks; if a creature has multiple sources of DR, each of them apply
-orb of X and the lessor versions are evocation spells, not conjuration
-mage armor is abjuration
-healing spells are necromancy

Feat Changes
-Weapon Finesse is dropped as a prereq in all instances
-The bonus granted by Dodge now applies to all enemies and is combined in to a single feat with Mobility. Taking this feat will meet any prereqs that call for either or both. If another ability only applies to the target of the dodge feat, choose a target that ability as normal but the +1 dodge bonus still applies to all enemies
-Toughness is replaced by Improved Toughness, and Improved Toughness' prereq is waved
-Run and endurance are now one feat
-Combat Casting and Manifestation is replaced with Skill Focus (concentration)
-Proficiency is no longer a feat. Characters may spend 3 skill points to gain proficiency with a weapon or armor
-All races gain automatic proficiency with all racial weapons and armor
-Power attack applies the more favorable 2:1 ratio for one-handed weapons, but only for weapons held in the main hand
-Short Haft no longer requires weapon focus, and the feat simply removes minimum strike distance with the chosen reach weapon

[Agent 451]

-Proficiency is no longer a feat. Characters may spend 3 skill points to gain proficiency with a weapon or armor


Does that apply to exotics as well?

[ShriekingDrake]

These (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14213327&postcount=1) spells are what we ban in one of my games.

[Alabenson]

These (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14213327&postcount=1) spells are what we ban in one of my games.

I'm curious, why do ban the Planar Binding line but not the Planar Ally line?

Also, your post reminds me of two other spells I forgot are on my banlist; Shun/Embrace the Dark Chaos.

[ShriekingDrake]

I actually don't have good answers for that. I suspect you're right. I'll check on them and may add them.

Thanks.

[Flickerdart]

I'm curious, why do ban the Planar Binding line but not the Planar Ally line?
Planar Binding is a lot easier to game - you choose the creature, and what constitutes fair compensation is determined by a Charisma check. Standard practice is to hold the creature hostage and debuff it until you can't fail even the most unreasonable request. Planar Ally is basically "your god sends you whoever is free and you have to pay them the union-set wage and also XP".

[limejuicepowder]

Does that apply to exotics as well?

Yes it does; I actually made that rule with exotics in mind. So many of them are fairly cool with neat niche uses, but are so far below the cost of a feat they never get used.

[Alabenson]

Yes it does; I actually made that rule with exotics in mind. So many of them are fairly cool with neat niche uses, but are so far below the cost of a feat they never get used.

I think this is a neat idea, the only problem I see is that, for many martial classes, 3 skill points isn't a trivial cost either. If a martial class only receives 2+Int skill points per level, than 3 skill points could represent all or most of the skill points they receive for one level, which particularly becomes an issue if they want to enter a prestige class that has skill ranks as a prerequisite.

[ShriekingDrake]

Fair enough. I love the idea though. It really is almost a perfect example of the wrong execution of the right idea. Too bad really, it had so much potential.

We don't use the book, much, in our campaigns. But the concept is big a couple of my groups, especially as we don't like the Magic Shop idea. This way the DM can improve the item as necessary, for the plot, for balance, for fun.

[limejuicepowder]

I think this is a neat idea, the only problem I see is that, for many martial classes, 3 skill points isn't a trivial cost either. If a martial class only receives 2+Int skill points per level, than 3 skill points could represent all or most of the skill points they receive for one level, which particularly becomes an issue if they want to enter a prestige class that has skill ranks as a prerequisite.

Tis true. Honestly though, my house rule list is very much a WIP, and giving mundanes more skills is high on my list of things to add to my list of rule changes. Even without that though, I'd still rather try and finagle 3 skill points out of a build than a feat.

[Jeff the Green]

Here are mine.
General

Retraining is fine and free. Rebuilding may require in-game hoop-jumping.
No multiclass penalty. Leveling in your favored class or a directly relevant PrC gets you +1 HP or +1 skill point (+4 at 1st level).
Wonky rules text will be adjudicated on the fly unless it’s intended to be used frequently.
This isn’t a house rule, but bears mentioning: NO FUMBLES.
Rules 1, 4, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 22, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 34, 36, 41, 44, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 of RACSD (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240218) apply. As the name suggests, they’re common sense, so you mostly don’t have to worry about them.
Fluff-based prerequisites may be waived on request.
Chaining ACFs is okay except when it would give you strictly more than you gave up. (E.g. Familiar → Animal Companion → Urban Companion is not allowed, but Familiar → Animal Companion → Distracting Attack (PHB2) is.)

Alignment

Poison isn’t evil, but is generally considered dishonorable.
Evil characters are fine, but must play well with others

Casters

Replace spell component pouch with a focus (such as a poppet, wand, etc.) that is mechanically identical but more thematic for your character. You cannot buy this, but may craft one with four hours of work, 50 GP worth of materials, and a DC 10 Craft (e.g. wood carving, gem cutting, metalsmithing) check. Or use a normal spell component pouch, if you feel it’s more appropriate.

Feats

Combat Expertise gives the benefit of Improved Feint once you have at least 8 ranks in Bluff.
Darkstalker (LoM) applies to all unusual senses, including Mindsight.
Improved Bullrush, Improved Overrun, and Improved Sunder do not have Power Attack as a prerequisite.
Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, and Improved Trip do not have Combat Expertise as a prerequisite.
Improved Grapple does not have Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite.
Point Blank Shot gives the benefit of Precise Shot, and makes it so you don’t provoke AoOs for ranged attacks.
The Two-Weapon Fighting chain is folded into a single feat. You gain the benefits of ITWF and GTWF as soon as you meet the prerequisites.

Classes

Healers

Spontaneous, full list, Charisma-based casting.
Use this (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4079.0) spell list minus foraging charm (Dr 302); ask about spells from other sources.
Prepare Sanctified spells in spell slots if wanted.

Monks

Full BAB.
d10 HD.
Flurry on a standard action.

Paladins

Smite per encounter, not per day.
Full caster level.

Rangers

Animal companion starting at level one, with druid progression.
Full caster level.


Skills

Masterwork tools of any kind are allowed so long as they’re described reasonably.
You can Aid Another on Knowledge checks by bouncing ideas off each other, but this takes at least three rounds of talking and doesn’t work on Knowledge Devotion or Dark Knowledge.
To convince someone to do something, use Rich’s Diplomacy fix. To get someone to like you in a social situation, roll as normal.
Purchasing a rank in Listen gives you ½ rank in Spot, and vice versa
Purchasing a rank in Hide gives you ½ rank in Move Silently, and vice versa
Purchasing a rank in Disable Device gives you ½ rank in Open Lock, and vice versa
If you have 5 or more ranks in Perform (act), you get a +2 synergy bonus on Bluff checks and Disguise checks made when you know you’re being observed and you try to act in character.

Sources

All WotC 3.5 sources.
All WotC 3.0 sources that haven’t been updated.
Dragon Magazine, third party (including Dragon Compendium) and homebrew on review.

Despite my quick and dirty fixes for healer, monk, paladin, and ranger, I’m happy to allow more comprehensive fixes. Same thing for classes I haven’t fixed. Ask.

Pathfinder on review. In general, I won’t say yes if there’s a 3.5 equivalent.
Setting-specific feats, classes, etc. are fine. Fluff requirements may be ditched or changed at my whim.

Spells

Use my resurrection incantations (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254498) rather than raise dead, resurrection, and true resurrection. Revivify works as normal.
Summon nature’s ally got no love in splats. Use this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11773709) expanded list.

Wealth

I may or may not use a virtual wealth system.

Gold buys mundane equipment, lodging, food, luxuries, etc. You will receive as much gold as is reasonable for the encounter, and may start with as much gold as is reasonable for your profession/background.
Magic items, alchemical items, poisons, and equipment made of special materials cannot be bought with gold or sold for gold. They must be obtained with favors from such powers as thieves’ guilds, nobles, politicians, churches, town councils, or powerful magical creatures, and can be traded to the same for favors.
Favors’ worth can be estimated with Appraise or an appropriate Knowledge skill. If you think you will fail or did fail, you can hire someone to figure it out for you.
Favors can be combined or split up into multiple smaller favors, as needed.
Crafting requires rare materials only attainable through favors.

When I don’t use virtual wealth, you don’t need to keep track of coin weights.


Variants

Prestigious Classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm) are generally fine.
Use Weapon Groups. Ask for PrCs. See table below for non-core base classes. [I don't feel like converting the table to vBCode; it's mostly what you'd expect.]
I will include recipes for Incantations (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/incantations.htm) in treasure on occasion. You can research them with access to a library. If you want to start the game knowing one or more, ask.

[Alabenson]

Casters

Replace spell component pouch with a focus (such as a poppet, wand, etc.) that is mechanically identical but more thematic for your character. You cannot buy this, but may craft one with four hours of work, 50 GP worth of materials, and a DC 10 Craft (e.g. wood carving, gem cutting, metalsmithing) check. Or use a normal spell component pouch, if you feel it’s more appropriate.



I don't really see the point to this change; you're giving the players a choice between a spell component pouch and something that's identical aside from it costing ten times as much and being somewhat thematically different?

[Jeff the Green]

I don't really see the point to this change; you're giving the players a choice between a spell component pouch and something that's identical aside from it costing ten times as much and being somewhat thematically different?

That's either a typo or I forgot how much spell component pouches cost; it should be the same as the pouch :smallredface:. Or maybe less (or free) since it requires them to craft it.

[Darth Stabber]

Not exhaustive, but spoilered for length.
A wide variety of sucky or suckish classes are allowed to be gestalted together in a normal game (Soulknife, Soulborn, Adept, Warrior, Samurai, Healer, Expert, Dragon Shaman, Knight, Warmage, and Marshal). This type of gestalting cannot be used as a dip (minimum 5 levels).

Paladin kinda sucks (without a lot of splat support), so Crusader replaces it for everything but dips

Monk sucks so swordsage replaces it for everything but dips

Fighter sucks so Warblade replaces it for everything but dips

Barbarians are spirit lion totem by default, you can swap it back for Jaguar if you really want the speed.

Caster PRCs with more than 1/2 spell progression gain caster levels (ala practiced caster) on non-progression levels.

Tier 1 and 2 are required to have lost one caster level to multiclassing or PRC's by ten, and tier 1's must also delays 9s til 20, tier 2 til 19.

Multiclassing XP penalty is ignored

Archivist can't have a spell that appears on the cleric or druid list at a lower level than it appears on the cleric or druid list.

Drown healing, and similarly weird loopholes are closed.

regular halflings are non-existant, strongheart halflings and tibbits fill the void.

VoP is a trait, not a feat, and other exalted feats only require good alignment, not ultra good, infact anything in BoED that requires exalted only requires good alignment.

Everyone, non-summoned minions fall under the same hd control cap of ECL*4 (other than cohort, familiars, paladin mounts, psicrystals, and animal companions). Any effect that ups a cap for a specific type ups the pool instead, example DN's increase at 8th level. This applies to leadership, trained animals, hired mercenaries, undead creation spells, thrallherd believers, dominate targets, command undead targets, Planar binding/ally spell minion, controlled rebuke targets, and probably several other things that haven't come up yet. In addition each character may only bring 3 of these minions into a given combat (exceptions maybe granted from time to time). Given the temporary nature of summons/astral constructs, they are not affected by either limit, nor are charmed or suggested foes.

All alternate forms, summons, and minions must be stated up by the player before they can be used.

Spont casters gain eschew material component for free, and my cast spells affected by metamagic feats without time increases.

Metapsionic feats do not require the expenditure of a psionic focus.

[ddude987]

Some houserules I always use

-You can ready an action to partial charge
-Pounce does not apply on a partial charge
-Classes like Sorcerer or Duskblade can change any spell out at any level-up so long as the new spell is of equal level.
-Monks get Wis instead of Str to hit at level 2 and to damage at level 4
-DWK is a true dragon (not strictly a houserule)
-You do not auto fail a crit confirmation on a 1
-Absent players get 1/2 xp from the meeting
-Abolish xp penalties
-LA buyoff is always allowed
-Punpun has every right to smite you if you try to punpun
-Everything follows RAW, even if it is drowning yourself from -9 to 0 hp until the DM says it does not work.
-For the above, the new ruling starts at the start of the next session (or the current if the current has not started)
-Players must sleep 6 hours and rest 8 hours a day or be fatigued even if they are immune to fatigue.
-Nonleathal damage rolls over into lethal damage if and only if you have taken nonleathal equal to 10+your max hp.
-swordsage has x4 skills at level 1 not x6
-any class that grants listen grants spot and vice versa

[Seharvepernfan]

Mine are in my sig. My reasons for them are pretty simple; getting the game to work as intended. In general, mine are easier on martial types, harder on casters, and make the game a bit grittier. Granted, martial types can now cast, for the most part, and anybody can get UMD pretty easily. You can build a character who functions as you intend, without having to jump through hoops to do it.

I admit, my DMing methods go hand in hand with these rules, so they may not work for everybody.