Homebrew: What would you allow?

[Xuldarinar]

A simple question that is up for wide discussion.

Given all the homebrew out there, what would you gladly bring to the table or allow to be brought to the table (or at the very least would consider)? What are some of your favorite homebrews, and some of the best made that you've seen?

[XionUnborn01]

I don't have a specific list of things I've allowed or used and I guess I don't really remember where a lot of it came from. Most of the 'brew from the playground is acceptable to use at a table, though just be careful when allowing some of the tier 1 melee classes because I've seen people get overwhelmed and feel like they're overpowered because they're not used to that kind of capability. Nothing wrong with those classes mind you, but it presents a lot of options that some melee players might not be used to.

One thing I make sure of is to let anyone using homebrew options know that it's always subject to change if it causes issues. If they bring in a feat/ability/class or whatever that looks like it won't cause an issue on paper but does in practice something is going to change. I've always worked with them to make the change as minor as possible to correct any issue that might be caused though a few times things have been scrapped and just forgotten.

For example, we were doing a low power murder mystery campaign for something different than the normal. A player brought up a feat he found that had to do with the search skill but I don't really remember what it did. I just remember after a few sessions the other players felt like they couldn't contribute and I sat down with that player to try to figure it out. Lacking a solution we could both agree on, we came up with a new solution--his character would be the next victim and he would convert one of the npc police into his new character.

TL;DR, as long as the brew has been peer reviewed and doesn't cause problems with the group, anything is fair game.

[Zirconia]

I'm in one now where everyone is a X/Wizard gestalt, but the only magic items you can use are ones you personally make, and the total "magic value" you can have by level is WBL. There is also only one kind of "+ bonus", to avoid sillyness we had in a previous campaign with stacking +1 sacred/morale/luck/etc. bonuses instead of buying a +X bonus item, though the cost per plus is flattish instead of going by the square of the bonus. No multiclassing, not that you really need it as a gestalt Wizard. Finally, WBL caps at what you get at 10th. To make up for it, you get 1 stat point/level plus the usual 1/4 levels. There is a bunch more custom stuff, but that is the core of it. We have not gotten to 10th level yet, so we'll have to see how it works at the higher levels. The DM has given out a few extra items beyond what we can make, so he can always tweak that way, but there is no way to buy such.

Upsides; since everyone is X/Wizard, there is not as much Tier disparity as there might be. Some of the more abusive magic item uses are ruled out just because they are too expensive, or it is too expensive to stack the three items you need for something cheesy. It really forces some hard decisions about where to allocate your "magic item value".

[Phelix-Mu]

I have a pathetic addiction to Xaotiq1's fix for monk. The katas are just too cool of an idea. Some of the math is blatantly unbalanced, and Ten Foot Punch is highly problematic as written, but it moves monk right up into Tier 3, in my view. Plus, it's the kind of homebrew that invites more homebrew, allowing some easy expansion of monk role by introducing new katas.

Anyway, my other preference lately has been for mainly class fixes, but also for material that fills accepted roles in unconventional ways. I am still working on my nominally non-magical summoner-esque Biogenetor, a class that combines a thirst for creating new life with a knack for creating short-lived construct-like beings out of biomatter. One of my better concepts.

I am also enamored with things that blur the line between magic and mundane, crossing roles from one to the other. A new thought of mine is a minionmancer that uses real animals and drugs/special training to boost animals to higher levels of effectiveness.

Finally, the most common homebrew that I allow is probably either fixes/tweaks of my own or refluff/expansion of existing stuff (like some of the warlock homebrew found on these forums) and otherwise re-concepting the main classes (like alternate-stat casting or something like that).

[sideswipe]

some house rules my DM has

1. dodge is just +1 to AC. its a sucky feat so it makes it a little better.
2. in gestalt you only need to give up one half of a level for racial hit die and LA (so a lvl 10 gestalt can be one side Vampire drow LA 8+2 other side class X).
3. a flaw i once took was every meal must cost me at least 5g. if i ate or drank anything less than that i would become permanently sickened until i have an atonement.
4. no murky eyed as a flaw. it barely affects you ever.

the other house rules just crop up and are handled then.

[Coidzor]

I'm rather fond of the Redeemer of Regrets (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9994058&postcount=14) and I've love to try out the Harrowed (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188148), Xenoalchemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205119), Teramach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286983), or Ozodrin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153536).

I've also been interested in trying out some variant graft systems and I keep meaning to take another look at this Combat Techniques (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217700) homebrew.

I'd be well disposed towards Monk, Marshall, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, or Rogue fixes as well. I'm especially fond of the martial adept reinterpretations of the Marshal and other classes in general.

There's also some homebrewed ToB disciplines, base classes, and PrCs that caught my eye that I want to find again too, so I'm interested in that category of homebrew as well.

Alternate magic systems and subsystems are generally interesting to me if they're worth the time it takes to read 'em.

[Jormengand]

A simple question that is up for wide discussion.

Given all the homebrew out there, what would you gladly bring to the table or allow to be brought to the table (or at the very least would consider)? What are some of your favorite homebrews, and some of the best made that you've seen?

Anything that fit the concept of the game, was functional as written and didn't shatter the game, also known as The Exact Same Rule I Use For Official Content.

[Ralcos]

I actually take the time to check if a homebrew is balanced enough for the game, just making sure the numbers and stuff aren't too powerful or too underpowered.

AND I'll only allow it if they aren't trying to mess up the game with their numbers mumbo-jumbo. It can get pretty crazy.

[BWR]

I often make a lot of homebrew stuff for various systems, but rarely implement much if any of it. Changes to existing things are a lot more common than actual new stuff. Changes to classes or spells or feats get increasingly common as a game progresses though I try to stop myself. New feats or classes or spells are not so common.

I try desperately to keep to published sources because it makes it easier for all the players to know what they have to work with, but I don't have a problem with homebrew as opposed to official or third party products per se - no matter who makes the stuff, you will have the good, the bad and the ugly to contend with.

[Mcdt2]

I tend to allow just about everything, I absolutely adore homebrew. In fact, I just started a campaign, 4 players, gestalt, and among them only 2 people are using a non-homebrew class. And even so, 1 of them is a swordsage and 1/2 of his disciplines are homebrew, so...

In general, anything TG Oskar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9539457&postcount=83) makes is superb, and my players are using his Warmage, Marshal, and Samurai retools in my campaign. This Vow of Poverty (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140428) fix is a favourite of mine, and again is being used by my players now. This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14309736&postcount=3) is a nice fix for the weapon focus line, and How Words Work (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90961) is a good truenaming fix, although I've yet to read Kyudo's fix (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120488) to see how his matches up. The Complete Spell Reformation (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307778), as the name implies, is a cool spellcasting overhaul, although I usually use Ernir's Spell Point system (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194002) (I'm currently considering trying to integrate the two systems into one for my table).

[Valtu]

I'm still playing my very first campaign, and just a player, not a DM or anything, but we do utilize some homebrew rules.

One that I'm fond of is our DM lets Detect Magic and Read Magic be innate abilities for all spellcasters, centered on an object or very specific area, using a d20 roll with no modifiers. I think that makes much more sense than having to actually dedicate spell slots to those functions.

The only thing I would change about it is if we could take the modifier of whatever ability is tied to our spellcasting (CHA, for my sorcerer) and apply that to the roll.

We also don't use XP at all, either, which is kind of nice. We're just awarded the opportunity to level up as a party when the DM feels we've earned it, basically.

[peacenlove]

Links/description will come when i get to my pc.
Descent of shadows (except base classes), everything from krimm blackleaf/demented one, tg oscar multiclass feats and dicefreaks site. Also necrolock from errantx and winners/runner ups from design contests on this forum.

[Chronos]

It seems to me to be counter to the spirit of homebrew to have a specific list of what I'd allow. Were I DMing, I would consider any homebrew that a player approached me about, most of which I've probably not yet even heard of.

[Averis Vol]

In general, anything TG Oskar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9539457&postcount=83) makes is superb.

Seconding this. I basically allow anything that I read over and that isn't too insane. This mainly means I allow things that are t3 and down, as I am not terribly fond of the potential of T1&2 classes to begin with, and I don't think the game needs any more.

[Kaje]

Races
Gargoyle (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250887)

Base Classes
Beast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222962)
Beastman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11719399)
Esper Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169532)
Mageknight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10912650)
Marshal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186681)
Swordsaint (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11879)
Teramach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286983)
Fighter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140278)

Prestige Classes
Midnight Occultist (http://forum.faxcelestis.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22)

And probably a lot of other things from the Playground. People here are good.

[Seerow]

It seems to me to be counter to the spirit of homebrew to have a specific list of what I'd allow. Were I DMing, I would consider any homebrew that a player approached me about, most of which I've probably not yet even heard of.

Pretty much this. Though anything from someone I'm familiar with is more likely to get an automatic pass, and certain sources *coughdandwikicough* are likely to require a rework of whatever the material is before being accepted.

[ngilop]

I love Kenneth's Vow of Poverty (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12433473&postcount=15)

as well as his version of the Marshal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224745) ( with my suggestions for how shouts should scale (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12786073&postcount=8)) This is actually the version I completely use in my campaign world instead of a gestalted fighter/marshal

MammonAzrael made probably the greatest peice of homebrew ever with his Warlock (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226021) (seriously, its amazing!!!)

Of course anything I ever made, from classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16311622&postcount=4) to PrC'S (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311379) and my reworked NPC classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=317055) and lastly Feats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268577) though they are mostly used to buff the fighter


and speaking of teh Fighter.. when I get to a point where I feel happy that I reached my gaol I will start using this guy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=318268) as well

[Xuldarinar]

Interesting things so far, some very good points as well. I feel I might as well contribute.

Personally, I've found Realms of Chaos's Xenotheurgy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122103) and Descent of Shadows (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74519) both to be favorites of mine but I have never had the chance to bring either to the table.

I don't wish to toot my horn, but I like some of my own homebrews as well (Alloprax (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308829), Expanded Subpsionics (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299103]Expanded%20SubPsionics[/URL]), Incarnum Diversity (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308828), Shadow Artificer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282740), Theurge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308827), and the Hybrid Race Template (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308375) being favorites of my own creations.)

I've seen Midnight Occultist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157493) before, and I think it is brilliant. I also rather enjoy Peacenlove's Complete Shadow, which you can find in their signature above.

[Coidzor]

It seems to me to be counter to the spirit of homebrew to have a specific list of what I'd allow. Were I DMing, I would consider any homebrew that a player approached me about, most of which I've probably not yet even heard of.

For me it's less about having a specific list of what's allowed and more having a list of stuff that's already been approved in general rather than on a case-by-case basis.

Though it's definitely kinda weird to allow some homebrew and then not even consider others.

[Xuldarinar]

Well, my question is basically what have people allowed or know they would allow and what would people love to have brought to the table. Certainly there is some case by case basis, between campaigns and homebrews, but I like seeing what people have to say on the subject.

[danzibr]

I love Kenneth's Vow of Poverty (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12433473&postcount=15)
I'm glad I visited this thread, if only to see this.

As for what I allow, anything if I'm okay with it. Backporting stuff from PF. It depends on the relative power level.