Balancing a houserule: doubling all the bonuses

[Cybris75]

Hi playground,

in order to make races more distinct from another and make some feats worth taking, we are considering the following houserule:


All fixed numerical bonuses to skill checks, saving throws, attack rolls, damage rolls, armor class, caster level checks, and spell DCs granted by feats and racial traits are doubled. This does not apply to bonuses granted by size category, nor to bonuses granted by class features, and neither to variable bonuses like the damage bonus from power attack.

That way Elves get a more meaningful +4 to listen, search, and spot, Spell Focus gets more relevant, and even Persuasive and Dodge do something (we houseruled Dodge to be not limited to one opponent).

Now come the questions: does this do what we want it to do? And what did we miss?

Whisper gnomes get even more awesome, and Skill Focus grants a big bonus, but what other unintended consequences could this have that we didn't think about?

[Silva Stormrage]

There are a couple races that get really good. Marrulurks for example would get massive (+8) bonus to hide and move silently. They would get 4d6 sneak attack (Assuming their 2d6 sneak attack gets doubled).

Similarly whisper gnomes become amazing with they +8 to hide and move silently +4 to spot and listen and +8! ac against giants.

So some races that were already good become REALLY good.

I don't think it is that much of an issue though.

Though do template bonuses get doubled as well?

[Cybris75]

No, there wouldn't be additional sneak attack dice. Also, the bonus from Craven would not get doubled, because it is dependent on character level, and thus not fixed.

The AC bonus against giants so rarely comes up in our games that we can safely ignore it. Someday we might make a houserule stating that this bonus applies to all foes at least two size categories larger (because that sounds more sensible to us), and then we'll think about how big of a difference it makes.

I haven't thought about templates. The ones that come to mind immediately already grant meaningful bonuses (e.g. Vampire and Lich), so I probably wouldn't apply this rule to templates.

We want to make the measly +1 and +2 bonuses more meaningful, not give liches +16 to listen checks.

[HammeredWharf]

This would make some feats really powerful. For example a Gnome Beguiler 1 with two flaws could get a +8 to the DCs of his illusions via his racial bonus, SF, Greater SF and Shadow Weave Magic.

[Xerlith]

Just make it case by case... Case. Some races need the boost, some others become completely must-have for certain characters.
If template bonuses get doubled as well, a MIneral Warrior sports immortality at low levels, with his DR 16/adamantine.

Weapon focus feat chain becomes a bit less horrible with this rule, so that's nice for low-OP.

[Cybris75]

This would make some feats really powerful. For example a Gnome Beguiler 1 with two flaws could get a +8 to the DCs of his illusions via his racial bonus, SF, Greater SF and Shadow Weave Magic.

We don't use flaws, but +8 bonus for three feats and a racial trait doesn't sound too bad. I can do a lot of nasty stuff with three feats, and a big bonus on Illusion save DCs is probably not that game-breakingly powerful.


Just make it case by case... Case. Some races need the boost, some others become completely must-have for certain characters.
If template bonuses get doubled as well, a MIneral Warrior sports immortality at low levels, with his DR 16/adamantine.

Damage reduction will probably not be affected. But I think templates are good enough as they are, anyway, so this wouldn't apply.


Weapon focus feat chain becomes a bit less horrible with this rule, so that's nice for low-OP.

...or if you need some feats as prerequisites. Whenever I see Dodge, Weapon Focus, or Spell Focus as a prerequisite for a nice feat or prestige class, I struggle not to use up one of my daily rage uses.

[heavyfuel]

This would make some feats really powerful. For example a Gnome Beguiler 1 with two flaws could get a +8 to the DCs of his illusions via his racial bonus, SF, Greater SF and Shadow Weave Magic.

Add Vow of Non-violence and you get another +8! Seriously, his illusions and enchantments will be almost unbeatable.

[Xerlith]

Another ide for a fairly simple help would be actually making these feat *drum roll* scale with character level.

you see, a +2 to something gets obsolete fast.

A +1 + 1/4HD gets job done for quite a long time.

Although, yes, that means a humble Weapon Focus gives a +6 at 20th level. So that may be too much.

Huh. I actually said a Weapon Focus may be too good. I'm gonna go take my meds right now. Excuse me.

[Fax Celestis]

This may interest you. http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?38300-Feat-System-Perfecting-Feats

[The Insanity]

I like it. Needs some more details, though, to make it clear what is affected and what isn't.