House Rules

[ekarney]

What house rules does everybody run here? 3.X or PF, it doesn't matter, just explain why you use them.

Personally I run with:
Monks get full BAB because they're a damn melee character.
If you want to take out another player you run it by me first, I'm fine with PVP just make it fair, so no recruiting the level 8 assassin you met yesterday to deal with the level 1 wizard who stole your kill.

Those are my non-negotiable rules that are present in every campaign I run.
I'll now present my rules that are only present in some campaigns, usually dependent on the power level of them.
High Power Campaigns
-For the purposes of entering PrC's an Artificer's caster level can be counter as either Divine or Arcane, as well as infusions being classed as spells for the same purpose.
-Wizards can learn spells from Artificer Scrolls.
-Full HP on HD
-(Up to) +3LA for free, though this one is dependent on whether or not the players wish to take advantage of this.
-Property isn't counted when determining WBL.
-Anyone with full BAB can take Large size as a first level feat.
-Bards get full BAB and medium armour proficiency.
-Clerics get full BAB
-Homebrew is allowed but must be approved first.
-Firearms approved, both from DragMag and the DMG
-Maximum +15 for weapon enhancements.

Medium Power Campaigns
-No 9th level spells until level 20, as a result it takes two levels longer to achieve every spell level except for 0th and 1st.
-Party must be within 2 tiers of the majority.
-4 Additional skill points per level for full BAB classes, 2 additional for 3/4 BAB.
-Homebrew allowed upon request, only from the approved homebrew list.
-A strength or dex score of 14 or above means 5ft movement penalty from medium and heavy armour/loads instead of 10.

Low Power Campaigns
-6th level casting is the highest you'll achieve, which will be at level 18 for full casters, others are scaled down accordingly.
-Weapons are moved up a size category for damage.
-Death is permanent, there is no way you can be brought back to life outside of becoming a ghost, which happens at my discretion.
-Maximum +4 for weapon enhancements.
-No DR or fast healing.
-+1LA for free.
-All HD are rolled, even first.
-No more HD after level 16, you still gain class features, just not health.
-You CAN dip in LA/RHD progressions converted for players (You know what I'm talking about the ones in Savage Species and Libris Mortis)

Obviously I mix these around, and sometimes not all the rules are present at once, or I may mix and match rules, but I tell my players before the rules affect them to make sure they're cool with it.

Variable Rules
I introduce these rules at whim basically, but I give the players enough time to know.
-No Psionics.
-No Divination beyond 2nd level.
-You must join an Arcane School in order to learn spells form certain schools beyond certain levels.
-Completing fluff requirements can earn you bonus feats.
-No limit on the skill tricks you can know and they're learned for free, only requiring the skill ranks.
-You can get bonus goodies for filling out the fluff page on your character sheet.

Stagstead Rules
This refers to a campaign augment I'm working on these rules are ALWAYS in effect in the setting.
-In order to learn spells higher then 4th level you must join a Arcane/Divine faction.
-The only allowed homebrew is my own.
-No Psionics.
-No ToB, as I'll replace those classes with my own, that are similar in power.
-In order to join a guild, you must have at least once level in the related guild class, which automatically joins you into the guild.
-The only way to access guild PrC's is to be a member of the guild.
-Keep it mature.

So what about everyone else? What house rules do you run? Why do you run them?

[Extra Anchovies]

I've got a number of Pathfinder houserules, mostly aimed at balancing classes around the power level I like to play at. Some of it's true houserules, some of it's a banlist, and some of it's in between, so I'll just list all of it. "Upon request and approval" means they have to ask me about it and I have to okay whatever they're asking me about. Anything I don't explain, feel free to ask about.


Summoner is banned
Full casters are banned (but see below)
Fighter, Paladin, and Warpriest get 2 extra skill ranks per level, which stack with any archetype-provided increases - being stuck with 2+Int ranks on a class that isn't Int-focused really sucks
Investigators get an investigator talent at 1st level and get studied combat/studied strike at level 2 (studied strike scales up to +10d6 at level 20)
Sacred Fist Warpriests use CRB monk's flurry of blows
Swashbuckler has a good Fortitude save - why did the class that's a hybrid of two good-fort classes not get a good fortitude save?
Master of Many Styles is banned - martials need nice things, but the cheese that this class opens up is not the right way to fix the caster/martial disparity
Metamagic cost reducers/replacers (Sacred Geometry, Spell Perfection) are banned
Spheres of Power classes are allowed, as are the Spheres conversions of any Paizo class (this is the only way to play a Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard, Oracle, Witch, Arcanist, or Shaman in my games)
DSP's Path of War is permitted
DSP's Akashic Mysteries is permitted
DSP's Psionics is allowed but discouraged - I have very little familiarity with the subsystem
Ascension Games's Nightblade is allowed, as is the other content in Path of Shadows
Other third-party content is allowed upon request and approval
Leadership is banned
Feats with BAB +1 as a prerequisite lose that prerequisite
Characters using Brass Knuckles or (non-spiked) Gauntlets can treat them as unarmed strikes for all purposes, including increased unarmed damage
Racial Favored Class Bonuses are banned (although if a player needs a specific racial FCB for their build to work I may allow it regardless of that player's character's race upon request and approval) - racial FCBs make some races inherently much better at certain classes than other races, which is bad for game diversity
Feats and non-updated classes from 3.5 are allowed upon request and approval
Homebrew is discouraged but allowed upon request and approval
Background Skills and Automatic Bonus Progression (both from Unchained) are in effect
Classes with full base attack bonus grant Combat Stamina as a bonus feat at 1st level, and every time you take a 1st level in another class with full base attack bonus, you gain Extra Stamina instead
Rapid Reload allows free-action reloading with the chosen weapon - because Paizo hates guns and crossbows, even though the standard composite bow is better than either of them
All feats with Weapon Focus and/or Weapon Specialization, or their Greater versions, as prerequisites have those prerequisites removed
Feats with skill prerequisites can have those prerequisites removed upon request and approval, but still cannot be taken by characters with an ECL less than the required number of skill ranks - needing 2 ranks in Perform (Dance) to get Dex to damage with your scimitar is stupid
Characters get any two traits (which can be from the same category) along with any two other traits that grant additional class skills, for a total of four - whenever I make a character, choosing between class-skill-granting traits and interesting traits is always agonizing

Also, thanks for starting this thread. I hadn't actually written out my houserules in full and now I finally have.

[Uncle Pine]

House rules at my table:
- on a nat 1 on an attack roll you provoke an AoO from every opponents if in melee or roll a dice to see in which square adjacent to the target your arrow/bolt/sling bullet/improvised ammunition lands (but I used to think this was a published rule);
- Monks gain proficiency with unarmed strike.

That's it, unless I blatantly forgot something else. I never had to ask to not create a character based on one or more infinite or nigh infinite loops, but I guess I'd add another rule like "Pun Pun isn't pleased with your character, you're dead and need to roll another one" if someone decided to pull one off.

[RoyVG]

In the 3.5 campaign I'm in now we use mainly two:

-At character creation you get 5 additional max hit points. This was moslty to alleviate the problems of squishiness in the early levels. now that were are level 6-7 it becomse much less of a problem depending on build.
-When you roll a Natural 1 for attack you roll a d20 again, If you roll a 1-5, the DM gets to decide how bad you screw up, depending on the situation. (the Bow strong snaps and hits you, you drop your weapon or hit adjacent ally instead, environmental hazard, etc). So far it happened only twice I think. If you roll anything else nothing intreesting happens.

[Threadnaught]

Personally I run with:
Monks get full BAB because they're a damn melee character.

Monks are proficient with Unarmed Strike.
Drown Healing does not work.
Epic Spellcasting does not function. At all.
Maximum HP per HD for PCs.
If the players are facerolling the Campaign, enemies get max HP per HD too.
Leadership works differently depending on the Campaign.
Diplomacy works differently too.
Manipulate Form causes 2d4 Con Drain per use unless user is immune to the effects of Manipulate Form.
3.0 is allowed when approved.
Homebrew is allowed when approved.


The list will never be complete as I may add and remove certain rules for different Campaigns, but these are generally the most used ones. With other similar ones.

[BWR]

I'm a compulsive rules tinkerer so all my games end up with a ton of house rules to all sorts of things, even if I start out by the book.
On the extreme end of the Book-House Rule spectrum there was my attempt at turning d20 into a classless-levelless game (worked out somewhat well) to my SW d20 RE game where I made a Force system from scratch (highly influenced by WEG and SAGA, I admit, and the players liked it) to my Laundry Files game which started out by the book but soon made some minor adjustments made to the Training Course system.

Generally, I have so many alterations and changes that I can't remember them all to list them like this.
In my current Mystara PF game, the most important I can recall off-hand are:
-Ancestral Relic and Practised Spellcaster are adopted from 3.5
- Item Creation feats are not necessary to craft, but help a lot
- item crafting DCs start at 15, not 5, and you cannot ignore prereqs other than the feat
- magus is restricted to elves and those trained by elves (to retain the old BECMI/RC feel of elves being fighter-magic users by nature)
- a bunch of old Mystaran/RC spells added
- some changes to various classes like rogue, monk, fighter and ranger to make them work better (imho, of course)
- a few minor changes to feats or spells or domains so they work a bit more in line with what I want (Unsanctioned Knowledge can be taken multiple times, for instance, 0th level spells are not at-will, prestidigitation is split into several different spells, etc.)
- Leadership is fine but the DM has the final say in what sort of cohort and followers you get. They are people and will act like people. The feat merely makes it easier for you to get followers and assure yourself of their loyalty before they are brought into play. If you mistreat them they will stop being so loyal.
- various classes and races are banned for either not fitting in the setting or being generally stupid (hybrid classes, for instance)

[ekarney]

Maximum HP per HD for PCs.


That's my variable rule, at the moment I'm stealing a friends idea, where the players rolls, and the DM rolls a die where the result is hidden, then player then chooses if they want their own role, or take their chances with the DM's.

I might edit the OP to include my campaign variant rules.

[Mystral]

House rules for my Pathfinder Forum Game:

Everyone is an antihero (So the game doesn't have to wait for action point usage).
No splitting up the group unless for short term, tactical reasons.
Dungeon-Exploration: Several options are given and voted on, the group goes the way most people vote for. (If another option is found by the players and backed by the majority of them, it is taken instead).
Monster Knowledge throws have a base difficulty depending on the rarity of the creature, ranging from 10 (really common) to 25 (very rare) or more. Reaching this gives basic infos, beating it by 5 gives in depth infos, beating it by 10 basically gives all the infos of the creature in the monster manual.
Channel Energy can damage as well as heal at the same time.
Magic Weapons lower DR by an amount twice their enchantment bonus, unless the DR is /-. So, a +5 weapon ignores DR 10 or lower and reduces higher DR correspondingly.
The spell "Alchemical Allocation" works normally the first time used per potion, but every time it is used, there is a chance of it using up the potion anyway. The chance rises by a cumultative 10% for level 1 spells, 20% for level 2 spells and 30% for level 3 spells.

[Trasilor]

I have a bunch of house rules, here are few I recall:

All players receive an extra feat at first level
All players get +2 SP per level
Several skills are combined
Don't be a jerk to your fellow players.

The three are to allow lots of skills for players.

The last is to remind everyone this is a game - we are here to have fun. :smallbiggrin:

[Asteron]

Here are my current houserules for PF:

Skills
- Climb, Jump, and Swim will be rolled into the Athletics skill. It will be based on Strength and armor check penalties will apply based on the type of action you are attempting.
-Diplomacy will be handled using the Giant’s diplomacy rules. That will be given in a separate document.
-All classes get 2 more skill points per level.
- Perception is a class skill for all classes.
- Intimidate can be opposed by either another intimidate check or a modified level check.

Feats
- Characters will gain a learned feat at every fourth level when they raise an ability score. This feat must somehow be related to the ability score that was raised at that level, i.e. you can choose Power Attack if raising Strength or a metamagic feat if boosting your casting stat. If in doubt, ask the DM.
- Characters may select both 3.5 and Pathfinder feats. If a feat exists in both 3.5 and PF, use the PF feat. 3.5 feats must be approved by the DM.
- Mundane feat trees will be combined into a single feat that scales with level.

-Feat trees will be defined as any feat that has an Improved/Greater/Supreme version that would improve upon the bonuses provided by the original feat and that you would have to spend another feat on once you met the new criteria. Example: TWF, IMP. TWF and Greater TWF would be one feat
-This would not include just any feat that is required as a prerequisite by another feat. Example: You would not gain the Cleave feat automatically by selecting Power Attack because Cleave is not an improvement on the mechanics of the Power Attack feat. Other examples: Point Blank Shot/ Far Shot, etc…
- You gain the benefits of the Improved version of the feat when you would meet the prerequisites of the original Improved feat. Example: if you select TWF at 1st level, you would gain the benefits of the Improved TWF feat once you have a base attack bonus of +6 and have a Dexterity score of 17. Once you have a BAB of +11, you would then gain the benefits of the Greater TWF feat (assuming you have a DEX score of 19.)
- I have developed custom feats to replace the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feat trees.
- Remove the Combat Expertise feat as a prerequisite for any feat.
-If in doubt ask the DM.

Miscellaneous
- Effects that increase a weapon’s critical threat range stack with each other.
- Any attack roll that threatens a critical hit does not need to be confirmed. If it hits the targets AC, then it is a critical hit.
- An attack roll with a natural 20 on the d20 roll always crits, even if it does not hit the target’s AC. An attack roll with a natural 1 on the d20 always misses, even if it would hit.
- This campaign will be using the 3.0 versions of the following spells: harm, heal, haste, bull’s strength, bear’s endurance, cat’s grace, fox’s cunning, owl’s wisdom, and eagle’s splendor.
-A player may choose any feat, class or spell from official Pathfinder or 3.5 material (3.5 material requires DM approval.)
- Regarding overlapping options, a player should use the Pathfinder option.
- Third Party material may be used with the DM’s approval.
- Each race has Weapon Familiarity with any weapon that bears its name and can wield it as martial weapon.
- All spells with the [healing] descriptor now have a casting time of one swift action and have a range of short.
- A PC or monster may downgrade their standard to a swift action.
- Medium Armor only reduces a characters speed by 5 ft.
- Special materials will be modified as specified on the Special Materials attachment. (forthcoming)
- A roll of 1 on any HD roll may be rerolled.
-A player attempting to fudge any die roll will receive a warning. After 3 warnings, the player shall be asked to leave the group for a period of time.
-If in doubt, ask the DM.

[ComaVision]

Just a few. asides from the common sense ones like monk unarmed proficiency:
-Fractional Base Attack Bonus
-Gestalt is allowed with Tier 4 and under classes
-Any wealth removed from a deceased PC is deducted from the new PC's WBL
-Currently using fumble and critical tables

One rule I'm considering is allowing spellcasters to have unlimited cantrips. Does anyone have thoughts on that?

[Geddy2112]

In pathfinder
-A natural 1 is always a failure, but carries no additional penalties other than failing the check/attack.save. This does not apply to taking 20.
-There is no climb, swim, or fly skill. Characters have a climb speed of 5 ft and can only climb with gear or on appropriate surfaces, unless they have a racial climb speed. Characters have a swim speed of 10 ft unless they have a racial swim speed. Fly is based entirely on maneuverability. Armor check penalties apply if any save is required while doing those actions.
-Appraise is not a skill and rarely needed. If it must be done, appraise is done with a relevant knowledge check;. Animal parts are nature, a crown with jewels is nobility, ore is dungeoneering etc.
-Leadership is banned, but characters can recruit cohorts/NPC's through other means.
-Diplomacy is totally different than RAW.
-Any skill that a player can take 10 on counts as taking 10 unless a roll is asked for.
-Starting HP is max HD+10
-Feeblemind, maze and mages disjunction will not be used against the party unless the party uses said spells.
-Intimidate may be CHA or STR based, intimidating prowess makes it both.
-A standard action can be used as a swift action, allowing for a potential 2 swift actions a turn.
-No psionics, homebrew or 3rd party.

[Nibbens]

For pathfinder:

Players get max HP at all Levels.

Enemies get max HP.

NPCs get max HP.

For ease of use I explain all magic items in the loot in full (exceptions are made for the random and rare cursed item that may or may not show up) instead of having my players go through the whole detect-magic/roll-spellcraft / maybe-get-some-of-the-properties / reroll-a-new-day-to-get-more-properties shenanigans.

Initiative is rolled by all PCs and all monsters - whoever gets higher than my highest roll goes before I do. Then The monsters go. Then ALL the players go. Then all the monsters go... back and forth until combat ends. Also, players can go in any order they want. It stops me having to keep initiative tracking, and also allows the PCs more creativity with their tactics.

Sometimes the players just go first. Initiative is not rolled in these situations.

If PCs take too long in deciding their turns then they are considered as "hesitating." I continue with my monster turns until they describe what they are going to do. If they hesitate for a full round, then they miss their turn.

Combat applicable mounts/constructs/NPC/etc are considered for party size. So if my wizard has a golem that follows him into every combat and contributes significantly (definition of "significance" is subject to interpretation) , then I consider the party as "party size"+1. Also, I don't want to play with 7 players, but will allow 6, then each combat applicable mount/construct/NPC/etc are considered part of the total party composition in regards to these limits same as they apply to "party size".

During combat, the DM may do the standard actions with his monsters in any order (as long as it is fair) in the sake of speeding up the monsters turns, so the action goes back to the players. This includes (but is not limited to) monsters doing average damage instead of rolling, spreadsheets of random d20 roll generation, moving all monsters first then attacking with all similar monsters using several d20 rolls at once.

When a single target is not easily identifiable to the monster in question, it will send all attacks available to a random player determined by die roll.

Pre-rolling attacks and damage is encouraged, but not enforced while the DM is busy doing other things with other players for speed of gameplay.

Criticals only double (or triple or quadruple) the die roll of the weapon in question - they do not multiply all the str bonuses as well. This applies to monsters and PCs alike - as we've all been hit by that crit from a scythe and died, this decision stops PCs from getting one shotted by baddies.

Natural 1's are followed by a second d20 roll. If the second die shows a 1 - 5 then light shenanigans happen. Some spells don't require an attack roll, true, but they do not have a crit chance either. I know the community is pretty divided on the fumble rules, but my group requests them, so yeah. lol.

All players gain EXP (in an EXP driven game) even if they are not there.

EXP is given related to the challenge associated with the task at hand. Diplomancing their way past a guard nets full guard exp, as the risk of fighting the guard was a part of the challenge. Fleeing from a enemy or evading an enemy will be handled on a 1-1 basis with player input as to how challenging they feel the situation was (if necessary).

The rule of cool applies in my house. Creative solutions are always a yes - even if some bending of rules is required. This does not mean that the next time they try the same thing it will work. I can give and take from things outside the core rules at will.

I give non-exp bonuses for creative roleplay. +2 bonuses to all D20 checks for the next combat or while in a dungeon, etc etc. Sometimes, if the situation warrants it, bleeding characters can stabilize if their death is roleplayed well.

Players will only be hit by save or suck spells very rarely, and they are given free reign to use them. However, this rule is freely and openly edited by the party at hand. Once a decision is reached by the group - the decision will stand until the end of that campaign with no input from the DM.

Lastly - All rules and houserules and interpretation are open to discussion from the group, with the DM having the final vote if one is needed. The only time the DM can fully disregard a rule change is if the DM can provide a valid argument against the rule change after consulting how said rule would alter his game. He does not need to convince his players in this matter, only know that the rule would irrecoverably damage some function of the game or world. This decision should not be made lightly.

[balegar]

I always grant bonus 0 lvl spells equal to bonus 1st level spells +1. I also allow multiclass characters to treat all their classes skills as class skills.

In less serious games, everyone is granted one postmortem one-liner.

[Malimar]

A non-complete selection of my house rules:


All characters begin with 1,000 gold and an adventurer's kit containing a backpack, 5 torches, flint & steel, 50' hempen rope, a waterskin, and clothing of your choice. (This makes level 1 a little less dangerous, and lets me not worry about WBL for a few levels.)
Hit dice are maximized at first level; at each level after first, you gain half your hit die, plus 1 (plus your Constitution modifier), as follows: d12 = 7; d10 = 6; d8 = 5; d6 = 4; d4 = 3
For the purpose of the epic-level prerequisite for [epic] feats, prestige classes, and other options, a character is considered epic at 10th level instead of 20th level. After 10th level, regular feat slots may be used to acquire [epic] feats. All other prerequisites still apply. (Epic spellcasting isn't a thing.)
The experience of dying and returning to life leaves a person drained of vitality even beyond the loss of a level. Upon resurrection, a character is aged a number of years equal to 1d20 minus their Constitution modifier (a negative Constitution modifier can increase the number of years aged). The true resurrection and true reincarnate spells negate this effect. These years are added to the base adult age in the case of the reincarnate spell.
A character is considered dead if he reaches negative his Constitution score or negative 10 hit points, whichever is further from zero.
The Giant's diplomacy fix (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=9606632&postcount=2) is in effect.
You may split actual movement around a non-moving move action. Example: move 15' to a door, open it, and then go through the doorway that same round using the rest of your movement.
Knowledge(arcana) is a Dragon Shaman class skill, Knowledge(religion) is a Favored Soul class skill, Blighters can convert up to ten Druid levels to Blighter levels like a Defiant trading in Cleric levels.

[Venger]

PCs die at -10-HD rather than -10

energy drain, rather than becoming permanent and wrecking all your notes after 24 hours, merely sticks around and you can save again 24 hours later (or remove it with spls as normal in the interim) this way negative levels are still deadly in combat, but they won't force annoying and irreparable bookkeeping on you out of combat.

[atemu1234]

For my current 3.5 campaign-
-All PF and 3e content is allowed, if you work out conversion mechanics with me.
-No homebrew, save my own or that I introduce.
-3rd Party classes allowed if determined balanced.

That's about it, save for obvious rules patches.

[Flickerdart]

I have a bunch of changes, mostly designed to get rid of dumb legacy crap and feat taxes:

What's a multiclass XP penalty? What's carrying capacity? What's keeping track of mundane ammunition? Dirty communist lies, is what.
Cosmic alignments can suck it. Instead, you may wish to align yourself with a particular organization which has a particular outlook on life, and acting against that outlook is not going to win you friends. Smite, Detect, and so forth operate on those principles.
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.
Manifesting an unknown power from another's powers known is no longer restricted by class lists, but power stones still carry the restriction.
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, Ride-by Attack, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack and Swim-by Attack are now one feat.
Call Weaponry is now a standard action.
Two Weapon Fighting turns into ITWF and GTWF as soon as you qualify.
Bows and crossbows add 1/2 Dexterity to damage.
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.
Most of the time, there's no reason for "can only take at level 1" feats to have this restriction. Ask me and I'll probably remove it.
Favored Enemy applies to an entire creature type (humanoid, outsider, etc) without specifying subtype.
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):
Athletics (Str) - Jump, Climb, Swim
Acrobatics (Dex) - Balance, Tumble, Escape Artist
Stealth (Dex) - Hide, Move Silently
Survival (Wis) - Survival, Use Rope, Heal
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
Knowledge (Magic) (Int) - Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana)
Knowledge (Crystals) (Int) - Psicraft, Knowledge (Psionics)
Knowledge (Cosmology) (Int) - Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (Planes)
Knowledge (Society) (Int) - Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Knowledge (Local)
Knowledge (Wilderness) (Int) - Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Dungeoneering)
Average HP per hit die, rounded up:
d4 = 3
d6 = 4
d8 = 5
d10 = 6
d12 = 7

In addition, I also give PCs a second feat track where they can only choose crappy feats. Examples from the PHB:

All +2/+2 skill feats
Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Shield Proficiency
Blind-fight
Combat Casting
Combat Expertise
Diehard
Endurance
Eschew Materials
Far Shot
Great Cleave
Improved Critical (let's be honest, everyone takes keen instead)
Improved Disarm
Improved Feint
Improved Sunder
Improved Overrun
Improved Shield Bash
Improved Turning
Improved Unarmed Strike
Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Quick Draw
Rapid Reload
Run
Skill Focus
Snatch Arrows
Spell Mastery
Toughness
Track
Trample
Two-Weapon Defense
Weapon Finesse
Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization

[Roga]

snipped to just combined skills and hit dice

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):
Athletics (Str) - Jump, Climb, Swim
Acrobatics (Dex) - Balance, Tumble, Escape Artist
Stealth (Dex) - Hide, Move Silently
Survival (Wis) - Survival, Use Rope, Heal
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
Knowledge (Magic) (Int) - Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana)
Knowledge (Crystals) (Int) - Psicraft, Knowledge (Psionics)
Knowledge (Cosmology) (Int) - Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (Planes)
Knowledge (Society) (Int) - Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering), Knowledge (Local)
Knowledge (Wilderness) (Int) - Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Dungeoneering)
Average HP per hit die, rounded up:
d4 = 3
d6 = 4
d8 = 5
d10 = 6
d12 = 7



I use nearly this exact system of combined skills. Additionally I have:

Skill Focus and +2/+2 skill feats now grant said skills as class skills to all classes you take.
Dodge and Mobility are 1 feat
Animal Lord uses 3.5 prerequisites, but the rest of the class remains its 3.0 version.
Shifter and Master of Many forms are separate classes.
Oozemaster has 9/10 caster progression, or 0/10 caster progression with non-caster pre-reqs.
Caster level bonuses from Reserve feats can raise the normal cap of spells by said amount. A 10th level wizard with Fiery Burst could cast an 11d6 fireball.
Artificers can take Graft Flesh [All], and have a unified skill of Craft: Artifice for all craft checks to create magic items.
All Prestige classes additionally require at least 5 HD.
Troll-blooded and Mercantile Background are generally disallowed without extensive justification.
Toughness's effect is replaced with the effect of Improved Toughness. You may take both.
Beguiler and Healer base classes are Gestalt together. May not be Theurged with another caster.
Tibbits choose a creature from the base Sorc/Wis familiar table. They have that as their alternate form instead of Cat. Raven Tibbits, Rabbit tibbits and the like were all very popular.
Monks gain Wild Talent as a bonus feat at level 1.

[Red Rubber Band]

:smallfrown: I went to link my houserules document, which was heavily influence by JeffTheGreen, but I can't find it. Many sads. Looks like I'll have to re-upload it from home.

It's unfortunate, but my houserule list got a bit out of hand. There were so many things that just made the game too unbalanced. I believe it should be flawed to be interesting, but hot damn is this game broken. :smallsigh:

[bekeleven]

Here are my houserules (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?361894). The document is a few thousands words long, but I separated it into several posts for better organization (it would easily fit in one). However, I did cheat a bit by linking RACSD.

[noob]

Players can if they want play simplified characters who does not have to choose feats and who get extra spells and who does not have a number of skill points equal to (their level+3)*class modifier+highest int modifier when created.(the reason of this rule is that else creating a high level character takes ages and sometimes you do not want to fight but want to have high level spells)
If you are lawful good you should not kill other people in your team with your bloody hammer of devastation without changing alignment(a particular case because of one player).
When you fought a particular kind of encounter and won you automatically win all other encounters of the same kind when you encounter them.
When there is more than 2000 opponents we do not draw the dice and roll 2000 times initiative.

[Mato]

I only have one real rule.
Don't be the tittle of the team.

[RedMage125]

Sounds like a lot of your should read Pathfinder Unchained. It's more than just some variant classes. There's a bunch of variant rules that are similar to what you guys are already using.

Anyway, my 3.5e House Rules are short, and I've never once had a complaint from players, and most people who see them seem to like them. Namely because my purpose behind making them is to make the game more FUN. It's already plenty fun, but a few tweaks help a lot.

1) Hide and Move Silently are one skill: Stealth. I know that having separate skills for being quiet and being hard to see is more simulationist, but this is a GAME, not a simulation of reality, and it's no fun to get an awesome Hide check, only to blow a Move Silently check.

2) Spot and Listen are one skill, Perception. This is mostly in response to Rule #1, because otherwise people attempting to detect Stealth would get 2 chances, and that's not fair. I leave Search as a separate, INT-based skill, because it remains the act of ACTIVELY looking for something, whilst Perception is the chance to "notice" something.

NOTE on combined skills: Classes that have EITHER Spot or Listen as class skills get Perception, and same with the skills that lead into Stealth. Things that grant a bonus to one or the other, grant a bonus to the combined skill. These things cannot be combined to maximize bonuses (i.e. armor of silent moves OR shadow armor, not both).

3) Healing from negative hit points adopts the 4e model. That is, if you are at -8, and the cleric rolls terrible and only heals you for 5, you are at 5hp, not -3. This is done for a number of reasons. A low healing roll doesn't keep one player (the downed one) sitting around for another turn doing nothing while other players continue to have fun. Also, the person playing the healing character doesn't feel as if their action was wasted, because they were not able to bring their friend back into the fight.

The last two only affect Spellcasters.

4) Read Magic is a stupid spell, and a waste of a spent 0-level slot. The spell is removed from the game. Anyone concentrating on magical writing while under the effects of Detect Magic benefits from the effects of Read Magic.

5) Detecting magic is something that is key to so many casters. Wizards have spent YEARS studying the ebb and flow of magic. Sorcerers feel it calling in their very blood. I wanted to make it easier for arcane casters to access magical detection, without cheapening the warlock's ability to do it at-will. So Sorcerers get Detect Magic as a FREE 0-level Spell Known, but must still use a 0-level slot to cast it. Wizards may spontaneosuly convert any prepared 0-level spell (such as light, ray of frost, ect.) into Detect Magic, much like a cleric spontaneously casting healing spells. This allows a wizard to prepare cantrips that might actually have utility, but be able to detect and study magic when he wants, and allows a sorcerer to basically "turn on" a magic sense, both of those classes still requiring a spent spell slot, while the warlock can still sit and do it all the time.

That's it. Those are my houserules.

Now, I have a few idiosyncrasies at my table that I don't think qualify as "houserules". For example, I emphasize (especially to new players) that hit points are NOT meat. They are a metagame concept. I try and discourage discussion of exact hit point totals during combat. But someone doing this only gets the +1 DM Frown of Disapproval. I adopted the "bloodied" condition from 4e, so players can be like "I'm still above bloodied" "I'm not even bloodied" or "I'm REALLY hurting over here". I also inform players when a monster is "bloodied", so they know when they're at about the 1/2way thru the monster's hp, without me actually giving out hp totals. Out of combat, I don't care if they're giving exact hp totals or whatever, because it's downtime.

[Amphetryon]

This is in 3.5; much of it is cribbed from Test of Spite rules:

Per round, no more than the following is permitted, regardless of means:
Two full round actions OR three full attacks per character
Three Standard actions per character
Three Move actions per character
Two Swift actions per character
Thirty Free actions per character
Immediates count against your maximum of swifts

Per round, no more than the following is permitted per minion, familiar, or companion:
One full round action.
Two Standard actions.
Two Move actions.
One Swift actions.
Ten Free actions.
Immediates count against the maximum of swifts.

*You may gain membership benefits from only one organization with mechanical benefits.
*Greensnake Naga's telepathy is considered to have a 30 foot range for the purposes of mindsight.
*Dragonlance's dragonspawn templates are banned.
*Ghostwalk's LA+0 ghost template is banned.
*In theory, Dragon Magazine material exists. In practice, I’d like to see no Dragon Magazine material that wasn’t reprinted in the Dragon Magazine Compendium or other WotC-published (as opposed to Paizo-published) source.
*Feats, abilities, and other benefits granted by spells or items may not be used to fulfill any requirement. This excludes Psychic Reformation and similar instantaneous effects on a case by case basis.
*Splitting and similar effects copy only the item, not positive effects currently on it.
*Undead are not immune to mind-affecting spells unless they are mindless; they are immune to spells with the Fear descriptor unless the spell or another specific ability says otherwise.
*Initiate of Mystra is banned.
*Pazuzu does not exist.
*Faustian Pacts, as described in Fiendish Codex II, are banned.
*Lost levels restored by Restoration or similar means must be in the same class(es) in which they were originally taken.

*1d2 Crusaders do not exist. Please ask why if you'd like to hear the trick again.
*The Taint mechanic from Heroes of Horror is banned. With its ban, the Tainted Scholar, Tainted Sorcerer, Corrupt Avenger, and Subverted Psion become banned, as do any other classes, feats, skills, or abilities which rely on Taint.
*Ultimate Magus and other dual-casting Prestige Classes cannot advance the same class twice per level.
*Vermin Lord is banned.
*Walker in the Wastes is banned.
*Rainbow Servant is not a full-casting Prestige Class, regardless of text/table primacy rules.
*Master of Many Forms is banned.
*Master Transmogrifist is banned.
*Ruby Knight Vindicators cannot produce more than 1 extra Swift action per turn.
*Dweomerkeeper, Planar Shepard, and Cancer Mage are banned.
*Incantatrix loses a caster level at 1st, 4th, and 7th levels of the Prestige Class.
*Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil's veils are subject to dispelling and Anti-Magic Fields.

*You cannot qualify for Epic feats, Epic spells, or Epic skill usage before Epic levels.
*Lightning Maces is banned. Ask me about the Adaptive ability and The Legend of Olo's Crossbow.
*Sanctum Spell does not work via Acorn of Far Travel or any of the various portable dwelling spells or abilities, does not apply to a hotel, inn, cavern you're exploring or other temporary dwelling, and does not apply to affecting a spell with an item.
*Battle Jump is banned.
*Mortalbane and Arcane Strike do not allow stacking uses. Nor do any similar mechanics.
*Item Familiars do not exist.
*Uncanny Forethought is banned.
*Arcane Thesis only effects the first applied metamagic.
*Leadership, Undead Leadership, Thrallherd, Dragon Cohort, and any method of gaining an extra Animal Companion are banned.
*You may only take Extra Spell ONCE. You may not subsequently trade out the spell gained via any means.
*Reserves of Strength is banned.
*Rapid Strike is banned.
*Craft Contingent Spell is banned.
*Twin Spell/Twin Power is banned.

*Genesis is banned.
*Metaconcert is banned.
*Forced Dream is banned.
*Love's Pain is banned.
*Planar Ally, Planar Binding, and their derivatives are banned.
*Psionic Lion's Charge has a duration of 1 round, rather than "instantaneous."
*Opalescent Glare has a duration of 1 round, rather than "instantaneous."
*Iron Heart Surge cannot remove any conditions that a Restoration spell could not remove.
*Mirror Move is banned.
*Explosive Runes and Glyph Seals are banned.
*Gate can no longer be used to call or summon.
*A Spell-like Ability that replicates a spell with an expensive or somatic component, shares those components.
*The Dark Chaos Shuffle is banned. Ask for details.
*There are no free Wishes.
*There are no Starmantle Cloaks.
*Ice Assassin's material components are ALWAYS required for Ice Assassin.
*Dweomer of Transference has no effect on spells not cast by its caster.
*Fusion is banned.
*The spell Power Leech is banned.
*Simulacrum is banned.
*Fimbulwinter is banned.
*Mindblank and similar are subject to a caster level check. Penalties may apply.
*The Locate Cities Bomb does not work. Ask for details.
*All effects that grant rounds of effective time (Time Stop, Temporal Acceleration, et al) are banned.
*Celerity always causes the subject to be Dazed, even if otherwise immune.
*White Raven Tactics only works once per battle per character.
*Shivering Touch does 1d4 DEX damage per round for 2 rounds. Note that Cold Resistance 5 or higher eliminates all damage with this rewrite.
*General rule of thumb for spellcasters: if your caster level is higher than your character level for more than a single spell school or domain, we need to talk.
*Polymorph and similar abilities that transmogrify you into a different creature’s shape must specify a particular form for each iteration of the spell learned. Spontaneous casters may choose Polymorph multiple times, so long as each choice specifies a new form. A Druid’s wildshape ability (or a prestige class which duplicates wildshape) is a specific exception to this.

*Persistent Spell is banned.
*Touch range is not a fixed range.
*Total Metamagic costs for a given spell cannot be brought below 0 by any means short of a Wish.
*Split Psionic Ray and similar effects must have a separate valid target for each ray produced.

*Nightsticks do not stack. Turn attempts or similar from multiples of the same item are likewise considered unnamed bonuses from the same source, and do not stack.
*Magic items are capped at caster level 20th.
*Spell Completion and Spell Trigger items cannot have metamagic effects unless a specific printed example is being bought or made.
*Dust of Sneezing and Choking is banned.
*Dust of Disappearance is banned.
*The only way to get a partially charged item is via DM fiat. You may not actively seek nor try to create them, nor write them into your backstory to reduce costs on items.
*Aptitude Weapons are banned. As before, The Legend of Olo's Crossbow is to blame.
*Creation costs: (Gold, Exp)= (J*(1/2)*Base_price, W*(1/25)*Base_price), where J/W are cost reductions from feats or class features. Such reductions cannot go below 0.65% of base.
*All custom magic items must be approved beforehand.
*Amulet of Second Chances is banned.
*Thought bottle is banned.
*Candles of Invocation do not exist.
*Scrolls of higher than 9th level do not exist.
*Amulet of Peace is banned.
*Quori Shards are only available via DM fiat.

[noob]

You do not ban Mordenkainen manor while it gives nearly all the advantages of genesis?(apart from being permanent but it is not like if it was absolutely needed)
"*Mindblank and similar are subject to a caster level check. Penalties may apply."
My entire adventurer team literally could not live more than five rounds if mindblank was vulnerable since there is a whole kingdom full of lvl 10-60 casters where we are researched and we stay most of the time in our base but sometime we go to other places(we are creating a rebellion) and since every some rounds tons of magi locate anything us we would fast be found and 50 magi would teleport to use and cast spells on us on the surprise round.
Basically without an fail less mind blank anyone with 50 magi wanting to kill him is 100% sure to die if he gets out of an hidden anti-magic zone nobody knows in another dimension.
but in the adventures I play mindblank does not protect from see invisible and true vision and other short range divination of this kind (or communion).

[Extra Anchovies]

You do not ban Mordenkainen manor while it gives nearly all the advantages of genesis?(apart from being permanant but it is not like if it was absolutely needed)

I... what? No. Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion has very specific effects. It's a nice hiding place for a while and is a way to quickly resupply if you run out of food and don't have a cleric or druid.

Genesis lets you have fast-time planes.

See the difference?

[noob]

3.5 genesis does not do that.
Also why forbidding genesis if it is planar properties who give a problem you could remove this aspect and say it is exactly like the material plane except that it is finite and filled with some stuff without value you chose?
I think that it is also the fact it is permanent.

[Amphetryon]

3.5 genesis does not do that.

Given the number of rules gurus I've seen here, and elsewhere, who disagree with you, I'd like a citation for this claim.

[noob]

"The spellcaster creates a finite plane with limited access: a demiplane. Demiplanes created by this power are very small, very minor planes.

A character can only cast this spell while on the Ethereal Plane. When he or she casts the spell, a local density fluctuation precipitates the creation of a demiplane. At first, the fledgling plane grows at a rate of 1 foot in radius per day to an initial maximum radius of 180 feet as it rapidly draws substance from surrounding ethereal vapors and protomatter.

The spellcaster determines the environment within the demiplane when he or she first casts genesis, reflecting most any desire the spellcaster can visualize. The spellcaster determines factors such as atmosphere, water, temperature, and the general shape of the terrain. This spell cannot create life (including vegetation), nor can it create construction (such as buildings, roads, wells, dungeons, and so forth). The spellcaster must add these things in some other fashion if he or she desires. Once the basic demiplane reaches its maximum size, the spellcaster can continue to cast this spell to enlarge the demiplane, adding another 180 feet of radius to the demiplane each time. "

Here is the version of genesis I use(there is multiple versions of this spell with completely different descriptions in the manuals)
clearly if this is the sentence "reflecting most any desire the spellcaster can visualize" who means you can choose planar properties we could say also that it allows you to make a demiplane who magically make you gain a level it is clear that this sentence is mostly flavor also you can not visualize time or experience.

[GreatDane]

Here's a list of the house rules we're currently using:


Half-elves receive an extra skill point per level, as humans.
Clerics only gain access to a number of non-core spells per cleric level equal to twice their Wisdom modifier (the cleric spell list is too big).
Fighters may retrain a bonus feat at 3rd level (and every 4th level thereafter) into any feat for which they currently qualify.
We use Mike Mearls' unofficial hexblade update.
Sorcerers gain access to new spell tiers at the same rate as wizards, clerics, etc.
Characters gain 4 extra skill points at 1st level that must be placed in Craft, Perform, or Profession.
We removed the following skills: Decipher Script, Forgery, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), and Open Lock.
We have a system that allows Appraise to be used for identifying magic items.
We have a system that allows characters to use Craft skill ranks to qualify for item creation feats, and substitute Craft skill checks for spellcasting when creating items.
We use Burlew's Diplomacy.
Heal checks to provide long-term care heal additional hit points equal to the target's Hit Die for every 10 points by which you exceed the DC of 15.
We use Burlew's Knowledge.
Non-core spells require a DC 15 + double spell level Spellcraft check to identify.
We've substituted alter self, polymorph, and similar spells for the Pathfinder versions (beast shape, giant form, etc.)

[Amphetryon]

As is ever my policy, your objections shall be duly noted and discussed the next time you sit down to a game of 3.5 with me as your DM. To my knowledge, that next time will also be the first time.

[noob]

We removed the following skills: Decipher Script, Forgery, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), and Open Lock.
I can understand the removal of open lock since there is axes.
But do that mean that now players get truly encrypted messages and solve them in real life and encrypt them with the algorithm they want?
Cryptanalyst must like playing with you.(I confirm it looks awesome)
The knowledge skill about architecture have been removed does that means that you give the architect name for free?
Or do players not know the architects?
And does they recognize style similarities between buildings if they ask if they find any?
I really like to have lore through this skill this way a house is not just a house it have been created it have a past and so on(if you are proficient enough you can recognize building from other eras).
What does it costs to have one more knowledge skill existing?
Do you consider it to be overpowered?
Or do you give photography of your buildings and let the players research themselves?(pretty cool I would like to have a gm showing photographs of what I see)

"As is ever my policy, your objections shall be duly noted and discussed the next time you sit down to a game of 3.5 with me as your DM. To my knowledge, that next time will also be the first time. "
Anyway I never used genesis so I do not care about the fact it is forbidden since GM rules always have sense and that removing one spell you do not cast is normally do not change anything(I dislike to loose 5000 px for living in a small box so I do not cast it)
And about mindblank if the dd to pierce is high enough and that there is ways to have no opponents of too much high level I think I can live without it being fail less(but if high enough magi exists somewhere the I am in trouble since it means that if my opponents wants they can pay him a lot of money for knowing my location and killing me in one turn together with the rest of my team(which maybe the GM does not do that if you do not start killing dozens of their servitors))

[Debihuman]

All PCs get max hit points at first level.

Critical hits never need to be confirmed, critical fumbles always do. DM decides what happens as it needs to be applicable to the situation. If you hate my ruling but are a good sport about it, you get extra XP.

Difficult players get the P.I.T.A. tax, i.e. they lose XP.

WotC isn't perfect and neither are their rules. If it makes no sense, then drop it. If you can convince me it it makes good cinema, I might allow it (THIS TIME). You have 30 seconds to convince me.

I'm a sandbox player. You can do almost anything as long as it's fair to the other players (if they are all playing core races and classes you have to too).

Corollary to sandbox playing: If the other players agree to let you play a giant whatziz at first level, then it's gonna be okay with me too.

Revenge of the Corollary: If you hate the giant whatziz you chose, I'll let you out of it with a stern warning.Your Pc was eaten by a grue. Roll up a new character and be someone's brother or sister or cousin or best friend. You are stuck with that race but can pick any class as long as it's fair to the other players. I may even say that I told you so.

Everyone has a chance to shine. If I overlooked you, let me know so I can rectify it.

I believe in mulligans if there is a misunderstanding and it negatively impacted your PC -- to a point. See P.I.T.A. tax above.

Once I say "That's this DM's final word," we should move on even if you don't like it. It's called being a good sport. If you still think I'm wrong, talk to me privately. If I'm wrong I'll apologize. If you are wrong, chocolate better be involved. J/k.

If you bring a non-gaming friend to a game, he or she can be the wizard's familiar. Nobody gets left out.

The DM should have a current copy of all the character sheets.

We break for the Cthulhu Comedy HourTM because clearly being silly is more important than the game at that moment and we all need a few minutes to just have fun. We're friends, capiche? We can always get back to it.

If someone is really emotionally vested, we talk it out calmly. Feelings are more important than the game. Always. The game is always there. However, if you bring drama, I might hand you a box of tissues and the phone to call another friend. Game night should be as drama free as possible.

Sometimes it is not possible to have a drama-free game night. Bad things sometimes happen on game night. There will be another game night. People first -- always.

It's okay to be mad. It is not okay to throw your dice at me, the cat, or anyone else. Use your words.

I'm the DM and I cheat, usually in the PCs' favor. I also take bribes. OOOh did you bring chocolate??? j/k

If a cat jumps on the table and knocks over the mini-figs, the giant cat rule applies, whether it is appropriate or not. I.e. the party just got a attacked by a giant cat everyone roll a reflex save. Failure is DM's choice but never fatal.

I am probably missing a few house rules since I haven't DM'd in a while.

Debby

[Roga]

All PCs get max hit points at first level.
Debby

Do you mean the first level of each different class they take? That seems to be very encouraging of people to take tons of different classes. If you mean just 1st character level, that's how the rules work normally.

[Debihuman]

Do you mean the first level of each different class they take? That seems to be very encouraging of people to take tons of different classes. If you mean just 1st character level, that's how the rules work normally.

That's been my house rule since 2nd ed when it wasn't standard. I never updated it. First class only though it would be an interesting experiment if all classes got max hp, but to make it fair so would all monsters. It would still fall apart at high levels, as some templates and probably some classes give that as well so it becomes a dead level.

Debby