HouseRules
2018-06-16, 07:13 PM
A note up front: This House Rule is not meant to be Compatible with Pathfinder. It is not compatible with the bonus +3 to class skills from Pathfinder.
BLUF: no 4x skills at first level, no feat at first level, no +2 bonus good saves, free LA -3 (but everyone argues that free LA-3 doesn't really do anything, so we may get rid of it).
You know, I don't really like the way skill points and feats are set up in 3.0 and 3.5, until I try to change the intercept. Linear it is, but Homogeneous it is not. Thus, Homogeneous Linear is about changing the intercept to zero. Homogeneous in Homogeneous Linear means an intercept of zero.
Quadruple Hit Dice at First Level is the way to shift the intercept to match the numbers. Skill Points and Feats are still linear, but now also homogeneous to hit dice. This house rule is not compatible with UA Bloodlines.
Guidelines for Quadruple Hit Dice (QHD)
All characters (both player characters and non-player characters) and creatures (non-character monsters) shall undergo this change.
The first hit dice of the character or creature will quadruple. Monsters with fractional HD will also follow this change.
1/8 HD monsters becomes 1/2 HD monsters (I believe there is only 1 SRD monster with 1/8 HD)
1/4 HD monsters becomes 1 HD monsters
1/2 HD monsters becomes 2 HD monsters
1 HD characters and creatures becomes 4 HD characters and creatures
2 HD characters and creatures becomes 5 HD characters and creatures
etc.
Each HD gives 1+con hp and requires 1 week of training per addition hp until max for each HD.
DM may opt to have max or average HD for the first 4 HD instead of 1+con, however, they must leave open the option to train 1 hp per in game week.
The second is saving throws. There are no bonus +2 to saves for having good saving throws. All the characters start with 4 HD at level 1 and end with 23 HD at level 20, so characters have Good Saves in the range of 2 to 11.5 (weaker by 0.5), and Bad Saves in the range of 1+1/3 to 7+2/3 (stronger by 1.0). With the change of Good Save = BAB, and Poor Save = BAB - 1/4, Good Saves is in the range of 4 to 23 for full BAB classes, and Poor Saves for full BAB classes and Good Saves for 3/4 BAB classes is in the range of 3 to 17.25, and Poor Saves for 3/4 BAB and Good Saves for 1/2 BAB is in the range of 2 to 11.5, and Poor Saves for 1/2 BAB is in the range of 0.25 to 5.75.
The third is skill points. It is linear to hit dice without exception. UA Bloodlines must be gestalt with Commoner or Dragon HD (only for dragon bloodline) to follow this rule. We will separate the skill points into six pools, one for each attribute. The base skill points is equal to the size of hit dice, so Barbarian gets 12+. For skill monkey class, they get an extra seventh pool of skill points for a selected list of skills (their class skills). For class skills vs cross-class skills: 1 point = 1 rank (class skills, and beyond 20 cross-class points), 1 point = 3/4 rank (first 20 cross-class skills).
The following feats are converted into skills: each rank (count fractions) gives a check bonus to the skills listed for them.
Acrobat (STR/DEX)
Agile (DEX)
Alertness (WIS)
Animal Affinity (WIS/DEX)
Athletic (STR)
Deceitful (INT)
Deft Hands (DEX)
Diligent (INT)
Investigator (WIS)
Magical Aptitude (INT/CHA)
*Psionic Aptitude (INT/CHA)
Negotiator (WIS)
Nimble Fingers (DEX)
Persuasive (CHA)
Self-Sufficient (WIS)
Stealthy (DEX)
These are additional feats that should be converted to skills to balance the martial characters.
Weapon Proficiency (STR/DEX), Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus merge together into a single skill for each martial weapon and each exotic weapon. Each rank +1 to hit.
Weapon Specialization (STR/DEX) Greater Weapon Specialization merge together into a single skill for each martial weapon and each exotic weapon. Each rank +1 to damage.
Armor Proficiency (DEX) splits into one skill for each armor type not groups (Light, Medium, Heavy). Each rank -5% spell failure, +1 armor class.
Shield Proficiency (DEX) splits into one skill for each shield type not groups (Non-Tower Shield, Tower Shield). Each rank -5% spell failure, +1 armor class.
Lightning Reflex (DEX) each rank increase 1/4 to save
Great Fortitude (CON) each rank increase 1/4 to save
Iron Will (WIS) each rank increase 1/4 to save
The fourth is feats. Feats occur exactly at every multiple of three hit dice. See, all level 1 characters have 4 HD, so their 3rd HD (level zero) is when they gain their feat.
The fifth is ECL. A change in how ECL is calculated is necessary in this house rule. ECL = HD + LA - 3. The minus three (-3) comes from the extra hit dice that all characters and creatures are expected to have. I'm thinking of making Negative Levels = 1000 xp lost if permanent instead of actually losing a level. Recalculating character stats is an unnecessary pain. If your character has negative xp, then they just have to get more xp to level up. It's a smaller deal now.
Levels and Hit Dice
Level -6 = DEAD, Not Possible
Level -5 = 1/8 HD
Level -4 = 1/4 HD
Level -3 = 1/2 HD
Level -2 = 1 HD
Level -1 = 2 HD
Level 0 = 3 HD
The sixth is spells.
Full Casters: Minimum Spell Caster Level = 2x Spell Level.
Partial Casters: Minimum Spell Caster Level = 3x Spell Level.
Half Casters: Minimum Spell Caster Level = 4x Spell Level.
Similarly, all Psionic Powers cost increase by one point to match the above trend.
No Free First Four Cantrips. All Cantrips cost 1 Power Point you Psionics.
The seventh is Ability Scores. It still follows every fourth HD, so players get their very first ability score increase on Level 1.
Ah, the flaw. All classes have 4 HD so they have caster level 4. They all could start with 2nd level spells since 2 x 2 = 4. Well, nerfing or removing broken spells is a work in progress, and my sense of balance is not as good as others, so look up their solutions first. Best way to fix this is a flat increase spell level of all spells and equivalent abilities by one.
We need to rebuild all the classes to include these new levels (-2, -1, and 0). These Minus Levels (cannot use Negative Levels since it is already term in D&D) really slows down the power of multiclassing. Of course, without those bonus +2 saves, all the martial classes are weakened.
We hate thirds: CR 1/3 and CR 1/6 are revised to CR 3/8 and CR 3/16 respectively. We prefer the power of 2 denominators.
Hey, Someone wants a "Minus One/Minus One Dual Class" instead of starting as a Level 1 character. Yep, it is possible. "Minus Two/Level Zero" is also possible, but experience penalty may apply by yours truly Devious DM.
How about replacing those first three HD with racial paragon instead of Level Minus Two, Level Minus One, and Level Zero? This needs to be discussed. Power Balance may be an issue for some people. For high power games, sure.
TLDR: For you guys that do not like the shift in levels (free LA -3 to everything), A simple summary is no 4x skills on first HD, no first level feat, and no +2 bonus to good saves. Everything else is just other house rules.
BLUF: no 4x skills at first level, no feat at first level, no +2 bonus good saves, free LA -3 (but everyone argues that free LA-3 doesn't really do anything, so we may get rid of it).
You know, I don't really like the way skill points and feats are set up in 3.0 and 3.5, until I try to change the intercept. Linear it is, but Homogeneous it is not. Thus, Homogeneous Linear is about changing the intercept to zero. Homogeneous in Homogeneous Linear means an intercept of zero.
Quadruple Hit Dice at First Level is the way to shift the intercept to match the numbers. Skill Points and Feats are still linear, but now also homogeneous to hit dice. This house rule is not compatible with UA Bloodlines.
Guidelines for Quadruple Hit Dice (QHD)
All characters (both player characters and non-player characters) and creatures (non-character monsters) shall undergo this change.
The first hit dice of the character or creature will quadruple. Monsters with fractional HD will also follow this change.
1/8 HD monsters becomes 1/2 HD monsters (I believe there is only 1 SRD monster with 1/8 HD)
1/4 HD monsters becomes 1 HD monsters
1/2 HD monsters becomes 2 HD monsters
1 HD characters and creatures becomes 4 HD characters and creatures
2 HD characters and creatures becomes 5 HD characters and creatures
etc.
Each HD gives 1+con hp and requires 1 week of training per addition hp until max for each HD.
DM may opt to have max or average HD for the first 4 HD instead of 1+con, however, they must leave open the option to train 1 hp per in game week.
The second is saving throws. There are no bonus +2 to saves for having good saving throws. All the characters start with 4 HD at level 1 and end with 23 HD at level 20, so characters have Good Saves in the range of 2 to 11.5 (weaker by 0.5), and Bad Saves in the range of 1+1/3 to 7+2/3 (stronger by 1.0). With the change of Good Save = BAB, and Poor Save = BAB - 1/4, Good Saves is in the range of 4 to 23 for full BAB classes, and Poor Saves for full BAB classes and Good Saves for 3/4 BAB classes is in the range of 3 to 17.25, and Poor Saves for 3/4 BAB and Good Saves for 1/2 BAB is in the range of 2 to 11.5, and Poor Saves for 1/2 BAB is in the range of 0.25 to 5.75.
The third is skill points. It is linear to hit dice without exception. UA Bloodlines must be gestalt with Commoner or Dragon HD (only for dragon bloodline) to follow this rule. We will separate the skill points into six pools, one for each attribute. The base skill points is equal to the size of hit dice, so Barbarian gets 12+. For skill monkey class, they get an extra seventh pool of skill points for a selected list of skills (their class skills). For class skills vs cross-class skills: 1 point = 1 rank (class skills, and beyond 20 cross-class points), 1 point = 3/4 rank (first 20 cross-class skills).
The following feats are converted into skills: each rank (count fractions) gives a check bonus to the skills listed for them.
Acrobat (STR/DEX)
Agile (DEX)
Alertness (WIS)
Animal Affinity (WIS/DEX)
Athletic (STR)
Deceitful (INT)
Deft Hands (DEX)
Diligent (INT)
Investigator (WIS)
Magical Aptitude (INT/CHA)
*Psionic Aptitude (INT/CHA)
Negotiator (WIS)
Nimble Fingers (DEX)
Persuasive (CHA)
Self-Sufficient (WIS)
Stealthy (DEX)
These are additional feats that should be converted to skills to balance the martial characters.
Weapon Proficiency (STR/DEX), Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus merge together into a single skill for each martial weapon and each exotic weapon. Each rank +1 to hit.
Weapon Specialization (STR/DEX) Greater Weapon Specialization merge together into a single skill for each martial weapon and each exotic weapon. Each rank +1 to damage.
Armor Proficiency (DEX) splits into one skill for each armor type not groups (Light, Medium, Heavy). Each rank -5% spell failure, +1 armor class.
Shield Proficiency (DEX) splits into one skill for each shield type not groups (Non-Tower Shield, Tower Shield). Each rank -5% spell failure, +1 armor class.
Lightning Reflex (DEX) each rank increase 1/4 to save
Great Fortitude (CON) each rank increase 1/4 to save
Iron Will (WIS) each rank increase 1/4 to save
The fourth is feats. Feats occur exactly at every multiple of three hit dice. See, all level 1 characters have 4 HD, so their 3rd HD (level zero) is when they gain their feat.
The fifth is ECL. A change in how ECL is calculated is necessary in this house rule. ECL = HD + LA - 3. The minus three (-3) comes from the extra hit dice that all characters and creatures are expected to have. I'm thinking of making Negative Levels = 1000 xp lost if permanent instead of actually losing a level. Recalculating character stats is an unnecessary pain. If your character has negative xp, then they just have to get more xp to level up. It's a smaller deal now.
Levels and Hit Dice
Level -6 = DEAD, Not Possible
Level -5 = 1/8 HD
Level -4 = 1/4 HD
Level -3 = 1/2 HD
Level -2 = 1 HD
Level -1 = 2 HD
Level 0 = 3 HD
The sixth is spells.
Full Casters: Minimum Spell Caster Level = 2x Spell Level.
Partial Casters: Minimum Spell Caster Level = 3x Spell Level.
Half Casters: Minimum Spell Caster Level = 4x Spell Level.
Similarly, all Psionic Powers cost increase by one point to match the above trend.
No Free First Four Cantrips. All Cantrips cost 1 Power Point you Psionics.
The seventh is Ability Scores. It still follows every fourth HD, so players get their very first ability score increase on Level 1.
Ah, the flaw. All classes have 4 HD so they have caster level 4. They all could start with 2nd level spells since 2 x 2 = 4. Well, nerfing or removing broken spells is a work in progress, and my sense of balance is not as good as others, so look up their solutions first. Best way to fix this is a flat increase spell level of all spells and equivalent abilities by one.
We need to rebuild all the classes to include these new levels (-2, -1, and 0). These Minus Levels (cannot use Negative Levels since it is already term in D&D) really slows down the power of multiclassing. Of course, without those bonus +2 saves, all the martial classes are weakened.
We hate thirds: CR 1/3 and CR 1/6 are revised to CR 3/8 and CR 3/16 respectively. We prefer the power of 2 denominators.
Hey, Someone wants a "Minus One/Minus One Dual Class" instead of starting as a Level 1 character. Yep, it is possible. "Minus Two/Level Zero" is also possible, but experience penalty may apply by yours truly Devious DM.
How about replacing those first three HD with racial paragon instead of Level Minus Two, Level Minus One, and Level Zero? This needs to be discussed. Power Balance may be an issue for some people. For high power games, sure.
TLDR: For you guys that do not like the shift in levels (free LA -3 to everything), A simple summary is no 4x skills on first HD, no first level feat, and no +2 bonus to good saves. Everything else is just other house rules.