variant rules

[big teej]

curiosity: how many people use variant rules? and which ones?


for example, I'm seriously considering dropping in the 'spell roll' variant in my groups.

we already use a few other variants (either homebrew or suggested by the book)

so I'm curious

a) have any of you used the spell roll variant?
b) how did it go?
c) what other variants do you use?

triple 20 = insta kill?
the taint/insane stuff?
etc.

[Levithix]

I haven't used the spell roll variant, but I know my group loves the trill 20=insta kill one :)

I'm currently running a gestalt game with custom races and a couple custom classes (mostly just removing LA and/or racial HD), it's been going pretty good and my players seem to like it.

[Lateral]

Taint is fun.

[FMArthur]

My groups generally have in play all the 'variants' that don't actually constitute a rule change and are thus fully compatible with everything else. Variant races/classes out of UA, traits and flaws are pretty much the biggest thing. They are treated like special campaign measures in UA but every book after that which used alternate races or classes/class features treat them like player options for any vanilla campaign. Everyone likes it like that.

[bartman]

What is the spell roll variant? I quickly checked the SRD but could not find it.

[big teej]

What is the spell roll variant? I quickly checked the SRD but could not find it.

its in the DMG
instead of a set DC for spells its d20 + spell level + casting stat bonus

makes spells a bit more random, also (potentially) allowing for 'critical successes and failures' on a spell

but that'd be more of a DM thing, the actual rule simply substitutes the above formula instead of a set DC

I personally kinda like it.

think about it
regardless of level, a fighter has good swings and bad swings
why should a wizard (who already has it better) be immune to such a thing?

[Greenish]

think about it
regardless of level, a fighter has good swings and bad swings
why should a wizard (who already has it better) be immune to such a thing?

So do you roll for AC too? (So the target's AC is d20 + modifiers.)


Really, it doesn't matter much whether the PCs make all the rolls or not, but having two rolls for a simple spell seems to slow the game a bit much.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

By variants do you mean the alternate rules in books like DMG or are we talking AFC's?

[MeeposFire]

By variants do you mean the alternate rules in books like DMG or are we talking AFC's?

I think it could be either.

[Thurbane]

We use critical success and failures on Skill checks. If you roll a natural 20, roll the check again. If you meet the DC, it is a "critical" success, and you get +10 on top of your roll (effectively, 30+your skill mod.)

If you roll a natural 1, make the check again. If you fail, you take a -10 penalty on the check (skill mod -10).

It can make things interesting - i.e. you can still fail if you have a high skill mod, and you can succeed at a high DC if you have a low skill mod.

[Kuma Kode]

Commonly used, depending on campaign.

Weapon Group Feats
Bell Curve Rolls
Hex Grid
Players Roll All The Dice
Summon Monster Variants
Armor as Damage Reduction
Combat Facing

For d20 Modern...

Vitality and Wound Points

For Shadow Theory...

Sanity

[big teej]

okay, I'm about to feel REALLY dumb. but.
what's ACF?


and I yes I was speaking of the variants within the DMG

[Curmudgeon]

okay, I'm about to feel REALLY dumb. but.
what's ACF?

Alternative Class Feature. You can find a good list of those here.

[Yora]

So do you roll for AC too? (So the target's AC is d20 + modifiers.)


Really, it doesn't matter much whether the PCs make all the rolls or not, but having two rolls for a simple spell seems to slow the game a bit much.

That's the reason why you usually have one side roll 1d20 and the other side using a static 10.
In SW Saga, saving throws become static defenses and instead the roll is made by the other side and not a set DC.