Bunch Of Geeks

Harbinger · Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:27 pm Dungeons and Dragons House Rules

Here are the current house rules for my DnD game

House Rules:
1. Dying and Death: A character is considered to be dying if his hit points are in the range of -1 to – (constitution -1). A character is considered dead when his hit points are equal to –constitution.
2. Background skills: At character creation a player may choose 3 skills that should be related to the characters life before becoming an adventurer. These three skills are always considered to be class skills for that character regardless of what class the character pursues at each level. One of these skills must be a profession or craft skill. (Note: Canon Warforged do not gain this benefit)
3. Perception: A characters perception score is equal to the average (round down) of that characters spot and listen skills. This could also be called Notice. This doesn’t come into play often, but when it does it is nice to know.
4. Stealth: A characters stealth score is equal to the average (round down) of that characters move silently and hide skills. This doesn’t come into play often, but when it does it is nice to know.
5. Leveling up: Characters may only level up between adventures/stories or during extended periods of downtime during a story or adventure. Some specific campaigns may not allow this, but it will be the general rule.
6. Skill Levels: The rank limit of both Class and Cross-Class will be level+3. There is no reason to penalize cross class skills twice.
7. Action Surge: All characters will receive the action surge feat as a bonus feat at level one.
8. Additional Action Point Uses:
8.1. An Action Point may be spent to add a d6 to your armor class for one enemy attack.
8.2. Two Action Points may be spent to re-roll a single Attack Roll, Saving Throw or Skill Check unless the first roll was a natural 1.
8.3. An Action Point may be spent to automatically confirm a potential critical hit.
9. Eschew Components: Sorcerers and Bards receive the Eschew Components feat for free at first level. This feat can only be applied to spells being cast as a Sorcerer or Bard.
10. Additional Wizard Skill Points: Wizards receive an additional number of skill points per level equal to their intelligence bonus. These skill points may only be spent on knowledge skills and are still subject to the normal maximum limits.
11. Wildcard Feats: At character levels 6, 12 and 18 all characters receive a wildcard feat rather than the standard feat choice normally received at these levels. Wildcard feats are defined in the Man-at-Arms write-up in Iron Heroes.
12. Spell Compendium: The spells in the spell compendium will be considered to be an extension of the ones in the player's handbooks. This means that the divine caster's spell lists are much longer and making those casters more flexible. I reserve the right to reverse this decision if it becomes a problem.
13. Initiative Ties: Ties in the initiative order after comparing initiative bonuses will be decided by dexterity with higher dexterity characters acting first. Should the tie still not be broken then the tied characters will randomly determine who acts first.

Harbinger · Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:28 pm

Here are the proposed house rules I am trying to get input on from the players

1. Allowed Materials: Anything in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide Spell Compendium and Monster Manual will typically be allowed without question, although monsters as characters will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Anything else will require GM review and approval.
2. Dying and Death: A character is considered to be dying if his hit points are in the range of -1 to – (constitution -1). A character is considered dead when his hit points are equal to – constitution.
3. Perception: A characters perception score is equal to the average (round down) of that characters spot and listen skills. This could also be called Notice. This doesn’t come into play often, but when it does it is nice to know.
4. Stealth: A characters stealth score is equal to the average (round down) of that characters move silently and hide skills. This doesn’t come into play often, but when it does it is nice to know.
5. Leveling up: Characters may only level up between adventures/stories or during extended periods of downtime during a story or adventure. Some specific campaigns may not allow this, but it will be the general rule.
6. Skill Levels: The rank limit of both Class and Cross-Class will be level+3. There is no reason to penalize cross class skills twice.
7. Action Surge: All characters will receive the action surge feat as a bonus feat at level one.
8. Additional Action Point Uses:
a. As an Immediate action an Action Point may be spent to add a d6 to your armor class for one enemy attack.
b. Two Action Points may be spent to re-roll a single Attack Roll, Saving Throw or Skill Check unless the first roll was a natural 1.
c. As an immediate action, a character may spend 2 action points to bestow 1 action point on an ally. The ally must spend this action point at the time it is bestowed.
d. A character may spend one action point to recover 1 hit die + constitution modifier in hit points. For example 1d10+Con for a fighter. A character with a negative hit point total may not use action dice for this purpose.
9. Eschew Components: Sorcerers and Bards receive the Eschew Components feat for free at first level. This feat can only be applied to spells being cast as a Sorcerer or Bard.
10. Additional Wizard Skill Points: Wizards receive two (2) additional skill points per level. These skill points may only be spent on knowledge skills and are still subject to the normal maximum limits.
11. Background Skills: Most characters were something before becoming adventurers. Each character should choose a background from the NPC classes. When purchasing skills at first level, the skills from the chosen NPC class are also available as class skills for that character.
a. Commoner: Just about any character could come from a commoner background. The commoner’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
b. Aristocrat: Just about any character could come from an aristocratic background. The aristocrat’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Survival (Wis).
c. Expert: This would be appropriate for apprentice wizards. The expert can choose any ten skills to be class skills.
d. Adept: This would be appropriate for aspiring clerics, druids, and monks. The adept’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
e. Warrior: This might be appropriate for the various fighting classes and could represent a member of the local watch or militia who has decided to take up a life of adventuring, or perhaps a warforged. The warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Harbinger · Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:37 am

Ptolus House Rules

1. Allowed Materials: Anything in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide Spell Compendium, Monster Manual, and Ptolus will typically be allowed without question, although monsters as characters will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Anything else will require GM review and approval.
2. Dying and Death: A character is considered to be dying if his hit points are in the range of -1 to – (constitution -1). A character is considered dead when his hit points are equal to – constitution.
3. Leveling up: Characters may only level up between adventures/stories or during extended periods of downtime during a story or adventure. Some specific campaigns may not allow this, but it will be the general rule.
4. Skill Levels: The rank limit of both Class and Cross-Class will be level+3. There is no reason to penalize cross class skills twice.
5. The Action Point rules fromEberron and Unearthed Arcana will be used.
6.Action Surge: All characters will receive the action surge feat as a bonus feat at level one.
7. Additional Action Point Uses:
a. As an Immediate action an Action Point may be spent to add a d6 to your armor class for one enemy attack.
b. Two Action Points may be spent to re-roll a single Attack Roll, Saving Throw or Skill Check unless the first roll was a natural 1.
c. As an immediate action, a character may spend 2 action points to bestow 1 action point on an ally. The ally must spend this action point at the time it is bestowed.
d. A character may spend one action point to recover 1 hit die + constitution modifier in hit points. For example 1d10+Con for a fighter. A character with a negative hit point total may not use action dice for this purpose.
8. Eschew Components: Sorcerers and Bards receive the Eschew Components feat for free at first level. This feat can only be applied to spells being cast as a Sorcerer or Bard.
9. Additional Wizard Skill Points: Wizards receive two (2) additional skill points per level. These skill points may only be spent on knowledge skills and are still subject to the normal maximum limits.

Harbinger · Sun Sep 02, 2007 6:31 pm

Dungeons and Dragons House Rules for the Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Campaign.

1. Allowed Materials: Anything in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide Spell Compendium and Monster Manual will typically be allowed without question, although monsters as characters will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Anything else will require GM review and approval.
2. Dying and Death: A character is considered to be dying if his hit points are in the range of -1 to – (constitution -1). A character is considered dead when his hit points are equal to – constitution.
3. Leveling up: Characters may only level up between adventures/stories or during periods of downtime during a story or adventure. Some specific campaigns may not allow this, but it will be the general rule.
4. Skill Levels: The rank limit of both Class and Cross-Class will be level+3. There is no reason to penalize cross class skills twice.
5. Eschew Components: Sorcerers and Bards receive the Eschew Components feat for free at first level. This feat can only be applied to spells being cast as a Sorcerer or Bard.
6. Additional Wizard Skill Points: Wizards receive two (2) additional skill points per level. These skill points may only be spent on knowledge skills and are still subject to the normal maximum limits.
7. Background Feats: Characters may select one of the background feats from the Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player’s Guide as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Harbinger · Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:38 am

Dungeons and Dragons House Rules for the Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Campaign. v.2

1. Allowed Materials: Anything in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide Spell Compendium and Monster Manual will typically be allowed without question, although monsters as characters will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Anything else will require GM review and approval.
2. Dying and Death: A character is considered to be dying if his hit points are in the range of -1 to – (constitution -1). A character is considered dead when his hit points are equal to – constitution.
3. Leveling up: Characters may only level up between adventures/stories or during periods of downtime during a story or adventure. Some specific campaigns may not allow this, but it will be the general rule.
4. Skill Levels: The rank limit of both Class and Cross-Class will be level+3. There is no reason to penalize cross class skills twice.
5. Eschew Components: Sorcerers and Bards receive the Eschew Components feat for free at first level. This feat can only be applied to spells being cast as a Sorcerer or Bard.
6. Additional Wizard Skill Points: Wizards receive two (2) additional skill points per level. These skill points may only be spent on knowledge skills or languages and are still subject to the normal maximum limits.
7. Background Feats: Characters may select one of the background feats from the Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords Player’s Guide as a bonus feat at 1st level.