Zak's D&D v3.7 'house rules' of

                The purpose of this page is to formally list all of the changes made to the D&D v3.5 core rules. These alterations were designed to make the game better, and as such, have been given much careful thought. This is a dynamic set of rules, however, and circumstances may require immediate adjudication against them or permanent alterations. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to make them -- D&D is far from being an ideal system, so let's improve it!

*look for the tag for recent changes  

D&D v3.7 Class Modifications

the Hero-Bard

          The v3.5 Bard, though interesting and versitile, is not a strong enough class to be attractive to players. To make a Hero-Bard character, you may choose to make any one of the following alterations:

• Assassin-Bard: +1d6 sneak attack damage every 3rd level (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, etc).

• Sorceric-Bard: add one to your class level to determine your # of spells known and # of spells per day

• Druidic-Bard: gain a Druidic animal companion and use half your Bard level to determine it's ability advancement

• Warrior-Bard: gain full base attack bonus (BAB) as the Fighter classes do

• Rogue-Bard: Trapfinding ability & gain 8 + Int modifier skill points per level instead of the normal 6 + Int modifier

• Healer-Bard: learn 1 healing spell per spell level for free and gain one healing spell slot per day per spell level

Ranger

          The v3.7 Ranger gains ONE of the following modifications:

• Animal companion's capabilities are based on full Ranger level (instead of half Ranger levels)

• Full access to both the Ranger & Druid spell lists (can prepare spells from either list)

Divine Monk

          The v3.7 Divine Monk (click here for full class details) gains the following modification:

• Select ONE of the deity's domains (instead of 2 as a Cleric)

Paladin

          The v3.7 Paladin gains ONE of the following modifications:

• Select ONE of the following domains:

  • Community / Family / Good / Healing / Law / Nobility / Retribution / Strength / Suffering / Sun

• Full access to both the Paladin & Cleric spell lists (can prepare spells from either list)

• Earlier special mount (talk to the DM for details)

D&D v3.7 Skill Modifications

Skill Modifications

          I previously ignored the v3.5 rules regarding class and cross-class skills because I wanted to make the game more flexible. However, since everyone seems to always want to have high Spot and Listen, many characters have little else in the means of skills. So please pay attention to which skills are cross-classed for your character (PHB p. 63) and note the following:

• as an exception to the above rule regarding class and cross-class skills, any player who writes a background which would support their character having access to a cross-class skill may be eligible to have the skill as a class skill
   

• your class level + 3 determines the maximum ranks you may have for a class skill
  (e.g. a 1st Rogue / 1st Wizard can have up to 5 ranks in any class skill of both the Rogue and Wizard)
   

• Knowledge (Dungeoneering) is a class skill for all classes and has the following effect:
  you may make a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) skill check to determine the approximate threat of any enemy
  (this may save your lives at times, when a decent roll tells you that you think you're "outmatched")
  

• Intimidate can be based on Strength if you perform a feat of Strength to terrify your opponent
   

• ANY skill may be used untrained, but the difficulty class for skills which cannot usually be used untrained will be significantly higher
  (e.g. a Fighter who wants to use high Dexterity to open a simple lock can do so but the DC goes from 20 to 30)
   

• a natural '20' on a skill check acts as a '25' and a natural '1' acts as a '-5'
  (this system is also used for ability score checks -- like a Strength check to bash open a door)
   

• you can avoid provoking AoO while standing from prone with a successful DC 15 Tumble check

D&D v3.7 Feats

Background Feats

          At 1st level, every player-character receives one 'background' feat which must be selected from the following list:

* this feat cannot be taken as a background feat if another 1st-level feat taken lists it as a requirement
 

Modified Feats (changes to existing feats)

• Diehard -- you cannot be staggered or stunned from taking Wound Point damage and you get a +4 bonus on your Fortitude saving throw to stabilize (unconscious @ zero Wound Points) once per day

  • (Endurance required)
     

• Forge Ring -- create magical rings

  • (caster level 3rd required -- instead of 12th)
     

• Improved Trip -- +4 on trip attempts & no Attack of Opportunity (but NO free attack upon a successful trip)

  • (see Greater Trip below)
     

• Spell Focus -- renamed to School Focus
   

• Toughness -- gain 2 Vitality points and 1 Wound Point (instead of 3 Hit Points)
   

Additional Feats (these do not appear in the Player's Handbook)

General Feats (5)

• Accelerated Healing -- you gain twice the normal number of Vitality and Wound Points
  (usually 1 VP per HD per hour of rest and 1 WP per HD from 8 hours of sleep)

  • (Endurance & Diehard required)
     

• High Pain Threshhold -- +1 Damage Reduction which stacks with any other type of DR 

  • (Con 13+, Wis 13+ & Toughness required)
     

• Less Sleep -- your Constitution bonus counts against the 8 hours of rest you need per day (to a minimum of 4 hours)
  (note that Wound Points recovered from sleep are affected by this feat if you choose to sleep less)

  • (Con 13+ required)
     

• Quickness -- your base speed increases by 10' per round (5' if you are wearing medium or heavy armor)

  • (Run required)
     

• Rapid Metabolism -- add your Consitution bonus to the number of Vitality and Wound Points you recover from rest

  • (Con 13+ required)
     

Power Attack-based Feats (8)

• Greater Bull Rush -- gain a free melee attack upon a successful push

  • (Str 13+, Power Attack & Improved Bull Rush required)
     

• Greater Overrun -- gain a free melee attack upon a successful overrun

  • (Str 13+, Power Attack & Improved Overrun required)
     

• Greater Sunder -- gain a free melee attack upon a successful sunder

  • (Str 13+, Power Attack & Improved Sunder required)
     

• Improved Charge -- gain a +2 damage bonus in addition to the normal +2 to hit

  • (Str 13+ & Power Attack required)
     

• Improved Smash -- you now don't provoke Attacks of Opportunity when you perform a 'smashing attack'

  • (BAB 4+, Str 13+, Power Attack & Smash required)
     

• Power Lunge -- you deal double your Strength bonus to damage on a successful charge but suffer -4 AC

  • (BAB +3, Str 13+ & Power Attack required)
     

• Smash -- declare up to one blugeoning attack per round as a 'smash' which does an additional 1d6 subdual damage
  (this kind of attack provokes Attacks of Opportunity)

  • (Str 13+ & Power Attack required)
     

• Staggering Blow -- subtract from your BAB to force a DC 10 + (BAB points removed x 2) Fortitude check or your opponent is staggered on a successful hit

  • (BAB +5, Str 13+ & Power Attack required)
     

Expertise-based Feats (6)

• Chink in the Armor -- take a standard action to observe someone's armor -- on your next round, your attacks ignore half of their armor bonus (to both AC and DR)

  • (Craft: Armor 5 ranks or Combat Expertise required)
     

• Greater Disarm -- gain a free melee attack upon a successful disarming

  • (Int 13+, Combat Expertise & Improved Disarm required)
     

• Greater Trip -- gain a free melee attack upon a successful trip

  • (Int 13+, Combat Expertise & Improved Trip required)
     

• Improved Combat Expertise -- use of the Combat Experise defensive fighting is no longer limited to +5 AC

  • (BAB 6+, Int 13+ & Combat Expertise required)
     

• Riposte -- when fighting defensively & using the Combat Expertise feat with a light weapon, you get AoO against opponents who miss you with melee attacks -- only one such attack per target up to your maximum # of AoO

  • (BAB +6, Int 13+, Combat Reflexes & Combat Expertise required)
     

• Single Weapon Fighting -- gain a +1 bonus either to hit OR to AC when fighting with a weapon in only one hand

  • (BAB +1, Dex 13+, Int 13+ & Combat Expertise required)
     

Combat Reflexes-oriented Feats (4)

• Expert Tactician -- when your opponent is denied his/her Dex bonus to AC, you may make an additional attack at your full BAB as part of a full-round action

  • (BAB 2+, Dex 13+ & Combat Reflexes required)
     

• Hold the Line -- you may make an Attack of Opportunity upon an opponent who charges into your threatened squares

  • (BAB 2+ & Combat Reflexes required)
     

• Off-hand Opportunist -- get an extra off-hand attack when opponents provoke Attacks of Opportunity at BAB - 5 

  • (BAB 8+, Combat Reflexes, Two-weapon Fighting & Improved Two-weapon Fighting required)
     

• Tag-team Attack -- when you and an ally are flanking an opponent, you get +4 against that opponent instead of +2

  • (BAB +3 & Combat Reflexes required)
     

Other Combat-oriented Feats (11)

• Armor Mobility -- the Max Dex bonus for armor you wear is increased by one

  • (Armor Proficiency for the armor in question required)
     

• Improved Rapid Shot -- your missile attacks no longer suffer the -2 to hit penalty

  • (BAB 2+, Dex 15+, Point Blank Shot & Rapid Shot required)
     

• Improved Single Weapon Fighting -- gain a +1 bonus to hit AND AC when fighting with only a weapon in one hand 

  • (BAB 4+ & Single Weapon Fighting required)
     

• Limited Blindsight -- you ignore blindness, darkness & concealment when attacking an opponent within 5' 

  • (BAB 4+, Wis 19+ & Blind-fighting required)
     

• Off-hand Power -- deal full Strength bonus to damage with off-hand weapons (instead of half your Strength bonus)

  • (Str 15+ & Two-weapon Fighting required)
     

• Prone Attack -- suffer no penalties when attacking while prone and if your attack hits, you can stand as a move action WITHOUT provoking an Attack of Opportunity

  • (BAB +2, Dex 15+ & Lightning Reflexes or Improved Initiative required)
     

• Reach Around Ally -- allies only give +2 AC cover when you make a melee attack through their square

  • (normally +4 AC cover is given)
     

• Quickened Coup de Grace -- you can perform a Coup de Grace as a standard action instead of a full-round action

  • (BAB +2 & Improved Initiative required)
     

• Sharp Shooting -- you may ignore up to 2 points of cover when firing upon an opponent

  • (BAB 3+, Wis 13+, Point Blank Shot & Precise Shot required)
     

• Shield Deflection -- once a round when you are hit by an attack, make a DC 20 Reflex saving throw (plus magical bonuses on the attack) -- if the save is successful, the attack deals half damage (rounded up)

  • (BAB 4+ & Shield Focus required)
     

• Shield Focus -- you gain -1 to the armor check penalty & +1 to AC for one type of shield (buckler, light or heavy)

  • (Shield Proficiency required)
     

Divine Channeling Feats (6)

• Divine Cleansing -- use a turn/rebuke attempt to give all allies in 60' radius (including yourself) a +2 Fortitude saving throw bonus for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus 

  • (Cha 13+, ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead & Extra Turning required)
     

• Divine Might -- use a turn/rebuke attempt to add your Charisma bonus to your attack damage for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus

  • (Str 13+, Cha 13+, ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead & Power Attack required)
     

• Divine Resistance -- use a turn/rebuke attempt to give all allies in 60' radius (including yourself) resistance 5 to fire, cold, electricity and acid for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus

  • (Cha 13+, ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead, Extra Turning & Divine Cleansing required)
     

• Divine Shield -- use a turn/rebuke attempt to give your shield a magical bonus equal to your Charisma bonus for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus

  • (Cha 13+, ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead & Extra Turning required)
     

• Divine Vengeance -- use a turn/rebuke attempt to gain a +2d6 sacred damage bonus against undead on your next turn

  • (Cha 13+, ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead & Extra Turning required)
     

• Divine Vigor -- use a turn/rebuke attempt to gain a +10' movement rate and +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma bonus

  • (Cha 13+, ability to Turn or Rebuke Undead & Extra Turning required)
     

Monk-oriented Feats (9)

• Choke Hold -- if you maintain a pin for a full round, your opponent must make a Fortitude saving throw DC 10 + 1/2 your level + your Wisdom modifier or fall unconscious for 1d3 rounds 

  • (Improved Unarmed Strike & Improved Grapple required)
     

• Defensive Trip -- when fighting defensively and unarmed or using weapons designed to trip opponents (like a spiked chain, flail, etc.), you can oppose the attack with a trip attempt -- if you beat your opponent's attack role, (s)he falls prone and loses the attack (but can still stand from prone if (s)he hasn't taken a move action)

  • (Int 13+, Combat Expertise, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike & Improved Trip required)
     

• Disarming Block -- when fighting defensively and unarmed or using weapons designed to catch opponents' weapons (like a sai, jitte, etc.), you can oppose the attack with a disarm attempt -- if you beat your opponent's attack role, (s)he is disarmed and loses the attack

  • (Int 13+, Combat Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike & Improved Disarm required)
     

• Earth's Embrace -- if you maintain a pin for a full round, you automatically deal double unarmed attack damage to your opponent, but you have -4 AC against non-grappling opponents

  • (Str 15+, Improved Unarmed Strike & Improved Grapple required)
     

• Freezing the Lifeblood -- this attack deals no damage, but if it hits, the defender must make a Will save DC 10 + 1/2 your level + your Wisdom modifier or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds

  • (BAB 5+, Wis 17+, Improved Unarmed Strike & Stunning Fist required)
     

• Grappling Throw -- with a successful grapple check, hurl your opponent as if it were an object of half its weight
  (usually 5-10')

  • (Improved Unarmed Strike & Improved Grapple required)
     

• Greater Grapple -- you may make unarmed attacks which get free grapple checks if they deal damage

  • (BAB 5+, Dex 15+, Improved Unarmed Strike & Improved Grapple required)
     

• Pain Touch -- your stunning attack causes one round of nausea after the stun effect (opponent can only take a single move action)

  • (BAB 2+, Wis 15+, Improved Unarmed Strike & Stunning Fist required)
     

• Unarmed Deflection -- once a round when you are hit by an attack, make a DC 20 Reflex saving throw (plus magical bonuses on the attack) -- if the save is successful, the attack deals half damage

  • (BAB 4+ & Improved Unarmed Strike required)
     

Rogue-oriented Feats (5)

• Acrobatic Tumbling -- you may move up to a single move as part of a tumble (normally half your single move) and treat a fall as 20 feet less with a successful DC 15 Tumble check (instead of 10 feet less)

  • (Dex 13+, Tumble skill & feat with +2 or greater Tumbling bonus required)
     

• Arterial Strike -- you can forego 1d6 sneak attack damage to inflict a wound which bleeds 1 VP or WP per round 

  • (BAB 4+ & sneak attack damage required)
     

• Critical Sneak Attack -- do an additional +1d6 sneak attack damage upon a critical hit

  • (BAB 1+ & sneak attack damage required)
     

• Retributive Strike -- get an Attack of Opportunity on an opponent who just hit you, but suffer -4 AC for one round
  (Combat Reflexes does not increase the number of times you can use this feat per round)

  • (Dex 13+ & Dodge required)
     

• Tumbling Flank -- you can single-handedly 'flank' an opponent by moving from one side to the other with a successful DC 25 Tumble check -- failure means you provoke Attacks of Oppotunity and lose the ability to flank 

  • (Dex 17+ & Acrobating Tumbling required)
     

Spellcaster-oriented Feats (9)

• Arcane Preparation -- you may prepare spells with metamagic feats ahead of time to avoid casting as a full round

  • (for spontaneous arcane spellcasters with metamagic feats)
     

• Blood Burn -- burn Constitution points for additional spell slots (1 to 1 ratio) as a standard action

  • (for arcane spellcasters only)
     

• Cast on the Run -- you may move before AND after casting a spell

  • (Dex 13+, Dodge & Mobility required)
     

• Craft Talisman -- can create a talisman to store a single 3rd-level or lower spell (costs the same as a potion)

  • (item creation feat for arcane and divine spellcasters)
     

• Extra Spell -- gain 1 additional known spell

  • (for Sorcerers, Bards & Shugenja only -- can take multiple times)
     

• Magical Artisan -- magical item creation only costs 75% normal

  • (other item creation feat required)
     

• Reaching Spell -- you can transfer a spell with 'touch' as the range to 30'
  (this metamagic feat requires a spell slot two levels higher than the spell to be transferred)

  • (metamagic feat for divine and arcane spellcasters)
     

• Spell Power -- three times a day, you can increase a spell's saving throw DC by 1

  • (for divine and arcane spellcasters)
     

• Transfer Personal Spell -- you can transfer a spell with 'caster' as the target to another target by touch
  (this metamagic feat requires a spell slot one level higher than the spell to be transferred)

  • (metamagic feat for arcane and divine spellcasters)
     

Bows & Crossbows

• longbows & composite longbows do 1d6 damage instead of 1d8 damage;
  

• crossbows use the following chart and rules:

Notes on the above table:

Str req. = the minimum Strength required to normally load and fire the weapon
(less than this and there are penalties to the load time)
          (+1) mighty requires 2 points of Strength above than the weapon's Str req. and does +1 damage
          (+2) mighty requires 4 points of Strength above than the weapon's Str req. and does +2 damage
          mighty repeating crossbows require +4 points of Strength above the weapon's Str req. and do +1 damage per shot

mighty non-repeating crossbows cost an addition 100gp per plus
mighty repeating crossbows cost an additional 250gp per mighty plus

normal reload time = the time required to load the crossbow (this can be reduced with the Rapid Reload feat)
          if Strength is insufficient to reload the crossbow normally, someone with 4 or less points of Strength below the
          crossbow's Str req. can load it by increasing the reload time (add a full-round action to the normal reload time)

ALL crossbow users are treated as having the Point-Blank Shot feat (+1 to hit & damage to 30 ft.) and this stacks with the feat

some extra info on crossbows can be found at the following address:
http://www.thebeckoning.com/medieval/crossbow/xbow-def.html

   Armor Class & Damage Reduction

• the armors listed below give have of their armor bonus to Armor Class and half to Damage Reduction
  (i.e. every second point of armor goes to DR, so magical +1 studded leather gives +2 AC & DR 2 / - )
   

  • Mage Armor & Magical Vestment also follow the above rules, but spells like Shield of Faith, Protection from C/E/G/L, etc. only increase your AC for their duration
     

  • every 5th point of Natural Armor increases your Damage Reduction (and this stacks with existing DR from any other source)
     

• half BAB to AC
   

  • in addition to bonuses to AC from armor, high Dexterity, size, etc., all creatures additionally receive an AC bonus equal to half their BAB, rounded down
    (e.g. a 10th level Fighter will have +5 AC and a 10th level Wizard will have +2)
     

  • this AC bonus is considered a dodge bonus, and is denied any time the creature is denied its Dex bonus to AC
     

Full Armor List

• armor in Qur-tayn uses the following chart and rules:

(ACP = armor check penalty          ASF = % chance of arcane spell failure)

definitions:
ploecanth scale mail -- ploecanth fish scales (MEGA flexible but unpenetrable) magically affixed to soft leather
brigandine -- small metal plates rivetted inside leather front and backing
scale mail -- metallic scales rivetted to padded armor or soft leather aketon
jazeraint -- scale mail rivetted through a chain hauberk
double chain mail -- chain mail with an additional interlocked layer of links
bar chain mail -- chain mail with larger links and boiled leather (cuirbolli) woven through the openings

masterwork armor:
costs an additional 150 gp and reduces the ACP by 1 point

runecasting (armor inscribed with Gloridian magical runes to reduce ASF):
-5% costs 500 gp   /   -10% costs 1,000 gp   /   -15% costs 2,000 gp   /   -20% costs 4,000 gp   /   -25% costs 8,000 gp
(chain armors cannot be runecasted)

a good online medieval weaponry and armor glossary:
http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-AA/armsindx.htm

thanks to:
Ed -- for his valuable suggestions on these modifications

Attacks of Opportunity (AoO) and Special Attacks

• an attacker can ONLY use a normal melee attack or grapple when an AoO has been provoked
  (i.e. you cannot make a trip attack, disarm attempt, etc. when you are entitled to an AoO)
   

   Vitality and Wound Point system

• instead of Hit Points, you have Vitality Points (VP) which are equal to what your Hit Points would normally be
  (these represent your ability to shrug off a certain amount of physical strain before becoming seriously injured)

• you also have Wound Points equal to your Constitution score
  (these represent the actual amount of damage your body can take before you die)
   

• when hit, damage first affects your Vitality Points until they are exhausted

• critical hits no longer do extra damage, but bypass Vitality Points and immediately reduce one's Wound Points
  
  

  crit damage multiplier	new threat range
  x3	19-20
  x4	18-20
  x5	17-20

   

  • once you have taken WP damage, you are fatigued (-2 Str, -2 Dex & cannot run) until you rest an hour or are healed
     

  • if you are at or under 50% of your maximum WP, you are instead exhausted (-6 Str, -6 Dex & can only take partial actions) until you are healed above 50%
     

  • if the damage you take brings your WP to 0 or less, you must make a Fortitude saving throw DC 5 + (WP damage past zero x 2) to stabilize:

    • if you fail the save, you die

    • if you make the save, you are stable but unconscious until healed or a DC 10 Heal check to rouse you

    • if you make the save by 10 points, you are 'disabled' -- barely conscious and can only take partial actions (standard actions which do not heal you will make you fall unconscious)
       

• size modifies creatures' Wound Points as follows:
  

• CRs of smaller and larger creatures also change:

  • creatures with < CR 1 are increased to the next larger fraction (1/4 to 1/3, 1/3 to 1/2, etc.)

  • huge or larger creatures have +1 CR
     

Coup de Grace in the VP & WP system

• when an opponent is 'helpless' (paralyzed, held, bound, asleep or unconscious -- but NOT pinned), you can take a full-round action to deliver a killing blow
  

  • the attack always hits and counts as a crit (bypasses any remaining Vitality Points):

    • if the attack does not bring the defender to 0 Wound Points, they must make a Fortitude saving throw
      DC 10 + damage dealt or die

    • if the attack brings the defender to or under 0 WP, the Fortitude saving throw is DC 15 + (damage x 2)
       

   Sneak Attack damage in the VP & WP system

• non-critical hits do 1d6 per odd Rogue level to the target's Vitality Points (as normal)
   

• critical hits, however, do +2 VP damage per die instead of rolling the damage on d6s
   

• if an non-critical sneak attack brings the target close to 0 VP or the target is already at 0 VP, extra sneak attack damage dice will instead be handled as +2 WP damage per remaining die

thanks to:
Nick -- for suggesting this ruling

Healing in the VP & WP system

• Cure Wounds spells' rolled 8-sided dice heal your Vitality Points and the +1 point per caster level heal your WP
  (points which exceed your maximum Wound Points carry over to your Vitality Points but not vice versa)
   

• one hour of rest (not doing much of anything) will 'heal' 1 VP per class level or HD
   

• 8 hours of sleep will 'heal' 1 WP per class level or HD
   

Spontaneous Casting & Turning

• Clerics can CHOOSE to either spontaneously cast cure spells OR inflict spells REGARDLESS of their alignment
   

• Clerics turn or rebuke undead according to their alignment and deity
  (sometimes a Cleric may wish to do the other, and it is quite possible given time to prepare)
   

Lower Spell Conversion

• as a free action, two spells slot can be converted to produce three spell slots of a lower level
  (e.g. two 4th-level spells become three 3rd-level spells)
   

Spell Modifications

• Protection from Good/Evil/Chaos/Law has been removed from the Wizard/Sorcerer spell list
   

• errata: Doom causes the target to become 'shaken' (-2 on to hit rolls, on ability score checks & saves -- NOT to damage)
   

Familiar Modifications

• 7th+ arcane spellcasters can Imbue with Spell Ability (PHB 243) upon their familiar (as the spell)
  (for calculating the effective HD of your familiar, use (your caster level / 2) - 1
  

Last Update:
May 15th, 2005

Previous Update:
April 29th, 2005

Contact the GM:
Zakarius [at] mail [dot] com