House Rules
This area contains any changes to the D&D rules or additional rules (such as new feats) that are in effect when playing in my campaign. It also contains rule clarifications. Rule changes or additions tend to fall into three categories. Either they were done to maintain some semblance of balance, they were done to add/maintain a certain flavor for my world, or they were done to increase the options available to players. For changes, I will often include an explanation as to why I changed the rule. Rule clarifications are often not my invention but were supplied by Wizards of the Coast.
If there is ever a D&D rule (including any of my house rules) that a player feels is hindering their vision of their character or there is something lacking in the rules, let’s talk about it. I’m always willing to make or change the rules so that players can have their characters be what they want them to be.
I reserve the right to change any rule at any time though I will try to warn players if it will impact them (including possibly allow them to retroactively change any previous decisions).
Contents:
Character Class House Rules
Skill House Rules
Feat House Rules
Equipment, etc. House Rules
Combat House Rules
Spell House Rules
Other House Rules
Character Class House Rules:
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Ranger Class:
Use the Ranger from the 3.5 version of rules. See me for details if interested as it is quite different from the 3.0 version.
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Advancing Animal Companions
An animal companion of a Druid (or Ranger) will increase in abilities as the Druid increases in levels. The Druid does not need to actively do anything about this. See 3.5 version of rules for details.
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Saving Throws for Multi-Class Characters
The current rules are simple to follow but can lead to some weird situations and uneven progressions. The designers have openly admitted the current method was done to keep it simple. In my campaign, players don’t go up levels very frequently, and they keep their characters for long periods of time. Also, the math isn’t that hard for me to do it the way it was intended. Therefore, in my campaign, the following will be done when character’s multi-class.
Favored Saving Throw: 2+(class level)/2
UnFavored Saving Throw: (class level)/3
Add the bonuses using the above formulas. Don’t drop fractions until after everything is added together for all the classes.
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Basic Attack Bonus for Multi-Class Characters
The current rules are simple to follow but can lead to some weird situations and uneven progressions. The designers have openly admitted the current method was done to keep it simple. In my campaign, players don’t go up levels very frequently, and they keep their characters for long periods of time. Also, the math isn’t that hard for me to do it the way it was intended. Therefore, in my campaign, the following will be done when character’s multi-class.
Good BAB: class level
Moderate BAB: (class level)*2/3
Poor BAB: (class level)/2
Add the bonuses using the above formulas. Don’t drop fractions until after everything is added together for all the classes.
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First Level and Skill Points
The current rules have characters multiply their starting skill points by 4 at first level. While a nice idea, I feel it ends up unbalancing the skill based characters vs the non skill based characters (though I’ll admit it’s by only a small amount). Part of the balance between the character classes is how many skill points certain characters get. Yet this is the only ability that’s amplified at first level (hit points sort of are but not nearly the same extent). The most obvious example that something’s wrong here is every character who multi-classes rogue/classX, will have rogue as their first level. Every time. Because there’s virtually no penalty not to. This is also a significant contributor to the Rogue/ClassX often being “better” than the other skill-based classes (specifically Ranger and Bard).
Now, if every character had to actually play through their first level, this might not happen as often. And since my current campaign has all characters already above first level, this will only become an issue if any new characters join. I don’t have a solution yet, but you’ve been warned.
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Skill House Rules:
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Appraise
I have decided I do not like the rules I created below as they are too complicated. I do not know what I am going to do yet because I do not like the existing rules either. Hmmmm.
The baseline rules for appraise have two problems with them. 1) They don’t allow for a better appraise rank allowing better accuracy; a better rank only increases the chance of getting the closer range. 2) They don’t allow for an exact appraisal, ever, without uncertainty. While getting an exact value is probably not strictly realistic, from a game mechanics standpoint, I think it’s better. The following changes are meant to address these issues.
If an appraise check equals or beats the DC, then the exact value is known. If the DC is not met, then a linear range around the exact value will be rolled. For every point below the DC, the linear range is increased by 5% in each direction. To avoid odd numbers, the center two still equal an exact value. Round away from the exact value so there’s no more than two significant figures in the final value. Example: If the DC is 15 for a 1000gp gem and the appraise check is 12, then the range will be +/- 15%. Roll an 8 sided die with results as follows: 1 -15%, 2 -10%, 3 -5%, 4 or 5 exact, 6 +5%, 7 +10%, 8 +15%. For example, if the roll is a 3, -5% is -50gp. Final result: 950gp.
If the roll fails the DC by greater than 10 (i.e. the range would be greater than +/- 50%), then the person can only guess the units. Roll a d4. 1=units one less than actual. 2,3=units actual. 4=units equal one greater. For example, a 2000gp gem has units of thousands. A roll of 1 would get a guess of hundreds of gp. A roll of 4 would get a guess of ten thousands of gp.
Can take 10 but cannot take 20. Can only retry when gain a rank in appraise.
Some DCs for Appraise:
Gem 1gp-99gp DC15.
Gem 100gp-499gp DC18.
Gem 500gp-999gp DC20.
Gem 1000gp-4999gp DC23.
Gem 5000gp+ DC25.
Jewelry: Use Gem gp value above and then add 3 to DC.
Art or other: Use Gem gp value above and then add 5 to DC.
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Feat House Rules:
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Whirlwind Feat
Clarifications: You may only attack up to 8 opponents with this feat (regardless of how many opponents are actually next to you). You may take a 5ft step in the middle of your attacks but you do not gain any additional opponents to attack regardless of how many new opponents you are now next to (see Supreme Whirlwind below).
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See the Feat List link for a complete (almost) list of all feats in my game. Be aware that quite a few feats are modified from 3.0 versions of them.
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Equipment, etc. House Rules:
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Alchemical Items
Alchemical items are too common as described in the players handbook. Instead, the only item readily available for sale is smoke sticks. Even then you have to go to the right merchant (one that caters to adventurers usually). All other items are very rare and you must find the right person in order to buy them (and expect them to be more expensive).
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Combat House Rules:
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Dying more slowly
The current rules for bleeding to death are too quick. A character with an 18 constitution bleeds to death in under 2 minutes. Furthermore, constitution doesn’t even matter. A character with a 3 constitution will bleed to death as quickly as a character with an 18 constitution. My changes attempt to fix this a little (though characters still bleed to death too quickly in my opinion).
New Rule: When a character falls below 0 hit points, he is unconscious and dying. He may attempt to stabilize per normal rules. However, he does not die at -10. Instead, when he reaches a negative number of hitpoints equal to his Con score, he may no longer stabilize but is still alive (but dying). He doesn’t actually die until reaching double his Con score. Note this rule applies to NPCs as well as PCs.
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Sneak Attack vs Oversized opponents
Clarification: You may not make a sneak attack against any opponent that is more than one size category larger than you unless you have some unusual means of movement (such as fly, leaping off an adjacent wall, etc.).
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Flanking with Missile Weapons
Currently, missile weapons never gain the flanking bonus. This feels wrong.
New Rule: Missile weapons may gain the flanking bonus against an opponent if the opponent has someone threatening them directly opposite (slightly off angle is allowed) from the missile shooter. Missile weapons still never threaten for purposes of creating a flanking opportunity. Also note that Rogues must still be within 30ft to gain Sneak Attack bonus damage.
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Flanking - General
Currently, you only get a flanking bonus against an opponent if there is someone exactly opposite that also is threatening the opponent. Even if there are 5 people already threatening the opponent, if one of them isn’t exactly opposite to you, you don’t get a flanking bonus. This feels wrong.
New Rule: If any character qualifies for a flanking bonus against an opponent, then all characters attacking that opponent may use the flanking bonus. Missile weapons are not considered for creating this situation though they may benefit from it.
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Spell House Rules:
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Haste
The 3.0 version of this spell had a serious flaw. Version 3.5 has corrected this. The spell now bestows the following benefits:
One extra melee attack when making a full attack.
Speed is increased by 30.
Attack, AC, and Reflex all increase by 1.
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Harm
This spell had a couple different issues with it. Version 3.5 has corrected these. It now inflicts 10pts per level (max 150). The target receives a Will saving throw for half damage.
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Other House Rules:
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Darkvision
Clarification: Darkvision cannot be used to read normal writing. Black and White are considered colors for purposes of Darkvision. Darkvision detects contours, surfaces, edges, etc.
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