Post/Author/DateTime	Post
blood_of_the_ancient 04-27-05, 01:44 AM	I got really bored one night and decided to revise D&D. I didn't know why, it just sounded fun. The next day, upon seeing my scribbled notes, I realized that the system really could use a revision. It's a lot of work, but I've got a lot of time, and the persistent to actually do it. I'm only doing this **** once though, and I want it to be good. I beseech all of you for ideas on what changes I should make to the system. I don't care how hard it is to work out, so long as it is good. A few changes I've made so far... Armor as damage reduction. Class defense bonus to armor class. Action points. Vitality and wound points.
Asciiman 04-27-05, 03:13 AM	Sounds like your reinventing Unearthed Arcana. Revisions and houserules have already been done there. Including everything you've mentioned I believe.
Seeker95 04-27-05, 08:53 AM	Agreed. Unearthed Arcana already did this for you. So did GURPS.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-27-05, 09:25 AM	I knew this was going to happen. I didn't say that was everything I'm doing, now did I? I said "A few changes I've made so far..." I'm scrapping all of the old base classes and using different ones. Starting with Szatany's Ultimate Classes, and making some new classes styled to be nearly as flexible as his. I'm changing what strength and dexterity do: strength reduces the DR of armor in addition to adding damage to weapons. Dexterity is the score that affects all 'to hit' rolls. It also adds to damage on a bow. Next book I get is going to be Unearthed Arcana so that I can use that stuff. Part of the reason I made this thread is so that I can get more suggestions from other people. I'm not 're-inventing' anything, I'm just compiling every house rule I like into one book that describes the rules as I use them.
Phrennzy 04-27-05, 09:54 AM	I'm just compiling every house rule I like into one book that describes the rules as I use them. Which is a very good idea - that way your players know what to expect.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-27-05, 11:22 AM	Currently, one of my former players is DMing the group a Star Wars game, giving me time to compile the rules I use into the 3.X handbook. I want it to be as good as possible, so I am asking the members of the boards to tell me some of the house rules [I]they[/U] use, so that perhaps they can benefit the gaming experience of my group as well.
Phantom Lord 04-27-05, 12:12 PM	I've got a whole slew of them that I am organizing, computerizing, and posting on the internet. It's so vastly different, though, that I am calling it a new sub-system, instead of a houserule compilation. It's named after the world in which it is set: Kul'Draenis D20. There's a link to my web site in my signature. At this point I have not gotten much up (just races, classes, and some new equipment,) but there's more coming. A lot more. One of the primary differences between my system and D&D is the standardization of everything; I have a scoring system that I use when creating my races/classes so that (supposedly) everything comes out even. Putting that scoring method together helped me realize how many of the racial and ability modifiers compare to each other power-wise, and has lead me to some bizarre conclusions concering how ability score bonuses and size modifiers should work. Anyway, my system is based a lot more on roleplay than traditional D&D, and as such the skill points are a more worthwhile investment; some of the races and classes are more geared toward attaining skill points rather than HP or other ability boosts. As such, you will notice some of my skill-related feats are drastically improved/altered to reflect that. (Feats denoted with an asterisk are changed, the rest are original.) Without further ado, a list of feats that I am proposing in my system: BONUS SKILLS [GENERAL] Benefit: This feat grants the character 3 bonus skill points each in two skills (reduced to 2 for cross-class skills.) This feat does not stack; each time it is selected it applies to new skills. Special: Bonus skills do not count against the level-based skill rank cap. *EXTRA SKILLS [GENERAL] Benefit: This feat grants the character 8 skill points to be distributed as normal. Cross-class restrictions still apply. This feat stacks. IMPROVED ATTACK [GENERAL] Prerequisites: BAB +4, Weapon Focus, Str 14, Dex 14 Benefit: This feat improves the base attack bonus of the character by 1. This feat does not stack. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. IMPROVED SHIELD COMBAT [GENERAL] Prerequisites: Shield Combat, BAB +3 Benefit: This feat allows the combatant to keep his shield's armor class against an opponent that he strikes with his shield. Normal: Combatant loses his shield's armor class when using it to strike. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. INCREASED REPERTOIRE [SPECIAL] Prerequisites: Casting ability (Int, Wis, or Cha) 16 Benefit: This feat allows the caster to utilize double his normal daily 0-level spells. LARGE WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL] Prerequisites: Character must be proficient with the appropriate size of the weapon, Str 16 Benefit: This feat, once taken, enables the character to use a specific weapon of one size category larger than normal with a -2 to-hit penalty. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. LEARNED [GENERAL] Prerequisites: Int 18 Bonus: This feat grants Knowledge (all skills) as character skills. MASTER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL] Prerequisites: Dex 21, Greater Flurry Attack, BAB 19+ Benefit: You no longer suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls when fighting with two weapons. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. SHIELD COMBAT [GENERAL] Prerequisites: BAB +1, Shield Proficiency Benefit: This feat grants one extra attack per round with a shield held in the off-hand at full BAB. The shield counts as a light weapon when determining attack penalties. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. *SHIELD PROFICIENCY [GENERAL] Benefit: You can use a shield and take only the standard penalties. Add shield bonus to reflex saves vs. cone/line/burst spells. Add bonuses vs. disarm/sunder and touch attacks: +1 for buckler, +2 for light shields, +3 for heavy, +4 for tower. Add shield bonus to bullrush/defense against bullrush. Normal: When you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield’s armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving, including Ride checks. Special: Barbarians, bards, clerics, druids, fighters, paladins, and rangers automatically have Shield Proficiency as a bonus feat. They need not select it. SHIELD PROWESS [GENERAL] Prerequisites:Int 13, Combat Expertise Benefit: Doubles the effectivenes of Combat Expertise. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. *SKILL FOCUS [GENERAL] Benefit: +3 bonus to all checks with selected skill, gives skill as a character skill. *SPELL FOCUS [GENERAL] Choose a school of magic. Benefit: Add +2 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new school of magic. *TOUGHNESS [GENERAL] Benefit: You gain +4 HP. This feat stacks. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat. WEAPON VERSATILITY [GENERAL] Apply your combat technique with a variety of weapons. Prerequisites: Int 13, Dex 13 Benefit: Feats that normally apply to one weapon (i.e. Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization) apply to an additional weapon per point of intelligence bonus. For example, a fighter with an intelligence of 14 would get weapon focus for 3 weapons instead of one. Special: A fighter may select this as a bonus fighter feat.
Gilean 04-27-05, 12:27 PM	Monster classes for all creatures, or for none. No LA or anything. Make monsters (dragons) playable from 1st level to all eternity. Revised magic system is a must. Also, possibility of lower magic and good MWK rules.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-27-05, 12:58 PM	Phantom_Lord: Good job on the feats, I'm adding most of them. Gilean: I fully agree on the monster thing. That's how I'll be doing all monsters. Do standard entry for them, just either the racial stats (for CR +0) or monster levels (for those that make you much tougher). And for revising the magic system, what do you mean? What are your complaints about it?
weasel fierce 04-27-05, 02:27 PM	I could make a host of suggestions, but most of them would be a bit too conservative ;) On a more serious vein, I'd say make the paladin a prestige class, and give the bard druidic magic isntead (or at least make it an option)
blood_of_the_ancient 04-27-05, 03:31 PM	Ok. Start makin' ye suggestions for house rules or modifications. I'd love to hear 'em.
Phantom Lord 04-27-05, 10:45 PM	Damn it, I had a big, long, ridiculously detailed post written...then my mouse malfunctioned and double-clicked when I tried closing down another window, so I lost it all. I will get back to you later.
Phantom Lord 04-28-05, 11:39 PM	A few suggested changes (most of which can be found on my site): Races: Rebalance the half-elf and half-orc; the half-elf gets nothing human about it, and the half-orc just gets the shaft. NO ELVEN SUBRACES Classes: Paladin - This is not a class you can begin play with. It is earned. Once it is earned, any levels of other classes that the character already has can be converted into Paladin levels. Blackguard - Core class. Otherwise, same as above. (The whole idea of it being a PrC really torqued me off. Magic Users - Do away with Vancian magic. Go to a mana point system. Feats: Already hit on that. Forgot to mention: special thanks to Tony Vargas, Wizard, and Rialto for many of those feats. Equipment: Do away with all the special elven crap. The only 'elven' weapon IMC is the twinblade, which is homebrewed and based off of the Blood Elves' (WC3) nifty double-bladed sword. Also, greatclubs should be simple weapons. And adding mundane ways to enhance your weapon beyond MW is cool, too. That's the better part of what I have posted to the 'net right now. It's a far cry from the limit of my own revisions, but I thought it might give you a place to start.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-29-05, 02:55 AM	First, I'd be very interested to hear more about your revision. It's rules likes these that I am looking for. Half-Elf: Perhaps you have some ideas for this? I'd love to fix it, right now it seems nigh-unplayable. Half-Orc: Yes, an intelligence penalty is severe. I would see a half-orc as having either only a penalty to charisma, or a +4 strength bonus instead of +2. The 'orcish blood' ability is just crap, too. Paladin: I see this as something you can be at first level for sure. I also use Szatany's Scourge class for the 'blackguard' base class. Equipment: Instead of doing away with elven stuff, I have more special stuff for each race. I also allow many mundane modifications to weapons. One of my characters, a rogue, uses heavily modified crossbows that, at high levels, put magic bows to shame. In my games, mundane science can rival magic.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-29-05, 09:11 AM	I've left this mostly as-is, save for a couple of things. I changed 'search' to a wisdom-based skill, and 'use magic device' to an intelligence-based skill. Dexterity now affects all attack rolls, and adds itself to the ranged damage of bows and crossbows. Strength no longer affects attack rolls, but you subtract your strength bonus from the damage reduction of armor (in addition to it adding to the damage of your melee attacks and thrown weapons).
blood_of_the_ancient 04-29-05, 09:12 AM	I'm now using Phantom Lord's revised core races, and any races I make will have a Trueborn feat. I do, however, think that trueborn needs it own innate benefit.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-29-05, 09:15 AM	I use Szatany's Ultimate Classes, along with a few others of my own design, or someone else's. I allow almost anything Shadowfoot made, and I'll consider any other one. I'm only adding really flexible classes to the rulebook, like the ultimate ones. My new jester, and the other projects detailed below are highly flexible. I also allow the Red Mage class, linked to in my Jester thread. The immense flexibility of the class I use makes prestige classes less influential, as you can make a more unique character without them.
blood_of_the_ancient 04-29-05, 09:15 AM	This is where I am now in writing it the 3.X rulebook.
blood_of_the_ancient 07-30-05, 11:54 AM	I use the revised Diplomacy and Knowledge skills from the Order of the Stick website... Hmm... Do y'all think that Use Magic Device should be intelligence based? Concentration wisdom based? Search wisdom based?
blood_of_the_ancient 07-30-05, 12:23 PM	On armor as damage reduction: This means that many people who rely on heavy armor are almost always hits. Later in the game, this means that they will get hit and take damage almost every attack. Bad. On action points: Could be a good idea, but I'm reserving those for d20 modern. On VP system: D&D is fantasy, so a person should be able to getslashed up by 20 demons and still keep going (in my oppinion), or they could be described as narrowly dodging everything. The abstract hit point system will work fine. On a class defense bonus: I tried this. I ended up with a guy having 36 armor class at level 13. NOTHING could hit him. I might have it like Unearthed Arcana says, though, where you lose it if you wear armor.