Post/Author/DateTime	Post
OneWinged4ngel 10-02-06, 02:37 AM	It seems some people like my house rules... to the point that one DM even adopted them in his game (to my surprise when I found out). This being the case... I've decided to post them up here. I've now found that several other DMs have also adopted my ruleset. Anyways, have a look for yourself! Enjoy! (Note: This is reposted from the online chat gaming community I play on: The Tangled Web (http://www.thetangledweb.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1328). I'll usually keep this updated, but that one may be *more* updated.) Edits: -Changed Zil Upbringing to allow a choice of three skills, adding Gather Information as a choice. -Changed Hobgoblins to have a choice between Constitution or Dexterity, instead of taking Constitution. -Changed name of Tumble+Balance to 'Acrobatics' -Altar of Resurrection rule edited -Added link to Signature Cantrips, and added rule about Material components. -Addressed a psicrystal exploit. -Banned Persistent Spell, made some minor fixes to the list, changed Altar of Resurrection -Altered feats Investigate, Urban Tracking, and Research -Clarified the addition of the bow proficiencies for the Silver Flame characters. -Allowed construct-related infusions to affect golems. -Added a few small changes for sorcs, monks, and paladins -Made charisma useful for all! It now affects action points. -Changed half-orc/orc entry. -Skill combinations removed except for Disable Device/Open Lock Oh yeah... please note these were written with the Eberron setting in mind, though most of it can apply to any game. GENERAL -Hit dice are rolled for each level. However, characters may reroll hit dice that are lower than half the maximum for their die. E.g. Wizards reroll 1s, rogues rerolls 1s and 2s, rangers reroll 1s, 2s, and 3s, fighters reroll 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s, and barbarians reroll 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. This way, no one gets screwed on hp, but no one really gets favored more by the odds. -Certain Skills are combined into one skill for the purpouse of taking ranks. This includes... Open Lock + Disable Device = Disable Device --(Disable Device can already, technically, disable locks, as they are a device. Jamming a lock's even given as an example action Open Lock is something of a legacy skill that no longer really fits, and many d20 system games have done away with the skill for a good reason. Way back, Rogues used to have a "Find/disable traps" skill and an "Open Lock" skill. Now, however, Find/Disable traps has been split into Search and Disable Device, and Disable Device has been expanded to include much more than traps (Really any mechanical or magical device). Open Lock just doesn't make sense anymore.) Both these skills still gain bonuses from items and such as if they were seperate skills. You just get the ranks for them together. Rules for usage are all the same. -Open Lock gains the new ability to "scrub" a lock open as a standard action (as opposed to a Full Round Action), at a -10 to the roll. This is a real ability skilled lockpicks can use to open locks in about 1 second, but it takes a good deal of skill. -I use K's fix for Undead templates and Polymorph from the Tome of Necromancy and Tome of Fiends, respectively (These excellent articles are posted on the Classes boards) -Those Darn Floaty Shields that everyone knows and doesn't really love aren't going to be there in my game. The designers even came out and said in an article (on Wizards) that animated shields were a problem, and something they never should have done. The enchantment essentially negates the trade-off between the choice of a two-handed weapon or sword and board, as if the idea that two-handed weapons were superior isn't prevalent enough already without allowing people to have a shield floating around and both hands free for your greataxe. -On the subject of material allowed, I allow material from any source (including the boards, such as Save vs. DM's work) on a case-by-case basis. All new feats, classes, etc need to be approved by me before they can be used. With this in mind, I may list a few things from non-core books that I have decided are just bad. -Psicrystals do not gain feats, ability bonuses, and skill points as they gain HD. I think this was merely an oversight on Wizards of the Coast's part, and that they were meant to be like familiars in this fashion. -Charisma now has a use other than giving bonuses to skills! Action points at each level are now 4 + 1/2 character level + Cha bonus. This only uses your *inherent* charisma, much like the skill bonus from int only uses your inherent intelligence. Thus, a Cloak of Charisma won't give you more AP. This finally gives Charisma some use for everyone, and prevents its use as a dump stat. The guy with the greater force of personality is more likely to be pulling the heroic stunts than the guy who can't work up the courage to talk to a girl or who nobody notices walking onto a stage who goes "testing, 1, 2, 3..." that no one ever notices is there. It's the guy with the heroic personality who everyone takes notice of who is more likely to jump towards the dragon's maw and throw a grenadelike weapon down its throat ;) EBERRON SPECIFIC HOUSE RULES -Clerics of the Silver Flame and Adepts of the Silver Flame add longbows, shortbows, composite longbows, and composite shortbows to their list of of weapon proficiencies. -Paper in Eberron is more cheaply produced and readily available than in other D&D settings, and as such does not outstrip an average worker's salary in cost. Eberron has advanced enough to have efficient paper production. As a result, you can get 10 sheets of paper per 1cp, or 100 for 1sp. Higher quality paper costs 1cp per sheet. Subscriptions to newspapers typically cost only a couple gp per year, as detailed in Sharn: City of Towers. This change follows logically from that source, and the idea that newspapers can be available to an average citizen. -Printing Presses in Eberron are created through the efficient use of magic. A cantrip spell called Amanuesis (From Spell Compendium) which copies text combined with a simple magic item that prints to pages allows the creation of printing presses. There are two basic types of printing press-type items. One copies on a one-to-one basis, or directly produces text from inputted commands [an enchanted pen that writes on its own], called a Sivis Pen, the other transfers one text copy to multiple papers (large-scale printing press). The first type is relatively cheap and sees employ in sivis stations Khoirvare 'round, while the second is more specalized but extremely useful for it's given task. A Sivis Pen costs 500 galifars. A large-scale printing press costs 3000 galifars. -Altars of Resurrection are more expensive, requiring them to be a legacy item of the house. The cost is now 85,000 gp. FEATS: -Zilargo Upbringing Req: Zilargo Gnome, Level 1 Effect: Pick two skills from a choice of Gather Information, Sense Motive, and Bluff. These are class skills for you. In addition, you gain +2 in one of these skills (Your choice). Flavour: In the cutthroat political world of shady deals, favors and debts one needs to master the social skills needed to survive. -Persistent Spell is just bad for so many reasons. From Divine Metamagic (Persistent) to Persistent Wraithstrike, it's just something that shouldn't be. I've banned this. -Urban Tracking, Research, and Investigate seem to me to represent expanded uses of skills that lots of people already utilized anyways when such situations came up, and that the designers of Eberron wanted to add such things. However, adding such things as 'variants' would prevent them from being able to make classes based on the assumption that you could use your skills for these purpouses (like the Master Inquistive), and that Wizards never changes core... ever. Anyways, I've just taken these feats out altogether and made them expanded, complex uses of Gather Information, Knowledge, and Search. They all already seem to be things that would be covered by such skills (a scholar with great knowledge probably knows how to study and find out more, a person who can gather information socially could probably use it to determine where someone's going, and so forth.) RACES: HOBGOBLINS • +2 Constitution OR Dexterity. • Medium: As Medium creatures, hobgoblins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Hobgoblin base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision (Ex): Hobgoblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and hobgoblins can function just fine with no light at all. • +2 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. • Automatic Languages: Common and Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling and Orc. • Favored Class: (M) Fighter (F) Bard LA +0 Note: Effective? You bet. It's a good LA +0, but it's balanced when you look at the dwarf or warforged, I believe. The lack of a penalty generally doesn't matter for balance, much like a dwarf's -2 cha: It's a dump stat from a mechanical point of view, and only really works towards shoehorning them out of say, playing a sorceror, while having no real effect on what they would optimally be suited for. -Half-Elves gain 1 bonus skill point per level, like humans. -Half-orcs get a +2 racial bonus to Survival and Intimidate, and +4 to saves to resist disease, and a +2 on morale checks and saving throws against fear. Orcs get the same. Also, half-orcs don't have a weak and flaccid personality! People just don't really like them so much :(... but this isn't what Charisma is! It's the strength of your personality! Anyways, they lose the -2 penalty to Cha (helping them to be better rangers and druids and such), but gain a -1 penalty to diplomacy and gather information checks. SPELLS -Material components are a joke that no one really finds funny. You pretty much recreate spell effects MacGuyver style (such as using powder to see invisibility) and call it magic. If you're not laughing yet, that means it's a bad joke... Plenty of DMs never like to keep track of them, novels and roleplay often tends to ignore them, and they just don't make much sense for the sorceror anyways. As such, all negligible cost material components are ignored, and Sorcerors gain the full effects of Eschew Materials at level 1 nd thus may use XP instead of material components). No more carrying around smelly pouches of guano for pyromancers! -Construct-related Infusions such as Disable Construct can bypass the typical spell immunity that many constructs have. -All of my custom spells are allowed: Signature Cantrips (http://www.thetangledweb.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1250) CLASSES -Paladins and Monks do not suffer multiclassing restrictions. There's no good reason to charge them a feat for this. -Sorcerors can switch out spells at every level, rather than every four. They also gain Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Gather Information as class skills. -Dragonmark Heir I think that Dragonmarked Heirs should get a class skill based on their dragonmark, based on the bonuses they receive to skills, unless they already have those skills as class skills. Something like, as follows: Mark of Detection: Spot Mark of Finding: Search Mark of Handling: Handle Animal Mark of Healing: Heal Mark of Hospitality (Diplomacy is already a Dragonmarked Heir class skill. Hmm...): Knowledge (local) Mark of Making: Craft Mark of Passage: Survival Mark of Scribing: Decipher Script Mark of Sentinel (Sense Motive already a class skill): Listen Mark of Shadow (Gather Info too): Disguise Mark of Storm: Balance Mark of Warding: Search This house rule was gotten from somewhere on these boards, but I cannot recall who posted this dragonmarked heir variant. Props to whoever it was... and if I can find out I'll give credit where it's due. -Exorcist of the Silver Flame A Paladin Exorcist of the Silver Flame can't Exorcise anything... in fact, it seems to assume you have the Exorcism ability as a cleric, from the Exorcism domain. This makes paladin Exorcists very sad, since they're not actually Exorcists. I propose that Exorcist of the Silver Flame gain the Exorcism domain special ability at level 1, with the ability based on their character level. ___________ Any feedback would be appreciated :) More will be added as it comes up.
OneWinged4ngel 10-05-06, 12:11 PM	What, are people scared off by a long thread or something?
Kethka 10-05-06, 12:46 PM	When a problem comes along You must chip it Before the cream sits out too long You must chip it When something's going wrong You must chip it now chip it into shape shape it up get straight go forward move ahead try to detect it it's not too late to chip it chip it good When a good time turns around You must chip it You will never live it down Unless you chip it No one gets their way Until they chip it
Neofish 10-05-06, 06:46 PM	When a problem comes along You must chip it No one gets their way Until they chip it :D This is the second time i've seen this, what the hell does it mean?
OneWinged4ngel 10-05-06, 07:49 PM	:D This is the second time i've seen this, what the hell does it mean? It means Kethka is making fun of me ;) But it's okay, because I'm his DM and I can tear apart his soul or something.:evillaugh (Or not...)
DwarvinJedi 10-05-06, 07:56 PM	:D This is the second time i've seen this, what the hell does it mean? I believe it is a rewrite of the Michael Jackson song, Whip It
captainswift 10-05-06, 09:43 PM	I believe it is a rewrite of the Michael Jackson song, Whip It That would be a Devo song, actually.
Kethka 10-05-06, 10:10 PM	Charisma now has a use other than giving bonuses to skills! Action points at each level are now 4 + 1/2 character level + Cha bonus. This only uses your *inherent* charisma, much like the skill bonus from int only uses your inherent intelligence. Thus, a Cloak of Charisma won't give you more AP. This finally gives Charisma some use for everyone, and prevents its use as a dump stat. The guy with the greater force of personality is more likely to be pulling the heroic stunts than the guy who can't work up the courage to talk to a girl or who nobody notices walking onto a stage who goes "testing, 1, 2, 3..." that no one ever notices is there. It's the guy with the heroic personality who everyone takes notice of who is more likely to jump towards the dragon's maw and throw a grenadelike weapon down its throat ;) I've already shared with you my feelings on this, but it bears repeating that this is probably one of my favorite rules (although all the others are good, as well). It's nice because it makes charisma a useful stat, and is compeletely thematically appropriate. Best of all, it's a simple, elegant solution that doesn't require much (or really any) effort to impliment. So yeah, just thought I'd try to get this thread back on track since I managed to derail it :P
Thelon Fairblade 10-06-06, 11:02 AM	-Hit dice are rolled for each level. However, characters may reroll hit dice that are lower than half the maximum for their die. E.g. Wizards reroll 1s, rogues rerolls 1s and 2s, rangers reroll 1s, 2s, and 3s, fighters reroll 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s, and barbarians reroll 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. This way, no one gets screwed on hp, but no one really gets favored more by the odds. If you have eliminated all low rolls, and don't want anyone favored more by odds than any other, why not just give them all a set amount? For example, IMC I give all PCs 75% hp (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9; round total down). Or, keep a tiny randomness like Iron Heroes: d4, d4+2, d4+4, d4+6, and d4+8. -Certain Skills are combined into one skill for the purpouse of taking ranks. This includes... Open Lock + Disable Device = Disable Device I don't like this rule. The issue I have with it isn't that a skilled disabler shouldn't be able to handle a lock, but rather that a skilled lockpick might not be able to disarm traps. Use Rope + Sleight of Hand = Sleight of Hand --(No one wants to take ranks in Use Rope... really. Sleight of Hand isn't all too much more popular, and Sleight of Hand artists are typically able to use ropes effectively) This one makes *no* sense to me at all. Skilled rope use is completely differnt from pulling coins out of little kids' ears. Tumble + Balance = Acrobatics --(It never seemed to make sense that someone who could somersault over your head wouldn't have to master some good balance... or that someone training in balance wouldn't be mastering some sort of acrobatics) This one is fine, I guess. But again, it is completely believeable to be good at one and not at another. My 5-year-old practices balance in her karate class, but tumbling is not somehting they teach or focus on (at least, not yet -- throws come later). Standing on one leg is totally different from safe-falls and somersaults. All these skills still gain bonuses from items and such as if they were seperate skills. You just get the ranks for them together. Rules for usage are all the same. So I would buy 1 rank of Disable Device, but only gain +2 from masterwork lockpicks when picking locks? -Open Lock gains the new ability to "scrub" a lock open as a standard action (as opposed to a Full Round Action), at a -10 to the roll. This is a real ability skilled lockpicks can use to open locks in about 1 second, but it takes a good deal of skill. But wait, Open Lock no longer exists as a skill? -I use K's fix for Undead templates and Polymorph from the Tome of Necromancy and Tome of Fiends, respectively (These excellent articles are posted on the Classes boards) I like those too. Good choice. Out of curiosity, which brand of "undead" are you using? "it's all EVIL", or "it's just energy, how you use it is EVIL"? -Those Darn Floaty Shields that everyone knows and doesn't really love aren't going to be there in my game. The designers even came out and said in an article (on Wizards) that animated shields were a problem, and something they never should have done. The enchantment essentially negates the trade-off between the choice of a two-handed weapon or sword and board, as if the idea that two-handed weapons were superior isn't prevalent enough already without allowing people to have a shield floating around and both hands free for your greataxe. Fine with me. They've neer been seen in any game I have ever run, in almost 20 years. -On the subject of material allowed, I allow material from any source (including the boards, such as Save vs. DM's work) on a case-by-case basis. All new feats, classes, etc need to be approved by me before they can be used. With this in mind, I may list a few things from non-core books that I have decided are just bad. GM's perogative. -Psicrystals do not gain feats, ability bonuses, and skill points as they gain HD. I think this was merely an oversight on Wizards of the Coast's part, and that they were meant to be like familiars in this fashion. Agreed. -Charisma now has a use other than giving bonuses to skills! Action points at each level are now 4 + 1/2 character level + Cha bonus. This only uses your *inherent* charisma, much like the skill bonus from int only uses your inherent intelligence. Thus, a Cloak of Charisma won't give you more AP. This finally gives Charisma some use for everyone, and prevents its use as a dump stat. The guy with the greater force of personality is more likely to be pulling the heroic stunts than the guy who can't work up the courage to talk to a girl or who nobody notices walking onto a stage who goes "testing, 1, 2, 3..." that no one ever notices is there. It's the guy with the heroic personality who everyone takes notice of who is more likely to jump towards the dragon's maw and throw a grenadelike weapon down its throat ;) Slight variation in rules. I apply the CHA bonus to the Action Die total, not on the number of APs given. The 7 CHA barbarian gets just as many chances to be heroic as the 16 CHA sorcerer (and the shining knight, the 18 CHA paladin). However, when she tried to influence reality with the sheer force of her heroics... she just isn't as effective. [In fact, the barbarian player spent her level 4 attribute point in CHA to bring it up to CHA 8!] However, she could still power things that cost APs (like the Eberron feat that lets you follow someone taking a 5' step, or simulating a feat for one round), and the sorcerer did not get lots of bonus spells just for having a high CHA. EBERRON SPECIFIC HOUSE RULES -Clerics of the Silver Flame and Adepts of the Silver Flame add longbows, shortbows, composite longbows, and composite shortbows to their list of of weapon proficiencies. Why? -Paper in Eberron and Printing Presses Fine. No big game mechanic change there. -Altars of Resurrection are more expensive, requiring them to be a legacy item of the house. The cost is now 85,000 gp. But you can still get rezzed at a major House location, right? FEATS: -Zilargo Upbringing Req: Zilargo Gnome, Level 1 Effect: Pick two skills from a choice of Gather Information, Sense Motive, and Bluff. These are class skills for you. In addition, you gain +2 in one of these skills (Your choice). Flavour: In the cutthroat political world of shady deals, favors and debts one needs to master the social skills needed to survive. Fine. -Persistent Spell is just bad for so many reasons. From Divine Metamagic (Persistent) to Persistent Wraithstrike, it's just something that shouldn't be. I've banned this. Also fine. -Urban Tracking, Research, and Investigate seem to me to represent expanded uses of skills that lots of people already utilized anyways when such situations came up, and that the designers of Eberron wanted to add such things. However, adding such things as 'variants' would prevent them from being able to make classes based on the assumption that you could use your skills for these purpouses (like the Master Inquistive), and that Wizards never changes core... ever. Anyways, I've just taken these feats out altogether and made them expanded, complex uses of Gather Information, Knowledge, and Search. They all already seem to be things that would be covered by such skills (a scholar with great knowledge probably knows how to study and find out more, a person who can gather information socially could probably use it to determine where someone's going, and so forth.) Fine. RACES: HOBGOBLINS • +2 Constitution OR Dexterity. • Medium: As Medium creatures, hobgoblins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Hobgoblin base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision (Ex): Hobgoblins can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and hobgoblins can function just fine with no light at all. • +2 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. • Automatic Languages: Common and Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Gnome, Halfling and Orc. • Favored Class: (M) Fighter (F) Bard LA +0 Note: Effective? You bet. It's a good LA +0, but it's balanced when you look at the dwarf or warforged, I believe. The lack of a penalty generally doesn't matter for balance, much like a dwarf's -2 cha: It's a dump stat from a mechanical point of view, and only really works towards shoehorning them out of say, playing a sorceror, while having no real effect on what they would optimally be suited for. -Half-Elves gain 1 bonus skill point per level, like humans. -Half-orcs get a +2 racial bonus to Survival and Intimidate, and +4 to saves to resist disease, and a +2 on morale checks and saving throws against fear. Orcs get the same. Also, half-orcs don't have a weak and flaccid personality! People just don't really like them so much :(... but this isn't what Charisma is! It's the strength of your personality! Anyways, they lose the -2 penalty to Cha (helping them to be better rangers and druids and such), but gain a -1 penalty to diplomacy and gather information checks. Fine. SPELLS -Material components are a joke that no one really finds funny. You pretty much recreate spell effects MacGuyver style (such as using powder to see invisibility) and call it magic. If you're not laughing yet, that means it's a bad joke... Plenty of DMs never like to keep track of them, novels and roleplay often tends to ignore them, and they just don't make much sense for the sorceror anyways. As such, all negligible cost material components are ignored, and Sorcerors gain the full effects of Eschew Materials at level 1 nd thus may use XP instead of material components). No more carrying around smelly pouches of guano for pyromancers! Something DDO does, which I think is elegant but keeps components in place, is generic'd the components. Level one spells that need components, all need pinches of fine dust, at 1sp each pinch. Level 5 spells need crystal cones, at 20 gp each. [Stoneskin still takes a special 200 gp component.] Simple, generic, mark it off as you use it. -Construct-related Infusions such as Disable Construct can bypass the typical spell immunity that many constructs have. Make sense. -All of my custom spells are allowed: Signature Cantrips (http://www.thetangledweb.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1250) Didn't have time to look, sorry. CLASSES -Paladins and Monks do not suffer multiclassing restrictions. There's no good reason to charge them a feat for this. Fine. -Sorcerors can switch out spells at every level, rather than every four. They also gain Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Gather Information as class skills. Core rules is not "Every 4" it's "every time you get a new spell level". Since sorcs don't get their 2nd spell level, the first swtich isn't until level 4, but it's every 2 levels after that. If you want it more geneeric, make it every 2 levels (so they get another switch at 20th, for example), and change something like 50 XP per spell level for additional switches. Skill additions... why not run it like the other changes: "Pick 2 of Diplo, Bluff, Intim, and Gather Info". -Dragonmark Heir I think that Dragonmarked Heirs should get a class skill based on their dragonmark, based on the bonuses they receive to skills, unless they already have those skills as class skills. Something like, as follows: Mark of Detection: Spot Mark of Finding: Search Mark of Handling: Handle Animal Mark of Healing: Heal Mark of Hospitality (Diplomacy is already a Dragonmarked Heir class skill. Hmm...): Knowledge (local) Mark of Making: Craft Mark of Passage: Survival Mark of Scribing: Decipher Script Mark of Sentinel (Sense Motive already a class skill): Listen Mark of Shadow (Gather Info too): Disguise Mark of Storm: Balance Mark of Warding: Search This house rule was gotten from somewhere on these boards, but I cannot recall who posted this dragonmarked heir variant. Props to whoever it was... and if I can find out I'll give credit where it's due. Fine. what about this, though, as less of a power up. If you have the skill, you get the bonus. If you don't have the skill, you get the bonus *OR* get it as a class skill. -Exorcist of the Silver Flame A Paladin Exorcist of the Silver Flame can't Exorcise anything... in fact, it seems to assume you have the Exorcism ability as a cleric, from the Exorcism domain. This makes paladin Exorcists very sad, since they're not actually Exorcists. I propose that Exorcist of the Silver Flame gain the Exorcism domain special ability at level 1, with the ability based on their character level. Makes sense. Whew... Okay, there you go!
OneWinged4ngel 10-06-06, 11:43 AM	If you have eliminated all low rolls, and don't want anyone favored more by odds than any other, why not just give them all a set amount? For example, IMC I give all PCs 75% hp (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9; round total down). Or, keep a tiny randomness like Iron Heroes: d4, d4+2, d4+4, d4+6, and d4+8. I've been considering the 75% hp for a while now. I don't like this rule. The issue I have with it isn't that a skilled disabler shouldn't be able to handle a lock, but rather that a skilled lockpick might not be able to disarm traps. The thing is, Disable Device *actually already covers* Open Lock by the RAW. Open Lock is actually a skill with no additional use from another one. This one makes *no* sense to me at all. Skilled rope use is completely differnt from pulling coins out of little kids' ears. Perhaps, but it seemed the closest thing to roll it into. No one ever wants to "waste" skill points on Use Rope. Alternatively, I'd hope to expand its use or roll it into something more fitting. Suggestions? This one is fine, I guess. But again, it is completely believeable to be good at one and not at another. My 5-year-old practices balance in her karate class, but tumbling is not somehting they teach or focus on (at least, not yet -- throws come later). Standing on one leg is totally different from safe-falls and somersaults. Well taken. Balance was just a rarely taken thing... I might remove these anyways, though. Except, of course, for the Disable Device thing. So I would buy 1 rank of Disable Device, but only gain +2 from masterwork lockpicks when picking locks? Yes. Many items grant bonuses only to specific uses of a skill. This isn't a new idea. But wait, Open Lock no longer exists as a skill? Yep. This has happenned in plenty of d20 systems besides D&D, because there's no reason for it to be there. Disable Device allows you to open locks. I like those too. Good choice. Out of curiosity, which brand of "undead" are you using? "it's all EVIL", or "it's just energy, how you use it is EVIL"? I use Eberron. It's just energy. It can affect the mind... however. Slight variation in rules. I apply the CHA bonus to the Action Die total, not on the number of APs given. The 7 CHA barbarian gets just as many chances to be heroic as the 16 CHA sorcerer (and the shining knight, the 18 CHA paladin). However, when she tried to influence reality with the sheer force of her heroics... she just isn't as effective. [In fact, the barbarian player spent her level 4 attribute point in CHA to bring it up to CHA 8!] However, she could still power things that cost APs (like the Eberron feat that lets you follow someone taking a 5' step, or simulating a feat for one round), and the sorcerer did not get lots of bonus spells just for having a high CHA. Good idea! Why? Because the flavor presents the followers of the Silver Flame using archery as a form of meditation, and even goes insofar as to say that plenty of Commoners who follow the Silver Flame are skilled in it. It only seemed right flavorwise for martially trained champions of the faith (In Eberron, clerics are described as such, especially for the Silver Flame) to be competent with it. It's a flavor issue that has come up in the past, but no one wanted to waste a feat on martial weapon proficiency. I consider it a minor addition to power. But you can still get rezzed at a major House location, right? Yes. Potentially. Something DDO does, which I think is elegant but keeps components in place, is generic'd the components. Level one spells that need components, all need pinches of fine dust, at 1sp each pinch. Level 5 spells need crystal cones, at 20 gp each. [Stoneskin still takes a special 200 gp component.] Simple, generic, mark it off as you use it. I may do something like this, but as it is now material components are a joke. Seriously. I could explain it, but K did it so much better so I'll post what he said: Material Components: A Joke Gone Way Out of Hand Material components are a joke. I'm not saying that they are metaphorically a joke in that they don't act as a consistent or adequate limiting factor to spellcasting, I mean that they are actually a joke. Material components are supposed to be "ha ha" funny. The fact that even after having this brought to your attention, you still aren't laughing, indicates that this is a failed attempt at humor. Most material components are based on technological gags, when you cast scrying you are literally supposed to grab yourself a "specially treated" mirror, some wire, and some lemons – which is to say that you make a TV set to watch your target on and then power it with an archaic battery. When you cast see invisibility you literally blow talc all over the place – which of course reveals invisible foes. Casting lightning bolt requires you to generate a static charge with an amber rod and some fur, tongues requires that you build a little Tower of Babel, and of course fireball requires that you whip up some actual gunpowder. Get it? You're making the effects MacGuyver style and then claiming that it's "magic" after the fact. Are you laughing yet? Of course not, because that joke is incredibly lame and there's no way for it to hold your attention for several months of a continuous campaign. Core rules is not "Every 4" it's "every time you get a new spell level". Since sorcs don't get their 2nd spell level, the first swtich isn't until level 4, but it's every 2 levels after that. If you want it more geneeric, make it every 2 levels (so they get another switch at 20th, for example), and change something like 50 XP per spell level for additional switches. Forgive my wording, then. It's still the same effect as a house rule :rolleyes: Fine. what about this, though, as less of a power up. If you have the skill, you get the bonus. If you don't have the skill, you get the bonus *OR* get it as a class skill. What? Where do you get a bonus? It's just treated as an additional class skill granted by the PrC, as if it was already on the list. You get the bonus from having the dragonmark already. That's not a houserule... Thanks for the feedback! I may actually use the 75% thing and the idea about modifying action point use with cha instead of increasing the number you get. :D Edit: Removed Use Rope, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and Balance skill combinations.
FriendlyBiscuit 10-09-06, 08:25 PM	-Construct-related Infusions such as Disable Construct can bypass the typical spell immunity that many constructs have. "spell immunity" actually works more like an infinite amount of Spell Resistance than a defensive antimagic shield. Things like Melf's Acid Arrow, Acid Fog, etc, which ignore spell resistance already work fine on golems. Aren't the anti-construct spells the same way?
Max Octavious Xavier 10-09-06, 09:21 PM	The thing is, Disable Device *actually already covers* Open Lock by the RAW. Open Lock is actually a skill with no additional use from another one. DISABLE DEVICE (INT; TRAINED ONLY) Check: The Disable Device check is made secretly, so that you don’t necessarily know whether you’ve succeeded. The DC depends on how tricky the device is. Disabling (or rigging or jamming) a fairly simple device has a DC of 10; more intricate and complex devices have higher DCs. If the check succeeds, you disable the device. If it fails by 4 or less, you have failed but can try again. If you fail by 5 or more, something goes wrong. If the device is a trap, you spring it. If you’re attempting some sort of sabotage, you think the device is disabled, but it still works normally. You also can rig simple devices such as saddles or wagon wheels to work normally for a while and then fail or fall off some time later (usually after 1d4 rounds or minutes of use). Device Time Disable Device DC1 Example Simple 1 round 10 Jam a lock Tricky 1d4 rounds 15 Sabotage a wagon wheel Difficult 2d4 rounds 20 Disarm a trap, reset a trap Wicked 2d4 rounds 25 Disarm a complex trap, cleverly sabotage a clockwork device 1If you attempt to leave behind no trace of your tampering, add 5 to the DC. Action: The amount of time needed to make a Disable Device check depends on the task, as noted above. Disabling a simple device takes 1 round and is a full-round action. An intricate or complex device requires 1d4 or 2d4 rounds. Try Again: Varies. You can retry if you have missed the check by 4 or less, though you must be aware that you have failed in order to try again. Special: If you have the Nimble Fingers feat, you get a +2 bonus on Disable Device checks. A rogue who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more can study the trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (along with her companions) without disarming it. Restriction: Rogues (and other characters with the trapfinding class feature) can disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the spell level of the magic used to create it. The spells fire trap, glyph of warding, symbol, and teleportation circle also create traps that a rogue can disarm with a successful Disable Device check. Spike growth and spike stones, however, create magic traps against which Disable Device checks do not succeed. See the individual spell descriptions for details. OTHER WAYS TO BEAT A TRAP It’s possible to ruin many traps without making a Disable Device check. Ranged Attack Traps: Once a trap’s location is known, the obvious way to ruin it is to smash the mechanism—assuming the mechanism can be accessed. Failing that, it’s possible to plug up the holes from which the projectiles emerge. Doing this prevents the trap from firing unless its ammunition does enough damage to break through the plugs. Melee Attack Traps: These devices can be thwarted by smashing the mechanism or blocking the weapons, as noted above. Alternatively, if a character studies the trap as it triggers, he might be able to time his dodges just right to avoid damage. A character who is doing nothing but studying a trap when it first goes off gains a +4 dodge bonus against its attacks if it is triggered again within the next minute. Pits: Disabling a pit trap generally ruins only the trapdoor, making it an uncovered pit. Filling in the pit or building a makeshift bridge across it is an application of manual labor, not the Disable Device skill. Characters could neutralize any spikes at the bottom of a pit by attacking them—they break just as daggers do. Magic Traps: Dispel magic helps here. Someone who succeeds on a caster level check against the level of the trap’s creator suppresses the trap for 1d4 rounds. This works only with a targeted dispel magic, not the area version (see the spell description). emphasis added So you are saying jamming a lock is opening a lock? I would say using disable device on a lock prevents it from being opened. Otherwise, I would have no problem with your house rules and I really like some of them. If I have time, I might post more later.
OneWinged4ngel 10-09-06, 09:30 PM	So you are saying jamming a lock is opening a lock? I would say using disable device on a lock prevents it from being opened. Otherwise, I would have no problem with your house rules and I really like some of them. If I have time, I might post more later. A lock counts as a device ;) The example list is not *all* that Disable Device can do. Anyways, I took that house rule from K, and various other d20 games, which all suggest it. "spell immunity" actually works more like an infinite amount of Spell Resistance than a defensive antimagic shield. Things like Melf's Acid Arrow, Acid Fog, etc, which ignore spell resistance already work fine on golems. Aren't the anti-construct spells the same way? I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm also not sure if you're right about that. Could you give a reference? Thanks.
rydi123 10-09-06, 10:12 PM	No persistent spells? No floating shields? ^ ^ ^ :D WOOOHOOOOO! most of the other rules seem to make sense as well. though why not just do average hp rounding up for all characters. it also has the added benefit of making character audits at high levels much easier ('you can't have that much hp!' 'uh, yeah, i can, just do the math.') in reference to your skills, why don't you just make a combined system? i am really fond of the one i came up with, and so far it has gotten good feedback. here's the link http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=706185
OneWinged4ngel 10-09-06, 11:58 PM	No persistent spells? No floating shields? ^ ^ ^ :D WOOOHOOOOO! most of the other rules seem to make sense as well. though why not just do average hp rounding up for all characters. it also has the added benefit of making character audits at high levels much easier ('you can't have that much hp!' 'uh, yeah, i can, just do the math.') in reference to your skills, why don't you just make a combined system? i am really fond of the one i came up with, and so far it has gotten good feedback. here's the link http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=706185 Yeah, I've been considering just setting it to 3/4 HD per level.
FriendlyBiscuit 10-10-06, 02:09 AM	I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm also not sure if you're right about that. Could you give a reference? Thanks.An iron golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/monstersG.html#iron-golem
Max Octavious Xavier 10-10-06, 10:13 AM	A lock counts as a device ;) The example list is not *all* that Disable Device can do. Anyways, I took that house rule from K, and various other d20 games, which all suggest it. I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm also not sure if you're right about that. Could you give a reference? Thanks. I would look at the entry for Disable Device I quoted earlier. It says "jam a lock", nothing about "opening a lock". However, it does say to "disarm, then reset a trap". Thus, I have no real problem with using disable device to open a lock, but I would say the lock was destroyed (unless the dc was +10 or more, and +5 if you want no trace). Here is how I see locks: Open Locks = you use lock picks as a "key" Disable Device = you force the lock open (can't be relocked, unless +10/15 dc) or you can "destroy" the lock in the closed postion (jam) Str Check/Use a weapon = destroy the lock and door and wall and building... (depending on power level) Your house rule I like the most is the hp rule. Dice hate me. IMC my Big Black Dragon missed 4 times by rolling 4 1's and this sort of dice rolling happens to me all the time. I roll twice as many 1's as 20's. Arghh, the dice, they mock me.
Shaggy 10-10-06, 05:01 PM	If you have eliminated all low rolls, and don't want anyone favored more by odds than any other, why not just give them all a set amount? For example, IMC I give all PCs 75% hp (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9; round total down). Or, keep a tiny randomness like Iron Heroes: d4, d4+2, d4+4, d4+6, and d4+8. Another variant I've seen used is this: At each level, reroll all HD. If the total amount is higher than what you already have, use the new number. Otherwise, keep the old one. That way it will get a lot less likely that you end up with bad numbers.