Personal Capmaign Rules [Archive] - Wizards Community

Personal Capmaign Rules [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Judging Eagle
12-31-04, 01:50 PM I was just wondering how the following house rules would affect (ie. break) a campaign:

1. Magically charged items can be 're-charged.' However, you must know the spell that is to be rechaged (ie. you must be able to cast a maximized fireball to recharge a wand ot maxed fireballs); also, you can only add as many charges as you have appropriate spell slots.

2. You can cast spells of a lower level with higher level slots, however you don't affect the spell itself (ie. it's spell level, save DC is the same as if you cast it normally) and you lost the ability to use that slot to cast spells of that level (so, you can give up a 5th level slot to cast a spell from 4th to 0th level, but that slot is the used for the day, even if you used it on a 0th level spell). This helps with charging things during downtime and shouldn't be too much of a problem since you have to trade-in higher level slots to use a lower level spell.

3. HP per level (past 1, where you get your maxed HD for HP] is determined by the following formula:

[HD Divided by 2 + Con Mod] + [Level] IFF Level is equal to or lower than [HD/2 + Con Mod]

So a Wizard with a +3 con mod gets per level
level. HP Calculation = Total added HP this level
1. [4 + 3] + = 8 hp
2. [2 + 3] + 2 = +7
3 [5] + 3 = +8
4 [5] + 4 = +9
5 [5] + 5 = +10 (past this point the wiz only get +10 hp per level)
6 [5] + 5 = +10
7 [5] + 5 = +10
...

For something like say, a barbarian you'd see something like this (assume 18 con)
1. [12 + 4] + 1 = 17
2. [6 +4] + 2 = +12
3. [10] + 3 = +13
...
10. [10] + 10 = +20 (past this point the Barb get only +20 hp per level)

This removes the randomness of dice and allows for slightly more robus characters early on (plus you can always give monsters 50% more hp or just max their HP for their HD later on to balance it out; or just make leveling slower).

The problem that could arise is what happens when someone inceases their Con, but i'll get to that when it shows up I guess. just recalc their total HP i guess.

I have some other additions but i'll ad em later
Degobah
01-01-05, 06:33 AM Well, #1 lets characters basically use a limited-charge item an unlimited number of times. It might be balanced if you just doubled the cost of wands, since a 50-charge item costs half an unlimited use item. If you really want to balance it, add a cost to recharge (in GP or XP) as well as the spell slot.

#2 isn't a house rule. In 3E and 3.5 it has always been possible to do that.

#3 looks painful. Changing someone's Con is just a Rage or a spell away remember. It does weird stuff (it becomes more advantageous to multiclass to say Fighter or Barbarian the higher level you are). It also bloats PC hit points.
Kursk
01-01-05, 01:34 PM "I was just wondering how the following house rules would affect (ie. break) a campaign:

1. Magically charged items can be 're-charged.' However, you must know the spell that is to be rechaged (ie. you must be able to cast a maximized fireball to recharge a wand ot maxed fireballs); also, you can only add as many charges as you have appropriate spell slots."

This rule was play tested across the planet for over 20 years and it worked fine and never broke a campaign. :tiphat:
Razoreface
01-01-05, 05:26 PM Casters did tend to have slightly less spells back then though :)
Xeviat-DM
01-01-05, 05:30 PM "I was just wondering how the following house rules would affect (ie. break) a campaign:

1. Magically charged items can be 're-charged.' However, you must know the spell that is to be rechaged (ie. you must be able to cast a maximized fireball to recharge a wand ot maxed fireballs); also, you can only add as many charges as you have appropriate spell slots."

This rule was play tested across the planet for over 20 years and it worked fine and never broke a campaign. :tiphat:

The thread poster seems to be implying that you simply cast the spell into the wand to recharge it. That wouldn't be fair to wizards who took the craft wand feat. If recharging requires the craft wand feat, that would probably be fine, or if you charge a 1/50 cost per charge to recharge, that's absolutely fine.
Kursk
01-01-05, 06:37 PM I was only referring to the possibility of recharging. I would assume the caster had all appropriate prereq's. I should have been more specific in my reply.
Xeviat-DM
01-02-05, 01:50 AM No problem Kursk. I'd allow recharging (with prereqs with a 1/50 cost per charge cost) in my campaigns if any of my characters had taken the feat.
Judging Eagle
01-03-05, 12:59 PM Well, I should have added a few more Caveats to Rule Variant 1, namely that the point of recharging a wand gives the benefit of not having to recraft a new one so long as you could have already crafted such a wand in the first place and knew the spell that the wand is being charged with.

The HP varient rule is actually something that I lifted from Living Greyhawk. In fact in Living Greyhawk the rule is such that there is not +HP from Level Cap (so you get your lvl in bonus HP every level, unlike my ruling where there is a plateau once your 1/2 HD + Con Mod = Level).

However very, very few characters exist past level 12 in Living Greyhawk (I've heard of a 20th level character and an 18th, but 12 is the norm for Living Greyhawk) so for most classes it's a non-issue at higher levels.

When a person's Con gets improved they'd get the benefit of the extra HP per level, if it's a permanent Con Improvement and it would change their HP calculation then recalc it I guess, or just do it the easy way and add the increase in Con mod times levels to the total HP.

The thread poster seems to be implying that you simply cast the spell into the wand to recharge it. That wouldn't be fair to wizards who took the craft wand feat. If recharging requires the craft wand feat, that would probably be fine, or if you charge a 1/50 cost per charge to recharge, that's absolutely fine.

Well, the benefit of having it so that anyonewho could cast the spell could recharge a wand would be that magicaly re-charging wands can be done by lower level casters, while higher level ones can focus on making new wands.

It should be noted that I've created a rather secrative organization that uses large-ish devices that allow non-spell casters to activate a wand (picture a large 4-inch thick cylinder 2 feet long with a handle at one end to 'trigger' the wand that is inserted into the top and bolted in place and a second handle under the barrel). It borders on magical technology, but it allows this organization to quickly destroy any dangers (a squad with Wand-Casters with ray of enfeeblement, touch of idiocy, maximized magic missile plus a combat medic with a CLW Wand-Caster would make most things reconsider attacking; burning hands and grease would help with ground combat, but this city only has to really worry about flying threats like dragons/gargoyles/harpies due to the nature of their city and ships).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Judging Eagle 12-31-04, 01:50 PM	I was just wondering how the following house rules would affect (ie. break) a campaign: 1. Magically charged items can be 're-charged.' However, you must know the spell that is to be rechaged (ie. you must be able to cast a maximized fireball to recharge a wand ot maxed fireballs); also, you can only add as many charges as you have appropriate spell slots. 2. You can cast spells of a lower level with higher level slots, however you don't affect the spell itself (ie. it's spell level, save DC is the same as if you cast it normally) and you lost the ability to use that slot to cast spells of that level (so, you can give up a 5th level slot to cast a spell from 4th to 0th level, but that slot is the used for the day, even if you used it on a 0th level spell). This helps with charging things during downtime and shouldn't be too much of a problem since you have to trade-in higher level slots to use a lower level spell. 3. HP per level (past 1, where you get your maxed HD for HP] is determined by the following formula: [HD Divided by 2 + Con Mod] + [Level] IFF Level is equal to or lower than [HD/2 + Con Mod] So a Wizard with a +3 con mod gets per level level. HP Calculation = Total added HP this level 1. [4 + 3] + = 8 hp 2. [2 + 3] + 2 = +7 3 [5] + 3 = +8 4 [5] + 4 = +9 5 [5] + 5 = +10 (past this point the wiz only get +10 hp per level) 6 [5] + 5 = +10 7 [5] + 5 = +10 ... For something like say, a barbarian you'd see something like this (assume 18 con) 1. [12 + 4] + 1 = 17 2. [6 +4] + 2 = +12 3. [10] + 3 = +13 ... 10. [10] + 10 = +20 (past this point the Barb get only +20 hp per level) This removes the randomness of dice and allows for slightly more robus characters early on (plus you can always give monsters 50% more hp or just max their HP for their HD later on to balance it out; or just make leveling slower). The problem that could arise is what happens when someone inceases their Con, but i'll get to that when it shows up I guess. just recalc their total HP i guess. I have some other additions but i'll ad em later
Degobah 01-01-05, 06:33 AM	Well, #1 lets characters basically use a limited-charge item an unlimited number of times. It might be balanced if you just doubled the cost of wands, since a 50-charge item costs half an unlimited use item. If you really want to balance it, add a cost to recharge (in GP or XP) as well as the spell slot. #2 isn't a house rule. In 3E and 3.5 it has always been possible to do that. #3 looks painful. Changing someone's Con is just a Rage or a spell away remember. It does weird stuff (it becomes more advantageous to multiclass to say Fighter or Barbarian the higher level you are). It also bloats PC hit points.
Kursk 01-01-05, 01:34 PM	"I was just wondering how the following house rules would affect (ie. break) a campaign: 1. Magically charged items can be 're-charged.' However, you must know the spell that is to be rechaged (ie. you must be able to cast a maximized fireball to recharge a wand ot maxed fireballs); also, you can only add as many charges as you have appropriate spell slots." This rule was play tested across the planet for over 20 years and it worked fine and never broke a campaign. :tiphat:
Razoreface 01-01-05, 05:26 PM	Casters did tend to have slightly less spells back then though :)
Xeviat-DM 01-01-05, 05:30 PM	"I was just wondering how the following house rules would affect (ie. break) a campaign: 1. Magically charged items can be 're-charged.' However, you must know the spell that is to be rechaged (ie. you must be able to cast a maximized fireball to recharge a wand ot maxed fireballs); also, you can only add as many charges as you have appropriate spell slots." This rule was play tested across the planet for over 20 years and it worked fine and never broke a campaign. :tiphat: The thread poster seems to be implying that you simply cast the spell into the wand to recharge it. That wouldn't be fair to wizards who took the craft wand feat. If recharging requires the craft wand feat, that would probably be fine, or if you charge a 1/50 cost per charge to recharge, that's absolutely fine.
Kursk 01-01-05, 06:37 PM	I was only referring to the possibility of recharging. I would assume the caster had all appropriate prereq's. I should have been more specific in my reply.
Xeviat-DM 01-02-05, 01:50 AM	No problem Kursk. I'd allow recharging (with prereqs with a 1/50 cost per charge cost) in my campaigns if any of my characters had taken the feat.
Judging Eagle 01-03-05, 12:59 PM	Well, I should have added a few more Caveats to Rule Variant 1, namely that the point of recharging a wand gives the benefit of not having to recraft a new one so long as you could have already crafted such a wand in the first place and knew the spell that the wand is being charged with. The HP varient rule is actually something that I lifted from Living Greyhawk. In fact in Living Greyhawk the rule is such that there is not +HP from Level Cap (so you get your lvl in bonus HP every level, unlike my ruling where there is a plateau once your 1/2 HD + Con Mod = Level). However very, very few characters exist past level 12 in Living Greyhawk (I've heard of a 20th level character and an 18th, but 12 is the norm for Living Greyhawk) so for most classes it's a non-issue at higher levels. When a person's Con gets improved they'd get the benefit of the extra HP per level, if it's a permanent Con Improvement and it would change their HP calculation then recalc it I guess, or just do it the easy way and add the increase in Con mod times levels to the total HP. The thread poster seems to be implying that you simply cast the spell into the wand to recharge it. That wouldn't be fair to wizards who took the craft wand feat. If recharging requires the craft wand feat, that would probably be fine, or if you charge a 1/50 cost per charge to recharge, that's absolutely fine. Well, the benefit of having it so that anyonewho could cast the spell could recharge a wand would be that magicaly re-charging wands can be done by lower level casters, while higher level ones can focus on making new wands. It should be noted that I've created a rather secrative organization that uses large-ish devices that allow non-spell casters to activate a wand (picture a large 4-inch thick cylinder 2 feet long with a handle at one end to 'trigger' the wand that is inserted into the top and bolted in place and a second handle under the barrel). It borders on magical technology, but it allows this organization to quickly destroy any dangers (a squad with Wand-Casters with ray of enfeeblement, touch of idiocy, maximized magic missile plus a combat medic with a CLW Wand-Caster would make most things reconsider attacking; burning hands and grease would help with ground combat, but this city only has to really worry about flying threats like dragons/gargoyles/harpies due to the nature of their city and ships).