All Time Best and Worst House Rules - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

All Time Best and Worst House Rules

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ahzriael
Jun 10, 2009 11:06:09 Some are great, some are awful, some are hysterical.
In my games the players are reluctant to use the word "panthercorn" (a panther with a unicorn horn on it's head) as every other player that has ends up being brutally mauled by vampires.
What are some of your best and worst? And remember, the best part is the story behind them.
#2
Shiftkitty
Jun 10, 2009 14:48:23 If a die rolls off the table, you have to call it while it's still in motion (preferably as soon as it leaves the table) whether or not you'll accept the roll. As long as the die is moving, you can't stop it regardless of what's making it move.

Ever since that day, it has been our favorite house rule. JB throws the d20, and off the table it goes. "I'll take it!" he yells. It hits the floor where the cat promptly attacks it. It gets smacked across the kitchen floor, bouncing up and off of a lower cabinet door. While spinning to see where it went, JB inadvertently tags it with his sneaker. Right for the door it goes, just my dear mother is coming over to mooch some Bisquik. She opens the door and out the die goes, right for our heavily sloped driveway. We blow past her, running after it. "Bisquik's in the cupboard!" I yell as we thunder down the driveway. It hits cracks and bumps, clears the sidewalk and rolls into the street where a passing car rolls over it, shooting the poor thing down the road. We pursue, knowing that there's a storm drain in that direction. By this time, the rolling pretty blue thing has caught the attention of 'Paco', the neighborhood Boston Bull Terrier. He caught it before it hit the storm drain, but was now in danger of swallowing it. Chico scoops up Paco and pries his mouth open. The slobbery d20 hits the ground and bounces into Mr. Lee's store where the kindly old shopkeeper stops it with his foot... right on '20'.
#3
aedan_uaine
Jun 11, 2009 14:09:39
If a die rolls off the table, you have to call it while it's still in motion (preferably as soon as it leaves the table) whether or not you'll accept the roll. As long as the die is moving, you can't stop it regardless of what's making it move.

Ever since that day, it has been our favorite house rule. JB throws the d20, and off the table it goes. "I'll take it!" he yells. It hits the floor where the cat promptly attacks it. It gets smacked across the kitchen floor, bouncing up and off of a lower cabinet door. While spinning to see where it went, JB inadvertently tags it with his sneaker. Right for the door it goes, just my dear mother is coming over to mooch some Bisquik. She opens the door and out the die goes, right for our heavily sloped driveway. We blow past her, running after it. "Bisquik's in the cupboard!" I yell as we thunder down the driveway. It hits cracks and bumps, clears the sidewalk and rolls into the street where a passing car rolls over it, shooting the poor thing down the road. We pursue, knowing that there's a storm drain in that direction. By this time, the rolling pretty blue thing has caught the attention of 'Paco', the neighborhood Boston Bull Terrier. He caught it before it hit the storm drain, but was now in danger of swallowing it. Chico scoops up Paco and pries his mouth open. The slobbery d20 hits the ground and bounces into Mr. Lee's store where the kindly old shopkeeper stops it with his foot... right on '20'.

THAT is an epic roll. I hoped that counted for extra :D
#4
Shiftkitty
Jun 11, 2009 14:58:11 Well, it did determine whether or not the multi-ton cactus fell on top of him or if he got out of the way. We ruled that the cactus did not get him, but instead landed on top of the bad guy's get-away cart. BBEG's horse freaked out and took off and we followed it with a very exciting chase through a maze of canyons and ended with a great battle in a box canyon. Talk about winging it!

I remembered another houserule that we all like because of the flavor it adds. I will allow extra minor tweaks if it fits the character flavor. For example, Tabak is a drow ranger (not a Drizzt clone*). His animal companion is a huge spider that he rides into combat. He also keeps a smaller spider handy as a messenger. When he needs to communicate with his father and employer, Gromph Baenre, he takes out the spider, whispers a message to it, and sends it on its way. He collects the spider when he returns, or when Gromph sends it back to him with a reply. "Animal Messenger" isn't a Ranger power, and Tabak isn't hybrid or multiclassed. But it was a little touch that made him unique and fit right in with the character concept. It provides no significant advantage or disadvantage in combat.

*Tabak is as far from a Drizzt clone as you could get. He loves the Underdark and regards Drizzt's leaving as proof that he wasn't fit to survive. "Let the surface have him. He deserves no better!"

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ahzriael Jun 10, 2009 11:06:09	Some are great, some are awful, some are hysterical. In my games the players are reluctant to use the word "panthercorn" (a panther with a unicorn horn on it's head) as every other player that has ends up being brutally mauled by vampires. What are some of your best and worst? And remember, the best part is the story behind them.
#2 Shiftkitty Jun 10, 2009 14:48:23	If a die rolls off the table, you have to call it while it's still in motion (preferably as soon as it leaves the table) whether or not you'll accept the roll. As long as the die is moving, you can't stop it regardless of what's making it move. Ever since that day, it has been our favorite house rule. JB throws the d20, and off the table it goes. "I'll take it!" he yells. It hits the floor where the cat promptly attacks it. It gets smacked across the kitchen floor, bouncing up and off of a lower cabinet door. While spinning to see where it went, JB inadvertently tags it with his sneaker. Right for the door it goes, just my dear mother is coming over to mooch some Bisquik. She opens the door and out the die goes, right for our heavily sloped driveway. We blow past her, running after it. "Bisquik's in the cupboard!" I yell as we thunder down the driveway. It hits cracks and bumps, clears the sidewalk and rolls into the street where a passing car rolls over it, shooting the poor thing down the road. We pursue, knowing that there's a storm drain in that direction. By this time, the rolling pretty blue thing has caught the attention of 'Paco', the neighborhood Boston Bull Terrier. He caught it before it hit the storm drain, but was now in danger of swallowing it. Chico scoops up Paco and pries his mouth open. The slobbery d20 hits the ground and bounces into Mr. Lee's store where the kindly old shopkeeper stops it with his foot... right on '20'.
#3 aedan_uaine Jun 11, 2009 14:09:39	If a die rolls off the table, you have to call it while it's still in motion (preferably as soon as it leaves the table) whether or not you'll accept the roll. As long as the die is moving, you can't stop it regardless of what's making it move. Ever since that day, it has been our favorite house rule. JB throws the d20, and off the table it goes. "I'll take it!" he yells. It hits the floor where the cat promptly attacks it. It gets smacked across the kitchen floor, bouncing up and off of a lower cabinet door. While spinning to see where it went, JB inadvertently tags it with his sneaker. Right for the door it goes, just my dear mother is coming over to mooch some Bisquik. She opens the door and out the die goes, right for our heavily sloped driveway. We blow past her, running after it. "Bisquik's in the cupboard!" I yell as we thunder down the driveway. It hits cracks and bumps, clears the sidewalk and rolls into the street where a passing car rolls over it, shooting the poor thing down the road. We pursue, knowing that there's a storm drain in that direction. By this time, the rolling pretty blue thing has caught the attention of 'Paco', the neighborhood Boston Bull Terrier. He caught it before it hit the storm drain, but was now in danger of swallowing it. Chico scoops up Paco and pries his mouth open. The slobbery d20 hits the ground and bounces into Mr. Lee's store where the kindly old shopkeeper stops it with his foot... right on '20'. THAT is an epic roll. I hoped that counted for extra :D
#4 Shiftkitty Jun 11, 2009 14:58:11	Well, it did determine whether or not the multi-ton cactus fell on top of him or if he got out of the way. We ruled that the cactus did not get him, but instead landed on top of the bad guy's get-away cart. BBEG's horse freaked out and took off and we followed it with a very exciting chase through a maze of canyons and ended with a great battle in a box canyon. Talk about winging it! I remembered another houserule that we all like because of the flavor it adds. I will allow extra minor tweaks if it fits the character flavor. For example, Tabak is a drow ranger (not a Drizzt clone). His animal companion is a huge spider that he rides into combat. He also keeps a smaller spider handy as a messenger. When he needs to communicate with his father and employer, Gromph Baenre, he takes out the spider, whispers a message to it, and sends it on its way. He collects the spider when he returns, or when Gromph sends it back to him with a reply. "Animal Messenger" isn't a Ranger power, and Tabak isn't hybrid or multiclassed. But it was a little touch that made him unique and fit right in with the character concept. It provides no significant advantage or disadvantage in combat. Tabak is as far from a Drizzt clone as you could get. He loves the Underdark and regards Drizzt's leaving as proof that he wasn't fit to survive. "Let the surface have him. He deserves no better!"