• Gain a free feat for a completed character background. Please send them to me via email.
• Laptops, books, and other distractions are to be put away during the game unless a relevant rule, ability, or item needs to be looked up.
• Alignment is abolished. Good and evil are all relative and subjective. I intend to run a heroic campaign, but you can play your characters how you wish as long as you get along with others.
• Consecrated Ground ends immediately if the caster loses consciousness.
• Commander’s Strike is a close burst 5 and works with allies’ ranged basic attacks. The ally must be within burst 5, able to attack the target, and able to hear or see the warlord. The warlord must have line of sight to the target, but it doesn’t need to be within burst 5.
• The double sword is a light blade (not heavy) d6/d6 weapon with the defensive and off-hand properties. Conceptually, it looks like a quarterstaff with two large daggers on the ends (but does not qualify as a staff implement or dagger). No double axes or double flails.
• Ritual: Enchant Magic Item, grants the user the ability to create the enchantment for any level appropriate magic item from the PHB. Recipes from the Adventure’s Vault and other books must be acquired through role-playing, loot, or purchase. Recipes may be invented by the player at my discretion. Special materials and/or finely crafted items (IE masterwork armor) are required to house paragon and epic tier items.
• Prices of alchemical items (but not recipes) are cut in half.
• Potions that take a daily power use a healing surge instead if you choose so at the time of use.
• Ignore encumbrance rules; just use common sense.
• Rogues get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find traps. Rangers get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find tracks. Passive Perception is the DC for Thievery checks for picking pockets (active perception can replace this if the character is specifically looking).
• Rolling a natural 20 death save while the character has no remaining healing surges stabilizes the character.
• Orb of Imposition works against the target’s next save only.
• Weapon Focus applies to implement groups. This replaces the elemental damage feats.
• Careful Attack and Sure Strike deal +stat damage (+str for melee, +dex for ranged), but require a move action in addition to the standard action to execute.
• Gain a free feat for a completed character background. Please send them to me via email.
We'll have rules for backgrounds soon. ;)
• Laptops, books, and other distractions are to be put away during the game unless a relevant rule, ability, or item needs to be looked up.
This is not a house rule, rather a "table behaviour" rule. Anyway, isn't it the standard way to use such aids? O_o
• Alignment is abolished. Good and evil are all relative and subjective. I intend to run a heroic campaign, but you can play your characters how you wish as long as you get along with others.
Since it has no mechanical effects, it's fine.
• Consecrated Ground ends immediately if the caster loses consciousness.
May work.
• Commander’s Strike is a close burst 5 and works with allies’ ranged basic attacks. The ally must be within burst 5, able to attack the target, and able to hear or see the warlord. The warlord must have line of sight to the target, but it doesn’t need to be within burst 5.
Totally broken. It makes CS waaaaay too good.
• The double sword is a light blade (not heavy) d6/d6 weapon with the defensive and off-hand properties. Conceptually, it looks like a quarterstaff with two large daggers on the ends (but does not qualify as a staff implement or dagger). No double axes or double flails.
Woa, double sword nerf. Something new on these boards.
• Ritual: Enchant Magic Item, grants the user the ability to create the enchantment for any level appropriate magic item from the PHB. Recipes from the Adventure’s Vault and other books must be acquired through role-playing, loot, or purchase. Recipes may be invented by the player at my discretion. Special materials and/or finely crafted items (IE masterwork armor) are required to house paragon and epic tier items.
A bit nerfing, but probably fine.
• Prices of alchemical items (but not recipes) are cut in half.
Hell, no. They'd be too cheap.
• Potions that take a daily power use a healing surge instead if you choose so at the time of use.
Absolutely no: that would make elixirs so useful that no sane character would walk without a backpack full of them. Say hello to the Christmas tree!
• Ignore encumbrance rules; just use common sense.
Are there encumbrance rules? :P
• Rogues get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find traps. Rangers get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find tracks. Passive Perception is the DC for Thievery checks for picking pockets (active perception can replace this if the character is specifically looking).
That makes traps far too easy to spot and tracks far too easy to follow.
• Rolling a natural 20 death save while the character has no remaining healing surges stabilizes the character.
Doesn't it work this way already?
• Orb of Imposition works against the target’s next save only.
Fair. Maybe it should have the option to be applied after you know the roll's result.
• Weapon Focus applies to implement groups. This replaces the elemental damage feats.
Interesting and balanced.
• Careful Attack and Sure Strike deal +stat damage (+str for melee, +dex for ranged), but require a move action in addition to the standard action to execute.
That would make them even less useful. Just add the damage and they may be worth taking.
We'll have rules for backgrounds soon. ;)
Where? PHB2? I wasn't aware of that.
This is not a house rule, rather a "table behaviour" rule. Anyway, isn't it the standard way to use such aids? O_o
It's been a problem with my group unfortunately, and the current DMs don't seem to care, so I decided to include it to make my stance clear.
Totally broken. It makes CS waaaaay too good.
Could you elaborate on why you think this is?
I've read a few threads about this house rule and based on their play testing it seems fine. By RAW, CS encourages taclords to use reach weapons a little too much. I want them to have more flexibility. Allowing ranged basic attacks is a result of my own play of my taclord. It would be more fun for my group's wizard and ranger archer if they could join in the fun, and the damage wouldn't be any different than if the group's rogue or fighter got a melee basic attack.
By limiting it to burst 5, the taclord is still in danger most of the time.
A bit nerfing, but probably fine. (magic item creation)
This is more of a compromise with some of my group members who prefer to keep magic items a little more on the rare side. It also allows me to control what comes into my game in case a new supplement releases something broken, which WotC has a record of doing.
Hell, no. They'd be too cheap. (alchemical items)
No one uses them in my group. This house rule should encourage their use.
Absolutely no: that would make elixirs so useful that no sane character would walk without a backpack full of them. Say hello to the Christmas tree!
Don't you think they're a bit underpowered by RAW? Who would prefer a +1 bonus to stealth for an hour to 5 ongoing fire damage? Again, I'd like elixirs to be used by my group. Currently they only use the elixirs that take healing surges.
Are there encumbrance rules? :P
Yes...by RAW a dwarf makes a better mount than a horse and a str 8 halfling can carry more than his body weight without any trouble.
That makes traps far too easy to spot and tracks far too easy to follow.
Traps are actually difficult for most rogues to spot. They need to roll a 15+ to spot appropriate level traps, which is ridiculous. Clerics and rangers make better trap finders due to their wisdom bonus. The ranger tracking bonus is more for flavor; I'll admit I haven't looked at the tracking rules in depth, so I might lower it to +2 or so.
Doesn't it work this way already? (death saving throws)
Does it? What page?
Fair. Maybe it should have the option to be applied after you know the roll's result. (orb class feature)
Good idea, I'll make that edit.
Interesting and balanced.
Yeah, I don't know why WotC gave casters the shaft with feats.
That would make them even less useful. Just add the damage and they may be worth taking.
I'm still on the fence about how to fix them. I figured my idea would make them useful if the player didn't want to move, and if they did want to move they'd use a different power. Just giving them the bonus makes them a little too good, however. Requiring a move action also fits with the flavor of the powers by taking time to aim.
I'm still on the fence about how to fix them. I figured my idea would make them useful if the player didn't want to move, and if they did want to move they'd use a different power. Just giving them the bonus makes them a little too good, however. Requiring a move action also fits with the flavor of the powers by taking time to aim.
What about making it take up a minor action? This hurts the ranger a little more than the fighter, since the ranger uses minor actions more (mostly for quarries), but it seems a bit more balanced than a move action (and the ranger can always trade down a move action if he needs his minor that round, and then it means not moving, which fits your original idea anyway).
What about making it take up a minor action? This hurts the ranger a little more than the fighter, since the ranger uses minor actions more (mostly for quarries), but it seems a bit more balanced than a move action (and the ranger can always trade down a move action if he needs his minor that round, and then it means not moving, which fits your original idea anyway).
Yes, that should work, thank you.
Thanks KlausThePrince!
Of nothing.
Where? PHB2? I wasn't aware of that.
Yeah, PHB2 would feature background similar to the FRPG regional benefits. So that Realms' characters would stop being cooler than the others for no true reason. :D
Could you elaborate on why you think this is?
Burst 5 commander's strike would turn the warlord into a living beacon of extra attacks. He would be out of danger most of the time (having a screen of companions in front of him) and, should he want to use a melee power, would have to walk miles to come into close combat. Granting extra ranged attacks would also be too good, since you just have to put the warlord in the middleground between melee characters and ranged ones and you have someone who doesn't do anything but ordering around (which may sound cool but gets tiring pretty quickly).
No one uses them in my group. This house rule should encourage their use.
I think it makes them too good for their price.
Don't you think they're a bit underpowered by RAW? Who would prefer a +1 bonus to stealth for an hour to 5 ongoing fire damage? Again, I'd like elixirs to be used by my group. Currently they only use the elixirs that take healing surges.
Nope, they're fine. +1 to Stealth for a hour is +1 to Stealth for an entire skill challenge, for example. Other elixirs grant rerolls and similar benefits: it would be broken to just charge a healing surge for that.
Yes...by RAW a dwarf makes a better mount than a horse and a str 8 halfling can carry more than his body weight without any trouble.
Lol.
Does it? What page?
When it describes death saving throws, I believe.
This one is questionable thematically, but from a practical standpoint it's also off-putting, particularly given the rather uninspiring assortment in the PHB.
• Gain a free feat for a completed character background. Please send them to me via email.
a free feat is somewhat heavy IMO. I'dd give them an ability dependant of their background story.
• Laptops, books, and other distractions are to be put away during the game unless a relevant rule, ability, or item needs to be looked up.
I use a 'forced delay' rule. If you start to grapple, and you don't know what to roll, your character delays while the player looks it up.
• Alignment is abolished. Good and evil are all relative and subjective. I intend to run a heroic campaign, but you can play your characters how you wish as long as you get along with others.
I use a 5 alignment system (based on the 5 colors of Magic: the gathering): red (chaotic neutral), green (sereen until they attack), white (lawful good), blue (always look your for yourself), black (always look your for yourself, + evil)
• Ritual: Enchant Magic Item, grants the user the ability to create the enchantment for any level appropriate magic item from the PHB. Recipes from the Adventure’s Vault and other books must be acquired through role-playing, loot, or purchase. Recipes may be invented by the player at my discretion. Special materials and/or finely crafted items (IE masterwork armor) are required to house paragon and epic tier items.
my rule is: core if freely available. splat books need DM aproval (I see no reason for a mordenkrad, as your character doens't know it ... (he only know better mauls - which are still mauls) ). That does not stop me however from giving them to the players ...
• Potions that take a daily power use a healing surge instead if you choose so at the time of use.
quite interesting ... I'll have to thing of the effects, and possibly use them in my game ...
• Rogues get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find traps. Rangers get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find tracks. Passive Perception is the DC for Thievery checks for picking pockets (active perception can replace this if the character is specifically looking).
disagreeing here. I force them to take the skill if they want to use it (personal oppinion)
• Rolling a natural 20 death save while the character has no remaining healing surges stabilizes the character.
I say, no healing surges means you're screwed ... without healing surges your body has taken too much punishment, and needs outside help (heal check) to save
• Orb of Imposition works against the target’s next save only.
don't know if this balances it against other powers ...
• Weapon Focus applies to implement groups. This replaces the elemental damage feats.
meh. don't like it (probbably me being a evil DM again). weapon focus determines certain feats (like the lvl 3 encounter power of fighters; the choice of a ranged/melee powers for rangers; ...) I hold wizards to that same standard. if you want to deal damage, pick an element or two, and go with that ...
• Rogues get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find traps. Rangers get a +5 class bonus to Perception to find tracks. Passive Perception is the DC for Thievery checks for picking pockets (active perception can replace this if the character is specifically looking).
disagreeing here. I force them to take the skill if they want to use it (personal oppinion)
What do you mean?
This bonus is in addition to skill training. And finding traps is too difficult for rogues if you look at the math; I'd have to scale down the traps, which is a lot of work, give rogues a bonus, which is the simpler solution and it fits thematically, or screw over the players with traps they constantly miss, which is no fun. WotC screwed up traps unless they took a completely different philosophy than the rest of their system, but regardless the RAW on traps does not fit my taste.
I'm lowering the ranger tracking bonus down to +2. Tracking is already easy, but I like giving rangers a thematic edge.
> Ritual: Enchant Magic Item,
This one is questionable thematically, but from a practical standpoint it's also off-putting, particularly given the rather uninspiring assortment in the PHB.
I intend to sprinkle in recipes liberally as extra treasure. It's really not my style to be stingy with magic and treasure. Some of my friends just loath the "Magic Mart" feel that some DnD games have.
Burst 5 commander's strike would turn the warlord into a living beacon of extra attacks. He would be out of danger most of the time (having a screen of companions in front of him) and, should he want to use a melee power, would have to walk miles to come into close combat. Granting extra ranged attacks would also be too good, since you just have to put the warlord in the middleground between melee characters and ranged ones and you have someone who doesn't do nothing but ordering around (which may sound cool but gets tiring pretty quickly).
They'd only be safe if the defender(s) can block the enemy melees AND if there are no threatening ranged enemies. I don't intend to have many battles that meet both of those two conditions. Plus, currently warlords are already just as safe if they use a reach weapon. The first part of my house rule wouldn't make warlords over protected, it would just make reach weapons not a must have.
As you've already pointed out, staying out of the fray has it's disadvantages. If the warlord wants to use an encounter or daily, they're going to have to put themselves into danger. Hanging back also takes away flanking bonuses. They wouldn't be miles away however, they'd be within a single move action if they're helping the melee allies (5 squares max). I see these disadvantages as a balancing point.
By RAW, warlords can already spend all of their time ordering around the party. In fact, CS is my warlord's go-to power. If the player gets tired of barking orders, he should just use his other powers. My house rule wouldn't change that.
And finding traps is too difficult for rogues if you look at the math; I'd have to scale down the traps, which is a lot of work, give rogues a bonus, which is the simpler solution and it fits thematically,
I haven't used the DMG traps yet (I use page 42 to calculate DCs). Note however that players can in fact take 10, so if the trap can be found with a roll of 10, that equals auto-succes.
(when searching, our rogue defaults to 2 rounds per area: take 10 and a roll, making him find all traps DC 10+modifier, and maybe harder traps). Also, IIRC aid another is also possible ...
I haven't used the DMG traps yet (I use page 42 to calculate DCs). Note however that players can in fact take 10, so if the trap can be found with a roll of 10, that equals auto-succes.
(when searching, our rogue defaults to 2 rounds per area: take 10 and a roll, making him find all traps DC 10+modifier, and maybe harder traps). Also, IIRC aid another is also possible ...
You mean passive perception? I wouldn't have a problem with rogues finding average and easy traps on a 10- roll. That's what I'm going for. If the party does their due diligence and has the rogue scout a step ahead, they'll be rewarded for it. If they push the fighter to the front, he's going to see a lot of acid and needles. Not all traps are going to be average and easy to find, however. That would be boring. If someone other than the rogue wants to stick their neck out, they can attempt to aid him (knowing my group they probably won't do this).
I agree with giving the rogues a trap-finding bonus, actually.
but then, don't you force the party to have a rogue (making other striker classes off limit if you're with a party of 4? ...)
I agree with giving the rogues a trap-finding bonus, actually.
...And what do Warlocks get?
Rangers?
Avengers?
Sorcs?
Barbarians?
Adding something to one striker will make it blatantly more attractive than the others.
Adding something to one striker will make it blatantly more attractive than the others.
Finding traps is not a striker ability. Different classes offer different things.
Other classes can find traps well enough with some feats invested, or if they have a naturally high wisdom. Clerics, paladins, and rangers can easily already be on par with a rogue WITH my +5 bonus because wisdom is a useful stat for their powers.
but then, don't you force the party to have a rogue (making other striker classes off limit if you're with a party of 4? ...)
1. These aren't generic house rules. They're for my group and there are 6 of us (5 players 1 DM).
2. Not having a trap finder will not ruin the game. Traps (and thus some dungeons) will be a little tougher to deal with, but that's not all they'll run into. Most sessions they will probably never see a trap.
3. It's simple enough for most other classes to become a trap finder with some feat investment if the players want to do so. I also want to reiterate that I am not changing traps from the RAW, so your argument should apply to DnD with or without my house rule. For example, warlocks, the only other class that offers thievery, don't have perception as a class skill.
Ritual: Enchant Magic Item, grants the user the ability to create the enchantment for any level appropriate magic item from the PHB. Recipes from the Adventure’s Vault and other books must be acquired through role-playing, loot, or purchase. Recipes may be invented by the player at my discretion. Special materials and/or finely crafted items (IE masterwork armor) are required to house paragon and epic tier items.
Special materials and/or finely crafted items (IE masterwork armor) are required to house paragon (+3/+4) and epic (+5/+6) tier items. Certain items may require specific materials as listed in the name of the item (IE adamantine weapons, mithral armor); this requirement may make these items incompatible with some masterwork properties.
Though I suppose it's not really a house rule as much as a clarification of rules I consider ambiguous. It's a little silly that +3 iron platemail is worth the same as +3 warplate, but that's the status quo with my current DM...