House Rules V3

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HOUSE RULES (For Reino’s Campaigns) Alignment: Only characters that choose to “align” themselves to the philosophical and emotional direction of a deity or alignment plane have an alignment. Their alignment consists exclusively as the identity of their god or plane, and the intensity of the relationship. If one can view the alignment or aura of a person, what they see is the deity to which they are aligned, the intensity of the relationship, and the prospective of their personal god on that deity. Spells that protect a character from certain aligned subjects only work on the subjects that are aligned to a god to which the character’s god considers themselves diametrically opposed. This makes the relationships between alignments and gods relative. This relative relationship of the gods causes the relationship between one god or alignment to be subjective depending on the prospective of the deity’s nature. When discerning how one god feels about another god, normal rules do not apply. An example of this would be with the “good” pantheon of Gods. Many “good” gods might consider other “good” gods to be good, but it is very possible that there are very zealotus “good” gods that consider other less zealotus “good” gods to be neutral. An interesting extension of this is that there might be “good” gods that view the more zealotus (and there by less excepting, and more critical) gods as natural and in some causes evil; to be actively opposed. “Neutral” gods may have great diversity in whom they feel are good neutral or evil. They might feel that all other gods other then “neutral” gods are evil, conversely they might feel neutral to all other gods period. A druidic perspective would be “I am not on anyone’s side, because no one is on my side”. This can manifest into neutrality to all other gods, or opposition to all other gods (possibly except a small few) depending on the nature of the “neutral” god. When considering the relationship between an “evil” god and all other gods, it is easy to see how some gods might consider all other gods including “evil” gods to be evil. However it is definitely possible for “evil” gods to be neutral to other “evil” gods or even allied with them. In the case of the devils of the nine hells it is easy to see that they usually are going to be allied to each other. This is rare however because “evil” gods rarely work together or have converging goals due to their over arching nature of selfcenteredness. Characters which have not sought to align themselves with a god or plane are considered alignment-less, which is different from being neutrally aligned. The commonness in a population of this alignment-less condition varies greatly from village to village, town to town, county to county, and continent to continent. Many factors can affect this, but the level of social taboo of non-aligned peoples, and the pressures involved in motivating those to seek a connection with a god are most predictive. Alignment-less people are not ignored in the considerations of gods. Many gods consider all non-aligned peoples to be opposed and dangerous therefore protective spells will always trigger at their presence regardless of the actual nature of the person. The opposite might also be true in the case of a gods who characterizes all non-aligned individuals and neutral or even good. One factor remains consents however; the fact that no matter how a god treats the unaligned, all users of magic and the gods themselves know they do not know the personal nature of the alignment-less. Only the gods to which a character sought to become aligned have the ability to see into the hearts of their subjects; there is no other situation where this is possible. Both the god/plane and the character must be entirely willing, under no coercion, manipulation, ultimatum, condition, or confusion when seeking to be connected spiritually with a deity; it must honestly be the subjects will. Because aligning with a deity is such an intimate and revealing process it goes

2 without saying that it might be vary difficult for a subject to be adopted by a deity, and often impossible depending on the selectiveness of the god. Actions are not the deciding factor to which one is chosen to be endowed with the alignment of a God. The subjects’ soul is known by the god when it is offered, and whatever choices the character (in the present state) might conceivably choose are known before any such alignment is bestowed, nevertheless gods are not omniscient and can only erringly predict the path of a subject’s soul. Only a change (often traumatic) in the personality/soul of the character or a willful departure can cause a character to lose ones’ alignment; losing an alignment out of temporary necessity is unheard of. Many symptoms might foretell the loss or change of alignment such as uncharacteristic thoughts or actions but it is often hard to predict the exact criteria which would cause a god to reject a follower. Considering all this, alignments are still not an unerringly predictable occurrence. There are some vary rare exceptions to rules that have existed. One such example is when a subject gains the alignment of a wife or loved one, and vice versa. This might give evidence to the fact that nearly all gods (demi, lesser, intermediate and greater) where once moral beings with souls, and that something like “love” might really be the metaphysical mechanism that binds souls and deities (or other souls) together. With these exceptions the DMs must make discretionary calls as to what gods interpret. To clarify game mechanics, spells that effect subjects of an alignment and have no particular target, only work on the aligned subjects of an opposed God. For example, protection from evil will work on subjects with the alignment of Gromish, or Nerulll, when your own alignment is that of Corellon. Moreover, spells which are specified to work only on curtain alignments as well as have a particular target function in the same way as none targeted alignment spells. An example of this would be Smite evil. Smite evil still works normally on any character to which their god deems fit to receive such retribution, but if the smite evil falls on a subject of a non-opposed alignment the spell discharges with no effect. While smiting, if a paladin does not honestly believe her target is evil (or opposed) or is a servant of evil, the action could be considered blasphemous by their god. Powers can be bestowed by either a God, or a plane. In the case of a subject being divinely linked to a deity, there is less flexibility allowed with respect to the characters beliefs and temperament. When aligning to a god, a character might have to submit and believe wholly in the beliefs, morals, ethics, mottos, dogmas, and whatever system of conduct that god allows, depending on the nature of the god and the DM’s interpretation. Some gods are more lenient then others, although all gods wish their subjects to be the emissaries of their faith, and die aligned to their essence. Any class which casts divine spells must be aligned to a deity/plane. The deity becomes the entity to which endows their followers with divine spells. These spells are given in order for their subjects to do their gods bidding, however the spells can not be taken away once given, and it is the subjects choice if the spells are utilized to do the gods bidding or not. Of course the God might choose never to endow their subject again if the character chooses to use the powers unbefittingly, but the subject will retain such spells until discharged. Characters can also draw their divine power from the planes. In the case of a subject being divinely linked to a plane, there is more flexibility allowed with respect to the characters identity. Any class that casts divine spells can be aligned to a plane. There are only a few planes in which a character can choose from; the positive energy plane, the character’s native plane, negative energy plane, and the elemental planes. All planes are usually considered neutral and natural with respect to the relative perspectives of the gods, although linking with positive

3 energy plane or negative energy plane might cause some gods to be opposed or supportive. Farther more, due to the possible ambiguity of all planer aligned subjects prudent and cautious gods might consider all planer subjects to be opposed; evil is not necessarily the descriptor labeled upon these subjects (opposed or unknown/nonaligned might be a better descriptor) but some gods know it is better to be safe then sorry. Rather then gods focusing on the nature of the plane to which a character draws their power, a god might be prone to judging a characters status by other means, such as by the domains in which a cleric character chooses. In the case of Rangers or Paladins for example, they have no selectable domains so you might pick nature, wisdom, or resourcefulness for the Ranger, and chivalry, compassion and heroism for the Paladin. These picked domains remain largely irrelevant in all cases but the cleric. In the case of clerics, domains take on the importance of a replaced deity, causing the characters to make their own devout belief structure. This gives a subject much greater flexibility, yet none of the community to which gods have to offer. Commune spells therefore are none existent, as is any religious guidance or deity intervention.

4 Damage Rules Serous Wounds (From: Receiving a Sneak Attacks or Confirmed Critical) 1. Instant Effect: After 6 rounds take -1 on all physical actions a. Treatment of: -1 Penalty on all physical actions i. DC 15 heal check ii. Cure Serous wounds spell or greater (or two of a lower degree) iii. Bed rest Dropping Blow (From: Having your hit point reach -1 or lower) 1. Effect: Go unconscious due to physical shock a. Prevention of: unconsciousness i. Instant one time Fort save DC 19 + negative hit points ii. Bring hit points to zero or above b. Treatment of: Negative hit points i. Healing magic (No hit points are gained, until stabilized) ii. Bed rest 2. Effect: Loss a hit point every round until dead a. Treatment of: Hit point loss i. Fort save DC 16 + rounds dieing ii. DC 20 heal check from attendee iii. Cure critical wounds spell or greater, or two of lower degree. iv. No hit points are gained, until stabilized. v. Taking more then a partial action while stabilized, and below 1 hit point, will cause hit point loss anew 3. Effect: Take -2 penalty on all checks and DC’s a. Treatment of: -2 penalty on all checks and DC’s i. One night of bed rest starting at 0 hit points or above ii. Regeneration spell or heal spell Coup De Grace (From: Receiving a Coup De Grace attack) 1. Effect: Die a. Prevention of: Death i. Fort save DC 10 + damage dealt 2. Effects if survived: a. Receive Dropping Blow b. Hit points are at -1, if not already negative or dead c. Blow will cause physical damage dependent on the attack Massive Damage (From: Receiving massive damage) 1. Effect: Receive Dropping Blow a. Prevention of: Dropping Blow i. Fort save DC 15 + 1 per 10 damage past 50 (For medium sized character) Instant Death Spell (From: Receiving Save or Die spells) 1. Effect: Drop too -1 hit points a. Treatment of: Negative hit points i. Passage of one days time and bed rest to reach 0 hit points 2. Effect: Go unconscious due to magical shock a. Treatment of: Unconsciousness i. Passage of one days time and bed rest to reach 0 hit points 3. Effect: Lose 1 hit point per round until dead

5 a. Treatment of: Hit point loss i. Cure critical wounds spell or greater

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Negative Hit Points: Every characters’ negative hit points are equal to 10 + the characters ECL.

Massive Damage: If a subject sustains a physical blow so powerful that it can be considered massive damage, the subject must make a fort save (DC specified in the table below) or drop negative instantly due to shock. Size Category Massive Damage Threshold

Fine

Dim.

Tiny

Small

Med.

Large

Huge

Garg.

Col.

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Fortitude Save DC 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 For every 10 hit points of damage the MD Threshold is surpassed, the Fort Save DC increases by 3.

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A good example of this would be a character which falls from terminal velocity hitting the ground for 20d6 points of damage. They would most probably sustain massive damage in the fall. The fighter would likely receive 70 hit points of damage, and be forced to make a save throw DC 21, or go unconscious with -1 hit points. This is considering the case that the character had greater then 70 hit points at the time of his fall. If the character had less this 70, this would still be considered massive damage, but now the character must contend with a Dropping Blow in addition to the massive damage.

Mind-effects: All creatures with prior biological immunities to mind effecting spells, which also have an intelligence score, are no longer immune to mind effecting spells. Examples of these creatures would be oozes, undead, constructs etc. If the creature has an intelligence score of 0, normal rules apply. As per the “Fewer Absolutes Effects” rules if one of these creatures were to gain some magical immunity to mind-effecting spells it would only give them a +4, +5, +6, or +10 to their DC, depending on the nature of the spell.

Defensive Casting: The defensive casting DC normally is 15+Spell level. This has changed to 18+2/Spell level, for all but combat casting classes such as the psychic warrior, hexblade, duskblade etc. Spells gained from multi-classing would have the increased difficulty.

Combat AoO: While in combat a character can use his AoO to attack any threatened inanimate object. Inanimate objects also consist of helpless or paralyzed targets. This can be done multiple times with the utilization of the combat reflexes feat.

Fewer Absolutes Effects Variant Rules http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/variantfewerabsolutes1.html http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/misc/variantfewerabsolutes2.html

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Critical Hit: When obtaining a critical threat one confirms criticals in the same way, although natural 20’s are an automatic critical. You can roll a second time on a nature 20. If you roll another natural 20, your critical damage is doubled. Keep rolling 20s, keep doubling.

Critical Miss: If you roll a 1 on an attack you may critically miss. You must confirm the miss by missing again. The consequence of the critical miss is determined by the confirmation role. The difference between the AC of the target and your total missed attack value of your confirmation role gives you your outcome. For example if target’s AC is 16, and your confirmation roll misses with a 14, your difference is 2. If you miss by 10 or greater, your weapon breaks, and may possibly break if magical. Melee: S=Subject T=Target Direction 8 3 5

9T 1S 4

7 2 6

9T 7 8 1S 3 5

2 6 4

If the weapon is magical, it automatically makes a save throw DC 15. Magic items have a save throw of 2 + one-half its creation caster level (round down). If you roll two ones you draw an AoO from everyone threatening you. If you critically miss using a ranged weapon you roll a d20 to see its effect. You must confirm the miss just as one would confirm criticals by missing again. If you confirm the critical miss you have a 50% change of breaking a string.

Quick Draw Initiative: When all combatants are readied for combat (not a ready action), they are not flat footed if they lose initiative once combat begins. To be readied for combat you must know exactly where the treat is coming from. You must say you are readied and waiting for combat 1 round before initiative is rolled, and you must continue saying you are readied every round until combat begins. This can not be prolonged indefinitely. Surprise rounds have not been changed however. If subjects are jumped in a surprise round the attackers gets their full round action while all are flatfooted, and may even get another flatfooted round if the attackers win initiative. Also, if you have time to scream, you have time for an immediate action.

Tackle Attack: When pursuing an enemy, if you take the same run action in the previous round as the escapee and end threatening the escapee, once the escapee leaves your threatened space and draws an AoO, you can make a trip or grab attack drawing NO AoO instead. This trip or grab attack replaces your normal AoO with a touch attack leading to a trip or grab. If the trip or grab attack fails, you will lose 1x multiplayer to you next run action; so that if you were running at 4x, you now can only run at 3x. This is known as a tackle attack.

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Reach Weapons: Reach weapons can now attack adjacent squares, however they do not threaten those spaces, and the attack takes a -4 on each strike.

Normal Style Alternative Role d20 Dice Equivalent: This is the value of the die rolled from your 2d10 % roll. Number of Chances: This is the number of chances out of a hundred of getting each value. % Chance: This is the percentage chances of each value 1-20. Low d100: This is the lower boundary value when finding the d20 equivalent from a d100 role. High d100: This is the upper boundary value when finding the d20 equivalent from a d100 role. Crit d20: Equivalent: Because I do not wish criticals to be distorted in probability due to the distortion in the d20, critical high and lows have been assigned in 5% increments; the same as the usual d20. Low Crit: This is the low value of reaching a critical range, and usually the only value one needs to decide if there is a critical threat or not. High Crit: This is a higher bound value for a critical range, but is not useful unless for example a 19 crit is different from a natural 20 crit.

One only needs 3 columns to do this, and one number normally. You print out on a piece of paper, low d100 and high d100 of the distribution of your choosing, and the equivalent d20 correspondently. You also write down at the top, your crit value. If you have a 18-20/x2 crit weapon, you would have to write down 86 as corresponding to the low crit value in the low crit table column. Now you are off to the races. Just role d100 or 2d10 (interchangeable), and read the value on the chart. If you roll a 9, you d20 value is 5 as on style3. Want to know if you role a crit? Just role

11 above an 86 with your 18-20/x2 crit weapon and it is an unconfirmed crit. This might seem slow at first, but try it out, you might be surprised as to how fast you get at it. Save Throws = Normal, Skills Checks = Normal or d20, Attacks = Normal or d20, whatever I might have missed as well.

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Healing Skill Usages: Task Long-term care Treat minor wounds Stabilize creature (First aid) Identify poison Treat poison Identify disease Treat disease

Heal DC (DC 15) (DC 15) (DC 20) (Poison’s save DC) (Poison’s save DC + 10) (Disease’s save DC +10) (Disease’s save DC +10)

Detect near death Detect damage Detect resilience

(DC 10) (DC 20) (DC 30)

Long-term care: Provide long-term care meaning treating a wounded person for a day or more. If your heal check is successful, the patient recovers hit points or ability scores points (lost to ability damage) at twice the normal rate: 2 hit points per level for a full 8 hours of rest in a day, or 4 hit points per level for each full day of complete rest; 2 ability score points for a full 8 hours of rest in a day, or 4 ability score points for each full day of complete rest. You can tend as many as six patients at a time. You need a few items and supplies (bandages, salves, and so on) that are easy to come by in settled lands. Treat minor wounds: Treat wounds from critical hits, sneak attacks, caltrop, spike growth or spike stones removing the penalties these conditions exhibit. Stabilize creature (First aid): Use a full round action drawing an attack of opportunity to stabilize a dieing creature. You need a few items and supplies (bandages, salves, and so on) that are easy to come by in settled lands. Identify poison: You identify a poison, and discern its nature. Failing this check can cause the identifier to be poisoned depended on how the poison is used. Treat poison: You know the antidote of an identified poison, and how to make it. This requires any herbs or chemicals to reverse the effects of the poison. Some materials are hard to find. Identify disease: You identify a disease, and discern its nature. Failing this check can cause the identifier to be diseased dependent on the method of contraction. Treat disease: You know the means of curing an identified disease. This requires any herbs or chemicals to reverse the effects of the disease. Some materials are hard to find. Detect near death: With a spot check, a character using this skill can discern whether or not a target is above or below 10 hit points. Detect damage: With a spot check, a character using this skill can discern if a target is below 10 hit points, or is above or below 50% health. Detect resilience: Detect a target’s current hit points.

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Travel Mechanics All souled things have a limitation in the distance to which they can travel in a particular amount of time. Every being has a core position which moves with them. A creature can only be so far from their core before negative effects surface. * The beings' core can only move 50 miles a day in the direction of its owner. * A being can only be a limit of 1000 miles + (level*50) from their core before becoming sickened. * A being can only be a limit of 1200 miles + (level*50) from their core before becoming unconscious. * A being can only be a limit of 1400 miles + (level*50) from their core before dieing. * Spells range is also limited to 1000 miles + (level*50). If a spell has a dispelable duration, and one moves out of their max spell range, it is dispelled. This spell range also limits spells like locate object, scry, and sending.

Still Silent Spell The feats still and silent spell are combined to make one feat called concealed casting. Using this feat still required using a spell slot two levels higher then the spell being cast. This feat also allows you to use only the still or silent feat using only one spell level above normal. PENDING Incomplete and unrefined

Spell Interactions All spells and conditions have a resistance from being over come by magic. There are three different situations in which effect the nature of a spells resistance. 1) Spells and natural conditions have a resistance equal to the caster level of the spell or the DC of the condition – 10. Spells used to counter spells, or dispel spells use a check equal to the caster level + 1d20. 2) Spells that give a temporary immunity to other spells or conditions have a resistance from being over come equal to the caster level of the spell. Spells attempting to over come a temporary immunity must make a check equal to the caster level -20 +1d20. 3) When a creature gains an immunity to spells or conditions due to their race or a

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Free Skills: Craft, knowledge (any), performance, profession, and Speak Language are now all values set by role-playing. A character may be an expert craftsmen, blacksmith, Scholar, alchemist, or singer for example at first level. These skills can me modified in game by roleplaying the development of such said skills, though this will take time and effort in character. Other skills function as normal.

Tumble: When one is tumbling with a pole arm or any other tool the height of the tumbler, the tumble check’s DC is increases by +10. Also tumble and balance are merged into one skill (tumble).

Operate Device: Open lock and Disable Device are merged into one skill, Operate Device, which is intelligence based. Also 5 ranks or more in Operate Device give you a +2 in knowledge engineering.

Build/Looks: All characters have two stats called build and looks to which represents their attractiveness with respect to physical body, and social charisma. The build stat relates to a characters, physical nature, health, and form. The looks stat relates to a characters mental appeal; for example their wit, insight, subtlety, tact, foresight, and manipulative skill. These two qualities make up what people see when they see a character in the D&D world. To calculate build, you take your strength, constitution, dexterity, and your dropped ability roll from character creation and add them. This will be a number between 9 and 72, where most people lie close to the center at 40. To calculate your looks score, you take your intelligence, wisdom, charisma, and dropped 7th ability stat, and add them.

Disclaimer: 1) The following alignments are banned: Lawful Stupid, Chaotic Stupid and "I'm an annoying bastard that kills or steals from PC's". If you know how to play any of the nine alignments well, without spoiling the other people's fun, you can run it. 2) Do not play if you are drunk or high. No exceptions. 3) Do not play if you are not up to it. This includes migraines, the flu, and mutant dust bunny attacks. 4) Stop playing when you are falling asleep. If your head is not in the game, you should be sleeping. If any of these rules are broken a huge rock will fall from the sky and crush your character into teeny tiny bits of goo. “Rock falls on you, and you die.”