House Rules

For 3.5e D&D

Races

Half-elf

A Half-elf gains Diplomacy and Gather Information as class skills, regardless of class.

Quarterlings

These are half-breed halflings, in three flavours: Elflings, Dwarflings and Goblings

Classes

Some new clerical classes. I didn't deliberately set out to create only clerical classes, but apparently that's a gap that needs to be filled. PC-grade NPC classes. I believe that all character levels should be roughly equal, and the standard DMG NPC classes break this pattern. This is not to say that a 5th level baker should be able to slay ogres like a 5th level fighter, but that he should be as good at baking bread (and everything else in his day to day role) as the fighter is at his day to day role. Different mechanics

Bard

A Bard cannot use the Quicken Spell feat (confirmed). See also sorcerer.
A bard can learn Similar Spells as a sorcerer does.

Cleric

There exist domain spells at level 0.

Protection Domain:
The Protective Ward can be split up as desired between people and instances, up to the +Level per day total limit.

Alignment Domains:
Change the domain power to SR 10+Level against spells and and spell-like abilities with the [Opposite Alignment] descriptor and spell-like abilities that come from creatures with the [Opposite Alignment] type.
The normal alignment domain powers are rubbish. Credit to Keith Davies (no relation) for this one.

Death Domain:
Change the Death Touch power to Vampiric Touch (as the spell, but 1d4 per level, Fort negates, DC=10+L/2+mWis).
Spells:

0 Touch of Fatigue
1 Cause Fear
2 Death Knell
3 Ray of Exhaustion
4 Death Ward
5 Slay Living
6 Circle of Death
7 Destruction
8 Horrid Wilting
9 Wail of the Banshee

The normal Death domain is more of an Undeath domain, and ties it rather unnecessarily to evil. Hence the following:

Undeath Domain: (new)
You Control and Rebuke Undead as a cleric of 1.5 times your level, rounded up.
You may cast Animate Dead and Create [Greater] Undead without the usual material component, except that in such cases the duration is limited to 1 hour per level. When the spell expires, the undead "dies" immediately.
Spells:

0 Disrupt Undead
1 Hide from Undead
2 Command Undead
3 Animate Dead
4 Enervation
5 Create Undead
6 Antilife Shell
7 Control Undead
8 Create Greater Undead
9 Energy Drain

Music Domain: (new)
Perform is a class skill. You can use Bardic Music ability as a bard of half your level, rounded down, cumulative with Bard levels.
Spells:

0 Ghost Sound
1 Hypnotism
2 Suggestion
3 Emotion
4 Shout
5 Sending
6 Mass Suggestion
7 Power word, Stun
8 Otto's Irresistible Dance
9 Wail of the Banshee

Paladin

Detect Evil requires concentration and maybe a funny look. It improves with level, and is not as good as the spell until about 10th. The definition of 'Evil' varies, and is primarily based on anything fundamentally opposed to the paladin's religion.
The same principle can be applied (though less so) to Smite Evil.

Paladins get cantrips:
A paladin gets (Level+Wis Bonus)/4 cantrips per day, rounded down, starting at 2nd level. So a 5th level paladin with 14 wisdom gets 1, a 9th level paladin with 16 wisdom gets 3, etc. Note that the paladin will always get a 0th level spell before he gets his first 1st level, barring a Wisdom increase at 4th level.

Paladin Spell List (where different from PHB)
0-LEVEL PALADIN SPELLS (ORISONS)

Cure Minor Wounds
Guidance
Heave
Holy Blow
Purify Food and Drink
Resistance
Virtue

1ST-LEVEL PALADIN SPELLS

Detect Chaos
Light

Ranger

Rangers get cantrips:
A ranger gets (Level+Wis Bonus)/4 cantrips per day, rounded down, starting at 2nd level. So a 5th level ranger with 14 wisdom gets 1, a 9th level ranger with 16 wisdom gets 3, etc. Note that the ranger will always get a 0th level spell before he gets his first 1st level, barring a Wisdom increase at 4th level.

Ranger Spell List (where different from PHB)
0-LEVEL RANGER SPELLS (ORISONS)

Beast Whisper
Cure Minor Wounds
Detect Poison
Find Water
Finger Flame
Fleet Foot
Know Direction
Guidance
Resistance
Stonecunning
Summon Small Animal

1ST-LEVEL RANGER SPELLS

Purify Food and Drink

Speak Language is a class skill for the languages of any Favoured Enemies.

Combat Styles

If a ranger has the named feat given by the combat style at a certain anyway, he can take another appropriate feat at that level (eg Far Shot instead of Rapid Shot). He must have the prerequisites.
A ranger can take horsemanship as a combat style at 2nd level. The feats gained may be any of:
    Animal Affinity, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Natural Bond, Ride-by Attack, Skill Focus (Ride), Spirited Charge, Trample.

Sorcerer

Gaining Spells:
If a newly learnt spell is fundamentally equivalent to an already learnt spell (eg SM3 vs SM1, Fly vs Levitate, Daylight vs Light or Major/Minor/Silent Image), the sorcerer may learn an extra spell of the lower level. This can be retrospective, but no more than one free spell can be learnt per level increase, and it must be similar to a spell that he knew before (not one that he's just got).
This has no effect on the number of spells he can cast.
No spell-swapping from 3.5.

A sorcerer gets the Eschew Materials feat for free at 1st level.
A Sorcerer can use the Quicken Spell feat.
At 1st level, a sorcerer may choose not to take a familiar.

Wizard

Learning Cantrips:
A 1st level wizard knows 1 cantrip per point of intelligence. She learns one more cantrip every time she gains a level, in addition to the usual two spells.
Given the plethora of non-PHB cantrips out there (including these ), just granting a wizard all cantrips at 1st level is a bit daft.
At 1st level, a wizard may choose not to take a familiar.

Multiclassed Characters

Hit Points
A multiclassed PC-grade character gets maximum hp for the first level of the class with the best Hit Dice, regardless of the order in which those levels were gained.
For example, a 3rd rogue has 6 + 2d6 hp (neglecting Con). If he takes a fighter level, this becomes 10 + 3d6.

Skills
Likewise, a multiclassed character gets triple skill points for the best class regardless of the order in which those levels were gained.
For example, a 4th fighter has 3x2 + 4x2 = 14 skill points (neglecting Int or Humanity). If he takes a ranger level, he has 4x2 + 3x6 + 1x6 = 32 skill points.

The DM might apply an ad hoc ruling to restrict the rate at which the character gains these skill points, if it seems unrealistically abrupt (eg in the extreme case of fighter to rogue, where the character will gain 26 + Int bonus skill points in one level).

BAB and Saving Throws
In each of the three save categories, all levels which grant "good" saves are added, and all "bad" levels are added. Then apply the formula:
Good / 2 + Bad / 3, rounded down. Add 2 if any Good levels.
Likewise, BAB is totalled for Good (x1), Medium (x3/4) and Bad (x1/2).
For example, a 7/5 cleric/fighter gets 12 levels of Good Fortitude, 12 levels of Bad Reflex, and 7 levels of Good and 5 levels of Bad Will.
He has 12/2+2 = +8 Fortitude, +4 Reflex and 7/2+5/3+2 = 7.17 = +7 Will. He has 7x3/4 + 5 = +10 BAB.
A 3/5/3 rogue/wizard/arcane trickster gets 3x3/4 + (5+3)/2 = + 6.25 = +6 BAB. He has 11xBad Fort = +3, 6xGood + 5xBad Reflex = +6, 8xGood + 3xBad Will = +7.

Spellcasters
The casting levels of a multiclassed character stack, with respect to spell effects, range, duration and overcoming spell resistance, but not for spells known, spells per day, metamagic ability, etc. For any given class, the total level is limited to three times the true level and cannot exceed character level.
For example, a 5/4 cleric/wizard casts at 9th level in both classes. A 9/3 druid/ranger casts druid spells at 10th level and ranger spells at 4th level (=ranger level 9).

Feats

These are feats modified from stock 3.5. For new feats, see here.

Metamagic Feats

Any spellcaster has a number of Metamagic Points equal to half her caster level (round down) plus 3 per Metamagic feat she has gained. These can be used for any Metamagic for which she has the feat. For example, a 9th level wizard with Still Spell and Extend Spell has 9/2 + 6 = 10 points.

All Metamagic feats have a spell level modifier as in the PHB (eg +1 for Silent, +3 for Maximised).

A Metamagic spell is prepared and cast at its original level, but requires a caster capable of casting a spell at the increased level (eg 3+1 for a Still Fireball, or 2+4 for a Quickened Invisibility). It requires the expenditure of a number of points equal to its increased level, and takes a full round action to cast. For example, a Widened (+3) Fireball is treated as a 3rd level spell, needs an 11th level wizard to cast it and uses 6 Metamagic points.

A Metamagic spell in an item is treated as being at its increased level for purposes of cost and spell level. So a Wand of Reach CLW is treated as containing 3rd level spells.

This applies to the following feats (it may apply to others in books I don't have yet): Also note the special treatment of Heighten Spell.

Metamagic as in the PHB is useless at low levels and seldom worthwhile at higher levels, so nobody takes the feats.

Item Creation

Revise the feats into:
Feat Notes Prerequisites
Scribe Scroll As now CL 1
Brew Potion As now CL 3, Craft (Alchemy) 1 rank or Knowledge (Nature) 3 ranks
Brew Elixir As Brew Potion, but can hold spells of any level, and Personal spells at double cost. Takes longer to brew if >1000gp. CL 9, Craft (Alchemy) 5 rank or Knowledge (Nature) 7 ranks, Brew Potion
Craft Arms and Armour As now CL 5
Craft Wand As now CL 5
Craft Staff As Craft Staff and Craft Rod (Metamagic rods only) CL 10, Craft Wand, Craft Minor Item
Craft Minor Item As Craft Wondrous Item, max spell level=2, max Stat Bonus=+2 CL 3
Craft Lesser Item As Craft Wondrous Item and Craft Rod (except Metamagic), max spell level=5, max Stat Bonus=+4 CL 7, Craft Minor Item
Craft Greater Item As Craft Wondrous Item and Forge Ring CL 12, Craft Lesser Item
Craft Construct As now CL5, Craft Arms and Armour, Craft Minor Item

The PHB Craft Wondrous Item is too good, in that it can duplicate far too much other stuff, is available very early and has no power limit. Likewise, there is no prerequisite chain, so one can make a staff but not a wand.

Other Feats

Power Attack
Damage Bonus for a 2H weapon is 150% (round down), not doubled.

Spell Focus
is still +2. Greater Spell Focus is only +1.

Toughness
Adds +1 hp per level and adds 2 to your CON regarding -ve hp. See Death.
A fighter can take this as a bonus feat.

Dodge
Gives a +1 Dodge bonus against all opponents.

Far Shot
Also increases the range of a missile Sneak Attack to 50', or two range increments of the weapon, whichever is less (but at least 30')

Mobility
In addition to what's in the PHB, Mobility adds a +4 bonus to Tumble when avoiding AoOs.
Otherwise, it gets irrelevant once you have a decent level of Tumble skill.

Weapon Focus
Can be dropped at any point where the character gains a BAB increase, in exchange for another feat, subject to DM approval. Any feats which rely on Weapon Focus prevent this change.
After all, Weapon Focus just gives +1 to hit. So if you've just improved your BAB anyway, there's no change. It reflects that the character doesn't use that weapon any more. It's designed for the character who's been using a scimitar for years and finds a +3 flail, or for the cleric who took WF (mace) at 1st level and now usually casts spells.

Heighten Spell
All spellcasters can use this effect, even in conjunction with metamagic feats, though so doing extends the casting time to a full round. As such, it can't be used with Quicken Spell.

Eschew Materials
Sorcerers get this for free at 1st level.

Combat Reflexes
Does not allow more than 1 AoO per round against the same opponent.

Combat Casting
Allows you to Take 10 on Concentration rolls while on the defensive or while you are grappling or pinned. Otherwise as PHB.
This was always a ropy feat, but in 3.5 it's obsolete compared to Skill Focus - Concentration.

Declining Familiars

If at 1st level, a sorcerer or wizard chooses not to take a familiar, he may either attune a staff or gain one extra feat, which must be one of:
    Metamagic, Item Creation, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Spell Energy, Combat Casting or Skill Focus (Concentration, K-Arcana or Spellcraft).
The character may take the Obtain Familiar feat at a later time as usual.

Skills

Languages
A starting character can exchange a language for 3 skill points, regardless of class. If not an illiterate barbarian, he can become illiterate for 2 points, though this is not an option for most spellcasters.
A newly learned language requires 1/2 to 2 points, depending on the competence required: Remember that Speak Language is not a class skill for most classes, so double the above costs.
Optionally, one could spread the bonus starting language skill points gained from high Int among multiple languages, if the player can justify it. Racial bonus languages should not be split except to bias it between them, perhaps for an elf who lives in the wild woods (2 pts Common, 4 pts elven).

Intimidate
One can use Strength instead of Charisma as the modifying characteristic to Intimidate rolls, if there is a plausible threat of physical violence and some means of displaying that strength (eg smashing a door down, hurling a table out of the way, brandishing a massive axe).
To Demoralise an opponent is a Move-Equivalent action if you are already Threatening that opponent (i.e., he is within the reach of your attack). Otherwise it's a Standard action.

Tumble
Instead of DC 15 to tumble past an opponent without suffering AoO, make an opposed roll vs the opponent's normal attack roll. This does not resolve the attack; it merely checks to see if the tumble is successful.
Instead of DC 25 to tumble through an enemy's space without suffering an AoO, make an opposed roll vs the opponent's normal attack roll + 10.
The Mobility feat adds a +4 bonus to Tumble when avoiding AoOs.

Jump
The DC for a running jump of distance X feet is 2X-10.
The modifier for faster or slower movement rate is ±1 for every foot of movement greater or less than 30'. So a halfling with 20' move gets -10; a monk with 50' gets +20.
So 5' is DC 0. Trivial for any unarmoured healthy character. 10' is DC 10. Trivial for the same character if allowed to Take 10, but could be awkward for low-level tanks. 15' is DC 20. Doable, but risky, and not in armour. One for the barbarians, monks, rogues and rangers. 20' is DC 30. Time for an athlete. 25' is DC 40. Be a specialist, and get lucky.
For a standing jump, DC is 4X-10. So 5' is DC 10, 10' is DC 30.
If you have a 10' run-up (rather than the default 20'), it's 3X-10.
Running High Jump DC is 5X-10. Standing High Jump is 10X-10.
The RAW rules boil down to Distance Jumped = (1d20 + Skill Bonus) feet, which is a huge variation. The Olympic record is about 28' (DC28), which can occasionally be achieved by a typical 2nd level fighter (16 str, 5 ranks). The above rules make this DC46, verging on Epic.

Combat Options

Amateur Power Attack

Any creature without the Power Attack feat can do the same thing at half value, ie +1 damage per -2 to hit (assuming a 1H weapon). The limit is a hit penalty equal to the creature's BAB.
Likewise, any creature can use Power Shot (qv) at half value.

Aiming

Taking time to aim a missile weapon allows increased accuracy, limited by weapon. It's a full round action (no movement beyond a 5' step).
1 round: +1 to hit, any weapon (ray, thrown or projectile).
2 rounds: +2 to hit, bows and crossbows only
3 rounds: +3 to hit, crossbows only, must be braced, no movement.

Slow Shot

Any creature can forgo one missile attack in a given round to gain +1 to hit on all the others. This is a full-round action, and assumes that the creature has multiple attacks (through high BAB, Haste, Rapid Shot, etc).
When combined with Rapid Shot, this turns (for example) +7/+2 into +6/+6.

Ignoring Flanking

If you ignore a flanking opponent, treat it as invisible (ie, you're flat footed) and it gets an AoO at the moment you choose to do so.
For example, if fighting a frost giant and a goblin, you might want to ignore the goblin (unless it's a 15th level rogue...).

Weapons in 2 hands

Any weapon used in 2 hands gains +1 to hit. This applies both to 2H weapons (eg greatsword) and 1H weapons (eg battleaxe).
In the case of light weapons and rapiers, it's assumed that the off hand isn't actually on the weapon. As such, this applies only in cases where you could use the other hand for something (pulling on an opponent's shield, waving a cape in his face, etc).
The point being that unless you're quite strong (14+) there is otherwise absolutely no benefit to using a weapon in two hands.
A previous house rule made this +1 to hit and +1 damage, but that's a bit much.

Total Inactivity

Doing absolutely nothing (eg being paralysed, asleep, held, etc) draws an AoO on your turn from anything within range. This is not a coup.

Miscellaneous

Bonus Cantrips

All spellcasting classes except Ranger and Paladin (who have their own rules) get to cast extra Level 0 spells per day. This amount is equal to the bonus of the governing attribute. For example, an Int 15 wizard gets 2 bonus cantrips.

Death

In standard 3e, characters die at -10 hp, and have a 10% chance to stabilise before dying.
For both of these, substitute CON. This is amended for the Toughness and Very Tough feats (+2).
Multiply the death threshold hp depending on size (round nearest):

Fine: x 1/20
Diminutive: x 1/5
Tiny: x 1/3
Small: x 2/3
Medium: x 1
Large: x 2
Huge: x 3
Gargantuan: x 5
Colossal: x 8


House Rules New Spells Level 0 Domain Spells Armour and Weapons New Feats Fumbles Monsters
Aaargh home Last Revised 28/1/10