Post by stormonu on Jan 18, 2008 3:32:26 GMT -5
I've now published my home 3.75 rules here: www.scribd.com/doc/8706346/Amberos-Play-Guide
These are just at the planning stages, but comprise rules I'm strongly contemplating changing (and why) for a 3.75 version of my game. I'd love opinions, or if anybody uses them, how things turn out.
1 ) Remove CONCENTRATION skill, replace with a Will save.
System: Whenever the game would normally call for a Concentration skill check, make a Will save instead.
Cast Defensively - DC 12 + Spell Level
Damaged during action - DC 10 + 1/2 damage dealt
Vigorous motion - DC 10
Violent motion - DC 13
Extraordinary violent motion - DC 15
Entangled - DC 13
Grappling or Pinned - DC 15
Weather is a hig wind carrying blinding rain or sleet - DC 5
Weather is wind-driven hail, dust or debris - DC 10
Weather caused by a spell - Distracting spell's save DC
Reason: Only spellcasters need to make Concentration checks, and nearly all spellcasters have Good Will saves. Give the casters a break to get some other skill. DCs were recalulated based on the level that a character would get an average skill check to complete action and base it off an average Will save instead.
2) All spell saves are DC 10 + 1/2 Caster level + spellcasting mod
Reason: Lower level spells are often not used by casters because they will often fail to work against an enemy and have a lower power threshold to boot. This often results in a caster blowing his top tier spells first, and then stopping the group because the lower level spells are far less likely to be effective. By removing the level of the spell from the equation, all of the caster's spell have an equal chance of affecting the enemy, but spell level still limits the effects of the spell.
3) When a character/creature hits 1/2 hit points, they become fatigued. When a character/creature hits 1/4 hit points, they become exhausted.
Reason: This effect gets rid of the "I have one hit point, I'm fine" effect of D&D. It makes combat dramatically more dangerous and approached with more care. If you want combat to be conducted as often as it normally is in the game, it is advised if you use this rule to increase monster hp by 1/4 to 1/2 and to double PC hit points.
4) Heal Skill can restore hit points
System: By making a Heal skill check you can restore hit points. Healing hit points take 1 minute of time. The base DC is 12 to restore 1 hit point. For every 2 points you beat the DC by, you heal an extra hit point. You cannot heal an individual through the Heal skill above 1/2 their total hit points (1/2 total hp + 1 if using rule #3).
Reason: It's always bothered me that clerics have the monopoly on healing. How can doctors and field medics bind up wounds on the battlefield or through surgery and not help someone to regain hp? Keeping it at 1/2 total hit points keeps it from becoming overpowering, and making it take a minute reserves it for after-combat/out-of-combat usage. I also highly suggest the allowance of alchemical healing potions to bought and sold - basically a Heal check to restore hp set at a specific DC result, with a cost of about 5 gp/hp the potion heals.
5) Polymorph spells are limited to transformations into creature with an ECL (HD + Class Levels + LA) of the Caster.
System: When a character gains access to spells such as Alter Self, Polymorph and they like, they gain 2 forms they can assume with the spell, plus an additional form for each additional level they obtain. These forms cannot exceed the ECL of the caster (HD + Class Levels + LA). At each level, the caster may change one of his prior chosen form to a new form. If the caster wishes to make an impromptu change to a creature not on their list of forms, they must make an appropriate Knowledge check to make the change. The Knowledge check is based on the type of creature whose form is to be assumed (i.e., Knowledge [Arcana] check to assume the form of a draconic creature).
DC 20 - Assume an impromptu form not on character's polymorph list.
-5 DC - character is familiar with form (has studied physiology of a "living" specimen for at least 1 hour or more)
-5 DC - character has a similiar creature in his form list (such as becoming a lion if you can change into a tiger)
+5 DC - character has no visual reference of new form*
+2 DC - creature is rare, reclusive, singular (such as the tarrasque) or extraplanar in nature (+2 for each that applies)
* Having seen the creature in a book, painting or other 2D depiction does not count as having a visual reference.
Reason: Limiting the number of forms allows players & DM to prepare stat blocks ahead of time for the transformation, and help cut down on rummaging through monster books for the "perfect form". Limiting forms to what the character is familiar with in game is fairly smart (how could a wizard become something he has no knowledge of existing?). Likewise, limiting the power of what the spellcaster assumes the shape of should prevent the spellcaster from becoming overpowering with a single change - he or she just becomes "different", and perhaps more helpful to a specific cause. One thing to note: A large number of creatures do NOT have LA's; DM's will have to make a ruling on such creatures to determine their LA. Unfortunately, only experience can help the DM in this matter, as no formula for calculating LA is perfect.
These are just at the planning stages, but comprise rules I'm strongly contemplating changing (and why) for a 3.75 version of my game. I'd love opinions, or if anybody uses them, how things turn out.
1 ) Remove CONCENTRATION skill, replace with a Will save.
System: Whenever the game would normally call for a Concentration skill check, make a Will save instead.
Cast Defensively - DC 12 + Spell Level
Damaged during action - DC 10 + 1/2 damage dealt
Vigorous motion - DC 10
Violent motion - DC 13
Extraordinary violent motion - DC 15
Entangled - DC 13
Grappling or Pinned - DC 15
Weather is a hig wind carrying blinding rain or sleet - DC 5
Weather is wind-driven hail, dust or debris - DC 10
Weather caused by a spell - Distracting spell's save DC
Reason: Only spellcasters need to make Concentration checks, and nearly all spellcasters have Good Will saves. Give the casters a break to get some other skill. DCs were recalulated based on the level that a character would get an average skill check to complete action and base it off an average Will save instead.
2) All spell saves are DC 10 + 1/2 Caster level + spellcasting mod
Reason: Lower level spells are often not used by casters because they will often fail to work against an enemy and have a lower power threshold to boot. This often results in a caster blowing his top tier spells first, and then stopping the group because the lower level spells are far less likely to be effective. By removing the level of the spell from the equation, all of the caster's spell have an equal chance of affecting the enemy, but spell level still limits the effects of the spell.
3) When a character/creature hits 1/2 hit points, they become fatigued. When a character/creature hits 1/4 hit points, they become exhausted.
Reason: This effect gets rid of the "I have one hit point, I'm fine" effect of D&D. It makes combat dramatically more dangerous and approached with more care. If you want combat to be conducted as often as it normally is in the game, it is advised if you use this rule to increase monster hp by 1/4 to 1/2 and to double PC hit points.
4) Heal Skill can restore hit points
System: By making a Heal skill check you can restore hit points. Healing hit points take 1 minute of time. The base DC is 12 to restore 1 hit point. For every 2 points you beat the DC by, you heal an extra hit point. You cannot heal an individual through the Heal skill above 1/2 their total hit points (1/2 total hp + 1 if using rule #3).
Reason: It's always bothered me that clerics have the monopoly on healing. How can doctors and field medics bind up wounds on the battlefield or through surgery and not help someone to regain hp? Keeping it at 1/2 total hit points keeps it from becoming overpowering, and making it take a minute reserves it for after-combat/out-of-combat usage. I also highly suggest the allowance of alchemical healing potions to bought and sold - basically a Heal check to restore hp set at a specific DC result, with a cost of about 5 gp/hp the potion heals.
5) Polymorph spells are limited to transformations into creature with an ECL (HD + Class Levels + LA) of the Caster.
System: When a character gains access to spells such as Alter Self, Polymorph and they like, they gain 2 forms they can assume with the spell, plus an additional form for each additional level they obtain. These forms cannot exceed the ECL of the caster (HD + Class Levels + LA). At each level, the caster may change one of his prior chosen form to a new form. If the caster wishes to make an impromptu change to a creature not on their list of forms, they must make an appropriate Knowledge check to make the change. The Knowledge check is based on the type of creature whose form is to be assumed (i.e., Knowledge [Arcana] check to assume the form of a draconic creature).
DC 20 - Assume an impromptu form not on character's polymorph list.
-5 DC - character is familiar with form (has studied physiology of a "living" specimen for at least 1 hour or more)
-5 DC - character has a similiar creature in his form list (such as becoming a lion if you can change into a tiger)
+5 DC - character has no visual reference of new form*
+2 DC - creature is rare, reclusive, singular (such as the tarrasque) or extraplanar in nature (+2 for each that applies)
* Having seen the creature in a book, painting or other 2D depiction does not count as having a visual reference.
Reason: Limiting the number of forms allows players & DM to prepare stat blocks ahead of time for the transformation, and help cut down on rummaging through monster books for the "perfect form". Limiting forms to what the character is familiar with in game is fairly smart (how could a wizard become something he has no knowledge of existing?). Likewise, limiting the power of what the spellcaster assumes the shape of should prevent the spellcaster from becoming overpowering with a single change - he or she just becomes "different", and perhaps more helpful to a specific cause. One thing to note: A large number of creatures do NOT have LA's; DM's will have to make a ruling on such creatures to determine their LA. Unfortunately, only experience can help the DM in this matter, as no formula for calculating LA is perfect.