House Rules
Combat
The combat rules that I differ from AD&D with are:
- Specialization adds a percentage chance of extra attack every round. Thus, a third level fighter, specialized in long sword, has 1.3 attacks per round, that is, a 30% chance of extra attack every round. Players like to roll dice, and we always lost track of 3/2 attacks.
- Automatic Critical on a 20 (Double Death) -- as long as the number needed to hit is 15 or less. Another d20 is rolled, with 1-16 resulting in double damage, 17-18 triple damage, 19-20 are quadruple damage (usually a severed limb or other hollywood result).
- Automatic Miss on a 1. Another d20 is rolled with 1 indicating weapon save vs. broken; 2-4 save vs. notch; 5-8 hits random person; 9-10 weapon slips from grasp, grenade miss table; 11-15 opponent gains +1 to +5 on next attack; 16-20 no further effect. All further attacks are lost this round in any case.
- Arrows and Bolts roll a save after combat, d6 and d4 respectively. Lost or broken on a 1 (situational modifiers apply). On a max number, a magic arrow/bolt that missed will still have it's magic!
Spells
I use a Spell Point system implemented by a friend of mine who runs the Arcathia campaign (and his players). The basic rules are:
- Number of Spell Points for each character is Primary Stat times Level and divided by two. (i.e. an 16 Intelligence 3rd level Mage has 24 Spell Points)
- Spells cost three times their level in spell points to cast. Cantrips cost only one. (i.e. Fireball costs 9 spell points)
- A die twenty must be rolled for each spell cast -- and there is a chart which I won't reproduce here yet. You must (for the most part) get a number under your primary ability score to succeed.
- Automatic failure on a 20.
- Automatic success on a 1 (150% effect or other bonus)
- Spellcaster can only repeat a given spell as many times as he/she could "memorize" it in the old system.
There are other effects, like being able to attempt a spell that is a higher level than you can currently cast, but I won't write them up here yet.
Training
"Training" is only necessary to pick up new weapon and non-weapon proficiencies. If you have an empty slot (a "level" slot) it goes quickly, usually one or two weeks. If you don't have an empty slot you must spend a lot more time studying the skill. Other classes must also study if necessary, for example a mage picking up new spells (or a new level of spells) and thieves must study to gain new percentages.
Essentially, when you gain enough experience to go up a level, you get hit points, attack matrix, turning, and saves right away. Weapon, Non-Weapon, and new skills require training.
Training is based on the primary statistic, learning a non-weapon proficiency is based on INT.
Trading gold for experience is a percentage chance based on the primary statistic as well.
Weapon Specialization
Coming Soon!
Other House Rules
I am sure I am missing some of these, but here goes:
- All characters get the non-weapon proficiency of their native language, spoken, for free. Any additional languages cost one NWP each, and literacy in all languages spoken costs just one NWP.