Difference between revisions of "House Rules"

Revision as of 15:21, 26 February 2008

PURPOSE OF DOCUMENT

This document is designed to serve the local face-to-face game and the online game, being a bridge between the two.

OFFICIAL BOOKS

The PHB3.5, DMG3.5, and the MM3.5, and EHB3.0 [EpicHB] (with EHB 3.5 online update) are the only books that are considered official. Any other books are out of bounds and not allowed. Material from the EpicHB is available for characters of level 15 and above. Original Woldian material -- such as spells, items, prestige classes, classes, races, skills, and feats -- is available online in the Oshirr House. If it is online, it is considered official and you may use it.

ABILITY SCORES

We will use the standard method of ability score generation presented on p. 7 of the PHB3.5. If the scores rolled are not high enough, ask permission to re-roll or adjust the high scores to the minimums needed. At least one 17 is desired to balance the new character with other Woldian characters. In addition, if two or more numbers are below 10, then the character may be too weak to perform at Woldian levels of competency. If the rolls are not satisfactory, the DM will tell you to re-roll or to perform surgery upon the new character. Ability scores must be rolled in the Loot and Booty board. If the rolls fail to appear in the Loot and Booty, they are not official. In the local group, ability scores must be roll in front of the Campaign DM and logged in his logbook.

STARTING LEVEL

All new PCs will begin with the same number of experience points as the lowest character in the party. Starting money is found on p. 135 of the DMG. This listed money includes money with which to buy magic items. It is, in effect, the total worth for an average character at that level. The local group is currently operating at 1.5 the listed amount on p.135 to play-test that level of wealth.

RACES, CLASSES, AND PRESTIGE CLASSES

All 3.5 PCs will follow the rules within the PHB3.5. Some Woldian races are available for use on the website. Original Woldian material is played as presented online on our Web site. Online material is subject to change at any time.

Priests may be generic as a cleric and worship some or all of the gods within the Gods of Wold. If a player desires a character to worship one of the Gods of Testing or a Power, then approval must be granted from the Campaign DM. Powers and their rules are listed online. Some of the Gods of Testing and The Powers are generally evil in nature and thus not approved for PC use. Clerics may remain pure or they may join a Sect. There are advantages to both routes.

The rule on p. 45 of the PHB3.5, which states that Paladins who gain new classes to lose the ability to continue to advance as a Paladin, does not apply to prestige classes. The rule on p. 42, which limits Monks in the same way again does not apply to PrCs. The rule on p. 60 concerning uneven levels (applying a 20% xp penalty for each class that is not within one level of a PC's most experienced non-favored class) does not apply to prestige classes.

Psionicists of all types are not allowed. The Dragon Disciple PrC is not approved for play in The Wold. No creature can change into a dragon by any ways or means.

HIT POINTS AND ARMOR CLASS

All classes get maximum hit points at 1st level. At levels above the 1st, all ones are re-rolled. Online, all hit point rolls must be rolled in the Loot and Booty. In the local group, all hit points must be rolled in front of the Campaign DM. A hero point can be used to re-roll the score. In this case, the best of the rolls will be used. Keep records of how many hps are rolled at each level noting any Con Adjustments.

FOLLOWERS ETC.

At the appropriate level, followers may be obtained as per the 3.5 rules. However, except for special circumstances, they will not travel with the PC group. You must keep them busy with other activities: errands, shopping, and research, keep upkeep, etc. Hirelings and Henchmen will usually not be role-played by the PC's player. Instead, the PC's player must select a different person to role-play each NPC. The person selected should be noted on the PC's character sheet.

ALIGNMENT

There is no official listing of alignments in the Wold. All characters, however, must be good. This includes Druids since Woldian Druids are not neutral. Permission must be granted for any non-good alignment situations and logged in the DM's log as an official decision.

If at any time a PC becomes non-good without permission, that PC immediately is taken over by the DM and is played by the DM until the alignment reverts to normal (if that occurs). If three evil acts are committed during the same adventure, alignment change may occur. Players will be informed quickly of any evil actions being counted against a character. Online this will occur via email. Locally, the player will be drawn aside and informed as soon as is practical.

EQUIPMENT AND UPKEEP

Characters above may buy what ever they wish at The Catacombs including Original Woldian Materials listed online. The following weapons do not exist for use in the Wold: kama, katana, nunchaku, sai, shuriken, and siangham. Monks in the Wold are proficient with the following weapons: club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kukri, quarterstaff, sickle, and sling. Monks may use the following weapons when making melee flurry of blows attacks (not ranged attacks): dagger, handaxe, kukri, quarterstaff, sickle.

All equipment is assumed to be on the character unless arranged otherwise during role-playing and written on the character sheet. Anything not on the character is subject to being stolen, rained on, fireballed, etc. If the location of an item is not shown, the DM may determine the location of the item when needed. There will be an upkeep fee of about 50gp per PC and NPC to take care of general repair, wear and tear, and replacement of things carried on person. This is applied at the end of each module. This will vary with the economy, activities of the characters involved, and the lifestyle desired.

SPELLS AND MAGIC ITEMS

Only spells that are listed in the PHB3.5 and on the website, as Original Woldian Spells are available for use in Woldian games. If the spells granted to a wizard are not sufficient, the character may buy more in the Catacombs.

Any ones rolled during any type of healing are re-rolled until something other than a one is obtained.

In general, any item that may be created using the DMG3.5 rules is available for purchase or creation on the Catacombs Board.

WILDSHAPING

Note on Forms Known: A Shifter (or any other character, for that matter, from a mage casting Alter Self to a wildshaping druid) can only assume familiar forms. A form is familiar if the shifter has encountered a creature of that form, through combat, conversation lasting more than one minute, or physical inspection lasting at least a minute.

It is assumed that if the character can summon a creature, then the shifter has summoned and studied that creature. Therefore a shifter is familiar with all creatures it can summon. If a friendly spellcaster in the group can summon other creatures, the shifter can be assumed to be familiar with them too.

Creatures encountered in Tapestry games, the Giggling Ghost, and the Catacombs do not count toward familiarity. the DM has final say on whether or not the PC has enough knowlege of a particular creature.

Other creatures encountered in game probably do count towards familiarity. The game archives can be used to resolve questions about creatures encountered in the shifter's past.

If a character starts after first level, the DM can work with the shifter to compile a reasonable list of creatures that have been encountered in the past.

Notes on Using Wild shape:

• No form is allowed that has been created via template (so no lycanthropes). No form is allowed that is "advanced" by adding hit dice to its base stats (so no huge-size ankhegs). And for monsters that exist in several varieties, such as centipedes and spiders, treat each variety as a seperate form. If you have studied a 7-headed cryohydra, then you can take that form, but that does not mean you can take the form of a 6 or 8 headed one.

• In an assumed form, the character changing shape gains (1) all the sensory abilities of the form (including those such as Blindsense, Scent,Darkvision, etc.) (2) all the movement abilities of the assumed form, (3) the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the new form but retains its own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, and (4) proficiency with all the all the natural attacks of the assumed form, including extraordinary attacks. HOWEVER, a character changing shape does NOT gain the non-sensory, non-attack extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form or any supernatural or spell-like abilities. (Note that a 10th level Woldian shapeshifter gains all extraordinary and supernatural abilities of the new form, but not spell-like abilities.)

• A wildshaper's assumed form can't have more hit dice than your druid levels (if you have at least five levels of druid) plus your shifter levels, to a maximum of 20 HD at 20th level. This is the primary restriction on shapeshifters, since, unlike druids, they can assume the form of creatures of any size.

• Upon changing, the subject regains lost hit points as if it had rested for a night (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting; and changing back does not heal the subject further).

• Any gear worn or carried by the shifter melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional (except for armor and shields with the "Wild" ability). When the shifter reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the shifter's feet.

FATE ITEMS

Sometimes a magic item is unique but does not rise to artifact level. These items are Fate Items. They may not be bought or sold in the Catacombs (but the Catacombs Staff can tell you if you have one). PCs cannot make them. Within the owning PC's game, it may be possible to share, sell, buy, steal, lose, or give away a Fate Item -- or might not be! A Fate Item may "stick" with an owner. Trying to get rid of a Fate Item that does not want to go may be "Tempting Fate." Sometimes a Fate Item goes missing for no obvious reason. Sometimes Fate Items have drawbacks. Sometimes their powers can be shared. Within your game, bards, diviners, seers, or sages may be able to tell you more about a Fate Item.

MAGIC ITEM CREATION POLICY

All core PHB item creation feats are combined into one magic Item Creation feat except Scribe Scroll (because wizards get it for free) and Brew Potion (because witches get it for free). (This compensates for the presence of the Catacombs magic shop, which devalues item creation feats because it is so easy to buy items, rather than make them.)

All xp costs are waived when making a Wold-unique item found in the Oshirr House (both when making your own item or making another's), but not when making an item from the core rules. (This rewards people for making their own items and encourages people to use more Wold-unique items.)

Anyone who successfully researches an item in the BGC is allowed to place their name on the item and receives the full 10% commission on future sales, even if they do not have any item creation feats.

COMBAT AND DEATH

We will not use the rules in the PHB3.5 and DMG3.5 for firing into a melee. Instead, we will allow a missile to be fired at a chosen target. Firing into melee may be done with a -4 penalty plus an additional -1 for each figure between the attacker and his chosen target. Players with the Precise Shot Feat avoid the -4 penalty, but not the additional -1 per intervening figure. The player may choose to avoid these penalties; however, if the ranged attack misses, the DM will randomly select a target from those figures between the attacker and his target and have the player roll to see if the ranged attack hits that figure instead.

We will use a simple d12 simulating a clock for a scatter diagram. 12o'clock will represent the north end of the map.

In the local group, the DM will use group initiative while the players will use individual initiative. Casters must be able to supply statistics for any spells cast. If information is not readily available, the caster is considered to be "holding" until the information is found.

Death occurs at -10 hps. If a PC is down and losing a point a round, he dies during the round he hits -10. A PC will survive an extra round for each hero point that he has.

ROLEPLAYING

Role-playing will be awarded with experience during both play and when the story bonus experience is awarded.

CRITICAL HITS AND FUMBLES

We will use the 3.5E rules for critical hits. We add to that the rule that all rolled 1's automatically miss and all 20's always hit, on skills, saves, any roll of a one fails and any roll of a 20 succeeds.

HERO POINTS ETC

When a PC performs an action that is heroic according to his class etc. during a session, the DM will award a hero point when experience is given out. The number of hero points a PC has cannot exceed his current level. These may be spent to re-roll any roll once, or combined to add 10% per hero point to percentile roles and +2 to d20 roles. Once used, they are gone until more are earned. Other role-playing points of various types may be given which aid in role-playing only. Each Hero Point also comes with an automatic (30xp X character level) bonus.

SURGERY CLAUSE

If the Campaign DM determines at any time that any PC has become too powerful in any way, he reserves the right to strip a PC of anything he feels is needed. If he decided to do this, the player may always choose to retire the character rather than undergo surgery. Retired characters may return with permission, subject again to possible surgery. Remember, D&D is a game. It is not as fun for your friends or the DM to play, if a PC is too dominant, overbearing or is exhibiting behaviors that the Campaign DM believes is contrary to the precepts with which he runs the game.

The Campaign DM retains the right to inform any player that they should find somewhere else to play. This Surgery Clause may be used if the actions of any player are preventing other players from enjoying the game and having fun. The Campaign DM also retains the right to change any House Rules without vote to preserve game balance and continuance.

SPORTSMANSHIP AND ETIQUETTE

All players and the DM are expected to control their tempers and language at all times. If you cannot do this, please remove yourself from the game until you remember that we do really "like" you and it is just a game. Honesty is expected from everyone at all times. Failure to control yourself is reason for player discipline.

EPIC POLICY

The Wold does not use the Epic Handbook. Characters may take the epic feats listed in the DMG upon reaching 15th level, if they qualify for them.

In the Wold, player characters may not advance beyond 21st level. When all the characters of a game reach 21st level, then the game is retired. Retired characters can continue to be played in special epic Tapestry games. They may also be used as extraordinary NPCs. They are honored and reknowned all over the Wold, and may receive special awards of titles, land, and so forth upon retirement.

When the 21st level characters of a game retire, they have the option of starting over in a new game. The characters of this new game may be the 21st level heroes themselves, "reborn" at first level, or they may be descendents, followers, or others linked to the hero.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE RETURN OF THE FEY KING

-- Ebryon, king of the fey, slept for many ages of the Wold. But he was awakened, defeated, and pardoned for his crimes -- on the condition of REFORM and ATONEMENT. The following house rules reflect his influence on the Wold.

A) CHARACTERS

(1) Druids and rangers gain Lesser Planar Ally as a 4th level spell. Druids and rangers can only use the spell to call a fey from the Fae Realm. Druids gain Planar Ally as a 6th level spell and Greater Planar Ally as an 8th level spell. Druids can cast these Planar Ally spells spontaneously, just as they can cast Summon Nature's Ally.

(2) The Cradled Emissary, Lost Child, and Defender of the Awakened prestige classes are now available in the Wold. The Cradled Emissary takes the place of the Thaumaturgist prestige class in the DMG.

(3) Certain Fey-oriented spells and magic items are now available in the Wold, such as Ebryon's Tears.

(4) Witches, druids and clerics may honor Immortal Powers. Some Powers are nature or fey related, including the Fae King Ebryon, and his Queen Maab. Some natural regions are Powers, such as the Culverwood. There are special rules for clerics who honor an Immortal Power.

B) CREATURES

Animals, plants, and other natural creatures are thriving in the Wold. Fey creatures are more common. There are rumors about talking animals.

C) GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

(1) Many geographic areas have alignments. All creatures in the area who share the area's alignment gain a bonus on all d20 checks.

(2) Nature is not neutral in the Wold; the Fae King's influence makes places more aligned, and even self-aware. Aligned places have ways of influencing the creatures within their domains. The more strongly a place is aligned, the greater its self-awareness, the more complex its personality. Some self-aware places have become Immortal Powers, and clerics, druids, and witches honor them.