House Rules

Whenever you want to make a new character follow the rules...

Includes house rules for character creation guidelines, and rule interactions that might affect a new player. I try and keep it up-to-date but it is not meant to be an all inclusive list by any means.

• The campaign is a core rule campaign so when in doubt consult the Players Handbook (PHB).
• In addition to the core books the Dungeons and Dragons FAQ is consider an official source for rules clarifications.

Abilities

• 28 Point Buy page 19-20 DMG prior to racial ability adjustments. Characters created at higher levels get to assign the ability increases. I suggest using the character generator and leveling up four levels at a time to help avoid mistakes.
• Pay attention to stacking, when tracking your Abilities. Over the course of the campaign, if your character were to gain access to two +1 Manuals of Gainful Exercise and use them both they would still only receive a +1 inherent bonus to Strength. If your character has a Strength 18 and uses one of these items to give them a 19 then keep track of that fact on the magic item inventory sheet by doing something like: +1 Manual of Gainful Exercise (used). It helps when I compare one sheet with another when a character levels up.

Races, Classes, Skills, and Feats

• Race, class, skill, feats, etc... all have to come from the Players Handbook. Prestige Classes require a mentor that will provide training to the character.
• The character level is one level below the average party level (average party level - 1) for new character creation.
• Spell lists are restricted to the Players Handbook and a wizard's spell compliment is the result of Spells gained at a New Level, PH page 155. Spell availability during the campaign is a DM decision.
• Character may take item creation feats as the meet prerequisites. Anything in the DMG that has Creation Requirements (identifies caster level, required feats, experience expenditures, spell perquisites, and material components) is available to the character to make. All the requirements will need to be met and the DM decides on any vague descriptions.

• Craft Magic Arms and Armor's Prerequisites is either Spellcaster level 5+ or 8+ Ranks Craft. A character using the Craft prerequisite can only create magic items for the Craft skill(s) they possess armorsmithing, bowmaking, or weaponsmithing. The character must posses three more Ranks in the Craft skill than the Caster Level required for the magic item. Furthermore, items created with a Craft skill prerequisite are always created at the minimum Caster Level for the item. Unlike spellcasters, characters using the Craft prerequisite are unable to set an effective Caster Level higher than the minimum listed in the DMG.

  A character using the Craft prerequisite in lieu of having spell casting ability must obtain the aid and counsel of a spellcaster with the appropriate prerequisites. The cost for the aid and counsel help is determined by the Spells for Hire section of the PHB, page 114. Spellcasters who perform this function are not expending spell casting ability or spell slots but are acting to aid in the creation of the enchantment. The character employing the Craft Magic Arms and Armor skill to create the item must pay all associated costs including spell material components and XP costs.

  For example, a character creating a +1 large steel shield (+170 gp) for a large steel shield (+1 bonus 1,000 gp) must have attained 6 Ranks in Craft[armorsmithing] (Caster Level 3 + 3), paid 585 gp (1,170/2) in raw materials and 47 XP (1,170/25). It takes two days (1,170/1000) to create the item. A character enhancing a +1 large steel shield (+1,170 gp) with the Bashing enchantment (+1 bonus 3,000 gp) must have attained 11 Ranks in Craft[armorsmithing] (Caster Level 8 + 3), paid 1,500 gp (3,000/2) in raw materials and 120 XP (3,000/25), and spent 80 gp (1 Spell Level x 8 Caster Level x 10 gp) to obtain the counsel and research skills of a spellcaster that is familiar with the Bull's Strength spell and has the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. It takes three days (1,170/1000) to create the item.

• Craft Wondrous Item can be used to create items off tables 8-28, 8-29, and 8-30 in the DMG. It can not be used to apply the guidelines on DMG table 8-40 to your heart's delight. It can not it be used to change the item's "slot" or type of item created. A Cloak of the Elvenkind can not be created as a Vest of Elvenkind.

Description

• All Evil alignments in the campaign are played as NPCs (under the DMs control). The DM tracks and determines any character alignment changes. In the campaign, if the character's development turns down the "dark" path then they become an NPC.
• Your character has to have a background to start the campaign. Be sure to continue character development during the campaign it is the best way to get what you want. If your character is well developed then almost anything is possible. Write your own story and keep me informed of it. I once saw quoted that the best comic book heroes are the ones with the most convoluted past. The examples were the Punisher and Wolverine.
• Rolls for Hit Points, gold, etc... have to be clearly declared and witnessed by another player or the DM.

• When gaining levels a player may choose to take the value from the Average Hit Point Per Level rule instead of rolling a Hit Die for Hit Points. However, if the player elects to roll a Hit Die for Hit Points they must take the result.

  Average Hit Points Per Level is determined using the mean that the roll of a Hit Die would generate. For odd levels a character would rounded up and one even levels round down to the nearest integer.

  The Fighter has a d10 Hit Die so the mean would be 5.5 (1+10/2). For a Fighter it works as follows: Upon reaching an odd level (level 3, 5, 7 etc.) a Fighter would get 6 hps and upon reaching an even level (level 2, 4, 6 etc.) they would receive 5 hps.

  Hit Die	Class	Mean	HP Odd Levels	HP Even Levels
  d4	Sorcerer, Wizard	2.5	3	2
  d6	Bard, Rogue	3.5	4	3
  d8	Cleric, Druid, Monk	4.5	5	4
  d10	Fighter, Paladin, Ranger	5.5	6	5
  d12	Barbarian	6.5	7	6

  
  
  

Equipment

• For characters starting higher than first level pick any personal equipment out of the Players Handbook. Picking Master Work Weapons, Armor, and Equipment is fine as long as its from the PHB.
• For characters beyond first level, starting gold is as a first level characters except that it doesn't need to be spent it on equipment. It is your cash on hand once in the game. Only first level characters will need to purchase equipment.
• Equipment (and magic item) purchases takes campaign time even between adventures. I use the digits of the item's value in thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands for days, weeks, and months to locate an item. Either by using these values or rolling a d6, d4, and d12 for them instead is how I arrive at a date. This is usually faster than 1000 gp rule that is used when making an item. Skills like Gather Information, Appraise, Diplomacy can affect the search time and purchase price to the characters benefit or detriment. A player can save time by making reasonable estimates using these guidelines and planning ahead.
• Free market access to Spells tends to be regulated by the society in the particular area that the campaign is situated. Rulers just don't like it when the populous buys a scroll or wand of Disintegrate without permission. This is why your spending all of your time in the dungeon. It is recommended that characters who want to purchase spells or items find a way to align themselves with the power structures in play. Get what you want at character creation or during level advancement.
• Characters don't start with any magic items. These are in game role-playing rewards. It doesn't matter if you've created a character with item creation feats. Item creation feats can only be used in the campaign's timeline which doesn't start until a character has joined the campaign.

Combat

• Casting on the Defensive successfully only prevents the provoking of Attacks of Opportunity. This does not counter a Ready Action to Distract Spellcasters. If someone where to Ready to Distract a Spellcaster then they could still take the Ready Action even if the caster successfully Cast on the Defensive. If hit the spellcaster would need to make a Concentration Check.
• Massive Damage is damage from a single attack. This is generally an attack that result from a single throw of the dice with in one round. There are some funny rules that could trigger it. For example damage from falling, a Sneak Attack, or a Magic Missile spell cast against a single target could trigger the rule.

Adventuring

• Every time the character advances a level they need to make the DM a copy of the character sheet. They don't advance to the next level until the DM gets it. If you want to put it into game terms then the character is going to need training to advance which they won't get it until the DM gets his copy. Character sheets need to be readable (printed or typed).
• Remember when you advance in level your limited to what is in the Players Handbook or DMG. The best rewards don't always come from the core books. Getting prestige classes, skills, feats, magic items, and weapons from other supplements is possible. Try and make me aware of what you want in advance. I can place it in the campaign like any other treasure. I may require a copy of the pages out of the supplement since I don't buy every rulebook under the sun.
• Character death happens so remember running away and surrendering is a valid strategy. Alternatively, the Players Handbook provides at least six ways for a character to come back to the campaign after death. Be prepared. Typically, this means a loss in a level of experience.
• Charisma skills determine the outcome of NPC interactions but role-play is the in-play mechanic that creates opportunities for a check. Situational modifiers can be added to opposed checks based on how well a player plays the character (describes their own actions or motivations).
• The only strategy that comes into play in my experience is in the selection of spells and purchase of magic items prior to encounters. Noticed that this means an optimum planned strategy in the game is usually irrelevant?
• Players that experience uncertainty of what action to perform during combat is usually a result of being presented with equally bad options (the technical term is FUBAR). Play to your character's strengths. Actions that have the most effect are thought up before your turn in the initiative order. Just wade in and remember to address any perceived flaws during the character's advancement. Don't annoy the DM or other players with indecision - Speed up game play!

Magic

• The number of first level scrolls that can scribed per day is one.
• A Shadow Dancer Hide in Plain Sight (HiPS) ability requires the PC to be within 10' of a shadow not their own. A shadow cast by d6 lying on the game table is not sufficient to hide in. For game purposes, the shadow must be at least one size category smaller character's size type in order to hide in it. If the character is medium size then they could hide in a small sized shadow. An overhead light would cast a tiny shadow for a small creature and a small shadow for a medium sized creature. A torch would cast a medium sized shadow for a small creature and large shadow for a medium sized creature.

Spells

• Detect Magic

  Detect magic doesn't work with Identify to determine the number of enchantments a magic item has. For a +1 flaming long sword: Detect Magic would in the first round reveal a magical aura, in the second would reveal that the aura is faint, and the third could show that the school involved is Transmutation. The presence of the +1 enchantment tends to overpower or mask additional enchantments placed within items.

  Identify would reveal the item to be +1 to attack and damage. Analyze Dweomer would reveal the +1 enchantment and flaming property with successful checks. Augury can only see into the future about a half an hour so using it to see whether Analyze Dweomer, which requires 8 hours to cast, would be beneficial would not provide any useful information. Divination would provide useful information in determining whether Analyzed Dweomer is needed. A properly worded Divination could even provide information revealing the nature of the additional enchantment.

• Dimensional Anchor

  Dimensional Anchor is useful for a short term effects such as with traps. Additionally, the color of the Dimensional Anchor field lends itself to the source of another form of prevention of Astral or Ethereal travel. Emeralds are often used in the creation of treasure vaults or tombs to line walls and prevent extra-planar entry. Mines and underground locations may be rich in emerald deposits as well.

  Using ground up emerald gems in mortar while expensive in construction can prevent such travel through those surfaces;however, it is not an end in and unto itself. A repair made years after the initial construction that does not use this technique would create holes in this protection. Entrances and Exits are hard to protect using this technique.

• Ethereal Jaunt and Etherealness

  The Manual of the Planes has some good ideas for protecting locations from Ethereal intrusion. Sending a mountain or hill into the Ethereal plane and then building your home on that site is a good but expensive means to keep out Ethereal creatures. Forbiddance is also useful.

• Teleport

  Teleport requires the caster to have a clear idea of the location and layout of the destination. Enough to clearly visualize the location. You need to know where the location is, what it looks like, or what is inside of it.

  Using Teleport in the campaign is like locating a specific point on a map. Having the address (knowing where you want to go) results in having a good chance to getting there, even if you don't know where you are. If you've accessed some location via a portal or gate but don't know where you are then your chances of returning once you leave are slim. However, you chances of leaving are good (assuming your on the same plane and not anchored dimensionally).

  Additionally, many individuals know of this magic and seek to protect themselves from the unwanted appearance of uninvited guests. Re-arranging furniture, changing room furnishings, or re-doing the walls are usually enough to foil most unwanted teleports attempts. Plus, it keeps the place clean and refreshing. Those who are more unscrupulous and persistant tend attempt to bribe friends and servants for the information. This can lead to even more furniture re-arrangement, watch lists, black lists, or even changing venues for those without higher means. Those of means find spells like Forbiddance or Dimensional Anchor to highly useful and perhaps even necessary.

  This problem tends to take care of itself in natural settings which have a tendancy to overgrow themselves and eliminating the problem. Sounds of trees falling in the forest and all that jazz. For the wilds that don't change fast enough local Druids usually step to preserve the sanctity of a natural setting. Befriending the local Druid is usually a good idea if you want them to show you the maintained "way station" set aside for such use.