I did promise I would do a post about house rules. So, here we go. These are not all game specific, if they are I shall try to remember to post which game I used them in. May not happen. I've already had one martooni an d Ima workin on a second. Write drunk edit sober MY EYE! Hehe...
The standard rules I always use, doesn't matter what game.
A natural 20 always hits, a natural 1 always misses.
Crits do double max damage.
All characters start with max hit points at first level.
Don't argue rules at the table, save it for later.
NO MONKS
For D&D 3/3.5/Pathfinder
When I ask for a roll, tell me what you rolled. Do not add any skill ranks or bonuses. (Never had a player actually abide by that rule. They all thought cheating was ok.)
No min/maxing (Not gonna take "I'm a mechanic" as an excuse either. Yes this was me chasing the dragon, but this is also why I don't run games anymore. The players I had all wanted to "Win". None of them actually wanted to think or be challenged.)
You don't keep secrets from the DM. (If any of them had actually followed this rule I might still be running games.)
"My character wouldn't do that." is not a viable reason not to do something. Pull up your big girl pants and work thru it. That's a cop out, not a reason.
Spell retention: After a spell caster casts a spell he rolls a D20, adds +1 to the roll for every ability score over 16 and if your prime requisite is over 16 double that. If the roll equals the spell level times 2, the caster doesn't lose the spell after casting. (This is a new rule I've been trying in my play-by-email game)
Another new rule I've been trying... No Skills. I've removed all skills from the character sheet. You have a profession like in 1st edition and that determines your "Everyman" skills. This falls under the chasing the dragon syndrome. Trying for the 1st edition feel. It's been working so far. (The PCs have been really good at describing their actions.)
Encumbrance: If your character is carrying over 30 pounds in a backpack you are half movement. PERIOD.
Basically, if the Munchkins and Rule lawyers had really wanted to play in any of the games I was running, they would have followed the rules.
I ran a game that could be classified as a Diablo video game style RPG. I had player bonus cards, I put out a sheet before hand laying out the rules, one of which was: If you don't swing a weapon in combat, you don't get experience. None of players read it, I actually had one player whine "So what good is it to play a support character?!?!" He never read the house rules sheet, he just assumed he could "WIN" at D&D. I don't tolerate whiners. I'm an old school DM, always will be.
Anyway, there it is. The House rules I lived by.
Happy Gaming!
