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House Rules The following is a list of the non-standard "house" rules used in my AD&D campaign. Starting Level Characters start at 3rd level unless they are multiclassed and then they start at 2nd/2nd. A dual classed character can only have a total of three levels at the beginning of the campaign. Thus if you want a fighter who changes class to a magic user he can start at 2/1 or wait until 4th level before changing classes. you cannot start the game and immediately change class! Hit Dice All classes get 1D8 hp per level (until 10th level). I've always found it hard to understand why a fighter can withstand twice, or three times, as much damage as any other class. Yes I know, superior constitution, skill, luck, hps aren't meant to just represent combat damage, etc. But does that mean that your average fighter is twice as lucky as a mage? At the end of the day using the standard Hd/level rules gives fighters a huge advantage in combat (aside from weapon specialisation, THAC0 scores, # of attacks, etc.) and as combat figures prominently in most (of our) campaigns we've found that the all classes get D8 hps system increases the survivability of your lowly mage without unduly upsetting the balance of play. Wizards and thieves are still cowards (usually) but at least now they occasionally survive for more than a single round when faced by a pissed off fighter. Multi classed characters: Also use just 1D8 when they go up a level (no dividing by two). Instead a multi-classed character rolls 1D8 the first time he gains a new level in one of his classes. Thus a half-elven Mage/thief rolls 1D8 at first level and then 1D8 when he gains 2nd level as a thief. When he gains 2nd level as a mage he is not entitled to another D8 roll but when the character attains 3rd level for the first time in one of his classes he, or she, does roll another D8 for hps. Dual Classed Characters: A dual classed character is only entitled to roll new Hps when they have gained a level above his, or her, level in their original class. Hit Points at First Level I give all characters maximum hit points at first level- after all they deserve at least one break in their lives. Non-Standard Classes I allow some non-standard classes if I'm given a full description of the class and its abilities. Here are a few of the classes that are allowed:
Spell bonus for Magic Users These bonus spells are cumulative so that a wizard with an 18 intelligence can cast 2 x 1st, 2 x 2nd and 1 x extra 3rdlevel spells per day- once he has attained a sufficient levle to cast them of course. Int Score/ Bonus Spells Training and Gaining Levels All characters must train to go up a level. It costs 250/gp a week for training (for the various equipment needed, skilled tutor, library, donation to the church, etc.). A character must spend one week training for every level he or she wishes to attain. Thus if a character wants to advance to fourth level it would cost him 1,000 gp and would take four weeks. 0 Hps and death I play that a character reduced to 0 hps they are knocked unconscious. The character will continue to lose 1hp/round until they reach -10. A character will die from shock, loss of blood etc. at the beginning of the round that they reach -11 hps. A character may be bandaged and have first aid administered, or healing, at any time that are unconscious and administering such first aid (which takes a round) is considered to be sufficient to halt the flow of blood, bind the wound(s) etc. and as such will halt the loss of hps (but only administering healing such as a cure light wounds or a potion of healing will actually heal the character).
Parry & Dodge I employ a parry and dodge system which is similar to that used in the Palladium game system. Basically all characters are entitled to parry, or dodge, any one attack per round. While fighters (and their sub-classes), who are trained in the arts of combat, are entitled to parry any incoming attacks which they can see (i.e. come from in front of them). To parry or dodge a character rolls 1D20 and their roll must equal or exceed the attack roll (including strength & magic weapon bonuses) made by the attacker. If it does so the PC is assumed to have parried or dodged the incoming attack and that attack causes no damage. Bonuses to parry & dodge
Non-fighter characters can gain additional parries or dodges by forfeiting an attack. Thus instead of attacking in a round a thief may use his potential strike to parry instead of attacking. Critical Hits and Fumbles I use the critical hits & fumbles system as outlined in the Best of Dragon IV. Basically a roll of 20 has a chance of causing a critical hit while a roll of 1 has a chance of fumbling. To Critical: roll another attack roll and if this roll is also sufficient to hit the target the attack is considered a critical. A percentage dice roll is then made to determine the outcome of the attack. To Fumble: The same principle is applied except that to fumble the 2nd roll (the fumble roll) must also miss the target. Parrying a Critical: To parry a critical hit the character must roll a natural 20. If however the attack wasn't a critical, just a natural 20, the defender may parry if his bonuses add up to equal to the attack roll even if the defender doesn't roll a 20. A natural 20 always hits (unless a magical blade is needed to damage the defender and you aren't using one) while a 1 always misses no matter what attack bonuses the character has (sometimes even the greatest fighters have a bad day). Monsters & Combat Creatures with "at will" abilities may use one such ability, once per round, in addition to a normal move and attack. Your average humanoid is stronger than a human or demi-human and as such are entitled to a damage bonus when Mob Attacks For every attacker in excess of one attacking the same target, all attackers gain +1 to hit. So six goblins attacking a lone fighter all have +5 to hit. Back to Stormdale's AD&D Pages This page was last updated on Tuesday, 11 September 2001 |