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Post by finieous on Oct 28, 2015 16:05:37 GMT -7
I thought I'd create a thread where we can share and discuss house rules. Here are mine. They're mainly focused on regulating spellcasting and adding some new options for melee characters, which will be the focus on the campaign. Attachments:Player Guide.pdf (452.98 KB)
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Post by Hussar on Oct 28, 2015 17:12:31 GMT -7
Interesting. I like the idea of limiting caster classes to feats. Very cool.
Question - Why limit rapiers? Isn't a cutlass a rapier?
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Post by finieous on Oct 28, 2015 17:53:53 GMT -7
That's not a house rule. RAW, rapiers, hand crossbows, half-plate, plate, and splint haven't been invented. There's some other equipment listed as unavailable in the book as well, but I just wanted to call out the armor and weapons. There's an implication that without stirrups, there are no lances, but they don't appear in the list of restricted weapons.
As for the feats, thanks. That was the best solution I was able to come up with that would allow players to dabble in magic if they *really* want it, without having dedicated caster classes.
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Post by Zoltan! on Oct 29, 2015 8:52:50 GMT -7
Fineous, Some great ideas there - I hope you don't mind if I plagiarize a bit Also, if you (or any one else) would like a subcategory under "5e Thule Campaigns" for your own - come up with a name for me & I'll create one. Bill W.
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Post by finieous on Oct 29, 2015 9:19:59 GMT -7
Not at all - I look forward to seeing what you plagiarize, along with your own ideas. As for the category, let's hold off until I have some real content. Thanks for the offer!
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Post by Athkethin on Oct 30, 2015 7:27:21 GMT -7
Isn't a cutlass a rapier? A cutlass and a rapier are two radically different weapons. A cutlass is a curved slashing weapon, similar to a scimitar or sabre with a wider, heavier blade. A rapier is a thrusting weapon with a long, narrow blade and a sharp point; many rapiers didn't even have sharpened edges on the blade.
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Post by Athkethin on Oct 30, 2015 7:49:21 GMT -7
I thought I'd create a thread where we can share and discuss house rules. Here are mine. They're mainly focused on regulating spellcasting and adding some new options for melee characters, which will be the focus on the campaign. I am also a big fan of your spellcasting feats. Something you might add: an escalating (and cumulative) physical or mental deformity linked to the feat. For example, taking Magic Initiate leaves you with haggard skin and bloodshot eyes, taking Magic Adept leaves your body hairless, etc. For my own campaign, I limit race options to human. I allow the half-caster subclasses, but I require a Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma saving throw when casting a spell, as appropriate (DC=spell level). A failed save results in one point of Taint (per the Taint of Evil rules in the 3.5 book Heroes of Horror), with a 50/50 chance each time of the taint resulting in depravity or corruption. Nonhumans do not have to make this saving throw, and are not susceptible to eldritch taint. I feel that my approach makes magic useful but dangerous, but not so dangerous that it can never be used. I also severely cropped the available spells, removing most "flashy" ones. If you aren't familiar with it; I strongly recommend The Spider God's Bride, which is a 3rd-party 3.5 supplement that can be found here. It has a great set of rules and suggestions for running a Sword & Sorcery style campaign, and is easily adaptable to 5e. For example, I adapted its Sorcerer class to 5e as the Primeval Sorcerer origin, and it is the only full caster option I allow in my Thule campaign. The adjustments I made to available spells are also based on this work.
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Post by finieous on Oct 30, 2015 9:53:46 GMT -7
Yeah, I need to pick up Spider God's Bride. Based on the reviews, it aligns pretty nicely with my view of S&S. What is the nomad class like? How hard to convert to 5e, and how would you do it? Would it be its own class, a fighter subclass, or...?
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Post by Athkethin on Oct 30, 2015 12:29:30 GMT -7
Yeah, I need to pick up Spider God's Bride. Based on the reviews, it aligns pretty nicely with my view of S&S. What is the nomad class like? How hard to convert to 5e, and how would you do it? Would it be its own class, a fighter subclass, or...? I actually didn't bother converting the Nomad. I saw no reason to do so. It is basically a Barbarian-Ranger mix, with sneak attack and bluff skills. It's not bad, exactly, but I didn't (and don't) feel that martial classes lack options or flavor. I guess I'd say I converted the Sorcerer because I loved the flavorful and less-powerful class presented in TSGB, and because in a Thule campaign I saw an issue with full casters that I simply don't see with martial classes. The Primeval Sorcerer is probably not as overtly powerful as a core sorcerer, but is wonderfully creepy and flavorful. And keep in mind that it is meant in TSGB to represent every kind of caster, from tribal shamans to power-mad warlocks to Thulsa Doom. I don't think anything is too hard to convert to 5e, with the caveat that I did not play much 4e and have only the vaguest notion what a Warlord is. I'd say that the Nomad would make the most sense as a Ranger archetype, to be honest.
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Post by finieous on Oct 30, 2015 12:54:17 GMT -7
I didn't play any 4e -- I thought the TSGB is 3.x? From what you say about the nomad, I agree it doesn't sound like there'd be any compelling reason to convert it.
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Post by Athkethin on Oct 30, 2015 20:39:19 GMT -7
I should have been clearer: I never played 4e either. I was using the Warlord class form 4e as an example of something that is apparently NOT easy to convert to 5e, based on numerous complaints I have seen about it.
And you are correct; The Spider-God's Bride is 3.5. The same guy also wrote a Mesopotamia sourcebook for 3.5, which has a bunch of stuff relevant and useful to a Sword & Sorcery style campaign.
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Post by beastman on Nov 6, 2015 11:21:56 GMT -7
I like the addition of magic feats, and the madness attached to sorcery. I had been thinking about enforcing madness myself, but I'm uncertain about how I want to do it. I like the idea of enforcing indefinite madness on all spellcaster characters regardless of class. I've even thought about alignment, and the possibility of casters shifting in alignment the deeper they delve into magic. Most sorcerers in Conan and other s&s stories seem to be mad.
I've also thought a bit about bronze weapons. I know that it's already written in Thule that steel weapons are simple +1 weapons, but I like the idea of making bronze weapons risk breaking. Don't know if any of you have seen the Conan the Barbarian movie with Arnold, but in one scene he shatters his opponents weapon with his Atlantean steel sword. Maybe on a critical, a person wielding a steel weapon can choose to sunder his opponents armor or weapon instead of dealing the extra damage. Before I got the books I was also thinking about bumping steel weapons up a damage step (a longsword would become a 1d10, or a 1d12 in two hands), but the simple +1 is fine.
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Post by Zoltan! on Nov 6, 2015 15:04:17 GMT -7
Beastman,
I like that idea. I think I'll play around with it tomorrow night in my normal 5e campaign.
I was also considering having non-steel weapons possibly break when the user rolls a "1" on an attack. I was thinking I'd have the player make a "Break Check" for the weapon, with the DC to not break being 2 x the attackers' STR bonus.
Bill W.
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Post by Zoltan! on Nov 6, 2015 16:00:22 GMT -7
Greetings All… OK, here’s some bits extracted from my 'House Rules' rough draft. Please note that these are in a very rough playtesting/experimental stage and will (most likely) evolve before I get them into my Player’s Guide. So, here we go: The Break: I will institute a new type of rest: the “Break”. A Break is about an hour long and can be taken, at most, 3 times in a 12 hour period. For the type of campaign I want to run, “At Will” abilities are too powerful, so I will limit their use to once between Breaks. Cantrips are also way too powerful for my tastes, so I will limit a spell caster's use of them to [2 + Spell Casting Ability modifier] times between Breaks. I have attached my Rest Chart (see below) to highlight the benefits of each type of rest. • All abilities described as “At Will” in the PHB will be usable only once between Breaks. • Cantrip “slots” are fully recovered after a Break or any longer rest. • Unless specified otherwise (i.e.: “once per day”, etc.), Primeval Thule Campaign Setting Narrative benefits requiring a “Rest” to use again will be recovered after a Break.
Also, to help those who choose to play Arcane Casters remain part of the action, I created an “Arcane Ability” that all Arcane casters have: ARCANE SPARKArcane Spark is usable whenever the character wants/needs. That’s why I refer to it as an Ability, not a Cantrip; even in my campaign, it’s truly “At Will”. A character can use Arcane Spark to:
1) Instantly light any or all candles within a 10’ radius; or, conversely, snuff them out. 2) Ignite a readily combustible material by touching it and concentrating for about 1 minute; if conditions would have an adverse effect on starting a fire in a normal fashion, it will have the same effect if attempting to use Arcane Spark to do so. 3) Warm up to a pint of liquid in a small container by holding it and concentrating for about a minute. This will not be hot enough to cause damage to anyone it is splashed on. 4) Players are encouraged to devise other miscellaneous minor uses for this ability – however these uses should never have the capability to cause damage.
A character can also choose to use Arcane Spark as a Touch or Ranged Spell Attack (range = 25’) If the attack is successful, it does 1d4 damage for each point of Proficiency Modifier the character has.A Short Rest: For my campaign, a Short Rest is 8 to 10 hours long, and there can be no more than 1 Short rest in a 24 hour period. Consult the Rest Chart (see attachment below) to see what can/does happen after a Short Rest. The Long Rest: A Long Rest is a continuation of a Short Rest. Beginning immediately after a Short Rest, or continuing after a previous day of Long Rest, the length of a Long rest is determined by the players and/or circumstances. Again, see the attached chart (below) to see what can/does happen after a Long Rest. I appreciate anyone and everyone’s thoughts on these ideas… Just remember that I am trying to capture a gritty Swords & Sorcery fell here. I don’t want to completely hose spell casters, but I want to not be in the spotlight. I believe, even with reduced abilities, any spellcasting character in my campaign will still be a formidable force, especially in a world where there isn’t that much other magic. I still think they will be a blast to play: Fearsome, Intimidating, and Mysterious to the average Thulian! Rest Chart.pdf (81.64 KB) Bill W.
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Post by egamma on Dec 4, 2015 7:48:34 GMT -7
Bill, I think you are unfairly limiting casters with your cantrip rules. A ray of frost does 1d8 damage; a light crossbow (which a wizard can use) also does 1d8 damage. But it's FAR, far more "wizardly" for a wizard to make a magical attack than a mundane attack. Let your wizard feel like a wizard; mechanically, it's pretty much the same thing.
And your "spark" is similar to the Prestidigitation cantrip, so you're essentially giving all casters that cantrip for free. Kinda. Add on the 1d4 damage and you're giving them Vicious Mockery for free, too.
I think you're better off just letting them use unlimited cantrips and then not giving them two cantrips for free.
As for the rests, there's a couple of ways to handle them.
One is to simply say "you can only take a Short Rest after you have survived two encounters, and you can only take a Long Rest after you have survived four encounters."
The other way is to say: "if you only have: 1 encounter per day, you earn 25% of the XP; 2 encounters, 50% of the XP, 3 encounters, 75% of the XP, 4 encounters, 100 of the XP, 5 encounters, 125% of the XP, 6 encounters, 150% of the XP
This lets the players choose how often to rest.
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Post by Zoltan! on Dec 4, 2015 9:45:36 GMT -7
Egamma...
Thanks for your input, I appreciate the feedback. I really like the idea increasing/decreasing XP based on how hard a group wants to push. It's interesting that your other suggestion is, sort of, how I run my current "High Fantasy" 5e game (except it's 5 encounters for a day, interrupted by up to two short rests).
My goal with these ideas are to make rests more "special" and resource management important; not allowing a complete renewal of resources every day (HP, spells, abilities); yet I found the DMG option of short rest = 8hrs/ long rest = 7 days to be too harsh for my tastes.
Everything so far is just ideas to kick around... I won't finalize any house rules until the Thule GM & Player's Companions are out. Plus, I spend a LOT of time scouring 5e web site & blogs to steal ideas!
Bill W.
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Post by Hussar on Jan 4, 2016 7:22:14 GMT -7
A very useful book for PT is Monkey God Games From Stone to Steel which has a ton of weapons and armour from various periods. It's a 3e book, so, some of the rules aren't terribly useful, but, for some flavour stuff it's great.
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Post by dicewrangler on Jan 4, 2016 10:39:15 GMT -7
A very useful book for PT is Monkey God Games From Stone to Steel which has a ton of weapons and armour from various periods. It's a 3e book, so, some of the rules aren't terribly useful, but, for some flavour stuff it's great. Thanks for the suggestion, I just bought "From Stone to Steel" from Drive Thru RPG. It is currently on-sale for $5 (1/2 price)
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Post by Athkethin on Jan 4, 2016 10:54:29 GMT -7
From the description on Drivethrurpg:
"Besides weapons and armor, 'From Stone to Steel' contains new feats, new subskills, new prestige classes, and new mechanics."
. . . and right there, you have in a nutshell what burned me out on 3.x/Pathfinder.
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Post by Hussar on Jan 5, 2016 1:28:11 GMT -7
Well, yeah, there is that. But, honestly, there isn't that much of that kind of thing in the book. It's pretty easy to ignore.
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