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By Ken Lipka

Well, I was wondering how long it would be before I engaged in one of the great traditions of the D&D game systems - creating House Rules. I did this rather extensively during my "old school" days of 2E. With the advent of 3E, I was looking forward to a unified system that was consistent and good enough that I didn't feel the need to modify it.

That lasted about four months.

So, here we are. Now that I've both played and run some 3E, I can see where things don't quite match up to my feel for how the game should work. So, I've started to tinker with the core mechanics. Naturally, it would be a good idea to share these changes with my players since they're going to be affected by these changes.

SKILL AND ABILITY CHECKS
One of the things I like about the new 3E mechanics is that they are consistent. You always want to roll high, bonuses always add, etc. However, there is one part of the mechanics that is not consistent - the rules dealing with natural 20's and natural 1's. For combat and saving throws, these numbers are good things. You will always hit or save on a natural 20, but you'll always fail on a natural 1. However, these rules do not hold true with skill checks. A 20 is just a 20, and a 1 is just a 1. Seems rather unfair and just, well, inconsistent. So, I've decided to adopt a house rule that somebody else out there made up.

For the purposes of skill and ability checks, a roll of natural 20 automatically results in a +10 bonus to the roll. Likewise, a natural 1 automatically incurs a -10 penalty.

PSIONICS
Apparently mind-based powers are one of the inherent banes of D&D. Personally, I like the overall idea and concept behind these "mental magic" powers. However, the creators of the game have had quite a bit of trouble with figuring out how to exactly define the game mechanics for them. First Edition psionics were a very tacked-on system, available only to very high-level characters and were somewhat limited in scope. Additionally, they were quite overpowered. 2E mostly fixed things, but there were still some balance issues - stemming primarily from the fact that psionics and magic didn't interact at all, and that normal people had very little in the way of defense against these abilities. 3E has brought the powers in line with the magic system, and thus is now a balanced alternative to magic that interacts with magic in a consistent way.

Just not in a way that I'm totally happy with. So, I'm making changes to expand the capabilities of the psionic classes and address one major issue (possibly a flaw) with the psionic powers.

Body Fuel
This is an existing feat in the Psionics Handbook. It allows a psionic character to burn statistic points instead of power points. However, this is somewhat of a waste as a feat, so I've decided to make this a core ability of both the Psion and Psychic Warrior classes.

A psionic character can, in times of great need, cannibalize his own body to provide power for his psionic abilities. Instead of spending power points, a psionic character may "burn" some of his statistics, thus using stat points instead of power points. This substitution is a free action, and occurs at a rate of 2 stat points per 1 power point. (EXAMPLE: A character wishes to burn his body to activate a psionic power that normally costs 3 power points. To do so, he will have to spend 6 stat points.) Since the character is damaging his own body with this ability, there is a subconscious "safety switch" present - a character cannot reduce an ability score to zero. This "stat burning" is considered to be temporary ability damage, and can be healed the same way as temporary ability damage from any other source.

This is an "all or nothing" ability. A character cannot mix and match sources of his power points. The power for a psionic power must all come from the same source. So, in the above example, the character could not spend two power points and then burn two stat points for the third power point. He must spend either the three power points or burn the six stat points.

As a result of making this mechanic a core part of the class, the existing Body Fuel feat is redundant. So, I'm replacing that feat with one called Improved Body Fuel (prerequisites: Inner Strength, Talented).

This feat allows a psionic character to have greater flexibility in fueling his psionic powers. Now, a character may freely mix and match psionic power points that come from his power pool or through the burning of statistic points. (EXAMPLE: A character wishes to activate a 9 point psionic power, but only has 5 psionic points left in his pool. He can either choose to burn 18 stat points to activate the power, or he can spend some or all of the remaining psionic points and then burn stat points to provide the remaining power points.) This feat provides the one exception to the rule that all the points for a psionic ability must come from the same source.

Scaling Psionic Powers
The other house rule I'm implementing for psionic characters starts addressing the biggest difference between the psionic and magic systems. Although they used the magic system as a model for the 3E psionics, there is one major fundamental difference between the two - psionic powers don't scale up with character level. That is while a fireball spell does 1d6 points of damage per character level (to a maximum of 20d6) the equivalent psionic power would do 3d6, period. As a result, a psion will most likely end up knowing several versions of the same power, just to be able to do more damage with it. This was obviously a conscious choice on the part of the designers, although I can't see why they chose to do it that way. (Maybe because psionic characters have a higher ratio of powers known to powers available, so they can "afford" to have multiple versions.)

Actually, a few months after the PsiHB had been released, each of the designers released - separately - on their personal websites some changes to this condition. Not really having a feel for which one solves the problem the way I want it to be solved (or really if it needs to be solved), I just picked one.

It is possible to “overcharge” certain psionic powers, so that they have a greater affect than they normally would. These powers (to be referred to as candidate powers) are those that deal a base amount of either hit point or subdual damage during a single round as their only effect (whitefire, painful touch, concussion, etc.). Any time a candidate power is manifested, a psionic character may choose to spend 1 additional power point per 1 additional damage die; this is known as “scaling the power”. A candidate power’s scaled number of damage dice cannot exceed the number of original damage dice plus 5 (thus, a power that deals 5d4 points of damage has a maximum cap of 10d4 points of damage). The psionic character may not spend more points on a scaled power than he would spend for the highest-level power he knows. Extra power points spent for scaling do not count towards the power-point limit for using metapsionic feats (equal to manifester level minus 1).

EXAMPLE: An 8th level psion who manifests concussion normally deals 3d6 points of damage. The power could be scaled to deal up to 8d6 points of damage (due to the power cap of original dice plus five). However, these five extra dice would cost 5 power points, making the total cost of the power to be 8 points. Because the character is 8th level, he can only spend a total of 7 power points doing 7d6 points of damage (due to the power point spending cap; an 8th level psion has 4th level powers as his maximum - these cost 7 points each). A 9th level character, on the other hand, could scale concussion to the 8d6 maximum damage as this character knows 5th level powers, which cost 9 psionic points each; and 8 points is less than 9 points.

Setting DC for Psionic Powers
In the core rules for psionic powers, the save DC for the power is set exactly like it is for magic spells: 10 + power level + ability modifier. This assumes that the DM is treating psionics and magic as being exactly the same. I am not using this rule. (If magic and psionics are identical, then the psion class should replace the sorcerer class.) I am instead using the assumption that while psionic abilities are compatible with magic, they are not identical. The core rulebook for psionics offers a variant system for this assumption, replacing the base 10 with a d20 roll (DC = d20 + power level + ability modifier).

While interesting, I've found that this leads to some vastly out of balance situations. In some cases this overly benefits the monsters (from rolling a 2, for example); in others, the heroes gain a huge advantage (from rolling a 19). So, while I like the feel, the spread makes it nearly impossible to plan a balanced encounter as I have no idea what a psion will be capable of from encounter to encounter. As such, I've decided to limit the variability of psionic DCs.

The saving throw DC for psionic powers is now set by: [5 or 10 or 15] + power level + ability modifier. The base DC is determined by a d3 roll (1 = 5, 2 = 10, 3 = 15).

Avoiding the Spendign of Psionic Power Points
There are a number of metapsionic feats (such as Trigger Power) and prestige class abilities (such as Freely Manifest from the Metamind) that allow a psion to avoid paying for a psionic power. The primary abuse for these abilities is that a psion could apply a number of other metapsionic feats and scale the power (see above), thus vastly increasing the effect and cost and yet still be able to manifest the power for free with a successful use of the feat or ability. To combat this abuse, I have modified these feats and abilities slightly.

Whenever a feat or class ability allows a character to avoid paying for the cost of a psionic power, this refers only to the BASE cost of the power. Any increased cost due to scaling or metapsionic feats must still be paid as normal. (The logic here is that the power points represented by the modifications are spent after the power has already been triggered, but before it fully manifests and takes effect. i.e. it doesn't do you any good to hit the nitrous boost if your car's engine isn't running.)

Remote View (and Scry)
This power, as written, seems to imply a vast amount of power for a third level ability. It, upon success, allows the manifester to instantly observe a subject, no matter where they are. The text, as written, seems to imply that no matter what happens, you see the target and know where they are and can always observe them, no matter what they do. This is very powerful for a third level ability, plus it annoys the DM as it makes it hard to keep a villain a challenge. So, I've clarified some basic assumptions for this psionic ability (and thus, its magical counterpart).

Remote View creates a sensor that lets you observe the target as if you were actually there. Thus, you can see, hear, or smell what you normally could. (Which means if the target is in the dark and you don't have darkvision, you can't see.) As a result, it is possible to elude the sensor, but with limited success. A target of Remote View could hide in shadows to avoid being seen, but the sensor would still be locked onto the target and thus the manifester would know the general area of the target. (e.g. "He's hiding in the shadows in that corner of the room.") However, if the target uses some mystical means of transport (plane shift, dimension slide, dimension door, etc.) the contact with the target is automatically broken (but see below) and the power must be manifested again to relocate the target.

Any creature with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can detect the sensor created by Remote View. This is done by a Remote View or Scry skill check (untrained INT check if target does not have ranks in these skills) vs. a DC of 20. If the sensor is detected, it is possible for a target to break the scry link. (This can only be done by a target that has ranks in the Remote View or Scry skill.) The target makes an opposed Remote View/Scry check vs. the manifester of the power. If successful, the scry link is broken and the target cannot be observed again for a number of hours equal to the target's INT bonus.

The DC to detect a Remote View sensor can be increased by the manifester of the power. For every point by which the manifester increases his DC to view the target in the first place, the target gets a corresponding penalty to detect the sensor. (Example: Terrazin has a DC 15 to Remote View a target. By increasing the DC to 20, he makes the target's DC to detect his scrying increase to 25.) Note that this modification does not apply to the opposed skill check to break the link.

An exceptionally well-created sensor can provide bonuses to the user of the Remote View power. For every two points by which the manifester exceeds the DC to scry the target, he gains a +1 bonus to Spot, Listen, and other such skills to detect a target that tries to hide from the sensor.

Magical evasion of the Remote View sensor results in a bonus to the opposed Remote View check to break the scry link. (This is the one exception to not being able to break the link if you don't have the skill.) The bonus depends on the power of the spell (or psionic power) used. (In general, +2 per spell level.)

Invisibility				+4
Blink, Dimension Slide			+6
Dimension Door, Improved Invisibility	+8
Teleport					+10
Plane Shift				+19*
					*(Additional +5 included due to change of plane)

DEATH'S DOOR
The current rules state that a character is considered to by dying from -1 to -9 hit points, and is dead at -10. A good rule, and I've played with it for years. However, I recently came across an interesting option that I want to consider trying. The current rules don't take into account how tough a character (or monster) is - a frail wizard with a CON of 6 dies at the same time as a robust barbarian with a CON of 18. The proposed rule accounts for this difference.

The character's "death threshold" is adjusted by his CON modifier. Thus, a character with a CON of 10 still dies at -10 hit points, while a character with an 8 CON dies at -9 and a character with a 12 CON dies at -11.

DYING
When a character is considered to by dying (at negative hit points), he loses one hit point per round until either he is healed, dies, or stabilizes. Currently, a character only has a flat 10% chance per round to stabilize and thus stop losing hit points. Much with my Death’s Door house rule, I want the overall robustness of a character to count for something.

While a character is dying, the have a chance to stabilize equal to their CON score. Thus, a character with an 8 CON has an 8% chance to stop dying and one with a 16 CON has a 16% chance.

DISABLED
The current rules state that a character is considered to be disabled at exactly 0 hit points. In this condition, a character may only take a partial action, and if that action is considered "strenuous" (running, attacking, or using any ability that requires physical exertion or mental concentration) the character takes 1 hit point of damage after completing it. As the previous Death's Door rule modification leads to a more heroic game, I wanted to find a way to expand upon a hero's ability to perform when gravely injured. My solution also happens to help resolve another problem - how to make the Toughness feat worthwhile.

The Toughness feat now has two functions. First, it adds three to your maximum hit points (just as it currently does). Second, it expands the character's disabled range by a like amount. Thus, a character with this feat is now considered disabled from 0 to -3 hit points. While you can take this feat multiple times to gain increased maximum hit points, the bonus to your disabled range only applies once. (If you want to function below -3 hit points, take either the Remain Conscious feat or any of the other toughness feats.)

The other feats in the toughness chain function the same way (they expand the character's disabled range by an amount equal to the hit point increase). However, the disabled range expansion does not stack. That is, the feat that grants +6 hit points (Dwarf's Toughness?) will only increase the disabled range to -6 even if the character already has the basic Toughness feat.

SORCERERS AND WIZARDS
Last campaign I ran, I got spoiled by the use of the spell point system I had created. As such, I find that I prefer the sorcerer to the wizard due to the former class' ability to "free cast" (can cast any spell you know as long as you have the power to do so). So, I've been looking for a way to have both classes have this ability, yet still retain the different feel of the two classes. This has proven to be very difficult. So instead, I'm settling for some tweaks and clarifications to the use of arcane magic and its two main spellcasting classes.

This first house rule is actually an official rule from WotC. I'm just stating it here because I didn't know about it until recently. It seems that Wizards do have a limited ability to free cast. According to the core rules, a wizard does not have to memorize all his spells at the start of the day. He can intentionally leave some of his spell slots open. Then, later in the day, the wizard can spend 15 minutes to fill those open slots. Note that a wizard cannot refill a slot that is empty due to a spell having been cast. (Example: A wizard has 4 1st level spell slots, and elects to only fill 2 of them. Later, he casts one spell, and then decides to fill his remaining empty slots. Although the wizard has 3 empty slots, he can only memorize two more spells since one of those slots is empty due to a cast spell.) Although the wizard cannot decide on the fly which spell he wants to cast, this rule does allow for some flexibility and the ability to react to a changing situation.

Sorcerers now have Diplomacy and Intimidate as class skills. (Since the sorcerer's main stat is charisma, it makes sense that he should have more CHA-based skills on his list.)

Eschew Materials feat
Sorcerers now have the Eschew Materials feat as bonus feat at 1st level. This means that if the material component costs less than 1 cage, the sorcerer doesn't need to have it in order to cast a spell. (Which is essentially what we've doing all along, as we've always sort of ignored the need for material components.) However, this means that wizards (and all other casters) now MUST have material components specified for their spells. This will be accomplished by the addition of a new piece of equipment - the Spell Component Pouch. This item costs 50 cage, and holds enough generic material components to cast 50 spells. It can be refilled at the cost of 3 infernals per use (30 cage for a complete refill). Wizards are still allowed to take Eschew Materials as one of their feats, but it can never be taken as a bonus feat (it must be taken as one of the 1, 3, 6, etc. feats). Note that since the Eschew Materials ability is defined as a bonus feat, that means that if a sorcerer chooses to multiclass with any other spellcasting class (bard, for example), the second class will also benefit from this ability.

Heighten Spell feat
This feat is being removed and is now being made a class feature of any arcane or divine spellcasting class. This feat basically allowed you to use a higher level slot for a lower level spell, and allow that lower level spell to be treated as the higher level spell for purposes of saving throw DCs and the like. Seeing as how you could already sacrifice a higher-level slot for a lower level spell without this benefit, the feat seems slightly cheesy. So, any spellcasting class may freely use a higher-level slot for a lower level spell, and have it be affected by the Heighten Spell feat. Casters that prepare spells obviously would have to prepare the heighten spell in advance, while free casters may gain the benefit of Heighten Spell without having to take a full round action.

UNARMED COMBAT
According to the rules, while every character can fight unarmed, not every character can do so effectively. Normally, a character that attacks unarmed is considered to not have a weapon, and thus cannot threaten, make attacks of opportunity, or even do lethal damage (all unarmed strikes do subdual damage). Additionally, this character also provokes an attack of opportunity whenever he strikes with a fist or a kick. The Improved Unarmed Combat feat eliminates most of these penalties. The character’s body is now considered a weapon, and so the character can now threaten and make attacks of opportunity. However, the damage inflicted is still considered to be subdual damage. Only the Monk is considered to be a true master of unarmed combat, being able to inflict lethal damage as well as being the only class with an official unarmed base attack bonus. While I appreciate the sentiment, it doesn’t fully make sense. So, I’m adjusting things slightly.

The base attack bonus of characters with the Improved Unarmed Combat feat also counts as an unarmed base attack bonus. However, unless the character is a monk, this BAB still only gains extra attacks at the usual rate of 1 every +5.

MAGIC ARMOR AND WEAPONS
The core rules state that in order for a weapon or piece of armor to have a special ability (distance, keen, light fortification, etc.), it must first have at least a +1 enhancement bonus. I don’t like this rule. I don’t see what a mage couldn’t make a magical ranged weapon that only increases distance and does nothing for accuracy.

Magic weapons and armor are no longer required to have the minimum +1 enhancement bonus in order to be imbued with special abilities.

Authored by: Ken Lipka E-mail me: krlipka@yahoo.com

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