House Rules - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

House Rules

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
gawain_viii
Sep 08, 2006 10:38:16 I was wondering what house rules everyone uses in their games. I have a few rules for all of my gaming sessions.
Rule #1: The DM is God.
Rule #2: The DM is always right.
Rule #3: If the DM is wrong, prove it.
Rule #4: If the DM is proven wrong, refer back to rules #1 & 2.
Rule #5: If you say it, you play it.

I also have a list of house rules which apply to my 3e Mystara games.
--Ability scores are rolled 4d6 (drop lowest) x 7 (drop lowest) OR 75 points, you must decide which method you will use BEFORE you roll.
--DM must witness rolls.
--Max money and HP at first level.
--Elves cannot be raised, but can be reincarnated.
--Elves do not trance, they must sleep.
--No evil aligned PCs, limited CNs.
--Demihumans cannot contract lycanthropy.
--Demihumans cannot be cursed with Vamparism.
--Lycanthropy is a disease, there are no "natural" lycanthropes.
--Vampirism is a curse, not a race.
--Magic Items are prized posessions, they are not normally for sale, don't even ask. (Except minor trinkets, potions, scrolls, etc.)
--DM reserves the right to disallow a multiclass combination. (No Ftr/Rog/Clc/Wiz PCs.)
--(Rockborn) Dwarves are incapable of Arcane Magic.
--Monster races are not allowed without specific DM approval.
--PC names must be culturally consistant.

And a few Eququitte rules for games being hosted at my home.
--My wife is not a maid, pick up after yourself.
--Character sheets stay with the DM.
--The host is exempt from supplying munchies.
--No more than 1 cigarette at the table at a time.
--Cap your beer, whever spills their beer must buy next week's supply.
--DM will provide dice for new players for 1 month, after that, they need to get their own.

What do y'all think? Am I fair about it? What do you think about the 1e holdover rules for elves? And the Lycan/Vamp rules?

Roger
#2
Traianus_Decius_Aureus
Sep 08, 2006 11:25:40
--My wife is not a maid, pick up after yourself.

This is the most important one for groups to remember, otherwise the party will need to succeed on a DC30 Diplomacy check.

I more or less use Rules 1-5 along with:
-- No feats, spells, prestige classes or other rules are allowed that I don't approve in advance. If you bring it up at the table, I gurantee you won't be allowed to have it.
-- Don't even bother bringing up Psionics, Incarnum, Tome of Magic stuff or Illumians, they will never, ever be in a game I run. And no, you can't be a vampire or lich (well, under most circumstances :evillaugh).
-- Characters should be culturally consistant. If not, give me a really good backstory. This leaves options open but keeps the Dwarf Wizards to a minimum.
-- If your AL is LG, you better act like it. In other words, play your AL.
-- No smoking in the house.
-- Watch the language.
#3
vgeisz_dup
Sep 08, 2006 18:49:36 Seeing as I played with roger in MY house most of those rules applied. currently I play with his rules.
Vern
#4
culture20
Sep 08, 2006 21:59:24 I have used two house rules since I started playing 2E AD&D:
1) Confusing rules should logically mesh with other rules, and favor the players when no logically consitant rule can be reached (believe me, it [counterintuitively] reduces rules-lawyering)
2) Crossbows as listed in the official rules are _way_ underpowered. In RL, Crossbows were once thought to eventually be the downfall of warfare (they could punch through armor with ease, and were simple to fire). If it requires a mechanism to pull the bow, that is _exactly_ the same as a specially crafted bow that allows strength bonuses. I leave the quarrel damage as is, but the danger of the Crossbow is that it gives _anyone_ a "strength" damage bonus, even a measily thief with a 5 strength. Equal to (2E)18(50) for light crossbows (which also means someone with an 18(50) could pull the crossbow taut w/o the lever), and (2E)18(100) for heavy crossbows (effectively preventing anyone from firing a HC with a ROF of 1/round, and if they could, then why not make a specially crafted longbow?).
The other benefit is that it finally made my players want crossbows, and I could use them like semi-magical items. They were expensive, and were well balanced due to the ROF (until someone started hiring peasant children to reload his 3 heavy crossbows). ;)
#5
gazza555
Sep 12, 2006 9:35:56 I also agree with rules 1-5.

The fact that we play in an organised club solves most of the etiquette issues.

Demihumans can contract lycanthropy but they take Con damage (and can quite likely die) when infected - that's down to me mixing up the effects of lycanthrophy with the effects of wolfsbane - but refer to rule 2 :D

(until someone started hiring peasant children to reload his 3 heavy crossbows). ;)

Did that in a skirmish wargame (Retinue).

Regards
Gary

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gawain_viii Sep 08, 2006 10:38:16	I was wondering what house rules everyone uses in their games. I have a few rules for all of my gaming sessions. Rule #1: The DM is God. Rule #2: The DM is always right. Rule #3: If the DM is wrong, prove it. Rule #4: If the DM is proven wrong, refer back to rules #1 & 2. Rule #5: If you say it, you play it. I also have a list of house rules which apply to my 3e Mystara games. --Ability scores are rolled 4d6 (drop lowest) x 7 (drop lowest) OR 75 points, you must decide which method you will use BEFORE you roll. --DM must witness rolls. --Max money and HP at first level. --Elves cannot be raised, but can be reincarnated. --Elves do not trance, they must sleep. --No evil aligned PCs, limited CNs. --Demihumans cannot contract lycanthropy. --Demihumans cannot be cursed with Vamparism. --Lycanthropy is a disease, there are no "natural" lycanthropes. --Vampirism is a curse, not a race. --Magic Items are prized posessions, they are not normally for sale, don't even ask. (Except minor trinkets, potions, scrolls, etc.) --DM reserves the right to disallow a multiclass combination. (No Ftr/Rog/Clc/Wiz PCs.) --(Rockborn) Dwarves are incapable of Arcane Magic. --Monster races are not allowed without specific DM approval. --PC names must be culturally consistant. And a few Eququitte rules for games being hosted at my home. --My wife is not a maid, pick up after yourself. --Character sheets stay with the DM. --The host is exempt from supplying munchies. --No more than 1 cigarette at the table at a time. --Cap your beer, whever spills their beer must buy next week's supply. --DM will provide dice for new players for 1 month, after that, they need to get their own. What do y'all think? Am I fair about it? What do you think about the 1e holdover rules for elves? And the Lycan/Vamp rules? Roger
#2 Traianus_Decius_Aureus Sep 08, 2006 11:25:40	--My wife is not a maid, pick up after yourself. This is the most important one for groups to remember, otherwise the party will need to succeed on a DC30 Diplomacy check. I more or less use Rules 1-5 along with: -- No feats, spells, prestige classes or other rules are allowed that I don't approve in advance. If you bring it up at the table, I gurantee you won't be allowed to have it. -- Don't even bother bringing up Psionics, Incarnum, Tome of Magic stuff or Illumians, they will never, ever be in a game I run. And no, you can't be a vampire or lich (well, under most circumstances :evillaugh). -- Characters should be culturally consistant. If not, give me a really good backstory. This leaves options open but keeps the Dwarf Wizards to a minimum. -- If your AL is LG, you better act like it. In other words, play your AL. -- No smoking in the house. -- Watch the language.
#3 vgeisz_dup Sep 08, 2006 18:49:36	Seeing as I played with roger in MY house most of those rules applied. currently I play with his rules. Vern
#4 culture20 Sep 08, 2006 21:59:24	I have used two house rules since I started playing 2E AD&D: 1) Confusing rules should logically mesh with other rules, and favor the players when no logically consitant rule can be reached (believe me, it [counterintuitively] reduces rules-lawyering) 2) Crossbows as listed in the official rules are _way_ underpowered. In RL, Crossbows were once thought to eventually be the downfall of warfare (they could punch through armor with ease, and were simple to fire). If it requires a mechanism to pull the bow, that is _exactly_ the same as a specially crafted bow that allows strength bonuses. I leave the quarrel damage as is, but the danger of the Crossbow is that it gives _anyone_ a "strength" damage bonus, even a measily thief with a 5 strength. Equal to (2E)18(50) for light crossbows (which also means someone with an 18(50) could pull the crossbow taut w/o the lever), and (2E)18(100) for heavy crossbows (effectively preventing anyone from firing a HC with a ROF of 1/round, and if they could, then why not make a specially crafted longbow?). The other benefit is that it finally made my players want crossbows, and I could use them like semi-magical items. They were expensive, and were well balanced due to the ROF (until someone started hiring peasant children to reload his 3 heavy crossbows). ;)
#5 gazza555 Sep 12, 2006 9:35:56	I also agree with rules 1-5. The fact that we play in an organised club solves most of the etiquette issues. Demihumans can contract lycanthropy but they take Con damage (and can quite likely die) when infected - that's down to me mixing up the effects of lycanthrophy with the effects of wolfsbane - but refer to rule 2 :D (until someone started hiring peasant children to reload his 3 heavy crossbows). ;) Did that in a skirmish wargame (Retinue). Regards Gary