House Rules
- Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
- User Class: Berserker
House Rules
Here will be listed the various "House Rules" and other helpful 'game' information that will be used in the 'Time of Legend' campaign.
Last edited by Eanwulf on Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
- User Class: Berserker
Called Shots
Called Shots
Sometimes a character will wish to strike a particular body part in hopes for a specific effect such as hitting the target's knee to cripple or slow them down, hitting the eyes to blind, or hitting a hand to dislodge a weapon or item. This can certainly be done, however it is very hard to do. Use the following rules for the requirements and possible consequences of attempting a Called Shot.
The following are mandatory rules/requirements to perform a Called Shot:
Once these criteria are met you can attempt a called shot. You receive a called shot penalty to your attack roll, as per the chart below for the appropriate body location. Your Game Master may increase this penalty if the target area is particularly well armored or rapidly moving. Please note that when calculating the AC of a body location that areas unprotected by the target's armor (usually the head) do not receive the target's armor bonus. If you attempt to hit a specific part of a body location, (such as the hand on an Arm, the eyes or mouth of the Head, or the hamstring or knee of the Leg, etc.) the called shot penalty increases by 3. (See the Critical Effects for specific targets section below for more details)
The following are mandatory rules/requirements to perform a Called Shot:
- Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
- User Class: Berserker
Critical Fumbles
Critical Fumbles
During an altercation, quick reflexes, high adrenaline levels, and split second decision-making are the order of the day. More often than we would like, these extreme conditions sometimes lead to clumsy acts, botched attacks, and sometimes-fatal accidents. An improperly notched arrow or awkwardly swung weapon can not only cost you a missed attack, but may endanger yourself or your allies. This can be especially true when using an attack of opportunity.
To illustrate this side of combat, a variant rule for critical fumbles has been developed. If you roll a natural 1 on an attack, you must roll a Dexterity check (DC 15). Failure constitues a Critical Fumble. To determine the extent of the fumble use the following equation.
1d3 + your Dexterity modifier (minimum 0, maximum +4)
Now use that total to determine the effect of the critical fumble on the appropriate table.
To illustrate this side of combat, a variant rule for critical fumbles has been developed. If you roll a natural 1 on an attack, you must roll a Dexterity check (DC 15). Failure constitues a Critical Fumble. To determine the extent of the fumble use the following equation.
1d3 + your Dexterity modifier (minimum 0, maximum +4)
Now use that total to determine the effect of the critical fumble on the appropriate table.
- Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
- User Class: Berserker
Critical Hits
Critical Hits
Combat can be defined as a physical conflict where each participant attempts to inflict injuries upon their opponent while trying to survive the onslaught focused their way. Unfortunately, players can't experience their characters' pain, exhaustion, or sense of impending doom. Because of this lack of sensory connection, many players lose all fear of being attacked and play their characters more like robots (at least during combat) than flesh and blood creatures. All too often, a high-level warrior, even unarmored, will unflinchingly wade into battle against a dozen or so goblins knowing that he can take the hits, and still deal out enough damage to win the battle.
In reality, we think twice before risking real bodily harm and instead try to resolve a potentially violent situation through other means. Fear of attack both encourages role-playing over combat and enriches the game, making the characters seem more real and alive to the players. In order to elicit that kind of fear in d20 players, the characters must begin to suffer debilitating effects from serious injuries. To this end, we have developed a Critical Effects system that gives characters (and their opponents) precise injuries when they take a particularly brutal hit in combat.
Combat can be defined as a physical conflict where each participant attempts to inflict injuries upon their opponent while trying to survive the onslaught focused their way. Unfortunately, players can't experience their characters' pain, exhaustion, or sense of impending doom. Because of this lack of sensory connection, many players lose all fear of being attacked and play their characters more like robots (at least during combat) than flesh and blood creatures. All too often, a high-level warrior, even unarmored, will unflinchingly wade into battle against a dozen or so goblins knowing that he can take the hits, and still deal out enough damage to win the battle.
In reality, we think twice before risking real bodily harm and instead try to resolve a potentially violent situation through other means. Fear of attack both encourages role-playing over combat and enriches the game, making the characters seem more real and alive to the players. In order to elicit that kind of fear in d20 players, the characters must begin to suffer debilitating effects from serious injuries. To this end, we have developed a Critical Effects system that gives characters (and their opponents) precise injuries when they take a particularly brutal hit in combat.
- Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
- User Class: Berserker
Wound Information
Wound Severity
The following table will be used to determine wound severity during the course of the campaign. Note that the % Loss of HP comes from a single source or attack. Wound severity will be used to help calculate necessary Heal skill check modifiers as well as possible scarring checks. Overall it serves as a colorful combat tool.
Current Condition
The following table will be used to determine a player's condition status during the course of the campaign. It will also be used in determining NPC's and Monster's condition levels as well.
Wound Severity | % Loss of HP |
Minor Wound | 1-20% |
Mild Wound | 21-40% |
Moderate Wound | 41-60% |
Severe Wound | 61-80% |
Life-threatening Wound | 81-100% |
The following table will be used to determine a player's condition status during the course of the campaign. It will also be used in determining NPC's and Monster's condition levels as well.
Condition | % Loss of HP |
Lightly Wounded | 1-20% |
Moderately Wounded | 21-40% |
Seriously Wounded | 41-60% |
Critically Wounded | 61-80% |
Mortally Wounded | 81-100% |
- Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
- User Class: Berserker
Drinking Rules
Getting Drunk
An average person's Alcohol Threshold (AT) is equal to his Constitution score, but this number can be modified by several other factors. Any racial, magical, or class-based bonuses to resist poison add to this number, the Endurance feat adds +4 to this number, and the Hard Drinking feat doubles a character's AT (Constitution score and all other modifiers are doubled).
For each size category smaller than Medium that you are, your AT is reduced by half. For each size category larger, double your AT. For example, the AT of the average Halfling is only 5, whereas a great wyrm red dragon would have an AT of 496. Once you reach your AT, you become tipsy. As you drink more, you progress through the various levels of intoxication, with a number of Alcohol Units (AU) equal to your threshold increasing your drunkenness to the next category.
For example, Stumpy has a Constitution of 14. He drinks two shots of whiskey (12 AU each, total 24 AU). This exceeds his AT, so he becomes tipsy. Another 4 AU will take him to 28, putting him in the merry category.
The DM may give a temporary bonus to a character's alcohol threshold of up to +2 from various factors, such as a full stomach or magical enhancements.
Drink Sizes
Servings of alcohol are measured in shots. A shot does not denote any real-world significance; rather, it is simply a convenient word to measure small volumes of liquid in game terms. The number of shots contained in various drinking vessels is as follows.
Drink Strengths
The strength of the drink is measured on a scale, with 0 being no alcohol content, and 10 or higher being powerful beverages. The following table should not be regarded as a definitive list of drinks, but rather a rough guide to how to use alcohol strengths. A drink's total effect is measured in AU. The AU of a given drink is the product of its number of shots times its strength. For example, a mug (4 shots) of wine (Strength 4) is a total of 16 AU.
Categories of Drunkenness
Alcohol is basically, a poison. The more you drink, the greater the effect it has. There are several levels of intoxication, each accompanied by penalties to certain abilities, and a slight bonus to resist pain.
Tipsy: Judgment slightly impaired, but no noticeable effects. -1 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. No effect on movement or hit points. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Merry: Inhibitions lower, voices raise, and balance wavers slightly. -2 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. +1 temporary hit point per Hit Die. No effect on movement. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Drunk: Dizzy and disoriented, words slurred. -4 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. +2 temporary hit points per Hit Die. Can safely take one action each round, but nust make a Balance check (DC 10) to both move and take an action. Falls down on failure. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Hammered: Can't walk in a straight line, generally incoherent. -8 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. +3 temporary hit points per Hit Die. Can safely take one action each round, but nust make a Balance check (DC 10) to both move and take an action. Falls down on failure. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Plastered: Communication is nearly impossible, as is standing up. -16 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves (though the character can take no actions, so it usually doesn't matter). +4 temporary hit points per Hit Die (but usually unable to take advantage of this). Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions. Character is nauseated, and the only action he can normally take is a single move action per round. A character who is plastered can, however, choose to take one standard action other than a move, but is then stunned for the next 1d6 rounds.
Unconscious: Character is unconscious, usually from sickness or extreme dizziness and confusion.
Recovery and Hangovers
A character recovers at a rate of 8 AU per hour. Additionally, eight hours of uninterrupted sleep enables him to recover completely. A character who has become drunk or worse suffers a hangover once he sobers up. A hangover consists of headaches, nausea and other unpleasant side effects. After recovering from drunkenness, a hangover begins. While hung over, a character suffers the same penalty to his attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves of the highest drunkenness category he reached the night before. Every two hours, the severity reduces by one category until the penalties go away.
A Craft (alchemy) check (DC 20) will allow a character to brew a hangover or drunkenness remedy. Characters with 5 or more ranks in Heal get a +2 synergy bonus to this check. Most such folk remedies sell for 2 gold pieces per dose, and many inns and taverns make as much money sobering up their patrons as getting them drunk. A character can only benefit from one dose of a folk drunkenness remedy per day. Remedies have an effect either on current drunkenness, or on hangovers. Particular effects may vary, the following is one example.
Hair of the Dog: This foul-tasting concoction doesn't even try to hide its ingredients: A clump of dog hairs float atop a green-brown broth filled with mashed leaves. The necessary ingredients for 5 doses can be found in a typical forest with an hour of searching and a successful Survival check (DC 12). Two hours of work and a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 20) can turn the ingredients into 5 doses, each the size of a small cup. A dose of hair of the dog reduces the character's penalties from a hangover as if 2 hours had passed. Only one such drink can have an effect per day.
An average person's Alcohol Threshold (AT) is equal to his Constitution score, but this number can be modified by several other factors. Any racial, magical, or class-based bonuses to resist poison add to this number, the Endurance feat adds +4 to this number, and the Hard Drinking feat doubles a character's AT (Constitution score and all other modifiers are doubled).
For each size category smaller than Medium that you are, your AT is reduced by half. For each size category larger, double your AT. For example, the AT of the average Halfling is only 5, whereas a great wyrm red dragon would have an AT of 496. Once you reach your AT, you become tipsy. As you drink more, you progress through the various levels of intoxication, with a number of Alcohol Units (AU) equal to your threshold increasing your drunkenness to the next category.
For example, Stumpy has a Constitution of 14. He drinks two shots of whiskey (12 AU each, total 24 AU). This exceeds his AT, so he becomes tipsy. Another 4 AU will take him to 28, putting him in the merry category.
The DM may give a temporary bonus to a character's alcohol threshold of up to +2 from various factors, such as a full stomach or magical enhancements.
Drink Sizes
Servings of alcohol are measured in shots. A shot does not denote any real-world significance; rather, it is simply a convenient word to measure small volumes of liquid in game terms. The number of shots contained in various drinking vessels is as follows.
Drink Size | No. of Shots |
Shot glass/mouthful | 1 |
Small glass (cup) | 2 |
Mug/glass (pint) | 4 |
Wineskin | 4 |
Large flagon (quart) | 8 |
Jug (two quarts) | 16 |
Large pitcher (gallon) | 32 |
Keg (3 gallons) | 96 |
Small barrel (10 gallons) | 320 |
Large barrel (40 gallons) | 1280 |
The strength of the drink is measured on a scale, with 0 being no alcohol content, and 10 or higher being powerful beverages. The following table should not be regarded as a definitive list of drinks, but rather a rough guide to how to use alcohol strengths. A drink's total effect is measured in AU. The AU of a given drink is the product of its number of shots times its strength. For example, a mug (4 shots) of wine (Strength 4) is a total of 16 AU.
Sample Drink | Alcohol Strength |
Water | 0 |
Weak Beer | 1 |
Regular Beer | 2 |
Wine | 4 |
Strong Wine | 6 |
Spirit | 10 |
Strong Spirit | 12 |
Dwarf Spirits | 14 |
Alcohol is basically, a poison. The more you drink, the greater the effect it has. There are several levels of intoxication, each accompanied by penalties to certain abilities, and a slight bonus to resist pain.
Tipsy: Judgment slightly impaired, but no noticeable effects. -1 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. No effect on movement or hit points. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Merry: Inhibitions lower, voices raise, and balance wavers slightly. -2 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. +1 temporary hit point per Hit Die. No effect on movement. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Drunk: Dizzy and disoriented, words slurred. -4 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. +2 temporary hit points per Hit Die. Can safely take one action each round, but nust make a Balance check (DC 10) to both move and take an action. Falls down on failure. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Hammered: Can't walk in a straight line, generally incoherent. -8 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves. +3 temporary hit points per Hit Die. Can safely take one action each round, but nust make a Balance check (DC 10) to both move and take an action. Falls down on failure. Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions.
Plastered: Communication is nearly impossible, as is standing up. -16 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves (though the character can take no actions, so it usually doesn't matter). +4 temporary hit points per Hit Die (but usually unable to take advantage of this). Must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast spells or take similar actions. Character is nauseated, and the only action he can normally take is a single move action per round. A character who is plastered can, however, choose to take one standard action other than a move, but is then stunned for the next 1d6 rounds.
Unconscious: Character is unconscious, usually from sickness or extreme dizziness and confusion.
Recovery and Hangovers
A character recovers at a rate of 8 AU per hour. Additionally, eight hours of uninterrupted sleep enables him to recover completely. A character who has become drunk or worse suffers a hangover once he sobers up. A hangover consists of headaches, nausea and other unpleasant side effects. After recovering from drunkenness, a hangover begins. While hung over, a character suffers the same penalty to his attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and Reflex saves of the highest drunkenness category he reached the night before. Every two hours, the severity reduces by one category until the penalties go away.
A Craft (alchemy) check (DC 20) will allow a character to brew a hangover or drunkenness remedy. Characters with 5 or more ranks in Heal get a +2 synergy bonus to this check. Most such folk remedies sell for 2 gold pieces per dose, and many inns and taverns make as much money sobering up their patrons as getting them drunk. A character can only benefit from one dose of a folk drunkenness remedy per day. Remedies have an effect either on current drunkenness, or on hangovers. Particular effects may vary, the following is one example.
Hair of the Dog: This foul-tasting concoction doesn't even try to hide its ingredients: A clump of dog hairs float atop a green-brown broth filled with mashed leaves. The necessary ingredients for 5 doses can be found in a typical forest with an hour of searching and a successful Survival check (DC 12). Two hours of work and a Craft (alchemy) check (DC 20) can turn the ingredients into 5 doses, each the size of a small cup. A dose of hair of the dog reduces the character's penalties from a hangover as if 2 hours had passed. Only one such drink can have an effect per day.