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Thread: House Rules

  1. #1
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    > Mark_Aurel wrote:
    > Basically, the monastic version of the cleric was a bit too much of a house rule thing - I still like the idea, but overall, I don`t think it`s a "BR specific" enough idea to warrant inclusion in the base BR rules.


    Just a small announcement:
    I`d be very interested in seeing the house rules you guys use to play your
    Birthright games. Nevermind whether or not its actually inspired from the
    original books, or its if its changing some story elements or D&D concepts
    or whatever. Whether or not they`re true to the "spirit of 3e" or to the
    "spirit of Birthright", I`d be interested in any game mechanics that you
    guys have used to make your games more interesting, fun, themes, or
    whatever.

    I myself am considering implementing a rule saying that no non-blooded
    character can level up past level 6. Is it balanced? Not really. Is it
    close to the spirit of D&D? Not particularly. But I think it will put
    blooded heroes at the forefront of adventure, strongly emphasise the role of
    the blooded in the setting in both the divine right to rule and the
    responsibility of power, which is kind of a theme for my next campaign.
    There`s a few more little gimmicks that I`m thinking of using for this
    Cerelian-based bloodline-focussed campaign, in which the goal is to purify
    the family bloodline that has been corrupted by the Blood of Darkness.

    Any interesting/different ideas you guys have to customize your games?

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    I'm running a court-intregue heavy / adventure light campaign and we use the Grim-n-Gritty Hit Point and Combat Rules by Kenneth S. Hood as well as the following modifications to magic:

    Divine Magic
    Divine spells casting time is extended to 1 full round per level of the spell. (Orison's casting time remains 1 action unless otherwise stated in the spell description.)

    The following feat is available:

    Devotional Chant [Special]
    Prerequisite: Ability to cast divine spells
    Benefit: Each time the caster takes this feat, the casting time of a spell is reduced by one full round action.
    Spells with a casting time of 1 full round action are reduced to one standard action.
    Spells with a casting time of 1 standard action cannot be reduced.


    Arcane Magic
    Each time a caster attempts an arcane spell, they must make a Fortitude save vs. DC 10 + the level of the spell. If they fail, they receive 1d6 point of subdual damage.

    Basically, the grim and gritty system meshed unbelieveably nicely with the theme I wanted for the campaign (imagine a panicked magician getting lucky and skewering a charging doppleganger with a halfspear in one blow - actually happened) and the magic changes are to compensate.

    The magic changes are subject to change as we playtest though...

    CM.

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    Two things in response to you CMonkey
    1. According to your profile, its your birthday, so have a happy one ;)
    2. Is your fort save or subdual damage per spell level (i.e., I mess up a fireball, 3d6 subdual) or just flat out?

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    I`ve been playing with a house rules that most monsters are blooded.The
    rationale is that monsters in Cerilia are more-or-less unique creatures,
    often sired by Awisleign. Like the lesser chimeras in the Chmeradon.

    Most critters have a bloodline strength of HD *2, though Magical Beasts only
    have HD *1 and Abberations, Dragons and their ilk have HD *3 or even more.
    This is just a benchmark, and I can change it as suits the occasion. They
    generally have Azrai`s bloodline. Need I say that monsters are also
    relatively rare?

    This means that monster-killing is a favourite pastime of brave young
    knights, who stand to improve their bloodline this way. It also leads to a
    fair number of corrupted scions, both PCs and NPCs.

    Speaking of corruption, when you commit bloodtheft I have you make two
    saving throws - Will and Fort. The DC is 10 + the increase you got, +5 if
    the stolen bloodline was Azrai. If the Will save fails, you pick up some of
    the personality of your victim. If the Fort save fails, you are forced to
    gain some bloodform ability (which is not related to your victim in any
    way). If both fail, your bloodline is corrupted and changes into that of
    your victim, AND you suffer both bloodform and mental changes. Two of my
    players how have gross physical changes, while most of them have picked up
    some less-than-desireable traits.

    /Carl


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  5. #5
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Lord Rahvin" <lordrahvin@SOFTHOME.NET>
    Sent: Friday, March 07, 2003 2:17 PM

    > I`d be very interested in seeing the house rules you guys use to
    > play your Birthright games.

    I`ve been thinking of adapting the concept of the "ancestoral weapon". If
    so, I`d drop much of the generic weaponry. To be able to create an
    ancestoral weapon, one would need to be blooded. I like the mechanics found
    in OA, and LotFR for their ancestrals, but I also like the inspiration of
    the West, like Sigfreid and other heroes who crafted their own weapons.

    If a character crafts a masterwork weapon, they can imbue it with their own
    blood power. With the sacrifice of one point of blood strength, a sword can
    be "blooded weapon" (magic weapon) can be created. I use the Rokugan
    (LotFR) rules for addition costs per weapon bonus. I have assigned all the
    powers of standard weapons (from the DMG) to bloodline derivations.

    Andurias: Holy, Keen, Lawful, Mighty Cleaving
    Reynir: Distance, Shock, Shocking Burst
    Brenna: Chaotic, Keen, Speed
    Basaia: Brillian Energy, Disruption, Flaming, Flaming Burst
    Masela: Defending, Holy, Thundering
    Vorynn: Dancing, Disruption, Ghost Touch, Spell Storing
    Azrai: Frost, Icy Burst, Unholy, Vorpal, Wounding

    Intelligent weapons are all blooded.

    Other magical weapons (such as the ones already in the campaign) are mostly
    created by clerics. Once you have created blooded weapons, they are bound
    to you and you cannot create new ones unless the old ones are totally
    destroyed. If you ever want to go back and make your weapon more powerful,
    you have to sacrifice another point of blood strength.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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  6. #6
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    I use several house rules, although we have only started our campaign so you can say I am still playtesting them.
    Most rules have little to do with BR, they are just D&D house rules. For example, I don't allow clerics to spontanously cast cure or inflict spells. Instead, they can spontanously cast their domain spells, which they can also prepare according to their domain level (even if they are not on the cleric's spell list). It helps seperate one deity from each other.
    In the BR campaign, I am requiring an expenditure of 1 Con to make a magic item (except potions or scrolls). I am considering compensating by not requiring feats to make magic items. I'll also be using Swords of Our Fathers, for truly legendary weapons (like the Sword of Roele).
    I also have a whole host of rules regarding the shadow world, but they are way to long to post here. Come to think of it, I would appreciate feedback on them... I think I'll start another thread...

  7. #7
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    Originally posted by Dantain
    Two things in response to you CMonkey
    1. According to your profile, its your birthday, so have a happy one ;)
    2. Is your fort save or subdual damage per spell level (i.e., I mess up a fireball, 3d6 subdual) or just flat out?
    1. It seems that if you dont enter a birth date, it sets it to today - as tempting as it was to have a birthday everyday, I've fixed that...

    2. Yes, it's per spell level.

    CM.

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    Site Moderator Ariadne's Avatar
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    We have established different dragon types. They are as rare as ever, but they have different colors (chromatic and metal). In the shadow world are found shadow-dragons and draco-lichs...
    May Khirdai always bless your sword and his lightning struck your enemies!

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