Possible House Rules For 3rd Edition
Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook.

Chapter One: Abilities

Chapter Two: Races

PAGE 013:

HUMAN RACIAL TRAITS:

Those growing up in a human culture gain 1 extra feat at 1st level and 4 extra skills at 1st level since human culture is well diversified and less given to isolationist tendencies than are other races.

(Many given racial traits in the 3e PHB are not really racial so much as cultural. This is one of them. Thus, anyone growing up in a human culture could avail themselves of unique opportunities found in such human cultures.

NOTE: The DM should only sparingly allow non-human PCs to grow up in human cultures. Easily allowing that sort of mini maxing often misses the point of roleplaying games, and it is considered abusive unless they make a wonderful back story to justify it. Even then, the DM may find ways to give your PC further penalties. Growing up in an alien culture, being daily treated or abused with racism, etc. is not an easy thing and may leave permanent psychological scars. For example, they may have been made to feel inadequate, and their CHA may reflect this (-2 to CHA). Of course, other penalties or different penalties may be devised).

Humans DO NOT gain +1 skill point/level anymore. Instead, humans gain +2 INT at character generation. This increase MAY NOT exceed 18.

(This justifies a more human centric advantage the game often sports without causing some serious problems. Unlike before, however, it says nothing about the individual (PC or NPC). Thus, the racist idea that ALL humans are more versatile and capable than ALL non-humans isn't forced on any player's non human PC, nor is anyone forced to roleplay them that way. If you wish to play a non human who is versatile and capable, you may, or a human who is slow, you may, and that rule about how they justified why humans get +1 skill point/level isn't hampering good roleplaying. Thus, intelligence alone will determine this, and it may be high or low, and each character may be versatile and capable or not.

The +2 INT will grant a normal skill point bonus for each level due to higher intelligence, but no special rule is made for this since the normal rule concerning INT and skill point acquisition on page 058 will suffice). After all, INT is DEFINED in this game as how quickly one can learn, recall, and figure things out. Ignoring their own definitions to slap in some sloppy rule to try to fix their broken system of game balance is a bit much.

Chapter Three: Classes

PAGE 027:

BARDS: Spells: A bard casts an odd mixture of arcane AND divine spells from the bard list (page 159) according to table 3-4.

(This is an important distinction. Without it, one has to justify why wizards or sorcerers can't cast things like Cure Light Wounds at 1st level, or other healing spells, since, apparently, arcane magic is fully capable of such a thing. The rule change preserves a fundamental aspect and assumption of D&D. That is, Divine Magic is better at healing than arcane magic. One should think of this as the PHB simply misstating the fact that bards cast only arcane spells, when, in fact, they can apparently cast both. And recall, bards were divinely based in 1st edition AD&D, so this is nothing new).

(One may inquire as to the divine 'source' of this magic. If one does, perhaps their harmonious and musical nature is in attunement with life's divine energy or 'divine spark' for them to be able to cast these few divine spells. If a DM feels it necessary, they might require a bard to pay homage to a specific deity of their choice. Since most D&D characters, and not just clerics, often worship gods anyway, this will usually not be a problem. Nevertheless, some of a bard's spells ARE divine spells and not just solely arcane spells.)

PAGE 034:

A druid who willingly wears prohibited armor or wields a prohibited weapon is unable to use any of their magical powers while doing so, and for 24 hours thereafter. A druid who is magically coerced, enthralled, or physically forced to don or use such equipment is also unable to use any of their magical powers, but is not further penalized for the 24 hour period, as long as they remove such items as soon as they are 'free' to do so.

PAGE 040:

Ex-Monks: Pretty much ignore this paragraph.

GMs may wish to award lawful monks a minor bonus (due to their order's devotion to some skill, for example), but it is possible for monks to be non lawful. Furthermore, nothing about gaining other classes or levels would logically preclude one from learning more monk levels later. Devotion to one class, while advantageous for a monk - as they get some nice things at higher and higher levels of monk hood - is not a requirement, and the simple fact lack of devotion (or gaining other class levels) will delay such monk power is sufficient enough to encourage such devotion. Making it impossible to continue one's monastic studies for learning other things is wholly unrealistic.

PAGE 043:

Ex-Paladins: A paladin may obtain special dispensation (directly from their deity, or from the highest level cleric of their church) to acquire another class, or raise levels in another class apart from paladin, should that deity or cleric deem it beneficial or advantageous to that religion's cause. If such dispensation is granted, one may ignore the prohibition of acquiring other levels, or the restriction of returning to learn further levels in the paladin class.

Such dispensation, GMs should be aware, would be relatively rare to extend beyond one or two levels outside the paladin's class, but, clearly, by learning other classes, when possible, a paladin may be a more effective tool working in the cause of their deity or church, so it would be foolish to disallow this possibility in all instances.

PAGE 047:

ROGUE: Class Features:

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int Modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int Modifier.

A would-be rogue character may join the thieves' guild or have a dedicated mentor. If they do, add 16 more skill points at 1st Level, and their Skill Points at Each Additional Level will be: 8 + Int Modifier while a member in good-standing or they have access to this special mentor.

However, joining the thieves' guild or having a dedicated mentor means the guild or this mentor expects devotion in return. The character will not be allowed to multiclass until they meet certain minimal requirements. The DM will decide what level this will be for their own game, but I recommend at least 5th level. Thus, a rogue must become 5th level before being allowed to pick up a second class. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to join the guild or have a dedicated mentor and will have to make due with less skill points.

(This rule helps prevent certain abuses. Mostly, it will prevent abuses by players who take 1st level rogue not out of a desire to seriously play a rogue, but only for the 16 to 24 extra skill points before moving on to their preferred class. It will also dissuade players from just picking up a level of rogue for the 8 extra skill points.

For example, becoming a rogue first and then a wizard will give that wizard an extra 24 skill points, even though they have no desire or intention of playing a rogue. Otherwise they would have to achieve 12th level wizard before having that many skill points. They may join the guild too, but only if they also agree to stick with the training for at least 5 levels. During this time, all their xp goes toward their training as rogue and may not be used for other classes, even if they already have one or more classes. Thus, after joining, whether at 1st level or any level thereafter, their next 5 levels must be rogue levels. Otherwise they must make due with the lower skill point additions since no one will take as much time to teach someone not serious about their craft.

The extra skill points are justified by having so many members available to teach them so many skills in such a short time, OR by having a dedicated mentor willing to devote much time to this one student).

The above house rule on rogues is a special case of The N Level Rule

PAGE 055:

MULTICLASSING:

Ignore all rules about favored classes and xp penalties due to uneven levels. (They're pretty silly and unrealistic anyway).

No character may multiclass until they first achieve minimal goals expected from their instructors (mentor, guild masters, school, trainers, etc.). The DM sets this goal. The goal is to become Nth level in that class. They must do this before being allowed to use xp for other classes.

(This prevents unrealistic class hopping. The larger N is, the more time a character has to study other classes in the back ground, and this will make the problem of 'sudden development' less of a concern in a more natural manner. Standard 3e rules would have N=1. Never allowing multiclassing would have N=infinity. I feel N=5 will prevent many abuses of the 3e multiclassing system, make it more realistic, particularly by preventing the unrealistic sudden development of a class's base skills, and solve several other flaws and problems as well.

This is justified on the IC level since mentors, schools, guilds, trainers, instructors, and teachers only wish to devote their time on serious students. If these students will not commit to learning at least N levels, they are not serious enough to bother with. ALL xp must be used to go up the next N levels in this class before they seek out other kinds of training for other classes or supplement former classes.

For example, if Balasor is an 8th level fighter and wishes to become a wizard, he must devote all xp to doing this until he achieves (8+N)th level. (It is assumed he has been toying with the idea of becoming a wizard for the last 5 levels, and part of his background has been looking into the matter). Thereafter, he may add levels to either class or pick up a new class. If he does start a third class, he must devote the next N levels to it and may not pick up a fourth class or add to his other two classes until finished. After that, he may again add new levels to any of his three classes, or even acquire another class.

A character may abandon their trainers before their training is complete, but they will likely get a bad reputation, anger their trainer(s) perhaps even incurring their master's wrath at times, and generally will find life more difficult. For example, if money is involved, payments for training will be MUCH higher. The DM may devise other hardships. But skipping out on one's commitments should occasionally be allowed, and exceptions should be made by the DM on a case-by-case basis).

Chapter Four: Skills

PAGE 057:

Using Skills: To make a skill check, roll: 2d10 + Skill Modifier.

(This will make all rolls depend more on skill and abilities and less on dumb luck. The "2d10 System" is superior in many respects to the d20 system. It is non linear, actually does tend toward rolls of 11, and freak occurrences happen perhaps 1 in 100 times as opposed to 1 in 20 times, which is really way too often for a game of skill. If you like skill/luck, particularly for many skills that shouldn't involve a lot of luck, you'll want to adopt the 2d10 system in as many places as possible).

PAGE 058:

Do not use classes to determine how many skill points each skill cost. Instead, use this:

A rank in a skill costs one skill point if your PC's key ability for that skill is 14 or higher, OR if another rule they fall under says to treat a particular skill AS a class skill.

A rank in a skill costs two skill points if your PC's key ability for that skill is 10, 11, 12, or 13.

A rank in a skill costs three skill points if your PC's key ability for that skill is 9 or lower.

(Why This House Rule For Skill Costs Is Better)

Ignore Maximum Rank Rules for class and cross class skills except at 1st level. Maximum Rank = 4 at 1st level. Thereafter, simply limit the expenditure of skill points such that no more than 2 ranks may be purchased in any one skill at any one time each time you acquire skill points to spend.

(This will limit maximum rank in any skill to twice your level +3, but that's ok. This rule prevents unrealistic sudden development in instantly learning, for example, 8 or more ranks in one skill at once, and it eliminates the unrealistic glass ceiling. For example, if at maximum rank before, for some mysterious reason, even with many skill points to spend, you could no longer learn any more. Go figure. The new spending limit is based on available time between levels and the fact learning is an iterative process. If you somehow get more skill points independent of level and at a time between levels, the spending limit holds there as well, so you may again buy up to two ranks in any one skill).

SKILL LIMITS ON RANKS - A New Rule

No one may learn any Skill past Rank L, where L = 4 x the Key Ability Mod for that Skill. 'L' stands for Limit.

EXCEPTIONS: Anyone may learn a Skill up to Rank 4, however, despite their low key ability.

This is a minor rule change from standard 3e, and unless a character's ability scores begin to far exceed 18 or 19, most PCs will be limited to Rank 16 or lower in most skills. Also, most characters with below average ability will be limited to Rank 4. This makes perfect sense since no amount of instruction will assure continuing progression in areas where one's aptitude is simply lacking. For example, no one may learn the Healing Skill past quadruple his or her Wisdom Mod. If your character's Wisdom is 18, your character's Mod is +4, so your character may not learn the Healing Skill past Rank 16. If your character's Wisdom is 12, your character's Mod is +1, so your character may not learn the Healing Skill past Rank 4.

PAGE 059:

Exclusive Skills: Exclusive skills no longer mean one has to be of the appropriate class to learn them. Instead, it only means you may not learn them at 1st level if not of the appropriate class. All exclusive skills are otherwise treated as cross-class skills.

(It's pretty unrealistic to totally disallow the learning of a skill. Instead, just make them generally unavailable to those other classes so they may not spend their initial skill points on them (at 1st level), but thereafter, if they can find a trainer, and it will be assumed they can in most cases, all other classes can learn exclusive skills for cross-class skill point costs.)

PAGE 061:

Taking 10 or Taking 20: Instead of an automatic 10 or 20, the DM will assign an automatic number depending on how much they feel taking some extra time or a great deal of extra time will afford the character.

(This rule allows greater DM control, is more realistic, and will help prevent players from using OOC knowledge to make up their character's minds about whether or not to take the extra time to try something. The automatic roll may be any number; thus they cannot count on knowing it will be 10 or 20. If may be higher or lower.)

Chapter Five: Feats

PAGE 080:

AMBIDEXTERITY [General] Prerequisite: Dex 15+, AND this feat must be 'purchased' at character generation, OR when a character's dexterity score is permanently increased, whether by magic or training.

This rules reflects the realism and rarity for this feat. You either have it to begin with, or one's dexterity is lacking. If augmenting one's dexterity score - whether through magic or training, such as buying a point of dexterity - then and only then does this make sense one might now have sufficient dexterity to acquire this feat. To purchase it mid-game without one's dexterity being raised seems too unrealistic.

Chapter Six: Descriptions

Chapter Seven: Equipment

PAGE 104:

WHIP: A whip receives a +2 bonus to the attacker's STR roll to disarm their opponent. See DISARM, PAGE 137 under these house rules.

PAGE 105:

Arcane Spell Failure: The number in the Arcane Spell Failure column on table 7-5: Armor is the chance that the spell fails and is ruined, assuming the character is not proficient in that armor at all. If they are proficient by having the appropriate armor feat for that armor type, reduce the failure rate by 5%. Similarly, if proficient with shield and using a shield, reduce the failure rate there by 5% as well.

If proficient with a class of armor (light, medium, and/or heavy), Arcane Spell Failure is further reduced by 1% for each DEX bonus point, not to exceed the Maximum DEX Bonus for that armor type. For example, with a DEX of 18, you normally have +4 bonus points. If proficient with medium armor, and wearing scale mail, your DEX bonus is limited to +3. Thus, the normal Arcane Spell Failure rate of 25% becomes 20% (due to -5% since you are proficient), and then 17% (since your DEX has up to another -3% in that armor).

(The further DEX bonus point rule will help low level mages who take the light armor feat. This is not game unbalancing. And all of this is justified since 3e's notion is that these penalties come from restrictions to movement in the first place, and a higher DEX bonus, as well as proficiency in the armor type, both suggest greater movement so lesser penalties should be forthcoming. However, it is still likely that most wizards - baring actually becoming multiclass with warrior or cleric, etc. - will be far better off buying feats other than medium or heavy armor, and these minor adjustments will not appreciably affect the wearing of these heavier armors while casting spells. Yet, acquiring the light armor feat is not unreasonable and may be done without multiclassing. This alone may prevent wizards from taking 'warrior' just to get this when they have no desire to play a warrior but only want a bit of extra protection for a reasonable cost).

Chapter Eight: Combat

PAGE 117:

COMBAT BASICS: Damage: Alteration: If you're wielding a weapon with both hands, add one and a half times your STRENGTH ability bonus - if you have a bonus - but only incur half your normal STRENGTH penalty - if you have a penalty. Always round down.

EXAMPLES: If you have a bonus of +3 to damage, that would be +4.5, or round down to +4, and if you have a penalty of -1, that would be -0.5, or still -1 as you round down. +4 would become +6, but -2 would become -1. Remember that if one hits for damage at all, a minimum of 1 point of damage is inflicted, no matter what penalties one may have.

(This house rule is realistic enough insofar as using two hands, even when weak, is potentially better than using one hand. In fact, one with a STRENGTH penalty may permanently adopt a two handed fighting style to compensate for being weaker. Of course, they would also lose the possibility of using a shield then).

PAGE 122:

Modified Attack of Opportunity Rule: Rather than unrealistically assume everyone, no matter what, can always automatically take advantage of an opponent's mistake, a further roll is introduced to handle this.

When an Attack of Opportunity, or AOO arises - under the normal conditions as given in the PHB - all adjacent opponents may opt to make a REFLEX save at DC 10. The roll is 1d20 + BAB + DEX Mod vs. a DC 10. If successful, then they react quickly enough to get in an AOO. If it fails, they have not capitalized on the brief opportunity, and it passes them by as the initial attacker recovers in time before that adjacent opponent can react. Should one have the feat, Combat Reflexes, they still make this roll to see if they can have more than one AOO - rolling a 1 means no AOO is allowed - or they may forgo the reflex roll and automatically take one AOO.

(This modified AOO rule is more realistic since, given normal reaction times, it is wholly unrealistic to think anyone and everyone can always and without fail take advantage of each mistake their opponent makes. The greater their BAB, however, the more likely they can take advantage of mistakes. If one's BAB is +10 or higher, success is still not assured since any roll of a 1 still fails.)

Attacks of opportunity are no longer free actions, but are interrupt actions.

That is, they do take time, however minor. Those who opt to take AOOs are engaged in full round actions, and may not do other full round actions that same round as well, such as run at 4x one's normal rate, charge, or other special full round actions.

(Read More About The New AOO House Rules)

PAGE 123:

Critical Hits and Critical Fumbles should BOTH be used. Extra rules covering this may be found by following the link below:

(Critical Hit And Critical Fumble Rules For 3e)

PAGE 129:

Massive Damage: If your character ever receives damage from a single blow (not a single round, but a single blow) exceeding 50% of their total MAXIMUM Hit Points (not current hit points), and if that blow doesn't already outright kill them or send them below zero hit points, they must make a fortitude save (DC 15). If this saving throw fails, they will be reduced to -1 hit points and be dying.

(This rule is made for consistency. The PHB just went on at length about how 50 hit points is different for each person, yet here this rule suggests 50 hit points is also the same for everybody. Silly. If you even play with this Massive Damage Rule at all, 50% of MAX HPs is more realistic. Furthermore, failing save takes them to -1 HPs rather than an outright kill. You could still kill them if you prefer, but I like less lethal games. Finally, if you dislike how frequently this rule may drop your 1st level characters, I suggest the single blow must deliver at least as many hit points of damage as the creature's constitution score plus 1. For example, if your PC had a CON of 14, any blow doing less than 15 hit points won't even require this massive damage roll, even if it is more the 50% of their MAX HPs. This modification adds realism but doesn't make it too difficult to be low level and with few hit points).

DISABLED, DYING, DEATH:

While it is technically possible to function at full capacity if one's hit points are positive, the DM should feel free to level penalties to attacks, saves, skill rolls, movement, endurance, carrying capacity, etc. when a character's hit points are both less than maximum - i.e. they are wounded - and also lower than the number of hit points they received for their first hit dice. This adds an element of badly needed realism.

DISABLED: If wounded, and with only 1 hit point remaining, the character is still conscious, but only capable of partial actions. Any strenuous exertions will likely result in a temporary loss of 1 hit point after the action is complete, and therefore a loss of consciousness will follow. Each round, if the character rolls (10 + CON MOD) or less on 1d100, they may regain this 1 hit point back along with regaining consciousness.

UNCONSCIOUS: At exactly 0 hit points, a character is unconscious, but usually in a stable condition. They will remain this way until tended, or they lose further hit points due to exposure, dehydration, or starvation, etc. Natural healing alone may save them even if they are not attended.

DYING: From -1 to -CON, the character is unconscious and probably unstable, thus losing 1 hit point per round due to bleeding, suffocation, or other factors. Each round their player may roll 1d100, and if they roll (10 + CON MOD) or less, the bleeding stops and their condition stabilizes. If they roll above this, they lose 1 hit point and may roll again next round. If they stabilize before they die, they will remain at that number of negative hit points until tended, or until further adverse effects kill them. Natural healing alone will not save them, unless they are tended by one who can administer liquids and food while the natural healing gains ground.

DEATH: One beyond negative CON, or at -(CON+1) or lower is where death occurs. Nuff said.

These general house rule have been in force in one form or another for over 20 years in my games, so they are well play-tested.

PAGE 137:

DISARM: When using a whip- to disarm an opponent - ignore the +4 bonuses or penalties due to weapon sizes. A successful hit, however, does not mean you disarm your opponent. Instead, it means the whip has wrapped around the weapon or opponent's limb. Now an opposed STR roll is required. If the opponent has NOT seen this tactic before (vs. them self or an associate during THIS melee), the attacker further gets a +2 bonus to their STR roll due to a surprise maneuver. If they have seen this tactic employed before during this melee, either vs. them self or one of their associates, no such surprise bonus is given.

If the opponent loses the STR roll, their weapon is flung 1d10 feet away in a random direction within the 180-degree semicircle toward the whip holder. If the opponent wins the STR roll, the attacker loses the whip by having it yanked from their grasp. The whip would then be lying on the ground by the defender's feet. Unlike the normal disarm rules, there is no other return attack roll to see if the whip holder is disarmed since the one opposition STR roll is used instead.

Chapter Nine: Adventuring

Chapter Ten: Magic

PAGE 151:

XP (XP Cost): If expenditure of xp would lower your level, you do not actually go down in level. Yet you may still spend that xp.

The best bookkeeping method to do this is as follows: If spending xp would not lower your level, then just subtract the xp and it is gone. But if spending xp would lower your PC's level, do not subtract it. Instead, subtract as much as you can without going down a level. Write down the xp on your character sheet as normal, but then also write down how much extra that your PC spends beside it. For example, let's say your wizard has 21,362 xp. She wishes to spend 1,500 xp. Subtract 361, taking her down to 21,001 (just barely 7th level). Also write down the rest, or in this case, 1,139 xp next to the normal figure for xp. The character sheet would say she still had 21,001 xp, but beside it there would be a note she owes 1,139 xp. This is called DEFICIT xp. If your PC has ANY deficit xp, they have a temporary -1 to their CON. Any awarded xp in the future must first be used to pay off this debt before it may be added to her normal xp total. As she acquires more xp, the 1,139 deficit xp figure dwindles. Eventually, it will become zero and her CON is restored to normal, and further xp will be handled as normal from then on.

There are other options to be more complete. Her player may accept the loss of CON permanently instead of spending the xp. This is a drastic option, but it is available. This is also why when you die, you normally lose one level of xp, but if your PC is only 1st level, they instead lose one point of CON. CON points, levels, and xp are intertwined like this.

Finally, one cannot keep this deficit xp around forever, or rack up an infinite amount of it, so they must gain enough xp in a timely manner, or the CON loss may become permanent. A reasonable way to do this would be to consider the deficit xp as a loan your PC pays interest on (about 10% per month). Thus, if Lidda still owed 900 deficit xp in one month, 10% of this balance is added to her deficit xp total (another 90 xp in this case), bringing it to 990, for example. This reflects the fact Lidda is run down and is learning poorly. If she acquired 990 xp before another month runs out, she'll be fine. If not, she'll again lose another 10% of the outstanding debt in xp, whatever it may be at that time. Of course, her player may choose to permanently lose one point of CON instead anytime she desires and wipe out the deficit xp altogether.

Finally, if it ever gets so bad that the deficit xp would have her drop yet another level (two levels, total, if subtracted from her normal xp total), just wipe out the deficit xp and the CON loss becomes permanent. In this case, her xp would be at 21,001 and she would proceed as normal. Or, as the WISH spell can bring back CON points - one CON point per wish - but cost 5000 xp to cast, we must add the additional rule that if the deficit xp ever reaches 5000 xp, it will automatically become a permanent CON point loss. If one wants to avoid this, they cannot operate with such staggering deficit xp totals.

This house rule is generally thought to be better than the unrealistic standard rule that prohibits any expenditure of xp that would take you down a level (as if a mage forgot how to make a simple potion since his current xp was right on the border, and even spending a little would take him down a level, so he can't. Duh!). Get real. He wouldn't forget how to make a simple potion just because of some silly game number or quantum break in the xp table.

PAGE 155:

If the person who created the magical writing is on hand to help the reader, success is also automatic. Similarly, if anyone who can and has read the magical writing is on hand and is helping, success is also automatic.

Duplicating an existing spellbook uses the same procedure as replacing it, except the task is much easier. The time required is halved. The cost is the same.

(If the cost is based on special quills, inks, and other supplies, why would these be cheaper if you had an existing spell book? They wouldn't. The DM may, however, set whatever price/page they wish for their world.)

Chapter Eleven: Spells

Appendix/Index:

Email Jim Your Comments (Send Praise, Critique, Complaints, Suggestions, Ideas, or Submissions).

© April of 2001
by
James L.R. Beach
Waterville, MN 56096