House Rules

D&D 3.5

For the most part, we use 3rd edition rules, but slowly we're integrating some 3.5 stuff that we like, namely:

The revamped Bard and Ranger classes
Two-weapon Fighting includes Ambidexterity
One Weapon Finesse Feat works on all applicable weapons
Skill Focus, should anyone actually take it, gives +3 instead of +2.

Classes

Two of the characters didn't quite fit in the standard classes, so we updated the 2nd edition Spiritualist from Champions of the Mist to 3e, and messed around with the 3.5e Ranger to create the Driven Hunter

I've allowed the True Innocent NPC Prestige Class from Heroes of Light as a PC Base Class, tweaking it a bit by adding the Paladin's Turn Undead (as a Cleric 2 levels lower), Remove Disease, and Divine Health abilities, and Spells (using the Spontaneous Divine Caster rules from Unearthed Arcana.) Even with all that added, it's still not much more than a glorified commoner. A far cry from a Paladin's power, with an even more restrictive moral code.

In addition, we created the Eccentric Gunsmith Prestige class.

I've also decreed that a ranger (or Driven Hunter) who chooses undead as a favored enemy has their favored enemy extra damage work as normal.

Races

The second edition Half-Vistani Canjar ability from Domains of Dread was way cooler, and more appropriate than the one in the 3e Ravenloft Campaign Setting. So Ludovic can leave one 0th, 1st, and 2nd level spell unmemorized each day, and at the approriate time cast any spell in his spellbook. (His natural sensitivity to time lets him know what spell he would need that day.)

Skills

I really liked the little tweaks characters got based on their homelands in Domains of Dread. This is lacking in 3e, so I handed out some skill points instead:

Mordent: 3 ranks in Knowledge (Monster Lore: Incorporeal Undead)
Barovia: 1 rank each in all Knowledge (Monster Lore)
Borca: 3 ranks in Herbalism
Darkon: Nothing. (The Domains of Dread tweak was a hindrance rather than a benefit, and I didn't think it fair to saddle existing characters with a new hindrance.)
Nova Vaasa: 3 ranks in Animal Handling (Horses only)

Because we didn't want to wait around while Duffy worked on his guns, we sped up crafting a little bit. Assuming a bit of time to work each night (while the others prepare spells, cook dinner, etc.) a crafter can make a check per week even while adventuring. Given time to concentrate and do nothing else, he can make 3 checks per week.

Since the Ravenloft Campaign Setting breaks out the Knowledge(Monster Lore) skills by monster type, it's very difficult to become a Van Richten-esque Monster Lore scholar. To compensate a bit, we worked out a system of synergy bonuses among the Monster Lore skills. As usual, 5 ranks in one skill gives +2 to another.

Aberration gives a bonus to ooze, and outsider
Construct gives a bonus to undead
Dragon gives a bonus to magical beast
Elemental gives a bonus to outsider and fey
Fey gives a bonus to elemental and giant
Giant gives a bonus to fey and humanoid
Humanoid gives a bonus to monstrous humanoid, undead, and giant
Magical beast gives a bonus to nature, dragon and monstrous humanoid
Monstrous humanoid gives a bonus to humanoid and magical beast
Ooze gives a bonus to aberration and nature
Outsider gives a bonus to elemental and aberration
Undead gives a bonus to construct, humanoid, and monstrous humanoid
Vermin gives a bonus to nature
Knowledge (Nature) (which includes plant and animal) gives a bonus to magical beast, vermin, fey and undead that once were animals

New Feats (still experimental)

Craft Scientific Arms and Armor

You are a tinkerer. You can create weapons, armor, and shields that mimic magical abilities through science.

Prerequisites:
Craft: Clockworks - 8 Ranks
Craft: (Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, Bowmaking or Gunsmithing) - 8 Ranks
Alchemy - 8 Ranks

Benefit:
Exactly as the standard feat Craft Magic Arms and Armor, with the following exceptions:

The "caster level" of the tinkerer is determined from the ranks the tinkerer has in the three prerequisite skills. Whichever of these three skills has the lowest rank, the "caster level" is the number of ranks posessed in that skill minus 3.
The created items do not detect as magical, nor do they cease functioning in magic-free areas, nor are they affected by dispel magic.
Spell prerequisites are handled with "prototypes" and "formulae." A tinkerer will generally keep a notebook full of schematics, observations and recipes known as formulae (analogous to spells). This notebook can be added to in the following ways:
- Upon finding a prototype or a notebook written by another tinkerer, the tinkerer can copy them, taking the same time and money as a wizard copying spells. The ink and paper need not be special, so the money need not be spent immediately, but the tinkerer will need to experiment a bit before using the formula, which consumes materials. Once the money has been spent on these experiments, the tinkerer makes a check using the lowest of the three prerequisite skills (DC 15+spell level). If he passes the check, he has mastered the formula and can use it to create items. If not, he cannot try again until he gains a rank in that skill. He cannot attempt to retry with one of the other three skills. Like spellbooks, notebooks do not disappear when used. Like scrolls, prototypes are destroyed beyond repair by the experiments needed to extract their formulae.
- The tinkerer can research a formula on his own, with access to a well-stocked laboratory. For 1000gp/week, and 1 week/spell level, just as a wizard researching a spell. Again, the Spellcraft check (DC 10 + spell level) is replaced by the lowest of prerequisite skills.
The player must give a "reasonable" explanation as to how the weapon or armor works mechanically. It does not have to be truly scientifically feasable, even with modern technology, but must be within the bounds of some sort of fantasy logic. It can rely on any fictitious chemical properties but nothing magical.

Notes: This feat is significantly weaker than Craft Magic Arms and Armor for the following reasons:

The tinkerer cannot use the formulae for anything other than making items. He cannot "cast" them.
The tinkerer can not use a Bonus Feat to get this feat as a Wizard can with CMA&A.
The tinkerer must spend a lot of skill points to get the feat, and to use it effectively, while the arcane crafter needs only Spellcraft.
The tinkerer doesn't gain formulae by going up in level
Blueprints will probably be harder to find than spellbooks and scrolls.

However, it is also better than CMA&A because:

Anyone can do it, if they spend enough skill points and a feat
The results are not magical.

I think it's mostly balanced.

Craft Prototype

You are a tinkerer. You can create single use prototypes of weapons, armor, and shields that mimic magical abilities through science.

Prerequisites:
Craft: Clockworks - 4 Ranks
Craft: (Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, Bowmaking or Gunsmithing) - 4 Ranks
Alchemy - 4 Ranks

Benefit:
Exactly as the standard feat Scribe Scroll, with the following exceptions:

Like Craft Scientific Arms & Armor, the tinkerer's notebook takes the place of a spellbook, the prototype is non-magical, the caster level is determined in the same way, and the tinkerer must provide an explanation how it works.

Caroline's "House Rules"

1) No spilling soda on the couch.
2) Clean up after your own mess.
3) Don't ask if you can help cook.