You asked for opinions, so here you go. I hope your eyes don't fall out of your head before you get to the bottom...
Rigon wrote:
Attributes
Attribute Scores: Roll 4d6 7 times dropping lowest die roll each time, drop lowest score and arrange as desired.
Class Primes: There are no class specific primes.
Challenge Base: The CB for prime attributes is 10 and the CB for secondary attributes is 15.
While the Attribute scores modification is fine (although I prefer just six rolls, myself) having no primes for classes seems to take something away from the specificity and flavour of the archetypes for me. It's not like you can't create a dextrous fighter or strong rogue with the current system, and the idea of a fighter who is unathletic, a rogue who is not very agile or a wizard who isn't very bright might be great for a comedy game (Rincewind comes to mind) but seems to go against the heroic ideal of these classes.
And I like my base challenge levels where they are, giving a roughly 50% chance to those who are competent in them and a snowball's chance to those who aren't. It really accentuates the difference between two characters in the same class with different secondary (or tertiary) primes.
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Classes
Warrior Group
Fighter:
Weapon Specialization: At first level the fighter selects one weapon to become an expert with. The fighter gains the following benefits:
1st level: +1 to attack and damage rolls; 1 attack per round
5th level: +2 to attack and damage rolls; 3 attacks per 2 rounds
10th level: +3 to attack and damage rolls; 2 attacks per round
15th level: +4 to attack and damage rolls; 5 attacks per 2 rounds
20th level: +5 to attack and damage rolls; 3 attacks per round
Cleave: Beginning at 3rd level, if the fighter slays his opponent, he may make an immediate attack against another nearby (5 foot step) opponent. Cleave replaces Combat Dominance.
Extra Attacks: As the fighter gains in levels, he becomes more proficient with other weapons and gains additional attacks each round as follows:
1st level: 1 attack per round
7th level: 3 attacks per 2 rounds
13th level: 2 attacks per round
I quite like the Cleave idea as a replacement for Combat Dominance. It does the job of killing off low hp hordes without worrying about HD, levels, etc. I would change it to a SEIGE Check, however, with an increasing CL per extra attack to keep it sensible, especially at lower levels. For example:
CLEAVE/COMBAT DOMINANCE mk.2: If you kill your opponent, you may atack another opponent within 5' if you make a SEIGE check against STR at a CL of +6 for every extra attack after the first (so a STR Prime Fighter would have a CL of 12, 18, 24, etc.)
In addition, I'd still call it Combat Dominance (Cleave has a particular image and I would rather think of it as a frenzy of blows than a circular sweep) and I'd let fighters have it at level 1.
All the extra attacks leave me cold, however, as they are too complex. If you're going to give them extra attacks, make it one every 4 levels and have done with it, but personally, I think that Cleave/Combat Dominance mk.2 does the job fine on its own and using it in conjunction with extra attacks turns the fighter into a friggin' Quisenart, especially if he's using a great weapon.
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Ranger:
Ambush: The ranger has the ability to detect and set ambushes when in the wild. The ranger adds his level to any surprise roll.
Ditch Medicine: The ranger is able to use his knowledge of herbs and plants to make effective poultices. The ranger is able to heal 1d6 hit points of damage per individual per day.
Extra Attacks: The ranger gains extra attacks as the fighter ability.
Berserker (Barbarian):
Alignment: Since the berserker taps into his wild, chaotic nature, he can only be of Chaotic alignment.
Primal Fury: Fatigue lasts for 4 hours minus Con mod.
Extra Attacks: The berserker gains extra attacks as the fighter ability.
Knight:
Alignment: Since the knight must follow a strict code of conduct, all knights must be of Lawful alignment.
Extra Attacks: The knight gains extra attacks as the fighter ability.
Paladin:
Extra Attacks: The paladin gains extra attacks as the fighter ability.
Too many extra attack powers infringing upon the Fighter's niche. Give Cleave/Combat Dominance mk.2 to Barbarians, but if you want to give extra attacks to the Paladin and Knight, do it at twice the levels of the fighter (if at all).
I think ideally, give the Cleave/Combat Dominance mk.2 to the fighter without any extra attacks and then you can give the other fighterly characters extra attacks at, say, every 10 levels.
In the end, the fighter becomes the main warrior, with a better BtH, the ability to mow down lesser creatures and a lot of leeway when using the SEIGE system to do warrior skills (spotting ambushes, maintaining weapons and armour, etc.) at full level. The Barbarian/Berzerker can also mow down lesser creatures, but has a worse BtH and doesn't get to add his level to quite the number of situations a fighter might. The others get an extra attack at 10 and 20, but other than that are more leader types than fighter types and have their own abilities to compensate.
Finally, I think the Ditch Medicine ability is unnecessary as a special ability, as it can easily be duplicated in a standard SEIGE roll as something that 'rangers' do in much the same way as a fighter 'knows' how to maintain his weapons and a person who grew up on a river 'knows' how to swim. The brilliance of the SEIGE engine is that you can cover all of these things without having to resort to endless lists of abilities, skills, feats, etc.
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Rogue Group
Thief (Rogue):
Armor Allowed: Add studded leather and chain shirt to the list of allowed armors for the thief.
Assassin:
Base to Hit: Increase the assassins BtH to that of the cleric.
Armor Allowed: Add studded leather and chain shirt to the list of allowed armors for the assassin.
While studded leather is fine, I think chainmail is too noisy. And it looks like you're trying to turn the Assassin into a ninja, which would be a different class to me. I see the C&C assassin as an infiltrator, poisoner and backstabber not a sword weilding death machine.
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Bard:
Hit Die: Lower the bards hit die to that of the cleric.
Base to Hit: Decrease the bards BtH to that of the cleric.
Sleight of Hand: The bard has the ability to use quick and nimble hand movements to hide or misdirect small items. This works just like the thief ability Pick Pockets.
Listen: Add the thief ability of Listen to the bards ability list.
Jack of All Trades: The bard learns a little bit of every thing in his travels. At 1st level the bard selects a class ability from the list below and adds it to his class ability list. The bard selects another ability at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter (8th, 12th, etc). List of Abilities: Delay/Neutralize Poisons, Ditch Medicine, Ambush, Track, Survival, Climb, Hide, Move Silently, Open Locks, Traps, Disguise, Poisons, Nature Lore (edited)
Quite like giving them another ability from another class, but would only give them one per 4 levels, and it would start out at a level 1 ability when they picked it up and increase normally from there (so a class ability picked up by a level 12 bard would function as a level 8 ability when he reaches level 20). Everything else is superflous to this, so no need for Sleight of Hand and Listen as those are abilities he can pick up later.
And if you're trying to create a Gurney Halleck type character, remember that he not only taught history, ethics and so on, but was Paul's main combat master and Duke Leto's Warmaster, as well. So I think dropping their BtH down is going in the wrong direction for what you want to do.
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Mage Group
Wizard:
Minor Magic: The wizard does not need to prepare 0 level spells, but may still only cast the number of 0 level spells per day as indicated on the Wizard/Illusionist Spells per Day chart from the PHB.
Read Magic: The wizard may cast Read Magic for free a number of times per day equal to his Int bonus.
Maximum Spell Level: The wizard may only learn spell levels up to (rounded down) of his Int score (ex. Arodir has a 17 Int, so can only learn up to 8th level spells).
Illusionist:
Minor Magic: The illusionist gains minor magic as the wizard ability.
Read Magic: The illusionist gains Read Magic as the wizard ability.
Maximum Spell Level: The illusionist gains maximum spell level as the wizard ability.
I'm also of the 'Orison/Cantrips as basic abilities' school of thought. I think that having them as inexhaustable utility spells, taught as the basic building blocks of all magic, is the way to go. So many films and books show wizards doing things like Mage Hand (see Dragon Slayer for instance) without a word or much effort. And they really aren't that overpowering and do provide a wizard with something else to do besides hold up the proceedings as he rests 8 hours every two encounters.
I also include Read Magic in this group of infintely castable spells (actually, I treat it as a wizardly ability, not a spell) as well, having never seen the sense of a wizard unable to read magic unless he casts magic, which is silly as he never would have been able to read the first spell he ever learned in the first place in order to learn the others.
If you really feel that there should be a limit on Cantrips and Orisons., then make them infinite in use, but you have to make a SEIGE check to use them at a CL equal to the base + the number of times you've used Cantrips/Orisons that day. A first level wizard will shortly find himself exhausting his abilities if he relies on them too much.
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Priest Group
Cleric:
Spontaneous Cure/Harm: The cleric is able to swap out a prepared 1st thru 4th level spell and cure/harm 1d8 hit points per level swapped (ex. A prepared 2nd level spell can be swapped out to cure 2d8 hit points of damage).
Minor Magic: The cleric does not need to prepare 0 level spells, but may still only cast the number of 0 level spells per day as indicated on the Cleric/Druid Spells per Day chart from the PHB.
Maximum Spell Level: The cleric may only learn spell levels up to (rounded down) of his Wis score (ex. Kirdak has a 15 Wis, so can only learn up to 7th level spells).
Druid:
Ditch Medicine: The druid gains ditch medicine as the ranger ability.
Minor Magic: The druid gains minor magic as the cleric ability.
Maximum Spell Level: The druid gains maximum spell level as the cleric ability.
I like the swapping out of other spells for Cure spells. That was one of the better ideas from 3e. Consider it yoinked.
As for the rest, see my discussions on magic and Ditch Medicine above. By the way, if you really want to limit the minor cure spell, simply say that it can only be applied once per battle to a single character. You can't band-aid a band-aid.
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Monk:
Alignment: Since the monk is dedicated to harnessing the power of his mind and body, he can only be of Lawful alignment.
I like these alignment restrictions and the reasoning is sound. I actually enforce this sort of things in my games. Discipline is a Lawful trait, indeed.
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Starting Hit Points: All first level characters start with maximum hit points.
I think practically everyone does this.
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Multi-classing:
1. Any two to three classes from different groups may be chosen (baring alignment restrictions).
2. All EXP must be divided evenly between classes.
3. At 1st level, average hit points then add in Con modifier. At a level increase, roll appropriate HD, add in Con modifier, then divide by the number of classes (fractions with a 0.5 or higher round up).
4. Gain the best BtH bonus of all classes.
5. Use the least restrictive weapons list of all classes.
6. Use the most restrictive armor list of all classes (see Arcane Casting in Armor section).
7. Gain the abilities of all classes, but cannot combine abilities.
8. Use the average of all class levels to determine the bonus to saves (fractions round down).
Dual-classing
1. Must start with one class.
2. After gaining at least 2 levels in starting class, may switch to any class from another group (baring alignment restrictions). The character may not return to any previous classes.
3. Can gain only a total of 10 HD.
4. Gain the best BtH bonus of all classes.
5. Use the least restrictive weapons list of all classes.
6. Use the most restrictive armor list of all classes (see Arcane Casting in Armor section).
7. Gain the abilities of all classes, but cannot combine abilities
8. Use the highest class level to determine the bonus to saves.
I use the rules found in the Zagyg supplement, which are about the same.
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Arcane Casting in Armor
Multi/Dual-classed arcane caster can cast spells while wearing armor that is appropriate to their non-casting class.
1. The character makes an Int check versus a CC of the AC bonus of the armor worn + the spell level of the spell being cast.
2. Multi/Dual Classed characters add in (rounded down) of their non-casting class and all of their casting class to the check. (edited)
A good idea and it allows more versatility to create characters like Elric who often wear armour as well as cast spells. But I would also extend it to Bards in your syste, as they could possibly take Read Magic and then Cast Spells as two of their chosen abilities from another class.
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Races
Elf: Add the following ability to the elfs racial traits:
Magical Nature: Since elves are strongly connected to magic, a multi/dual classed elf adds a +2 to their Arcane Casting in Armor check.
Half-elf: A half-elf character has the following traits:
Common Half-elf Abilities: As listed in the PHB.
Human Lineage Abilities: As listed in the PHB.
Twilight Vision: As the Elf ability.
Magical Nature: Since half-elves have their elven parents connection to magic, a multi/dual classed half-elf adds a +1 to their Arcane Casting in Armor check.
Gnome: Add the following to the gnomes racial abilities:
Magical Nature: Since gnomes are strongly connected to illusionist magic, a multi/dual classed gnome illusionist gains a +1 to their Arcane Casting in Armor check.
Makes sense.
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Starting Age/Ht/Wt: Use the following chart to randomly determine your characters starting age, height, and weight.
Race Age Ht (m/f) Wt (m/f)
Dwarf 25+1d8 54/52+2d6 130/110+4d10
Elf 25+1d12 60/58+2d6 100/80+2d10
Gnome 20+1d10 38/36+2d4 70/50+2d10
Half-elf 18+1d8 60/58+2d8 115/105+4d10
Halfling 20+1d8 32/30+2d4 50/30+2d10
Half-orc 14+1d4 62/60+2d12 170/150+6d10
Human 16+1d6 60/58+2d10 130/110+6d10
I've always wondered why they didn't include something like this in the PHB, but I guess they assumed that everyone would have their own ideas about how long certain races lived based upon individual campaigns. Good one.
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Darksight: Darksight allows a creature to see in any level of darkness. The following list defines the ranges of Darksight for the various races:
Dwarf: 120 feet -- stays most time underground
Elf: 60 feet -- stays most time above ground, in moonlight
Gnome: 90 feet -- mixes surface with subterranean, but lives underground
Half-Elf: 30 feet -- half an elf
Halfling (if ability possessed): 30 feet -- mixes surface with subterranean, but lives above-ground (a 12+ on a d20)
Half-Orc: 30 feet -- half a monster
Human (if ability possessed): 10 feet -- minor visual acuity (a 20 on a d20)
Monster: 60 feet -- standard, but some have longer visual range
I've never had a problem with the RAW, and I think they explain the differences flavourfully, so I stick with those.
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Equipment
Starting Gold: All characters start play with of maximum gold for their class. Multiclass character use of the average maximum gold for their classes.
Another common house rule, because it sucks to be an unarmoured fighter armed with nothing but a short sword just because you rolled poorly.
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Shields: Bucklers and small shields impart a +1 to AC. Medium and large shields impart a +2 to AC.
I like the granularity and specificity of how many folks you can hold off with a shield in the RAW, but I added the use of Parrying with an off hand weapon. Basically, if you have a one-handed weapon in the off hand, you can use it to add +1 AC against a single attack if you don't use it to attack with that round.
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Magic
Spell Preparation Time: All spellcasting characters need 8 hours of rest plus 30 minutes per spell level of study/prayer time to prepare spells for the day.
I went the opposite route and made it 5 minutes + 1 minute per spell level after a 6 hour rest. The way you have it, a Level 1 Wizard with an 18 INT will spend 9 1/2 hours just to get back up to speed. Once they reach 3rd, they'll be spending half the day in preperation. It will take a high level wizard days to memorize all their spells! I don't know about you, but I want my character's adventuring, not sitting down with a book and whiling away the weekend.
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Combat
Initiative: Roll initiative by the book (1d10). The character with the higher Dex score goes first in the result of a tie. PCs always win ties versus monsters.
Good. The way I'd do it, but I'd add their DEX bonus to the initial roll as well.
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Natural 20: A natural 20 is considered an automatic hit and deals maximum damage.
Natural 1: A natural 1 is considered an automatic miss and the character losses their next turn.
Easy to use and gives even low level monsters a chance of hurting the heavily armourd good guys, so charging a mass of Kobolds still has an element of danger. I also use outnumbering bonuses to really make mobs dangerous.
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Grappling/Overbearing: Attackers always add in their BtH when attempting a grapple/overbear. Defenders always add in their HD/level to the standard AC of 15.
I prefer to leave the Level Bonus to dedicated fighters like the Fighter, Barbarian and Monk. They are trained or have learned to brawl by dint of their professions. Everyone else gets the standard. Basically, I treat it like a typical SEIGE check.
In summary, I think when it comes to House Rules, less is more. I find that the SEIGE Engine is so flexible and so driven by old school ethos that it is best to limit house ruling to changes in existing rules, and rarely add new ones. So IMO, your list needs trimming a bit. Try to limit your changes to the established rules (Combat Dominance, Spell Casting Cantrips, etc.) and SEIGE rule the rest on the fly. And for those changes you do make, make them as simple as possible. That's my 2p...