DnD House Rules

Basic Rules that Always Apply

All variant rules are typically allowed, except where they conflict with the following (which is rare). By default Psionic-Magic-Incarnum transparency is in effect, but this isn't always the case.

Most changes are effectively rather minor, with the exception of the redone NPC classes, Item Creation and metamagic / metapsionics rules.

Attribute Rules

• Permanent increases in intelligence are retroactive for determining skills and skill points.

Class Rules

• The Adept Class and Aristocrat Class are reworked to be viable classes. The Warrior and Commoner are removed, replaced by a modified Expert Class and zero-level characters - puds with 1 hp and mattering entirely not.
• The Cleric Class does not gain Turn or Rebuke Undead automatically. It's the function of the Healing and Death domains, respectively. See the domain rules, below.
• The Psion Class gains no bonus feats, but gains eight skill points per level due to new Item Creation and metapsionic rules.
• The Sorcerer Class may opt to gain the Eschew Materials feat instead of a familiar at 1st level.
• The Wizard Class gains no bonus feats, but gains eight skill points per level due to new Item Creation and metamagic rules.
  • Wizards may opt to gain the Eschew Materials feat instead of a familiar at 1st level.

Domain Rules

The following domain powers have been replaced. Thus, the Death Domain grants no Death Touch ability, and the Law, Good, Evil, Chaos and Healing domains do not grant +1 to caster levels for their respective domain spells. Instead, they each gain the ability to turn or rebuke a specific type of creature, using rules identical to the Turn and Rebuke undead rules (3+ Cha Mod per day, etc).

• Chaos Domain: May Turn Lawful, non-Native outsiders that do not share her moral compass. For example, a Chaotic Good cleric could Turn Lawful Evil and Lawful Neutral outsiders, so long as they were not native to the plane she was trying to turn them from.
• Death Domain: May Rebuke Undead, as per the SRD evil cleric ability.
• Evil Domain: May Turn Good, non-Native outsiders that do not share the cleric's ideology on authority. For example, a Neutral Evil cleric with this domain could Turn Lawful Good and Chaotic Good outsiders, so long as they were not native to the plane.
• Good Domain: May Turn Evil, non-Native outsiders that do not share the cleric's ideology on authority. For example, a Lawful Good cleric with this domain could Turn Neutral Evil and Chaotic Evil outsiders, so long as they were not native to the plane.
• Healing Domain: May Turn Undead, as per the SRD good cleric ability.
• Law Domain: May Turn Chaotic, non-Native outsiders that do not share her moral compass. For example, a Lawful Evil cleric could Turn Chaotic Good and Chaotic Neutral outsiders, so long as they were not native to the plane she was trying to turn them from.

For specifics, only turning undead is considered channeling positive energy, and only rebuking undead is considered channeling negative energy. However, characters may use these turning and rebuking attempts - and those from Elemental domains, to qualify and 'pay' for Divine feats.

A cleric who chooses multiple domains with turning or rebuking ability does not gain two separate pools to turn from, or to power divine feats with, merely gaining the ability to affect a different type of creature.

Feat Rules

• Feats are gained at every odd level (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th...) instead of 1st, 3rd, 6th, etc.
• The various toughness feats grant bonus hit points as if by a higher constitution score - adding to each hit die. Toughness, Dwarf's Toughness, Giant's Toughness, Dragon's Toughness and Epic Toughness may only be taken once, but each one raises hp per hit die by one (ie, they each grant an additional hit point per level in most cases). These feats are retroactive - they affect all of the character's current and succeeding levels.
• Skill Focus instead adds two ranks to a skill, and makes it a 'permenant class skill', regardless of what classes the character has. This also makes the limit for the given skill level + 5 instead of level + 3.
• Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, and Epic Spell Focus Provide +2 to DCs all. The bonuses stack.
• Likewise, Psionic Endowment, Greater Psionic Endowment, and Epic Psionic Endowment each provide a +2 bonus to the DC for powers, each of which stack. None of them require expending psionic focus.
• Heighten Spell and Empower Power do not exist - applying metamagic or metapsionic effects increases the DC and effective spell or power level appropriately. See below.

Metamagic / Metapsionic Rules

Many Metamagic and Metapsionics do not come in feats, as such, though the Sudden variants still exist as feats, unchanged.

For metamagic or metapsionic feats that effectively increase the spell level or power point cost, all spellcasting or manifesting characters (as appropriate) who meet the other prerequisites of the metamagic or metapsionic feat in question are automatically considered to possess the feat.

If a feat or class requires a 'any' metamagic or metapsionic feat, it requires one of the Sudden feats, or an appropriate meta feat that does not increase the spell level or power point expenditure.

If a feat or class requires a specific metamagic or metapsionic feat that is covered by these skills, it requires the Sudden version of it. Epic feats in this category also require a lot of ranks in the skill:

• Automatic Quicken Spell requires the Sudden Quicken Spell feat.
• Automatic Silent Spell requires the Sudden Silent Spell feat.
• Automatic Still Spell requires the Sudden Still Spell feat.
• Innate Ability requires Sudden Quicken, whose prerequisites cover the other needs.
• Sudden Quicken Spell does not, of course, require Quicken Spell. It still requires the host of remaining Sudden feats, however.

Finally, applying such a metamagic or metapsionic effect increases the effective spell or power level accordingly, increasing DCs and so on, thus negating the need for Heighten Spell and Empower Power. This only applies to spells who have had such a higher-level spell slot assigned - a silent Magic Missile functions as a 2nd-level spell for all purposes, but one cast via sudden silent spell remains at 1st level.

Gestalt Campaigns

The following rules are in effect during Gestalt campaigns:

• Gestalt rules per the SRD.
• 'Dual' classes like the Mystic Theurge and Eldritch Knight are allowed, however, they suffer increased prerequisites:
  • Any skill ranks: Increase by +2
  • BAB requirement: Increase by +2
  • Spellcasting Level Requirement: Increase by +1