Drinking & Dragons

Wild:Book

From Drinking and Dragons
Revision as of 00:13, 7 January 2009 by >Mqs (removed duplicates)

Title



The Wilding

Schema

Please include at least [[Category:Wild]] on ALL pages within the set, including talk pages and images. Keep category tags at the top. Other categories used:

[[Category:Wild:Campaign]]
[[Category:Wild:PC]]
[[Category:Wild:NPC]]
[[Category:Wild:Session]]

I like pages treed with forward slashes (breadcrumbs are good). If, after each wikilink, you add a pipe (|), it will whack off the namespace in the text and thusly look better.

Example: [[Wild:World|]] creates this World.

Templates should include the relevant category tags (at least [[Category:Wild]]).

Try not to create orphaned pages -- pages without links leading to them. Also, try to create back links when breadcrumbs aren't available (logsheets, for example). Remember that the root page needs to have content for breadcrumbs to function. For example, Wild:PC/TacoNinja/Foo will not have breadcrumbs until the Wild:PC page has content.

World


Basic Premise

"Anything breeds with anything."
You name the race, it exists as a sentient species on the world. Cross-breeds are also everywhere, and anthropomorphic versions of most anything are common. There are even enclaves (some relatively peaceful) of sentient undead, naturalized elementals and the like, though these are often small.

Deities

Media:LgDeities2.pdf

This setting will use the Greyhawk deities. Basically, any deities from this document or from any of the non-campaign-specific WotC books (such as these added in "Libris Mortis").

Due to the nature of the setting, few deities have maintained a purely one-race base of worship -- since few people are pure-blooded anything. Consider any racial deities to be general deities with a favoring towards those with that racial heritage.

Geography

The known world is an archipelago. There are uncountable islands close and far apart covering the seas of differing sizes. The coasts of the islands are where the population tends to persist. As one gets farther from the coasts, the interior of the islands rapidly become more feral and wild. The interior of larger islands is lethal enough that even druids have difficulty surviving there.

This provides some boons, however. Nature regrows quickly. This allows for the rapid replenishment of wood resources (which is quite the blessing to the shipbuilders.) Wild food also is plentiful, though expensive: those who press their luck hunting food in the feral wilds do not have long lives. All resources, other than wood are recycled as much as possible, especially stone, metal and the like because they last longer than wood and are hard to harvest.

The same is also true in the other direction. The farther one goes to see away from a coast, the larger, wilder and more aggressive the sea life become; the waves themselves become angrier. This makes for most sea travel to take the safer round-about path from island to island rather than the direct route that would cross the wild seas.

Because of the plentiful natural resources from coastal interiors, and the need for the populous to be concentrated at the coasts, many of the larger islands are very urbanized along their coastlines. The urbanization, however, is usually rather slum-like. Not all islands are urbanized. Some do remain rural, and there are plenty that are not yet colonized by the known intelligent species.

The climates of the world do not follow the normal earth standard for a warm wet equator and a cold dry polar region. Climates also can change as is common for a fantasy world. One island can be a desert island, with the next one in the local group being a jungle. The cardinal directions are known and steady, and used for navigation.

As part of character creation, each player helps with world building by creating an island for the game world.

Culture

Each island essentially has its own culture. Nearly all islands stand on their own. Few political structures span beyond one (or several very close) islands.

Many people keep private gardens (though, usually, small because of urbanization) to supplement their food. This is an arduous task, however (weeds grow at an amazing pace, of course). The vast majority of the food in the world is provided by governing structures. Secular governments organize their people (the more, the better) to maintain fields and to form hunting, foraging and fishing parties that are large enough to maintain a modicum of safety. Religious governments do much of the same, but also maintain a large body of clergy for the purposes of magically sustaining their people.

In either case, the people often find themselves entirely beholden to the ruling structure under which they live. It should be noted that the formal governing structure of an area may not actually be the one that takes care of the people and earns their respect. Even evil societies tend to operate generally in a similar way. Chaotic societies are rarely are capable of sustaining themselves on larger islands, but there are plenty of smaller ones that lead a less rigid way of life.

The larger, more populous and urbanized islands generally are those with stronger religious orders. More divinely-conjured food is needed, so the clerical caste grows. This, in turn, creates an increased supply of healing, which helps to keep a healthier population that itself grows more.

Because of the necessity of large power structures on most islands, many become monocultures.

The Planes

According to general knowledge, there is nothing special about the planar arrangement of this plane compared to the others. It is just another crystal shard in the infinite prime material plane. The standard Planescape-style cosmology is used.

There are some known issues with planar connectivity, though. Scholars don't agree as to the cause, but some most spells involving planar links tend to be weakened slightly. Extraplanar summoning spells, for example, take longer than normal for their effects to happen. Deity-contacting divinations have delayed effects (ie, the answers may come in your sleep a day later). (See Alterations for how these changes happen mechanically.)

Temporary Nature of Objects

All objects in the world are temporary. Everything decays and deteriorates at a faster rate in this world than elsewhere. Writings (especially maps and sea charts), for example, fade and disappear within a generation, often faster. It takes a lot of constant effort to maintain and preserve decent libraries of any size. Buildings crumble and erode in centuries rather than millennia. This keeps life hard for everyone, but especially brutal to the laborers of the world. As mentioned in the geography section, this is more prevalent the farther one is from the cost. The longest-lasting, oldest structures are at the coasts. Shanty towns closest to the interior of the islands need to be repaired continually and weeding is a daily task as nature struggles to reclaim the land.

Of particular note, most magically-imbued items lose their potency as soon as their creator dies. The life essence of the creator of the item is intrinsically entwined with the item itself. Even magic items meant to be temporary (such as potions and scrolls) lose their enchantment once their creator dies. It should be obvious that this makes your source of magic enchantments an important decision. There' also an added inherent risk with acquiring magic items from others, and it also intrinsically makes you want to keep your favorite enchanter alive. Targeting well-known magic item enchanters is a common tactic for islands waging war with one another. See Rules.

Transmutation

There is a weird occurrence that sometimes happens: things sometimes transmute at random. Sages have no idea why, nor have they found a pattern as to when or how it happens. The only thing known is that sometimes a dog will turn into a boulder, a glass of water will turn into a glass of molten lead, or a house will suddenly turn into a mansion.

Sages categorize another phenomenon the same as spontaneous transmutations: blooms and blights. Sometimes the rapid natural cycle jumps even more than normal and entire fields will will green in a week, or almost ripe fields will whither and die overnight.

The only thing truly known about this is that this happened much more often around alchemy, which is one of the reasons the art never grew terribly strong in this world.

Technology

There are no firearms in this world. Alchemy is also of very limited use. Wood and other vegetable materials are abundant. The various special materials abound. Ships are slightly more advanced than D&D standard, though they're still not age of exploration quality, though large ships aren't too common because most ships try to stay close to land because of the wild seas. Review Sources.

Just because of the decay of everything does not mean that the world is low-tech. Knowledge can be preserved with good, strong oral traditions. There also tend to be large orders of scribes in the world continually copying all writings as rapidly as possible to keep ahead of the decay of both old and new information. Apprenticeship systems also preserve and transmit information in an immaterial way.

Characters


Reminder

Please remember to check the other pages in this category! (Sources, Rules, Alterations)

Don't forget to ask me if you might like something that is not mentioned anywhere, including custom material.

Attributes

  1. Twenty four point buy (see link at left).
  2. Then choose three attributes each to which you will add 1d4.
    • Any stat that is already greater than 14 cannot be further boosted by this roll; pick another stat.
    • You do not roll the 1d4 then choose. You say "I'm adding to Strength, Constitution and Wisdom" and then roll the 1d4 for each, in order. It's not assigned after rolling, but before.
  3. Apply racial modifiers.

Race and Class

  • If you do not understand how ECL works (base hit dice + class levels + level adjustment) works, talk to me.
  • Reminder:
    • Templates are allowed!
    • (Plain, un-templated) Humans are not.
    • Campaign-specific races (including Eberron, Forgotten Realms) are available.
  • Your character will start at ECL 4.
  • No more than 3 of this ECL can be from player classes.
  • If your race has no level adjustment or racial hit dice, one of your levels must be an NPC class level (adept, aristocrat, commoner, expert, warrior). Or, preferably, talk to me and we'll cook you up a level adjustment mutation.
  • If you want to play a race that has an initial ECL of 5 or 6, we might be able to work something out. Those above 6 are not feasible (at least until PCs die and get replaced at a higher starting level).

Fractional Bonuses

This campaign will use Fractional Bonuses. It is NOT optional. Your first level (and only first level) will have the initial +2 bonus to one or more saves. All other levels, including the first level of classes you multiclass in to (including prestige classes) will not give the +2. They will only give their fractional bonus equivalent.

Hit Dice

First hit die is maximum, as standard. Then, all further hit dice will be rolled, with rerolls as follow:
Reroll a 1 on d4 [1d3+1; 2-4], d6 [1d5+1; 2-6].
Reroll 1-2 on d8 [1d6+2; 3-8], d10 [1d8+2; 3-10].
Reroll 1-3 on d12 [1d9+3; 4-12]. Reroll means "Keep rerolling until it's not too low."

Skills

  • Every character gets one free knowledge skill that is always maximum for their hit die.
  • Every character gets one free craft or profession skill that is always maximum for their hit die.

Equipment

Equipment will be half way between the DMG's NPC value and PC's value for that ECL. This is 4350 GP for an ECL 4 character. No starting equipment may be crafted according to magic item creation feats, though you may save the money to craft it in game. As much or as little of this may be spent on any one item. SRD-only magic items.

Background

As part of your background, I want you to help participate in world building. I want you to create an island your character is from. Put as much effort into it as you want to, but please give me a base couple paragraphs to work with. Basic geography of the island? Political and religious structures? People or other entities of note?

You may use Randy's questionnaire should you find yourself at a lack of direction.

Hook

Include in your blurb why your character is on a small, wealthy xenophobic island that largely worships Dalt, during Dalt's holy season. Why are you staying alone in a swank inn?

The island is one of the more deforested ones, mostly because of how small it is. The entire island, named Great Fortress, is ringed by a modest wall. There is a rigorous customs process at all ports of entry. The island is mostly populated by half-humans but is ruled by an elitist pure-blooded human noble class, and there are constant class struggles fomented by outside influences as well as sects of the church of Dalt itself. The island's primary economy is banking, trade, and being a neutral, secure port of call. The clergy provides about half of the food sources on the island.

Misc

  • No evil alignments.
  • Please select a deity, or have a really good reason not to have one.
  • You may be aged.

Leveling

Remember Action Points and Daryl Points (Rules). LA buyoff will not be used, since everyone will start at the same ECL and will have an LA. (LA buyoff is intended for characters starting at low level with an LA in a group that generally doesn't have one.)

XP

You will gain only half XP for a missed session, instead of full. (I previously awarded none.) You miss out on other rewards already. Full XP to keep the party together.

Rules


Alterations

For a list of what has been altered from as it was printed, see Alterations. This page is more general. The alterations page refers to more specific changes.

Raising Stats

Contrary to the RAW, you do get retroactive skill points if your intelligence modifier changes as you level up and gain stat bumps. Constitution's bonus to HP is applied retroactively; it's silly that INT's isn't, other than they didn't want to introduce complexity with back calculating. However, since the modified skill system doesn't have cross-class skills, we don't need to worry about it.

If your INT mod goes up, you gain (3 + HD) new skill points (because of the x4 at first level).

Action Points

I am initially using the action point system. I will remove it if I find it too overwhelming for the game, but I do not find that likely. Some foes and encounters will have action points as well.

The Eberron trimming of Action Points will be the one used: your options are +d6, activate class feature (costs 2; not limited to list in the book), or stabilize. The SRD version is too potent (Emulate Feat, much?)

Daryl Points

Please read Daryl Points, and alternate, customizable extra reward system I will be using.

Monster Powers

Minion
A minion is minimum possible HP for what it is. The first hit die is still maximum, and constitution, feat and other bonuses still apply. However, all HD beyond the first are only 1. A minion that has only 1 hit die only gets 1 hit point for that hit die. If necessary, I tweak other abilities (usually by adjusting the ability scores relevant to saving throws).
Normal
My normal monsters tend to have slightly higher HP than printed. This is because I max their first hit die and do slightly more than half rolls for all the other hit dice ("rerolls"). Sometimes I do randomize their hit points in advance. I usually write the range of possible hit points (min to max, with the "average") and adjust it on the fly according to the challenge it is providing.
Leaders, specials, "bosses", "megas" etc.
These tend to be customized with powers more than just saying "max or double HP". There's no formula!

Fear

Running away from combat and doing nothing all encounter isn't fun. As such: Fear effects beyond shaken are saved against every round (cf., Hold Person). Each round, you get a cumulative +1 to your new saving throw. On a passed saving throw, your condition will reduced by one. Panicked will become frightened, frightened will become cowered, and cowered will become shaken. (Note that this implements the condition "cowered" much more than in the standard implementation of the rules.) As long as you are beyond shaken, you continue to make saves each round. Once the duration of the original source of the fear ends, all conditions of fear (including those reduced to shaken) end.

I may convert some abilities to cause cowering instead of frightened or panicked, as they come up. These will be documented in the alterations page.

Instant Death

Dying suddenly as a result of a bad saving throw usually isn't that fun. As such: As they arise, some instant death abilities (such as the spell Slay Living) may be converted to "-8 and unstable" or "unconscious for a while" instead of dead-dead. These will be documented in the alterations page.

Death and Return

You do not actually lose a level when you are killed and brought back to life. Instead, you suffer a negative level until you work it off. These negative levels, of course, are not removed by Restoration. This should be easier than revising a character sheet whenever you die.

Counting

(This is a clarification, not a change. I ask everyone to please give this this [correct] system a fair try for a while before discounting it. If you truly, after a using it, prefer to count down your hit points, then revert to it later.)

As I have always done, and as explained in the Main D&D 3.5 FAQ, page 12 (06302008 version), refreshable resources consumed tally up -- they are not subtracted from their maximum. This includes abilities that have a number of times per day limit (turning, ki, lay on hands) as well as your hit point total. It is a subtle nuance, but it does matter.

You have 100 HP. As you take damage, your HP remains the same -- you track up the damage you take. When the amount of damage you have taken equals your hit points, you're "at zero [remaining hit points]". You can exceed your HP by 10 before you actually die.

Using the rules like this solves many problems elegantly. For one, there's always the weird question of healing someone when they are negative. Does "zero" count as a ticker stop to be healed beyond? (Fortunately, I don't think anyone in our group, even Randy, is mathematically challenged enough to have this problem) People vary on that answer, but if you don't "count down" hit points, it becomes irrelevant -- healing removes damage. Your hit points have never changed. This also very well clarifies CON changes (such as raging, bear's endurance and poison). These effects that change your CON do actually change your hit points -- but they do not change your damage taken.

Here is a perfect example of a situation simplified by counting your damage up, rather than your HP down: The aforementioned barbarian rages (for simplicity, we'll say he's 10HD and normally has no CON), raising his HP to 120. These are not temporary hit points. He continues to take damage, and ends the combat with 115 points of accumulated damage. If he does not heal before his rage ends, he will certainly die. There is no question of it. Many players fudge the numbers (inadvertently, most of the time) when their rage ends, resulting in damage disappearing.

Also in play, this simplifies CON loss calculations -- you don't have to stop and think during combat, "I'm 8 HD, and I just lost +2 CON to poison, so I lose 16 HP". Then, after combat, the cleric heals everyone "to full" and you have to spend time to recalculate your full HP total again. This speeds play by reducing redundancy, while also removing the risk that someone "heals to full" through the poison.

More examples in the FAQ.

BTW, don't be silly: GP, AP, DP don't do this.

Item Decay


When magic items are created, their creator puts a little of his own life essence into it, intrinsically linking them together. When the it dies, a spirit collects its fragmented pieces together back into one whole after it has departed into the planes. This means that enchanted items lose their potency over time.

When the creator dies, nothing happens to the items bound to him for one 1d4 weeks, while his soul searches the planes and petitions its gods. After this month has passed, the items start to decay at a rate that depends on the type of item. Highest value modifiers decay first. Special materials ("mithral") and mundane enhancements ("masterwork", "quick release") do not decay. Well, mundane objects like that do decay, but not at a rate within the scope of a standard campaign and, even then, regular maintenance prolongs their life further. Decay rates occur at the following time scales and as follow:

Chart

What Time How
Arms & Armor months Pluses first, then 5,000 GP increments
Rod years caster level
Staff weeks charge
Wand days charge
Wonderous (consumable) weeks charge (or caster level)
Wonderous (permanent) months caster level
Ring years caster level
Scroll days caster level
Potion days caster level
Construct† decades hit die
Undead† years hit die
Animated Objects† months hit die
Permanent spells† spell level caster level

†Sometimes, creatures do manage to break free of their owner's bond and continue to exist independently. Occasionally they'll awaken similar to the druid spell. It is also possible for a spell to take a life of its own once the bond is broken. This is one way in which a living spell comes into being.

  • Any given plus or GP equivalent property will function until a number of intervals pass to consume it entirely.
  • Charged items lose one charges directly; it is not actually released as if cast.
  • Items that lose caster level do not cease functioning until they no longer have a caster level, though any variables that depend on caster level are altered. Scrolls and potions also do not quit working until they reach caster level zero. This allows for a 9th level spell with caster level 1 to be found on a scroll. They must still be made at the minimum caster level, however.
  • Creatures lose hit dice, which lowers their hit points, base attack and saves, caster level, and any abilities that depend on hit dice. They do not lose skills, feats, or change in size. They "die" once they reach 0 hit dice.
  • Spells made permanent decay by caster level (with variable effects that depend on caster level updating appropriately) Spells made permanent on the caster himself end immediately. Their rate is as follows:
Spell Level Time
0th-2nd day
3rd-5th week
6-7th month
8th year
9th decade

Example

For example, some spellcaster made fire resistant +1 light fortification ghost touch mithral breast plate, and later meets an unfortunate end. The enchantments on it are +1, light fortification (+1 equivalent), ghost touch (+3 equivalent), fire resistance (18,000 GP). Mithral, a special material, is not an enchantment. Armor's decay rate is in months, and it loses pluses first, then GP values. After 1d4 weeks have passed, it will start to decay and lose properties month by month. The first property the item will lose is ghost touch. It takes three months for this property to decay. It then loses light fortification next month, and the +1 the following. After 5 months, it is now simply a fire resistant mithral breast plate. The fire resistance takes 4 months to decay -- 18,000 ÷ 5,000 = 3.6.

Details

Any crafter who dies and returns to life is immediately rebound to any items that were previously bound to him and are not yet rebound to another. Any partially-decayed properties immediately return to full power, but those that had decayed completely are lost permanently (though nothing prevents them from being re-enchanted).

You can tell the state of an enchanted item by casting detect magic'. It is immediately possible to notice if the item's crafter is alive or not. (An item whose crafter has perished appears to detect magic to have blurred, imprecise edges and shapes.) A spellcraft check (DC 25) reveals to you more precisely (such as via a "percent decayed") the state of the decay, and may help to indicate the relative power of the item. An identify spell is still required to know the full properties and exact number of charges in an item.

If something interferes with the free movement of the crafter's spirit, such as his being killed by a thinuan dagger, the results of magic item decay can become unpredictable.

Rebinding

An unbound magic item that has not completely decayed may be rebound to a new soul. This process involves expending some of the new owner's life essence to replace that originally in the item. This is a ritual that requires costly materials, and the expenditure of XP. To perform the ritual, you must have any item crafting feat (not necessarily the one required originally to create the item; excludes scribe scroll), and to have a caster level high enough to create the item in question. You may substitute a casting of the spell permanency in place of an item crafting feat, and doing so does not alter the process in any other way. You do not need to know any of the spells related to the crafting process. The item needs to be identified before you can attempt to rebind it.

You lose XP equal to the amount originally needed to create the item (or to permanency it). For a charged item, this value is prorated to the current number of charges; for a potion or scroll, this value is prorated to the current caster level. The ritual consumes components in GP equal to the number of XP lost in this way. The ritual itself takes one hour to perform, during which time you touch that to which you are rebinding. If you are rebinding a creature, you must stay adjacent to that creature for the entire ritual, though you need only touch it twice -- once at the beginning, and another at the end. Interrupting the ritual has does nothing other than forcing it to be started over again. The XP and GP are not consumed until the end.

For creatures that do not have an established cost, assume it is 50 XP per HD plus 50 XP per CR.

Unless the person the item is currently bound to actually dies, there are no known ways to rebind an item.

Effects of Rebinding
  • Except as otherwise noted, all rebound items are immediately restored to full power, and decay stops.
  • Any properties on an item that decayed fully before it is rebound are gone permanently.
  • A creature is rebound exactly as you claimed it -- it does not regain lost hit dice.
  • Charged items retain the number of charges they were rebound with; they do not refill.
  • Potions and scrolls retain their reduced caster level; they do not recharge.
  • A permanent spell claimed functions exactly as it did when it was first created.

Skills


Intro

Randy and I have wanted to do this for some time, and we though that with the next campaign starting it would be a good time. If this majorly fucks things up, I will gladly axe it and have everyone reassign skills freely. Most classes got too few skill points, and class skill lists become far too much a restriction to creativity. However, even by adding more skill points and eliminating class skill lists, the skill list was too big. So many skills combine obviously, and revisions (SW Saga Edition, Pathfinder, Fourth Edition) provide a good example for this. Randy and I have discussed the table below and agree† it is a good skills list as a base.

†Disagreements: I wanted to merge heal and sense motive ("Empathy"). I also wanted to add the "Monster Lore" knowledge skill that only identified monsters (but monsters of all types; and did not help the archivist).

Revision: Packages

This wasn't working out quite as intended. Because of the nature of stacking, with things from various sourcebooks allowed, total skill bonuses quickly became very high. The intention for this revision was to allow characters "more skills" but without simply increasing skill points such that a character would lose direction.

To fix this, a few changes have been made. Firstly, each skill is back to "being its own". You actually roll a "spot check", a "diplomacy check", or a ", and any modifiers from spells, races, et cetera are normal as written from their source. This supersedes what was previously written below (stricked).

However, when buying skills with skill points, you still buy them from the new "merged" chart. In essence, you buy ranks in packages (usually of two related skills). So when you level up, you buy a "Notice" or a "Stealth" rank. This rank counts as your base for both skills. The relevant ability score, if changed here, applies.

This change is much, much easier and simpler than trying to figure out values for everything printed out there in all the sources allowed. The halfling is no longer a "stealth monster" getting size bonus and racial bonus to Stealth (for a total of +6 which was just a little too much; rules as written in SRD: +4 size bonus to hide, +2 racial bonus to move silently). But someone who *trains* up the "Stealth" package will get better at both in parallel, but modifiers will continue to track separately: he'd still need armor that is both oiled and blacked. That would be a Herculean task. I (we, actually) underestimated how much non-core sources would matter.

Basically, use everything as printed in the books, unless otherwise mentioned here.

Skill List

Normal Skills
Name Components
Acrobatics Balance, Tumble
Anatomy Heal, Control Shape [Lycanthropy]
Animals Handle Animal, Ride
Athletics Climb, Jump, Swim
Concentration Autohypnosis, Concentration
Craft Craft
Deception Bluff, Disguise
Influence Diplomacy, Intimidate
Inspect Appraise, Search
Legerdemain Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand
Linguistics Decipher Script, Forgery
Mechanics Disable Device, Open Locks
Notice Listen, Spot
Perform Perform
Profession Profession
Streetwise Gather Information, Sense Motive
Spellcraft Spellcraft (Psicraft)
Stealth Hide, Move Silently
Survival Survival, Use Rope
Use Magic Device Use Magic Device (Use Psionic Device)


Knowledge Skills (all intelligence)
  • Arcana (includes Psionics)
  • Architecture & engineering
  • Dungeoneering
  • Geography
  • History
  • Local
  • Nature
  • Nobility & royalty
  • Planes
  • Religion
  • Tactics
Special Skills (no relevant ability)
  • Initiative
  • Speak Language
Special Skills (with relevant ability)
  • Truespeak (Int)

Details

  • There are no skill synergies. Skill synergies were a hack in the SRD rules because of the realization of the similarities and overlap between so many skills.
  • There are no class or cross-class skills. All skills are usable untrained.
  • This system lets us use a more broad definition of skills, and thus lets us more easily pick a skill for an ad hoc action and expect someone might have the skill in question.
Acrobatics Tumble
The use of "Tumble" to avoid an AoO while moving is an opposed roll, against the same special sense motive that a bluff to deny armor class would be.
To tumble up from prone to standing requires an opposed roll with a -20 penalty against threatening opponents Sense Motive plus BAB. Failure indicates that the character stands, but provokes all normal AoOs while doing so. Alternatively, a character may attempt to stand from prone as a free action at DC 35.
Concentration Autohypnosis Memorize
BOLDED parts are yet subject to debate and change.
Autohypnosis memorize has some problems with the rules as written. Flavorwise, it's meant to represent immediate photographic memory (by consuming no action). However, the rules do not agree with this. Additionally, it having no reasonable limit just isn't right. The below fixes these two problems.
RAW has no maximum listed for the number of items memorized with this. It is now limited to half your intelligence score (not modifier) items. A character of average intelligence can memorize up to 5 images (one image can be a single page of text). (Autohypnosis rolls still use Wisdom modifier.)
Additionally, RAW lets you reroll to memorize without penalty (ie, take 20). Since the DC is only 15, this means anyone can easily memorize anything. This is being changed. Each time you attempt to memorize something that you previously failed to memorize that day, the DC increases cumulatively by +5. The cumulative penalty resets each new day.
To counteract this slightly, there is no longer a roll necessary to recall the information that has been memorized.
Initiative
Every two skill points spent on initiative you an increase to your initiative "rank". During your initiative roll, in addition to your standard 1d20 + DEX, you add another 1dQ, where Q is the number of "ranks" you bought of initiative. If you've put 10 skill points into initiative (10 "ranks"), you would add an extra 1d5 to your initiative roll. The die added stops at a 1d12. After 1d12, further "ranks" add a second die that starts over and buys up similarly. At 15 "ranks" (costing thirty skill points), you would roll 1d20 + DEX + 1d12 + 1d3 for your initiative (12 + 3 = 15).
In this system, the Improved Initiative feat is altered. It no longer gives a +4 bonus to initiative rolls. It instead allows you to buy "ranks" at an even 1:1 ratio instead of 2:1. Other feats and abilities that add to your initiative work normally.
"Ranks" in increased initiative are still capped as a normal skill (hit dice + 3).
Knowledge (Tactics)
Known uses can be based from Arcanis' Examine Martial Technique, d20 Modern, and http://www.hecate.ca/union/2006/01/31/35-skill-knowledge-tactics-int/ https://web.archive.org/web/20151005101000/http://www.hecate.ca/union/2006/01/31/35-skill-knowledge-tactics-int/. Specific known uses: identify an aura from a marshal, know a military rank, recognize defensive structure's purpose.
Approved uses: "size up" an opponent to get a hint at class [features]. Determine feats used in action. Set an ambush between two mutually-aware but not engaged parties.
Speak Language
Works as before: two skill points buys a language, unless "speak language" was previously a class skill, in which case one skill point buys a language. Consider it a class feature of classes formerly having Speak Language as a class skill, if you must.

Notes

Even though all skills are usable untrained, check DCs for some of the things you can do with it might be adjusted up if you're untrained. In particular, recognizing monsters (Knowledge: X) and spells (Spellcraft) are likely to impose a higher DC for those who are untrained. Randy and I both also believe in circumstantially modifiers.

Additionally, some rarer monsters might be harder to recognize, or spells that tend to be used only by a certain hedge cult at the edge of nowhere might not be understood as fully. Check DCs can change for other conditions (by means of "circumstance bonuses/penalties").

Stricken

This subsection is deprecated, but preserved for history. Either they are no longer relevant to the revision, or they are what the revision fixed.

  • With merged skills, all uses of the component skills are part of the new skill.
  • This allows armor check penalties to be applied by the use. While most uses of Acrobatics, Athletics or Stealth will still require an armor check penalty, there may be others that do not. For example, an armor check penalty applies when using Animals to mount quickly, but not to guide a mount or train a beast.
  • For prerequisites (for feats and prestige classes), just use the new skill.
  • If something (such as a race) would give a bonus two two skills that have been merged, the merged skill gets it once, and at the greatest value. For example, if a race were to give +2 to move silently and +4 to hide, it would instead give +4 to stealth.
  • Spells (such as Jump) and magic items only add to their original uses of the skills.

Other Changes Due To This One

Definition: Skill Feat

Skill feats include: +2/+2 to two skills, Skill Focus, Able Learner, Jack of All Trades, Skill Knowledge, Open Minded, Combat Casting

Classes

Human Paragon (UA SRD)
Adaptive Learning (Ex) At 1st level, a human paragon can designate any one of his skills (not packages) as an adaptive skill. He gets a +2 racial bonus to all checks involving this skill.

Feats

Able Learner (Races of Destiny; prerequisite for Chameleon)
Feat as written: Cross-class skills don't cost double. Still have maximum limit halved.
Benefit:  ?
Special: When this feat is a prerequisite, you may substitute two skill feats in its place.
This is a proposal. It has not been accepted by others.
Combat Casting (SRD)
Feat as written: +4 to concentration checks when casting defensively
Special: When this feat is a prerequisite, you may substitute Skill Focus (Concentration) in place of it.
This feat does not otherwise change.
Jack of All Trades (Divine SRD)
Feat as written: Can use all skills untrained, even those that normally can't be.
Benefit:  ?
Special: When this feat is a prerequisite, you may substitute two skill feats in its place.
This is a proposal. It has not been accepted by others.
Open Minded (Psionic SRD)
Feat as written: You gain 5 skill points.
Special: When this feat is a prerequisite, you may substitute two skill feats in its place.
This feat does not otherwise change.
This is a proposal. It has not been accepted by others.
Skill Knowledge (UA SRD)
Feat as written: Choose two skills always to be class skills.
Benefit:  ?
Special: When this feat is a prerequisite, you may substitute two skill feats in its place.
This is a proposal. It has not been accepted by others.

Aid Another

When attempting to aid another, a check of 10 gives a +2 bonus as normal. A check result of 15 gives a +3, a 20 gives +4, and so on.

Piggybacking

http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/13185/roleplaying-games/untested-d20-piggybacking

Skill Checks

Rich Burlew's alternate skill uses are still in use: http://www.giantitp.com/Func0019.html. All skills can be used this way, not just knowledge skills. Roleplaying/rationalization how it came to be is required ("I use my Knowledge (Geography) skill to survey the field for faint differences in elevation to give myself a bonus to my next attack roll when the bad guy steps into a rut."). They're limited to once per skill per session. Main enemies can use this, too. (Minions in general will not be able to do this.)

Using a skill check to buff a roll is a generally a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Misc

[RichBerlew]'s rules are mostly all open options to choose from, with the exception of the polymorph discussion.

Now at: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?172910-Articles-Previously-Appearing-on-GiantITP-com

Daryl Points


As another alternate means of reward and diversification, the Daryl Point system discussed below is layered on top of the standard D&D system. Every character starts with (ECL) DP and will get 1 DP per level up. I do intend to give the occasional DP as a reward in addition to or in lieu of standard progression. As you acquire certain things with DPs, the costs of acquiring more in that same category may increase.

This system replaces my former Daryl Feat bonuses at levels 2/5/10/etc, but effectively serves the same purpose (hopefully): to diversify characters.

The DP and its bonuses happen *after* all other level up actions. Be cautious of this for prestige class and other prerequisites. Also, the DP gained per level is contingent on your character being up-to-date on the wiki.

Other uses might be able to be negotiated, and will be added as the campaign progresses.

Game Session

  • Spend a DP as an action point.
  • "Throw me a bone." Some plot twist... I retain veto power for this and ask you not to abuse it!
  • Heal. Cast the spell from the Healing domain as a cleric of your ECL or lower, your choice. Spending one DP at level 9, could get you a Cure Critical Wounds or Mass Cure Light Wounds.
  • These may be spent from DP you do not currently have but will gain in the future. Your next gained DPs are immediately spent to repay these.
    • A single DP can be used for a reincarnation, raise dead, or comparable spell (in lieu of a gold cost). An PC/NPC caster must still be found.
    • A DP point may be used to remove a negative level, such as that caused by a raise dead.

Proficiencies

Of course, you may still acquire proficiencies normally (from classes/multiclassing and taking feats).

  • One point
    • All simple weapons
    • Single martial weapon
    • Light armor
  • Two points
    • All martial weapons (requires all simple)
    • Medium armor (requires light armor)
    • Heavy armor (requires medium armor)
    • Shields
    • Tower Shields (requires shield proficiency)
  • Three points
    • Exotic Weapon
    • Exotic Armor (requires heavy armor proficiency)

For example, a commoner (starts starts the game with one simple weapon proficiency) could learn all martial weapon proficiencies by spending 3 DPs. The first DP to acquire all simple weapons, and then two more to acquire all martial weapons.

Basic

  • Each DP may be turned in for 1 extra hit point.
  • Each DP may be turned in for 2 skill points.

Effectively, if you spend your DPs no other place and never acquire more other than leveling up, you can either get 1 extra HP per level or an extra two skill points per level.

Feats

Each feat has a point value to acquire it. For each feat you take from DPs, future feats cost 1 more. If you were to spend all your DPs on low-power feats, and only got DPs from leveling up, you would get a feat at 2, 5, 9, 14, 20. Instead, buying extra normal feats in the same conditions would occur at levels 5, 11, 18, with the first two, not coincidentally being dead levels for many classes.

Two Points

  • A Skill Pair feat
  • Skill Focus
  • Combat Casting
  • Improved Initiative
  • Language Learner
  • Endurance
  • Run
  • Dash (CW)
  • Brachiation (CV)
  • Mounted Combat
  • Toughness
  • Open Minded (CV)

Notice that spending your first 9 DPs for 3 copies of toughness gives you the same number of HP as spending them directly on HP as above. 9 DPs for three copies of Open Minded gives you 15 bonus skill points, where as buying skill points directly instead gives you 18 (which is comparable).

Five Points

All feats not otherwise categorized.

Money

Each DP may be turned in to get 250 GP per ECL.

Alterations


General

Prerequisites
I'm generally not keen on racial requirements for things, and that's even stronger for this setting. Other prerequisites (such as alignment) might be waived if requested.
Ask me!
Really!

Races

Alignment
Fixed alignments for races are essentially abolished (including most intelligent undead). General trends for alignments may still apply.
Kobolds
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a (adds natural weapons, slight build, proficiencies)

Classes

Dread Necromancer
Add Gentle Repose as a first level spell.
Fighter
A fighter may choose to have a strong reflex save instead of fortitude.
A fighter gets one extra skill point per level that must be placed into a craft or profession skill.
Shaman (OA)
Dragon Magazine 318's OA 3.5 update gives the Shaman an improved progression to unarmed strikes and bonus "monk" feats.
The 3.0 wording of animal companion on Druid and Shaman are identical. Shaman counts as a druid of the same level for an animal companion.
The monk and the druid both have armor restrictions, while the shaman does not (other than only having proficiency with light armor). A shaman has to adhere to druid armor restrictions (losing any spell-like or supernatural abilities, including spellcasting, if he breaks this), and loses his unarmed strike and monk feats if he ever wears armor higher than light armor.
Sorcerer
A sorcerer receives one of the following feats as a bonus feat at second level: Eschew Materials, Arcane Disciple, or the first feat in any of the "Bloodline/Heritage" paths (draconic, celestial, fey, aberration, etc).

Prestige Classes

Shadow Thief of Amn (PGtF)
Prerequisites: Amn is not required. Any thieves guild membership is acceptable. Any Skill Focus or Skill Pair feat in the applicable skills replaces Persuasive.
Reputation (Ex): This becomes a bonus to the Influence skill.

Class Features

Familiar
A familiar does not cost money to obtain.
Turn or Rebuke Undead
This class feature has not been changed but is on the short list of those that my be changed at any time.

Skills

Everything
Skills are greatly changed. Read the Rules.
Craft (X)
change: This step "4. Make an appropriate Craft check representing one week’s work" is changed to "...one day's work

Feats

Skill Pair
Any two skills, if paired by a creative name, can be combined for a +2 to each skill feat (similar to Alertness, Diligent or Stealthy). I'll just call these Skill Pair Feats generically
Dodge
Dodge no longer requires you to declare who it is against. It applies equally to all foes when the normal doge feat would.
Reserve Feats
All reserve feats are spell-like abilities (ie, provoke AoO). Saving throws are added to those lacking one.
Combat Casting
This feat is largely deprecated and where it's a prerequisite, Skill Focus (Concentration) can be substituted.
Improved Initiative
This feat is rewritten by the skill system. See Skills above.

Spells

Immediate Actions
There will be no "immediate action" spells. Any spell that is currently an immediate action will be made a swift action. If this constitutes the spell becoming of no use, so be it. Yes, I'm aware of how this affects Delay Death -- that is intentional. I dislike that spell more than any other. (Delay death might still disappear entirely.)
Exception: Feather Fall retains its immediate action status.
Conjuration (Calling) and Conjuration (Summoning) spells
These spells have their casting time reduced by one category, to a minimum of 1 standard action (Summon Monster, for example, is no longer 1 round but is instead 1 standard action). Their durations are increased by one category (1 round/level becomes 1 minute/level). The caveat to this is that their arrival is delayed by 1d4 rounds. Spell Focus (Conjuration) and Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration) each reduce the arrival time by 1, to a minimum of 1 round (meaning they'll arrive on your turn the next round). Silly people, there's nothing to dispel until it takes place.
Summon Swarm
This spell does not require concentration until the swarm arrives. As above, duration is concentration + 2 minutes. Add (D) to the end of the duration.
Divination spells
Any divination that mentions drawing upon divine power or contact with a deity may have its answer delayed 1d4 minutes to hours, depending on the spell. Costly material components for these spells are eliminated. Spell Focus (Divination) and Greater Spell Focus (Divination) reduce the time delay if you remind me you have it.

Items

Magic Arms & Armor

I do not require weapons/armor be +1 before special properties are added.

Sundark Goggles (RotD)

These negate low-light vision and darkvision while worn. It takes an action to put them on/take them off.

Badge of Valor (MIC)

Allowed. Standard change of immediate action activation to swift action activation.

Miscellanea

Books

Custom


Special Notes

Some species, such as elf and (especially) dwarf traits are "genetically strong". They usually are more dominant over other races that might be present in a species. Their traits show more strongly as generations go by, and they take longer to "breed out". This simultaneously explains why there are so many noticed "crossbreeds" of these races with other things, as well as allowing for there to be a "dwarven" and "elven" sense of community.

Race and Creatures

Used

Unused

Sources


General

  1. Do not be afraid to ask: I like to consider myself open to ideas. This means even things I already have listed as not available, you might be able to argue for.
    1. Please ask me with everything you take: don't assume anything. Even if it only serves to help keep me informed as to the choices you make for your character, please keep that communication going.
  2. I'm usually willing to create something if you have an idea and cannot realize it. This includes races, classes, feats, spells and pretty much anything.
  3. Anything may be reworked or revoked if it is found by me or players to be problematic. Please do not take it personally if this happens to you.
  4. Non-WotC sources are generally not considered available unless otherwise specified. Of course, you may ask for them. That doesn't mean I will allow it.
  5. Setting-specific things might otherwise be restricted more than more general things. I tend not to have read them yet, so I might not be able to give you an answer right away.
  6. See Rules and Alterations for more general house rules and changes to existing things, respectively.
  7. Custom written things for this campaign.

Races

  1. Generally all WotC races and templates are allowed. I may play with the level adjustment, base hit dice, and abilities it has if I deem it necessary.
  2. Humans are not available as a PC race.
  3. Warforged is NOT allowed (at least initially).
  4. I will take an extra close look at any race that is not of the humanoid or monsterous humanoid type. Many of the other types have rules attached to them I may not want to include.
  5. Any 3.0 sources may need revision for 3.5. This includes races in Oriental Adventures.
  6. Due to the World, I will tend to be writing up a lot in this category myself.
  7. "Ask."

Classes

  1. All base classes from WotC sources can be considered except those noted below.
  2. Most variants will be be available, including those not yet written.
  3. The Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords will not be used in this campaign.
  4. Any 3.0 sources may need revision for 3.5. This includes classes in Oriental Adventures and the 3.0 class splat books.
  5. I am not ready to "full" psionics at this time. "Medium" to "light" psionics is available.
    1. Allowed: Soulknife, Psychic Warrior
    2. Banned: Psion, Wilder
    3. If you want to use from Complete Psionic, I'll evaluate it individually.
  6. "Ask."

Feats

  1. Generally open.
  2. This category is generally easy to allow and then fix later if it's a problem.
  3. I have not yet made a decision regarding the following feats for this campaign:
    1. Leadership and related.
    2. Vow of Poverty
    3. Landlord
  4. "Ask."

Spells

  1. The only readily available spells will be from the following sources:
    1. Player's Handbook/SRD
    2. Spell Compendium
    3. Player's Handbook 2
  2. This category is generally easy to allow and then fix later if it's a problem. However, because of the complexity of looking up spells from various sources, it is unlikely I will allow many spells outside of these sources unless it is critical to the class selected.
  3. For psionics, only SRD powers will be available.
  4. Psionics will be transparent to magic.
  5. Shadow Magic is also transparent to normal magic, contrary to how it is described in Tome of Magic.
  6. "Ask."
  7. Banned: Amanuensis SpC.
  8. Allowed: Bestow Wounds HoH.

Items

  1. Do not consider Magic Item Compendium open. Some things will be allowed, but the vast majority will not be.
  2. Arms and Equipment guide will be used.
  3. Base equipment from various sources (exotic weapons from Complete Warrior and racial weapons from the Races of books) will generally be available.
  4. Most special materials will be available.
  5. Many weird alchemical items will be greatly increased in cost, if they even exist at all (tanglefoot bags and thunderstones, for example). This is largely due to personal bias against them.
  6. This category is generally easy to allow and then fix later if it's a problem.
  7. Clarification: Vest of Resistance (MIC) is costlier than a Cloak of Resistance (SRD), despite what the MIC might want you to believe about the chest slot. Standard 50% costlier slot change is relevant.
  8. "Ask."

Miscellanea

  1. No skill tricks (Complete Scoundrel).
  2. No 'taint' (Heroes of Horror).
  3. "Ask."

Books

  1. WotC generally disallowed:
    1. Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords
    2. Complete Champion will be heavily scrutinized.
  2. Non-WotC generally allowed:
    1. Player's Guide to Arcanis (classes, feats)
    2. Magic of Arcanis (classes, feats)
    3. Monster books are easier to allow, and I definitely will be using many of them that are not WotC.
  3. "Ask."

Requests


Randy

Please do: interesting disposable items
Please no:

Eric

Please do: Character driven plot; ✔ action points
Please no: ✔ Crazy feat-point-buy-negotiations stuff.

Mike

Please do: ✔ action points
Please no: ✔ humans

Remy

Please do: ✔ some big weird relvation with the world
Please no:

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