Topic: Whats your favorite house rule?

[arakish]

Basically, for my new world, there are no realms, there is only Power.  But there are two methods of wielding power: externally by tapping into everything around, and internally by using one's own power.

So, you do have two realms...

No.  Only one realm.  Two methods for using it, but still only ONE realm: Power.

rmfr

[Marrethiel]

Also, and I remember this last night when I was trying to go to sleep, we don't use Weapon Breakage.
Weapons don't break unless the crit indicates.

[Turbs]

1. No exhaustion points..
Though i am toying with trying the new RMU exhaustion/fatigue rules I would probably mod them so instead of a flat time limit that only when you did something strnuos or something bad happened you would have to make one.. 

I.E. use multiple attack combat action - make a fatigue roll after teh attack
Charge - make a fatigue roll after the attack
overcast a spell, make a fatigue roll after the casting. etc.

2. Modified initiative. I scrapped phases. and use a simple action point system. You get your 10 action points (directly correlates to % activity. i.e. 10% activity = 1AP) You can spend them as you wish on your turn.
BMR was divided by 10 to work how much movement you can use in a single AP. i.e. 50' / rnd BRM = 5' / AP (normal pace.. apply pace modifiers as normal)

snap actions give +2 initiative -20 to the single action
Deliberate actions give -2 initiative +20 the single action

[Spectre771]

The house rule that had the most impact for us is a simplified initiative system.  The phases are gone, and it's just initiative rolls to determine order of PC actions.   Who's to say the Mage is a little slower or was just too focused on casting the spell that the Burglar gets to take a swing at him with his short sword?  Or the Archer was trying to get the shot lined up and someone bowls into him knocking him aside?  Maybe the Archer does loose the arrow before the fighter takes a swing.  Maybe they go off at the same time. 

I can see the rationale behind the phases and why ease phase happens and for what reason, but when GMing a group of 5+ players, the ease of simplified Initiative works well for us.


One house rule we did adopt since we start all of our PCs at level 5, is that after Adolescent level 0 or Level 1, all the Temporary Stats reach  the Potential stats, and the players get their full DP's for the remaining levels of skill purchases.  The rationale being this:  The adventuring world is dangerous and difficult, that's why everyone isn't an adventurer.  Something sets you apart and makes you keen for the adventuring life.  You developed more rapidly than the "average" being, you reached your potential much sooner than the "average" being.  You are more suited to the adventuring life than that of your neighbor or parents or friends or the town mayor. 

Remember: You are unique... just like everyone else.

[yammahoper]

The house rule that had the most impact for us is a simplified initiative system.  The phases are gone, and it's just initiative rolls to determine order of PC actions.   Who's to say the Mage is a little slower or was just too focused on casting the spell that the Burglar gets to take a swing at him with his short sword?  Or the Archer was trying to get the shot lined up and someone bowls into him knocking him aside?  Maybe the Archer does loose the arrow before the fighter takes a swing.  Maybe they go off at the same time. 

I can see the rationale behind the phases and why ease phase happens and for what reason, but when GMing a group of 5+ players, the ease of simplified Initiative works well for us.


One house rule we did adopt since we start all of our PCs at level 5, is that after Adolescent level 0 or Level 1, all the Temporary Stats reach  the Potential stats, and the players get their full DP's for the remaining levels of skill purchases.  The rationale being this:  The adventuring world is dangerous and difficult, that's why everyone isn't an adventurer.  Something sets you apart and makes you keen for the adventuring life.  You developed more rapidly than the "average" being, you reached your potential much sooner than the "average" being.  You are more suited to the adventuring life than that of your neighbor or parents or friends or the town mayor. 

Remember: You are unique... just like everyone else.

I agree, however, I found a way to keep the three phases while taking your approach. 

Snap actions are resolved at init +10.  Normal actions on rolled init and Deliberate actions on init -10.  To stress Qu mod more, reduce to +5/0/-5.

The result is VH Qu mod may result in all actions being resolved by one character before another can even act, which I like.  For example, a high elf can easily have a +12 Qu mod.  Against +0 to +5 intit modes, he can easily resolves his snap/normal/deliberate actions before the +3 init foe even moves as a snap action.  Seen it happen many times.

[intothatdarkness]

We kept the phases and just used RM2's Opportunity Actions. Never had any real issues, and it moves easily into other settings.

[Spectre771]

I agree, however, I found a way to keep the three phases while taking your approach. 

Snap actions are resolved at init +10.  Normal actions on rolled init and Deliberate actions on init -10.  To stress Qu mod more, reduce to +5/0/-5.

I like that approach.  I'm going to try it out with a group of people to see how it works out.  I think the arguments will start to arise from what is considered "normal" vs. "deliberate."  We have a couple of Rule-Mongers who may try to spend time arguing, trying to convince the GM that they are right.  I'll definitely give it a shot.

[Druss_the_Legend]

Critical Threshold. This is the number on 1d00 that you need to roll - equal to or higher than -to deliver a crit. Critical Threshold is calculated by subtracting 10% of your OB from 100.

Criticals are only delivered if the attacker rolls equal to or higher than their Critical Threshold number. So if they have an OB of 100 they deliver a crit if they roll 91+. Extra hits are delivered if they hit and score a letter result on the attack table but did not roll at least as high as their Critical Threshold number. (A= +5hits, B= +10hits, C= +15hits, D = +20hits, E= +25hits).

This optional system still allows for crits but less frequently and an attackers chance of delivering a crit increases as their skill does. Its also a little friendlier on crits versus pcs, as generally less crits are rolled on them as well.

[Merkir]

Critical Threshold. This is the number on 1d00 that you need to roll - equal to or higher than -to deliver a crit. Critical Threshold is calculated by subtracting 10% of your OB from 100.

Criticals are only delivered if the attacker rolls equal to or higher than their Critical Threshold number. So if they have an OB of 100 they deliver a crit if they roll 91+. Extra hits are delivered if they hit and score a letter result on the attack table but did not roll at least as high as their Critical Threshold number. (A= +5hits, B= +10hits, C= +15hits, D = +20hits, E= +25hits).

This optional system still allows for crits but less frequently and an attackers chance of delivering a crit increases as their skill does. Its also a little friendlier on crits versus pcs, as generally less crits are rolled on them as well.

Glad this house rule works for your group, but this one wouldn't pass muster in ours. Having crits determined ONLY by the attacker's stats and completely ignore the defender's stats seems unrealistic in the extreme, but of course it's all about the fun and every group should use the house rules that suits them best.

[Druss_the_Legend]

Critical Threshold. This is the number on 1d00 that you need to roll - equal to or higher than -to deliver a crit. Critical Threshold is calculated by subtracting 10% of your OB from 100.

Criticals are only delivered if the attacker rolls equal to or higher than their Critical Threshold number. So if they have an OB of 100 they deliver a crit if they roll 91+. Extra hits are delivered if they hit and score a letter result on the attack table but did not roll at least as high as their Critical Threshold number. (A= +5hits, B= +10hits, C= +15hits, D = +20hits, E= +25hits).

This optional system still allows for crits but less frequently and an attackers chance of delivering a crit increases as their skill does. Its also a little friendlier on crits versus pcs, as generally less crits are rolled on them as well.

Glad this house rule works for your group, but this one wouldn't pass muster in ours. Having crits determined ONLY by the attacker's stats and completely ignore the defender's stats seems unrealistic in the extreme, but of course it's all about the fun and every group should use the house rules that suits them best.

well the defenders Defensive Bonus still impacts on the severity level of crit and the amount of damage so it doesnt ignore the defense. I think ive had a situation where a crit was rolled but due to high DB the crit was reduced to the lowest possible critical result so DB still plays a part in reducing damage.

id be interesting in hearing how many crits are typically rolled in a 'normal' combat for GM's out there. iv just found that some sessions can be reduced to a crit fest so i wanted to preserve the crits but limit the number that were being rolled in a typical play session. This is also a little more player friendly as the pcs arent on the receiving end of as many crits themselves which has to be a good thing right?

[markc]

 I think in my game if I decided I had too many crits I would just have a mod based on the weapon and AT, so I would keep the damage but use the total result for the crit. But that is just me.
MDC

[Spectre771]

id be interesting in hearing how many crits are typically rolled in a 'normal' combat for GM's out there. iv just found that some sessions can be reduced to a crit fest so i wanted to preserve the crits but limit the number that were being rolled in a typical play session. This is also a little more player friendly as the pcs arent on the receiving end of as many crits themselves which has to be a good thing right?

Parry. Parry. Parry.

Higher DB reduces the severity of the attack and therefore the severity of the crit.

My players just starting out in the RM game system learned over the course of a few weeks that going full OB without any parry leads to high crits for them.  Which, ironically, also leads to high crits FOR them!    About 4-5 sessions in, they started to parry and quickly saw their battle longevity increase and tactics/strategy played more of a role.

[Spectre771]

Another house rule that we added was for health potions and healing herbs.  Those potions that heal 1-10 in particular as they were most readily available.  We always allowed a reroll if the results was a 1 or 2.  We surmised that the potions/herbs were of "better" quality and produced at least 3 points of healing at worse.

Besides, it was really deflating to pop a potion in battle and get 1 HP back

[tbigness]

You can house rule that they do a D6 +4 for potions to make them worth the effort. Even 3-4 points of healing is not that beneficial in my opinion.

[markc]

Can you get addicted to healing potions?
MDC

[Spectre771]

Can you get addicted to healing potions?
MDC

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

Boy, that was a silly question.   

That's why the wonderful creators of RM included Addiction Factors in the stats for each drug/herb/poison!     They took the effort to add it, we tried to use it... within reason.  We can't use every thing from every book, obviously.

For AF <6 or 7 I never bothered to roll.  I did have one player who took a dose of a type of grass with an AF 50.  He HAD to roll on that one.  And he failed 

*-tbigness: Yes, 3 points of healing is poor, but the alternative is remove the house rule and let the players risk 1 or 2 HP.  While 3 HP does suck, it is a little more reassuring.  We had toyed with the idea of D8+2 and D6+4, but we didn't want to take away too much from the game and make it too easy to just get all these GM gifts.

[Marrethiel]

Another house rule that we added was for health potions and healing herbs.  Those potions that heal 1-10 in particular as they were most readily available.  We always allowed a reroll if the results was a 1 or 2.  We surmised that the potions/herbs were of "better" quality and produced at least 3 points of healing at worse.

Besides, it was really deflating to pop a potion in battle and get 1 HP back

Hmm, this gives me a good idea for our next game, make the 1-10 (for example) the variation depending on the skill roll over 100 (either foraging or cooking, what ever is relevent). ie, 120 roll heals 2. This is consistant with the RM way of doing things.

[Marrethiel]

Hmm, this gives me a good idea for our next game, make the 1-10 (for example) the variation depending on the skill roll over 100 (either foraging or cooking, what ever is relevent). ie, 120 roll heals 2. This is consistant with the RM way of doing things.

Thinking about this more, 76+ is usually a partial success, so maybe 1+1 hp per 10 over 75

[Peter R]

Hmm, this gives me a good idea for our next game, make the 1-10 (for example) the variation depending on the skill roll over 100 (either foraging or cooking, what ever is relevent). ie, 120 roll heals 2. This is consistant with the RM way of doing things.

Thinking about this more, 76+ is usually a partial success, so maybe 1+1 hp per 10 over 75

I do something similar with all crafting type skills, fletching, weaponsmithing, armoury etc. a roll of 250+ gives a +5 whatever, 350+ gives a +10 and so on.

Skills generally max out at about 175 given about 30 or 40 skill ranks plus hefty skill bonuses, professional bonuses and superior exquipment so even a true master cannot guarantee to create a +5 weapon or arrow every single time but a fluke roll by a player such as a double or triple opened ended will make a +5 arrow.

[MrApollinax]

I'm certainly down with the increased DPs thing - how else will your players experience the rich tapestry of skills in RM? - but the concept we used that I liked the most was to have a set of skill costs derived from race/culture.
This was used for adolescence skill development, but could also be used as an alternative profession. One could just BE a Gnome, Fair Elf or whatever. It was useful for NPCs, too. Very paperwork heavy to begin with but once the legwork was done, it worked out fine.
In a conspicuous case of overkill, it ended up with dozens of templates e.g. Common Folk Bourgeois (male or female), High Man Court Noble (again based on gender), that sort of thing. Must dig it up and see if it's as good as I remember it