My D&D House Rules

     One thing any player who’s been in more than one roleplaying group knows is that different groups play differently. Most groups have at least one house rule, even if they try to play the Rules As Written. One group I played with used a d10 instead of d20 for initiative rolls, giving the bonus a bigger effect at the cost of players having overlapping initiatives more often.

     The group I’m playing in now has several house rules we enjoy. I’m going to share them and explain why we use them.

• Classes get 2 extra skill points per level. This allows us to effectively use skill challenges to earn experience and loot. So far, I’ve seen no effects on combat (the major source of experience and loot). However, it has given variety to the game, and helps people explore their characters more.

• Players gain experience from overcoming the obstacle, not from destroying it. For example, rather than attacking the bear that threatened them, they distracted it and ran away. (They knew they could easily take it on.) I gave them full experience. They are now more likely to work with the campaign world, rather than always taking the combative route.

• People may take 1-2 flaws from Unearthed Arcana for one extra feat per flaw. They may also take 1-2 traits from the same book. This allows extra customization. I am surprised at how rarely these options are used.

• Players may play a race with level elevation, but no more than 1/2 their total character level can come from that elevation. This keeps people reasonably in line with hit points, skill points, attack bonuses, and saves. A 6th level character who has only 1 actual class level feels much less effective, and can make the game less fun for them and everyone else.

• I occasionally give 5-25 experience points per character level for out of game assistance. For example, when someone points out a rule that hurts the party, each character gains 5-10 experience points per level. (This helps the players hate that person a little bit less.) I keep the amount small because it is a metagame bonus. I do like how I can give the same number throughout the campaign, and it retains the same relevance at all levels.

• Lower level characters gain 10% extra per level they are behind. So, if the party has a 7th level character, two 6th level characters, and a 5th level character, the 7th level character gains normal experience, the 6th level characters gain 10% extra experience, and the 5th level character gains 20% extra experience. I am considering changing the 10% bonus to 5%, so that bonus experience so that it doesn’t overshadow earning bonus experience. I'll let the players vote on that.

• We use the Reflex Save for initiative. The Improved Initiative feat modifies the Reflex Save and stacks with other Reflex improving feats. This means that characters actually improve at the one thing that every character in the game does every single combat. (Imagine that.) It also means that characters that focus on their Reflexes (i.e., rogues and bards) improve their reaction (Initiative) at a faster rate than those who don’t (i.e., wizards and fighters).

• A natural 20 on initiative gives you +2 to the check. Additionally, it allows a character that was surprised to act in the surprise round. A natural 1 gives you -2, but has no further effect.

Added 12/10/2013:

I have occasionally been the cause of a TPK, from before I met this group of players. Also, this group has yet to take a group of first level characters very high. To help combat this, we have special below 0 hit points rules. These have saved party members multiple times.

• Instead of a 10% chance to stabilize, you have a percentage chance equal to your constitution score.
• Instead of dying at -10 hit points, you add your constitution score to your current level. That is the number of hit points below zero that you can go before your character dies.
• If you've taken enough damage to die, you have one full round before you actually die. This gives everybody 1 turn to try and save your life.