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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 12:31AM #1
maverick0023
Date Joined: Sep 20, 2009
Posts: 292
What are the most common house rules for 4th edition?

What house rules do you use and WHY?

thanks for the info in advance
 
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 1:26AM #2
xantheros
Date Joined: Dec 20, 2009
Posts: 78
A Weapon Implement feat which allows a character to select one weapon they're proficient with and use it as an implement. This is so our Eladrin Sorcerer can use her longsword and so our multiclass Warlord/Wizard can use his spear.

Armor Proficiency feats don't have ability requirements so our Sorcerer can spec up to plate cause it's cool.

You can use your move action to help an adjacent ally to their feet cause it makes sense and encourages the party to think as a team. Do I attack myself or do I get the Barbarian back on his feet so he can use a power next turn instead of just a charge?

A Radiant Weapon enhancement which is basically the Sunblade in any melee weapon form so our Paladin can use a Sunhammer.

And milestones grant 1 Healing Surge in addition to the Action Point so the party can fight for longer in large dungeons.
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 1:28AM #3
da_chicken
Date Joined: Apr 8, 2001
Posts: 859
There is a House Rules & Homebrow forum.  Here on General you're just going to get flamed.

There are two pretty common house rules:

1.  At 5th level, everybody gets Weapon and Implement Expertise in everything for free.

2.  At 11th level, everybody gets Paragon Defenses for free.  At 21st, it automatically upgrades to Robust Defenses.

Reasoning is that the math of the game is usually not where people enjoy it at higher levels (daily miss too often and players get hit on a 2 regularly).  These feats are sometimes known collectively as the "feat tax" because everyone feels compelled to take them.

My play group doesn't like vulnerability cheese and feel it is too damaging for a feat or paragon path feature, so we changed Lasting Frost and Morninglord.  Currently they work as follows:
3. Lasting Frost grants vulnerability 2, not vulnerability 5.  At level 21, the vulnerability increases to 3.

4. The Blazing Radiance path feature of the Morninglord Prestige Path reads as follows: "You gain a +2 bonus on damage rolls with divine powers that deal radiant damage.  Increase this bonus to +3 at 21st level.".  (Thinking about it, this damage bonus should apply to ongoing damage as well.)

Some other semi-common changes, plus some that my group discussed at one time or other:
5. The Daggermaster's path features and powers apply only to powers with the Weapon keyword.  (Stop Weaplement abuse from Sorcerers.)

6. Fey Charge:  Replace the second line with "In addition, you may use your Fey Step one additional time each encounter."  The feat no longer refreshes Fey Step as long as you keep hitting.  (Stop Feycharger stupidity.)

7. Iron Armbands of Power/Bracers of Archery:  These items grant +1/+2/+3 bonus damage instead of +2/+4/+6 damage.  (Items make all other items at each tier pale in comparison.)

Prior to Orb of Imposition being nerfed:
8. Regardless of penalties, a saving throw can never be worse than 17+ (20%).  A roll of 17, 18, 19, or 20 is AN AUTOMATIC SUCCESS.  "Save ends" effects are meant to end.  (Due to save penalty abuses.)

Due to an encounter with four harpies that made for the most universally hated two hour encounter since we switched to 4E:
9. Multiple "save ends" effects of the same type do not stack.  If you are hit with two "Dazed (save ends)" attacks, the second effect does nothing.  You only roll one save, and one successful save ends the dazed condition.  [Option:  Multiple effects may impose a cumulative -1 penalty to the saving throw.]  However, if you are hit with "Dazed (save ends)" and "Dazed and slowed (save ends)" you must still track both effects and save against both effects.

The only rules our games currently run with are 3 & 4.
Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them. -- Robertson Davies
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 1:33AM #4
da_chicken
Date Joined: Apr 8, 2001
Posts: 859

Mar 29, 2010 -- 1:26AM, xantheros wrote:

You can use your move action to help an adjacent ally to their feet cause it makes sense and encourages the party to think as a team. Do I attack myself or do I get the Barbarian back on his feet so he can use a power next turn instead of just a charge?


I kind of like that one.  Although it really punishes knock prone effects unless it draws an OA, and the game kind of assumes you're able to pick up something like Acrobat Boots....

Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them. -- Robertson Davies
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 1:51AM #5
xantheros
Date Joined: Dec 20, 2009
Posts: 78
I've found that it hasn't had a detrimental effect. The party still expends resources getting back to fighting effectiveness. I don't think it should provoke an OA since standing up doesn't normally, but I can see a situation where if a brute knocks over the sorcerer it could be powerful so it may change in the future.

In any case the party will be level 4 soon and no doubt some of them will pick up Acrobat Boots rendering this rule obsolete.
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 4:35AM #6
Breadley
Date Joined: Feb 20, 2010
Posts: 1,385
I like that houserule, helping a friend stand up. Seems reasonable, since you do have to burn an action for it.

It's pretty common to ignore mundane arrow resources. The reason for this is partly since some feel it's unfair to make a Ranger pay to fight at range while Sorcerers, Wizards, and other Arcane classes can fire off ranged attacks all day without spending cash.
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 4:42AM #7
Leichenreiter
Date Joined: Dec 3, 2007
Posts: 5,851
My DM allows me to take Ritual Caster without being trained in Arcana or Religion, he requires Nature, which fits since I plan on taking those rituals alone and am a Warden.
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 5:22AM #8
Breadley
Date Joined: Feb 20, 2010
Posts: 1,385

Mar 29, 2010 -- 4:42AM, Leichenreiter wrote:

My DM allows me to take Ritual Caster without being trained in Arcana or Religion, he requires Nature, which fits since I plan on taking those rituals alone and am a Warden.



Pretty reasonable, I'd say.

The Smithy Knew

He'd Lost His Groove

When Scalding Sparks

Left His Chin Too Smooth

Dwarvenshave
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 5:29AM #9
LordOfWeasels
Date Joined: Apr 6, 2009
Posts: 7,820

Mar 29, 2010 -- 1:33AM, da_chicken wrote:

it really punishes knock prone effects unless it draws an OA




Why?

Standing up doesn't provoke OAs, so why would someone else spending the Move Action to help you stand make the power weaker?

(I mean, you totally might be right.  I just don't see the logic, so I'm asking.)

Confused about Stealth?  Think "invisibility" means "take the mini off the board to make people guess?"  You need to check out The Rules Of Hidden Club.

Damage types and resistances:  A working house rule.
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3 years ago  ::  Mar 29, 2010 - 5:32AM #10
LordOfWeasels
Date Joined: Apr 6, 2009
Posts: 7,820

Mar 29, 2010 -- 1:28AM, da_chicken wrote:


7. Iron Armbands of Power/Bracers of Archery:  These items grant +1/+2/+3 bonus damage instead of +2/+4/+6 damage.  (Items make all other items at each tier pale in comparison.)




I haven't actually found that, in practice.  There absolutely are some builds who will never touch a different Arms, but there are also some builds that will never swap off a Horned Helm, and while just about every Melee attacked loves Armbands, there *are* other useful choices for many of them.

Mar 29, 2010 -- 1:28AM, da_chicken wrote:

Due to an encounter with four harpies that made for the most universally hated two hour encounter since we switched to 4E:
9. Multiple "save ends" effects of the same type do not stack.  If you are hit with two "Dazed (save ends)" attacks, the second effect does nothing.  You only roll one save, and one successful save ends the dazed condition. 




You know that's actually a *core rule*, right?

Multiple copies of the same Save Ends effect are "one save ends all".  No house rule required.

Confused about Stealth?  Think "invisibility" means "take the mini off the board to make people guess?"  You need to check out The Rules Of Hidden Club.

Damage types and resistances:  A working house rule.
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