Post by Kenneth New on May 19, 2015 11:54:57 GMT -5
We are trying out some optional rules (house rules) we want to try out in this chronicle to see how they work. Everything here will be subject to change as we see how the rules play out in game. I will post all the rules to the OP and allow discussion down below. While the only chronicle currently running in this setting is the Jazz Age Arcana game, which is run for the kids group, anyone is welcome to discuss the optional rules as they're posted here.
Ability Scores
Characters are built on 15 points. The standard array is 14, 13, 13, 12, 12, 10. No score may be purchased below 8 during character creation.
Maximum Ability Scores
No character can have an ability score higher than 18 plus their racial adjustment. A human picks one ability score to receive a racial bonus of +2. That ability score can be raised to 20 with level based bonuses. If a character were to build an elven character (not currently allowed in the Modern Fantasy game), that character could raise INT and DEX to 20 through level bumps, but could only raise CON to 16.
Enhancement and Inherent Bonuses can raise any ability score by a further +4 each.
Saving Throws
All saving throws, for all character's are equal to 1/2 character level (round down). Characters receive a class bonus on any save that is a good save for one of their character classes. The class bonus is equal to +2 at 1st level in a class, +3 at 10th level in a class, +4 at 15th level in a class and +5 at 20th level in a class. Class bonuses overlap with one another and never stack.
Spells
All spells have a set caster level equal to twice the spell level. The caster level does not increase without the use of metamagic feats, and it applies even if the actual level of the caster is lower than twice the spell level.
Bonus Spell Damage
A spell caster can add the modifier from his or her primary spell casting ability score to damage on any spell that does hit point damage. He or she cannot add this bonus to spells that do not do hit point damage.
Under this system, there is no need for maximum spell effects. A 9th level burning hands can do 18d4 because it is a 9th level spell, not a 1st level spell (or even a 2nd level intensive spell).
Minimum Spellcasting Ability
A caster must have a score in a primary spell casting ability equal to 10 + 1/2 the level of the spell he or she wishes to cast.
Augmenting Spells
A mage can prepare or cast a spell as if it were higher level spell by using a higher level spell slot. The spell becomes augmented to fill the new slot. The new caster level for the spell is based on the new spell level. For example, Shocking grasp is a 1st level spell with a caster level of 2. It does 2d6+3 points of electrical damage. If a 9th level wizard decides to prepare shocking grasp as a 5th level spell, it will have a caster level of 10 and will do 10d6 electrical damage.
Wound Levels
When a character suffers hit point damage, the player must track wound levels. As the the wound level increases, the character suffers penalties to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, saving throws and spell save DCs.
Example: Dorian Montrose has 40 hit points and a 14 CON. He is unharmed and suffers no penalty so long as his hit points are greater than 30. When his hit point total drops to 30, he is bruised and suffers a -2 penalty. When hi hit point total drops to 20, he is wounded and suffers a -2. When his hit points drop to 10, he is critical and suffers a -3. When hi hit point total drops to 0, he is disabled and suffers a -4. If his hit point total drops to -2 he falls unconscious and is dying. If for some reason, he can still take actions, he still suffers a -4 penalty.
Non-lethal Damage
When a character's non-lethal damage equals his or her current hit points, the character is staggered. When the total is equal to the current hit point total plus his or her CON modifier, the character is unconscious. There are no penalties due to accumulating non-lethal damage.
Weapons and Combat
Critical Hits
On a critical hit, a weapon multiplies the weapon damage only. If a character wields an axe that normally does d6+3 damage, on a critical hit he or she will do 3d8+3 points of damage.
Critical hits with spells are different. A critical hit with a spell does extra damage equal to its spell level in d6. For example, a critical hit with shocking grasp (1st level) does bonus damage equal to 1d6, but scorching ray (2nd level) does bonus damage equal to 2d6 when it criticals.
Ability Scores
Characters are built on 15 points. The standard array is 14, 13, 13, 12, 12, 10. No score may be purchased below 8 during character creation.
Maximum Ability Scores
No character can have an ability score higher than 18 plus their racial adjustment. A human picks one ability score to receive a racial bonus of +2. That ability score can be raised to 20 with level based bonuses. If a character were to build an elven character (not currently allowed in the Modern Fantasy game), that character could raise INT and DEX to 20 through level bumps, but could only raise CON to 16.
Enhancement and Inherent Bonuses can raise any ability score by a further +4 each.
Saving Throws
All saving throws, for all character's are equal to 1/2 character level (round down). Characters receive a class bonus on any save that is a good save for one of their character classes. The class bonus is equal to +2 at 1st level in a class, +3 at 10th level in a class, +4 at 15th level in a class and +5 at 20th level in a class. Class bonuses overlap with one another and never stack.
Spells
All spells have a set caster level equal to twice the spell level. The caster level does not increase without the use of metamagic feats, and it applies even if the actual level of the caster is lower than twice the spell level.
Spell Level | Caster Level |
0 | 1 |
1 | 2 |
2 | 4 |
3 | 6 |
4 | 8 |
5 | 10 |
6 | 12 |
7 | 14 |
8 | 16 |
9 | 18 |
Bonus Spell Damage
A spell caster can add the modifier from his or her primary spell casting ability score to damage on any spell that does hit point damage. He or she cannot add this bonus to spells that do not do hit point damage.
Under this system, there is no need for maximum spell effects. A 9th level burning hands can do 18d4 because it is a 9th level spell, not a 1st level spell (or even a 2nd level intensive spell).
Minimum Spellcasting Ability
A caster must have a score in a primary spell casting ability equal to 10 + 1/2 the level of the spell he or she wishes to cast.
Spell Level | Minimum Ability Score |
0 | 10 |
1 | 11 |
2 | 11 |
3 | 12 |
4 | 12 |
5 | 13 |
6 | 13 |
7 | 14 |
8 | 14 |
9 | 15 |
Augmenting Spells
A mage can prepare or cast a spell as if it were higher level spell by using a higher level spell slot. The spell becomes augmented to fill the new slot. The new caster level for the spell is based on the new spell level. For example, Shocking grasp is a 1st level spell with a caster level of 2. It does 2d6+3 points of electrical damage. If a 9th level wizard decides to prepare shocking grasp as a 5th level spell, it will have a caster level of 10 and will do 10d6 electrical damage.
Wound Levels
When a character suffers hit point damage, the player must track wound levels. As the the wound level increases, the character suffers penalties to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, saving throws and spell save DCs.
Wound Level | Penalty | Description |
Unharmed | 0 | above 75% of hit points |
Bruised | -1 | above 50% of hit points |
Wounded | -2 | above 25% of hit points |
Critical | -3 | above 0 hit points |
Disabled | -4 | above negative CON Bonus hit points |
Dying | -4 | above negative CON hit points |
Example: Dorian Montrose has 40 hit points and a 14 CON. He is unharmed and suffers no penalty so long as his hit points are greater than 30. When his hit point total drops to 30, he is bruised and suffers a -2 penalty. When hi hit point total drops to 20, he is wounded and suffers a -2. When his hit points drop to 10, he is critical and suffers a -3. When hi hit point total drops to 0, he is disabled and suffers a -4. If his hit point total drops to -2 he falls unconscious and is dying. If for some reason, he can still take actions, he still suffers a -4 penalty.
Non-lethal Damage
When a character's non-lethal damage equals his or her current hit points, the character is staggered. When the total is equal to the current hit point total plus his or her CON modifier, the character is unconscious. There are no penalties due to accumulating non-lethal damage.
Weapons and Combat
Critical Hits
On a critical hit, a weapon multiplies the weapon damage only. If a character wields an axe that normally does d6+3 damage, on a critical hit he or she will do 3d8+3 points of damage.
Critical hits with spells are different. A critical hit with a spell does extra damage equal to its spell level in d6. For example, a critical hit with shocking grasp (1st level) does bonus damage equal to 1d6, but scorching ray (2nd level) does bonus damage equal to 2d6 when it criticals.