Ralph's D&D game 2001-2005

I didn't do as good a job of Evil Ranting during the fight with Garrett as I hoped, so Monica helped me do so afterwards by seeding some comments by e-mail. The quoted text is Larissa's; the responses are Garrett's. ( Read more... )

This post should record all my rules tweaks and rulings for the campaign. This is called for especially because we're playing with mostly D&D 3.0 rules, but with some D&D 3.5 bits.

(Some relevant links: the D&D 3.0 SRD and the D&D 3.5 SRD.

In general, we're sticking with D&D 3.0, with borrowings from 3.5. (When I don't specify changes, assume D&D 3.0.) Other general principles that I follow in making choices: I tend to favor things that make characters (especially PCs) more powerful rather than less, and I tend to disfavor all-or-nothing effects.


Races
- Dwarves and gnomes get appropriate martial weapons, as in 3.5.
- Dwarves are not slowed by heavy armor or heavy loads, as in 3.5.
- Half-elves get proficiency with bows and swords, as in 3.5's 'half-human' race in the DMG.


Classes
- Using the 3.5 versions of Druid, Ranger, and Monk.
- Using the 3.0 version of Paladin.
- Using 3.5's approach for animal companions.
- Using 3.5's ability for sorcerors to change the spells they know at even levels.
- Using 3.0's version of wizard specialization.

No XP penalty for unbalanced classes.
Paladins and monks do not have the multiclassing restriction that they can never get more levels in that class after getting a level in another class.


Skills

In general, I like what 3.5 has done with skills. (These are most likely to affect Liandra.)
- Animal Empathy is removed as in 3.5. (It's now a class feature for druids and rangers.)
- In 3.5, 3.0's Wilderness Lore is now called Survival, and 3.0's Intuit Direction is just a special use of Survival. I like that collapsing of skills. I'll use either Wilderness Lore or Survival as a name for the skill, with a preference for Wilderness Lore.
- Tumble to avoid attacks of opportunity is as 3.0, but instead of a DC of 15, it is opposed by an attack roll of the creature being dodged. (As described in Monte Cook's variant.)


Feats

In general, I like most of 3.5's changes to feats, and will lean towards using those changes. All the 3.5 feats are legal.

- 3.5 adds a lot of '+2 to X and Y' feats. I'll probably approve any feat of that form that you can rationalize a connection between.
- Using the better 3.5 version of Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Natural Spell, Power Attack, Skill Focus, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack.
- I consider 3.5's Manyshot feat dorky and underpowered. Any suggestions for a better feat for an archery-focused ranger to get at 6th level?


Equipment

- Using 3.0's simpler approach to weapon size.
- Using 3.5's treatment of shurikens.

- Using the 3.5 rules for special materials, such as silver weapons.

- Horses are not faster than humans for overland movement (though they can carry more).


Exploration

- Using 3.5's rules for bright and shadowy illumination.


Combat

- 20's are auto-successes and 1's are auto-failures on saving throws, as in 3.5 and the D&D 3.0 FAQ.
- Large creatures are not necessarily occupying square areas. (In 3.5, they do.)


Special Abilities

- Using the 3.5 version of DR.
- Fire immunity does not imply vulnerability to cold, and vice versa. (In 3.5, it does.)


Spells

Generally using the 3.0 versions of spells, with some exceptions. 3.5 spells that don't exist in 3.0 are generally admissible.

- Using the cheaper 3.5 costs of wizard spellbooks.
- Using the 3.5 druid spell list, plus some additions I don't have handy.
- Teleportation spells are transmutations, as in 3.0.
- Arcane eye can be created at any point known to the caster. (It wasn't clear in 3.0, and I ruled that it was so; in 3.5, the 'Unlimited' range is qualified by 'You can create the arcane eye at any point you can see...")
- Awaken can be used on a druid's animal companion.
- Blade Barrier works as 3.5.
- Call Lightning is as in 3.5.
- Dimension Door and Teleport work as in 3.0 for carrying capacity.
- Evard's Black Tentacles works as in 3.0.
- Harm works as in 3.5.
- Haste works as 3.0. I see big potential for abuse (particularly by sorcerors), but I feel 3.5 has nerfed it too much. I'm generally trying to avoid it.
- Hold Person works as in 3.5.
- Polymorph works as in 3.0. Polymorphing into something that has a template adds an extra -4 to the penalty for a failed save.

Magic Items

Generally as in 3.0, including the 3.0 pricing which I prefer. Options that don't exist in 3.0 are generally admissible.

- As clarified in 3.5, activating boots of speed is a free action.

Monsters

Subject to the inscrutable whim of the DM. I probably won't change monsters that you've already fought, though.

- As with 3.5, there's no distinction between animals and beasts.

- Half-dragons: When Turok was reincarnated, I didn't understand the distinction between CR and ECL. Instead of trying to fix this mistake, I'm going to make it official and declare that in this campaign, half-dragons have a level adjustment of +2.