DM Tools - House Rules

The following "house rules" are optional rules designed for running a campaign in Khoras using D&D v3.5 rules. These are totally optional for other DMs. I use these rules, but you are not required to. Feel free to pick and choose.

To my own players... these house rules are in effect for the current campaign, The Crystal Dominion.

Racial Stats and Bonuses for D&D v3.5

The following table gives the basic racial stat adjustments and characteristics of the various Khorasian races.

Modifications to the Combat System

Fumble - On any roll of a 1, you provoke an attack of opportunity.

Modifications to the Magic System

The Drellis Effect

During Drellis phase, you cast your spells as if you were two levels lower.
During Karrym phase, you cast your spells as if you were two levels higher.

This doesn't affect your total daily allotment of spells, only the characteristics of the spell (range, area of effect, damage, etc).

Orichalcum and Power Crystals

Orichcalcum and power crystals are two types of minerals that are potent sources of magical energy and can be used by wizards to power spells. Both of them are somewhat rare and quite expensive.

Orichalcum is like a rechargeable magical battery. It can be used to store magical energy and can be reused many times (typically, a piece of orichalcum can be recharged up to 50 times). One pound of orichalcum stores the equivalent of one spell level of energy. Therefore a 5 pound brick of orichalcum would store enough energy to unleash two second level spells and one first level spell.

Power crystals are more intensely charged. A one pound crystal contains five spell levels of energy. They are mined in quarries like any other mineral. They come out of the ground fully charged. They are not rechargeable and can only be used once. When a power crystal is depleted of energy, it turns into a dull, smoky grey piece of lifeless glass.

Orichalcum and power crystals are unaffected by the Drellis Effect.

Orichalcum and power crystals both will detect as “magical” for any type of detect magic spell or ability.

Scrolls

Scrolls in my campaign work a little differently than in traditional D&D... scrolls are just words on paper, essentially. So, a non-magical scroll is just that. Non magical. Let’s call it a “mundane scroll”. Words on paper. It could be written in any language. It could be a spell written in one of the classical spell coding systems. Regardless it’s just information written down. That’s all. If it’s a spell and you are a wizard, you could copy that information into your own spell book. No problem. It’s just information.

A “magic scroll” is a magic item. It’s actually got a specific spell that will be triggered if you read what’s on the scroll. The text on the scroll functions like a command word. You just have to read it. And it could be anything. It’s not a copy of the scroll, it’s a command word magic item. If a wizard wanted to, he could make it a poem written on that scroll. Or a long flowery speech. Or a single word. Every scroll is different. If you read the text, the embedded spell goes off. Depending on how the scroll was created, it might be a “single use” item or it might have multiple uses. It could even have more than one spell option. It could have 4 different pieces of text, each activating a different spell, for example. Anything is possible and every scroll is unique because it’s a magic item. The whole idea behind a magic scroll is that you activate it by reading it. So, anyone who can READ the scroll can fire off the spell. Obviously, the scroll must be written in a language you understand. When you’re done reading the scroll, the text may vanish or it may not. It depends on what the creator of that item wanted it to do. In any case, the magic is expended (unless the creator specifically enchanted the scroll such that it has multiple uses).

Spell Coding Systems

Spells must be written in one of the classical "spell coding systems" used in Khoras. In order to translate a spell from one code to another, you must know both codes. The spell Read Magic does not exist. If you want to copy a spell from one code system to another, and you don't know both, you can always go to a major city and hire a wizard who does have the necessary skills to copy the spell for you.
 

Changes to the Skill System

Use Magic Device

This skill is eliminated. We will not be using it. Every magic item is unique. Some require a command word. Others require thought to activate. Some have a button. There are no items in Khoras that will "only work for wizards" or "only work for evil characters" or "only work for 5th level characters or higher". Class, level and alignment are metagame concepts and cannot be the basis of item activation. Therefore, no items will be class, alignment or level dependent. If an item has a command word, anyone can say it, regardless of class or level or alignment. The same goes for any other activation method.

Tracking

Tracking is a separate skill now. It is not a part of the Survival skill. Tracking is a class skill for Rangers and a cross-class skill for everyone else. The associated key ability for Tracking is Wisdom.

Language Skill

In order to speak a language other than your native tongue, you must take the language skill for that specific language. Furthermore, the mastery of the language depends on your skill rank in that language. There is no associated “key ability” with language. This skill is trained only. Every character is assumed to be fluent (skill rank 3) in their native language. For any other language other than your own language, you must spend skill points to learn that language. In addition, if a character wishes to learn to read and write a language, he or she must spend one additional skill point.

This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.

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