What Are Your Magic-User House Rules?

[Master Lok]

Here is a copy of the on-going house rule changes that I utilize in our games. It is in a constant state of editing for additions and changes.

Thanks Smoot! I love your house rules, makes sense all over.

Question - if a character is not a mage, is there any advantage to having superior intelligence? I know the bonus is to number of languages, but that's not that useful oftentimes. In skill-based systems I give bonus skill points for extra int but in non-skill systems, I guess I could do an xp bonus. Or maybe use int checks more often or something.

[Joe the Rat]

15 INT or higher grants a +1 for secret door searches (1-3 for elves, 1-2 for everyone else).

bonus to save vs. illusions (if the GM feels like it)

ummm... sesquipedalian loquaciousness is in-character?

Outside of languages and potential savings throw modifiers, INT and WIS tend not to get a lot of play.

Using Attribute checks would have INT pay off the most for... well, anyone. I think half of the M-U house rules are finding ways to make Intelligence pay off (the other half being finding ways to make the Magic User not die).

[SmootRK]

Liberal use of INT Ability checks would quickly demonstrate the advantage of higher intelligence scores... but it does not have a lot of extras for non-mages aside from languages, albeit I would call languages a major feature, at least in my games where I use more than just Common and a couple of racial languages. Make Language use a part of your game and you will see the characters start looking for more INT... lest they have to hire 'shady' interpreters, get swindled by natives of that foreign land... you get the picture.

For another perk, consider a bonus to experience or a reduction in training costs (if you use such). Lets say each level requires X number of days or weeks of training, and INT reduces the number for each plus of INT bonus.

[dymondy2k]

I find if you are using the Thief or MU Options Supplement that its not a bad idea to have a decent intelligence. I know the old school just used those numbers for entry into certain classes but it seems nice to be able to reward someone for having above normal scores besides the melee/missile guy.

[Dimirag]

I use Int for "ideas rolls", I don't care how smart is the player, if his character is of low Int he probably would't thinks really smart things....

Back to the rules: Learn Spell could be just "Arcane lenguage" this enables him to read and probably talk some really obscure tongue. He can't tell what magical effects has certain object but he can read its inscriptions. He can talk to magical creatures... etc...

[Blazeguard]

Thanks for posting this! As a newbie I am loving this 'information overload'.

One thing has me a little confused though. Regarding hit dice you outline the progression from d2 up to d16 and then when describing the Bisren you say they roll hit dice one size larger than normal but go from d4 to d6. Is that just an error or is there a reason that you skip the d5?

I would also be interested in hearing your reasons behind your revised XP table.

[SmootRK]

Thanks for posting this! As a newbie I am loving this 'information overload'.

One thing has me a little confused though. Regarding hit dice you outline the progression from d2 up to d16 and then when describing the Bisren you say they roll hit dice one size larger than normal but go from d4 to d6. Is that just an error or is there a reason that you skip the d5?

I would also be interested in hearing your reasons behind your revised XP table.

You are correct, I made a goof going from d4 to d6. I added a d5 to the mix later in the process, so if there was a Bisren Magic-User (for instance) he would have d5 for hit die.
To make things even more wacky, imagine a Bisren Thug (thief sub-class)... Since I start with ad&d style hd, you get d6 thief, + for Thug, and + for bisren, for a total d10 Hit Dice Tough Guy sort of Thief.
But the overall idea is to decide this sort of stuff in the beginning, right away, and move on. Figure out HD and move forward... no weird average of 2 dice for combo-classes or whatever.

As to the XP tables, that process started when I was trying to figure out a way to make combo-classes work better. I never really liked the idea that you get the 'best of each class' for just about everything (not the sum of abilities), yet you must earn the Sum of the XP. My XP tables close that gap to some extent(1), they are a bit more reasonable for MU(2, also the topic of this thread), allow for layering on of Quasi-Classes(3), and give me more leeway for some Sub-classes to have their own table(4).... and above all, to make it where I can simply choose the column/tier for the character in question and the math ends there(5)...

... but, it is still rather beta, and I am not sure the numbers pan out well across all configurations and all levels. Further play will help me there. Because the numbers are very systematic and clean, any inconsistencies will probably need to be addressed with class features (adding or subtracting stuff).

[SmootRK]

Regarding my last post here, has anyone used my houserule XP tables for their own game? I would be very interested if there are any comments about the tables... any uncontrolled imbalances?

[Steveman]

This is what I've been using with my current game, and the casters tell me they like it.
Instead of Zero-level spells, Clerics, Magic-users and subclasses use the following Minor Magics house rule. Clerics, magic-users and sub-classes may cast an infinite number of minor magics per day. Clerics (and sub-classes) use the Orisons, and Magic-users (and sub-classes) use the Cantrips.


Candle Light
Cantrip, Orison
Range: 0
Duration: 1 round
You conjure a small non-damaging flame in the palm of your hand that sheds dim light onto a 5-foot radius. This flame cannot be used to deal any damage, though it can be used to light a candle, torch, oil or any other readily combustible object.

Flare Arrow
Cantrip
Range: 20 feet
Duration: Instantaneous
You launch a bolt of fire at a creature for 1d3 points of fire damage, allowing a saving throw vs. Magic Wands to avoid. At character creation you may change this spell for a version that deals cold (Ray of Frost) or electrical (Shock Bit) damage, once this has been made, it cannot be changed.

Helping Hand
Cantrip
Range: 20 feet
Duration: Instantaneous
You gesture at an object of less than 5 lbs and and move it at will from a distance. This spell cannot move an object more than 10 feet in any direction, and automatically fails if the item is pushed 20 feet away from you.

Mark
Orison
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
The cleric magically marks a person or item with with the image of the cleric's holy symbol. The mark cannot be washed off and does not fade with time. However a Dispel Magic or a second casting of this orison can remove it without any hassle.

Stabilize [Reversible]
Orison
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous
Only available if the death and dying rules are being used. You heal a dying character for one point of damage (a character with less than 0 hit points is still unconscious, but is stable). If the reversed version of this spell cast on a dying character it dies with no save. Only clerics who channel negative energy can cast the reversed version of this spell.

[dymondy2k]

I like these cantrips.. Can I get a bit more detail on Stabilize? Lets say I have a character who is down and at -4 hit points.. Would stabilize bring him to 1 HP or does it just heal 1HP and keep the character from dipping further??