House Rules for D&D BTF

Rule Amendments, in General

I am a very open-minded DM who likes his players to have plenty of power and plenty of self-made
fun. I will gladly allow most anything from the most obscure of sourcebooks, “homebrew” elements,
and anything you can literally brew up at home, but I may in some instances suggest an amendment
to your bizzare ideas if:
 there is an obvious effect in game balance
 you can't provide a good IC reason for the bizzare idea (ie, WHY and HOW does your character
have a AC 8 bikini?)
 it has already been debunked in the D&D community as a Very Bad Idea,
 I and the other players think it might adversely effect the (extremely sophisticated and serious
NOT) tenor of the campaign, and/or
 you are such a new player I think it might be worth your while to play a more standard D&D
character, at least until you know a bit about, well, standard races, classes, etc.

The rule amendments I have introduced here include rules I always or generally use in campaigns, as
well as some particular to this campaign.

Amendments in Progress

I reserve the right to alter these “House Rules” as the campaign progresses, though I will make sure to
notify everyone via the OOC thread.

Similarly, I permit any person to modify their character, ie, changing choices they have made, provided
they notify me and the other players, and there are no obvious objections (see above).

Also, an alternate DM may, at her option, use a different set of house rules, or no house rules.

Initiative

In preparing for my first online D&D campaign (uh...that would be this one), I swiftly realized that the
default initiative system of D&D 2.5 just wasn't going to work. I couldn't post an initiative order and
then force all the characters to post only when someone else had posted, as that would require
people to log in waaaaay too often.

After playing around with some ideas, I decided that it would be best to scrap initiative entirely and
have people act on a first-come, first-serve basis, separating out the round into enemy actions and
player actions. This makes the game feel more "turn-based" and a bit less realistic, but it offers the
players the ability to post anytime they want and not worry about initiative order.

As a result, the feat "Improved Initiative" is not in this game. If you have a prestige class or secondary
feat which requires it, you should substitute another feat as the requirement. I don't particularly care
what, as long as it makes some amount of sense (however small).
Character Creation

Oriental Classes, according to the 3.5 “Oriental Adventures” sourcebook, are 100% permitted for this
campaign, as noted by the character creators.

As of DnD BTF 1.0, all characters start at a minimum effective character level of 3. It is recommended
(but not required) that you start with a single-class character, and the character creators provided are
designed for that purpose.

There are no dice totals involved in ability score selection. Instead, the scores of the six ability scores
must total 77, with no single attribute less than 6 and none more than 18. This can potentially give a
character two or even three stats at 18, making some bonuses very high. This offsets the fact that I
tend to make challenges slightly higher than the usual recommended challenge rating - (a) because I
pay very little attention to challenge rating, (b) because I like low level characters to feel somewhat
powerful from the get-go, and (c) because Baldur's Gate did it that way! It also makes the game
slightly easier at low levels (which is important as, as of the release of D&D BTF 1.0, the current party
is relying on NPC healers, and most of the party is new to D&D).

Multiclassing

There are no multiclassing experience penalties, and therefore, no favoured classes.

For multiclass spellcasters, your levels in the one class effect your spellcasting level of the other. This
makes an evenly classed caster (such as, for instance, a Cleric (6) / Wizard (6)) more akin to the pre-3.0
DnD ruleset. This is similar to the sourcebook variant from Unearthed Arcana called “Magic Rating”.
The rules below apply to classes beyond the second, the phrase “second class” is used only for
purposes of clarity, since the method is easiest to see with a two-class character.
 The second class does grant new spells in the first, and vice versa, according to the caster level.
 The second caster class grants ½ of the caster level it would normally grant if you took a class
in your first class, and vice versa. IE, if a level 2 Wizard takes two levels of Cleric, he casts as a
level 3 Wizard, and as a level 3 cleric.
 If the second class is a non-caster class, it grants spellcasting ability equal to ¼ of the first class.
Thus a Cleric (4) / Thief (4) would cast as a level 5 Cleric.
 The second class grants an entire caster level (according to if and only if that class (a) uses the
same spell type (arcane/divine/elemental) and (b) has an identical or near identical spell list.
You can PM the DM for a list of valid multiclass characters standard to BTF DND that this would
apply to – examples would be the Majokko / Bard and the Shaman / Druid. So if a level 2
Shaman took 2 levels of Druid, he would cast as a level 4 Shaman and as a level 4 Druid, but
since the spell list is mostly the same, he is casting more or less the same spells as a level 4
Shaman would anyway. He is still sacrificing specialization (via class abilities) for versatility (via
spells).
 The caster cannot “use” class levels of an alternate class that are higher than the casting class
for a given caster level. IE, a Wizard (4) / Cleric (9) would cast as a level 11 Cleric but only as a
level 6 Wizard (not 8). The Wizard can use four of those Cleric levels to enhance his Wizard
caster level, but not all nine – at Wizard level 6, he could use 6 Cleric levels, and so on.
 As in all D&D rules, fractions are dropped, that is, rounded down and never up. A Cleric (4)
 Thief (3) would still cast as a level 4 cleric, not as a level 5 Cleric, since he only has a ¾ level
bonus from the Thief levels.
 To sum up, our Cleric (6) / Wizard (6) would cast spells as if she were a level 9 Cleric and a level
9 Wizard. This makes her about as powerful as the level 12 Wizard who has the same ECL. Her
spells are easier to resist and do less damage than that of the level 12 Wizard, and her arcane
casting ability is much more limited, but she has far more spells thanks to the six (9 effective)
levels of Cleric.

In my personal opinion, multiclassed casters went from being awesome to useless in 3.0. This rule, in
conjunction with the one above, puts them back towards the realm of awesome, without being
overpowered. The 3.5 casting system would have our Cleric (6) / Wizard (6) grouping with level 12
characters, but having the casting power of two level six characters. That doesn't make sense to me. In
this variant, this character has the casting power slightly higher than two level nine characters (slightly
higher due to the potential synergy with cleric and wizard spells), which goes (in my testing) very well
with a party of level 12 single-class characters.

Moreover, in studying player habits (even in 4.0), casters are more likely to pursue even-leveled
multiclass characters, while combat classes like to “splash”, ie, take one or two levels of their second
and third classes but concentrating mostly on one, just using the other classes for an added feat or
ability. My variant doesn't take anything away from the splashing which begun with the 3.0 ruleset,
but doesn't hurt the casters in the process. You can still splash and you can still multiclass “classic” to a
fair extent.

The in-universe rationale for this variant is that a spellcaster does not derive spells merely from
experience in a given class, but from their experience in using magic, period. Arcane knowledge and
the cleric's divine favour react much in the same way with the energies of the Weave. Just as a warrior
or rogue will gain combat prowess (BAB) and widely useful attack abilities (like sneak attack) by taking
levels in other classes as much as his own, the spellcaster may gain spellcasting prowess in much the
same manner. A cleric spell is a spell, just as a sneak attack is a physical attack. Wizard or Ranger, Sohei
or Majokko, the same energies are at work. Familiarity with the energies from one angle is the same
familiarity from another angle – the paths to magic are never mutually exclusive. Mystra favours the
bold.

Please note that this is still a rule in the “testing phase”; though I have tested it in other campaigns,
and the players found it to be most liberating and pleasant – especially when they are (as I am)
accustomed to the spell-slinging ways of AD&D – it is open to criticism (and even deletion, lol).

Skill Points and Multiclass Characters

In the 3.5 SRD, it is not clear whether you can spend class skill points on the skills of other classes you
have without having to spend them as cross-class skills. I treat skills and class levels seperately – any
class skills acquired from other classes are always class skills, even if you level up in a class where they
are not a class skill when you spend those skill points. So, a level 1 Thief who takes one level of Fighter
can spend her skill points from the Fighter level on Thief class skills.

Class Variants
I have introduced a new class, called the Majokko, in hope of making the game more anime-y, as well
as creating a class that would be very fun to play in the correspondence forum format. Majokko are
similar to Bards, but they have more one-on-one combat ability in lieu of the bardic song. You might
also consider the class as a Monk-lite with spells, inasmuch as they fight using abilities instead of with
weapons and armour. “Majokko” is one of the Japanese words for “Magical Girl.” A basic description
of this class is in the Character Creator – Oriental. A full description is below. There is also a high-
profile Majokko NPC for your perusal (her name is Elfie, and she has a character sheet at the tracker).

The Sohei (see Character Creator – Oriental) uses the good BAB progression (of the fighter), not the
mediocre one as listed in the manual.

The Monk and Sohei, in keeping with advances in modern Buddhism (jk, because it makes sense and
otherwise practically all Oriental Characters end up being Lawful), are now “cannot be Chaotic”
instead of “must be Lawful” for choosing an alignment. Samurai are still Lawful-only, but they will not
suffer alignment shifts provided they simply adhere to their own Samurai code. They do not
necessarily have to follow local laws, and indeed they should not if there is a conflict between such
laws and their code.

The Majokko

The remainder of this document is devoted to the Majokko class.

The Majokko is a new class created specially for D&D BTF! A Majokko uses a small repertoire of spells
in addition to a unique Magic Attack ability. The idea of the Majokko is a character which is highly
customizable but balanced nonetheless. In combat, the Majokko comes into her own during lengthy
“boss” fights. The Majokko may also take free martial arts feats and certain intervals, or improve her
use of one or two “favoured weapons”. The aim is to have a highly flavoured character who fills a
highly circumstantial but powerful role in a party.

Description: Majokko are gifted warrior girls who are favoured by the spirits. Though their contact
with the spirits is often limited, they are aware of their patronage and do not shirk at using their
magical gifts in battle. Majokko range in personality from being withdrawn and introspective to
obsessively cheerful and hyperactive. They also vary widely in how precisely they choose to form and
employ their powers. But they have one thing in common – they are keen to use their powers as
frequently as is necessary to fulfill their aims, and are eager to prove their worth in combat.

Combat Style: Majokko favour one-on-one duels to pitched melee. They often single out the most
powerful or dangerous opponent and concentrate on besting them, or protecting their friends from
them. Majokko use few weapons and never use armour, however they carry a powerful spiritual aura
which protects them from many ills. Some majokko are skilled in martial arts, and their high Charisma
is suited to Iajutsu duels. Others prefer keeping their opponents at a distance. In any event, they like
to meet challenges head-on and defeat their opponents comprehensively. Rarely do you find a
majokko that toys with her prey. Though they are difficult to hit, they are fragile when overpowered or
heavily outnumbered. It is in these moments that their allies must protect them.
Races: Most majokko are human. However, Spirit Folk and Hengeyokai often find the calling of the
majokko because of their close association with the spirits. Other races are rarely majokko, but
majokko are respected by all the races of Kara-Tur for their beauty and grace.

Other Classes: Majokko that come into contact with the West often find bards good company, and
many bards have written bold tales of the adventures of Majokko. The spellcasting abilities of the bard
and majokko are very similar, though their party role is often very different. This makes majokko and
bards who are eager to expand their already considerable versatility pursue experience in one
another's classes. This is somewhat more difficult for the bard, who has little knowledge of spirits, but
is often fairly easy for the majokko, who often already have the musical or singing training essential to
the bard's trade. Many introspective majokko train as Monks to supplement their martial arts ability.
Also, some upper-class majokko become Samurai or Shugenja as they age. Majokko are skilled in
relating to others – not necessarily by design; usually their beauty alone is enough to command
respect from any aesthetically sensitive creature. Majokko are welcome in parties wherever they go,
but their ability to “blend in” with normal society is often limited. Born adventurers, they like to stay
active and near companions whom they are accustomed to working with. A majokko likes to build
trust with her companions, and stay close with the people she works with – be it for the greater good,
or for her own selfish ends.

Alignment: any.

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills: Iaijutsu Focus, plus any three, plus or minus the character's intelligence bonus, chosen at
character creation (or when the first level of Majokko is acquired) EXCEPT for Forgery and Use Magic
Item. You cannot put any points into non-class skills until the third Majokko level.

Skill Points per Level: 4 plus intelligence modifier (x4 at first).

Special: Must be a female creature of medium size or smaller. A character wishing to multiclass to a
majokko should note that the majokko's abilities are “discovered” (like that of a Sorcerer). Therefore, if
taken as something other than the first class, the majokko class should be acquired after some serious
soul-searching, or on the recommendation of another majokko or a powerful magician.

Good Saves: Reflex, Will.

BAB Progression: Medium.

Majokko are not proficient with any weapon or with any armour. However, they gain weapon
proficiencies with class levels, beginning with one at first level.

In addition to the following abilities, the Majokko knows spells equivalent to (and for the most part,
off the same spell list as) the Bard, though some spells are slightly different given the Majokko's
oriental background.

Level One: They Just Seem to Miss, Favoured Weapon 1

Level Two: Love/Hate the World
Level Three: Magic Attack level 1, Beauty's Faith
Level Four: Creativity
Level Five: Magic Eye
Level Six: Magic Attack level 2, Favoured Weapon 2
Level Seven: Improvisation
Level Eight: Leap
Level Nine: Magic Attack level 3
Level Ten: Serene Smile, Beauty's Guard
Level Eleven: Magic Gaze, Favoured Weapon 3
Level Twelve: Magic Attack level 4
Level Thirteen: Shift
Level Fourteen: Dance
Level Fifteen: Magic Attack level 5
Level Sixteen: Sacrifice, Favoured Weapon 4
Level Seventeen: Unearthly Smile
Level Eighteen: Magic Attack level 6
Level Nineteen: Love Transcending Time
Level Twenty: Coming of Age, Final Guidance

They Just Seem to Miss: The Majokko adds her Charisma bonus to her AC if and only if she is not
wearing any armour or wizard's robes, is unencumbered, and is wielding a Favoured Weapon or is
unarmed. Sailor Fuku is also known to be useful.

Favoured Weapon: The Majokko gains proficiency with any weapon of her choice, including any exotic
weapon, regardless of the prerequisites. Each time she gains this ability, she can take a new weapon
proficiency. Alternately, the Majokko may forego a Favoured Weapon proficiency for a Weapon Focus
or Weapon Specialization feat for an existing favoured weapon, or any Martial Arts feat.

Love/Hate the World: At level two, the Majokko decides to Hate the World or Love the World. The
Majokko can change this choice if she has a major alignment shift (such as good to evil, or chaotic to
lawful), but there is no other relationship between this choice and the Majokko's alignment. Often, it
is a choice based more on the Majokko's relationship to her environment than on a proclivity towards
good or evil, law or chaos. There are many good Majokko who choose to hate the world, because they
perceive the world as mostly dark or filled with evil. Evil Majokko who choose to love the world are
almost unheard of, however.

A Majokko who chooses “Love the World” can do nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage with any
weapon, without penalties. Weapons still work normally, she just know intuitively how to use them to
a non-lethal effect. She also gains a +1 hit bonus with all her favoured weapons that normally do
subdual damage, as well as with unarmed attacks, but suffers a -3 hit penalty when using a weapon to
deal lethal damage.

A Majokko who chooses “Hate the World” lessens her hit penalty with all improvised weapons to -1.
She also gains a +1 hit bonus with all her favoured weapons that normally do lethal damage, as well as
with unarmed attacks if the character takes or has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, but suffers a -3
hit penalty when using a weapon to deal nonlethal damage.

Beauty's Faith: Starting at Level 3, the Majokko can use her Charisma modifier in place of the standard
modifier, or double the Charisma modifier for a Charisma-based skill, a number of times per day equal
to once plus her Charisma bonus, on any active skill check.

Magic Attack: At level three, the Majokko learns a Magic Attack. This attack varies from Majokko to
Majokko, and every Majokko is unique with respect to her Magic Attack. A Magic Attack can be used
twice per day, and not more than once per encounter, and is a full-round action. The Majokko may
choose any of the major Oriental elements as the basis for her attack: Fire, Air, Earth, Water, or Wood.
Alternately, she can choose it to act as a physical attack, unarmed or with any Favoured Weapon,
though the attack is still magical in nature. It deals nonlethal or lethal damage according to the
Love/Hate the World choice, and may have other properties (see table below). The attack is a ranged
touch attack using the Majokko's dexterity bonus to her attack roll. During the attack, the Majokko
typically shouts out the name of the attack, as she leaps in the air or exercises a similar display of
agility and grace. Some Majokko, however, are far more subtle in their methods. When the Magic
Attack is completed, she lands within 10ft and in front of the target, but does not provoke an attack of
opportunity, even if her Magic Attack was a melee attack. Neither the target nor the Majokko can be
hidden or concealed by magical or natural means for a Magic Attack to occur, and the target must be
within the Majokko's movement allowance, without her moving through any squares impassable in
combat. The magic attacks improves every three levels following the 3 rd

Creativity: At level four, the Majokko may land/stop anywhere around the target after a Magic Attack.

Magic Eye: At level five, the Majokko begins to discover innate properties of her gaze that can unsettle
opponents. The Majokko can use her Magic Eye to focus finely on a target of her magic attack as a full
round action prior to a round where she uses her Magic Attack. The target makes a will save to resist
with a DC equal to twice the Majokko's class level plus her Charisma bonus. If not resisted, the target
ceases all offensive action for his next turn and returns the Majokko's gaze, and the Majokko treats
the opponent as flat-footed for the attack roll employed in a Magic Attack in her next round. Like the
Magic Attack, the Magic Eye may be used twice per day, and only once per encounter.

Improvisation: At level seven, the Majokko adds “Use Magic Item” to her list of class skills.

Leap: At level eight, the Majokko can land/stop anywhere within 15ft of the target after a Magic
Attack.

Serene Smile: At level ten, the Majokko's smile allows her to take 10 on any Charisma-based skill, even
if threatened or distracted.

Beauty's Guard: When “They Just Seem to Miss” is active, the Majokko gains an additional +2 shield
bonus to her AC. This shield is a magical aura that cannot be sundered.

Magic Gaze: At level eleven, the Majokko improves her Magic Eye to allow her Charisma bonus to the
Magic Attack touch attack roll, and the subsequent Magic Attack is not subject to counterspell.
Shift: At level thirteen, the Majokko's Magic Gaze (if successful) and Magic Attack abilities take place in
a temporal shift, during which only she and the target are active.

Dance: At level fourteen, the Majokko can land/stop anywhere within 20ft of the target after a Magic
Attack.

Sacrifice: At level sixteen, the Majokko can redirect an attack that would take a friendly target below 0
hit points to herself. She takes no physical damage, but the strain of protecting her ally incapacitates
her for three rounds. The use of Sacrifice consumes a use of Magic Attack, and places the Majokko
directly in front of the friendly target. The rules for acquiring a friendly target via Sacrifice are the
same as for Magic Attack. Also, the spirits will notify the Majokko whenever an attack is made that
would reduce any party member below 0 hit points, after the attack is started but before damage is
actually dealt, whether or not the use of Sacrifice is an option.

Unearthly Smile: At level seventeen, the Majokko's smile allows her to take 20 on any Charisma-based
skill, as a full round action, even if threatened or distracted.

Love Transcending Time: At level nineteen, the Majokko can communicate with any of her former
party members, or her former self, by whatever method she desires, though she cannot appear before
them physically. She will not necessarily influence their actions, but her communication may do so.

Coming of Age: At level twenty, the Majokko gains a +12 Fortitude save bonus, her creature type
changes to Spirit, and her natural AC improves to +3.

Final Guidance: At level twenty, the Majokko's Magic Attack cannot be dispelled or avoided, as if
Magic Gaze were always active and successful, and all her hit rolls were successful. She can choose to
land at any point within her movement range from the target upon completing the Magic Attack.

(Please scroll down to page 9 for the sample Magic Attack progressions table).
Sample Majokko “Magic Attack” Progressions Table

This is an example of a few Magic Attacks and how they might improve with levels, loosely based off
anime characters. You could use one of these, or create your own. All of the damage conforms to the
majokko's chosen damage type (subdual or lethal). You should also give your magic attack a catchy
title. For instance, you might call the fire magic attack listed below "Descending Pheonix". If you need
help creating a suitable magic attack, or naming your attack, talk to the DM or your fellow players for
ideas.

Element Magic Attack Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four
Water Obscures the party in a dense mist, as Damage Damage increases to 4d6, and Damage
per the fog spell, though allies may still increases to the mist also has a chance to increases to
see through the mist, and the enemy is 3d6. dispel enemy illusions (Will save 5d6.
not granted a save. Also adds 2d6 vs the Majokko level + 10 to
damage to the next friendly attack on resist).
the target, if it hits.

Fire Does 2d10 fire damage. Does 3d10 Does 4d10 fire damage. Does 5d10
fire fire
damage. damage.
Air Does 2d8 electrical damage, and the Damage Damage increases to 4d8, and Damage
power surge stays with to the majokko, increases to has a chance to disarm the increases to
giving her +2 electrical damage on all 3d8. opponent (Reflex save vs the 5d8.
her successful attacks within one round Majokko level +10 to resist).
of the Magic Attack.

Physical Does 2d8 force damage with a favoured Damage Damage improves to 4d8, and Damage
weapon, or multiple favoured weapons, improves to the majokko receives +1 force improves to
or unarmed attack(s), in addition to 3d8. damage to all her normal 5d8.
rolling for normal attack damage with weapon damage in the same
equipped weapons, which is also round as the Magic Attack.
considered force damage during this
attack.

Wood Does 2d8 force damage and hardens the Damage Damage improves to 4d8, and AC Damage
Majokko's skin, granting her +2 to AC for improves to bonus improves to +3. improves to
one round. 3d8. 5d8.

Earth The target takes 2d6 damage and is Damage Damage improves to 4d6, and Damage
shaken for one round. improves to the charge has a chance to push improves to
3d8. the enemy back one square (Fort 5d8.
save vs the Majokko level +10 to
resist).