Only races from the PHB will
be allowed.
Initially, all classes from the PHB are allowed. Classes and
prestige classes from other books subject to DM discretion.
Multiclassing
Characters that wish to multiclass will need to find an instructor in
the new class and train before they start to multiclass. Training
will usually cost a minimum of 100 gps per current level of the trainee
--- thus a 9th level character that wants to add an additional level in
another class will need to cough up 900 gps.
Adding the new class requires an INT based roll against DC 15 per month
spent training (one roll per month at the end of the month).
Characters cannot multiclass in a manner that violates their current
alignment (for example, a lawful character cannot add a level of
barbarian (a chaotic class)).
Chapter 4: Skills
Rolls of 20 or 1 on skill
checks:
Since this is a game of heroic action, a roll of natural 20
on any skill check succeeds regardless of the modifiers (providing
there is any possibility whatsoever of success). Thus a player
can attempt an action with a DC of 30 even if only has 5 ranks in that
skill, succeeding only if he rolls a natural 20. "Taking 20"
cannot succeed in this case --- only a naturally rolled 20 will allow
your character to "do the impossible" and pick the unpickable lock,
balance on a greasy tightrope in gale force wind, etc. A "heroic"
skill check like this can only be attempted once --- if you fail on the
first roll you cannot try again until you have gained more skill points
and applied them towards the appropriate skill.
All skill checks fail on a roll of 1, regardless of modifiers.
Thus you always have a 5% chance of success and a 5% chance of failure.
Acquiring
"Trained only" skills beyond level 1:
Some skills (such
as jumping or climbing) can be used untrained. Others (like
picking locks or literacy) cannot be used without training by a
qualified teacher. A player may add as many trained skills as he
can afford at level 1. If he or she wishes to learn a trained
skill at some time in the future, he must first find a willing
instructor and then train (see multiclassing above) for a period of at
least 1 month at a minimum cost of 10 gps per current level per month
(see Multiclassing, above) with a minimum training time of 1 month per
rank which they wish to start in a given skill.
Languages:
Although a character may be able to speak a language, this is no
guarantee that he/she can read or write that language (see
literacy, below).
Some of the human languages include Lenaran, Old Lenaran, Southron,
Tesh, Nordling and Skraeling. Many humans simple speak common
(also known as "Hintern").
Literacy:
This is a
psuedo-medieval fantasy world. Most characters will be illiterate
unless they take ranks in literacy (with the exceptions listed below by
race and class). Wizards and Clerics will always have literacy in
all of the languages which they speak initially. Characters much
take ranks of literacy in each language which they wish to read and
write. Thus a character who speaks Common, Dwarven and Southron
will need to take ranks in literacy in Common, Dwarven and Southron.
Exception:
If a character speaks two languages that share
a common alphabet (i.e.: Infernal and Abyssal both use the same
alphabet) and spends ranks to gain literacy in one of these two
languages, he can be considered to be able to read both.
Clerics: Wizards and Clerics will
always have literacy in all of the languages which they speak
initially. If additional languages are added later through
character advancement, literacy in the same language must be added as
well.
Dwarves: With the
exception of dwarf barbarians, all PC dwarves will be automatically
literate in dwarven.
Elves:
With the exception of elf barbarians, all PC elves will be
automatically literate in elven.
Wizards, Clerics and Druids: Wizards and Clerics/Druids
will
always have literacy in all of the languages which they speak
initially. If additional languages are added later through
character
advancement, literacy in the same language must be added as well.
Chapter 5: Feats
Chapter 7: Equipment
Starting Money:
First level characters will begin the game with either the funds
described in the Player's Handbook or the appropriate "starting
package" (player's choice). Characters that begin the game above
first level (e.g.: replacement PCs brought in to replace a lost or dead
PC) will NOT begin the game
with the absurdly high starting funds described in the 3.5 DMG.
The DM has his own formula to determine starting funds of higher level
PCs.
Weapons and Armor:
The technological level of Tellus is lower than that described in the
Player's Handbook --- equal perhaps to 10th - 12th century Earth.
Breastplate, half plate, full plate and locking gauntlets are not
commonly available. The dwarves guard the secrets of
forging exotic jointed plate armor jealously --- persons
interested in purchasing full plate armor, for example, will probably
have to travel to a dwarven stronghold and order it there.
Asian weapons (Kama, Nunchaku,
Sai, Siangham, repeating crossbow, etc.) are also not commonly
available.
Dwarven Urgosh are probably
only available from dwarven weapon smiths, gnome hooked hammers from
gnomish smiths, etc.
Bastard Swords:
Bastard swords (known in polite society as "hand-and-a-half
swords") are a cross between the longsword and the two handed
sword. A skilled user can use them in one hand (scoring damage
equal to a longsword) or in two hands (scoring 1-10 damage plus
appropriate bonuses) nad can switch from one handed to two handed use
at will (provided his second hand is not otherwise occupied).
Critical Hits and Fumbles:
On a roll of a natural 20 (or 18 or 19 etc., in the case of
weapons with an extended critical threat), weapons will scrore the
appropriate critical damage if the crit is confirmed AND the player or
monster is entitled to a roll on the "critical hit tables" --- which
will possibly cause more damage, knock you opponed down, etc. A
natural 20 hits any armor class no matter what the modifiers.
On a natural roll of 1, the attack fails regardless of modifiers and
the player or monster must make a roll on the fumble table --- possibly
dropping his weapon, stabbing a comrade, etc. Ouch!
DEATH AND DYING:
Any time you reach 0 hitpoints or lower, your character needs to roll a
successful system shock roll or
die immediately.
If you take damage and go from a positive number to anywhere between 0
and a negative number equal to your CON but survive your system shock
roll, you are unconscious. If you
take damage and go from a positive HP total to a negative number equal
to your CON or lower, you are
dead. If you are unconscious, you lose 1 HP/round until either somebody
heals or successfully "stabilizes" you, or you reach a number of
negative hitpoints equal to your CON and die.
Healing magic administered within a number of rounds equal to a
character’s CON may bring him back from the dead (roll system shock
roll again).
Upkeep/Monthly
Costs
Each PC will be required
to pay a monthly "upkeep" cost in addition to other costs
incurred (see DMG page 130).
self-sufficient: 2gp/ month
Farmers and servants who have most of their food, clothing and shelter
provided will pay 2 gps per month in costs related to an occasional
pair of shoes, religious tithes, and other completely unavoidable
expenses.
Meagre: 5gp/ month
Meagre income assumes you feed yourself by begging, hunting or
foraging, bathe infrequently and sleep in flophouses or outdoors.
Poor: 12gp/ month
Poor accommodations assume that you live an extremely spartan lifestyle
in poor conditions.
Common: 45gp/month
You live in inns and purchase meals and drink from innkeepers.
You can afford to splurge on regular bathing, laundry, occasional
nights of entertainment, etc.
Good: 100gp/month
You stay in private rooms in Inns and eat good food and are provided
with wine. You are well groomed and are able to provide yourself
with entertainment, fine clothes, etc.
Extravagant: 200gp/month
You have the best accommodations and throw frequent parties and
entertainment's.
Encounters
We will be using
standard encounters described in 3e as "status quo" encounters (see DMG
page 48). "Status quo" encounters
are determined by random generation or geography and are not automatically defeated with
only the cost of 1/4 of the party's
resources. Thus some encounters will be pushovers, some will be
challenging and some will be insane if not impossible. The
players would do well to know when to fight and
when to run away.
Experience
Experience
points are normally awarded before the next play session starts.
The DM will keep track of the players XP and will make that information
available on the campaign web site. The DM may allow (subject to
his discretion) characters to level up between play sessions, allowing
players time to research aspects of character advancement between
sessions.
Any character who dies in the course of a session does not gain any XP
awards for that session if they are subsequently raised.
I have always
given "ad hoc" bonuses here and there (an inspired action that saves
the party -- brilliant deduction --- good role playing or, my
favorite, when I player successfully AVOIDS using out of character
information for in character benefit). I have also always given
penalties for alignment violation, death/resurrection, etc.
For a long time my house rule has been that NPCs get 1/2 the XP of
players. Thus if a party of 4 players and 2 NPCs finishes an
adventure, the XP are divided by 10 --- each PC gets 2 shares and each
NPC gets 1.
Spell books
Spell books hold 100 pages
each
as per the PHB and each spell takes two pages per level in a book
(e.g..
a second level spell takes four pages). To write a new spell into a
book costs 50gp per page (or 100 gp per spell level) in rare materials.
Magic weapons and
armor are forged out of adamantine or mithril and are not based on
masterwork items! It is rumored the elves and dwarves control most
sources of mithril and adamantine respectively so they control the
trade (limited though it is) in magic armor and weapons. Wooden
weapons and armor must be fashioned out of darkwood or similar exotic
substances.
Spell
casting: