User:Mkill/Clean D&D
Clean D&D
Clean D&D is an attempt to create a set of house rules. Actually, I do think that the D&D designers made a pretty good job, and D&D works as written. What I try here is fine-tuning. Instead of usual houserules, that end up in a heap of complicated details that only come up once in 10 years, what I try here is to come up with the opposite:
Clear D&D of superfluous weight that is left over from old editions, or that was though necessary when the current edition was written but after all wasn't. The result is (hopefully) a faster game that's more fun to play.
Abilities
- Hit points are fixed as per LG rules
Races
- Elves lose their ability to detect secret doors.
- Races no longer have a favored class (unnecessary since there is no multiclassing XP penalty anymore)
Classes
- No XP penalty for multiclassing.
- Monks and Paladins can multiclass freely.
- There is no more alignment restriction for choosing classes, except for the Paladin.
- No unnecessary class niche protection: Trapfinding is no longer a class ability. Any character that can beat the DC can disarm a trap.
- Cantrips / Orisons do not need to be prepared in slots. Paladins and Rangers cast their spells spontaneously from the full list. Reason: Speed up the game by reducing the time players spend choosing memorized spells.
Skills
- No more class skills. Always buy 1 rank for 1 skill point.
- Fixed skill points per level (as if everyone had a +4 Int bonus)
6 | Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Sorcerer, Wizard |
8 | Barbarian, Druid, Monk |
10 | Bard, Ranger |
12 | Rogue |
- At first level, your gain double skill points, plus a number of bonus skill points equal to your Intelligence or Wisdom score (whichever is higher)
- Hide and Move Silently are merged into one skill: Stealth
- Open Locks is removed, Locks can be opened with Disable Device
- Spellcraft is removed, all relevant checks are made on Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion) or Knowledge (artifice)
- Psicraft is merged into Knowledge (psionics)
- No synergy bonuses
Feats
- Dodge grants a flat +1 dodge bonus to AC. As does any ability that works like Dodge (Psionic Dodge etc.). For any effect that is based on dodge but not a +1 AC bonus, you still have to select an opponent that it applies to (namely Elusive Target and Epic Dodge)
- Toughness grants either 3 hp flat or 1 per character level, whichever is higher.
- Weapon Finesse has no prerequisite
Metamagic
If you apply a metamagic feat, that feat changes the actual spell level, not just the spell slot used, with all consequences such as a higher saving throw DC. This makes the Heighten Spell feat superfluous and cleans up some confusion.
Combat
- Death from massive damage is removed
Magic
- All material components with a cost of less than 100 gp are ignored. The Identify spell has no material component.