House Game Rules

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1. MOST IMPORTANT - we are playing to have FUN. Always try to remember this.
1. I am always open to feedback of any kind, whether personally or by group.
2. I will occasionally end a session a little early (say about ½ an hour) so that the entire group can discuss how the game is going, if there are any concerns or praises that need to be sung, the groups wants to get something else out of the game, etc.
2. Rules
1. We will be using the core rules straight out. I have no modifications to them. Optional rules will be presented to the group for discussion before I will decide to include them or not. The only optional rule I will start off with is critical fumbles. If you roll a 1 during combat, you must pass a DC10 Dex check to avoid fumbling. See 4d) below for effects.
2. Well, this addenda pertains to how experience is awarded.
1. Experience is handed out in 4 ways.
1. By overcoming a challenge, whether it is a monster, trap or something else that can be evaluated as a CR. This is the standard method.
2. A story experience award for obtaining objectives in the adventures.
3. Level loss, you are place at the midway point to the next level.
4. Players who are not available for a session, but their characters are needed to perform actions during that session, as decided upon by the group, receive only half the normal award. The group present decides whether or not the character participates.
2. All experience is tracked by me using an Excel spreadsheet, so I have a complete running total for the entire campaign.
3. Books - the books that will be used in this group are listed below. Others may be added, but not likely.
1. Player's Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual's
2. The entire Complete Series and the Spell Compendium can now be used for Feats and Spells. Additional material from these books are still being evaluated to determine if that material will be allowed into the game.
3. You may only reference the Player's Handbook during the game. Before or after the session, the other books may be referenced. I would prefer that people stay away from the Monster Manual, but understand that if you need to use it, go ahead.
3. Characters
1. Generation - we are using a 28-point but method.
2. Sheets - I will upload to the files section of the email list some files of character sheets. I will keep the master sheets for everyone's character at my house. This is to make sure that they are always present for a game. Extremely useful in that people don't have to remember to bring them and if someone can't make it, I have the character's information available. I will make copies of these for everyone that you can take home to study, ponder, burn, whatever, but the official ones will be the ones that I have.
3. Absent Players - Characters of players that can not make a session are delegated to the background (the semi-official terminology for the group is lantern bearer). They normally do not gain any experience for the session. However, the players who are present can decided to have those characters participate in events that happen. If this occurs, those characters will receive experience for what they participate in, although at a reduced rate. The only general rule in situations such as these is those characters can not die, unless the situation turns into a total party kill.
4. Things to make life easier.
1. The best thing to make life easier is to know the rules as best you can. This doesn't mean all of them (I don't even know them all), but at least those that pertain directly to your character. This includes special abilities the character has, skills, feats, spells, etc. The only other big area to know is the combat rules, particularly the area of Attacks of Opportunity. I know it takes a while to get them down, but knowing them makes the game go faster.
2. Another thing to do is during a combat situation, be prepared with your next action. Combat takes the longest amount of time when people are not prepared to decide what they are going to do. It should not be hard to at least have some idea of what you want to do next. I have to do it with all your enemies. Most combats do not take more than 5-6 rounds at the most, even at higher levels. This will help to keep everything moving smoothly. If you delay too long in deciding, I'll just hand you your initiative card and say you are performing the delaying action.
3. We will be using gaming stones to track hit points during game play. This has already proven to provide a stimulating visual effect to gaming sessions as well as make life easier for tracking them during play.
4. We will be using a fumble deck to determine the result of fumbles. It is a deck of 40 business cards that I made that have various outcomes listed on them. If you fumble, I just draw the top card for the result (instead of fumbling around for the sheet of paper that has my fumble table on it, pun intended). For those who are curious, the contents of the cards are based on the RoleMaster game fumble table (a d100 roll).
5. We will be using miniatures (warning, most of mine are not painted yet), monster counters and cardboard heroes to represent characters and monsters in the game. They come in most handy during combat situations and have provided a visual impact to understanding what is currently happening. I will also make use of terrain to enhance the visual aspects.
6. I will be using 3x5 index cards to record stats for creatures and the characters. I utilize these to keep combat running smoothly by ordering them in initiative order and cycling through them as well as being able to perform various checks, like Listen, Spot, etc. for your characters in situations where you would have no knowledge that you could perform one.
7. I am always open to more ideas such as the ones above as long as they 1) make the mechanics of the game flow more smoothly and 2) are simple.
5. Procedures
1. While the game session is being played, my word is law. This is not to say that I won't listen to an argument or objection, but I will not let the argument prevent us from playing. If you have an objection to something currently going on, raise the issue and we will discuss it briefly. I will then make a ruling that will be in effect from that point forward. If you wish to discuss the issue again, just bring it up anytime after the session (to me or the email list). I will be more than happy to hash anything out and will change the ruling, if necessary for the future.
2. I will, for the most part, be rolling the dice out in the open. The DM screen is nice, and I will occasionally use it, but for the most part, it gets in the way for me. If there is a strong objection to this, I will make all my rolls behind the screen.
3. I will also be rolling sometimes for your characters, especially when using certain skills where the outcome should be just a description instead of you realizing if you succeeded or not.
4. I will shoot down meta-gaming talk during the session if I deem it is not appropriate. For example, telling another player to perform an action differently when your character can not even see him/her. Meta-gaming talk that takes place where it might be appropriate is fine. Just realize that time WILL pass while you are talking/debating and other things may or may not happen. The world should be dynamic and I intent it to be so.
5. Try to keep out of game references to a minimum. I fully understand that it will be impossible to eliminate them all together and that sometimes they can provide a welcome relief. We are here to have fun and as long as the references aren't too common, I don't mind them. Talking about last week's football game during the session is the type of thing I'm trying to prevent.
6. Players
1. Please keep in mind that there will be a mix of experience at playing the game in all the players, from novices to experts. Help others to learn without telling them exactly what to do.
2. I would like to see everyone keeping a journal of what happened from their characters point of view during the session and post the journal entry here. I will also write up a summary of what happens each session and post it to the list.
7. The Session
1. Currently, sessions will be held on a Thursday night from 7:45PM till 10:30PM. I would like to try to meet at least 2 out of every 3 weeks, ideally as often as possible.
2. You are welcome to arrive from 7:30PM onwards. Please try to be on time since I will start at 7:45PM no matter what.
3. Number of players - the game will go on as long as there is not more than one player who can not make it. This will be an intensely fun campaign that will need the resources of most of the players being present and I don't feel it is fair to the others if more than one is absent.
4. If you can not make a session that you previously were going to be able to go to, please give as much notice as possible so that the group is aware of the fact. It will make things a lot easier to postpone a session than have less than the minimum show up.
5. Reminders go out to the email list a week before and 3 days before the session. I generally send a message asking who is available on Monday. The quicker people respond, the quicker we know if enough people are available for a session that week.

Character Questionnaire

Here is a character questionnaire for your perusal.

The following are a series of questions designed to aid in creating and fleshing out a new character as well as providing the Dungeon Master (me) with a bounty of plot devices and other adventure hooks. Answer as many questions as you can as pertaining to your character as if this were a resume. Any answers should be in terms prior to the character participating in the campaign. All answers should be kept unknown to the others (well, except me of course) until discussed in-game.

- The Basics -

1. - What is your full name?
2. - List any and all aliases used. (How long in use? Why? Who knows them?)
3. - Where were you born?
4. - Describe your parents, including current status.
5. - What was/is your families social status (Poor? Well-to-do? Wealthy?)
6. - Do you have any relatives and how close are you?
7. - Where are these relatives now?

- Background -

1. - What jobs, positions, or titles have you held? (When? Where?)
2. - Did you ever serve in the military?
3. - Do you have a criminal record? (Why? Are you still wanted?)
4. - Where do you live now?
5. - Where did you spend most of your life?
6. - Name two notable places you've visited
7. - Are you or have you ever been married or romantically involved? (With who? Where are they now? What is the status of your relationship?)
8. - Describe a significant event from childhood and/or adolescence.
9. - Describe a significant event from adulthood.
10. - Did you know or know of other characters (either PCs or NPC) prior to beginning this campaign?
11. - How do you describe your lifestyle?
12. - Do you have any enemies (who?/why?)
13. - What conflicts might arise due to your past?
14. - Do you have any friends or contacts? (where are they now?)
15. - Do you have any dependents?
16. - Do you have any pets?
17. - What are your hobbies?
18. - What awards and honors have your received?
19. - List a couple of your favorite foods/drink.
20. - List a couple of your favorite equipment/toys etc.

- Personality -

1. - List three physical traits.
2. - List three positive (or 'good') mental traits.
3. - List three negative (or 'evil') mental traits.
4. - List three social traits.
5. - Any quirks and habits, both good and bad?

- Outlook on life -

1. - What are your short term goals?
2. - What are your long term goals?
3. - What are your companion's goals (both long and short term)
4. - What are your hopes and fears?
5. - What is it that drives you?
6. - Do you have a religion or believe in a mystical energy? (what are the disciplines of your faith?)
7. - What would you like to be doing in 5 years?
8. - Were do you see yourself in 10 years?
9. - How do you see yourself?
10. - How do other see you?
11. - In a short paragraph tell of your most vivid memory: