Editing E6 3.5 The Motley Crew (section)

=House Rules=

==Basic changes==
*Rule 1: Fighters get two good saves [pick the other] and a feat every level. 
*Rule 2: Forget cross class skills costs. Characters can buy any skill they like.
*Rule 2a: Gestalts get the skill points from both classes. Fighters get 4sp in this system.
*Rule 3: I'm going to use the optional Armour as DR rule from Unearthed Arcana, but on top of normal AC.
*Rule 4: It is quite legal to make a gestalt character that is the same class twice. To be effective, however, you would want a class that can trade out all of its class features for ACF's.
*Rule 5: Assume initiative is now static [not rolled] and that things that previously triggered AoO's now allow Immediate Actions outside of initiative order. This Immediate action takes the place of any standard or move action.
*Rule 5a: Assume all move and standard actions are now interchangeable. You get two a round. Note, this does not apply to spellcasting.
*Rule 5b: assume any attack, feat or special ability that requires a full round action now only requires a standard action. This does not apply to spells.
*Rule 6: Druids must trade wildshape for some form of ACF, or their animal companion drops to 1/2 level, as per a ranger.
*Rule 7: There is always a way around 'absolute' [no non-magical counter] magic spells. Each must be learned individually.
*Rule 8: I am employing a 'per rest' rather than per day rule. this means any significant break is a chance to recharge normal per day abilities. Only a few spells are still restricted to per day. While this may seem to shortchange fighters, they have gained much through increased feats and quicker actions.

And that's it rules wise.

==What does fixed initiative mean? where'd my AoO's go?==
*What does this [initiative] mean?

It means everyone gets to state what they intend to do each turn [using the standard descriptors], and higher initiative gets to play out their actions first after statements are made. Interrupts occur when actions happening would normally trigger an AoO. Everbody in this system gets one 'round' of action - there are no free attack's from AoO's.

*So if I have a lower initiative than someone who drinks a potion next to me, I can take my turn as an interrupt to their action?

Yes you could, but that is your 'attack' action for the round. You dont get to belt/trip/push/jump on them and then get an attack in later.

*Does the interrupt still have to be a melee attack? And I won't get my turn on my normal Initiative score in that case?

No and yes. You might bung a brick at them, yell abuse, fire off a quick spell or missile...but thats your attack for the round.

It might feel odd, but it simplifies combat a lot [for me] and stops ogres from backing away endlessly with longspears.

Mechanics wise, it'd be quite low level 3.5, along the lines of the E6 rules modifications, and stay within this framework for the length of the [forseeable] game... [for those unaware of E-6, it is basically a set of alterations to 3.5 so as to halt level progression at sixth level - further abilities learned through an expanded feats list bought from every 5k of extra xp ]. Resource poor due to setting and the general removal of high level characters and their opponents...so there's a lot less magic, but a lot less need for it. A definite need for social skills. Alchemy and healing skills become more important, and that +1 dagger becomes a handy find indeed.

==Experience points==
One thing...as gestalt characters, you will need +50% experience for each level increase. Experience beyond 6th level will be 7500xp per new feat. Levelling up will be pretty much instant [the first 5 minute break past your last xp earning].
==Legal sources for this game==
*Core Books+UA - SRD

Classes, Races, Spells.

*Core Book II's, the ''Complete...'' series and the ''Races Of''... series.

ACF's, Feats, Races and racial substitution levels only.

Feats from all the above-mentioned books are available to view at : http://realmshelps.dandello.net/datafind/feats.shtml.

Crystalkeep provides a summary of most of 3.5 at this site: http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/index.php. Check out the variant base classes [but note only the ones from the abovementioned books will be considered], races and some of the Alternate Class Features.

Apart from that, there's suggestions and help here, of course...

==NPC Classes==
NPC's
PC's are the only Gestalts of PC classes, apart from major villains.
Most NPC's will be single classed, though some may be PC/npc gestalts.

NPC types are expanded slightly to allow for the fact that you may actually need some [ hirelings, militia, packcarriers, etc]

Commoner -
Slave/urban/sedentary BAB 1/2, Sk2+; 1 simple wpn, one skill focus.
Rural/primitive BAB 3/4, Sk2+; Lt Arm, 3 Simple wpns. [most of the villagers]
Expert -
Sedentary BAB1/2, Sk 8+; Skill focus, 1 simple wpn. Will good [ a scribe or scholar]
Active BAB 3/4, Sk 6+; Lt arm, all simple wpns. Will good [a herbalist or Craftmaster]
Warrior -
Regular BAB 1 Sk 2+; All simple, martial wpns, all armour, all shields. Fort good [men at arms, sergeantry,]
Irregular BAB 3/4 Sk4+ All simple, martial, lt/med armour, lt/med shield. Ref good. [archers, scouts, light cavalry]
Adept -
Arcane/Divine BCB 1/2, Sk2+ Simple wpns. Adept spells, Good will [a Priest or Mage]
Witch BCB 1/2, Sk2+ Simple wpns. Witch spells. Good will. [a witch...what else?]
Aristocrat -
Leader - BCB 3/4, Sk4+ Simple, Martial wpns. All armours, shields. good will, fort [a knight type/sometimes gestalted with Paladin or Fighter]
Ruler - BCB 3/4 , Sk6+ Simple, martial, all armours, lt/med shields. good will [more a baron or entourage type; gestalted with rogue for a spymaster.]
Councillor - BCB 1/2, Sk8+ Simple. Skill focus, Bard spells. good will [somes a gestalt with cleric, wizard or sorceror. Astrologer, advisor, vizier, keeper of the keys, etc].

==The Bardic Witch or Warlock==
'Witch' is now a Bard variant, deleting the singing and playing requirements and adding spoken/chanted words for a more witchy feel. Powers and abilities remain the same as a 'normal' bard, but their source is divine. Rapier becomes the light sword used in witchcrafty type rituals, dagger becomes athame-typestuff...

The witch addition spell list.
*0 Lvl: arcane mark, cure minor wounds, dancing lights, detect poison, virtue.
*1st L: Command, doom, endure elements, speak with animal.
*2nd L: none.

==Magic vs Skill: The annoying thing about Arcane Lock.==
I'd like to impose a fiat. Anything spell like up to third level that has an absolute skill-blocking effect (see arcane lock) has a way around it that is [relatively] mundane. In arcane lock's case, cold iron lockpicks allow a rogue to suppress the spell temporarily, and a cold iron prybar can be used to open open it if need be. This information will only be available to Knowledge checks under special circumstances. Each mundane weakness normally has to be worked out individually, of course. [why do you think they call it Experience points...?