FALLOWS CROSS RULES
RACES
1. Races Allowed:
Non-standard races should be allowed on a three adventure probation period, then voted on by players as to whether they should be kept. A player should only be allowed one non-standard race character at a time. A non-standard race is any race that is not one of Skills and powers sub-races and also includes the standard sub-races of Drow, Duergar and Svirfneblin.
2. Race Kits:
Once the race has been selected then the player must chose one of the race kits from Skills & Powers. No customisation of races will be allowed save for Humans who will have 20CP’s to spend on listed Human abilities or carry over to later character creation (in all or part of). For non-human races, they do not get race points and therefore cannot carry any points over.
3. The new Elven Half-Elf Kit:
There is a new Half Elf kit available, "the elven half elf" which consists of the following: -
This kit is considered as a non-standard race kit (see points 1 and 2).
4. The Drow Elven Kit
For player characters wanting to play a Drow Elf they should use the following kit: -
This kit is considered as a non-standard race kit (see points 1 and 2).
5. Racial Stat Adjustments:
Racial adjustments should be applied as per Skills & Powers only. There should be no racial adjustments above +1 or –1. Non-standard races are limited in the same way. Finally no stat adjustment that allows a Strength score greater than 18 (for damage and to-hit adjustments) should be allowed.
STATISTICS
1. Sub-Stats:
Remove sub-stats and just use the six normal stats. Sub-stat adjustments should be taken as referring to the main stats.
2. Stat Requirements for Character Classes:
All stat requisites are reduced to 9. The exception to this are Speciality Priests who have to comply with the requirements set out in Players Handbook, Faiths and Avatars, Monster Mythology or other appropriate source work.
3. Generating Character Statistics:
Characters have 24CP’s (to give a total of 78 points) to add to the following already allocated points (these stats can be reduced but no additional CP’s are gained):
STR 9 DEX 9 CON 9 INT 9 WIS 9 CHR 9
4. Warriors Exceptional Strength:
Exceptional Strength is removed and as an alternative all Warriors get a bonus +1 to-hit and to damage. (In this case, any item that gives exceptional strength or higher (e.g. Gauntlets of Ogre Power) would confer their normal bonuses, but the above extra +1 to to-hit and damage would not apply.) Exceptional strength is to be maintained as a concept for the determination of the effects of spells that effect strength (e.g. Strength). For such transient effects, the warrior bonus is not lost.
5. A character can learn as many languages as they want but extra languages (over the base ones that are allowed by Intelligence) cost 1CP extra.
CLASSES
1. Class Leatherette’s:
Keep the leatherette’s, and allow class abilities from one kit to brought for class CP’s. The cost to be decided by the group on character creation.
2. How should we deal with dual class, multi-class etc.?
All classes in Skills & Powers are available. Any race may multi class (humans as half-elves) and dual class with no level limit.
3. The following changes from Skills & Powers are suggested:
Fighter
1. A fighter can specialise in 3 weapons for 5CP’s or in any number of weapons for 15CP’s. Multi-class fighters can specialise in 1 weapon for 5CP’s or 3 weapons for 15CP’s.
2. The categories of the disadvantage "Limited Magic Item Use" are changed to the following:-
Potions, Oils and Scrolls
Rings, Rods, Staff and Wands
Miscellaneous Magic
Weapons
Armour.
3. Single classed fighters can buy High Mastery at 7th level.
4. Single classed fighters can buy Weapon Mastery at 9th level. To attain this level of mastery they must take three months out of game and, if there is an appropriate adventure slot available, undergo an adventure.
5. Single classed fighters can buy Grand Mastery at 15th level. To attain this level of mastery they must take three months out of game and undergo an appropriate adventure.
6. Defensive Bonus not available.
Paladin/Ranger
1. May buy the ability to Specialise in 1 weapon for 5CP’s or 3 weapons for 15CP’s.
2. The revised spell class skills from Spells & Magic apply with the following changes. Alternate sphere access gains you one extra sphere of access which must be from the spheres that are available to the religion the character follows. In the case of characters that do not follow a defined religion, their purchases must be approved prior to play. The rangers get the following additional spheres free : Traveller’s and Healing.
3. The fighter revisions to "Limited Magic Item Use" disadvantage apply.
Thief
1. "Detect Magic" is changed to "Detect Magical Items and Traps" and the following specifications are to be applied. A thief can detect magical items but this takes a turn to use and involves physical contact with the item and, where applicable, wielding the item as it is meant to be used. Therefore thieves using this ability may fall prey to unwanted effects such as curses and the like. Thieves can also detect magical traps though this activity is another action that is separate to normal detect traps and takes an additional turn. The detect percentage is added to the reduced mundane detect trap skill for the purposes of result determination.
2. The detect illusion spell is removed from the system.
3. Thieves can buy increased hit die type for 10 points.
4. The ability to Specialise in a weapon is removed.
5. Defensive Bonus is only available to single-classed Thieves.
Bard
1. "Detect Magic" is changed to "Detect Magical Items". See thieves but without the ability to detect magical traps.
2. The ability to Specialise in a weapon is removed.
3. The revised spell class skills from Spells & Magic apply except that wizard magic item use is unavailable.
4. Bards can buy increased hit die type for 10 points.
5. Defensive Bonus not available.
Cleric
1. Spell spheres to be selected must reflect the spheres granted to the Speciality Priest of the same religion, but a cleric need not have all the spheres, nor does he have to have the same level of access.
2. Spell sphere’s are as per Spells & Magic not the Players Handbook.
3. The following abilities are not available:
Combat Bonus.
Immunity to charm.
Immunity to Magic.
Proficiency group cross over.
Resist energy drain.
Spirit Powers **
Thief ability
Warrior ability bonus
Weapon Specialisation
Wizardly Priest
3. The ability ‘Spell like granted power’ is granted but can only be used to purchase granted powers that are available to the speciality priests of their religion.
4. The following disadvantages are not available:
Behaviour/taboo
Ceremony/observance
Fanaticism
Hazardous spells
Talisman/symbol
5. The different styles of cleric set out in Spells & Magic are not available as PC’s.
6. The ability to Specialise in a weapon is removed.
Speciality Priest
1. Speciality Priests spend all of their class based CP’s on acquiring their speciality kit, as set out in Faiths & Avatars (except for their special spells, which should be gained by game play as a reward by their god).
2. Spell sphere’s are as per Spells & Magic not the Players Handbook.
3. Priests advance on the Cleric experience table.
4. The ability to Specialise in a weapon is removed.
Druid
1. Spell sphere’s are as per Spells & Magic not the Players Handbook.
2. At the beginning of a Druid’s career, the character decides whether to advance as a speciality priest or a Druid. The competitions to advance past 11th level are only met on the Druids advancement path.
3. The ability to Specialise in a weapon is removed.
4. Druid character class is as set out in Faiths and Avatars.
Wizard
1. Both Speciality Wizards and Magi are created using the wizard customisation rules in Spells & Magic.
2. The following abilities are not available:
Bonus spell ability
Combat bonus.
Constitution adjustment.
Enhanced casting level.
Immunity.
Persistent Spell Effect.
Priestly Wizard.
Proficiency group crossover.
Thief ability
Weapon Specialisation.
3. The following disadvantages are not available:
Behaviour/taboo
Environmental condition
Supernatural constraint
Talisman
4. The categories of the disadvantage "Limited Magic Item Use" are changed to the following:-
Potions, Oils and Scrolls
Rings
Rods, Staffs and Wands
Miscellaneous Magic
Weapons and Armour.
5. The new spell caster Schools/Types in Skills & Powers and Spells & Magic are not available to PC’s, e.g. Shadow Magic and Artificer. If these types are adopted then they fall under the weird class.
Speciality Mages
1. Speciality wizards are designed as per the spells and magic listings in that they do not get any points from class, their 30 points being spent in buying the speciality school. The racial restrictions on specialist wizards apply.
2. Wild mage specialists must roll a d8 and compare that with the standard list of schools. This will then be their opposition school.
Psionicist
1. The whole class is to be removed.
MULTI CLASS CHARACTERS
1. Classes always break together, and that no class breaks until the slowest advancing class at that level breaks. Experience points are always split evenly between all classes.
2. On level advancing books: The experience the book would give to a single classed character with the same experience points in the class as the multi-classed character has is shared between all classes.
3. Characters with frozen classes should total up the experience from each class and divide by number of classes. This then defines the new level of all classes. From this time forward there is no freezing of classes.
DUAL CLASS
1. Dual Class Minimum requirements:
Characters must have a 13 in their first class prime requisite, then a +2 on the appropriate prime requisite for each new class.
ALL CLASSES
1. Class abilities may be bought after creation at double cost.
STARTING CHARACTERS:
1. Characters Starting Level?
All new characters start with 20,001XP’s (This being the minimum XP’s for the slowest advancing class at fifth to reach fifth level). In the case of multi-classed characters, this experience is shared equally between their classes (let's be generous and give an extra experience point to characters with two classes, so as to avoid half points.).
2. Dual class characters starting?
No-one may start as a dual-classed character. All classes must adventure through one level break in their initial class before being allowed to dual-class. Thus one could not start a 1st level Thief who was formally a fifth level Fighter, one would have to bring the character in as a Fighter, play him up to sixth level, and then dual-class as a Thief. Existing characters will have to re-allocate their experience so that their experience in their first class is at least 6th.
SPELL CASTING
1. The Spell Casting System:
Spell point system out of Spells & Magic, with the following changes:
i. In adopting the new system the bonus spell points for exceptional Intelligence for Wizards and Wisdom for Clerics are to be applied. These do not apply to any other form of spell caster.
ii. "Exceeding the Spell Level Limit" and "Casting Spells for Greater Effect" rules for wizards do not apply, these are not possible (we already have experience of the problems this can cause).
iii. The reduced spell point cost rules regarding "Reduced Spell Power", "Prolonged Casting Time" and "Special Casting Condition" are not available.
iv. The optional rules for Clerics/Priests as to spell sphere access and the cost of Minor and Major spheres do not apply. Minor access to a sphere limits the caster to the use of third level spells or lower in these spheres.
v. All spell casters (including Clerics/Priests) will only regain their spells once in any 24 hour period.
2. Learning Spells:
All spell casters need to study (or pray) for 2 rounds per spell point being dedicated. Only points being rededicated after expenditure need to be relearned – uncast spells do not require rededication. This time to relearn applies to both Fixed and Free Magicks.
3. Spellbooks:
Intelligence should have some impact, but not the "limited to 18 spells of each level in your spellbook" definition in Players Handbook. This is too restrictive. The spell limit is the number of spells you can take on an adventure and is your repertoire for the adventure. You can only change these between adventures.
SPELLS AND SPELL SCHOOLS
1. What changes should we make to the schools/spheres of magic?
Use the ‘Universal School’ of magic as set out in Spells & Magic, together with any other revisions to the school’s lists and the revised cleric spell sphere’s lists.
2. Should we use ‘Signature Spells’ as described in Spells & Magic?
Yes. The spell is freely available without recourse to memorisation.
MAGICAL ITEMS
1. How do we determine starting magical items:
At creation, in the presence of at least 2 DM’s, each new character gets three magic items. The items generated must be a) usable by the character (in the case of weapons one that the character is at least proficient in) and b) agreed upon by the presiding GMs and the player as being suitable for entry into the game.
2. The effects of magical books that raise a characters ability scores or levels:
The books found in this campaign which raise a characters statistics can take them above racial maximum. The books which raise a characters level take him 1 experience point into the next level, not to halfway through as described in the Dungeon Masters Guide.
ARMOUR CLASS
1. Warriors and Rogues do not have an automatic +2 to AC as listed under Dexterity in Skills and Powers.
2. Bracers of Defence can be used in conjunction with Defensive Bonus (only available to single-classed thieves).
3. Maximum Armour Class:
A characters Armour Class may never go below -5, save for temporary spell effects, the Tumbling proficiency and the bard’s ‘BladeSpin’ ability. Other abilities are to only be allowed after approval by the group.
SAVING THROWS
1. The following change to the Saving Throw rules is proposed:
All character saving throws (not item) should automatically fail on a unmodified roll of 1, 2 or 3.
Magical Items that affect saving throws:
The maximum protection that a character can gain from items that affect all saving throws is +4. Items that are specific in the saves they affect not affected by this restriction..
LEVEL PROGRESSION
Characters gain 4 CP’s as they advance in level.
WEAPON EXPERTISE
1. All classes can buy Weapon Expertise.
PARRYING
1. What parrying rules should we use?
A defender must declare the wish to parry before the attack is rolled. Normally only melee attacks can be parried. Both the attacker and defendant roll a to-hit roll, if the defendant manages to hit a better or equal AC than the attacker, then the attack is parried. If the attacker rolls a 20 then the defendant must roll a 20 to parry and vice versa. If the character is using a shield to parry then he may parry at any point in the round and is at +2, if using a parrying weapon like a ‘Main Gauche’ then they can parry at +. If the attack occurs before the defender’s initiative , then they suffer a -1 penalty to the parry attempt for each segment the attack is before their initiative.
SHIELD PROFICIENCY
1. Changes to ‘Shield Proficiency’:
If a character buys the proficiency once then he gets an additional +1 to his AC, if he buys it twice that goes to +2. It could not be purchased more than twice making the total benefit from using a shield available +3 without using magic. If the character also has ‘Weapon and Shield’ proficiency then they gain the ability to use their shield parry against one missile or thrown attack.
BOWS
1. Strength does not contribute to THAC0 for bows. Strength gives you a damage bonus if it is a custom built bow to take benefit of the strength. Starting characters do not have Custom bows. All bows have a strength rating that the character must also have exactly to gain the strength bonus to damage. Magical bows can have the strength rating altered by enchanters at the cost of 5,000gps and 1 week for each point of alteration.
2. Elven trick shots - these are now available to any bow using race, need to decide on costs. They are now just called trick shots.
3. A bow cannot be used while wearing Gauntlets of Ogre Power.
4. A bow can be fired at any range unless the attacker is in a close melee situation.
5. The max. number of arrows/bolts in a quiver is 20. Only two quivers can be carried at a time. Other quivers can be carried in magical holding devices (with the added time penalty of getting them out of them in combat, i.e. three rounds for bag of holding).
6. Recovery of magical arrows after an encounter is at DM’s discretion. Special purpose magical arrows are, in the main, always lost on use.
SIGNATURE ITEMS
1. Should we use ‘Signature Items’, and if so which classes and when do they get them:
All classes may buy a signature item when they have gained 500,000XP in each of their classes.
REGENERATING CHARACTERS
What should we do if the changes in the rules make a current character unplayable?
To move a character to a different class requires a good reason for the change which must then be aired amongst the entire group. In terms of skills, try and keep as true to the old character as possible.
MAGIC WEAPONS
1. Should we put a maximum plus on the abilities of magical weapons:
No.
2. How do the bonus of combined weapons (i.e. +2/+4 vs. Pink Hippos) affect speed?
The +2 is the weapon speed adjustment of the sword irrelevant of whether the weapon is being used against the creature type that the weapon is especially potent against. Also, the +4 is used when determining the type of creatures that can be hit.