True20 House Rules
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For the sake of reference and comment I will elaborate upon a number of house rules for True20 that we either are using or may potentially use.
Altered Feats
Defensive Roll (Expert)
This feat now can only be taken once per every 4 character levels.
Leadership (General)
This feat grants only the usual number of followers, not a cohort.
Lucky (General)
This feat now grants a +1 bonus to Fortitude, Reflex and Will saving throws instead of its previous effect.
Sneak Attack (Expert)
This feat has the same benefits as before; in addition, it guarantees at least a wound result of Bruised or Hurt on a successful hit. This, however, is not guaranteed on creatures normally immune to criticals.
Tough (Warrior)
This feat can only be taken once per every 4 character levels.
Altered Rules
3d20, Take Middle Core Mechanic
The core mechanic for the system is now roll 3d20 and take the middle result. This produces a bell curve. (Explanation) In order to speed things up in game, when making multiple rolls in succession, such as with the attack and damage roll or the casting and fatigue roll, simply roll a number of dice equal to the rolls you're making, plus two. Then once the roll is made, discard the highest and lowest roll, picking which remaining die applies to what roll. So, for example, Bob is casting fireball. This involves making a casting roll and a roll to soak the fatigue from casting. He rolls four dice (casting + fatigue + 2) and gets a 19, 15, 11 and 4. He discards his highest and lowest (19 and 4), which gives him 15 and 11 left. He decides that 11 is his casting roll and 15 is his fatigue roll, and resolves things accordingly.
Conviction for Rerolls
When spending a point of Conviction to get a reroll, roll 3d20 and take the highest result rather than the old method of 1d20 (11 minimum).
More Powerful Criticals
Double the normal bonus from criticals on attacks. For example, a +3 bonus becomes +6 and a +4 bonus becomes +8. In addition, when a critical hit is scores the attacker is guaranteed to do at least a level of Hurt or Bruised damage, minimum.
Multi-role Power Ranks
Power rank now is Adept level now, regardless of whether the Adept has levels of any other role.
Damage Rolls & Toughness DCs
Instead of rolling toughness against a damage DC, damage is now rolled against a Toughness DC. In this manner attack and damage can be rolled at the same time. To determine your damage roll, take your usual damage bonus and add it to 3d20 (take middle). Conviction can be spent for rerolls on damage rolls, like all rolls, however, remember Conviction use is still limited to one per turn. The Toughness DC is equal to the old Toughness save bonus + 6.
New Conviction Use: Increased Toughness
You may spend a point of Conviction to increase your Toughness DC against a single attack. To determine your Toughness DC for that attack roll 3d20 (take highest) and add it to the old Toughness bonus.
Book Optional Rules
Fortitude-Based Fatigue Saves
The fatigue saves used when casting fatiguing magic are a Fortitude save rather than a Will save.
Charisma-Based Conviction
The amount of Conviction available to a character is affected by her Charisma ability score, as described in the optional rule in the True20 book.
New Rules
Character Flaws
Characters may opt to choose a character flaw when creating their character. Flaws can include any manner of things from "Short Attention Span" to "Cowardly" to "Enemy", however, all flaws must be approved by the GM. Alternately, a flaw may be taken after play has begun under approval from the GM; for example, a character may acquire an enemy after a sequence of events has transpired that would warrant an enemy. Still, however, a character may have only one flaw.
Players are expected to role-play their character's flaw. When the result of role-playing a character's flaw affects that character negatively in a significant way (GM's discretion) then that character may be rewarded with a Conviction point, just as with a character's virtue or vice. An extra Conviction point cannot be earned in this way more than once per scene.
Called Shots
Characters may call shots to certain areas of the body when using attacks that could sensibly target that area. Called Shots are considered a Challenge, as per the Challenge rules (page 8) and therefore the challenge feat may buy off the -5 penalty as normal. The GM may rule that certain creatures do not have the appropriate areas to target or suffer the same effects from targeting that area.
A called shot is resolved much like a normal attack and Toughness save. If the attack is successful (taking into account the -5 challenge penalty), the target rolls its Toughness save. On a failure, however, the target does not suffer damage normally. Instead the target suffers one of the effects listed below:
Called Shot: Arm
The target takes -1 to attack and Dex rolls made using that arm, plus an additional -1 for every 5 points by which the target failed her Toughness save. This penalty also applies to attempt to resist being disarmed.
Called Shot: Leg
The target's speed using that leg decreases by 5 ft., plus an additional 5 ft. for every 5 points by which the target failed her Toughness save. This penalty also applies to attempt to resist being tripped.
Called Shot: Groin
For targets that have the appropriate hardware in this region, the target must succeed on a Concentration check or Will save (whichever is better) vs. the DC of the Toughness save, or be stunned for one round.
Called Shot: Head
Unlike other Called Shots, this one effects the Toughness save as it is being made. The Toughness save's DC increases by +2. The target suffers damage as normal for a save of that DC. Unlike other Called Shots, this one may not be taken with the Challenge feat.
New Equipment
Melee Weapons Weapon Damage Critical Damage Range Size Cost Simple Weapons Club +2 20/+3 Bludgeoning 10 ft. Med 4 Gauntlet +0 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Tiny 5 Gauntlet, spiked +1 20/+3 Piercing — Tiny 5 Knife +1 19-20/+3 Piercing 10 ft. Tiny 7 Longspear +3 19-20/+4 Piercing — Large 6 Mace, heavy +3 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Med 7 Mace, light +2 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Small 6 Morningstar +3 20/+3 Bludgeoning & piercing — Med 7 Quarterstaff +2 20/+3 Bludgeoning 10 ft. Large 4 Sap +2 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Small 2 Spear +3 19-20/+4 Piercing 20 ft. Large 6 Tonfa +1 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Med 6 Unarmed Attack +0 20/+3 Bludgeoning — — — Martial Weapons Axe, throwing +1 20/+3 Slashing 10 ft. Small 5 Battleaxe +3 20/+4 Slashing — Med 9 Greataxe +5 20/+3 Slashing — Large 11 Greatclub +3 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Large 5 Greatsword +4 19-20/+3 Slashing — Large 11 Handaxe +1 20/+4 Bludgeoning — Small 4 Kukri +1 18-20/+3 Slashing — Small 7 Polearm +3 20/+4 Piercing or slashing — Large 8 Rapier +2 18-20/+3 Piercing — Med 9 Scimitar +2 18-20/+3 Slashing — Med 10 Scythe +3 20/+5 Piercing or slashing — Large 10 Sword +3 19-20/+3 Slashing — Med 10 Sword, short +2 19-20/+3 Slashing — Small 7 Trident +3 20/+4 Piercing — Med 7 Warhammer +3 20/+4 Bludgeoning 10 ft. Med 6 Warhammer, light +1 20/+3 Bludgeoning 20 ft. Small 4 Exotic Weapons Chain +2 20/+3 Bludgeoning 10 ft. Large 5 Chain, spiked +2 20/+3 Piercing 10 ft. Large 8 Nunchaku +2 20/+3 Bludgeoning — Small 3 Whip +0 20/+3 Bludgeoning 15 ft. Small 4
Ranged Weapons Weapon Damage Critical Damage Range Size Cost Simple Weapons Crossbow, heavy +3 19-20/+3 Piercing 120 ft. Medium 11 Crossbow, light +2 19-20/+3 Piercing 80 ft. Medium 10 Javelin +2 20/+3 Piercing 30 ft. Medium 4 Sling +1 20/+3 Bludgeoning 50 ft. Small 3 Martial Weapons Bow +3 20/+4 Piercing 100 ft. Large 10 Bow, short +2 20/+4 Piercing 60 ft. Medium 9 Shuriken +1 20/+3 Piercing, Autofire 10 ft. Tiny 3 Exotic Weapons Bolo — — — 40 ft. Small 3 Boomerang +2 20/+4 Bludgeoning 20 ft. Small 2
Equipment is Open Game Content from True20 Bestiary is ©2006 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Mapping D&D Skills to True20
True20 uses a smaller skill set than does D&D. In many cases several D&D skills get wrapped up into single True20 skills. This makes the skills list easier to remember and actions like moving stealthily (in D&D requiring two skill rolls) easier.
| True20 Skill | D&D Skill |
| Acrobatics | Balance, Tumble |
| Bluff | Bluff |
| Climb | Climb |
| Concentration | Concentration |
| Craft** | Craft, Forgery, Profession*, Use Rope |
| Diplomacy | Diplomacy |
| Disable Device | Disable Device, Open Lock, Use Magic Device |
| Disguise | Disguise |
| Escape Artist | Escape Artist |
| Gather Information | Gather Information |
| Handle Animal | Handle Animal |
| Heal | Heal |
| Intimidate | Intimidate |
| Jump | Jump |
| Knowledge** | Appraise, Knowledge, Spellcraft |
| Language | Speak Language, Decipher Script |
| Notice | Listen, Spot |
| Perform** | Perform |
| Ride | Ride |
| Search | Search |
| Sense Motive | Sense Motive |
| Sleight of Hand | Sleight of Hand |
| Stealth | Hide, Move Silently |
| Survival | Survival |
| Swim | Swim |
| * Technically any skill may be noted in True20 as one's professional skill. | |
| ** These skills break down into sub-skills in d20 Modern style. See notes below. | |
Knowledge Skills
| True20 Skill | D&D Skill |
| Art | Appraise |
| Behavioral Sciences | Profession |
| Business | Appraise, Profession |
| Civics | Profession, Nobility and Royalty |
| Current Events | Local |
| Earth Sciences | Dungeoneering, Geography, Nature |
| History | History |
| Life Sciences | Nature |
| Physical Sciences | Architecture and Engineering |
| Popular Culture | Local, Nobility and Royalty |
| Streetwise | Local |
| Supernatural | Spellcraft, Arcana, The Planes |
| Tactics | Profession |
| Technology | Architecture and Engineering |
| Theology and Philosophy | Religion |
