The mists of Ravenloft cast their nets far and wide ...
Background
We'll be using Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 rules:
- Official rulebooks only (core and non-core)
- PHB races only
- No evil characters
- No psionics
- You can choose prestige classes from the v3.0 guidebooks if there's no v3.5 equivalent
- No homebrew (but you can ask)
Characters can come from any background - Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk ... as long as it's D&D v3.5, you can use whatever flavour of the rules you can get your hands on. Likewise, your pantheon of deities will be determined by your choice of setting.
Starting level/GP
You start the game at 6th level, with 13,000gp worth of possessions, magical or mundane.
Replacement characters start at the lowest level of existing characters.
Base ability scores
Point buy method from the DMG p169, 32 point build:
Ability
Score | Point
Cost | Ability
Score | Point
Cost |
|---|
| 9 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| 10 | 2 | 15 | 8 |
| 11 | 3 | 16 | 10 |
| 12 | 4 | 17 | 13 |
| 13 | 5 | 18 | 16 |
Notes:
- Base stats can't exceed 18
- Any racial adjustments are applied after the base stats are worked out
- Don't forget the Ability Score increase for 4th level.
House Rules
Hit Points
Maximum Hit Points at 1st level, per PHB. Best of 2 dice thereafter. You'll need 'em.
eg if character is a rogue (D6 Hit Dice), then at first level they automatically get 6 hit points, adjusted for CON, and at second and later levels throw 2 x D6, taking the highest roll.
Familiars/Animal Companions
Instead of the Summon Familiar class feature gained at first level, Sorcerers or Wizards can choose to take any Feat for which they meet the prerequisites.
If at some later point, they wish, they may pick up a Familiar in place of a Feat gained due to Character Level (ie at 3rd, 6th, 9th etc for both classes) or as a Bonus Feat (in the case of a Wizard). Note that the Familiar level will be based on the level at which it is acquired - ie the Familiar of an 8th level Sorcerer who gained the familiar at 6th level would be effectively 3rd level.
Animal Companions of Druids or Rangers are treated similarly - the character may take any Feat for which they qualify, instead of selecting an animal companion when it comes available to them, then take an Animal Companion instead at later levels when they gain a feat due to Character level. So doing, however, reduces the effective class level for determining animal type/ability, as per the reduction for Familiar abilities above.
Due to this reduction in Familiar/Animal Companion level , this change will primarily be of use only to those characters who do not want a Familiar or Animal Companion, as at least they can gain some benefit in recompense.
