CotMA: HOUSE RULES

Version 0.2
1.) Character Creation: Ability Scores: Generate ability scores by rolling 4d6 for each ability score, discarding the lowest roll each time. Scores must be assigned in order (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA), with a single swap between two scores allowed per character. You may roll as many sets of stats as you wish. Ability Score Changes: All characters may add their CON modifier when rolling saving throw vs. disease and poison. CHA modifiers range from -3 to +3, just like all other ability scores. Hit Points: When rolling hit points, always re-roll any die that rolled a one. When a new experience level is achieved, re-roll all hit dice until you have a result higher than your current total (re-rolling ones). Starting Wealth: Starting wealth shall be 10d10 Gold Pieces. Multiple Characters: Players are encouraged to have at least 2 characters. Each session, choose 1 character to participate in that nights adventures. Alternate characters may pursue out-ofsession activities.

2.) Classes & Class Changes: Available Classes: The following classes are available in addition to those classes detailed in the Core Rules: Bard, Gnome, Ranger, Monk, and Paladin. Elf Magic: All Elf characters shall use the Druid Spell List from the Advanced Edition Companion. Elves may still use wizardly magic items, with the exception of magic-user scrolls. Modified Hit Die: Dwarf characters may use 1d10 as their hit die. Thief characters may use 1d4+1 as their hit die. Weapon & Armor Restrictions: Clerics may wield a single non-standard weapon if it is considered their deitys favored weapon. Elves may wear up to Chain Mail Armor or equivalent. Magic-Users may wield magic swords, staves, clubs, daggers, and darts.

3.) Game System Changes:

Ascending Armor Class: Armor Class values ascend; higher ACs confer greater protection. o Padded: +1 AC o Leather: +2 AC o Studded: +3 AC o Scale: +4 AC o Chain: +5 AC o Splint: +6 AC o Plate: +7 AC o Shield: +1 AC

Attack Bonus: Each class has an Attack Bonus; ignore Attack Matrix. When you make an attack roll, roll a d20 and add your Attack Bonus. If your result is greater than or equal to the targets Armor Class, you hit and deal damage.

Dwarf, Elf, Fighter, Halfling, Monk, Paladin, & Ranger o Level One: +1 o Level Four: +3 o Level Seven: +6 o Level Two: +1 o Level Five: +4 o Level Eight: +6 o Level Three: +2 o Level Six: +5 o Level Nine: +7

o Level One: +1 o Level Two: +1 o Level Three: +1 o Level One: +1 o Level Two: +1 o Level Three: +1

Bard, Cleric, Thief o Level Four: +2 o Level Five: +2 o Level Six: +3 Gnome, Magic-User o Level Four: +2 o Level Five: +2 o Level Six: +2

o Level Seven: +3 o Level Eight: +3 o Level Nine: +4 o Level Seven: +2 o Level Eight: +3 o Level Nine: +3

Simple Encumbrance: A character may equip a number of items equal to STR score, rounded down. Equipped items are those that are worn or carried. Suits of armour, quivers of arrows, and potions on a belt all count as equipped items. A character may draw or produce an equipped item as a Free Action. A character may stow a number of items equal to their STR score. Stowed items are carried in backpacks, gunnysacks, hard to reach pockets, or are otherwise packed away. If a character needs to reach a stowed item during combat, it is equivalent to a Move Action. Small items do not count against encumbrance individually. Small items can be packed together or bundled into a single item for encumbrance purposes. Exactly how many of a given small item can be packed into a single bundle is a judgment call. A general rule of thumb is 5 to 12 items, or 2.5 to 5 lbs. Likewise, extremely bulky or unwieldy objects might count as multiple items. o 5 Potions o 10 Candles o 200 Coins (any type) o 5 Rations o 12 Spikes o Chainmail (2 Items) o 8 Torches o 40 Arrows o Platemail (3 Items)

Characters willing to sacrifice movement may take on items. Characters may equip up to 2 additional items or stow 4 additional items at the cost of becoming Lightly Encumbered. A further 2 items may be equipped or 4 stowed at the cost of becoming Heavily Encumbered. o Lightly Encumbered: max movement of 90/30 and -1 DEX o Heavily Encumbered: max movement of 60/20 and -2 DEX Individual Initiative: Each player rolls 1d20 + DEX. If multiple characters are controlled by the same player, roll a single initiative and add the highest DEX modifier. Highest result acts first and players win ties. Monsters of a single type will act on the same initiative. Combat Actions & Combat Sequence: All actions shall resolve on the same turn/initiative order in which they are undertaken, regardless of the action type. Actions shall be declared at the start of each combat round. There are three types of actions: o Free Actions: Unlimited per round, includes drawing a weapon or readying a potion o Move Actions: 2 per round, may not attack then move, or take two attacks o Full Actions: 1 per round, casting a spell is a Full Action Death and Dying: When an attack would reduce a characters hit points to 0 or below, roll a saving throw vs. death. If the save is successful, that character drops to 1 Hit Point and falls unconscious.

First Aid: Once per encounter, a character may administer First Aid. First Aid restores 1 Hit Point per Level of target. A character may not benefit from First Aid more than once each encounter. Cleave: your melee attack deals enough damage to drop a foe (typically by dropping it to below 0 hit points) you may take an immediate, extra melee attack against another creature within reach. Experience for Loot: Dungeon loot may be exchanged for experience points at a rate of 1gp for 1xp. Such exchanges represent martial or magical training, carousing and debauchery, tithes and fees paid to political or religious organizations, and the general costs of high living. Such activities take place between play sessions. Sleeping in the Dungeon: Camping within the confines of dungeon is an ill-advised activity. When sleeping within a dungeon (with a few exceptions) the DM shall roll on the Triple Secret Random Dungeon Chart of Very Probable Doom. A play session may not end with characters still in the dungeon. Shield Save: A character with a shield may choose to sacrifice the shield to negate a successful attack. Magical shields are discarded for the remainder of the encounter but not destroyed. Magical damage occurring from destructive spells may be reduced to damage (or with save) in the same manner. Weapon Mastery: At every level evenly divisible by 3 (or 4 for all other classes), a Fighter may choose to master a weapon. Choosing to master a weapon twice is called Advanced Mastery. o Basic Mastery: +1 bonus to hit on all attacks made with that weapon o Advanced Mastery: +2 bonus to all damage rolls made with that weapon

Critical Hits: If you roll a natural 20 when making an attack, immediately roll a second attack (applying same modifiers or penalties). If the second roll would also hit, roll a d30 and consult the Critical Strikes & Grievous Wounds Table. Permanent injuries may be reversed through the use of high level magic (Heal, Regenerate, Wish, etc.).

4.) Spells & Magic

Bonus Spells: All spell casting classes gain bonus spells for high ability scores (16 18) in their spell-casting stat. o Ability Score 16: One bonus 1st Level Spell o Ability Score 17: One bonus 2nd Level Spell o Ability Score 18: One bonus 3rd Level Spell

Cantrips: Elves, Gnomes, and Magic-users may cast Cantrips at will, up to a maximum of 6 in one hour. Counter Spells: Elves, Gnomes, and Magic-users may negate a single enemy spell (or spell-like ability as appropriate), by declaring a readied-action Counter Spell. If a suitable spell is cast after your turn in the initiative order, you may counter that spell by sacrificing a spell of equal or higher spell level. A successfully countered spell is removed from the casters store of memorized spells. If a suitable spell is not cast in the round you declared a Counter Spell, your action is lost. Grimoire (Spell Book): Elves, Gnomes, and Magic-users begin play with a free, 20 page Grimoire. Spells require 1 page to record. Larger Grimoires or additional Grimoire pages may be purchased between sessions. Spell Preparation: Spells must be prepared prior to each adventure. Preparing spells takes 1 hour, and is performed at dawn. Spontaneous Healing: A cleric may sacrifice any prepared spell in order to cast a healing spell of the same spell level or lower. Evil clerics may choose to cast inflict spells instead. Starting Spells: All spell casting characters begin with Read Magic and 2 other randomly selected 1st level spells. These spells are recorded in the casters grimoire. New Spells: Elves, Gnomes, and Magic-users may obtain new spells in 3 ways: o Research: 1,000gp and 1 Week per Spell Level; must have library o Scrolls: Transcribing a spell from a Scroll consumes that Scroll o Grimoire: Spells may be freely copied from a Grimoire

5.) Adventuring

Appraisal: Art Objects, Jewelry, Gemstones, and other valuables are appraised automatically. Bed Rest: Sleeping in a bed restores an additional 1d4 Hit Points. Burning Oil (10gp): Burning oil ( is entirely separate from lamp oil. Burning Oil may be hurled as a hand axe, dealing 1d6 fire damage on a successful strike, and an additional 1d6 fire damage on the next round. In the event of a miss, roll a 1d8 to determine which adjacent square the oil targets. Hirelings: All hirelings are 0 level Fighters with 1d6 Hit Points and 10 in each statistic. If a hireling is promoted, roll ability scores and choose a class. All prices are per adventure, except for WarDogs who are owned outright. o Man-at-Arms (5gp): A hired combatant. Leather Armor and (d6): 1 Sword, 2 Mace, 3 Axe, 4 Spear, 5 Dagger, 6 Club.

o Servant (1gp): A hired non-combatant; includes squires, porters, guides, torchbearers, etc. o War-dog (20gp): Large dogs trained to fight. Leather Armor and Spiked Collar [Stats: HD 2d6+2; AC: 12; AtK 1 Bite (+1, 1d6), SV as F1, MV 180/60]

Identify Magic Items: Magic Items may be identified between sessions for 100gp. Level Drain: A save vs. death is allowed to avoid the effect. If drained, reduce all level dependent characteristics (hit dice, spells, attack bonus, abilities, etc.) by the indicated amount. Experience is not affected. Gaining any amount of experience restores the drained levels, at a rate of not more than 1 per play session. Characters reduced to level zero are lost, and rise immediately as undead monsters. Selling Mundane Items: Mundane items may be fenced for their listed value. _ _ _ Work in Progress _ _ _