House Rules

We use the Races from the Pathfinder SRD and Psionics Unlimited and occasionally a converted 1st edition race, like half-ogres.

Classes from the same sources and occasionally use a cool 3.5 prestige class.

 Feats from the same two places and a few additional FEATS 

We also use Flaws from 3.5 Unearthed Arcana and added few more new individual FLAWS 

Having trouble coming up with a background? Try rolling up some ideas on Background Table 1 and Background Table 2  

Lately we've been playing with Chat GPT with mixed results. Try the following prompt and see what you get...

"I humbly beseech thee O mighty computer god of wisdom to create my character's background story for my Pathfinder RPG game in the style of Robert E Howard and Edgar Allen Poe."

Double Flaws! Go on, take one or roll 1d20, don't be a wuss, you get two or three extra feats if you do.

1. One Eyed (roll twice for miss chance due to concealment and take the worst roll, -2 penalty to ranged combat)

2. Pussy (-3 Fortitude saves and -2 penalty on physical ability checks and skill checks.)

3. Raised by Amazons (-1 hit point per level and -3 to Will saves)

4. Wooden Leg (base speed is cut in half, -3 to Reflex saves)

5. Fucktard (-6 penalty to Initiative and -3 to Perception checks)

6. Fight like a girl (-2 penalty to hit in melee combat and a -1 penalty to Armor Class)

7. Book Wyrm [Double Flaw]

You've spent the greater part of your life reading books and are slow to react to danger outside of a library.

Penalty: You take a -6 penalty on Initiative checks and a -3 to Reflex saves

Benefit: Choose two extra feats, and put one free skill rank in a knowledge skill that always counts as a class skill for you.

8. Emo [Double Flaw]

Your mother didn't hug you enough, you like to wear all black clothing and think that no one likes you.

Penalty: You take a -1 to Armor Class, a -3 penalty on Will saves, and a -2 penalty to Charisma based skills.

Benefit: Choose two extra feats and gain a +4 to Charisma based skills when dealing with other Emos, were-ravens, vermin and undead.

9. Born under a Bad Sign [Triple Flaw!]

I've been down since I began to crawl. 

If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all.

Penalty: -3 to all saving throws.

Benefit: Choose three extra feats and stray dogs, harlots, black cats and beggars automatically start out as friendly.

10. Raised in a Drow Harem [Double Flaw]

You are a half-drow raised by a hateful harem of drow that has made you weak willed, and all the poisoning attempts on your life has left you weaker than normal.

Penalty: You receive -1 hit point per level, and a -3 penalty on Will saves.

Benefit: Choose two extra feats and gain a +2 bonus to a Perform skill of choice.

11. Son of a Witch [Double Flaw]

Your mother or grandmother is a witch.

Penalty: -1 to all saves. Cannot be raised from the dead, your soul is already promised to the witch's patron. Evil outsiders and evil fey attack you first. Domestic animals start as unfriendly towards you.

Benefit: Knowledge (religion) or (planes) is always a class skill for you.

12. Born in Lee's Perfect Circle [Double Flaw]

Born into a society embarrassed by native outsiders, you are hated and reviled by the "civilized" and grew up in abject poverty.

Penalties: -4 penalty to Charisma checks, -1 hit point per level, and -3 to Will saves. 

Benefit: Choose two extra feats and Survival is always a class skill for you.

or

Born in Scott's campaign [Triple Flaw!]

You have the misfortune to be in one of Scott's nasty, brutish and short campaigns. Most likely you will be killed by a boar. On the plus side you are adapted to cold weather and you can run really fast (you're gonna need it).

Penalty: You receive a -3 penalty on all saves.

Benefit: You treat extreme cold conditions as severe cold, and severe cold as cold weather conditions. You are not impacted at all by normal cold weather conditions. In addition, you do not become fatigued by frostbite or hypothermia. You receive the Run and Fleet feats for free and gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics.

or

Born in Dave's DM vs the Players campaign [Triple Flaw!]

What can I say?, Dave really wants to win. You have 10 points to purchase stats, enjoy.

Penalty: You receive -1 hit point per level, -1 to Armor Class and a -6 penalty on Initiative checks.

Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on Craft (Baskets) and Knowledge (Arcane, Dungeoneering, Nature, Planes and Religion) skill checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in one of these skills, the bonus increases to +4 for that skill.

13. Albino [Double Flaw]

You have pale white skin and hair, plus red eyes.

Penalty: You are sensitive to light, and have a -3 penalty on Fortitude saves and a -2 to diplomacy checks.

Benefit: Choose two extra feats and gain a +2 bonus to Craft (Alchemy).

14. Dungeon Bred [Double Flaw]

You have spent a great deal of time in a dungeon, so long that your vision is crappy.

Penalty: roll twice for miss chance due to concealment and take the worst roll, -2 penalty to ranged combat.

Benefit: Choose two extra feats and gain the Nocturnal template.

15. Loud [Double Flaw]

You just can't shut the fuck up

Penalties: -2 to Charisma, -2 Wisdom, -4 to Stealth and Diplomacy (neither can be a Class Skill for you).

Benefit: Choose two extra feats

16. Slack Jawed Local [Double Flaw]

You're from some back water shithole or god forsaken urban blighted eyesore and for some reason you're proud of that.

Penalties: -6 penalty on Initiative, -1 penalty to Armor Class and a -2 penalty to Charisma based skill checks.

Benefit: Choose two extra feats, others locals of the same race as you automatically start out as friendly.

17. Princess [Double Flaw]

You were raised in a city and your mommy always dressed you.

Penalties: You suffer a -4 penalty on all Knowledge (Nature) and Survival checks (neither can be a Class Skill for you). If forced to sleep in anything other than a bed, you awaken fatigued for the next 8 hours. If you sleep in a bed it takes you an hour to get dressed, if rushed you suffer a -2 Charisma penalty for the rest of the day.

Benefit: Choose two extra feats

18. Heavily Scarred [Triple Flaw]

You've been tortured for years and it shows.

Penalties: -3 Will saves, -1 hit point per level, -2 Charisma 

Benefit: Choose three extra feats 

19. Fat Bastard [Triple Flaw]

Your weight is double that rolled on the random height and weight tables. 

Penalties: Base speed is cut in half, -3 to Reflex saves, -2 to Dexterity. Armor and clothing cost double.

Benefit: Choose three extra feats

20. Pirate [Ultimate Flaw]

You have one eye and a wooden leg.

Penalties: Roll twice for miss chance due to concealment and take the worst roll, -2 penalty to ranged combat. Base speed is cut in half, -3 to Reflex saves. 

Benefit: Choose three extra feats and gain a Parrot familiar

                                Reincarnation Chart                                             

Ability Score Costs

..

Dragon Hearts

An old favorite back in first edition days was our house rule that whoever ate the heart of a dragon had to make a saving throw vs death and if successful was immune to that type dragon's breath weapon. Invariably the characters who got carried away with that sort of thing died eating his fifth or sixth dragon heart, but they had fun while it lasted.

So does a DC 20 Fortitude save sound fair to you? Maybe DC 20 plus +1 for each heart already eaten, what do you think?

Eating a dragon's heart (roll 1d12)

1-7 dragon

8-11 stat adjustment

12 odd

Dragon (roll 1d12)

1 Thick scales replace skin (+5 to natural AC, -2 to charisma, -10 to base speed)

2 Grows dragon wings, each equal to the characters height in length (when unarmored and not encumbered can fly(poor) at base speed equal to double his land speed)

3-10 DR 10 versus the breath weapon type of energy

11 Dragon mind (understands the draconic language, immune to sleep and paralysis)

12 Dragon eyes (sees x4 as well as human in lowlight, x2 in normal and 120 ft darkvision, -2 to charisma)

Stat adjustment (roll 1d10)

1 +4 to strength

2 +2 to strength

3 -2 to strength

4 +4 to constitution

5 +2 to constitution

6 -2 to constitution

7 +4 to charisma

8 +2 to charisma

9 -2 to charisma

10 +2 to wisdom

Odd (roll 1d10)

1 add 1d6 ft to height

2 double weight (-4 to dex, +2 to con)

3 tongue becomes forked (+10 to all bluff checks)

4 webbed fingers and toes (+10 to all swim checks)

5 skin turns the color of dragon

6 clawed fingers and toes (+5 to climb)

7 legs and lower torso become a 7 ft serpents tail (base speed is halved on land, doubled swimming)

8 trog stench (when angry or excited DC 13 fort save within 30 ft or nausea and lose 1d6 str for 10 rounds)

9 huge cat eyes (triple normal size, blind in sunlight, low light vision is x4, -2 charisma)

10 choose one