House Rules

[TheFred]

Races

Half-Elves get any Skill Focus or +2/+2 skill bonus feat as a bonus feat at L1.
Planetouched / Elans / Synads / etc are all considered "humanoid" for the purposes of spells like Alter Self (see below). They can be affected by spells which only affect humanoids, such as Charm Person, but receive a +2 bonus on their saving throws. They retain their original types, however; treat this as a subtype which lets them be considered humanoid for some purposes.
Lesser Planetouched^[PGtF] are not an option.
Genasi^[PGtF] have no LA.

Undead are not necessarily immune to mind-affecting things, if they're intelligent. Some are, but some are more like animals (so you could drive them off) and some (vampires, liches) are just like humanoids, only less alive. On a case-by-case basis, such undead are immune to phantasms and patterns, but not charm, compulsion, fear or morale affects. However, they gain (at a minimum) a +4 bonus on saves against these.

In fact, I'm considering replacing many immunities with powerful resistance bonuses instead. This shouldn't affect players directly, but it means that when something is immune to something, it's a big deal.

I may also adjust some monstrous races on a case-by-case basis to better fit the power level of the game.


Templates

Feral is a +2 LA (but all HD, including class levels, count for its abilities)
Lloth-Touched is a +2 LA (but I don't expect to see it unless Lloth is your deific parent, and who wants that?)
Half-Fiend and Half-Celestial are +3 LA templates.
Fiendish and Celestial are +1 LA templates.

 

Classes

Fighter: Add Listen, Knowledge (Local) and Spot to list of class skills.

Sorcerer: May swap Summon Familiar for Eschew Materials (as a bonus feat).

Swashbuckler^[CW]: Gains "Seduce to Learn Secret" at L4; see Skills.

Dread Necromancer: Death Ward is a L4 spell not a L3 spell. Animate Dead is a L3 spell not a L4 spell. Also add dd the following spells to the spell list: Desecrate (L2), Disguise Undead^[SpC] (L2), Dispel Magic (L3), Animate Legion^[HoB] (L4), Animate Dread Warrior^[UE] (L6), Greater Dispel Magic (L6), Avasculate (L7), Avascular Mass (L8) and Chain Dispel^[PHB2] (L8). Planar Binding spells are banned/restricted (see below). Desecrate does not stack with Undead Mastery.

Warmage: Add the following spells to the spell list: Magic Weapon (L1), Resounding Voice^[HoB] (L2), Wraithstrike^[SpC] (L2), Battlemagic Perception^[HoB] (L3), Dispel Magic (L3), Greater Magic Weapon (L3), Battlefield Fortification^[HoB] (L4), Battlefield Illumination^[HoB] (L4), Early Twilight^[HoB] (L4), Leomund's Billet^[HoB] (L5), Chain Dispel^[PHB2] (L8), Field of Icy Razors^[SpC] (L8), Reaving Dispel^[SpC] (L9) and Sphere of Ultimate Destruction^[SpC] (L9).

Shadowcaster: All Mysteries (except Fundamentals) can be used one additional time per day.

 

Feats

Agile Shield Fighter^[PHB2]: Counts as Two-Weapon Fighting for prereqs, but only when using a shield.
Dodge / Midnight Dodge^[MoI]: The AC increase applies to all foes. You may still have to dedicate a foe for other purposes (e.g. the Elusive Target feat).
Leadership: I would prefer to have followers via RP and PC sidekicks, etc. Talk to me if you're desperate.
Leap Attack^[CAd]: PA does additional damage equal to the base penalty/bonus (so -2 with a one-handed does +4, or with a two-hander it does +6, etc).
Mobility: In addition to the +4 bonus to AC vs movement AoOs, you also gain a +4 bonus on Tumble to avoid them completely (even when Tumbling through a foe's square). You may also Tumble untrained, but only to move through a threatened area (not an occupied square) without provoking.
Persistent Spell^[CAr]: The level adjustment of this spell depends on the spell's original duration:
1 hour/level or greater: +2
1 hour or 10 mins/level or greater: +4
1 min/level or greater: +6
1 min or rounds/level: +7
A spell with a duration of a fixed number of rounds cannot be Persisted, but with this feat it may be Extended twice for 300% duration.

Power Attack: You can now Power Attack with even light weapons. You can't use Power Attack whilst using your Dex for AB (see Weapon Finesse).
Toughness / Improved Toughness^[CW]: Combined; Now one feat, called "Toughness", which has no prereqs and grants +1 hp/level.
Weapon Finesse: No longer exists. You can automatically use your Dex for AB with any finessable weapon. If Weapon Finesse is a prerequisite for anything, it's either waived or replaced on a case-by-case basis. Melee touch attacks and "Immaterial" weapons (such as a Flame Blade) always use Dex for AB; you can't choose to use Str.

[TheFred]

Skills

Concentration
The DC to retain a spell or SLA (in any of the listed situations) is increased by the spell's level.
The DC to cast defensively is 12 + twice spell's level.

Diplomacy
All classes can use Seduce to Learn Secret (under "Swashbuckler"), but it uses Diplomacy, not Bluff. The base DC is 5 less for everything above Common, but it's increased by 1/2 the target's HD + their Wis modifier + misc bonuses.

A L4 Swashbuckler may use either Bluff or Diplomacy, and also gains the listed bonuses (which apply to either skill).

Tumble
The DC to avoid AoOs is increased by 1/2 the enemy's BAB. The Mobility feat grants a +4 bonus.

 

Spells

Alter Self: Humanoid creatures, even those not of the Humanoid type (so most Planetouched, Elans and Synad, etc) are considered Humanoid for the purposes of this spell. Thus, you can change into them, and they can change into other humanoids. Non-humanoids using the spell get a selection of appropriate forms at DM's discretion.
Antimagic Field: Magical actions can still be taken within the AMF specifically to remove it (e.g. cast Mord's from within it) with an opposed CL check (or appropriate similar check). If that fails, the action is wasted (but the resource is not). See also Greater Dispel, Mordenkainen's Disjunction.
Cure / (Healing) spells: Necromancy (Healing)
Greater Dispel Magic (or any higher-level Dispel) Can remove an AMF, but it has only a 1% chance per CL, and you must still succeed on a Dispel check.
Enlarge Person: Becomes a L2 spell. If the target is not Small, growing applies a +4 Str/-2 Dex/+2 Con. When the spell ends, the target becomes Fatigued for 1 minute.
Flame Blade / Flame Dagger^[SpC] / etc: These weapons are considered Immaterial. You always use your Dex to determine your AB and you cannot use them to disarm, etc.
Mordenkainen's Disjunction: Can remove an AMF (or any other spell which might otherwise prevent a Disjunction) with a Dispel check, rather than a 1% chance per CL. The check is uncapped.
Power Word spells: Divination
Reduce Person: Becomes a L2 spell. If the target is not Medium, shrinking applies a -4 Str/+2 Dex/-2 Con. When the spell ends, the target becomes Sickened for 1 minute.
Telekinesis / Mage Hand / similar: Evocation
Wraithstrike^[SpC]: Wraithstrike makes your weapon Immaterial for 1 round. Thus, it strikes touch AC, but does not benefit from a high Strength score, nor can you use Power Attack with it. You always use your Dex to determine your AB. You cannot use it to disarm or trip, though conversely, you cannot be disarmed of it except by someone else using Wraithstrike.
Polymorph / Summoning: A certain knowledge of the target creature is required, at DM's discretion. Like, you can't (normally) polymorph into a demon if you have no ranks in Knowledge (The Planes) - unless you've just been fighting those kinds of demon or something. I may also limit some particularly powerful options on a case-by-case basis.



"Restricted" Spells
These spells aren't necessarily completely non-existent, but they're "restricted" - only available on a case-by-case basis in-game or via special rituals. This is because they provide capability which doesn't fit with the theme of the game (epic journeys are not normally avoided by long-range teleports, in mythology) or which I would rather control more strictly (I love the idea of the Planar Binding spells, but would prefer to make them more thematic, restricted, and generally ritual-like).

Raise Dead, Resurrection, or any other raising spell (Revenance, from the SpC, doesn't count)
(Greater/Lesser) Planar Binding
(Greater/Lesser) Planar Ally
(Greater) Plane Shift
Teleport, Greater Teleport, or any other long-range teleportation spell
This list is not necessarily exhaustive.

 

Items
This is not going to be a "low magic" game as per se. You're the children of the gods, and mythological creatures and magic swords will be the norm. However, I want (most) magic items to be important and significant. Thus, they will probably be rarer but powerful. Valuable magic items will likely not be available simply to purchase.

For character creation, I may make some items more expensive. However, since I only want you to have a couple I will probably work with you to come up with something a bit unique. Put down what you'd like in an ideal world and I'll think about it. 

In-game, purchasing magic items will be difficult. You can expect that there will be hedge wizards, trinket-vendors, potion-brewers etc who will be able to supply you with low-level scrolls, potions, and the like, but higher-level ones, or scrolls of rare spells, may be hard to come buy. Nor can you just walk into a shop and purchase a +5 Sword of Mighty Monster-Slaying. You will be able to purchase such things, but it's like buying a famous painting or a classic car. There's a market for them, but you can't just grab them from the corner shop or your local supermarket.