Eternal House Rules

Priest Rules

Wisdom Bonus Spells
Priest Spell Changes
Revised Spell Lists
Druidic Shapechange

Wisdom Bonus Spell Picks

First and second level wisdom bonus spells do not have to be prayed for ahead of time. Instead, they can be chosen at the time of casting.

Priest Spell Changes

Reincarnation is a 5th level priest spell. It is in the Animal sphere as well as the Necromantic so druids can cast it.

Reflecting Pool is an Elemental sphere spell as well as Divination so druids can cast it.

Weather Summoning is a Weather sphere spell, not a Summoning spell.

Speak with Plants is a Divination sphere spell as well as a Plant sphere spell.

Dispel Magic is moved from the Protection sphere to the All sphere so all Priests, including Druids, can cast it.

Cure Serious Wounds is now 3rd level, not 4th. Cure Critical is now 4th level, not 5th.

Starshine is now 2nd level, Moonbeam is now 3rd, Sunray is now 5th.

Here is a revised List of Druid Spells for the Eternal Campaign.

And here is a revised List of Cleric Spells for the Eternal Campaign.

Rules for adjudicating Druidic-type Shapeshifting.

Encumbrance and shapeshifting - Keep the Player's Handbook in mind:

"The druid's clothing and one item held in each hand also become part of the new body; these reappear when the druid resumes his normal shape. The items cannot be used while the druid is in animal form."

For use in the Eternal Campaign, this means that a druid must be unencumbered before a shapeshift can be made. "Unemcumbered" means that the character moves at his normal movement rate, not at a slower rate due to encumbrance (see Table 48 in Chapter 6 of the PH). If an encumbered druid attempts to shapeshift, then the attempt fails and the PC's action for the round is wasted. The PC can still shapeshift in a later round, once the character drops something.

Note that when a druid in animal form changes to normal form or to another animal form, NO items become part of the second form!

Use of magic items - Moreover, as the rules clearly state, any items that "disappear" after the shapeshift cannot be used while in the animal form. This applies to protection items, items that function on mental command, and so on. One happy side effect is that cursed items also cease to function when the druid is in animal form.

However, spell-like effects with a duration that are initiated before the shapechange continue through the usual time period. For example, a druid uses a ring of Shooting Stars to cast Fairie Fire, then changes to a jackal. The Farie Fire continues after the shapechange. But the druid cannot use the item to cast a second Fairie Fire until after she resumes normal form.

Note that a druid can choose to take off an item before a change and use it after he has changed. The GM has final ruling over what items can be used in animal form. For example, a GM might rule that a bird could use an Ioun stone, a bear could use a necklace, a chimp could use bracers and a ring (but not gloves or boots).

Abilities in animal form - Once again, consider the Player's Handbook:

"He takes on all of that creature's characteristics -- its movement rate and abilities, its Armor Class, number of attacks, and damage per attack."

The druid does, however, retain his original hit points, THAC0s, and saving throws. At the GM's option, certain purely mental or magical abilities may also be retained.

One point to consider: Does the druid gain special physical attacks, such as a tiger's rake, a bear's hug, a snake's poison or constriction? One suggestion is that one special attack is gained for each proficiency used to learn it. Without the proficiency, the special attack is either not usable or is used with a non-proficiency penalty, at the GM's option.

Hit Point Adjustment and Loss of Constitution

When constitution goes down or up, the new hit point adjustment does not apply to hit dice rolled before the change.

New Monk Class Option

Steve's new Monk class has been used for both NPCs and PCs. Here it is.

New Traveller Class Option

I created a new class, the Traveller, which has not been used in play. a number of details remain to be worked out. In its initial form, here it is.

New Shapeshifter Class Option

Eons ago, Steve and I created a Shapeshifter class. He recently added it to his site. Here is a link to it.

New Skill-Based Character Option

This is the skill system for making characters I made and revised a couple years ago. Here it is.

Rules for adjudicating the Dimension Door spell.

Dimension Door allows the caster to either visualize a destination or to state a destination in absolute terms of distance moved.

If the caster wants to visualize an area for the destination, then the area must be known to the caster. If the known visualized destination is in range, then the spell works and the caster blips there. If the spell is started and the known visualized destination is not in range, then IMMEDIATELY AT THAT MOMENT the caster can abort the out-of-range area and substitute another known area or a stated absolute distance -- or let the spell be wasted.

A nonbinding conversation on permanent Player Character death.

Site Map | 19 May 99