House Rules

A Big List of House Rules

The following list gives lots of house rules, as well as an explanation and analysis for each suggestion. The house rules range from interpretations and clarifications to offering major changes to gameplay. The list is organized by the Chapter and page number in the core rulebook. Each house rule's name is followed by the page number where it "should" appear on the core rulebook, based on the rule it modifies, and its "type:

An Interpretation is a house rule that does not deviate from RAW, but may interpret it in one particular way rather than another. An Addition is when the house rule adds to existing rules, either by expanding an existing rule or by introducing new rules entirely, but does not change the RAW. An Alteration is when the house rule changes the RAW.

Introduction

Take 5 (Alteration) [p. 6]: Instead of making a Simple roll, you may choose a result of “5” (as if the dice landed on 5) without rolling.

This rule means faster play and more standardized results when using abilities, while still allowing players to roll when higher dice results are hoped for.

Alternative Stress Roll (Alteration) [p. 6]: When making a stress roll, a result of ‘0’ on the dice indicates a possibility for extraordinary success - roll again, and double the number rolled, keeping 10 as a minimum. If the reroll is also a ‘0’, roll again and quadruple (and so on for repeated ‘0’ results). For example, if your stress roll is ‘0’ and then ‘1’, then doubling would result in 2, but the result of 10 is used instead. If your stress roll is “0” and then “0” and then “5”, then the result is 20.

If the result of the initial die roll is a ‘1’, however, you instead have a chance for extraordinary failure - roll a number of dice determined by the situation, called ‘botch dice’, and if any of them show up ‘1’ you have botched. If you roll no botches, the result is simply 1.

This rule replaces the RAW stress die with one that has a better “consistency” - ‘0’ is always read as ‘10’, and always feels good, and ‘1’ is always a low number you should be afraid of. It has a slightly higher average, but that shouldn’t matter for the game.

Linear Stress Roll (Alteration) [p. 6]: When making a stress roll, a result of ‘0’ on the dice indicates the possibility for extraordinary success - roll again, and add the number rolled to the basic result of 10. If the reroll is also a ‘0’, roll again and add it again (and so on for repeated ‘0’ results). For example, if your stress roll is ‘0’ and then ‘1’, the result is 11.

If the result of the initial die roll is a ‘1’, however, you instead have a chance for extraordinary failure - roll a number of dice determined by the situation, called ‘botch dice’, and if any of them show up ‘1’ you have botched. If you roll no botches, the result is simply 1.

This alternative alternative rule replaces the RAW stress die with one that scales linearly, rather than exponentially. This means that exceedingly high results are unlikely, which is more appropriate for more ‘realistic’ or ‘gritty’ games, but would probably do a disservice to ‘high adventure’ or ‘fantastic’ games.

Characters

Personality Traits and Flaws (Alteration) [p. 18]: Treat Personality Traits granted by Flaws (or Virtues, Mysteries, or so on) more strictly, requiring rolls for them when applicable even for magi or companions, not just grogs . Consider a personality trait of a Minor Personality Flaw to be +3 (or -3, as appropriate), while a Major Flaw will grant +6.

Personality Traits generally have no mechanical impact on major characters by RAW, so this rule provides at least some mechanical impact to them. It also helps to elucidate the strength of a Major or Minor Personality Flaw in respect to other personality traits.

Multiple Applicable Personality Traits (Alteration) [p. 18]: Allow characters to roll two “opposed” personality traits to see which one wins (perhaps with modifiers to represent the circumstances). Allow one more personality trait roll following an SG-imposed roll to represent internal turmoil. For example, a guard might roll Loyal and Absent-minded against each other to see if he keeps guard, or having failed a Brave check might ask to roll Loyal to keep on fighting even though he is terrified (probably with penalties, representing his fearful demeanor).

This rule allows pious characters to resist temptation (by imposed Lust rolls, say) better, and so on.

Recovering Confidence Points (Alteration) [p. 20]: If a major character has less then three Confidence Points, he will regain this total in one Season. Point totals above three don’t reset to three; the character keeps the higher total. NPCs are always assumed to have three points, unless the storyguide decides otherwise.

This rule simplifies book-keeping and keeps characters with a baseline of Confidence Points for the next adventure, encouraging players to use them more.

No Virtue and Flaw Limitations (Alteration) [p. 28, 37]: You can take any combination of Virtues and Flaws that makes sense, as long as the troupe agrees it is not abusive. Every character should still get a Social Status. Magi still must take the Hermetic Magus social status, The Gift and a free House virtue.

Characters still need to balance their virtues by flaws, but may take excess flaws (that don’t count) beyond 10, if they like. Grogs still may not take Story Flaws (they’re not main characters). Other characters may take more than one Story Flaw. All characters may take The Gift and Hermetic virtues and flaws, as many Minor Flaws as they like, and as many Personality Flaws (Minor or Major) as desired, and magi are not limited to only one Major Hermetic Virtue, nor must they take one Hermetic Flaw.

This rule simplifies character creation, and opens the possibility for more elaborate characters. All this freedom also allows one to create characters that are unsuited to their role (such as powerful grogs) or are effectively unbalanced (it’s doubtful whether multiple story flaws will really impact the plot, for example), so that the troupe should be especially vigilant to disallow any character that it feels will not serve the saga.

Because it opens the door to abuse, and because the limitations do make sense, this house rule is relatively rare.

Alternative Free House Virtues (Alteration) [p. 30]: Flambeau may gain other virtues in lieu of the RAW suggestions, to represent different fighting styles (see HoHS).

Tremere magi may take the Skilled Parens virtue in lieu of the RAW suggestion, to represent the superior training the House ensures they receive; alternatively, they may retain the RAW Minor Magical Focus, but be allowed to take another Magical Focus in addition to it.

The RAW Flambeau virtues “lock” them into distinctive combat styles, but the House can afford a broader spectrum of warriors. This suggestion is given explicitly in HoHS, so is not detailed here.

The Tremere house virtue forbids them from having a magical focus, which is a serious handicap; the skilled parens virtue works better at reflecting how the House “takes care of its own”, while the alternative allows them to keep their advantage in certamen while not missing out on the powerful specialists a magical focus allows.

Arts As Abilities (Alteration) [p. 31, 164]: The cost of buying (or raising) an Art to a given score is the same as that of an Ability (5 XP to raise to score 1, and so on). In addition, make the following smaller changes:; * Maximum Art scores at character generation follow the guidelines for maximum Ability scores at character generation.; * In order to train an apprentice, you need a score of 2 (15 XP) in each Art (instead of the RAW score of 5 (15 XP)).; * The highest Arts in the Order’s history were around 20. As a result, the highest Summa levels are 10. If an Art summa’s level is reduced from the author’s maximum, it still gains only +1 to Quality per lowered level. The Build Point cost of an Art Summa is (Quality + 3 x Level). The maximum quality is (11+(10-Level)).; * You may write up to Art/2 of tractatus in the Art (instead of RAW Art/5).; * Puissant Art grants a +2 bonus (instead of the RAW +3).

This simple rule greatly reduces the power of magi, bringing it more in-line with the implied setting. It can be complemented by a few other house rules; see Arts as Abilities for a more detailed discussion.

More Required Starting Abilities (Alteration) [p. 32]: In addition to the RAW requirements, magi must also have a score of 1 in Order of Hermes Lore and Code of Hermes. All characters must have a score of at least 1 in one Area Lore.

It makes in-setting sense for all magi to know something about the Order and the Code, and for all characters to be at least somewhat acquainted with some area. These requirements force characters to invest more XP in these Abilities, however, lowering the scores of other Abilities and Arts.

Virtues and Flaws

Reversed Affinities (Alteration) [p. 40]: An Affinity does not change the amount of gained XP. Instead, reduce the totals needed for each level to 2/3 their RAW values (no rounding).

This allows to keep track of XPs normally, without creating the strange effects caused by rounding. Having to calculate the required totals may be a bit of a hassle, however.

This rule is used by the Metacreator software.

Fractional Affinities (Alteration) [p. 40]: Instead of rounding up, keep the fractions when applying an affinity. Fractions don't count towards the gaining levels, as whole scores are required by the tables, but fractions add up from multiple seasons of study so that in total the virtue provides +50% to the XP total.

This is a simple way to eliminate the strange effects rounding up can have on advancement.

Abilities

Changing Specializations (Addition) [p. 62]: Whenever your score in an Ability increases, you may change its Specialization.

The RAW makes you select specializations, but does not offer any word on how to change them. This suggestion seems to be widely accepted. More lenient groups allow you to change specialization whenever you gain XP in the Ability.

Hermetic Magic

Social Effect of the Gift (Alteration) [p. 76]: The social effects of the Gift are greatly reduced. The Gift still imposes a -3 penalty to social interactions, but roleplaying-wise this is its only effect - generally the Gifted are treated as if they had no Gift under the “First Impressions” or “Established Relations” sections in the core rules. The Blatant Gift still upsets nearby animals, and may garner responses akin to those generated by Gifted characters under RAW.

This rule is heavily used by troupes seeking to have magi take a more prominent role interacting with mundanes. It lowers the effectiveness of many companions.

No Magical Nourishment (Alteration) [p. 77]: Magically created things do not nourish. As per the CrAq guidelines, water created temporarily does can quench thirst but has no lasting benefit. Food created temporarily from Herbam (as per the CrHe guidelines) and Animal has a similar limitation, quenching hunger but offering no lasting benefits. It particular, such food and drink does not stave off deprivation.

While seeds (or cubs, or so on) can be made to magically-grow faster than usual, such magic is delicate and will tend to induce Warping in those who consume the produce. Only relatively minor coaxing, such as that provided by The Bountiful Feast, can circumvent this drawback.

Things created by momentary Creo rituals are mundane, and as such can nourish and do not induce Warping, although they may bear the caster’s sigil.

The RAW says that magically created food is nourishing “for as long as the duration lasts”, which contradicts the Aquam and Herbam guidelines and is difficult to run in-game. Saying it doesn’t nourish is simplest to apply.

The second proviso is required to prevent exploitation of the RAW to create a lot of produce by repeatedly planting seeds, growing them instantly magically (using CrHe guidelines), and then harvesting the produce and repeating the process.

Eternal Spirits (Alteration) [p. 80]: Some things - such as souls - are truly eternal and cannot be destroyed by Hermetic magic (if at all). This includes ghosts, angels, most demons, titans, and many powerful magical spirits. (Some Merinita magi believe this applies to faerie gods as well, although others maintain that such gods can be destroyed, but only if they are entirely forgotten.) Such beings can be chained and bound, banished to the underworld, or even reduced in power (Might Score) - but never destroyed.

Presumably direct Divine intervention can destroy any of these creatures, but generally even non-Hermetic magic cannot.

There is a reason the titans were bound, not destroyed. It also makes no sense for an Hermetic magus to permanently rid the world of demons, and it is boring and mean to let the ghosts of the deceased perish in the hands of the Perdo-Vim specialist instead of continuing in their afterlife. While most demons are lost souls or fallen angels, and as such eternal, demons such as corrupted beasts are more plausibly mortal.

This can be seen as a new Limit of Magic, perhaps the Limit of Destruction.

Varied Casting Characteristic (Alteration) [p. 81]: When casting a spell, the relevant characteristic in the Casting Total depends on the Technique (Cr: Com, In: Per, Per: Str, Mu: Dex and Re: Pre).

Stamina is one of the most useful physical characteristics, so removing it from the casting total somewhat balances the importance of different characteristics. It also removes the thematically-inappropriate result of its inclusion, namely that all magi become tough and stalwart. This rule instead encourages more "thematic" magi, as magi focusing on Creo will tend to be eloquent speakers, those focusing on Intellego will be perceptive, and so on.

Props Needed for Ceremonies (Alteration) [p. 81, 83]: Adding Artes Liberales and Philosophiae to a casting score (of a Ritual spell or through Ceremonial Casting) requires ‘elaborate rituals’, which is interpreted to imply props are required. These include mundane items such as chalk, candles, colored robes, incense, and perhaps items with appropriate shape and material bonuses. The magi are generally held to have the necessary items on their person, if the player chooses so, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Circumstances may also make the application of such props impractical, denying the magus of the Abilities’ bonus to the casting score.

This is just a bit of flavor to give magi a reason to conduct colorful rituals, that “feel” like proper ritual magic should feel.

Using Less Raw Vis (Alteration) [p. 81, 82]: The limit on vis use in spellcasting is (Art/5) pawns. Up to two Arts (Technique and Form) can still contribute, so the limit is (Te+Fo)/5.

The RAW limit implies that the bonus from raw vis can amount to twice the Art total, allowing magi to wield spells and penetration well above what their Arts would allow, which diminishes the importance of the Arts themselves and raises the option of spending vast amounts of raw vis on each spell casting. In practice, the limit is so high that it is usually irrelevant, as magi will limit themselves due to the vis economy to below the limit. The suggested house rule lowers the penetration magi can obtain with raw vis, still allowing a boost of 2/5 of the Art total - a quantity that is significant but does not allow the magus to effectively ignore Magic Resistance with enough raw vis, and forbids the absurdity of throwing entire rooks of raw vis at the target.

This house rule implies that Rituals cannot be significantly boosted, as most of the vis limit will go to merely casting them. Indeed, it is theoretically possible for a magus to know a Ritual spell that he cannot cast, because he cannot handle the amounts of raw power required. Troupes may want to consider a lower limit, such as Art/3 or Art/2, to alleviate these possibilities.

Raw Power is Unstable (Addition) [p. 82]: When using raw vis to boost the spellcasting roll, the added power comes at the cost of less control. In addition to adding a botch dice, each pawn also adds a -3 (cumulative) penalty to any relevant Finesse rolls.

This is just thematically appropriate - pouring raw magic into the spell often means lack of fine control of it in fantasy fiction. It does mean that aimed spells cannot really be boosted with raw vis, however.

Easy Concentration (Interpretation) [p. 82]: Combat situations are generally stressing, but not distracting. It takes a surprising, attention-grabbing event to count as a distraction - a “sudden noise” might be a piece of a mountain suddenly tumbling down towards the combat area, not the usual clang of swords on armor. However, if the character has dodged or defended an attack, run or hustled, been hit (jostled), damaged, or knocked since its last turn - the character must make a Concentration roll.

By RAW, characters should make a Concentration roll if they are “distracted”, but it isn’t clear what this means. The table lists “[standing] still” as a condition - but surely there is nothing distracting about that! Should magi that are standing still make Concentration rolls with Ease Factor 0? Is the general mayham and noise of combat distracting? When a magical wolf is lunging at you, and is stopped by your shield grog dashing towards it just a few feet from you - is that distracting?

The above ruling is that magi are generally free of Concentration rolls, unless they are trying to both run (walking is allowed, on the grounds that it’s still trivial at EF 3) and cast, or they get tangled in the combat somehow - or when some truly distracting event occurs. In other words, they usually can forget about concentration rolls, and be concerned with just their spell casting rolls. It appears that this is the common ruling.

Combat is Distracting (Interpretation) [p. 82]: Combat is a distracting, attention-grabbing activity. Spell casting in combat requires a Concentration roll. The EF can be low if the magus is unhindered, but if he is attacked - even if this attack is blocked by shield grogs or other defenses - the EF is 9 at least (as sudden noise). Key events like a fellow-magus or valued companion going down or a giant monster rising (since your last turn) are likewise EF 9 distractions.

This is the opposite ruling. It makes Concentration much more important as an Ability, and greatly increases the chances for botching or failing to cast spells in combat.

No Penetration Multiplier for an Arcane Connection (Alteration) [p. 84]: An arcane connection does not provide a penetration multiplier. It still allows the magus to utilize sympathetic connections to accumulate penetration multipliers.

Without this house rule, arcane and sympathetic connections can increase penetration by large amounts surprisingly easily. For example, a lock of hair, birth name, nick name, and birth date plus some astrology become a x8 multiplier, which with penetration 4 and specialty means +40 to penetration - which is often more than enough. Arcane connections are useful enough without allowing the magus to effectively ignore Magic Resistance by multiplying the Penetration Ability. Let the magi create stories to increase penetration - accumulating sympathetic connections.

Under this house rule, a True Name should count both as an arcane connection and as a powerful (+2) sympathetic connection.

No Arcane Connection for Sympathetic Connection (Alteration) [p. 84]: Sympathetic connections can be used to increase penetration without needing an arcane connection to activate them.

This is just thematically appropriate. Having learned the magus’ birth name and date, his rival can now affect him more easily - he need not acquire a lock of hair, too, to do so. However, this house rule also means that magi and hedge wizards will make much more use of sympathetic connections, which may drive penetration upwards and create paranoia among magi in regards to relevant details (such as birth name).

Suppressing Magic Resistance (Alteration) [p. 85]: Magic resistance suppresses magic, preventing it from affecting the maga, her clothing, and other items that are very close to her. It does not dispel the magic, but does prevent it from having an affect.

This house rule means that a magus can give a faerie lord poison changed into wine, and thus poison the faerie. He can throw a boulder changed into a pebble at a magical wolf, and have it hit him as a boulder. It turns Magic Resistance to a liability rather than an asset, in some circumstances. However, it does mean that the dreaded "pink dot problem" is averted. See Magic resistance design for further discussion.

Hybrid Magic Resistance (Alteration) [p. 85]: Magic resistance suppresses weak magic, but repels strong magic. Magic up to level 10 is suppressed (as above), but higher-level spells and effects are blocked (as per RAW).

This rule is designed to deal with the pink-dot problem while still blocking significant magic, magic that can have significant effect. It is somewhat strange that weak spells won't be blocked where strong ones are, however, and doubtless low-level effects could be invented to exploit the loophole it creates by allowing a range of suppressing magic resistance.

Casting Mastered Ritual Spells (Interpretation) [p. 86]: If you have Mastered a ritual spell, it is cast with no botch dice unless the circumstances are stressful (such as in combat).

This interpretation allows magi to more safely cast Aegis of the Hearth, The Bountiful Feast, and other ritual spells, which seems to fit the setting better.

The interpretative question is raised by ambiguous text in the core book: on p. 81 it says of Ritual magic that “The magnitude of Ritual spells, and the need to incorporate many elements, mean that they are always cast using a stress die”; and on p. 86 on mastered spells that “if the maga is relaxed there are no botch dice”. It isn’t clear whether, in the first quote, the intention is that casting a Ritual is always stressful, which would “mean” not only that stress die are needed but that mastery cannot automatically eliminate them; or whether the intention is merely to give flavor to the rule that a stress die is always used, in which case relaxed casting of Ritual spells is possible, which implies no botch die if the spell is mastered. The suggested interpretation takes the latter possibility. If the former is taken, Rituals become much more dangerous (note that spell mastery would still reduce botch dice, however).

Free Ceremonial Casting Mastery (Alteration) [p. 87]: All magi have access to the Ceremonial Casting special ability (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages). In addition, the Mercurian Magic virtue allows the magus to ceremoniously cast any formulaic spell that he knows (regardless of spell mastery).

This popular house rule allows magi a bit of extra power, but feels appropriate and provides another useful spell mastery special ability to choose from.

Its second part increases the power of the Mercurian Magic virtue, but as it is considered a weak Major Hermetic Virtue this isn't too bad, and casting spells ceremoniously fits well thematically with Mercurian magic.

Weak Multicast Stacking (Alteration) [p. 87]: The “Multicasting” special ability still allows you to cast extra copies of the spell. However, if two or more copies are used to hit the same target the effect is increased but not doubled; add a “magnitude” of increased effect per extra copy. For example, two Balls of Abysmal Flame will not produce two +30 damage rolls, but rather one +35 damage roll.

RAW multicasting allows a magus to double his damage output (or triple it!) with the investment of a few Seasons to gain the required XP. This house rule still allows the magus to multiply his effectiveness in some circumstances (such as firing at multiple opponents), but greatly reduces the effectiveness of this tactic against solo opponents (which are often the primary foes in Ars Magica adventures).

Weaker Multiple Casting (Alteration) [p. 87]: When multicasting, don’t roll separately for each spell cast. Instead, make one casting roll. You may divide your casting total between the different copies. For example, suppose you want to multicast Pilum of Fire (CrIg 15), and roll a casting total of 20. You may cast one spell with an effective casting total of 15, producing a Pilum with zero penetration, and another with a casting total of 5, requiring an expenditure of Fatigue to cast.

This rule greatly diminishes the usefulness of multicasting, especially against opponents with high magic resistance.

Extended Mastery Special Abilities (Addition) [p. 87]: Allow all magi to learn the spell mastery special abilities reserved, in the Houses of Hermes: True Lineages book, to the Cult of Mercury.

This opens up a few more interesting options for spell mastery, such as Ceremonial Casting, which makes the game more varied and interesting. While the Cult of Mercury loses some power, it shouldn’t affect it much if it is in your saga at all.

Twilight Time Override (Alteration) [p. 88]: The SG may, at his whim, ignore the dice result for the time spent in Temporary Twilight, and announce that the result is actually some lower time.

Temporary twilight can take magi out of an adventure or even the saga, or mess-up the troupe’s chances of finishing the adventure or the SG’s carefully laid plans. This rule gives the SG more control over the character’s presence in the storyline.

Safe Twilight Control (Alteration) [p. 88]: During this time it takes to avoid entering Twilight, the magus is effectively in Temporary Twilight and cannot be affected by any means.

RAW maintains that it takes 2 minutes to avoid entering Twilight. During this time the magus is vulnerable, which creates tension about whether or not to avoid Twilight. This option removes this tension, but also means magi would be more likely to actually try to avoid entering Twilight in the midst of combat. Whether that is a good thing is up to the troupe to decide.

Certamen [p. 89]: ?

Changed Faerie Parameters (Alteration) [p. 92]: The special spell parameters allowed for Faerie Magic are altered as follows:; * Bargain costs no extra magnitudes. Instead, spells with this duration have +10 to their penetration.

The idea is to make bargains easier to enforce than corresponding curses, not harder. That spells specifically need to be designed as Bargain-spells is deterrent enough for using this ‘duration’.

* Fire duration is replaced with Midnight/Midday from HoHMC.

Faerie stories with magic that ends at midnight are famous; magic that ends when a candle is extinguished or so on is less associated with faeries, and can be simulated with the Until duration anyway.

* Until duration does not require a Ritual, although it does require raw vis as a Ritual spell would. The ending condition must be appropriate (as ruled by the SG), and the spell also expires if the magus enters any Realm of Power (but not a regio). Instead of being impervious to dispelling, the spell is twice as difficult to dispel as a normal spell of that level would be.

This allows faerie curses to be cast using this duration, something a Ritual-long casting is not thematically appropriate for. Restricting the ending condition is needed to avoid munchkinism. That the spell expires when the magus is in a different Realm sits well with it expiring during Wizard’s Twilight. And reducing the immunity to dispelling is needed for game balance.

Extended Vis Limit (Alteration) [p. 94]: The limit on raw vis use is (Magic Theory x 3) pawns per Season.

This change allows magi to have more elaborate magic items and talismans, and reduces high Magic Theory scores, which are arguably already rewarded too heavily in the rules.

Laboratory

Easy New Shape and Material Bonuses (Interpretation) [p. 97, 110]: Treat the table of Shape and Material bonuses as suggestions, rather than an exhaustive list. The troupe should feel free to add to it new items and associated bonuses, which all magi are assumed to know as part of Magic Theory.

It makes little sense that using, say, a dragon’s scale will not yield some appropriate Material bonus. This rule allows the group to be more creative in designing items, but also opens the door to abuse.

Note that the mystery of Vulgar Alchemy in The Mysteries Revised Edition offers a different, extremely difficult, way to acquire new Shape & Material bonuses. If you use this mystery, this house rule should not be used, and instead the list - plus perhaps additions to it offered in the various supplements - should be seen as exhaustive.

Limited Penetration Effect Modification (Alteration) [p. 99]: The penetration of a magic item is limited to at most the (Penetration Ability x 4) of its maker. Alternatively, limit it to the (Lab Total/4).

This rule keeps the penetration of magic items low, keeping magi in the spotlight when dealing with high-Might (or high-Parma) opponents.

Sympathetic Magical Items (Addition) [p. 99]: A magic item incorporating a fixed arcane connection may utilize sympathetic connections to increase the item’s penetration. The sympathetic connection must also be part of the item. For example, a rough doll of a person (a quick-and-dirty representation) incorporating a (fixed) lock of his hair, stuffed with a scroll containing his birth name and nativity horoscope, would provide a +8 bonus (+4 arcane connection, +1 crude representation, +1 birth name, +2 nativity horoscope).

The (bonus x Penetration Ability) of the item’s maker is added to the item’s penetration against the intended target. If the above “Limited Penetration Effect Modification” house rule is used, add the (bonus x Penetration Ability) to the limit on the item’s penetration instead.