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Old 03-07-2006, 08:51 PM   #1
zogo
 
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Default House Rules

I love In Nomine. I feel that the game runs better for me with a few house rules. Here they are along with the reason why I adopted each of them. What do you think? Also what House Rules do you use...

*1*. This is the biggie I use the Linear Scale of disturbance detection rules from the Game Master's Guide -1 per 10 yards.

Reason: Calculating ranges for different beings is way too much work.

2. Single Initiaive Scale. Instead of using the Steps from the core book all characters act in a round in order based on Agility if using a physical ability or movement or Perception if using supernatural powers or celestial movement. (Etheral combat actions in the marches might go by Precision or might go by Perception I haven't decided and it hasn't come up)

Reason: The steps approach just really bothered me, though I can't necessarily articuate why.

3. No default penalties. A given use of a skill is either usable untrained at a TN==Characteristic or it's impossible untrained.

Reason: To encourage default use since even for Celestials characteristics can be prety low. It's a cinematic rule yes, but it's a cinematic game.

4. Small Weapon. These skills are based on Agility rather than Precision.

Reason: While the hand eye coordination aspect of Precision is relevant to small weapons, I think personally that the whole body dexterity aspect of Agility is more important.

5. Celestial Discord and Essence. Essence regeneration occurs if the die is greater than or equal to the highest Celestial Discord.

Reason: It never becomes impossible to regenerate Essence, and the existing odds I felt were too harsh anyway.

6. Celestial Discord and Calabim. A Calabite's innate discord does not interfere with essence regeneration unless it is a Need or has grown higher than the Calabite's Celestial Forces. In game this is because having discord is natural for a Calabite and so interferes less with Essence Regeneration.

Reason: So that taking a Calabite with an non-Need Celestial Discord as their innate Discord isn't a horribly sub-optimal choice. I mean otherwise how did Haagenti with his Gluttony ever live long enough to get powerful...
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Last edited by zogo; 03-07-2006 at 11:27 PM.
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Old 03-08-2006, 01:34 PM   #2
Sagitta
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zogo
*1*. This is the biggie I use the Linear Scale of disturbance detection rules from the Game Master's Guide -1 per 10 yards.
I don't even bother with that, I just say 'roll perception +-x', and make up a plausible x depending on the size and distance of the disturbance. Sometimes I ask everyone to roll perception without telling them the bonus or penalty, for disturbance and for various other clues (and, occasionally, for no reason).
Quote:
2. Single Initiaive Scale.
Again, I like it even simpler: Ofanim go first, then everyone else. I only worry about the order when it looks like it will make a difference, e.g. trying to disarm a foe before they can fire.
Quote:
3. No default penalties. A given use of a skill is either usable untrained at a TN==Characteristic or it's impossible untrained.
That means you need to make a judgement call every time, but it doesn't sound too difficult.
I rather like the defaults, they encourage the more cerebral skills like Computer Operation and Medicine. However, I reduce the penalty to 0 for related skills, e.g. the different Small Weapon skills. Apropos of which, I divide Large Weapon into multiple skills in the same way as Small and Ranged ones.
Quote:
4. Small Weapon. These skills are based on Agility rather than Precision.
That is logical, but perhaps the game balance will suffer if all five of the melee skills are based on Corporeal attributes. (Acrobatics, Dodge, Fighting, Large Weapon, Small Weapon.)
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5. Celestial Discord and Essence.
I haven't had any important characters with Celestial Discord yet.
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6. Celestial Discord and Calabim.
Good idea, IMO.
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Old 03-08-2006, 02:35 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Sagitta
Apropos of which, I divide Large Weapon into multiple skills in the same way as Small and Ranged ones.

That is logical, but perhaps the game balance will suffer if all five of the melee skills are based on Corporeal attributes. (Acrobatics, Dodge, Fighting, Large Weapon, Small Weapon.)
Well officially the lack of different small weapon skills was an error.

As for Agility and balance I think it's a very good idea for corporeal combat to be a mostly corporeal affair.
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Old 03-28-2006, 09:57 AM   #4
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Default Re: House Rules

One simple one we usein our group is the auto failure/success rule,

Double 1s on the target roll is always a sucess and double 2s always result in a failure.


Another is the the tethers lead down rule,

Anyone can get back to heaven or hell from anywhere on the corporeal, but a tether is the only way back. Hence if you want to go to an area with no tether you'll have to walk.
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Old 03-28-2006, 12:28 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by brass
One simple one we usein our group is the auto failure/success rule,

Double 1s on the target roll is always a sucess and double 2s always result in a failure.
I like the auto succes/failure except for Interventions in IN suits the Super-heroic scale of the game. IMO

Quote:
Originally Posted by brass
Another is the the tethers lead down rule,

Anyone can get back to heaven or hell from anywhere on the corporeal, but a tether is the only way back. Hence if you want to go to an area with no tether you'll have to walk.
I considered that one but think that being able to return to where you had left works well enough.
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Old 03-28-2006, 04:36 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by brass
Another is the the tethers lead down rule,

Anyone can get back to heaven or hell from anywhere on the corporeal, but a tether is the only way back. Hence if you want to go to an area with no tether you'll have to walk.
That's very interesting thought. I'll have to remember to use it as a negative feature sometime.

Let's see. I have some house rules:

Different Body Hits calculation. I really disliked having Strenght affect BHs so it's: Total Forces + 2x Copr Forces + 5 points/vessel level (or Toughness for humans). It also produces much less BHs.

Skill affects damage: level 2-3 +1 damage, 4-5 +2 and 6 +3.

Using tethers to go up or down doesn't burn Essence.

Handwaving Disturbance rules in favour of dramatic effect.

PCs have also taken up lots of different Knowledge skills, such as one for every Word, general angels knowledge for recognizing other angels etc.
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Old 03-28-2006, 08:14 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Blackwing

Let's see. I have some house rules:

Different Body Hits calculation. I really disliked having Strenght affect BHs
May I ask why?
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Old 03-29-2006, 01:32 PM   #8
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Default Re: House Rules

It's just a gut reaction. Total Forces should have more to with BHs than a single stat.
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Old 04-02-2006, 04:55 PM   #9
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Critical Successes & Failures: Rolling 2 ones on the success die allow characters to add d6 to their check digit. Rolling a 6 on this die means you can add another d6 to the Check digit, and so forth until the player stops rolling 6's. Rolling two 6's are critical failures and the player must add d6 to a failing CD. As a rule of thumb, critical successes and failures are never quite as good or bad as interventions.

Song Mechanics: Characters can prepare songs after spending an hour singing it. That means the character can put the song "on hold" until he needs it. When he does cast it, success is automatic unless there is a critical failure or intervention. The drawback is that using any other song before casting the prepared song ruins it and wastes the essence.

When a character fails a song, they can either choose to keep the essence and not be able to perform the song for CD hours, or lose the essence and retry immediately. The explanation is that with failed songs it is possible to retain onto the essence before it is lost to the symphony, but the essence has been perverted with the failed song and it's presence inside someone's soul keeps them from using that song for a time.
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Old 04-04-2006, 07:32 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magicwillnz

Song Mechanics: ...
Hmmm.... I'll have to think about these.Gut reaction though is No on prepared songs, and Maybe on Essence save...
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