What ruleset does this game use?We use Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e. Our game is houseruled to incorporate elements of E6 play and Pathfinder. The game system should be very easy to pick up and play for anyone who is familiar with 3.5e or Pathfinder. A discussion of specific house rules is available below. For a flowery introduction to our game, please check out
our wiki.Please note that this is not a 'living' game. 'Living Ptolus' was simply the name we originally chose for the game.Can you briefly describe your house rules?We incorporate the E6 idea of Hit Dice, Saves, BAB and Skill Ranks capping at 6th level.
However, we still allow progression of class features, such as rogue special abilities and new spell levels. We've also tweaked certain races and classes, and tried to make rules for things like grappling a bit less broken.
There is also a pretty significant change to the way spellcasters are handled after they breach the 6th level barrier, in that acquiring spells becomes very expensive, and spell slots are much more limited. This was our attempt to help keep full casters powerful while also bringing them back in line a bit with everyone else.
On the whole, I would say that our game does have a bit of AD&D flavor. Our system may seem strange, but it works extremely well for this campaign, as it means that brand new characters can step in with established veterans and typically contribute right away.
What's the game setting?The game setting is Monte Cook's Ptolus, though eventually we plan to expand beyond that and branch out to other game worlds. There is a 100% free and legal player's guide available up on our wiki to get acquainted with the setting. You can find it
here.When and where does this game meet?We use Maptool version 1.3b87, which we can help you get comfortable with if you haven't used the software before.
No other software is required for our game.We meet 5 to 7 times per week, and our schedule can be found
here. We usually run games around 8:30pm EST, but we
are looking for more folks who would like to play GMT evenings.
You do not have to attend all game sessions, or even most of them. Please see the FAQ for more information.How can I join this game?Simply submit a character. If it conforms to the rules, I will approve it, and you can post it in the roster forum. Then, you simply keep track of your income and expenses in your character thread, and you can show up and play any time you like. Pretty simple.
What are the creation rules?The short version? You start at 6th level with 3,000gp, using a Point Buy similar to the one used in the Pathfinder system. You can only start with levels in a single class. Materials allowed are limited to the core rules and our wiki.
The creation rules are found
here, and a character creation example (which includes step by step instructions) is found
here.If you have questions, stop by
our server and ask.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThis game meets frequently and I can't attend all of those sessions, is this a problem?No, not at all. Attendance is never mandatory, and our game is built around the idea of players coming and going as they see fit. Our system also makes it possible for characters with less availability to contribute effectively to the group. One of our players can only show up about 25% of the time, but his character is still a strong contributor when he shows up.
Spellcasters look pretty lousy in this system, is this for real?Wizards and Clerics are still powerful, and Sorcerers are actually quite strong in this system. The biggest change is that they don't have as many spells to fling around, and acquiring knowledge of new spells is very expensive.
You can parry attacks with your weapon and use the dodge skill to avoid melee blows, what?We added the ability for everyone to parry blows in melee, and tweaked the dodge feat so that it allows characters to sacrifice attacks of opportunity in order to flat out dodge melee attacks. This has actually worked out quite well and gives characters a bit more survivability to offset the lower hit point totals.
How would you describe this game? Heavy role-playing? Hack and slash?We run with multiple DMs, so it really varies from session to session. That said, this game definitely favors hack and slash, because, let's face it, you probably wouldn't be playing D&D if you didn't want to slaughter some bugbears.
Do you allow X, Y, or Z from a particular source book?Everything in the game is limited to what is available in the SRD (core rules) or on our wiki. However, I do also allow players to make two requests per week for new spells, feats or prestige classes from outside sources. Many of the feats and spells you see on the wiki were those that I approved (and in some cases altered) from outside sources.
I've never used Maptool before!The program is actually pretty simple to use. Much of our game is heavily automated with macros, and we can provide you with a basic set of macros to get started.
Is there anything I should know before I roll up a character?I highly encourage new players to stop by our game server (which is up all the time) and ask questions. I also feel compelled to point out that if you're the sort of person who loves hunting through splatbooks to find new ways to uber-optimize your character and break the system, this definitely isn't the game for you.
Can I have multiple characters?Yes! Yes, you can. You need a DM's approval to make a second character, but we typically just ask that you participate in five or six sessions to get your feet wet before making additional characters.
I saw that this used to be a Pathfinder game?That's right. We went through a playtesting period in which we originally based the game off of the Pathfinder rule system. While I happen to like a number of things in Pathfinder, the truth is much of it is simply not suitable for our E6 variant, and so our game is now based on the 3.5e rule system. But fear not, we made some great changes to simplify and streamline grappling!
Any other rules I should know about?The simple and obvious one is
don't cheat. Because we have many player characters, it's really impossible for the DMs to keep track of every little thing on everyone's sheet. Thus, we use the honor system, and all we ask is that you don't abuse that trust.
