Ken’s HackMaster House Rules

I plan to use these rules for all future HackMaster (HM) campaigns I run. My purpose is to encourage friendly, fun & cooperative play and streamline game mechanics.

Character Creation

In general, all HM material published by Kenzer & Co. (K&C) that I have a copy of is available, including HM books, K&C periodicals.

However, some material may be inappropriate to the setting (e.g. HackJammer, City of Brass); if the provided back-story provides a good justification, these may be allowed.

Alignment

Players are encouraged to not create Evil aligned characters. If such characters are played according to their alignment, they will find the civilized wurld (and likely their companions) will quickly become hostile.

No experience will be awarded for offensive actions against other party members.

Race, Class, Package

Selection of race, class(es) and packages is subject to GM approval.

To prevent players from choosing races and classes that are inappropriate to the setting or party make-up, or which the player does not intend to role-play.

Humans receive 6 BP of bonus skills from those in the PH without prerequisites, which often used to earn a living among society (incl.: Agriculture; Animal Lore; Astrology; Botany; Culinary Arts; Culture (Human); Current Affairs; Customs and Etiquette (Human); Engineering; Forestry; Geology; Heraldry; History, Local; Leadership, Basic; Mathematics, Basic; Military History; Religion, General; Weather Sense; Arcane Speak; Languages, Modern (any trade partner); Semaphore; any Musical Instrument skill; Armor Maintenance; any Tasks: Mundane skill; Brawler; Dirty Fighting; Pimp Slap; Artistic Ability; Dancing, Ballroom; Interpret/Perform Mime; Juggling; Poetry, …; Singing; Acting; Acupuncture; Animal Noise; Bartering; Boating; Bowyer/Fletcher; Brewing; Calligraphy; Carpentry; Clever Packer; Cobbling; Dig Hasty Grave; Dig Proper Grave; Fishing; Forage for Food (home climate); Gaming; Glean Information; Haggle; Identify Animal by Tracks; Laborer, General; Mining; Mountaineering; Navigation, Nautical; Pottery; Seamstress/Tailor; Set Snares; Skinning; Slaughter Game Animal; Sleight of Hand; Slip Away Into Shadows; Stonemasonry; Swimming, Dog Paddle; Tracking; Tumbling; Weaving; all Skills, Tools skills - others may be possible if a back story identifies how they were gained during youth). These 6 BPs may also be applied to cost of a skill or skill suite used to earn a living, whose cost exceeds 6 BPs.

To compensate for the advantages provided to most other races, with skills appropriate to growing up among civilization.

The Bounty Hunter casts spells in the same manner as a magic-user or cleric (i.e. to cast arcane spells, they need learn the spell, transcribe it into a book, and memorize it (except for Read Magic); to cast divine spells, they need to devote themselves to a divine patron, and pray for spells).

The Charlatan class is disapproved, until further notice.

The Diviner class Karma total is limited to the character’s Diviner level.

Skills, Talents, and Proficiencies (STP)

All skills, talents, proficiencies, quirks and flaws are subject to GM approval.

To prevent players from choosing STPs that are unavailable or inappropriate to the setting, or Q&Fs the player does not intent to role-play.

Quirks and Flaws (Q&F)

I intend to encourage more practical characters while keeping them Tournament-legal. I do this through reducing the BP bonus for selected Quirks and Flaws.

Quirks and Flaws are often abused to create more powerful characters that are a trial to be near, or who divert the game excessively to attend to them.

The Building Points yielded by Quirks and Flaws are reduced per the table below. The difference in building points accumulated should be recorded, as I may award some or all of those points for a character which appears to have an interesting or creative concept, or which includes features which promote fun, friendly, cooperative play.

Characters can both Cherry Pick (2 minor and 1 major) flaws, and roll for quirks and flaws. The total number of flaws is limited to 9 (including additional rolls indicated by tables). Characters can stop rolling flaws at any time; they do not have to roll a pre-selected number.

Characters may pick or roll for Quirks and Flaws in Class guides other than their own, but in general are awarded only half the BPs, and that only if the Quirk or Flaw applies. (In this case, the GM may have to adjust the effects.)

Male characters may pick or roll for the Female Quirks and Flaws table; individual flaws are available (Y in the Males column in the table below), not available (N) or available, but only half BPs awarded (1/2).

All skills, talents, proficiencies, quirks and flaws are subject to GM approval.

Some are so potentially disruptive that I require the whole party (all the players) to agree to allowing a character with that Q&F to join the party; these are noted in the tables below (e.g. Enmity toward Race).

This is my alternative to avoid the party deciding to leave the character behind (or worse).

Personalization

Players may suggest some unique traits or gear for the character to start with, in exchange for some BPs, to further distinguish their character. The GM will adjust either the effects of the trait or item or the BPs as appropriate.

Equipment

Gold pieces, and other ‘pieces,’ generally weigh 1/100 pounds. ‘Coins’ may weigh 1/10th of a pound, and be divisible into 10 ‘pieces’.

If an item is not written on your character’s sheet, he doesn’t have it. And an item can’t be on multiple sheets. In particular, treasure must be written on the sheet of whoever is carrying it, when they pick it up.

Players should adjust their encumbrance total immediately and notify the GM if their status has changed.

Play

I may spontaneously ignore, streamline, change, or create any rules at any time in the interest of fun/story-telling.

Player’s should notify the GM when the status of their character changes (e.g. when AC or Movement rate change or Honor or encumbrance change category).

Players should only act on information their character knows, acting on

All comments and expletives made by a player are assumed to be made by their character, except for questions to or declarations of their characters’ actions to the GM, unless explicitly identified as out-of-character.

“Zero-time soliloquies” are allowed (i.e. your character can say things at any time, so long as they take a small amountof time, say <6 seconds).

Skill Use

Per the books, skill use under normal conditions generally does not require a skill check (unless the description specifically states it does). In unusual or stressful conditions a check may be required. [I intend to omit the check any time it doesn’t matter significantly.]

When it is significant, difficulty and conditions modifiers will apply - including: weather, lighting, distractions, etc.

Skills may be used in the same round as other actions, but such use needs to be declared in advance, and will always incur at least the ‘While otherwise occupied’ modifier (and usually others). If not declared in advance, the character is spending the entire round exclusively using the skill.

Skill use during combat will also tend to be one level more difficult, whether or not other actions are also taken. However, a character can choose to ignore the combat (as much as possible) at the cost of a +4 To-hit Modifier (as if stunned, prone, slowed, etc.).

Magic

A spell caster may use any of his memorized spells repeatedly, as long as he has spell uses of the appropriate or higher level remaining (e.g. if he can cast two 1st level spells and 1 2nd level spell per day, and he has memorized Alarm (1st), Armor (1st), and Bind (2nd), he may cast a total of three spells, each of which is selected at the time of casting; but once he has used a 2nd level spell (Bind) he has used up his 2nd level casting for that day, and any remaining spells must be selected from the memorized 1st level spells).

To encourage players to use a wider variety of spells, by eliminating any reason for preparing multiple copies of the same spell.

Unless a particular time is specified by the patron deity, Clerics (and Cleric group characters) may pray to replace memorized spells at any time (not just at one appointed time of day). There is no guarantee it will be granted, and the requisite preparation is still required.

To allow Clerics the same flexibility to adapt their repertoire to the situation that MUs have.

Clerics (and Cleric group classes) can immediately substitute a cure or heal spell in place of a previously prepared spell of the same or higher level. However, this does not extend to the reversed versions.

To allow Cleric group players to use all their spell slots to memorize spells other than Cure and Heal, and to allow a Chosen One to reliably have healing ability.

Clerics and Druids can use Orisons (per Dragon Magazine, April 1986, with the exception that the Cure Minor orison only cures 1 h.p.).

Combat

Weapon Type vs. Armor Type To-Hit Modifiers are not used.

Armor is damaged only on a critical hit. In a critical hit, the armor takes the published amount of damage (e.g. 2 for Field Plate and Full Plate Armor, 1 for most other forms). It only absorbs damage when the damage is taken by the armor instead of the character.

To reduce the frequency with which a player needs to adjust his armor AC, and the frequency and expense of armor repair.

(Shields are not damaged when the shield bonus makes the difference between an attack hitting and missing.)

Shields can provide a saving throw bonus equal to their shield AC bonus if interposed against attacks from a particular direction (e.g. from a cone or ray-shaped area effect). The wielder can chose to “take it on the shield” or not, but if they take it on the shield, the shield must make an item saving throw against the attack form.

Missile fire into a melee is subject to an AC modifier based on the degree of cover or concealment provided by the other members of the melee. (A creature which is not struck by the attach type only provides concealment.) If the attack hits with the modifier, the intended target is hit. If it would have hit without the modifier, one of the other figures involved in the melee is hit; determination of which is per the published procedure. Otherwise it misses the entire melee.

The modifier depends of the relative position of the other figures in the melee, but in general is +4 (50% cover) for one figure nearer than the target, +7 (75% cover) for two, and +10 (90% cover) for three. Figures a size category smaller or larger than the target adjust the modifier one step (e.g. a small character in front of a medium character only provides a +2 modifier (25% cover).

Shields which can be used against multiple attackers can include those firing missiles among the affected attackers.

Using Polearms, or other long weapons, from a back rank receives the same modifier as missile weapons for each rank between the attacker and target.

Fatigue factor will be neglected unless an activity is unusually long or strenuous.

Experience and Advancement

Role Play

Experience, Honor, and Fame for role-playing will be awarded immediately.

Instant gratification, and to avoid forgetting them.

Players should adjust their Honor total immediately and notify the GM if their status has changed.

A character’s honor category can change during a session (i.e. the character can achieve or lose Great Honor, Too-Much Honor, or Too-Little Honor during the session, not just between sessions).

Instant gratification / to allow a character to work their way into or out of a category when their actions warrant it..

Players can nominate another player’s actions for Experience or Fame awards, but not their own.

Players can nominate any player’s actions for Honor awards, including their own.

Alignment Infraction Points will be awarded immediately.

Experience may be awarded for:

Advancement

A character may only advance a level through training when a significant task has been completed by the party. However, experience is never capped.

To encourage players to contribute to party goals and to reduce the frequency of interrupting the story to advance a character.

Training

The base 1500 gp/week cost of continued training is eliminated; only the Course Cost is required.

Conditions modifiers apply to the chance to learn skills as well.

PH Quirks and Flaws

Quirk/Flaw

BP Bonus (new/orig)

Notes (Reasons)

Flaws, Minor (Physical)



Albino

3/5

(Annoying, but adds color)

Animal Antipathy

5 for horse, dog, cat, insect, 3 for others/7

(Problematic, but possibly funny)

Anosmia

3/5

(Possibly interesting)

Asthmatic

4/10

(Delaying)

Blind, Color

2/5

(Rarely affects play, easily cured)

Chronic Nosebleeds

5/8

(Delaying)

Excessive Drooling

2/5

(Gross)

Flatulent

3/5

(Gross but possibly funny)

Hearing Impaired

7/10

(Lots of potential)

Lisp

3/5

(Only if consistently role-played)

Loss of Ear

3/6

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw)

Loss of Eye

3/7

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw;

Eye patch makes up for COM loss)

Male Pattern Baldness

3/5

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw)

Migraines

4/8

(Delaying)

Missing Finger(s)

5/5

(Dangerous to bystanders)

Nervous Tic

3/5

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw)

Scar, Facial

8/8


Sleep Chatter

6/6

(delaying, but amusing)

Sound Sleeper

6/6


Strange Body Odor

6/6


Stutter

5/8

(amusing)

Tone Deaf

2/5

(Rarely affects play)

Vision Impaired, Far Sighted

3/7

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw.

Blind, one eye

3/5

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw.

Eye patch makes up for COM loss.

Vision Impaired, Near Sighted

5/7

(Bonus should be smaller than cost to compensate for flaw.

Flaws, Major (Physical)



Accident Prone

9/11

(annoying or delaying, but amusing)

Acute Allergies

7 for cloth, pollen, dust, 4 for others/11

(Annoying or delaying)

Amputee, Arm

8/15


Amputee, Double, Arm

12/20

Requires party approval (Highly annoying, delaying or disruptive)

Amputee, Double, Leg

5/20

Requires party approval (Highly annoying, delaying or disruptive; Gain 1 BP of STR, which pays for Peg Leg skill negating most adverse effects

Amputee, leg

0/15

(Gain 1 BP of INT, which pays for Peg Leg skill negating all adverse effects

Blind

10/20

Requires party approval (Highly annoying, delaying or disruptive)

Deaf

10/20

(annoying or delaying, but amusing)

Hemophiliac

8/15

Requires party approval (Highly annoying, delaying or disruptive)

Low Threshold for Pain

8/15

Requires party approval (Highly annoying, delaying or disruptive)

Maimed

11/11


Mute

6/11

(annoying or delaying, but amusing)

Narcolepsy

15/15

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

No Depth Perception

6/11


Seizure, Disorders

6-10/12-20

Requires party approval (Highly annoying, delaying or disruptive)

Sleep Walker

6/11

(either incidental or delaying)

Trick Knee

6/12

(rarely comes into play)

Flaws, Minor (Mental)



Absent Minded

3/9

(either incidental or delaying)

Acrophobia

10/10


Agoraphobia

3/10

(either incidental or delaying)

Alcoholic

4/8

(Annoying, delaying, and disruptive)

Animal Phobia

7 for horse, dog, cat, bird, insect, 3 for others /9

(Annoying, delaying, and disruptive)

Chronic Nightmares

6/6


Claustrophobia

8/8

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

Delusional

4/10

(Annoying, delaying, and disruptive)

Depression

4/8

(Delaying)

Gambling Addiction

4/8

(Annoying, delaying, and disruptive)

Inappropriate Sense of Humor

3/7

(either incidental or delaying)

Kleptomaniac

7/10

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

Obsessive Compulsive

4/10

(either incidental or delaying)

Nagging Conscience

5/5


Paranoid

5/10

(Disruptive)

Short Term Memory Loss

8/8

Player

Superstitious

0 to 9 depending on superstition/10

(either incidental or delaying)

Temper Tantrum

3/7

(Disruptive)

Quirks, Minor (Mental)



Delusional (Major)

7/15

(Annoying, delaying, and disruptive)

Depression (Major)

8/16

(Delaying)

Enmity toward Class

3 for Dark Knight, Assassin, Berserker, Blood Mage, 0 for others/13

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

Enmity toward Monster

1 to 4 depending on monster/13

GM determines BPs based on monster (rarely affects play)

Enmity toward Race

2 for Half-orc or Half-ogre, 0 for others/13

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

HackFrenzy

3/15

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

HackLust

3/15

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

Psychotic Aversion to Class

3 for Dark Knight, Assassin, Berserker, Blood Mage, 0 for others/11

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

Psychotic Aversion to Monster

1 to 4 depending on monster/11

GM determines BPs based on monster (rarely affects play)

Psychotic Aversion to Race

2 for Half-orc or Half-ogre, 0 for others/11

Requires party approval (Highly disruptive)

Pyromania

6/12

Requires party approval (Annoying, delaying, and highly disruptive)

Sadistic

6/12

Requires party approval (Annoying, delaying, and disruptive)

Wuss-of-Heart

11/11

Requires party approval (Possibly annoying and delaying, depending on role)

Quirks, Minor (Personality)



Chronic Liar

6/6


Clingy

5/5


Glutton

5/5


Greedy

2/8


Gullible

7/7


Jerk

2/8


Loud Boor

3/7


Misguided

3/5


Obnoxious

3/6

(Obnoxious)

Pack Rat

3/5


Self Absorbed

4/8


Socially Awkward

7/7


Value Privacy

5/9


Quirks, Major (Personality)



Multiple Personalities

Per Extra Personality table /11+5 ea.

First extra personality is awarded full BPs, second is awarded half; none for more than two.

Truthful

11/11


Die Roll

Extra Personality:

BPs

01-04

Young member of the opposite sex

6

05-08

Elderly member of the opposite sex

6

09-12

Young adult or middle-aged member of the opposite sex

4

13-16

Young member of the same sex

4

11-20

Elderly member of the same sex

4

21-24

Young adult or middle aged member of the same sex

2

25-28

Extremely violent person

4

29-32

Extremely cowardly person

8

33-36

Extremely nasty person

4

37-40

Noble

4

41-44

Slave

4

45-48

Beggar

4

49-52

Royalty

4

53-56

Dwarf

4

57-60

Pixie fairy

8

61-64

Gnome titan

6

65-68

Elf

4

69-72

Assassin

0

73-16

Thief

2

11-80

Extremely pious person

6

81-100

Adds another personality, roll twice more on this chart




Spellslingers Guide Quirks and Flaws

Quirk/Flaw

BP Bonus (new/orig)

Notes (Reasons)

Flaws, Minor



Bookworm

4/6

(rarely enters play)

Clumsy Fingers

5/5


Large Handwriting

6/6


Limited Faculties

6/6


Magical Allergy

9/9


Scar, Bodily

3/5

(except for leg, compensated by 2 BP)

Sloppy Penmanship

3/7

(incidental delaying)

Flaws, Major



Sloppy Penmanship

8/12

(delaying, disruptive)

Quirks, Minor



College Rivalry

5/7

(not worth 7)

Know-it-all

2/5

(annoying, only lowers Cha if MU Int is low, possibly amusing)

Performance Anxiety

6/8

(annoying and disruptive)

Security Blanket

4/7

(Reduces options)

Superstitious Caster

6/6

(possibly amusing)

Quirks, Major



Learning Disability

5/15

(delaying; MU will spend more time to learn spells, reduces options)

Wild Gestures

4/8

(rarely an impediment, amusing)

Quirks, Minor (Mentor)



Chintzy Mentor

3/9

(not worth 9, a few less options and having to pay for good book)

Old School Mentor

3/9

(not worth 9, need to copy book)

Wasteful Mentor

4/7

(rarely enters play)

Wuss Mentor

3/8

(delaying; MU will spend more time to learn spells, reduces options)

Quirks, Major (Mentor)



Gimp Mentor

5/15

(not woth 15;Casting time increased on just his highest level spell)

Pacifist Mentor

4/12

(delaying; MU will spend more time to learn spells, reduces options)



Combatants Guide Quirks and Flaws

Quirk/Flaw

BP Bonus (new/orig)

Notes (Reasons)

Flaws, Minor



Bad Back

7/7


Butt Ugly

5/5


Poorly Proportioned

3/5


Small Bladder

2/6

(Annoying, delaying)

Flaws, Major



Corrosive Sweat

6/9

(Absurd and delaying)

Easily Dehydrated

5/10


Small hands

6/12

(BPs applied to Str more than compensate for lower weapon damage)

Uncoordinated

6/10

(Applies minor penalty to AC and to-hit using shield or 2nd weapon)

Quirks, Minor



Armor Snobbery

2/4

(Rarely affects play)

Blood Feud

1 to 3 depending on frequency/6

(Diverting)

Maintenance Compulsion

2/5

(delayin)

Weapon Phobia

1 to 6 depending on frequency of appearing/6

(Rarely affects play)

Weapon Prejudice

2 to 4 depending on type/4


Quirks, Major



Armor Prejudice

Up to 11 depending on type/11


Bad Luck

9/9


Bardic Tendencies

4/9

(delaying, but potentially amusing

Combat Arrogance

10/10


Flashbacks

1 to 6 depending on frequency/12

(Annoying, delaying)

Outlawed

1 to 4 depending on frequency of being recognized/8

(Delaying, diverting)

Weapon Prejudice

4 to 9 depending on type/9




Griftmasters Guide Quirks and Flaws

Quirk/Flaw

BP Bonus (new/orig)

Notes (Reasons)

Flaws, Minor



Arthritis

4/8

(not worth 8)

Big Hands

6/6


Club-Footed

3/7

(not worth 7)

Loud Talker

7/7


Small Ears

6/6


Flaws, Major



Impotent/Barren

8/8


Precious Metal Allergy

11/11


Shaky Hands

10/10


Sleep Stealer

6/12

(disruptive)

Suspicious Mannerisms

8/15

(delaying, disruptive)

Quirks, Minor



Anal Retentive

7/7


Close Talker

3/3


Expanded Personal Space

4/4


Identity Paranoia

2/4

(disruptive)

Nervous Laugh

3/6

(delaying)

Overly Competitive

5/5


Poor Impulse Control

3/6

(delaying and disruptive)

Secret Identity

4/7

(delaying, possibly disruptive)

Tourette’s Syndrome

7/7


Quirks, Major



Afraid of the Dark

11/11


Attention Deficit Disorder

6/10

(delaying)

Mask Fetish

7/13

(not worth 13)

Social Guilt

8/12

(not worth 12)

Tourette’s Syndrome

13/13


Whisperer

4/10

(not worth 10)



Zealots Quirks and Flaws

Quirk/Flaw

BP Bonus (new/orig)

Notes (Reasons)

Quirks, Minor (Mental)



Drinking Problem

3/4


Quirks, Major (Mental)



Fool in Love

4 to 8 depending on location and relationship/14


Mortephobia

3 if flees, 8 if freezes/13


Quirks, Minor (Personality)



Argumentative

2/5


Slob

2/4


Secret Past

Up to 7 depending on story/7


Married

4 for 1st spouse + 2 per add’l/4


Children

4+2 per/5+2 per add’l child


Quirks, Major (Personality)



Code of Honor

Up to 10 depending on code/10


Bad Rep

3/12




Female Quirks and Flaws (HackJournal 17)

Quirk/Flaw

BP Bonus (new/orig)

Notes (Reasons)

Males

Flaws




Delicate Stomach

3/5

(rarely enters play)

Y

One of the Guys

3/3


Y

Top Heavy

8/11 (major)


N

Quirks, Mental




Appearance Obsessive

3/5


Y

Bug Dance

4/4


Y

Can’t Cook

4/5


1/2

Feline Affinity

3/3


Y

Female Taboo

6/13 (major)

(delaying)

N

Mistress

4/8

(delaying)

1/2

Nymphomaniac

3/9

(annoying, delaying and disruptive)

N

Princess’ Disorder

5/5


1/2

Redecorator

4/8

(rarely enters play)

1/2

Sister Solidarity

4/8 (major)

(delaying, but amusing)

N

Shopaholic, Born to Shop

4/6

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Shopaholic, Clothes Collector

6/7

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Shopaholic, Designer Labels

4/7

(delaying, but amusing)

Y

Quirks, Personality




Bitch

4/6

(annoying)

N

Child at Heart

4/4

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Ditzy

4/6

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Floozy

3/5

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Gabby

6/10

Party approval required (delaying and disruptive, but amusing)

1/2

Motherly

6/6

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Queen Bee

3/5

(delaying, but amusing)

Y

Roomie

2/4

(delaying, but amusing)

1/2

Sentimental

4/5

(delaying, but amusing)

Y

Quirks, (Mother)




Guilt Trip Mom

2/7

(rarely enters play)

Y

Mommy’s Little Angel

2/3

(rarely enters play)

Y

Vengeful Mother

2/6

(rarely enters play)

Y