What house rules does everyone actually use?

[Palatinus]

I feel like nearly everyone uses at least one or some types of house rules but it would also seem that everyone thinks the house rules they don't use are akin to sacrilege.  I am insterested in a list of what everyone is actually doing.  I know we have a pretty comprehensive idea of what BBH is using, but where is everyone else?  I try to play as close the official rules as I understand them to be, but I don't have anywhere near the play experience of others.

[rucker73]

I also try to play as close to official rules as I can.  However I do love the fact that OP Online has The Marvels specials included in the program, so I do use some homemades I guess. 

I am open to using house rules or homemades, but usually if it is in a group of people all using the same stuff, otherwise I find it hard to keep track of which characters can do what and what rules I am following.

I have been using BBH's house rules for a little while with a couple of guys and find them to be pretty easy to adjust to.

[gameplan.exe]

In our circle, we introduced one very fun, particular rule. We draw to replace (DTR) any AJ-coded specials.

There were a few reasons I introduced it in the first place. Primarily, I was using Batman and Nightwing and I realized their AJ cards are really cool, but the loss of card advantage was really hurting them. I had the idea to DTR off of them (to prevent lost card advantage), and so I looked at the other people that have the AJ coded specials (lots from 1st edition).

When I saw who all has them, it occured to me that they could all use a little help (except maybe Dr.S, Mojo, and ProfX). Particularly, Spider-Man, Batman, and Nightwing, all really benefit from it. They gain a card that is particularly more useful, where they really didn't have many options.

Initially, I thought to only apply the DTR to non-OPD, but when I was looking at the OPD versions of the AJ code, I realized 2 things. First, the OPD versions aren't really much better than the Batman/Nightwing version. Second, it creates an Any Hero that is DTR.

That second point does 2 more things. First, it creates a balance between the other OPD versions. Second, it makes Any Hero decks just a little bit better.

Anyway, that's the only real House Rule we use (that comes to mind), aside from the Partners Play we often set up (http://www.beenhereandthere.com/SMF/index.php?topic=109.0).

[Nostalgic]

Regarding my 'old' playing partner, we use a lot of CCTelander and Bios's homemades as well his the level zero power card rules.  We both know the game well enough to be able to switch back and forward between rules since all we really have to do is take out the homemades. It really opens up many more possibilities.  Also since CC has given many more characters KL and AO specials it balances out some of the crazy stuff. We also use the NEO system for 'cost capping'. This basically makes just about every character cheaper for calculating if a team meets the sum deck requirement. (It's actually easier than the 'regular' way.)

I've also recently taught my cousin to play.  Once he really has a grasp on the finer points of the game, and understands the uselessness of basic universe cards  , I'm going to try out my rule that basic universe cards count for venture total but not damage. 

[gameplan.exe]

Regarding my 'old' playing partner, we use a lot of CCTelander and Bios's homemades as well his the level zero power card rules.  We both know the game well enough to be able to switch back and forward between rules since all we really have to do is take out the homemades. It really opens up many more possibilities.  Also since CC has given many more characters KL and AO specials it balances out some of the crazy stuff. We also use the NEO system for 'cost capping'. This basically makes just about every character cheaper for calculating if a team meets the sum deck requirement. (It's actually easier than the 'regular' way.)

I've also recently taught my cousin to play.  Once he really has a grasp on the finer points of the game, and understands the uselessness of basic universe cards  , I'm going to try out my rule that basic universe cards count for venture total but not damage. 

oh yeah, we use lv.0 Power cards too

[Onslaught]

None.

[Nostalgic]

None.

Shocking.

[drdeath25]

I also like to play with no house rules. Doesen't seem official when you make your own rules. There isnt any major problems with the current rules, imo.

[Palatinus]

None.

Shocking.

I'm guessing what you mean is that Onslaught is very consistent in how he addresses rules and how he plays.  Obviously a rule set that everyone adheres to makes playing easier and fairer.  I think house rules can be fun like variants.  For instance, in Magic, there are a ton of variant that use different rules for deck construction, turn order, targeting, things that just give you a variety of options and they are all official rules with tournaments to back them up.  I think Overpower would have had that too if it had been around longer.  So far I only play without house rules too, but I can see them as being a fun addition to the game.

[Jack]

Right now, bamf! and I play all our games by the books. We used to play with Ally cards all being May instead of Must.

Probably not a house rule, but we simply don't care for the H/V codes on the DC cards.

I play with Marvels but bamf! doesn't.

[Palatinus]

Right now, bamf! and I play all our games by the books. We used to play with Ally cards all being May instead of Must.

Probably not a house rule, but we simply don't care for the H/V codes on the DC cards.

I play with Marvels but bamf! doesn't.

I'm not sure, but I believe that the H/V codes are optional in the official rules.  I may be wrong and I'm not sure where I read it, but I think I remember the wording being something like "if you are using the Hero/Villain codes . . ." but it may have meant that if any of your cards have it on them.  I agree that it wasn't the most well-thought out rule considering something in the rulebook for the original Overpower specifically said something like "today's villains are tomorrow's heroes . . ."  That being said, I do really like the idea of 1) Inherent abilities.  There should be more of these even if they are stupid but apply to the character's design.  2) The idea of giving characters traits.  I think the H/V codes may have been a little off their mark, but not entirely.  For instance, I think in Image, the Gen-Active specials should actually have been the "Gen-Active trait" with characters having Gen-Active specials that let them do things with Gen-Active characters.

[Bios]

I play with homemades, hundreds of them! But personally I don't like house rules very much.
I like the game's mechanics as it is and I try to preserve them while creating new HMs. Otherwise I could be creating another game system, and that's not my intention.

In my opinion its possible to change a special that doesn't work into something playable without loosing track of the game basics. The "AC" special is a good example. The original effect allows you to move an attack from a character to another. In most cases you use the AC to take the hit anyway. But if you move the attack to a character with an avoid, you will spend two cards to defend a single attack.
The homemade "AC" is kinda "One-shot Vertigo". It allows you to move one attack from a character to another, but also allows you to draw 1 additional card if you defend the attack after moving it. It makes a great combo with regular "avoids" or other defensive cards.

Anyway there are two house rules that I should consider. The first one is increasing the minimum deck rule to 56 cards, without counting the Events. This rule fits decks with homemades using the "draw to replace" concept, or else you could get to the power pack to fast.
The second one is also suitable for the original game. It is the "mulligan", that allows a player to redraw the first hand if he wants to. This rule is used in Magic and also in VS System and it would fit perfectly in OP. Just think if you built a deck based in an event card (like "discard all placed universe cards" for example), but the event came out in the very first hand. Or if you get 2 duplicates and 4 activators, then you will probably concede, but if you do, your opponent will keep more cards placed, because you can't place your activators. The mulligan decreases the "bad lucky" effect in the first hand. But if you are a person under the "Murphy's Law" jurisdiction, you can redraw a hand that is even worse than the first one!

[Nostalgic]

I play with homemades, hundreds of them! But personally I don't like house rules very much.
I like the game's mechanics as it is and I try to preserve them while creating new HMs. Otherwise I could be creating another game system, and that's not my intention.

It's funny that now that I'm so use to the homemades when I play without them the game, purity and all that aside, feels like watching TV in black and white.  Maybe more like a 'regular' move right after seeing avatar in 3D in IMAX. 

I mean for me its about the characters and the awesome cards that represent there abilities, or creating cards that accurately represent their abilities.  The way some people talk about it, and winning, it would seem they  would be just as content to play with blank character cards with 4  identical circles of different colors with appropriate numbers for character stats.  The only difference in 'names' on the cards could be combinations of a,b,c,d...  All the special cards could be text only. The respective character's 'letters' being the only way to distinguish the whose card it belongs too.  Then just build teams based on stats and specials without even remotely having/needing a theme or comic reference. I mean this makes sense for tournaments, but how many of those are going on these days. Character AAA is AWSOME! He has 8E, 7F,3S,3I. I'm so excited! He was the missing link to go with my other 3 characters, CBB, BCB, and BBC.  I'm just saying there are different ways to look at the game and one way is no better than the other.

[Onslaught]

Yeah the alternative is much better. (My personal fave char) has a Draw 3, a 9 or less, and an 11 multi. So does every other character. This is so fun! A card has an effect instead of being an attack? Add "draw a card" to it so there is no tactical decision to make whether or not you should use it. Homemades are great, how could anybody just play with the existing cardpool that still hasn't been fully explored....simpletons.

[Overtime]

Yeah the alternative is much better. (My personal fave char) has a Draw 3, a 9 or less, and an 11 multi. So does every other character. This is so fun! A card has an effect instead of being an attack? Add "draw a card" to it so there is no tactical decision to make whether or not you should use it. Homemades are great, how could anybody just play with the existing cardpool that still hasn't been fully explored....simpletons.

I'm not a fan of homemades, but if you HAVE to use them why not at least make some original effects instead of giving everyone a 9 or less and such?