I have been running two 4e campaigns, and while I enjoy the system it certainly is not my favorite. Combat tends to be longer than other games that I enjoy, and while one of 4e’s strengths is its tight rules system I find it limits my creativity as a GM in some cases.

I am now ready to start adding the house rules to my games. Once you have played a game several times and know the rules there is nothing wrong with modifying a system so that it is a custom fit to your group. What would you house rule in 4e? If you were to make one change, one addition, and one deletion to the rules what would they be?

Here are mine:

Change: Encounter powers should not be just once or twice per encounter, but instead the number of times an encounter power can be used should increase as players level up. Example: A 1st level encounter power should be able to be used 4 times by a 4th level character. This sort of thing makes a game more enjoyable and tends to speed up combat in my opinion.

Addition: Healing surges should be a form of game currency that players can spend like fate points and other meta game tools used in other systems. Example: Blow that roll on your big bad daily power? Spend a healing surge to get a re-roll. The advantage is that the players have a little bit more power over the game, but they increase their risk as healing surges are not recovered until PCs take an extended rest.

Deletion: Skill Challenges. Ditch them. No example needed here. The updates have fixed some of the problems with Skill Challenges, but I just have more fun when the group forgets the rules for many of the moments that Skill Challenges were designed for and we just role play the scene out.

These are my suggestions, and you may agree or disagree, but keep in mind that I am suggesting these changes for my groups and my style of GMing. I don’t expect them to work for everyone.

That said, what change, addition, and deletion would you make to the 4e rules? Leave your comments below, and remember that the GM is a player too! Have fun with it!