History Main / AscendedHouseRules

** ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'': In earlier editions, HonestRollsCharacter (six ability scores rolled in order with no rerolls) was the default, but many groups implemented more generous ability score generation methods or allow rerolls when a character is stuck with nigh unplayable stats. With 3rd Edition, the rules were changed to favor above average rolls with the default being 4d6 drop lowest (since the main characters are heroes) and to allow a complete set of rolls to be thrown out if they didn't meet certain minimum criteria. Point buy is also an official rule variant, and became the standard method to generate ability scores in 3.X-based video game adaptations.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' has a popular community game mode, VS Saxton Hale, where one player becomes [[MemeticBadass Saxton]] [[OneManArmy Hale]], and the rest of the server teams up to kill him. It finally became an official game mode with the Summer 2023 update.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': The "snake eyes on a Leadership test means an automatic pass" rule was taken from 40K and absorbed into the Warhammer Fantasy house-rule pool so spectacularly that a) many people were convinced it was an actual rule and b) a later edition made these people became right.

House rules are a mixed bag, but sometimes they work well enough that the creators agree that they're good additions to the game and promote them to official rules, or at least officially-sanctioned variations. Most rules that get this treatment add something significant to the game, or address issues the creators didn't catch the first time around.

* The "Infection" gametype in ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}'' is based on a popular fan-made "Zombies" mode in ''VideoGame/Halo2''. This mode saw players manually switch teams if they were killed by a zombie, and since team-specific loadouts were not yet an option it relied on the honor rule that zombies could not use anything other than the Energy Sword. Team-specific weapon loadouts and team switching upon death both became standard features of custom gametypes starting in ''VideoGame/Halo3''.

[[folder:Tabletop RPGs]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': The "snake eyes on a Leadership test means an automatic pass" rule was taken from 40K and absorbed into the Warhammer Fantasy house-rule pool so spectacularly that a) many people were convinced it was an actual rule and b) a later edition made these people became right.

[[folder:Trading Card Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'':
** Rules taken for granted today like the limit of 4 of each card and "play or draw" (the choice between going first or being able to draw an extra card) started as house rules.
** The fan-made format Elder Dragon Highlander, later renamed Commander, had its own official unofficial rules put together by people outside of Wizards of the Coast. It has since been promoted to an official format that gets dedicated sets and decks.
** Oathbreaker is a fan-made format with some parallels to Commander that was popular around 2019. Oddly enough, Wizards chose to recognize it in 2023.
* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'': The Rush Duel format has rules like "Players can Normal Summon/Set as many monsters as they want in a single turn." and "During their Draw Phase, the turn player draws cards until they have five cards in their hand", which resemble how a lot of kids played the game.

HouseRules are a mixed bag, but sometimes they work well enough that the creators agree that they're good additions to the game and promote them to official rules, or at least officially-sanctioned variations. Most rules that get this treatment add something significant to the game, or address issues the creators didn't catch the first time around.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Uno}}'': Mattel once held a contest to see what HouseRules people used, and chose the following three to be added as official variants:

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'': In earlier editions, HonestRollsCharacter (six ability scores rolled in order with no rerolls) was the default, but many groups implemented more generous ability score generation methods or allow rerolls when a character is stuck with nigh unplayable stats. With 3rd Edition, the rules were changed to favor above average rolls (since the main characters are heroes) and to allow a complete set of rolls to be thrown out if they didn't meet certain minimum criteria. Point buy is also an official rule variant.
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFifthEdition'': A common house rule has been for a skill check to automatically succeed on a natural 20 roll, and for it to automatically fail for a natural 1. The 5th edition expansion One D&D planned to implement this as part of its base rules. This was later changed due to protests from community members, who preferred it remain a house rule due to inevitable problems that would result from a natural 20 succeeding ''any'' skill check.

Compare AscendedFanon for a narrative equivalent.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'':In earlier editions, HonestRollsCharacter (six ability scores rolled in order with no rerolls) was the default, but many groups implemented more generous ability score generation methods or allow rerolls when a character is stuck with nigh unplayable stats. With 3rd Edition, the rules were changed to favor above average rolls (since the main characters are heroes) and to allow a complete set of rolls to be thrown out if they didn't meet certain minimum criteria. Point buy is also an official rule variant.

Compare AscendedFanon for a narrative equivalent. See also PopularVariant for popular house rules, though they sometimes go on to become Ascended House Rules.

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