If your weapon deals 1d5 or less damage (this includes bare hands), you can use a 1d24 initiative die. If your weapon is two-handed you use a 1d16 initiative die UNLESS you are a human and go shirtless like a barbarian, in which case you can use a 1d20.
Leveling: In the past I've asked people with multiple leveled characters to choose one each turn of combat to act. I've decided to try a different approach (this is all in the name of simplicity and fast play): You have 1 main character. You use their initiative and saves for all your characters. The main character can level for real. All your other characters are lackeys and they can gain a 1d4 hit die for each 100 gold they spend on leveling. If your main character dies, you can choose one of the lackies and level them as follows:
1-4 hit die= level 1, up to 8 is level 2, and so on. It doubles each time. Lackies never get hangers-on xp for attending a party. They have to spend some gold them self. But they never roll for, and thus don't fumble, leveling.
Other rules you may not know, that may or may not be house rules:
Two-handed weapon wielders roll a d16 initiative die. Choose your weapon as combat begins and you are pledged to draw it at some point on your turn. New weapons drawn don't count for or against your initiative until you start a turn with them.
Duel-wielding light weapons can be done by anyone that's not a halfling, but use this rule: One to-hit roll, roll the damage die for each weapon. If they are both the weapon's highest value, they both count for damage!
Leveling:
You only get XP for gold. We always roll to see if something cool or horrible happens after you have committed your gold, but you can announce a specific goal and if it seems doable, I'll give you a time frame for how long to spend leveling (days, weeks, month, years(!)). A local economy can handle only so much partying, so not everyone can level that way at the same time, maybe.
Houserules and fluff about the campaign can be found at here
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