Second Age Campaign - House Rules

1) Everyone gets weapon and implement expertise free for any weapon or implement they use at 5th level.
Why? - To fix the math
2) Everyone gets a scaling +1/+2/+3 bonus to defenses at level 5/15/25
Why? - To fix the math
3) You get an AP after every combat.
Why? - It's easier to remember, and I plan to tone down the amount of magical items a little bit, so this is to off-set that.
4) There is no creation of magic items, but you can still upgrade an item you have with the proper ritual (which is the Create Magic Item ritual). You can also still disenchant items for residuum.
Why? - Because I hate the whole magic-shop concept which inevitably comes up with the possibility of creating magic items. Also, I am going to attempt to make a slightly more "realistic" economy, instead of the default exponential one, and the creation of magical items interferes with that.
5) BETA Change ritual casting times expressed in minutes to rounds. This means that rituals with their casting time expressed in hours or days do not have their casting time changed. Characters count as Dazed while casting and/or aiding to cast a ritual, due to the concentration required. Rituals are Sustain (Standard) until the start of your next turn while casting.
Why? - I want to make rituals a bit more interesting and flexible. Stopping up for 10 minutes in the middle of a crypt to chant so that you might be able to see a door is a tad weird at times, while stopping for a minute might be more realistic. It also gives a mechanic to use for NPC's when they cast rituals.
6) Raise Dead is a once in a lifetime happening for a character, and only under the most exceptional circumstances. It is a quest and very expensive.
Why? - Because death should be something to fear, not just another way for the players to spend their gold.
7) Summons are DM controlled when not directed by their caster (and no Instinctual Action). Will likely attack last attacker, or random adjacent creature (depending on alignment/intelligence). Will never attack caster.
Why? - Because it adds some flexibility and usefulness to the whole summoning stitch, which otherwise is overshadowed by other options.
8) Push into wall = Prone (w/ save)
Why? - Because we have always played with it.