House Rules

House Rules

Table of Contents

Step-by-Step Characters

Material Sources

Only content from officially published books from Wizards of the Coast should be used when creating your character.

Ability Scores and Modifiers

We will use the point buy system. You have 27 points to spend. Full rules can be found on PHB p.13.

Starting at Higher Levels

Use the following table to find your characters starting equipment and wealth.

LEVELSTARTING EQUIPMENT AND WEALTH
01–04• Normal starting equipment
05–10• 500 gp plus 1d10 × 25 gp
• two uncommon magic items
• normal starting equipment
11–16• 5,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp
• two uncommon magic items
• one rare magic item
• normal starting equipment
17–20• 20,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp
• two uncommon magic items
• two rare magic item
• normal starting equipment

Adding a New Character to an Existing Campaign

New players joining an existing campaign with a new character:

  • Your new character begins at the average level of the party (rounded down). If the party is using the XP method to gain levels, you begin at the starting XP of the average level of the party.

  • Refer to “Starting at Higher Levels” in the house rules to find your starting equipment and wealth.

Existing players rolling up a new character due to their current character’s death:

  • If the campaign uses the milestone method to gain levels, your new character will start one level lower than your character had before they died.

  • If the campaign uses the XP method to gain levels, figure out the percentage of XP (round down) your character had before they died in relation to their current level (do not count any XP gained from a combat if you died during that combat). Your new character begins one level below your last played character with the same XP percentage in that level. Use the following calculator to help: D&D5e – New Character After Death.

  • Refer to “Starting at Higher Levels” in the house rules to find your starting equioment and wealth.

Existing players rolling up a new character due to their current character’s retirement:

This is to be done if you don’t enjoy playing your current character or you really want to try something new. Please note that this should be done sparingly. Talk to the DM about going about changing characters and how it will work mechanically and how it will fit into the current story.

Races

Approved Variants/Options

  • Human Traits (Players Handbook (PHB), p31).

  • Ghostwise Halflings (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (SCAG), p110).

  • Human Languages (SCAG, p112).

  • Deep Gnome Feat (SCAG, p115).

  • Half Elf Variants (SCAG, p116).

  • Tiefling Variants (SCAG, p118).

  • Aasimar(SCAG, p119).

Race Restrictions

In some Wizards of the Coast documentation, some classes can only be played by certain races. In most cases, these restrictions can be lifted by talking to your DM about which race you would like to play and coming up with an appropriate story and in some cases mechanic as to how your chosen race may play this class.

Magic Items

Broom of Flying

  • The Broom of Flying is considered a Rare magic item, not an Uncommon magic item.

  • The Broom of Flying uses the same rules as a “Mounting and Dismounting” (PHB 198). The Broom of Flying’s speed is reduced by half when it is being mounted.

Customization Options

Feats

Our campaign will use Feats (PHB p.165).

Using Ability Scores

Carrying Capacity

  • Players are encouraged to use dndbeyond.com in order to have their equipment weight automatically tracked.

  • Players not using dndbeyond.com need to make an attempt to track all of their adventuring gear.

Monster Knowledge Check

  • As a bonus action on your turn, you may attempt to make a Monster Knowledge check. This check will use one of the following 4 Intelligence Skills; Arcana, History, Nature, Religion.

  • If you are not proficient in the skill associated with the Monster’s Type, you must make this check with Disadvantage.

  • Monster Types and their associated skills are listed here:

    • Arcana: Aberration, Constructs, Dragon, Elemental, Fey

    • History: Fey, Giant, Humanoid, Dragon, Monstrosity

    • Nature: Beasts, Plant, Ooze

    • Religion: Celestial, Fiend, Undead

Spellcraft

  • To be perceptible, the casting of a spell must involve a verbal, somatic, or material component. The form of a material component doesn’t matter for the purposes of perception, whether it’s an object specified in the spell’s description, a component pouch, or a spellcasting focus.

  • If the need for a spell’s components has been removed by a special ability, such as the sorcerer’s Subtle Spell feature or the Innate Spellcasting trait possessed by many creatures, the casting of the spell is imperceptible. If an imperceptible casting produces a perceptible effect, it’s normally impossible to determine who cast the spell in the absence of other evidence.

  • If the character perceived the casting, the spell’s effect, or both, the character can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with their reaction or action. The DC equals 15 + the spell’s level. If the spell is cast as a class spell and the character is a member of that class, the check is made with advantage. Some spells aren’t associated with any class when they’re cast, such as when a monster uses its Innate Spellcasting trait.

Survival Skill and Random Encounters

When travelling or making camp, the party will be required to perform a group Survival skill check. If half of the party is successful, the DM will roll a random encounter as normal. If more than half of the party is successfull, the DM will roll a random encounter with disadvantage. If less than half of the party is successful, the DM will roll a random encounter with advantage.

Adventuring

Vision and Light (PHBE. 183).

A heavily obscured area doesn’t blind you, but you are effectively blinded when you try to see something obscured by it.

Combat During Rests

If combat happens during a long or short rest, any resources used during that combat are not replenished after your long or short rest.

Combat

Critical Hits and Effects

  • After resolving a critical hit, roll an additional D20:

    • If the result is 1 to 15, there are no additional effects.

    • If the result is 16 to 18, roll an additional D10 and consult the critical hit – minor effects table below.

    • If the result is 19 to 20, roll an additional D6 and consult the critical hit – major effects table below.

  • Rolling two natural 20’s on any attack roll with advantage (including some spells) is an automatic critical hit and major effect. Roll twice on the critical hit – major effects table below and choose whichever result you like.

  • DM controlled creatures may not role on the major effects table, but instead would role on the minor effects table, with advantage.

Critical Hit – Minor Effects

D10EFFECT
1Your opponent is knocked prone.
2Your opponent's speed is halved for the duration of the encounter.
4Your opponent can't take reactions for the duration of the encounter.
6Your attack reinvigorates you. You gain 3d6 worth of temporary hit points.
3Your opponent takes -1 to all attacks for duration of the encounter.
5Your opponent suffers -1 to its AC for the duration of the encounter.
7Your attack deals extra damage. Roll all your damage dice again.
8Your opponent suffers disadvantage on all attack rolls against you for the duration of the encounter.
9Your opponent is vulnerable to all of your attacks for the duration of the encounter.
10Roll two D10's and use both effects.

Critical Hit – Major Effects

D6EFFECT
1Swing for the fences. Add the maximum amount of all of your damage dice.
2Rallying attack. Roll all of your damage dice again. In addition, you and each member of your party receives this many temporary hit points.
3Clarity in battle. Roll all of your damage dice again. In addition, add half of your level +1 to your maximum HP.
4You make them remember. Roll all of your damage dice again. In addition, you and each member of your party may add half of their level +1 to their maximum HP.
5Trained killer. Roll all of your damage dice again. In addition, you now have permanent advantage against this creature type.
6RP it out. Your frightfully powerful attack instantly kills your opponent. This fatal strike causes you to gain greater combat skill. Permanently add one to the ability score used to make this attack!

Critical Misses and Effects

  • Rolling a 1 on any attack roll (including some spells) is a critical miss. Your attack is an automatic failure. After a critical miss, roll an additional D20.

    • If the result is 11 to 20, there are no additional effects.

    • If the result is 2 to 10, roll an additional D20 and consult the critical miss – minor effects table below.

    • If the result is a 1, roll an additional D6 and consult the critical miss –  major effects table below.

  • Rolling two natural 1’s on any attack roll with advantage/disadvantage (including some spells) is an automatic critical miss and major effect. Roll twice on the critical miss – major effects table below and choose the higher number.

Critical Miss – Minor Effects

D20EFFECT
1You are knocked prone.
2Your speed is halved for the duration of the encounter.
3You suffers additional damage (roll one of your hit dice)
4You becomes frightened of your opponent for the duration of the encounter.
5You suffer -1 to your AC for the duration of the encounter.
6You suffer -2 to your AC for the duration of the encounter.
7You suffer -2 to your AC and your speed is halved for the duration of the encounter.
8Your speed is halved for the duration of the encounter and you are blinded until the start of your next turn.
9You are disarmed and your weapon lands 10 feet away in a random direction. If you have no weapon, you are pushed back 10 feet in a direction of your opponents choice.
10You suffer -3 to your AC for the duration of the encounter.
11Your speed is 5 feet for the duration of the encounter.
12You are stunned until the start of your next turn.
13You can't take reactions or bonus actions for the duration of the encounter.
14Your failure reinvigorates your opponent. Your opponent recovers 3d6 hit points and adds the same number to their maximum hit points.
15Your attack backfires. Roll all your applicable damage dice and apply it to yourself.
16You suffer -5 to your AC for the duration of the encounter.
17You suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls for the duration of the encounter.
18You suffer disadvantage on all rolls for the duration of the encounter.
19You suffer vulnerability to all damage types inflicted on you for the rest of the encounter.
20Roll two D20's and use both effects.

Critical Miss – Major Effects

D6EFFECT
1Your opponent is knocked prone.
2Your opponent's speed is halved for the duration of the encounter.
3Your opponent suffers additional damage (roll one of its hit dice)
4Your opponent becomes frightened of you for the duration of the encounter.
5dsf
6Your frightfully powerful attack instantly kills your opponent.

Action Options

We will use the following additional Action Options from the DMG:

  • Climb onto a Bigger Creature

  • Overrun

  • Shove Aside

  • Tumble

Spellcasting

Area of Effect

AOE CircleSphere

  • The sphere’s origin point is in the center of the sphere.

  • The sphere’s origin point must be on an intersection.

  • A square is effected if its center point is inside of the area of effect (only touching the edge of the area of effect does not count).


AOE CircleCylinder (use the same visual as Sphere)

  • A cylinder’s point of origin is the center of a circle of a particular radius, as given in the spell description.

  • The circle must either be on the ground or at the height of the spell effect.

  • The cylinder’s origin point must be on an intersection.

  • The spells effect shoots up from the base or down from the top, to a distance equal to the height of the cylinder.

  • A square is effected if its center point is inside of the area of effect (only touching the edge of the area of effect does not count).


AOE CubeCube / Cube (Self)

  • The cube’s origin point must be on a face of the cube.

  • It may not be on any corner of the cube.

  • The cube’s origin point must be on an intersection.

  • If the cube’s range is “self”, then the cube’s origin point must be touching a corner of the caster’s square.

  • A square is effected if its center point is inside of the area of effect (only touching the edge of the area of effect does not count).


AOE ConeCone

  • The cone’s origin point is located on the center of the caster.

  • The size of the cone is determined from the edge of the caster’s square.

  • A square is effected if its center point is inside of the area of effect (only touching the edge of the area of effect does not count).


AOE LineLine

  • The line’s origin point is located on the center of the caster.

  • The size of the line is determined from the edge of caster’s square.

  • The line may be cast at any angle.

  • A square is effected if its center point is inside of the area of effect (only touching the edge of the area of effect does not count).

Spells

Counterspell

  • Before using your reaction to cast Counterspell, you may remind the DM to consult your Passive Spellcraft which may help you choose whether or not you want to continue with using Counterspell.

  • If more than one player is considering casting Counterspell at the same time, the DM will first resolve and inform players of success/failure of all Passive Spellcraft check(s). Any player who fails their Passive Spellcraft check must decide (in secret, ex: on a scrap piece of paper) whether or not they will go through with casting Counterspell. This must happen before the DM reveals the spell that’s being cast to other players who have succeeded on their Passive Spellcraft check.

Faerie Fire

RAW with the following addition:

  • Faerie Fire casts dim light in a 10 foot radius on creatures and objects. Affected creatures may not attempt to hide in darkness.

Phantasmal Force

RAW with the following clarifications:

  • The text of Phantasmal Force only states that the target creature can take psychic damage from the illusion, NOT that they can be affected by conditions (such as Grappled, Blinded, etc.) appropriate to the illusion. The target only rationalizes outcomes from interacting with the illusion that DISprove its existence; the target is not restricted from attempting actions that should fail if the illusion were real. In other words, no immobilization, silence, or anything besides damage.

  • The DM must put forth their best effort to not meta-game this spell. For example, if the illusion is a brick wall in front of the affected creature, the creature would try to go around the wall or climb over it and not fire an arrow at a creature on the other side of the “wall”.

Conditions

Invisibility

Most of the following is RAW but I’ve left them here since they are often looked for/cited.

  • Being invisible does not make a creature hidden. Think of being invisible as having a magical force around you that ripples and bends the space around you. Have you ever seen Predator? When you’re invisible, think of yourself as The Predator.

  • An invisible creature is impossible to see without the aid of magic or a special sense.

  • Since creatures cannot see another invisible creature clearly, the invisible creature can attempt to take the Hide Action with advantage, and without any other parameters. For the purpose of hiding, the creature is considered heavily obscured.

  • An invisible creature can still be detected though. Remember, you’re The Predator, but others can still possibly see that magical force around you, hear the sounds you make, smell you, and notice the tracks you leave.

  • Creatures who rely on sight have disadvantage (either active or passive) versus an invisible creatures stealth check.

  • Attacks made by an invisible creature have advantage. You are no longer invisible after you attack or cast an attack spell. If you are benefiting from the Greater Invisibility spell, you remain invisible even after an attack.

  • Attacks made against an invisible creature are at disadvantage. Creatures remain invisible after an attack against them, regardless if it is successful or not.

  • Invisible creatures cannot be targeted for an Attack of Opportunity.

Bonus Rewards

  • The player who takes notes for the session will receive one of the following bonus rewards at the start of their next session. To determine what potion a player receives, a d100 will be rolled. A player may choose which potion they prefer and that potion will have a 60% chance of being rolled. The remaining two potions will each have a 20% chance of being rolled.

  • The potion a player receives at the start of the session must be used during that session. If it is not used by the end of the session, it may not be carried over to the next session.

  • On your turn, as an interaction, you may give (not use) your potion to another player. The action must make sense in game. For example, if you are unconscious, you may not give your potion to someone else. Other players may not take your potion unless permission is given.

Potion of Try AgainOrange Potion of Try Again

After you find out that you failed an Attack Roll, Ability Check, or Saving throw, you can choose to try again and re-roll a D20 (this roll can not have advantage or disadvantage). This needs to be done before the outcome of your initial failed roll is revealed.

Potion of Beast ModeGreen Potion of Beast Mode

After a successful attack or spell attack, and before you roll your damage dice, you roll 1d6 per character level and add that total to a bonus damage pool that you may add to your attack(s) this turn. If you have multiple attacks, or targets/effected creatures (in the case of a spell attack), you may choose to expend any amount of bonus damage from the pool and distribute as you see fit across any number of targeted/effected creatures. Any damage left in your pool at the end of your turn is lost.

Potion of Not So FastBlue Potion of Not-So-Fast

After you find out that the DM has succeeded on an Attack Roll, Ability Check, or Saving throw, you can make the DM re-roll a D20 (this roll can not have advantage or disadvantage). This needs to be done before the outcome of his initial successful roll is revealed.