5e basic house rules

Sadrik

First Post
5e Basic house rules

Chapter 1: Abilities
Advantage/Disadvantage has three levels: +/-2, +/-5, automatic '20'/'1' (and +/-5).

Chapter 2: Races
Dwarves: Lose Dwarven Combat Training, Tool Proficiency, and Stonecunning. -1 DEX. Mountain dwarf adds 1 level of armor training and +1 to STR.
Elves: Lose Elf Weapon Training. Mask of the Wild gives proficiency in Stealth instead. -1 CON.
Halflings: Lose Halfling Nimbleness (this becomes standard rule for all). Naturally Stealthy gives proficiency in Stealth instead. -1 STR.
Humans: Ability score increase changes to two ability score improvements, as a class might receive.

Chapter 3: Classes
Lost class features become spells or minor features.
Level 1 characters select a minor feature. Additional minor features are gained through class levels.
Ability Score Improvements must be +1 to two stats no cap at 20.

Cleric: Primary Ability is Charisma, Start with 9 cleric spells and gain 3 more every cleric level, Chooses 3 skills, Gain a minor feature at cleric level 2 and every four levels after, Loses medium armor proficiency, Lose all class features except: Ability Score Improvement and Spellcasting.

Fighter: Chooses 3 skills, Gain a minor feature at fighter level 2 and every three levels after, Loses heavy armor proficiency, Lose all class features except: Ability Score Improvement and Extra Attack.

Rogue: Chooses 5 skills, Gain a minor feature at every even rogue level, Loses all class features except: Ability Score Improvement and Precise Strike (this is bonus precision damage, +1d6 at rogue level 3, +2d6 at 7, +3d6 at 11, +4d6 at 15, and +5d6 at 19).

Wizard: Start with 8 wizard spells and gain 2 more every wizard level, Chooses 5 skills, Gain a minor feature at wizard level 2 and every four levels after, Loses all class features except: Ability Score Improvement and Spellcasting.

Minor Features
Armor Training: Increase your armor training level by 1
Weapon Training: Increase your weapon training level by 1
Language: Speak another language (Thieves' Cant included)
Skill: Learn a skill
Divine Intervention
Disciple of Life
Blessed Healer
Supreme Healing
Archery
Defense
Dueling (+2 to hit)
Great Weapon Fighting (+2 damage)
Protection (Must be wielding a weapon, shield included)
Two-Weapon Fighting
Second Wind
Action Surge (Once per rest one extra attack)
Indomitable
Improved Critical (+1 crit range)
Superior Critical (+1 crit range)
Remarkable Athlete
Survivor (Deleted in favor of Second Wind and or Uncanny Dodge)
Expertise (1 skill)
Cunning Action (x1.5 speed)
Uncanny Dodge (1/2 damage from a melee attack on successful DEX save vs 10+attack bonus)
Evasion (full or no damage on a successful DEX save)
Sneak Attack (Once per turn, you can apply precision damage when you have advantage)
Flank Attack (Once per turn, you can apply precision damage to your melee attack if the target of your attack has another enemy within the enemies reach)
Reliable Talent (delete, use expertise to show better skill usage)
Blindsense
Slippery Mind (delete, just gain will skill)
Elusive
Stroke of Luck
Fast Hands (As a bonus action: Thievery skill use, or use object action)
Second Story Work
Supreme Sneak
Use Magic Device
Thief's Reflexes (roll a '20' on initiative rolls)
Arcane Recovery
Spell Mastery (Two spells you prepare each day have there SP cost lowered by 1 to a minimum of 1)
Signature Spell (Select one spell lower its SP cost by 2 to a minimum of 1)
Evocation Savant (renamed School Savant and any school can be selected)
Sculpt Spells
Potent Cantrips
Spellbook (allows you to know additional spells and prepare from a larger list)
Empowered Evocation (Casting stat)
Elf Weapon Training (Elf only)
Dwarf Weapon Training (Dwarf only)

Chapter 4: Personality and Background
Tools and languages are skills

Chapter 5: Equipment
Three levels of armor.
Light Armor (Cleric, Fighter, Rogue): Studded Leather is STR 9
Medium Armor (Fighter): no DEX cap, Hide armor is STR 9, Chain Shirt and Scale Mail are STR 11, Breast Plate and Half-Plate are STR 13.
Heavy Armor: no DEX cap

Shields are weapons and proficiency is granted through weapon proficiency
Buckler gives +1 AC and is a martial light weapon.
Shield gives +2 AC and is a heavy weapon.

Five levels of Weapons. Simple weapons are broken into two groups Basic and Simple. Martial weapons are broken into Finesse, Martial and Heavy.

Basic Group (Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard):
Club, Dagger, Staff, Sickle, Hand Crossbow, Dart, Sling

Simple Group (Cleric, Fighter, Rogue):
Greatclub, Handaxe, Hammer, Mace, Spear, Light Crossbow

Finesse Group (Fighter, Rogue):
Blowgun, Shortbow, Shortsword, Unarmed, Whip

Martial Group (Fighter):
Battleaxe, Flail, Javelin, Longsword, Net, Morningstar, Buckler, War Pick, Warhammer

Heavy Group:
Glaive, Greataxe, Greatsword, Halberd, Shield, Lance, Maul, Pike, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow

Deleted weapons: Rapier (use short sword), Scimitar (use long sword), Trident (use spear)

Finesse and ranged weapons add DEX to hit and STR to damage.
Crossbows have a virtual STR score (Hand STR 12, Light STR 14, and Heavy STR 18).

Chapter 6: Customization Options
No skills are gained if you multiclass. +1 level of armor and or weapon training if you have less training.

Chapter 7: Using Abilities
Contests are removed. In all cases acting character goes against a passive DC 10 + Ability + Proficiency

Skill changes and new skills:
STR: Save added to Athletics
DEX: Save added to Acrobatics, Land Vehicles*, Water Vehicles*, Mounts*, Stealth
CON: Save added to Endurance*
INT: Save added to Investigation, Artisan (select one from pg. 50, includes forgery, herbalism, and poison)*, Navigation*, Thievery (includes Sleight of hand)*, Arcana, History, Nature (includes Animal handling), Religion, Medicine, Survival, Language, Stonecunning*
WIS: Save added to Will*, Perception
CHA: Save added to Insight*, Gaming*, Instrument* Deception, Performance, Intimidation, Persuasion

Chapter 8: Adventuring
Hit Dice are not used.
Short Rest: Recover 1/2 of current Spell Points and Hit Points (Example: if you are down to 10 HP a short rest would only recover 5 HP)
Long Rest: Recover all Spell Points and Hit Points

Chapter 9: Combat
Initiative roll is DEX (Acrobatics)

Grappling
Grapple roll to grab: Make an Unarmed attack (see weapon training) against their AC.
A hit creature can make a STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) Save to avoid grappling against their passive Unarmed (DC is STR + Unarmed Proficiency + 10 + size modifier).
On their turn, grapplers make a save against the opposed grappler's passive Unarmed. With a success you can: deal damage with a light weapon or an unarmed attack, escape the grapple, or move ½ your speed (if opposed grappler is equal or smaller size).

Shoving
Works like grappling

Critical Hits
Deal bonus precision damage. Some minor features may allow characters to use precision damage in a new way. Character level 1 +1d6 precision damage, character level 5 +2d6 precision damage, character level 9 +3d6 precision damage, character level 13 +4d6 precision damage, and character level 17 +5d6 precision damage.

Death Saves
CON (Endurance) save DC 15

Chapter 10: Spellcasting
Spell casting DC is 10+ proficiency
Spell attacks are not used, Fire Bolt, Guiding Bolt, Inflict Wounds, Mage's Sword, Ray of Frost, Shocking Grasp, and Spiritual Weapon use Save DEX to negate the damage.
Spell points are used, Casting Stat + all Caster Levels in spell points.
The spell level indicates how many spell points it takes to cast a spell.
See resting for spell point recovery.
There are no 0 level spells, they are moved to 1st level.
Cantrip is a tag on certain spells, allowing it to be cast for 0 spell points at reduced effect.

Chapter 11: Spells
Hoard of the Dragon Queen PDF spells added. All are wizard spells, Barkskin, Calm Emotions, Counterspell, Daylight, Detect Evil and Good, Sending, and Water Walk are also Cleric spells. Spell Changes are listed below.

New Spells
Turn Undead
1st Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30' radius sphere)
Components: V, S, M (holy symbol)
Duration: Instantaneous
You present your holy symbol and speak a prayer Censuring the undead. Each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
At Higher Levels. When you use this spell using a spell slot of 3rd or higher when an undead of 1/2 or lower CR fails its saving throw the creature is instantly destroyed. A 4th or higher spell slot destroys CR 1 undead. A 5th or higher spell slot destroys CR 2 undead. A 6th or higher spell slot destroys CR 2 undead. A 7th or higher spell slot destroys CR 3 undead. A 8th or higher spell slot destroys CR 4 undead. A 9th level spell slot destroys CR 5 undead.

Divine Strike
5th Level Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (melee weapon)
Duration: 10 Minutes
You gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage to the target.
At Higher Levels. When you use this spell using a spell slot of 7th or higher the extra damage increases to 2d8. When you use this spell using a spell slot of 9th the extra damage increases to 3d8.

Spell changes:
Bless: adds flat +2 or as a cantrip can add +1
Burning Hands: 1d6 as a cantrip
Fire Bolt: 1d10 as a cantrip, or 2d10, and 1d10 per slot level higher
Guidance: Adds flat +2 or as a cantrip can add +1
Guiding Bolt: is a level 2 spell
Inflict Wounds: 1d10 as cantrip
Mage Armor: Cantrip
Magic Missile: 1 dart as a cantrip
Power Word Stun: No HP threshold
Power Word Kill: CON for 1/2, 100 psychic damage
Resistance: adds flat +2 or as a cantrip can add +1
Sacred Flame: 1d8 as a cantrip, or 2d8, and 1d8 per slot level higher
Shocking Grasp: Dex negates, 1d12 as a cantrip, or 2d12, and 1d12 per slot level higher
Sleep: Target one creature, roll two WIS saves, Creature falls asleep if both saves fail, becomes drowsy if one save fails and no effect if both are made, additional creatures for each slot level higher
Thunderwave: 1d8 as cantrip

HotDQ Spell Changes:
Blindness/Deafness: Deafness is split off as a 1st level spell
Calm Emotions: Uses WIS save
Chromatic Orb: 3d6 damage, throw it like a grenade range 30/90, can throw the round you cast it. Orb exists for 1 round
Color Spray: all in area roll a WIS save or blinded for 1 round
Detect Thoughts: INT contest removed, instead WIS save
Disguise Self: Insight instead of Investigation skill
Entangle: STR Athletics save
Black Tentacles: STR Athletics or DEX Acrobatics save to break free

Appendix: Conditions
Encumbered
Your speed drops by 10 feet. (carrying 5 times STR score in weight or not STR requirement met for armor)

Encumbered, Heavily
Your speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on STR and DEX checks, attacks and saves. (Carrying 10 times STR score in weight)

Encumbered, Over
Your speed drops to 0 and you fail any STR and DEX checks, attacks, and saves. (Carrying 15 times STR score in weight or more)

Difficult Terrain
2' of movement moves you 1'

Squeezing
Difficult Terrain and Disadvantage on attack rolls and DEX saves. Attackers have advantage against squeezing opponents.

Dodging
Disadvantage to attack you and advantage on DEX saves.

Dying
At 0 HP, unconscious, and roll death saves each round until stable or dead. 3 successful saves they become stable, 3 failed saves they are dead. '20' you recover with 1 HP and a '1' is two failures and damage is one failure and a critical hit is two failures.

Stable
At 0 HP, unconscious, and after 1d4 hours regain 1 HP.

Concentrating
Maintain one spell. If you take damage make a CON save equal to half the damage or 10 whichever is higher. Other things may also cause you to lose concentration. Fail lose the spell.

Drowsy/Dazed/Dazzled
Disadvantage on INT, WIS, and CHA checks and saves.
 
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Sadrik

First Post
Ok this is pretty exhaustive now.

Mostly it tackles these things:
  • Removes Advantage/Disadvantage.
  • Removes fiddly class features and makes them things players opt into.
  • Removes 0 level spells
  • Adds a spell point system.
  • Removes HD.
  • Removes spell attack rolls and HP thresholds.
  • Makes a few minor equipment changes.

There are other changes too.
 
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Michael Morris

First Post
I like to tinker with rules as much as the next guy, but don't you think it's just a tad bit imprudent to tinker with them before playing a single game??
 


Sadrik

First Post
I like to tinker with rules as much as the next guy, but don't you think it's just a tad bit imprudent to tinker with them before playing a single game??

This is the game, and I have a real concern with keeping it simple. So I am trying to tease that out of it. Class Features for instance, I wanted players to have more ability to vary their class features. That is important for me. This accomplishes that.

The skill changes are for two reasons (1) moves three buckets of stuff (skills, tools, and languages) into one bucket and (2) moves the saves into skills to correct the high level saves math issue.

There are a bunch of other small changes that are just stylistic or trying to remove rules I think are quirky.
 

ProphetSword

Explorer
At it's core, 5E is the simplest version of D&D to date. It can't really get much simpler. You should really run it "as-is" before changing a bunch of things. Many rules work better in actual play than it might seem.

Judging from the changes you're wanting to make, it seems to me like you really want to be playing a different game altogether.

That being said, the golden rule (to me, anyway) is that if you like it and your players like it, then go for it and have fun. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
 

Sadrik

First Post
At it's core, 5E is the simplest version of D&D to date. It can't really get much simpler. You should really run it "as-is" before changing a bunch of things. Many rules work better in actual play than it might seem.

Judging from the changes you're wanting to make, it seems to me like you really want to be playing a different game altogether.

That being said, the golden rule (to me, anyway) is that if you like it and your players like it, then go for it and have fun. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

I think that is not a solid point. It is a simple game therefor do not alter it. I think it is the opposite of this and could be the version that allows the most tinkering and ability to capitalize on make truly unique settings and gameplay visions.

So 5e is the best version of the game for me. If I play D&D, I will likely play RAW but if I run a campaign where I want to alter the assumptions and allow more player choice, I will run it with the above house rules. Ultimately what my alterations are trying to accomplish is more player choice. Minor features, weapon and armor levels, and spell points.

Spell points will be a very common HR in many games I don't think that is too far out. Honestly there are not a lot of rules changes here that affect how the game plays outside of character development. The biggest changes are skills and saves are merged, HD removed (again I am certain this will be common) and perhaps contests being removed in favor of a passive defense.
 
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