Best Rules Add-Ons

Retreater · Apr 25, 2019

I'm DMing a group of "newish" players to 5E. I started our game with the bare minimum detail, but gradually added a battle grid. Over the months, they've been talking about flanking, re-positioning attacks, etc., but we haven't added them yet.

What rules modules have you had success adding? Maybe I can introduce them to my players to see how much tactics they'd like to add?

iserith · Apr 25, 2019

This isn't directly related to combat, but certainly can come up both in terms of earning and spending it during a fight:

The Case for Inspiration

Mort · Apr 25, 2019

Retreater said:
I'm DMing a group of "newish" players to 5E. I started our game with the bare minimum detail, but gradually added a battle grid. Over the months, they've been talking about flanking, re-positioning attacks, etc., but we haven't added them yet.

What rules modules have you had success adding? Maybe I can introduce them to my players to see how much tactics they'd like to add?

My group added flanking, but quickly dropped it. Advantage (already not hard to come by) just became trivial.

Blue · Apr 26, 2019

Retreater said:
I'm DMing a group of "newish" players to 5E. I started our game with the bare minimum detail, but gradually added a battle grid. Over the months, they've been talking about flanking, re-positioning attacks, etc., but we haven't added them yet.

What rules modules have you had success adding? Maybe I can introduce them to my players to see how much tactics they'd like to add?

Feats and multiclassing were easy adds, and with feats you can add the variant human. I personally like the variant which allows using different ability scores with skills for specific uses.

Two we tried and did not like. Flanking trivialized Advantage, for both sides. It really was no good. Also we tried the Spell Points instead of Spell Slots option, and at higher levels it led to casting a lot more high level spells (better nova & better action economy) and then running out and pushing for 15 minute adventuring days.

Oh, and if as a DM you find that fitting in a good number of encounters every day so that the casters and the weapon wielders are on similar playing fields is a problem, try the variant from the DMG that makes short rests overnight and long rests take a week.

aco175 · Apr 26, 2019

We use flanking in my group and it is not a problem. We do not use feats though so that takes away from the powers like great weapon fighting and sharpshooter. People get hit more, but we do less damage per hit.

I also give another magic item attunement at level 8 and 15 if we played that high.

iserith · Apr 26, 2019

Was I dreaming or was there an option, perhaps in a UA, where they did away with saving throws in favor of 4e-style defenses? I would love to try that out. I'm so sick of making saving throws as DM. I'd like to reduce my number of rolls if possible.

Slit518 · Apr 26, 2019

In D&D 2e I made a Limit Break system (for those of you familiar with Final Fantasy).

Basically, the way it worked was your character needed to take max HD damage to get their Limit Break.
Ex: level 10 Barb would need to take 120 HP worth of damage to get one.

Each class had a unique Limit Break.

Fighter would get an auto-crit (and more depending on level).
Barbarian would attack until they miss (and have a bonus to attack rolls while using the Limit Break).
Thief would get an instant backstab with higher damage multiplier.
Monk would get 1 attack per Monk level.
Wizard could use any spell for their level, even if they don't know it, and if it dealt damage it was maximized.
Cleric would heal a percentage that got higher with level, eventually wiped away status effects, and could rez at the highest levels.
Bard would roll a roulette, certain outcomes granting them either Fighter; Thief; Wizard Limit Break.
Sorcerer could cast multiple spells.
Druid buffed the party.

My friends really enjoyed this, and it made big battles more interesting for them.

Shiroiken · Apr 26, 2019

iserith said:
Was I dreaming or was there an option, perhaps in a UA, where they did away with saving throws in favor of 4e-style defenses? I would love to try that out. I'm so sick of making saving throws as DM. I'd like to reduce my number of rolls if possible.

There is an option called "players always roll," where they roll their proficiency modifier against the DC with a modifier. I think it was with +2 to balance the dice reversal, but I'm not 100% on that. This method also works with PCs making AC "saves" against attacks so that the only thing you roll as the DM is against passive checks and damage.

iserith · Apr 26, 2019

Shiroiken said:
There is an option called "players always roll," where they roll their proficiency modifier against the DC with a modifier. I think it was with +2 to balance the dice reversal, but I'm not 100% on that. This method also works with PCs making AC "saves" against attacks so that the only thing you roll as the DM is against passive checks and damage.

Thanks! Do you know where this can be found?

I just want to stop with the saving throws. I'm fine with attack rolls and ability checks.

DEFCON 1 · Apr 26, 2019

I have always used the Alternate Ability Score variant for skill checks and always will.

Best Rules Add-Ons

Retreater

Legend

iserith

Magic Wordsmith

Mort

Legend

Blue

Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal

aco175

Legend

iserith

Magic Wordsmith

Slit518

Adventurer

Shiroiken

Legend

iserith

Magic Wordsmith

DEFCON 1

Legend

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