D&D 5E What are your 5e houserules

[Jer]

3) Dual-wielding. No bonus action attack. Instead, if you have a light weapon in each hand, when you miss with your main-hand, you may make an attack with the off-hand weapon (no stat mod added to damage).

As someone who is now playing a dual-weilder in a game I have to ask why about this one. Do you think two weapon fighting as written is too good? Do you not like the idea of bonus actions? Is there some other reason for it? (And do you do anything to improve the Two Weapon fighting style or is it just "you get to use your stat bonus on the damage").

 

[Minigiant]

Fighters get 3 fighting styles at level 2, one more at 12, and one more at 18.

Paladins and Rangers get 2 fighting styles at level 2.

Barbarians get Heedless Attack at level 2.

Monks' can choose an element to alter their Martial Arts. Monks' can roll a HD to get half as much rolled in Ki.

Sorcerers know Sorcerous Hands, Sorcerous Eyes, Sorcerous Tongue, and Sorcerous Feet at level 2.

Warlocks can add Patron Demands for more spells know up to proficiency bonus.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Sorcerers know Sorcerous Hands, Sorcerous Eyes, Sorcerous Tongue, and Sorcerous Feet at level 2.

I wanna know what those are!

Are they in any way similar to the 4e feat of the same name which replace X ability check by an Arcana check?

 

[pukunui]

• Monk have 1d12 HD, 1d6 starting damage and can wear up to medium armors an shield. Unarmored Defense is similar to the Barbarian (not affected by shield).

I did not think monks needed buffing (except maybe the Way of the Four Elements specifically). How are these changes working out for your group?

 

[Minigiant]

I wanna know what those are!

Are they in any way similar to the 4e feat of the same name which replace X ability check by an Arcana check?

One of them is.

They are class features that you can dump points or slots into to do raw magicky stuff.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I did not think monks needed buffing (except maybe the Way of the Four Elements specifically). How are these changes working out for your group?

Pretty well. It brings the monk closer to our own vision of the monk. I'm 32 y.o and I'm the oldest at my table, so the tropes of old kung-fu movies are kinda lost on us. In most video games with monk as a class, such as the Final Fantasy series or Pillars of Eternity, frex, monks are a class with a boat load of HP and humble equipment (unarmored, unarmed or with simple light-ish armors and weapons). So for us it was pretty normal to do so.

With the change to Martial Arts, it makes the monk able to spend Ki on offense without having to spend both Ki and Bonus Actions on defense unless the opponent is pretty dangerous.

They are now closer to calm version of the barbarian's rage. Two side of the same coin, if you will. I also think it works well with the idea of disciplined endurance, both through will and body mastery.

 

[cbwjm]

4. If proficient , a character with medicine can attempt a DC15 medicine for all characters to have 1 HD maxed during short rest. For every +5 above, one extra die is maxed.

8. Magic +X/+X weapons add +1d6 damage instead. Same for +X spell focuses.

9. +X armor adds +X damage reduction instead.

I like these ones, Medicine I've always felt is a little lacklustre, but having it affect hit die healing is a great option, the medicine change I can pop into my current campaigns right away.

Nice changes to the way magical weapons and armour works as well, I might use this idea for a future campaign.

 

[Jahydin]

I am not sure I am following this. Can you elaborate?

Sure thing.

More or less, I got it from watching how Frank Mentzer ran his game here (2 min. mark). I do it slightly different though. I really like free-form mixed with initiative rolls.

So a combat with me goes:

DM: "Your party steps into the room and about 40 ft. away, and just as you suspected, a dozen goblins with bows ready are waiting behind a makeshift barricade of turned over tables."

Rolls are made. Goblins get 12, players get 8, 13, 15, 19.
The trick is the game doesn't stop to figure out turn order, it just keeps going with:

DM: "Goblins roll 12 for initiative. They immediately begin to let loose the arrows they..."
Player 1: "I rolled a 15, so before they do that, I'm going to start sprinting and push over the table once I get to the other side."
DM: "No problem, make an Athletics check with Advantage..."

Player succeeds, slams into the heavy table and knocks down and pins some goblins against the wall.

DM: "As you do that, the other goblins let loose their arrows..."
Player 2: "Wait, I rolled a 19, ummm..."
DM: "Better hurry or you'll go after..."
Player 2: "Mage, can you cast anything?"
Player 3: "I rolled a 13, so I could, but I'm not sure what to cast..."
Player 2: "Ugh... I'll just run in front of the wizard and lift my shield, blocking line of sight."
DM: "No problem. Just in time to block him from the arrows now flying towards you"

After DM rolls for the goblin's attacks and narrating the knocked over goblins getting up:

DM: "The goblins are finished, now everyone else can go in any order you want."

After the remaining players go, initiative is rolled again and new round starts...

I just really like the way this flows better. Also rolling initiative every round keeps things exciting. Nothing worse than seeing players zone out since they know exactly when they need to play attention again.

 

[DeviousQuail]

I've used or still use many of the house rules listed here already so I won't rehash everything. The big ones I like are:

1. Dual Wielder feat's +1 AC is replaced with allowing the off-hand attack to be made as part of the attack action instead of the bonus action. Similar to how the beast barbarian claws are handled. I think it brings dual wielders in line with GWM, SS, and those types of feats. Definitely, frees up the action economy for rangers in particular.
2. Crossbows get the "simplistic" property. This allows people to add half their prof bonus (rounded up instead of down) to their attack and damage rolls in place of Dex if they want. It's a simple way to give crossbows a niche that they don't really have without taking the crossbow expert feat. Also my strength martials need something other than javelins and I came up with this before thinking of adding finesse to longbows.

 

[Flamestrike]

that is really gaming in bad faith.

something more likely would be:

We are at some kind of choke point. Goblins are coming our way, we will wait and prepare to shoot at first goblin we see coming around the corner.

Now is some goblin is using stealth and you do not notice him, he might get his surprise out and you cannot use actions when surprised.

No, that's not gaming in bad faith. Im in a dungeon or similar area where hostilities are likely. It makes sense to nock an arrow and be ready for any possible attack coming my way.

The PC in question also has the Alert feat, so it makes in game sense, and he also cant be surprised.