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Delay provides flexibility in exchange for possibly missing an opportunity. Ready: "when a bad guy shows his head, I shoot him then run down this staircase." The bad guy shows his head. Turns out it's the sniper's brother. The sniper can use his reaction to shoot him anyways before the bad guy...

So, I get that this breaks your suspension of disbelief, and lord knows I can't argue against that. What I don't understand is why this is any cheesier than normal D&D combat mechanics for initiative. An example: SWAT has a sniper on the roof. He is delaying an action. The bad guy shows his...

I've replaced index cards with small paper hats, one per PC and per monster, labeled and folded over the top of my DM screen. The advantage there is that anyone can see where we are in the initiative order by glancing at the screen. To delay, I just remove the PC's indicator and put it to the...

I let my players delay, with the explicit understanding they can't do so if it messes with a spell effect or death save. Heck, they suggested that condition. It's been great and hasn't messed anything up. I'll also note that for us, Delay wastes virtually no time at all. Maybe 3 seconds, and it...

The 13th Age skill options would work beautifully for D&D. Basically, declare three things you've done in the past -- "penniless orphan in an Underdark trading post, blacksmith in the slave mines of the duergar, caravan guard to the Free Cities." Then you get your proficiency bonus on any skill...

My requirement for a house rule is pretty stringent: does it make the game world more interesting? Does it solve a mechanical problem? Is it simple to remember? Does it make the game more fun? In this case, it stops me from being vaguely irked about overnight healing and it's easy to remember...

In the 1e DMG, 10% of rings of invisibility also stopped you from making any noise. In retrospect, that may have been a wee bit overpowered.

Curt is right. That stuff would convert to OD&D with no problem at all.

You'll want to think about how to handle monks and barbarians, who get a max AC of up to 26 in this system.

It's the old question of simulation vs emulation, right? Torchbearer is probably as close to a simulation as you'll find in a RPG; you track every arrow, every ration, every torch. D&D is unabashedly an emulation. You're making swords and sorcery, and the game doesn't care how you describe...

I'll solidly disagree on this one, both in general (as a DM, I vastly prefer being trusted to use my judgment on this sort of thing) and in specific (they very much care about the math and balance; you perhaps not liking the results doesn't make that not true.) That's probably a separate...

Array 1a: Str 4, Dex 9, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. The worst character known to adventuring, he serves as village idiot before herniating himself every time he tries to pick up a milk bucket. The best we can say is that he doesn't get sick more than the average peasant. Array 1b: Str 7, Dex...

Excellent points about HP being an abstraction—I know it, but it's good to be reminded. I suspect this is a house rule that makes me happy without appreciably improving the game, so it's probably not worth it. I am leery of trying to solve problems that don't exist.

Mock them. Mock them with enthusiasm and great joy. Then, if you're the DM, rule against it; or if you're a player, bring in a blind monk and proceed to kick all kinds of ass.

I don't normally say this, but that's the most ridiculous rules interpretation I've ever heard. You're kidding, right?

Calling Sagiro, who is in my game and probably has interesting insight.

Heh. I just rolled: Array 1: S 11, D 9, C 8, I 9, W 8, CH 9 Array 2: S 5, D 15, C 10, I 11, W 11, CH 7 --> Unlikeable, weak thief it is! This is fun. I'd totally do this for a short old-school game with high mortality, although not for a long-term campaign. Try 2: Array 1: S 10, D 13, C 14...

I'll likely move this into the House Rules forum once I actually have something concrete. In the mean time, a thought exercise... I'm considering a house rule that says that you don't heal automatically and completely during a long rest. In fact, you don't heal at all. Instead, you get all of...

It's the second interpretation. I remind the player if I think of it. If not, it's up to them to remember they can reroll.

I'm doing it wrong if I want to demonstrate 5e to my players; two games and we've rolled maybe six dice! Not a single fight in two games. On the other hand, they did travel to a demiplane for a secret council of war, ally and declare a truce with their enemy, forestall a massive secret sabotage...