D&D (2024) 2024 House Rules / Fixes

[pukunui]

Hi all,

I suspect that I will not adopt the 2024 revised rules in full as a DM until sometime next year when all three core books have been published. (The DM for the group I play in, however, intends to start a 2024 rules-only game in about a month.)

Nevertheless, the temptation to start using the new rules ASAP is increasingly tempting. As such, I am having a bit of fun thinking about the house rules / fixes I would make were I to start running a 2024 game with just the PHB. I suspect some of these will be addressed by errata / sage advice soon, while others may be resolved by content from the DMG.

In no particular order:

• Stealth / Hiding: I would use the 2014 rules until such time as the 2024 rules are made viable (either via errata, sage advice, or the upcoming DMG). So far the only other thing I know I'd need to change in relation to this is the thief rogue's level 9 Supreme Sneak feature, which grants an extra cunning strike option that begins with "If you have the Hide action's Invisible condition ..." I would just change that to something like "If you are hidden ..."
  Please let me know if there's anything else I'd need to change here!
  
  
• Shields: (Un)equipping a shield will require a bonus action.
  I dislike 2024's rule that (un)equipping a shield doesn't require any action at all, but I don't feel the need to stick with 2014's rule that it requires an action. So a bonus action feels like a reasonable compromise and should hopefully nip in the bud any shield + weapon juggling shenanigans. An alternative could be that (un)equipping a shield uses up your one free object interaction for the round.
  UPDATE: The 2024 rules have been updated to indicate that donning / doffing a shield requires the Utilize action. I might still make it a bonus action, but I'd talk to my group first and see what they'd prefer.
  
  
• Grappling / Shoving: I'm tempted to switch these back to being opposed ability checks, as I like those. I am hoping the rules for ability contests have been moved to the DMG (as an optional rule, I guess).
  UPDATE: Because the new save-based rules for these are now hard-coded into the DDB character sheet, we are going to give them a try and see what we think.
  
  
• Exhaustion: The cumulative penalty applies to save DCs as well.
  
  
• Moving through allies: This will still cost extra movement as per the 2014 rules.
  
  
• Stunned condition: You can't move while stunned.
  
  
• Conjure Minor Elementals: I am leaning towards reducing the scaling damage to +1d8 dmg per level, but I could also see making it be a 1/turn thing. Haven't settled on either fix yet.
  
  
• Spirit Guardians: I would either stick with the 2014 version of this spell or make it so the 2024 version can only deal damage to each target once per round. Otherwise, I'm inclined to ban this spell.
  I hate that WotC buffed this spell instead of nerfing it.
  
  
• True Polymorph: The target can still speak (and cast spells) if the new form would allow them to do so.
  They have already errata'd the bit about spell ending early if the target loses all the THP, but the other issue is that the spell says the target can't speak or cast spells. Period. The old version provides some leeway there but this version does not.
  UPDATE: It seems they have un-errata'd the bit about the spell ending early if the target loses the THP. I think I would ignore that part unless and until such time as Crawford explains why he thinks it should be this way.
  
  
• Ranger: Oh boy! WotC somehow managed to make this class both better and worse at the same time, didn't they? I'm not a big fan of making rangers so dependent on hunter's mark, but I'm not entirely sure what to do instead. I'm tempted to make it so rangers don't have to concentrate on hunter's mark. That would mean I'd need to come up with a replacement for Relentless Hunter at level 13. Maybe just a free feat? Foe Slayer also needs beefing up, but I'm not sure what to do with that one. I reckon someone at WotC really hates rangers.
  
  
• Weapons: Muskets and pistols will not be available as standard equipment in my games!
  I'm not a fan of the slow drift toward making default D&D more of a Renaissance/Enlightenment game than a medieval one. I might allow guns as experimental prototypes and/or rare and/or magic items, but I don't want my players being able to buy them from any weapon seller and use them right from level 1.
  
  
• Dual Wielding: I would specify that TWF only works if you're using a weapon in each hand. No ludicrous weapon juggling shenanigans at my table!
  
  
• Fabricate: I would add back in the stipulation that creatures and magic items can't be transmuted by this spell. For whatever reason, that bit got removed from the new version (which is otherwise exactly the same as the old one), which makes it seem like you could convert a living dragon into dragon leathers and such even if you can't do it the other way around.

These next ones aren't so much issues with the 2024 rules that I want to fix, but I am also considering:

• Short Rests: I might reduce the duration of a short rest to 15 or 20 minutes.
  I've long felt one hour is too long, as it can mess with in-game pacing too much, but conversely, 4e's 5-minute short rests are too short. 15–20 minutes feels like a nice compromise – quick but still long enough that players might feel it's not worth the risk if they're in a hurry.
  
  
• Being Knocked Unconscious: Unconsciousness lasts 1d4 minutes.
  As someone who suffers from vasovagal syncope, I find that these rules just don't do it for me. I know it's cinematic movie logic, where the heroes knock the guards out and they stay out for the rest of the scene, but in reality, anyone who is knocked out and stays unconscious for more than a few moments is likely going to suffer brain damage. I also don't like the 2024 rule that someone who is knocked unconscious automatically starts taking a short rest. I feel like a short rest should be something you consciously choose to do. Being unconscious due to injury shouldn't count. If you want to keep someone unconscious for longer, use some kind of poison (e.g. chloroform).

That's all I've got for now. I will add to this list as I continue to work my way through the 2024 PHB rules. I will also remove anything that is resolved by official errata, Crawford's sage advice, and/or additional/optional rules in the 2024 DMG.

 

[sevenbastard]

Moving through allies: I don't like that they've made it so you can freely move through an ally's space as if they're not there. I would bring back the "allies count as difficult terrain" rule.

We always add the "and if the ally alows you to move through them" sometimes it's in your parties best interest to keep you between them and the monster.

 

[pukunui]

We always add the "and if the ally alows you to move through them" sometimes it's in your parties best interest to keep you between them and the monster.

I guess. I'm not a fan of anything that encourages players to antagonize each other (or their PCs), though, and I feel like this would do just that. "You're not gonna let me pass?! Fine, I'll just shove you out of the way!"

I know a 5-foot square is actually a large space into which a whole bunch of humans can fit, but in the middle of combat, when you're swinging weapons, slinging spells, and/or generally keeping your guard up against your foes, it shouldn't be an automatic given that you can just nimbly step to one side so an ally can move past you unburdened.

 

[sevenbastard]

I feel like this would do just that

For sure. I get its not everyones style, we gotten some good laughs out of it.

99% of the time they let people pass but everyonce in awhile it's every man for them self ( I don't got to out run the hungry owl bear I just got to out run one other PC) or they are blocking the path of a PC moving out of fear or something like that.

 

[Xeviat]

Hi all,

Hi!

I'm pretty much completely with you. My mind has been a buzz with thinking about tweaks. I thought I'd give you my Ranger patch.

Level 1: Favored Enemy makes it so Hunters Mark lacks concentration when cast by a Ranger, but in turn they only get 1 free casting (like the Paladin's Smite). Also, it only deal 1d6 damage once per round like in the playtest, scaling at 3rd and 5th level. Last, you can't move it between targets, but you gain Heroic Advantage once your Hunt is complete (the target is killed or captured by you or your party).

(I'm baking these changes into Hex as well, except the benefit of killing the target will be unique for each Patron, like 4E and Dark One's Blessing.)

Level 5: Relentless Hunter is moved here, and its abilities are changed. Now it allows you to cast Hunter's Mark as part of the Attack action against a target or as part of the Study action while examining the creature's tracks or other signs of its passage. I'm also thinking about a feature to give up hunters Mark damage dice to add effects, like Rogue Cunning Strike or how different paladin smites differ.

Level 13: Precise Hunter is moved here. Level 17 is left blank; they get 5th level spells here, that's a big enough bonus.

Level 20: Foe Slayer is completely changed. I stead of increasing Hunter's Mark damage die size, it makes it so when you attack a Hunters Mark target with advantage (which you almost always do), your attack scores a critical hit if both attack rolls hit. This ends up making it a reasonable damage boost compared to Barbarian and Fighter capstones by my calculations.

Personally, I'm frustrated with some of the changes to Smites. I appreciate that they're 1/turn, as the system limits how many spell slots you can blow through, but Eldritch Smite doesn't cost a bonus action. So I'm gonna bake Smite into the paladin progression, but still require the smites to be learned with spell slots.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Divine intervention cannot produce "permanent until dispelled" effects.

Or at least: only one of those effects can be in effect at one time.
I don't want to deal with high level clerics hallowing their whole dungeon with hallow for no cost.

 

[Horwath]

In no particular order:

• Shields: (Un)equipping a shield will require a bonus action.
  I dislike 2024's rule that (un)equipping a shield doesn't require any action at all, but I don't feel the need to stick with 2014's rule that it requires an action. So a bonus action feels like a reasonable compromise and should hopefully nip in the bud any shield + weapon juggling shenanigans. An alternative could be that (un)equipping a shield uses up your one free object interaction for the round.

If it's center grip shield then there is no difference between holding/releasing a weapon.
If it's strap shield then some action is required to let it go Bonus action/object interaction is a good cost.

• 
  
  
• Grappling / Shoving: I'm tempted to switch these back to being opposed ability checks, as I like those. I am hoping the rules for ability contests have been moved to the DMG (as an optional rule, I guess).

I will miss my barbarian with Skill expert feat for grappling.

• 
  
  
• Exhaustion: The cumulative penalty applies to casters' spell save DCs as well.
  While I liked the original 2014 version better, the 2024 version is simpler.

one of the best changes for 2024.
just add same penalty for AC/DC. The stats, not the band

• 
  
  
• Moving through allies: This will still cost extra movement as per the 2014 rules.

difficult terrain, maybe add option that allies can spend their Reaction to actively move out of your way for normal movement.

• Conjure Minor Elementals: I am leaning towards reducing the scaling damage to +1d8 dmg per level, but I could also see making it be a 1/turn thing. Haven't settled on either fix yet.

Guess every new book needs its "Twilight cleric".
+1d8 per level or simply no upcasting option can work

• 
  
  
• Spirit Guardians: A target can only be damaged by this spell once per round.
  I hate that WotC buffed this spell instead of nerfing it. Hopefully this will stop any silliness with clerics running around then being picked up and carried by their allies in order to deal damage more than once per round.

Yes.

• 
  
  
• Ranger: Oh boy! WotC somehow managed to make this class both better and worse at the same time, didn't they? I'm not a big fan of making rangers so dependent on hunter's mark, but I'm not entirely sure what to do instead. I'm tempted to make it so rangers don't have to concentrate on hunter's mark. That would mean I'd need to come up with a replacement for Relentless Hunter at level 13. Maybe just a free feat? Foe Slayer also needs beefing up, but I'm not sure what to do with that one. I reckon someone at WotC really hates rangers.

I feel your pain...

• 
  
  
• Weapons: Muskets and pistols will not be available as standard equipment in my games!
  I'm not a fan of the slow drift toward make D&D more of a Renaissance/Enlightenment game than a medieval one. I might allow guns as experimental prototypes and/or rare and/or magic items, but I don't want my players being able to buy them from any weapon seller and use them right from level 1.

Really depends on the settings, most important is that they are balanced in respect to all other weapons.
and GP cost is not balancing factor. It gets irrelevant after a level or two

These next ones aren't so much issues with the 2024 rules that I want to fix, but I am also considering:

• Short Rests: I might reduce the duration of a short rest to 15 or 20 minutes.
  I've long felt one hour is too long, as it can mess with in-game pacing too much, but conversely, 4e's 5-minute short rests are too short. 15–20 minutes feels like a nice compromise – quick but still long enough that players might feel it's not worth the risk if they're in a hurry.

Most sports have 15min half-time so 15mins sounds great.

• 
  
  
• Being Knocked Unconscious: Unconsciousness lasts 1d4 minutes.
  As someone who suffers from vasovagal syncope, I find that these rules just don't do it for me. I know it's cinematic movie logic, where the heroes knock the guards out and they stay out for the rest of the scene, but in reality, anyone who is knocked out and stays unconscious for more than a few moments is likely going to suffer brain damage. I also don't like the 2024 rule that someone who is knocked unconscious automatically starts taking a short rest. I feel like a short rest should be something you consciously choose to do. Being unconscious due to injury shouldn't count. If you want to keep someone unconscious for longer, use some kind of poison (e.g. chloroform).

100%

 

[Horwath]

Divine intervention cannnot produce "permanent until dispelled" effects.

Or at least: only one of those effects can be in effect at one time.
I don't want to deal with high level clerics hallowing their whole dungeon with hallow for no cost.

when you cast Raise dead the next day, your previous target instantly dies, hahaha.

 

[pukunui]

If it's center grip shield then there is no difference between holding/releasing a weapon.
If it's strap shield then some action is required to let it go Bonus action/object interaction is a good cost.

Sure. The issue with 5e is that it doesn’t differentiate between different types of shields. I remember in a previous campaign, one of my players was playing a gnome. He wanted a tower shield so he could hide behind it and get either 3/4 or full cover …

just add same penalty for AC/DC. The stats, not the band

Hmm. So you’re advocating to make the penalty apply to essentially everything?

difficult terrain, maybe add option that allies can spend their Reaction to actively move out of your way for normal movement.

That’s not a bad idea!

Guess every new book needs its "Twilight cleric".
+1d8 per level or simply no upcasting option can work

This is one of the ones I expect will be errata’d quickly.

Really depends on the settings, most important is that they are balanced in respect to all other weapons.
and GP cost is not balancing factor. It gets irrelevant after a level or two

True. Yes, if it was in keeping with the setting, I’d be willing to allow guns. I guess the point is I’d rather it be up to the DM to decide rather than have them right there in the PHB as readily available options. I liked having them in the DMG along with laser guns and grenades.

Most sports have 15min half-time so 15mins sounds great.

 

[Horwath]

Sure. The issue with 5e is that it doesn’t differentiate between different types of shields. I remember in a previous campaign, one of my players was playing a gnome. He wanted a tower shield so he could hide behind it and get either 3/4 or full cover …

buckler, +1 AC, tied to light armor proficiency, can attack with shield hand but you lose AC bonus until your next turn. Can use spellcomponents/focuses and keep AC, also lanterns/torches etc...

Tower shield, +3 AC, tied to heavy armor, -5ft move, min str 15+, stealth and acrobatics penalty.
when you take dodge action +3 AC improves to +5 AC

Hmm. So you’re advocating to make the penalty apply to essentially everything?

yes, if casters can damage/debuff you more easily, then martials must also.
same for your d20 attack and DC based "attack".