D&D (2024) Char Creation Homebrew Proposals for my DM. Yes/No?

Oofta

Legend
Supporter
Hi all,

My group hasn't played D&D since 2010, and the last edition any of us have experience with is 3/3.5. Traditionally I've always been the DM, but recently a friend decided he wanted to give it a try, so we all went out and bought the 2024 PHB. We're having a Session Zero next week and I have a few proposals. I'm just wondering if you guys think these are fair, valid ideas. Again, I've always been the DM, and I know when a player is trying to coerce me into approving something overpowered. That's not my intention here, but I'll let you be the judge.

1. ORIGINS SHOULD BE CUSTOMIZABLE. They are too restrictive as written. There are 4 components to an Origin:
a. Ability Score Improvements
b. Starting Feat
c. Skill + Tool Proficiences/ Starting Gear
d. Thematic Fit

It's REALLY hard to get all those things to match up with an initial character concept. We try not to be too much of min/maxers, but I can already see myself and one other player making changes to our storylines/initial concepts just to try to shoehorn ASIs/Feats that are actually going to be useful. I can see where the authors were going with this model - it's very helpful for newer players to give them a starting direction. But our table is mostly vets with multiple decades of experience. Is it asking too much to give the players freedom in those 4 categories? Select your own 3 ability scores, 1 origin feat, tools, etc and come up with a story that makes sense for the DM to approve. That's reasonable, right?

2. ORIGIN FEATS SELECTED AT 4+ GET A +1 ASI
I've read in the PHB that this smaller pool of feats is available at levels after 1, but who is going to take a feat that doesn't give you a stat bump? I don't think it would make any of them overpowered if they were given a +1 ASI that is in line with all the other general feats (but not when you take it at creation). The physically based feats would offer a choice of STR, DEX, CON, and the mental ones would offer INT, WIS, CHA at the DM's discretion based on if it makes sense to offer all 3, a choice of 2, or possibly just 1.

3. ASIs AND EPIC BOON BASED ON TOTAL CHARACTER LEVEL
Having ASIs offered at Class levels 4, 8, 12, and 16 + an Epic Boon offered at Class level 19 seems to massively discourage multi-classing. At best you'll see a 19 in one class with a 1 level dip in another in order to retain access to the Epic Boon. If the player is ok with foregoing their Epic, they are almost forced to make multi splits of 16/4 or 12/8 so as not to lose out on ASI levels. This makes for some problematic combinations that might miss out on specific class features from both classes that might be super important to the character concept. If ASIs/Epic were detached from Classes and something you selected at a Total Character Level, many more interesting combinations would be preserved.

I welcome any and all feedback. Thanks for your time.


I let people customize their background, I don't personally see an issue with it. I follow the same pattern as the predefined ones, just make it flexible.

Until we've played for a while longer I'll be following the rules pretty closely. I'll likely make minor adjustments as needed, but I want some experience with the new system first.

Oh, don't let the naysayers tell you 2024 is a bad edition. Go into it with an open mind, I like it.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

ad_hoc

(she/her)
I let people customize their background, I don't personally see an issue with it. I follow the same pattern as the predefined ones, just make it flexible.

Until we've played for a while longer I'll be following the rules pretty closely. I'll likely make minor adjustments as needed, but I want some experience with the new system first.

Oh, don't let the naysayers tell you 2024 is a bad edition. Go into it with an open mind, I like it.

Backgrounds lose their meaning if they are customized.

Yes they inform who the character is and that is working as intended.

They are an interesting part of character creation. If you're going to customize then might as well just get rid of them entirely as they no longer have narrative meaning.
 

Oofta

Legend
Supporter
Backgrounds lose their meaning if they are customized.

Yes they inform who the character is and that is working as intended.

They are an interesting part of character creation. If you're going to customize then might as well just get rid of them entirely as they no longer have narrative meaning.

I don't think backgrounds serve a significant purpose any more. I don't see any significant narrative meaning. I think backstories matter and that's where the narrative weight lies. There also should be minor benefits here and there for a backstory. But the 2024 backgrounds are too strict and inflexible while simultaneously not giving much fluff to work with for me.
 

ad_hoc

(she/her)
I don't think backgrounds serve a significant purpose any more. I don't see any significant narrative meaning. I think backstories matter and that's where the narrative weight lies. There also should be minor benefits here and there for a backstory. But the 2024 backgrounds are too strict and inflexible while simultaneously not giving much fluff to work with for me.

Yeah, if you want to get rid of them then more power to you but at that point just say you're not using the backgrounds.

I don't think customizing backgrounds works and I highly encourage people to play the game as made at least once.

Personally, I think the update to the backgrounds was one of the best things about the update.
 

Charlaquin

Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
The first two proposals are solid. ASIs based on class levels is supposed to massively discourage multiclassing, because multiclassing is overpowered. Even with ASIs being based on class level, the most powerful builds are still multiclassed. If you group doesn’t mind multiclassing being essentially the default, then by all means, use the third house rule and have fun with it. But just know what you’re signing yourself up for
 

Clint_L

Legend
I would not offer the DM advice about optional rules or home-brew rules at the session 0 unless they specifically ask for it. I certainly wouldn't go in with proposals for alternate rules about character origins, etc. You say that you've always been the DM but now your friend is willing to give it a try. Great - then let them! Especially as a novice DM, they have plenty on their plate with trying to run a game for the first time. Don't make them also have to navigate competing demands for special rules.

This kind of feels like you, the veteran, are trying to do some backseat DMing.

To quote Elsa: "let it go."
 

VikingLegion

Explorer
He's DM'd before, just a very long time ago. I ended up taking over for ~12 years, then the group went on hiatus for about 14, cuz... Life. He's not some weak-willed puppet who's strings I can manipulate. We've collaborated on several creative projects over the years and have nothing but respect for each other. If he feels something is OP and game-breaking, he'll shut it down right quick. I just wanted some crunch topics to discuss at Session Zero. We've already done a ton of character history via group texts so we'll mostly be refining things on that end, but as for specific rules interpretations we're still very green with this edition.

Besides, it's looking like 4 of the 5 players are going single class all the way, it's just the one woman (who is the DM's wife) is looking at the multi-combo. I want her to have a character that feels fun and operates the way she wants it to. So I'm not even advocating for my own character.
 

Oofta

Legend
Supporter
He's DM'd before, just a very long time ago. I ended up taking over for ~12 years, then the group went on hiatus for about 14, cuz... Life. He's not some weak-willed puppet who's strings I can manipulate. We've collaborated on several creative projects over the years and have nothing but respect for each other. If he feels something is OP and game-breaking, he'll shut it down right quick. I just wanted some crunch topics to discuss at Session Zero. We've already done a ton of character history via group texts so we'll mostly be refining things on that end, but as for specific rules interpretations we're still very green with this edition.

Besides, it's looking like 4 of the 5 players are going single class all the way, it's just the one woman (who is the DM's wife) is looking at the multi-combo. I want her to have a character that feels fun and operates the way she wants it to. So I'm not even advocating for my own character.
As a DM I have no issue with players making suggestions as long as they're willing to discuss the topic openly and can clearly explain what they want and why. That's one of the things the session 0 initial campaign discussion is for.

Of course sometimes I say no, but I'll always listen. :)
 

ad_hoc

(she/her)
He's DM'd before, just a very long time ago. I ended up taking over for ~12 years, then the group went on hiatus for about 14, cuz... Life. He's not some weak-willed puppet who's strings I can manipulate. We've collaborated on several creative projects over the years and have nothing but respect for each other. If he feels something is OP and game-breaking, he'll shut it down right quick. I just wanted some crunch topics to discuss at Session Zero. We've already done a ton of character history via group texts so we'll mostly be refining things on that end, but as for specific rules interpretations we're still very green with this edition.

Besides, it's looking like 4 of the 5 players are going single class all the way, it's just the one woman (who is the DM's wife) is looking at the multi-combo. I want her to have a character that feels fun and operates the way she wants it to. So I'm not even advocating for my own character.

She has never played before so how does she know that a single class won't work for her but a multiclass will?

With this house rule one of the classes will be stuck at 3rd level and the other one will feel really bad when hitting levels 4 and 8.

Unless you're mucking about with combos and the like it is generally best to wait until tier 2 to start multiclassing and that will also give her time to see if she even wants to at that point.

The reason is that at 5th level characters get a big jump in power. Either 2nd attack or 3rd level spells.

A pitfall is to not think about how miserable the experience will be of playing the combo at the weird levels.
 


Remove ads

Top