D&D 5E (Deleted)
- Thread starter DND_Reborn
- Start date
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Sure. Though that is just for reference - I don't require the players to actually read any of that - just to know it exists if they need/want to look at it.
They player's guide for my current campaign is 23 pages.
I think that there should be a distinction between houserules and home brew though.
I see house rules as changes to the rules that all players need to know, and that should fit on a page or maybe two. (I have a page and a half at the start of my current doc).
Homebrew is new races, classes, backgrounds, etc. I expect players will only read the parts of that that interest them, and so I feel free to make that as large as I want.
I think that there should be a distinction between houserules and home brew though.
I see house rules as changes to the rules that all players need to know, and that should fit on a page or maybe two. (I have a page and a half at the start of my current doc).
Homebrew is new races, classes, backgrounds, etc. I expect players will only read the parts of that that interest them, and so I feel free to make that as large as I want.
the Jester
Legend
Over 100 pages of spells, enough monsters to fill a 3" binder, and some 50 pages of subclasses. I'd say I am under 1,000 but, percentage wise, not by a ton.
EDIT: Oh- probably 300 pages of magic items, too.
I am not counting stuff like world notes or maps; with all the campaign material I have written, we'd be well over 2,000 pages, probably more like 4,000.
EDIT: Oh- probably 300 pages of magic items, too.
I am not counting stuff like world notes or maps; with all the campaign material I have written, we'd be well over 2,000 pages, probably more like 4,000.
Sorta feel like one page with 20 house rules someone’s play tested over 5 years and you’re playing a radically different game or you take half of what the Jester has, just his 2000 pages of world building and it’s perfectly normal D&D. So we’re counting very different things, even if the effort involved in making the two is similar.
Musing Mage
Pondering D&D stuff
I suppose if I were to pare it back and present it bullet-point in 12 pt font, 1-2 pages... but I've prettied them up into little booklets with pictures and formatting etc... so my 1e booklet is 12 pages, and my 5e is 9.
Why, you ask? 'Cause.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Hopefully posters know from the 5E D&D prefix that I am asking about 5E.
I'll update the OP to emphasize that.
Voadam
Legend
It has varied campaign to campaign
In my current 5e game I am using an adapted recharge magic mechanic, throwing in some spell alterations to add some more concentration requirements, and some more 3.5/Pathfinder/4e movement (5' step).
In my prior 5e ones I ran it was pretty straight by the book.
In 3.5/Pathfinder I had a ton for example here is a list from a high powered lower armored jungle themed game I ran on here
Later on 3.5 and Pathfinder games I added things like Ranger favored enemy bonus worked on all targets, rogues and monks gained a phantom attack bonus to keep their attack numbers up with 1/1 BAB classes, all saves advance at 1/2, sometimes gestalt options and sometimes recharge magic. I remember banning the witch sleep hex when it became problematic when I ran a Reign of Winter Pathfinder campaign.
In AD&D I basically used B/X as my basic understanding of D&D and D&D rules with an overlay of lots of AD&D 1e elements and 2e I allowed a bunch of 1e stuff alongside 2e material (grugach and drow elf and assassin PCs continued on with mostly 1e mechanics when the campaign switched to 2e rules base).
In my current 5e game I am using an adapted recharge magic mechanic, throwing in some spell alterations to add some more concentration requirements, and some more 3.5/Pathfinder/4e movement (5' step).
In my prior 5e ones I ran it was pretty straight by the book.
In 3.5/Pathfinder I had a ton for example here is a list from a high powered lower armored jungle themed game I ran on here
House rules:
Beasts are Dangerous: iterative attacks work with natural weapons
Red in Tooth and claw: claws do slashing, bite does piercing.
Poisons are Deadly: successful saves on poisons result in half damage
More Death Buffer: Arcana Unearthed/Iron Heroes style extended disabled/dying and fort saves for negative hp instead of death at -10
Fancy Footwork: add base reflex save to Dex AC bonus.
Dodging is Simple: Dodge Feat = flat +1 dodge bonus
Hanging Tough: Toughness turns into Improved Toughness feat (from Complete Warrior, +1 hp/level) at third level.
Falling is Dangerous: falling damage accelerates, it is 1d6 for each ten feet fallen, for each set of 10'. Still 20d6 max
So:
10=1d6
20=3d6
30=6d6
40=10d6
50=15d6
60=20d6
Built Ford Tough: no massive damage save
Shirts or Skins: natural armor overlaps with regular armor instead of stacking
Hack, Hack, Hack: max hp at first level, half HD average round up for other levels
Mix and Match: No favored class, multiclass freely without xp penalty. Fractional BAB and save advancements for multiclass characters. Fractional saves give you levels in good or bad save progression (No starting over for another 2.5 with 1st level good saves).
Magic Stacks: multiclassing spell caster spell slots and spells known stack AU style
I can do Anything: No cross-class skills, everything is a class skill for everybody. Only need a story explanation for how acquired.
We Don’t Need No Stinking Skill Rolls: Don’t expect many skill rolls, particularly for social actions. Most things I see your score and character development (concept, history, characterization, and mechanical choices) and adjudicate based on that, not rolls.
I Kan Reed Gud: Characters are illiterate as a default. Literacy in a spoken language takes a one time feat then a separate skill point for every written language.
What’s That Say: Decipher script does not exist as a skill
It’s a Trap: Anybody can search for traps regardless of DC
I Make Magic: Crafting magic items does not cost xp
Magic’s Expensive: xp spells cost extra gold for component instead of xp
Feel the Power: levels are awarded when I say so, individual xp is not given to players.
Let’s Go: teleport is shorter range (1 mile)
Pikachu, I choose you: Summoned celestial and fiendish smite works as a lesser constant smite against targeted aligned creatures, not a powerful 1/day thing.
Some core spells not allowed (searing light I’m talking about you, domains using it will be modified upon request, also most anything with sonic damage).
Beyond Good and Evil: Alignment is only for divine champions, undead, and outsiders, everyone else is neutral. Alignments are primal forces, not moralities. Class alignment restrictions do not apply other than as social expectations.
Specific Beasts: shape shifting and summoning requires a focus of the thing being summoned or shape assumed (usually a bone).
Giants are People Too: Giants are a humanoid subtype that use giant type traits (can be affected by "person" spells, etc.)
Medusae are People Too: Monstrous humanoids are a humanoid subtype that use monstrous humanoid type traits (can be affected by "person" spells, etc.).
Trolls are Trolls: Trolls all also have the troll subtype regardless of whether they are also giants or monstrous humanoid subtypes.
Orcs are goblins: Orcs are subtype goblinoid and orcish is just a dialect of goblin
Did it Work?: DM handles all rolling. Post appropriate character mechanics and numbers in OOC portion of IC posts with spoiler tags.
What? You Want a Cookie?: No arrival gifts.
Skilled: Feats every level instead of every three. I think feats are fun and add to characters and want PCs to have more.
No Wasted Learning: If you multiclass into a class that grants a bonus feat you already have you instead gain a related feat. For instance a character with Tracking who later becomes a ranger could gain Skill Focus Survival to boost his tracking instead of being out a feat compared to a character that waited to learn tracking. Taking a class that provides abilities you are good at should make you better at those abilities instead of no increased benefit.
First level benefits are for the best of your classes. So the max hp and 4x skillpoints for first level are whatever your best class is. It doesn't matter if you go sorcerer 1 then rogue 1 or rogue 1 then sorcerer 1 both second level characters will look the same mechanically.
Smarts!: Int skill bonuses are retroactive. If somebody increases their int permanently through level advancement they get the extra skill points and can learn a new language. Skill increases must still make sense for the character from a story perspective and can be saved until appropriate opportunities for skill development.
I got better: heal works like treat injury from d20 modern, but the treat injury application can be done once per encounter resulting in wounds and cures 1d4 for every 5 points above DC 10 on the heal check.
Shake it off: Reserve hp rule, reserve points = max hp, 1 reserve point heals 1 damage 1/minute.
Mostly dead: instant death effects take you to dying status, not dead.
Healing is Easy: All core spellcasting classes get healing type spells on their spell list and at the lowest level it is available to the other core classes.
Beasts are Dangerous: iterative attacks work with natural weapons
Red in Tooth and claw: claws do slashing, bite does piercing.
Poisons are Deadly: successful saves on poisons result in half damage
More Death Buffer: Arcana Unearthed/Iron Heroes style extended disabled/dying and fort saves for negative hp instead of death at -10
Fancy Footwork: add base reflex save to Dex AC bonus.
Dodging is Simple: Dodge Feat = flat +1 dodge bonus
Hanging Tough: Toughness turns into Improved Toughness feat (from Complete Warrior, +1 hp/level) at third level.
Falling is Dangerous: falling damage accelerates, it is 1d6 for each ten feet fallen, for each set of 10'. Still 20d6 max
So:
10=1d6
20=3d6
30=6d6
40=10d6
50=15d6
60=20d6
Built Ford Tough: no massive damage save
Shirts or Skins: natural armor overlaps with regular armor instead of stacking
Hack, Hack, Hack: max hp at first level, half HD average round up for other levels
Mix and Match: No favored class, multiclass freely without xp penalty. Fractional BAB and save advancements for multiclass characters. Fractional saves give you levels in good or bad save progression (No starting over for another 2.5 with 1st level good saves).
Magic Stacks: multiclassing spell caster spell slots and spells known stack AU style
I can do Anything: No cross-class skills, everything is a class skill for everybody. Only need a story explanation for how acquired.
We Don’t Need No Stinking Skill Rolls: Don’t expect many skill rolls, particularly for social actions. Most things I see your score and character development (concept, history, characterization, and mechanical choices) and adjudicate based on that, not rolls.
I Kan Reed Gud: Characters are illiterate as a default. Literacy in a spoken language takes a one time feat then a separate skill point for every written language.
What’s That Say: Decipher script does not exist as a skill
It’s a Trap: Anybody can search for traps regardless of DC
I Make Magic: Crafting magic items does not cost xp
Magic’s Expensive: xp spells cost extra gold for component instead of xp
Feel the Power: levels are awarded when I say so, individual xp is not given to players.
Let’s Go: teleport is shorter range (1 mile)
Pikachu, I choose you: Summoned celestial and fiendish smite works as a lesser constant smite against targeted aligned creatures, not a powerful 1/day thing.
Some core spells not allowed (searing light I’m talking about you, domains using it will be modified upon request, also most anything with sonic damage).
Beyond Good and Evil: Alignment is only for divine champions, undead, and outsiders, everyone else is neutral. Alignments are primal forces, not moralities. Class alignment restrictions do not apply other than as social expectations.
Specific Beasts: shape shifting and summoning requires a focus of the thing being summoned or shape assumed (usually a bone).
Giants are People Too: Giants are a humanoid subtype that use giant type traits (can be affected by "person" spells, etc.)
Medusae are People Too: Monstrous humanoids are a humanoid subtype that use monstrous humanoid type traits (can be affected by "person" spells, etc.).
Trolls are Trolls: Trolls all also have the troll subtype regardless of whether they are also giants or monstrous humanoid subtypes.
Orcs are goblins: Orcs are subtype goblinoid and orcish is just a dialect of goblin
Did it Work?: DM handles all rolling. Post appropriate character mechanics and numbers in OOC portion of IC posts with spoiler tags.
What? You Want a Cookie?: No arrival gifts.
Skilled: Feats every level instead of every three. I think feats are fun and add to characters and want PCs to have more.
No Wasted Learning: If you multiclass into a class that grants a bonus feat you already have you instead gain a related feat. For instance a character with Tracking who later becomes a ranger could gain Skill Focus Survival to boost his tracking instead of being out a feat compared to a character that waited to learn tracking. Taking a class that provides abilities you are good at should make you better at those abilities instead of no increased benefit.
First level benefits are for the best of your classes. So the max hp and 4x skillpoints for first level are whatever your best class is. It doesn't matter if you go sorcerer 1 then rogue 1 or rogue 1 then sorcerer 1 both second level characters will look the same mechanically.
Smarts!: Int skill bonuses are retroactive. If somebody increases their int permanently through level advancement they get the extra skill points and can learn a new language. Skill increases must still make sense for the character from a story perspective and can be saved until appropriate opportunities for skill development.
I got better: heal works like treat injury from d20 modern, but the treat injury application can be done once per encounter resulting in wounds and cures 1d4 for every 5 points above DC 10 on the heal check.
Shake it off: Reserve hp rule, reserve points = max hp, 1 reserve point heals 1 damage 1/minute.
Mostly dead: instant death effects take you to dying status, not dead.
Healing is Easy: All core spellcasting classes get healing type spells on their spell list and at the lowest level it is available to the other core classes.
Later on 3.5 and Pathfinder games I added things like Ranger favored enemy bonus worked on all targets, rogues and monks gained a phantom attack bonus to keep their attack numbers up with 1/1 BAB classes, all saves advance at 1/2, sometimes gestalt options and sometimes recharge magic. I remember banning the witch sleep hex when it became problematic when I ran a Reign of Winter Pathfinder campaign.
In AD&D I basically used B/X as my basic understanding of D&D and D&D rules with an overlay of lots of AD&D 1e elements and 2e I allowed a bunch of 1e stuff alongside 2e material (grugach and drow elf and assassin PCs continued on with mostly 1e mechanics when the campaign switched to 2e rules base).
Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
Way over 100 pages. I've adjusted or completely rewritten the mechanics for every class, race, spell, and feat as well as. completely original creations. I also have tons of my own rules regarding character creation, vitality points, new types of actions, ect.
overgeeked
B/X Known World
I use 8-12 house rules. Each of which can be explained in a sentence or two. If printed out they could easily fit on a single side of a single page.
aco175
Legend
I voted only 1-5 pages based on thinking it was just rules, but then @the Jester referenced making spells and monsters as house rules made me think if they actually are for this. I'm not sure if I take a basic goblin and make a goblin champion if I would call it a houserule. I guess it is a homebrew.
My idea of reading the OP is if a player came to my table, would they be able to play if they only played by the book, or would they need to read lots of changes to fit in.
My idea of reading the OP is if a player came to my table, would they be able to play if they only played by the book, or would they need to read lots of changes to fit in.
the Jester
Legend
Well, there are fewer "goblin champions" and more conversions of old monsters and homebrewed new ones that I've updated from every edition to 5e. You want a tarantella (BECMI), transposer (1e), fremlin (2e), destrachan (3e), or chillfire destroyer (4e) for your 5e game? I've got you covered. You want old stuff from Arduin? Yeah, some of that too. And so forth.
You wouldn't need to read anything, you could go straight from the book (with a "no Drow" clause stuck on). All that stuff is extras.
LordEntrails
Hero
What does this mean? It seems to me to contradict itself. Does 3PP material get counted or doesn't it?
Anyway, I said 1-5. And think the poll was poorly worded. And the OPs aggressive response to being questioned was unfortunate.
To me, I have lots and lots of homebrew. Lots of custom NPCs, items, spells, etc. But I don't consider any of that rules changes. No custom races, or classes, though unless I changed how current things are written, I don't know if I would count that as rules changes, just setting information.
Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
That's actually a really good way to think of the question. Based on that, I think if a player unfamiliar with my house rules came to my game table to play, they could jump in with the most complex house rules being in regards to vitality points rather than using death saves, changes to exhaustion, use of action points based on 3.5 Eberron, and some slight differences in character creation (namely Stat bonuses being based on class and background choice rather than race). There may be others I'm forgetting but those are the main ones.
When it comes to my versions of classes, races, feats, and spells, players largely have the option to choose the RAW version or mine (though my versions are admittedly a bit more powerful). I'm also pretty lenient with mid-game changes if players want to try which version works best for them.
I voted 6-10. It's probably 5 or 6 pages so I went with 6. You really can, despite what many RPG rulebooks imply, pack a lot of information into a few pages. Especially if you eliminate fluff text and pictures.
Most of my pages are a list of the races/cultures and the rarity of classes/subclasses within that race/ culture and highlighting (in red) those subclasses that have something special (potentially) attached to them.
It's mostly FYI for character creation.
Most of my pages are a list of the races/cultures and the rarity of classes/subclasses within that race/ culture and highlighting (in red) those subclasses that have something special (potentially) attached to them.
It's mostly FYI for character creation.
cbwjm
Legend
Was this thread always about home-brew as well because I thought it was just house rules. I put down 1-5 pages of house rules but I've no idea how many spells, items, races, and subclasses I've created. I also have a few home-brewed or updated monsters as well as templates for them and some somewhat easy mass combat rules. It's kind of scattered though, so hard to figure out.
overgeeked
B/X Known World
Same. My answer is only about house rules. I have an uncountable amount of home-brewed monsters that I use. Completely home-brew setting with home-brew gods.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
It was a word omission, known as a mistake
, when I edited the OP. Sorry for the confusion!It is right in the title of the thread and in the poll question and in the OP.
"House-rules/ Homebrew" and:
So, I don't know what I could have said to make it clearer.
This I can totally appreciate. If you wish to update your vote, just use your best judgement and thanks!
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