D&D General Harshest House Rule (in use)?

[ezo]

Some thoughts I had from replying to some thread got me thinking about this:

What house rules are the most harsh?
If you dont' really use house rules, what RAW is the most harsh?

Now, this could be something towards players or creatures or whatever. And obviously this is ENTIRELY subjective, no right or wrong here.

For examples from prior editions:
level drain
rolling ability scores in order
magic item failed saves being destroyed

What is the harshest house rules (or RAW) you use?

 

[Charlaquin]

I have long liked the idea of a “new characters always start at 1st level” house rule, but due to its obvious extreme harshness have never been bold enough to actually implement it.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

A ask a CON roll (not save, not skill) against a DC set by the environment at the end of a long rest to see if the PC gained anything from the rest.

Wanna rest in that haunted forest next to the bandit camp under pouring rain without food? You may wake up from your rest in the same pitiful condition as you were when you went to sleep!

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

In 1e, the harshest rules (RAW) I generally used are as follows:

Level drain.
Item saving throws ... those could really really suck.
Spell aging.
System Shock and Resurrection (on constitution table). However, I eventually relaxed the resurrection check, although strictly kept the limit (raise and resurrection can only be done a maximum number of times equal to your starting constitution).
Death at 0hp.
Resurrection and raise dead only worked as stated in the rules (HA HA! Elves....). Hello, reincarnation!

I also used a modified initiative system (because you HAD TO modify it) that took into account spell casting times and ensured that almost all spells were cast at the end of the round and could be disrupted.

 

[Horwath]

exhaustion level when you drop to 0HP and when you fail a death save.
These levels are removed when you are are at 50+/75+/100% HP. depending on how strict rules are.

 

[Stormonu]

Critical Fumbles tends to be the most punishing. Worst part is they rarely, if at all address ranged combat or spells with saves, thus usually only adversely affecting the characters or monsters that rely on melee combat. The critical fumble charts some folks use are atrocious and include things like knocking yourself out or impaling yourself on your own weapon.

I do use a Critical Fumble/Critical Success rule, with a second roll to avoid/mitigate it. It applies to melee, ranged and magic spells with saves, so it can't be circumvented. The general result is either a miss with the next attack or an opportunity attack. In the case of spells, if the target makes a Critical Success save, they can either allow a nearby ally to reroll a failed roll OR turn the spell against the attacker, who needs to make a save against their own spell.

 

[Lanefan]

Level drain, item destruction on failed save, and system shock-resurrection checks are all in my game, but not as house rules: they came in the tin with the rest of the game.

Probably the harshest actual house rule I have is that I make casters roll to aim or place their AoE spells; which means yes, those spells can be fumbled. We do have crits and fumbles on nat 20 and nat 1 respectively, but both need a bespoke confirm roll which reduces the frequency considerably.

@Stormonu - why would fumbles not apply to ranged combat? I mean, sometimes bowstrings can snap, missiles of any kind can hit an ally rather than a foe, the shooter or thrower can wrench a thumb in the process, etc.

 

[Gorck]

Level Drain (or any other effect that decreases an ability score) because it's a PITA to have to recalculate all your stats because your modifier changed. It's one thing to do it at level up because those are permanent changes, not temporary adjustments.

 

[bloodtide]

Most of my House Rules are Harsh and made that way. A big part of the intent is for a player to read them and not play in the game.

Some examples:

*I run a game for the player to do and figure out things...not the character.

*In general, unless your character discovers or figures something out in the game, I'm never going to tell the players anything about the game.

*I don't allow disruptive questions, disputes or such during the game. If you have a problem with a ruling for example, you can bring it to me any other type except during game play.

*Changing shape, conjurations and creation magic require a bit of (whatever) as a component. So, for example, you can not magicaly create anti mater, unless you have some anti matter to use as a component.

*Any changed shape runs the risk of the character loosing their mind in the new form.

*All gods carefully watch and nitpick all divine spell usage.

 

[Clint_L]

If you go to zero hit points but survive the encounter, you get to roll on a critical injury table afterwards.