D&D 5E How many house rules?

[Greg K]

Maybe? When I think of house rules it's more along the lines of the common "potions take a bonus action to use" and similar. Literally changing the rules of the game. But sure, a list of banned races, classes, feats, spells, etc could be considered a house rule. Likewise a list of allowed third party stuff. For the purposes of this, I'd consider the whole of that (banned, allowed, etc) as 1-2 house rules. Either one or all of that as a whole or one for the list of banned stuff and one for the list of third party stuff.

The reason that I asked is that a single new race might be a bullet point to list (or a few bullets if listing subraces), but a page or two in terms of reading. Meanwhile a new class w/subclasses might be a few bullet points to list the class and subclasses, but range from several pages of reading to twenty or more depending on the number of new subclasses and spells (if any). In such cases, do we go by the space to list or the actual pages of reading?

 

[overgeeked]

The reason that I asked is that a single new race might be a bullet point to list (or a few bullets if listing subraces), but a page or two in terms of reading. Meanwhile a new class w/subclasses might be a few bullet points to list the class and subclasses, but range from several pages of reading to twenty or more depending on the number of new subclasses and spells (if any). In such cases, do we go by the space to list or the actual pages of reading?

It's questions like that that made me put both number of house rules and length of house rules as options. There's no right answer.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

This poll is specifically for 5E as I'm wondering specifically about 5E players responses.

5E is great because it moved back to the rulings not rules notion from some of the earlier editions of D&D, but I've noticed a distinct resistance to house rules amongst 5E players. Maybe it's that WotC has hammered rules not rulings for so long in D&D that it's going to take time before the reverse really seeps into the broader culture. But then, there's also a huge influx of new players with 5E so that is likely not an issue for those new to the hobby.

So, for the 5E players out there, how many house rules before you're out? I get that it depends on the house rule, but as a general thing, how many and how detailed can house rules get before you check out and don't want to bother playing?

Please vote for one option from the # section and one option from the length section.

Interesting. I've seen exactly the opposite in 5e players, especially newer players. I occasionally run into a "RAW only or why even buy the books" types on twitter, but that's about it. Heck, 5e is the game that got my buddy to open up to the idea of houserules.

 

[glass]

This poll is specifically for 5E as I'm wondering specifically about 5E players responses.

Apologies, I did not read this before I voted. Feel free to count one less "a few pages".

My current houserules document for PF1 is six pages long, but that includes things for special situations like gestalt or using 3.5 content, as well as a change long. I kept the actual general prupose houserules down to a single page for ages, but it has just spilled out onto a second.

I would imagine, if I were running 5e my document would be similar. But I am not.

_
glass.

 

[Musing Mage]

I am torn on the subject of House Rules... I certainly use them and have a fair amount for both systems (my regular 1e and upcoming 5e)... yet I am oddly elitist when it comes to OTHER people's house rules and am often put off by them.

I suppose my views and application of house rules has been shaped by a LOT of bad house rules in the past... usually made by DMs who don't understand the core rule and inserted poorly thought-through alternatives that were more complex and/or less effective than the proper rules.

So I don't know how to vote on this one - because none or many are equally likely. I guess none for DM's I'm not familiar with but if I know they are well versed and house rules have a logical place or improve the game, then many is also good?

Yeah, I'll go with that.

 

[overgeeked]

I am torn on the subject of House Rules... I certainly use them and have a fair amount for both systems (my regular 1e and upcoming 5e)... yet I am oddly elitist when it comes to OTHER people's house rules and am often put off by them.

I suppose my views and application of house rules has been shaped by a LOT of bad house rules in the past... usually made by DMs who don't understand the core rule and inserted poorly thought-through alternatives that were more complex and/or less effective than the proper rules.

So I don't know how to vote on this one - because none or many are equally likely. I guess none for DM's I'm not familiar with but if I know they are well versed and house rules have a logical place or improve the game, then many is also good?

Yeah, I'll go with that.

Isn't that always the way? My house rules make sense and are therefore good, but your house rules don't make sense and are therefore bad. What you think improves the game I think destroys it. What I think comes from a place of not understanding the core rules or are poorly thought-through are in fact house rules you developed over years of meticulous crafting and careful study.

 

[jgsugden]

I went with a few pages, but only a few are 'changes' while the majority are additions - mostly support for situations that existed in prior editions (infravision, ultravision, psionics), but are not supported in 5E, but a few are unique elements to my lore (The concept of God Touched to explain why PCs get death saves, advance so quickly in power, etc....).

 

[der_kluge]

The only main house rule I have is around "taking 20" which is a 3.x holdover, and mostly applies to picking locks.
-- You can "take 20" while picking a lock, but doing so automatically breaks a lockpick. Thieves' tools come with 5 lock picks. Once all picks are broken, a new one has to be acquired.

The only other rule I have is specific to the "Dagger of Venom"
-- A Dagger of Venom can be activated with a bonus action. It's kind of a lame item otherwise.

I also disallow certain races, but I'm not sure that's really a house rule.

 

[The Green Hermit]

Personally, I only have a house rule for how training works, because it doesn't make sense that while you are training a skill, you can't produce anything and then WHAM you are an expert.

However, I have no problem with any amount of house rules as long as the entire table understands them and agrees to them.

Edit: I guess I have two. If the entire party TPK's and isn't ready to quit the campaign (or isn't at the end of the storyline anyway) everybody rezzes right before the deadly battle.

 

[Yaarel]

How many houserules?

Ideally none. But inevitably many.

To be fair, many "houserules" are actually formalized routines that are legal within DM discretion, such as how to apply skill checks.