Garthanos
Arcadian Knight
Sounds like a bit of work. And one a lot of DMs I have heard about feeling they needed to do something similar.
D&D 5E Tweaking 5E: Your knobs, dials and switches.
Sounds like a bit of work. And one a lot of DMs I have heard about feeling they needed to do something similar.
Thanks for the reply. it sounds like you found a variant that works for you. It is a little more than I was asking for, though. Rewriting entire sections of the game doesn't appeal to me (I can just pick another game if I am going to do that). Also, I think D&D players are more likely to sign on with the suggestion of a few tweaks rather than a whole host of changes. I think most people that play 5E enjoy it generally, but have a few things here and there they wouldn't mind seeing changed.
Garthanos
Arcadian Knight
The part he is talking about is fully behind the DM screen its actually a part of the paradigm to change it in my opinion but it is a lot of work. I think every DM, I have spoken to offline who has experience with earlier editions are doing it. Because of that I think leveraging community effort to help might be my suggestion.
I have been looking at resources to make the adversaries part of the game seem more interesting, and one of the posters here who seems pretty familiar with the edition posted this for download.
https://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1395
It would be nice to have an online 5e custom monsters site though with built in review system... or something
Using Ability Scores
Proficiency Bonus
Characters and monsters have a proficiency bonus determined by character level/hit dice.
Strength
Attack Rolls and Damage
You also add your Strength modifier to your damage roll when attacking with a ranged weapon such as a sling or a longbow.
Dexterity
Attack Rolls
You add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll when attacking with a ranged weapon, such as a sling or a longbow. You can also add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll when attacking with a melee weapon that has the finesse property, such as a dagger or a rapier.
Intelligence
Languages and Tools
You start with an additional number of Languages and/or Tool proficiencies equal to your Intelligence modifier.
If your Intelligence score later increases, you gain an additional number of Languages and/or Tool proficiencies equal to any modifier increase.
Variant: No Backgrounds
You start with 2 languages or Tool proficiencies of your choice, or 1 of each, and an additional number of Languages, Skills, or Tool proficiencies equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
If your Intelligence score later increases, you gain an additional number of Languages, Skills, and/or Tool proficiencies equal to any modifier increase.
Charisma
Magic Item Attunement
You can attune a number of magical items equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
Saving Throws
Rolling 1 or 20
If the d20 roll for a saving throw is a 20, the save succeeds regardless of any modifiers or the save DC.
If the d20 roll for a saving throw is a 1, the save fails regardless of any modifiers or the save DC.
The Environment
Vision and Light
Dim light, A brilliant moon or starlight might bathe the land in dim light.
Darkness Characters can face darkness outdoors on moonless and starless nights,
Darkvision
A creature with darkvision can see in dim light as if it were bright light and in darkness within a specified range as if it were dim light, so areas of darkness are only lightly obscured as far as that creature is concerned.
Lowlight Vision
A creature with low-light vision can see in dim light as if it were bright light, so areas of dim light are not lightly obscured as far as that creature is concerned.
Combat
For attacks with melee weapons, use your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls. A weapon that has the finesse property, such as a rapier, can use your Dexterity modifier for attack rolls instead.
For attacks with ranged weapons, use your Dexterity modifier for the attack roll and your Strength modifier for the damage roll. A melee weapon that has the thrown property, such as a handaxe, can use your Strength modifier for the attack roll instead. A weapon that has the loading property, such as a light crossbow, does not use your Strength modifier for the damage roll.
Ranged Attacks
Shooting or Throwing into a Melee
If you make a ranged attack against a target that is within 5 feet of an ally, the attack roll is made with disadvantage.
Melee Attacks
Opportunity Attacks
Spellcasting. You can make an opportunity attack when a hostile creature that you can see casts a spell that does not include a melee or ranged spell attack within your reach. If this attack deals damage, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw vs. DC 10 or half the damage dealt, whichever number is higher, or the magic fails.
Grapple
A proficient Strength check contested by the target's proficient Strength or Dexterity check (the target chooses the ability to use).
Shove
A proficient Strength check contested by the target's proficient Strength or Dexterity check (the target chooses the ability to use).
Damage and Healing
Damage Rolls
When attacking with a weapon, you add your Strength modifier to the damage.
Minimum Damage
A hit always deals at least 1 damage, regardless of any modifiers.
Critical Hits
If the attack involves other damage dice, such as from the rogue's Sneak Attack feature, you do not roll those dice twice as well.
Dropping to 0 Hit Points/Falling Unconscious
This unconsciousness ends If you regain any hit points, but you gain 1 level of exhaustion and are incapacitated for 1 minute. You can make a death saving throw at the end of each of your turns. On a successful save, you are no longer incapacitated.
Knocking a Creature Out
You must declare this intent before your attack, and the attack roll is made with disadvantage.
Magic Resistance
The creature has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, and any creature making a spell attack against the creature has disadvantage on the attack roll.
Proficiency Bonus
Characters and monsters have a proficiency bonus determined by character level/hit dice.
Strength
Attack Rolls and Damage
You also add your Strength modifier to your damage roll when attacking with a ranged weapon such as a sling or a longbow.
Attack Rolls
You add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll when attacking with a ranged weapon, such as a sling or a longbow. You can also add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll when attacking with a melee weapon that has the finesse property, such as a dagger or a rapier.
Intelligence
Languages and Tools
You start with an additional number of Languages and/or Tool proficiencies equal to your Intelligence modifier.
If your Intelligence score later increases, you gain an additional number of Languages and/or Tool proficiencies equal to any modifier increase.
Variant: No Backgrounds
You start with 2 languages or Tool proficiencies of your choice, or 1 of each, and an additional number of Languages, Skills, or Tool proficiencies equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
If your Intelligence score later increases, you gain an additional number of Languages, Skills, and/or Tool proficiencies equal to any modifier increase.
Charisma
Magic Item Attunement
You can attune a number of magical items equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
Saving Throws
Rolling 1 or 20
If the d20 roll for a saving throw is a 20, the save succeeds regardless of any modifiers or the save DC.
If the d20 roll for a saving throw is a 1, the save fails regardless of any modifiers or the save DC.
The Environment
Vision and Light
Dim light, A brilliant moon or starlight might bathe the land in dim light.
Darkness Characters can face darkness outdoors on moonless and starless nights,
Darkvision
A creature with darkvision can see in dim light as if it were bright light and in darkness within a specified range as if it were dim light, so areas of darkness are only lightly obscured as far as that creature is concerned.
Lowlight Vision
A creature with low-light vision can see in dim light as if it were bright light, so areas of dim light are not lightly obscured as far as that creature is concerned.
Combat
For attacks with melee weapons, use your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls. A weapon that has the finesse property, such as a rapier, can use your Dexterity modifier for attack rolls instead.
For attacks with ranged weapons, use your Dexterity modifier for the attack roll and your Strength modifier for the damage roll. A melee weapon that has the thrown property, such as a handaxe, can use your Strength modifier for the attack roll instead. A weapon that has the loading property, such as a light crossbow, does not use your Strength modifier for the damage roll.
Ranged Attacks
Shooting or Throwing into a Melee
If you make a ranged attack against a target that is within 5 feet of an ally, the attack roll is made with disadvantage.
Melee Attacks
Opportunity Attacks
Spellcasting. You can make an opportunity attack when a hostile creature that you can see casts a spell that does not include a melee or ranged spell attack within your reach. If this attack deals damage, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw vs. DC 10 or half the damage dealt, whichever number is higher, or the magic fails.
Grapple
A proficient Strength check contested by the target's proficient Strength or Dexterity check (the target chooses the ability to use).
Shove
A proficient Strength check contested by the target's proficient Strength or Dexterity check (the target chooses the ability to use).
Damage and Healing
Damage Rolls
When attacking with a weapon, you add your Strength modifier to the damage.
Minimum Damage
A hit always deals at least 1 damage, regardless of any modifiers.
Critical Hits
If the attack involves other damage dice, such as from the rogue's Sneak Attack feature, you do not roll those dice twice as well.
Dropping to 0 Hit Points/Falling Unconscious
This unconsciousness ends If you regain any hit points, but you gain 1 level of exhaustion and are incapacitated for 1 minute. You can make a death saving throw at the end of each of your turns. On a successful save, you are no longer incapacitated.
Knocking a Creature Out
You must declare this intent before your attack, and the attack roll is made with disadvantage.
Magic Resistance
The creature has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, and any creature making a spell attack against the creature has disadvantage on the attack roll.
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Sadras
Legend
Last edited:
Sadras
Legend
This is an interesting house rule.
Divine Smite, Sneak Attack...etc somewhat neutered.
Yes, and as critical hits favour monsters (in the end), it also curbs damage spikes from monsters with bonus damage dice to their weapon attacks (planetars, etc).
Rogue
Ability Score Adjustment: Your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence score increases by 1.
Proficiencies
Armour: Light armour, bucklers
Weapons: Simple weapons, arming swords, bolas, bo-staffs, broadswords, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, scimitars, shortswords, two-bladed swords, whips
Sneak Attack
You can only sneak attack with ranged attacks at targets within 30 feet.
Variant: Melee Sneak Attack
You can exchange the use of sneak attack with ranged weapons, for the use of sneak attack with all melee weapons.
Decipher Script
Starting at 2nd level, you can make an Intelligence check vs. DC 15 to understand text written in languages you do not speak, read, or write. The DC can be higher, as set by the Dungeon Master (depending on language obscurity, or other factors).
You can also use spell scrolls. You make an Intelligence check vs. DC 10 + the spell's level to successfully cast the spell.
Thieves' Cant
Only the Thief subclass gains this feature, not the base Rogue class.
Slippery Mind
If you are already proficient in Wisdom saving throws, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice).
Ability Score Adjustment: Your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence score increases by 1.
Armour: Light armour, bucklers
Weapons: Simple weapons, arming swords, bolas, bo-staffs, broadswords, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, scimitars, shortswords, two-bladed swords, whips
Sneak Attack
You can only sneak attack with ranged attacks at targets within 30 feet.
Variant: Melee Sneak Attack
You can exchange the use of sneak attack with ranged weapons, for the use of sneak attack with all melee weapons.
Decipher Script
Starting at 2nd level, you can make an Intelligence check vs. DC 15 to understand text written in languages you do not speak, read, or write. The DC can be higher, as set by the Dungeon Master (depending on language obscurity, or other factors).
You can also use spell scrolls. You make an Intelligence check vs. DC 10 + the spell's level to successfully cast the spell.
Thieves' Cant
Only the Thief subclass gains this feature, not the base Rogue class.
Slippery Mind
If you are already proficient in Wisdom saving throws, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice).
Classes
Variant: Class Ability Score Adjustment
Each class gives you a choice of an ability score increase at 1st level (see class entry).
If a race increases one or more Ability Scores by 2 or more, reduce one of them by 1. For example, under this variant, a High Elf increases Dexterity and Intelligence by 1.
You can't increase an ability score by more than 2 from race and class (and feat, if the human variant is an option) at 1st level.
You only gain an Ability Score Adjustment from your first character level in a class, you can't gain more from multiclassing.
Variant: Class Ability Score Adjustment
Each class gives you a choice of an ability score increase at 1st level (see class entry).
If a race increases one or more Ability Scores by 2 or more, reduce one of them by 1. For example, under this variant, a High Elf increases Dexterity and Intelligence by 1.
You can't increase an ability score by more than 2 from race and class (and feat, if the human variant is an option) at 1st level.
You only gain an Ability Score Adjustment from your first character level in a class, you can't gain more from multiclassing.
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