TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
No drinks on the table!
D&D 5E Tweaking 5E: Your knobs, dials and switches.
CubicsRube
Hero
When I next run 5e I'd like to do the following:
1. Have players make an AC roll while monsters have a static Attack Rating - numbers don't change but it gopefully will help the players feel more like they are reacting, and takes some mathwerk off me.
2. Have bonds traits and the like give advantage once per session if applicable - i find it unthematic to bank inspiration for this for a later role. I'd rather someone with the ideal "the perfect thief is an unseen thief. I strive to be perfect" to allow the player to take advantage on a stealth or hide roll once a session.
3. Give inspiration to the party in a lord of the rings way. If they have a good feast, go to a festival, aid some orhpans, stumble upon magical groves, anything that inspires and fills with hope. - works as a lifeline if things get tough and also gives some mechanical weight to the pcs doing nice things.
4. Lean on exhaustion mechanics and lighting effects more heavily, (e.g, even darkvision has disadvantage on perception when in darkness) - this is really just using them raw, but ensuring they see more action in play.
5. Encourage working together rules (if the other pc can reasonably help) - this along with inspiration and traits work to ofset negative conditions.
6. Get rid of hit dice. Short rest you heal 1/4 round down of your max hp. Long rest you heal 1/2 round down of your max hp. - this is a house ruke and i was going to leave it off. But it's a mechanic that just isn't used enough to justify it's existence.
1. Have players make an AC roll while monsters have a static Attack Rating - numbers don't change but it gopefully will help the players feel more like they are reacting, and takes some mathwerk off me.
2. Have bonds traits and the like give advantage once per session if applicable - i find it unthematic to bank inspiration for this for a later role. I'd rather someone with the ideal "the perfect thief is an unseen thief. I strive to be perfect" to allow the player to take advantage on a stealth or hide roll once a session.
3. Give inspiration to the party in a lord of the rings way. If they have a good feast, go to a festival, aid some orhpans, stumble upon magical groves, anything that inspires and fills with hope. - works as a lifeline if things get tough and also gives some mechanical weight to the pcs doing nice things.
4. Lean on exhaustion mechanics and lighting effects more heavily, (e.g, even darkvision has disadvantage on perception when in darkness) - this is really just using them raw, but ensuring they see more action in play.
5. Encourage working together rules (if the other pc can reasonably help) - this along with inspiration and traits work to ofset negative conditions.
6. Get rid of hit dice. Short rest you heal 1/4 round down of your max hp. Long rest you heal 1/2 round down of your max hp. - this is a house ruke and i was going to leave it off. But it's a mechanic that just isn't used enough to justify it's existence.
1) When you get knocked unconscious you take a level of exhaustion (makes going down more meaningful).
2) Paladins can only smite 1/round (even with that I think they are still very strong, this just dealt with some of the "ultra-nova" potential.
3) Fighting Styles: Changed most of them to "Offense: Gain +2 damage with attacks".
3) Charge: If you have extra attack you can use a bonus action after you dash to make 1 attack.
4) GWM: remove -5/+10. Cleave part no longer requires a bonus action.
5) Sharpshoter: Remove -5/+10. Gain an extra die on a crit.
6) No resurrection magic. Revivify is 9th level in my game.
7) One thing I do in every one of my games is I have some kind of magic item or effect that lets the characters share moments of their backstory with each other. For example, in this game the party has an artifact called the "Heart of Ixsus"...that gives the whole party a bonus for a round. Whoever uses it, they share a memory that suddenly pops in everyones head. I find its a great way to add in little roleplaying moments.
2) Paladins can only smite 1/round (even with that I think they are still very strong, this just dealt with some of the "ultra-nova" potential.
3) Fighting Styles: Changed most of them to "Offense: Gain +2 damage with attacks".
3) Charge: If you have extra attack you can use a bonus action after you dash to make 1 attack.
4) GWM: remove -5/+10. Cleave part no longer requires a bonus action.
5) Sharpshoter: Remove -5/+10. Gain an extra die on a crit.
6) No resurrection magic. Revivify is 9th level in my game.
7) One thing I do in every one of my games is I have some kind of magic item or effect that lets the characters share moments of their backstory with each other. For example, in this game the party has an artifact called the "Heart of Ixsus"...that gives the whole party a bonus for a round. Whoever uses it, they share a memory that suddenly pops in everyones head. I find its a great way to add in little roleplaying moments.
Yes, finally a kindred soul.
I'm sure lots of people have done this, but you are the first person I have heard actually mention they incorporated it like I did.
Read the books since they first came out. Have xp!
/tangent
have considered the imperial orb to be a sorcerer source...
Fanaelialae
Legend
Characters start at 3rd level in most of my campaigns.
After character creation, you cannot multiclass unless you already have levels in that class. Special exceptions can be made for extraordinary circumstances, but in general the first level of a class takes years of study. A fighter can't simply decide one day that he wants to learn magic and be a fully fledged wizard by the end of the week. It also means that someone dipping pays the level cost up front, rather than when it would be most convenient.
If an attack causes more than one damage type, it is considered to be both types of damage (the more beneficial damage type is used against vulnerability and resistance). For example, if a cleric cast flame strike on a monster that is vulnerable to radiant but resists fire, the damage would be treated as all radiant. This is primarily because I find that splitting the damage between types slows down play, frequently for little to no benefit.
After character creation, you cannot multiclass unless you already have levels in that class. Special exceptions can be made for extraordinary circumstances, but in general the first level of a class takes years of study. A fighter can't simply decide one day that he wants to learn magic and be a fully fledged wizard by the end of the week. It also means that someone dipping pays the level cost up front, rather than when it would be most convenient.
If an attack causes more than one damage type, it is considered to be both types of damage (the more beneficial damage type is used against vulnerability and resistance). For example, if a cleric cast flame strike on a monster that is vulnerable to radiant but resists fire, the damage would be treated as all radiant. This is primarily because I find that splitting the damage between types slows down play, frequently for little to no benefit.
Of things mentioned, I think I would incorporate slow rests (short is 8 hrs, long is a week) just to stretch time to give it more of that Lord of the Rings feel. I also use the one and done skill check: that roll is your one opportunity to pick the lock or convince the magistrate. I always feel like shields should be better and more important (since they were so important in the real world before guns) but have never found just the right shield rules.
As a general thing I like to make certain monsters unique: a medusa exists in the world, or a small enclave of cursed humans turned into gnolls. I like settings that make magic and monsters matter.
As a general thing I like to make certain monsters unique: a medusa exists in the world, or a small enclave of cursed humans turned into gnolls. I like settings that make magic and monsters matter.
Sadras
Legend
Exhaustion tied to recharging of abilities, rest mechanic overhaul
Dropping unconscious due to combat inflicts 1 level of exhaustion.
Roll 1d20, Wild Magic = 1+Sorcery Points expended on the spell.
Resurrection is extremely rare and difficult to pull off.
Do not keep track of minor equipment (medikit, arrows...etc), use the daily spend of coin to signify maintenance and resupply of equipment and clothing.
Roll death saves after combat or when healing occurs.
Sometimes a simple cure wounds is not enough to bring back someone from unconsciousness. Mechanic in place based on constitution modifier.
Incorporeal undead ignore armour for purposes of hitting.
Sometimes offer deals in combat such as destruction of equipment, magical items or other to reduce damage (for thematic purposes), players have final say ofcourse.
Dragons have resistance against non-magical weapons as added emphasis about the hardiness of dragon scale.
Casters gain the ability to concentrate on two spells from level 10, Martials gain an additional +1 on damage.
Intelligence affects languages + proficiencies (armour, weapons and otherwise)
Odd numbered abilities affect certain mechanics (similar to Int affecting Languages + Prof)
Dropping unconscious due to combat inflicts 1 level of exhaustion.
Roll 1d20, Wild Magic = 1+Sorcery Points expended on the spell.
Resurrection is extremely rare and difficult to pull off.
Do not keep track of minor equipment (medikit, arrows...etc), use the daily spend of coin to signify maintenance and resupply of equipment and clothing.
Roll death saves after combat or when healing occurs.
Sometimes a simple cure wounds is not enough to bring back someone from unconsciousness. Mechanic in place based on constitution modifier.
Incorporeal undead ignore armour for purposes of hitting.
Sometimes offer deals in combat such as destruction of equipment, magical items or other to reduce damage (for thematic purposes), players have final say ofcourse.
Dragons have resistance against non-magical weapons as added emphasis about the hardiness of dragon scale.
Casters gain the ability to concentrate on two spells from level 10, Martials gain an additional +1 on damage.
Intelligence affects languages + proficiencies (armour, weapons and otherwise)
Odd numbered abilities affect certain mechanics (similar to Int affecting Languages + Prof)
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My only big one is 1 week long rests. Otherwise just some tweaks by setting, eg no raise dead in Primeval Thule. Oh I have picking up objects from floor cost half move, same aa standing up. In some games I have opportunity attacks for standing up, drawing a bow, whatever seems reasonable.
Garthanos
Arcadian Knight
I have loved the players make all the rolls option since I first seen it in 3e Unearthed Arcana.
I am wanting skill stunts which spend a HD to make a skillful action over the top and reliable ... for a price. In other words I want the mechanic to actually justify its use.
But I love a lot of your thoughts on this.
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I often will make tweaks to support the feel for a specific setting.
Taking out those setting specific, these are the general changes I was planning for next campaign:
Rest variant (DMG) - short rests are overnight, long rests are a week. With the caveat that you can occasionally get a long rest sooner - for example at a sanctuary like Elrond's Last Homely Home where you are completely safe and well treated (food, care, etc.) This is to allow me more control over encounter pacing without having to put in artificial time limits on everything, in a non-dungeon crawl type of game.
Variant abilities with skills (PHB) - Sometimes you mix and match skills and ability scores.
Point-buy for ability scores. I am opting in to Feats and Multiclassing (technically that's a variant), but not to the variant Human. (Yes, I do consider the base human to be viable in a point buy game.)
Advancement to level 3 will be very rapid, to level 5 will be somewhat rapid.
Don't bother to track common consumables (food, arrows, torches) unless I tell you it's a plot point (like trapped on a desert isle or something).
Players give out inspiration to other players. Because I trust my table.
Every d20 roll the players should know about, I roll in front of them. I use average damage for non-boss monsters.
Not a variant, just a direction - roll only if there's doubt of the outcome. I have played with DMs who force rolls for everything, and the fear of repercussions due to failure send people into passivity. If you need to roll a DC 5 to climb the ladder with a chance of falling damage, many will think twice about climbing the ladder if they don't need to because why risk a chance up to 25% (with 8 STR) to take damage. I assume competence, especially under stress-free situations.
Also not a variant, but ones I see many DMs not doing - I use group checks where appropriate, like in the PHB.
Taking out those setting specific, these are the general changes I was planning for next campaign:
Rest variant (DMG) - short rests are overnight, long rests are a week. With the caveat that you can occasionally get a long rest sooner - for example at a sanctuary like Elrond's Last Homely Home where you are completely safe and well treated (food, care, etc.) This is to allow me more control over encounter pacing without having to put in artificial time limits on everything, in a non-dungeon crawl type of game.
Variant abilities with skills (PHB) - Sometimes you mix and match skills and ability scores.
Point-buy for ability scores. I am opting in to Feats and Multiclassing (technically that's a variant), but not to the variant Human. (Yes, I do consider the base human to be viable in a point buy game.)
Advancement to level 3 will be very rapid, to level 5 will be somewhat rapid.
Don't bother to track common consumables (food, arrows, torches) unless I tell you it's a plot point (like trapped on a desert isle or something).
Players give out inspiration to other players. Because I trust my table.
Every d20 roll the players should know about, I roll in front of them. I use average damage for non-boss monsters.
Not a variant, just a direction - roll only if there's doubt of the outcome. I have played with DMs who force rolls for everything, and the fear of repercussions due to failure send people into passivity. If you need to roll a DC 5 to climb the ladder with a chance of falling damage, many will think twice about climbing the ladder if they don't need to because why risk a chance up to 25% (with 8 STR) to take damage. I assume competence, especially under stress-free situations.
Also not a variant, but ones I see many DMs not doing - I use group checks where appropriate, like in the PHB.
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