Level Up (A5E) What A5E rules do you intend to import into an existing 5E campaign?

[Satirical Bard]

I am part-way through an O5E campaign (Red Hand of Doom, loving it!) at the moment, so I'm not in a position to just start a fully A5E game. As such, as I'm reading through the books, I'm thinking about what new rules and options I can easily import into an O5E campaign - ie. without requiring consequential changes. I'm also restricted by the fact our players are all using D&D Beyond character sheets, and we're playing online.

This is what I have so far:

• MM monster substition is obvious and easy
• Journey rules in the more wilderness-y areas will definitely get a test run, perhaps with some reworking of the outlander background into the equivalent of an exploration knack (supply won't be an issue though as the journey times aren't long)
• Combat options like Press the Attack and Sprint should be straightforward to add (we don't have a barbarian, so no toes stepped on with PTA). We're already using the optional tactics like tumble, overrun and +2 flanking, or I'd add them to this list
• The nerfs/fixes to OP higher level spells the PCs haven't got yet (like banishment, wall of force, etc) seem easy to add without any other considerations, and can be easily added as homebrew spells to Dnd Beyond
• Interesting new magic items and spells can be added pretty straightforwardly
• Then if a PC dies, I will likely offer the option of an A5E origin and/or class, although that will be MUCH harder to implement on Dnd Beyond, and I'll need to wind back to regular expertise somehow.

Any other things you suggest, noting these constraints?

What are you most looking forward to adding to your existing O5E campagn?

 

[Legendweaver]

Best incremental rule to add:
- A character takes a level of exhaustion when dropped to 0 hp

...also, I like the prestige check a lot, and different types of initiative rolls!

 

[Satirical Bard]

Best incremental rule to add:
- A character takes a level of exhaustion when dropped to 0 hp

That's already in my house rule list

 

[CubeB]

I'm running Zeitgeist 5e, but so far I've implented Destinies and the Magic Item list. If there are updated versions of creatures in the MM or the eventual Zeitgeist handbook, I might pull those out as well.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I plan on using the monsters right away!

 

[Rant]

At this point, my group is leaning towards “nothing” from the new game’s PHB or DMG equivalent, but 100% on the MM replacement.

 

[TheHand]

I run 2 campaigns. One of them we'll be incorporating most of the new mechanics from Levelup. In my other group, the players prefer the more traditional game, but I'll probably be sneaking in Levelup monsters and maybe a journey or two.

 

[Larnievc]

I've let my players retool their characters if they like but one doesn't want to and that's fine (they are a champion and don't like crunch).

 

[jadxq]

Definitely incorporating the monsters and certain spell changes immediately. Since I'm running two games now, I want to wait until I start up a new game before putting too many A5e player options before the group. I don't allow multiclassing or feats in my game (got tired of broken builds and OP feats), so I doubt I would use chapter 5 from the Adventurer's Guide--but I will consider giving the feats a go.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Monsters and the journey system for certain. After that, it depends on whether or not I can convince my players to let me run a full A5e game

 

[This Effin’ GM]

One point to make: level 1 Fatigue is not nearly as strong as level 1 Exhaustion. Be careful with that one (unless you are replacing exhaustion w A5E fatigue, then be sure to add in the Sprint action)

 

[Morrus]

One point to make: level 1 Fatigue is not nearly as strong as level 1 Exhaustion. Be careful with that one (unless you are replacing exhaustion w A5E fatigue, then be sure to add in the Sprint action)

The first level is kind of a warning shot.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

Yup (and I love it)

 

[This Effin’ GM]

One point to make: level 1 Fatigue is not nearly as strong as level 1 Exhaustion. Be careful with that one (unless you are replacing exhaustion w A5E fatigue, then be sure to add in the Sprint action)

I should have clarified this comment. This is directed towards anyone who wants to change falling below 0 in O5e to be more in line with A5e

 

[Satirical Bard]

I should have clarified this comment. This is directed towards anyone who wants to change falling below 0 in O5e to be more in line with A5e

That's already a popular house rule in o5e, even with the stronger impacts of exhaustion ralative to fatigue.

I'm trying it for the first time in my RHOD campaign and it's working well. People actually try to avoid dropping to 0hp!

 

[Rune]

Assuming the following does not require too much effort on my part to integrate (that is, requiring subsystems or rules replacements that I won’t be implementing):

• Monsters for sure. Already ran a party of 3 level 8s against an adult white dragon. Went well. Much more difficult than the last time (when they were 6th level. (I use a pretty robust luck mitigation houserule; they can handle difficult encounters.)

• Journeys, I hope. This is a travel-focused points-of-light campaign. On that note, any advice from folk on increasing encounter density would be appreciated. The area they’ve spent most of the campaign (and will probably spend a fair amount in yet) is not extraordinarily big and therefore has fewer regions than, say, a Middle Earth. Fewer regions = fewer encounters, which is too few for a dangerous wilderness feel.

• Equipment, probably.

• Expanded basic combat options, possibly, if the players are into the added complexity.

• Fatigue and Strife, maybe.

• Some magic items on a case-by-case basis.

• Magic item crafting, probably.

• Wealth guidelines for starting characters, certainly. I have a player who gets bored and changes characters every few weeks/months.

• A5e characters aren’t even on the table until there’s a functioning character builder.

• Changes to fundamental combat mechanics (like gaining fatigue at 0 hp) won’t make the cut because they are fixes to problems that have never existed in my games in the first place.

• I won’t be adapting the skill or (ability check) expertise changes in this campaign, either, but I’m also not running them by the O5e-book. (I’m using a skill-less roll-under system that uses the proficiency bonus (or expanded bonus) as a window in which to achieve additional success of some sort, broadly determined by the successful player.

 

[noodohs]

We're kinda taking the opposite approach and moving the whole game to LU but with the option to more or less keep your existing race/class if you want (while still adding in some of the skill specialties and things so you don't feel too left out). Aside from the fact that everyone is pretty excited about the new customization options LU adds, I'm also hoping it's just going to make our lives easier from a VTT standpoint as the OGL nature of LU suggests to me that it will have much better Foundry integration that O5e currently has. Secondary related hope is that it will be easier to bring in a few things from O5e to LU rather than going the other way and trying to force it to work in D&D Beyond or wherever. So we wind up with a game that can play basically the same, but with the option to port in things from either system without a huge hassle (hopefully).

 

[Sceadugenga]

My group is early into Wotc's Rime of the Frostmaiden, and we are converting wholesale.

Initially:
-My druid and barbarian are switching to their A5E counterparts
-Regions, exploration challenges and Boons/Discoveries are making it MUCH easier to mechanically flesh out a tundra and bring it to life, so I've spent most of my work in these areas
-Equipment, materials, crafting, and items, mundane and magical

 

[Stone Dog]

I'd be tempted by Rime of the Frostmaiden, but my last big game was Reign of Winter.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I've let my players retool their characters if they like but one doesn't want to and that's fine (they are a champion and don't like crunch).

There's a simple mechanic from Level Up that I think could totally fix Remarkable Athlete. Instead of that half proficiency bonus thing, just say that you get an expertise die on all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks, regardless of whether or not you're proficient. That way the function of the ability actually follows the fluff.