D&D 5E What are your favorite/non-favorite house rules?

[Nebulous]

Last summer I put together a big Word doc of house rules I wanted to tinker with. I didn't end up using most of them, but one was wands that don't recharge, they have set charges like in old D&D and are used up when done. I also wanted to rework Perception but haven't done that yet.

 

[Bitbrain]

Reply to OP.

Max hitpoints for levels 1 to 4.

 

[Laurefindel]

I’m a big rule-tinkerer and I surprise myself playing very close to RAW.

I use my own encumbrance system in my games which comes down to:

Character can carry a burden equal to STR score, or twice as much while encumbered. Significant items have a load, counting against the character’a burden.

1-handed weapon/item/bundle/light armour = 1 load.
2-handed weapon/item/bundle/medium armour = 2 load.
Big/cumbersome item/bundle/heavy armour = 3 load.

Small items have negligible load. Very large items cannot be carried over long distances or during combat, as common sense dictates.

 

[tetrasodium]

What are some of your favorite house rules?

Alternatively, what are some house rules you detest the most?

Here are a few I use.

• Use the Coleville method for rolling stats, everyone gets nice stats& the interesting flavor of unpredictable arrays forcing people out of their comfort zone rather than yet another $trope almost the same as the last three they ran.
• Rather than the default languages, use the eberron reflavoring. Previously that was this, but rising has a pretty good spin on it& I don't see a need to overhaul my current campaign for that alone yet. The next campaign I'll have to decide which to use
• Public education is a thing, magic is a science... everyone is capable of learning their int mod number of cantrips, these use int for their stat when relevant. This assumes they can do something r find someone to teach it to them, it's not just a matter of picking from the list at level 1.
• Max hitpoints+con at level 1. fter than roll+con but any roll less than your strength mod is strength mod+con.
• I use a bunch of things from an extended 5e ruleset called darker dungeons. From that I pull
  • An equipment decay/wear & tear system I will probably adjust to make more pronounced in a future campaign
  • Ammunition dice get used for magical ammunition. Instead of a stack with # +1 arrows (or whatever), there is a stack of them with an ammunition die (ie a d6). Every time one is used you roll the ammunition die & if you get a 1 then the ammunition die drops a notch(ie d8>d6>d4>1>all used up)
  • Potion flasks are a thing. Think of them like a healing potion tied to an ammunition die. It results in having a safety net as well as the uncertainty of not being 100% sure of your limits
  • Using your own potion/flask is a bonus action. feeding a potion to someone else is an action.
  • Healing potions heal 2hd+2 not 2d4+2. This results in shifting potions from "I'm only mostly dead I'll wait till after the fight" into "drink early, drink often". It also makes having a larger hit die more attractive & ensures healing potions are proportionally (in)effective for everyone to a similar degree.
  • Eldritch blast is a level 1 warlock class feature not a cantrip, as such it does not count against warlock cantrips known & more importantly scales based on warlock level rather than class level. I use milestones and advancement by training levels using downtime.
• "Here is a black sharpy/permanent magic marker, black out the alignment box on your sheet because you are playing a mortal with free will & the ability to choose their own actions.
• I know there are a bunch I'm forgetting

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I have got some house rules:

Added new abilities scores.

• Courage (bravery against fear)
• Acuity (perception and astuteness, noticing about little details as clues for an investigation, and social manipulation, fast mind to improvise).
• Spirit (defense against supernatural attacks, luck, karma, fate, guardian angel, divine blessing, but also faith for a cause, hope).

Alignment and allegiance together, and even a character with two opposite, for example a zealot would be evil align with good alleg and a sheriff who breaks the rules to defend the law and order would be chao align with law alleg. Power with align key can hurt enemies with same align but different allegiance (usually religion) for example an orc shaman vs a drow cleric.

A mental health or sanity system as Unknown Armies, with pillars: violence, loneliness, helplessness, reality and remorse.

 

[Quartz]

What are some of your favorite house rules?

Hit points. Instead of using average hit points plus or minus, I prepfer naximum minus a number. Or, insteadd of AVG (HD) + N, I use MAX (HD) - N. If N is 2, the Barbarian gets 10 HP per level and the Wizard 4; if N is 4, the numbers are 8 and 2 (for that 1E feel). Plus Con bonus, of course.

 

[Draegn]

House rules we use:

Hit points are constitution x10 at first level. This is all a character has unless choosing a "feat" when gaining a level. Choosing this particular "feat" means not having other "feats" which may be more desirable later on.

Negative hit points, equal to your constitution score allows you to crawl drag yourself away to find or use healing. You cannot engage in combat or cast spells unless you have a specific background that allows you to do so. For those with the background it is a choice or gamble depending upon point of view.

 

[bedir than]

XP for any victory over monsters (death, surrender, turning them to your side, etc).
Social and exploration gates grant XP per an average encounter at the level.
I keep saying I want a free racial or half Feat at 1st level, but my inexperienced players aren't interested.
Point buy or Redrick Roller (I use this for 100% of my characters).

 

[Maxperson]

House rules we use:

Hit points are constitution x10 at first level. This is all a character has unless choosing a "feat" when gaining a level. Choosing this particular "feat" means not having other "feats" which may be more desirable later on.

Negative hit points, equal to your constitution score allows you to crawl drag yourself away to find or use healing. You cannot engage in combat or cast spells unless you have a specific background that allows you to do so. For those with the background it is a choice or gamble depending upon point of view.

So if I have a 15 con, I would start with 150 hit points at first level?

 

[Charlaquin]

I think my favorite house rule is the target of any PvP action gets to adjudicate the action.

I’m also a big fan of the skills with different abilities variant rule, but I wouldn’t consider that a house rule.

Least favorite is hard to pick, I’ve seen some real stinkers. I’ll probably jump aboard the “critical hit/fumble tables” bandwagon though.