D&D General what is the worst homebrew you have seen?

[RealAlHazred]

I'm curious how other people would rule

"You successfully Detonate the orc's boot, right when he was charging!" roll dice behind the screen, ignore them "The orc is shocked as he suddenly rockets thirty feet in the air in mid-stride!" roll more dice behind the screen, look at them with a baffled expression no matter what they say, vocalize Huh! "You see the expression on the orc's face change from bafflement to evil, maniacal glee, as he changes his grip on his greataxe to a full overhand swing! He descends, off-balance but full of bloody-minded violence!" pick up my largest d20 and roll it behind the screen, when if stops nudge it as I'm lifting my screen so it says 20 when everyone can see it "Wow! He critical hits as he lands on his axehead! That's an additional 6d6 for the extra thirty feet fallen!" roll damage out in the open "So, that's XX points of damage! And he critted -- let me check the chart!" roll critical hit out in the open, because at this point it's just pity "Hmmm... 'Stumble over an unseen imaginary deceased turtle. You lose 2 rounds of offensive action but can still parry.' Tough break. Oh, and the orc lands prone and takes 6d6 falling damage as well. Who's up next?"

Yes, I know that result is actually a fumble result, not a critical hit. But it's really funny, and serves for my example.

 

[Zardnaar]

Not sure if this counts but some local edgelords using desktop publishing and the university printing made their own rpg 2004-8.

Not sure what it did how it worked the interior design was a hot mess (edgelords).

Not sure if it was a parody or not but one of the options was a Catholic priest who could aquire children.

So yeah. Think they were selling it for around $5 which was the printing cost. Sold 1-2 copies local flgs probably to one of their friends.

Print run was something like a dozen copies it was the size of one of the old 2E Complete XYZ books.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Not sure if this counts but some local edgelords using desktop publishing and the university printing made their own rpg 2004-8.

Not sure what it did how it worked the interior design was a hot mess (edgelords).

Not sure if it was a parody or not but one of the options was a Catholic priest who could aquire children.

So yeah. Think they were selling it for around $5 which was the printing cost. Sold 1-2 copies local flgs probably to one of their friends.

Print run was something like a dozen copies it was the size of one of the old 2E Complete XYZ books.

So much of this lines up with the Book of Vile Darkness; edgelords, design was a mess, guy who acquires children to make an edgy joke... I'm not sure if the post itself it not just a clever parody itself.

 

[Zardnaar]

So much of this lines up with the Book of Vile Darkness; edgelords, design was a mess, guy who acquires children to make an edgy joke... I'm not sure if the post itself it not just a clever parody itself.

Book of Vile Darkness was a high class product comparatively. I don't think the BoVD is good but I seem to like it marginally more than internet scuttlebutt (reread it 6 months ago).

 

[James Gasik]

Convoluted descriptions and the duplication of existing D&D spells as things that aren't spells have ever been amongst the reasons I hated psionics before 5e finally said "no, they're spells and we're going to use the system we've got in place."

Yeah, while a neat concept, psionics really suffers in that almost anything you'd want such powers to do has been done by magic first, making it an exercise in reinventing the wheel. And this is from someone who actually likes psionics being part of D&D.

 

[cbwjm]

One of the things I really like about psionics is that it breaks away from the standard spellcasting system to create something new. It's also why I wasn't a huge fan of the 3e version of psionics since they just gave everything a "spell" level and made it a spell point magic system.

 

[CleverNickName]

There are a number of ways to do Psionics in 5E, but my favorites are:

Spoiler: Favorite: UA #32

Unearthed Arcana #32, "The Mystic," is all the psionics I could ever want in 5e. Even in its unpolished playtest form, it's better than most psionics I've seen published or house-ruled elsewhere.

Spoiler: Second-favorite: Tasha's

Some folks don't allow Unearthed Arcana materials at their tables. And hey, fair enough...it's definitely not for everyone. If that's the case, the Custom Origin rules (Tasha's) + Aberrant Mind sorcerer (Tasha's) + Spell Points rule (DMG) work pretty well.

Spoiler: Third-favorite: Core Only

If your DM doesn't allow any non-core material, go with a Divination or Transmutation wizard. Ask to use the Spell Points variant, but it's not a deal-breaker if the DM won't allow it. The most important part is to never use the words "spell" or "magic," always say "powers" and "psionics" instead. Get an Orb for your arcane focus, but always call it a "psi crystal." And so forth.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

There are a number of ways to do Psionics in 5E, but my favorites are:

Spoiler: Favorite: UA #32

Unearthed Arcana #32, "The Mystic," is all the psionics I could ever want in 5e. Even in its unpolished playtest form, it's better than most psionics I've seen published or house-ruled elsewhere.

Spoiler: Second-favorite: Tasha's

Some folks don't allow Unearthed Arcana materials at their tables. And hey, fair enough...it's definitely not for everyone. If that's the case, the Custom Origin rules (Tasha's) + Aberrant Mind sorcerer (Tasha's) + Spell Points rule (DMG) work pretty well.

Spoiler: Third-favorite: Core Only

If your DM doesn't allow any non-core material, go with a Divination or Transmutation wizard. Ask to use the Spell Points variant, but it's not a deal-breaker if the DM won't allow it. The most important part is to never use the words "spell" or "magic," always say "powers" and "psionics" instead. Get an Orb for your arcane focus, but always call it a "psi crystal." And so forth.

No enchanter wizard or knowledge cleric? They are like my go-to wannabe psions if we go with PHB only!

But yeah, a trimmed down Mystic is spot on for any basic psionic needs as far as I'm concerned.