D&D 5E What's in YOUR house rule document/collection?

[hejtmane]

My House rules

Auto fail on 1 (with critical fail) yea the old fumbles and Auto hit on 20 you always have a 5% chance to fail or succeed on a hit (ye sold school and the young guys love it)

If you want to use a UA material we will talk and may modify a few things but I will allow it with some caveats we may change things if needed since we are in play test phase. The players have been fine with this no one has wanted anything UA until recently but we have one that has talked about a story line he wants to pursue for his character (Right now a Genasi Warlock) which may become a warforged; I think I am going to allow it because it will fit nicely into the custom campaign and let the players drive some of the narrative. It is a really while thought out concept by the player so should be interesting.

Initiative: I use the Popcorn method and if we roll for player vs monster no bonus straight roll we had a lot more fun than the old school initiative and it does not make Dex more powerful than str.

With Volo's guide not allowing the monsters race in the current campaign because they are a lot of the monsters I am using as the current enemy; I mean if they want to present their case I will probably allow it but make sure to understand the risk in the storyline. (I am a sucker for a good back story though)

I do custom magic items and remove +tohit from all magic items.

Thats the big stuff

 

[the Jester]

House rules, or custom content? I differentiate- I have about 400 pages of converted monsters, but wouldn't consider them house rules. Oh, and I guess my radiation rules count.

Oh! I almost forgot wear points, which are actually written up at various points where there are item-destroying creatures, spells, etc in my game. My wear point system replaces the clunky rust monster damage system and other, similar effects.

For house rules- my colorful critical hit system and my fumble system are about all that is explicitly written up.

For custom content- c. 400 pages of monsters, 400 pages of magic items, a couple hundred pages of spells (all mostly conversions, with some homebrewery mixed in). I'm actually printing out my 75 page custom subclass document for a friend for Christmas.

 

[Greg K]

Due to a back injury, I just now got around to adding links to my initial post. I also added the following:

Fighter Subclass: Brawler by Khaalis
Fighter Subclass: Thug by Minigiant
Rogue Subclass: Brute by Minigiant
Warlock Pact: Ghost Pact by Farland

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

House rules for Hemlock's campaign

House rules for my campaign

Simple changes

1.) On ability checks only, an odd score gives an extra +1. So Str 19 means you have +4 to Strength-based attacks and saves, but +5 to Strength checks.

2.) You can use both your move and your action in a Readied action, and can maintain a readied action from round to round.

3.) Champions: Improved Critical lets you auto-crit on natural 17-20, Superior Critical lets you auto-crit on 13-20, and Remarkable Athlete stacks with proficiency. So a Str 18 Champion 9 would have +4+4+2=+10 to Strength (Athletics) checks, not just +8.

4.) Everyone uses spell points instead of spell slots. A player can opt for DMG spell points or use the rules here: http://bluishcertainty.blogspot.com/2016/12/spell-points-by-formula-5e-variant-rule.html. Must decide when spellcasting is first learned; cannot change.

5.) An attacker unseen by his target has advantage only on melee attack rolls, not ranged attack rolls; however, he does qualify for sneak attack damage at range despite not having advantage if he is unseen.

6.) Anyone with any weapon can attack vital areas at -5 to-hit for +5 to damage. GWM and Sharpshooter feats merely increase the bonus when you are using those weapons.

Complex changes

7.) Open-ended d20 rolls. Since skill checks and saves, unlike attack rolls, don't auto-succeed on a 20 or auto-fail on a 1, but I always want there to be some chance of failure, on a 20 you re-roll at +10 and take the highest roll. Roll again at +20 if you roll another 20, etc. If you roll a 1, re-roll at -10 and take the lowest. If it's obvious that you've already failed or succeeded you can of course stop rolling already.

8.) Different initiative variant which makes complex plans easier to execute for those with higher intelligence. Declare actions in Int order (descending), resolve all turns concurrently but use initiative contests to resolve order of actions when necessary. Alert gives bonuses to both declaration and resolution. Delay action is possible; Dodge and Maintain Readied Action always win initiative. Feints are possible with Deception vs. Insight contest. Ask DM for details (or consult brief writeup here http://bluishcertainty.blogspot.com/2017/01/simultaneous-initiative-in-5e.html).

9.) Magic Resistance and Legendary Resistance works differently--requires a reaction and can dispel a spell it's affected by, regardless of whether or not it has a save. Details here: http://bluishcertainty.blogspot.com/2016/03/5e-magic-resistance-variant-rule.html

 

[Viking Bastard]

For house rules- my colorful critical hit system and my fumble system are about all that is explicitly written up.

Do you mayhaps have that lying around somewhere in a sharable form?

 

[77IM]

Here is my current list, winnowed down from a vast document of potential house-rules that wound up being useless in play. (Most of those potential house-rules got neatly subsumed into my "breaking the rules" rule.)

INSPIRATION
You can get Inspiration multiple times. Each is represented by an Inspiration die (a tiny little d6). After making an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can spend an Inspiration die to roll the tiny d6 and add it to the results as a bonus. They stack if you want to use more than one; feel free to blow your wad on a single check. This replaces the normal rules for Inspiration.

BREAKING THE RULES
If your character wants to do something that is "forbidden" by the rules, I might let you try it, with an ability check. On a success, you can do it, but on a failure, there’s some kind of consequence.

Examples of "forbidden" things: taking an extra action; moving further than your speed; concentrating on two spells at once; using a class ability that’s already used up for the day; casting a spell with different parameters than usual; using a magic item you ordinarily can’t use; speaking a language you don't know; etc.

CRITICAL RESULTS
If you roll a natural 20 on an ability check, you get an extra benefit of the DM’s choosing. As a guideline, the character completes the task perfectly and gets the maximum desired result in the minimum time and cost. If your proficiency bonus applies to the check, then you get this extra benefit if you roll a natural 19-20.

KNOCKING A CREATURE OUT
If you are using a slashing or piercing weapon, you must declare your intent to knock out before you attack, and if you roll a natural 20, the damage is lethal.

EQUIPMENT QUALITY
Poor-quality items are patched together, falling apart, corroded, or just shoddily made. They also look crummy and may smell bad, which could impact how others react to you. Gear looted from monsters is usually poor-quality, and most merchants won’t buy such items except as scrap. Poor-quality items have vulnerability to all damage.

Fine-quality items are sturdy and well-made. They also look stylish and elegant, as befitting a person of wealth or high station. Magic items are almost always fine-quality. Fine-quality items may be bought and sold for twice as much as a normal-quality item, but are usually only available in cities and large towns. Fine-quality items have resistance to all damage.

 

[pming]

Hiya!

Not many for me...

Healing in Morning Everyone heals a 'free' number of HD equal to half of their level, rounding up (e.g., 5th level mage heals 3D6 after a good, safe, comfortable nights sleep).

Material Components If the character actually makes the effort to acquier the 'real' components, his spell is going to be better (a DM/Player on-the-spot adjudication; typically longer range/area of effect, at least average rolls for any dice roll related to that spell, etc).

XP for Gold I give typically no more than 1/2 amount listed for monsters...frequently only 1/4. But everyone in the group gets an equal share of the GP haul, on a 1:1 basis, that they recover. (I find it removes or significantly reduces the player's subconscious...or conscious...desire to 'kill everything that moves').

Maybe a "half-house rule"...we don't use any of the "OPTIONS" listed in the books/online/wherever, typically. I can't think of one we do use, actually. With everyone 'assuming' feats and multiclassing all the time on these boards, I think *not* using them may qualify as a house rule...lol!

EDIT: I thought of one more, but it's so minor I forgot. We use d12 in place of d20 for Initiative. Gives more weight to higher bonuses or penalties.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[the Jester]

Do you mayhaps have that lying around somewhere in a sharable form?

At least the critical hits system, yes!

Colorful Critical hits in Cydra

Whenever a creature suffers a critical hit in Cydra, check the severity on the following table. This adds both color and deadliness to critical hits and helps scar characters up, leaving them with interesting stories to tell. The severity check is based on how much damage the character took relative to his current hit points. (This is an important part of the colorful critical hit system- otherwise, characters with high hit point totals will never take crits above 1d12 severity.)

Major Wound (less than half current hp): Roll 1d20.
Grievous Wound (over ½ hp, still above 0): Roll 1d20 + 1d10.
Incapacitating Wound (0 or less, still alive): Roll 3d12 + 6.
Lethal Wound (dead): Roll 2d10 + 28.

Severity --- Critical Effect
1 --- Impressive blow (target takes -2 to hit targets other than you, DC 10 Wis save ends)
2 --- Staggering blow (move target 5')
3 --- Break nose (disadvantage to Perception when smell is involved)
4 --- Knock prone
5 --- Ears ringing (deafened 1 minute, DC 10 Con save to end)
6 --- Break 1d4 random digits (-1 to skill checks using that digit)
7 --- Head shot (can use an action or bonus action, not both, on next turn)
8 --- Break 1d6 ribs (-10' speed, can't Dash)
9 --- Knock out 1d4 teeth (-1 to checks involving looking pretty)
10 --- Lose an ear (-1 to Perception checks involving hearing)
11 --- Lose shield or off-hand weapon/item (lands 1d4 x 5' away from you; if a two-handed item is held, you must spend an action to regain your grip on it)
12 --- Forehead smash (can use an action or bonus action, not both; DC 10 Con save ends)
13 --- Break jaw/face (-2 to checks involving speech)
14 --- Armor or shield gains a wear point, take -1 AC (DC 10 Dex save ends)
15 --- Break appendage (half speed until end of next turn or -1 attacks with that appendage)
16 --- Blow to the ear (deafened in one ear; -2 Perception checks involving hearing)
17 --- Lose a digit (if toe, -1 to Acrobatics; if finger; -1 to Sleight of Hand)
18 --- Blood in eyes (blinded; an action to end; DC 12 Con save ends).
19 --- Break lower leg or ankle (reduced to half walking speed)
20 --- Break lower arm or collarbone (-2 to attacks with that arm; can't use shield)
21 --- Break sternum (can't Dash or Dodge, disadvantage on Con checks)
22 --- Nose chopped off (-4 to Diplomacy, +1 to Intimidate)
23 --- Break upper arm (unusable)
24 --- Break thigh (can't move until end of next turn, thereafter speed halved)
25 --- Eye put out (-2 to Perception checks involving sight)
26 --- Impaled (restrained- could be on weapon, terrain, etc. Takes an action and a DC 15 Con check to free itself. You can your free weapon as an action with a DC 10 Strength check.)
27 --- Digits chopped off (1d4+1) (if fingers, -2 to Thievery, if toes, -2 to Acrobatics)
28 --- Artery severed (take 1d10 damage at the start of each turn; DC 10 Medicine or DC 20 Con save ends)
29 --- Appendage chopped off (if foot, fall prone, can't stand until you make a DC 10 Acrobatics check; if hand, can't use)
30 --- Genitals destroyed (stunned until end of next turn)
31 --- Lower jaw shattered or torn off (stunned, DC 15 Con save ends; disadvantage on Bluff and Persuasion, +2 to Intimidation)
32 --- Gutted (speed reduced by 20'; every time you move make a DC 10 Acrobatics check or tangle your feet in your guts, falling prone and taking 2d6 damage)
33 --- Vocal cords ruined (can't speak or cast spells with verbal components)
34 --- Hamstrung (speed permanently reduced by 15')
35 --- Terrific blow (knocked unconscious, DC 13 Con save ends)
36 --- Limb chopped off (stunned until end of next turn; if leg, fall prone, can't stand until you make a DC 15 Acrobatics check; if arm, can't use)
37 --- Knockout blow (knocked unconscious for 1d4 hours; DC 15 Medicine check will wake)
38 --- Brain damage (disadvantage on either Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma checks)
39 --- Eyes put out (blinded)
40 --- Rendered comatose (permanently unconscious; a creature trained in Medicine can end with a day's care and a DC 20 Medicine check)
41 --- Spine shattered (paralyzed, roll 1d6: 1- total; 2- neck down; 3- waist down; 4- left side; 5- right side; 6- random limb only
42 --- Throat slit (take 2d10 damage at the start of each turn; DC 10 Medicine or DC 20 Con save ends)
43 --- Heart destroyed (if you can survive, speed reduced by half, disadvantage on Str and Con attacks, saves and checks)
44 --- Brain destroyed (disadvantage on all Int, Wis and Cha attacks, checks and saves)
45 --- Decapitated (blinded and deafened; stunned, DC 20 Con save ends)
46 --- Unseamed from nave to crotch (incapacitated and unable to move, DC 20 Con save ends)
47 --- Head pulped (blinded and deafened; stunned, DC 20 Con save ends; hard to find all the bits)
48 --- Cut in twain (incapacitated and unable to move)
49 --- Cut in thirds (incapacitated and unable to move)
50 --- Utterly dismembered (incapacitated and unable to move; take 3d10 damage at the start of each turn, DC 20 Con save ends)
51 --- Entire body explodes (incapacitated and unable to move; take 6d10 damage at the start of each turn, DC 20 Con save ends)

 

[MagicSN]

- Saving Throws of Enemies will be rolled by the players (with DC-12, they work into the
"other direction", mathematically this results in the same)
- Only Players: Deal +50% Dmg on a Crit Spell, Players+Enemies: No Damage at all on a
natural 20 on a Save
- Shield Spell: Only works on the attack where it is used
- Concentration: A new feat exists, giving +1 Wis/Int/Cha. Allows for a second
concentration spell but while using this DC is 15 min. then, not 10.
- Tunnel Fighter: Usage only 1x per round, but with Bonus Dmg equal to level and
reduces movement to 0 ft. Does not stack with Sentinel.
- Beastmaster Ranger: Lvl 5 Feature does not stack with Extra Attack from Multiclass
with Fighter/Barbarian/etc.
- Attunement: All magic items need attunement (asides from pure-"plus" armor/weapons),
but you can attune 5.
- Skills: SOme of the weaker skills (Performance, Religion,...) are put together to other
Skills (History+Religion+Medicine = Knowledge, for example), it is sometimes - if the
situation fits - possible to roll on a different ability with skills than the default
one, and backgrounds only give 1 skill (but choosable from any)
- Monkweapon: If fighting with a magic weapon the bonus of this weapon can also be
applied to unarmed attacks, assuming he uses monk dice for all attacks
- Suggestion: Not working in combat
- Sharpshooter/GWM: -5/+10 Only 1x/Round
- Frenzy Barbarian: No exhaust. But costs 2 Rage to get into rage with Frenzy instead of 1.
- Attributes from Races: one "plus" can be put to a different Ability
- Banishment: Save per round
- Potions: Need no concentration
- Smite: Only 1 Smite per round, Caster-smites need no concentration, count also as smites
for this rule, though
- Skillfeature of Rogue: Instead of all rolls of 9 or lower being raised, the rogue gets
advantage. This advantage can in case of 2 reasons for disadv. get into a disadv.
- Multiclass: More than 2 Classes only on special permission
- Critical Death Saves: Natural 1 is only a normal failure
- Armor Magic Items Boni: Not additive, only from one source
- Prone: When getting up, next round Disadv. on all attacks
- Stat-Raising items like Ogre strength/Giant belt: Fixed Stat Bonus (+2..+5 depending on
item)
- Lots of houserule magic items (including also "Mana Potion", returning spell 2d4+2 spellpoints
- we use the optional spellpoint rule)
- some of our GMs crits/crit failures for skill rolls
- "Fail Forward" system from Dungeonworld on Skill Rolls(for example "I check how many enemy guards there are" - Success, the character knows the
initially planned number of guards, Crit - some of them go away for some reason, Crit Failure
"oh, a new contingency of Guards just arrived"). We had major NPCs dying or getting terminal
illnesses or whole castles being razed due to a Player rolling 1 ;-) Sometimes it leads players
to comments like "The duke's fate is in the hand of your dice now... don't roll below 5 - below
5 with skill/ability modifier included also gives pretty bad results...)

 

[steeldragons]

My "Unearthed Arcana" is, essentially, my Houserule manual for the World of Orea campaign setting.

Basic character creation stuff:
Stats are rolled 4d6, drop lowest. Arrange to taste.
Starting HP are HDmax + Con. Roll HD + Con. each level after.
No evil PCs. We're trying to be/become heroes.

Races:

• Humans: 6 playable variations. +3 (thus far) more NPC options-
• Elves: PCs can be High Elves, Wood Elves, and the Orean equivalent of ""Valley Elves."
• Dwarves, hairfooted halflings, gnomes, half-elves, half-orcs as normal.
• Add Centaurs, Satyrs, Sprites, Lizardmen, Zephari (avian/winged humanoids), Jerali (felinoids, more Thundercats than Tabaxi)
• Drow are not permitted for PCs.
• Tieflings & Dragonborn do not exist in the world.

Classes:

• Barbarians are a race of human and a class with various abilities and specialities dependent on choice of clan[totem].
• Mages [not "wizards"] gain spontaneous casting as they level up. Also General Mages are the norm, with specialist mages broken into "Schools" of varying popularity/size of "order," magical resources, and political power.
• Paladins must be Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral. They are bound to deities, "chosen" warriors of the few Lawful deities who [are capable of] empower paladins including the King of the Gods/civilization/light/the forces of Good, the god of Battleskill/guardianship, and the goddess of Truth/justice/wisdom.
• Druids belong to a single continent-wide hierarchical organization. Even PCs subject to superiors, laws/rules of the order, granted missions (or orders of non-interference), and otherwise carefully monitored by agents (friend and foe) of the organization as they advance in level/power. They are and must remain true Neutral.
• Fighters, thieves, rangers, clerics, druids, monks, bards as normal.
• Plus: Knight, Acrobat, Psychic, Witch, numerous [mostly religious orders] speciality Cleric sub-classes (mostly NPCs but available to PC clerics as appropriate).
• No Sorcerers. No PC Warlocks.

General Play:

• No overnight healing. A night's sleep restores 1 + Con. mod. You do not gain this benefit with any levels of exhaustion. Multiple days of complete rest restore cumulative HPs + Con. mod (second night: 2 + Con, third night: 3 + Con., etc...) until maxed. Levels of exhaustion and/or ability damage are restored at a rate of 1 per full day's rest.
• Initiative: d6 per side. Players roll one die for base for all players (normally taking turns each round). Then add Dex. and other relevant modifiers, to establish an order. DM rolls for their side, adds highest modifier/gets best individual initiative applies for whole side. If DM is highest all monsters go first, then PCs' side in their order. If PCs win, PCs go in order, then all DM side. Rinse, repeat each round.
• The "cosmic forces" of Good, Evil, Law and Chaos (and insofar as "it" cares/acts, Neutrality) exist and they, thus your Alignment, matter. Alignment will be noticed, tracked, and can/will change as deliberate or repeated behaviors warrant. If this involves a shift in abilities or loss of class (such as for Druid or Paladin), then it will. It is up to the player to roleplay their PC appropriately to reclaim their original alignment, such as seeking out a profound atonement or enlightened breakthrough, if desired.
• Natural 1 is auto-"critical"-fail, regardless of modifiers. Natural 20 is auto-success and double damage (including all relevant full mod's) on an attack roll. Critical fumble and hit charts exist. Group choice at start of session whether they will be used or not.
• Internal consistency of the world and situation [the "common sense" that applies to the situation in the fiction] will supersede "but the rules say..." every time.

That's all that's really coming to mind right now. There's loads of other world/setting-specific details. But I guess they don't really count as "houserules."