Homebrew Rules and Rulings

The core mechanics of 5e are solid, but I greatly enjoy breaking 5e in a lot of small ways as ways to keep things interesting as you become more comfortable with the rules. The vast majority of my homebrewing is done in the form of custom magic items, but this document details the rule changes I run with.

Terminology #

• RAW: Rules as Written
• RAI: Rules as Intended
• Attack: Single swing of a weapon, not to be confused with an Attack Action, which sometimes has multiple individual attacks.

Table of Contents #

• Table of Contents
• Character Creation and Levelup
  • Ability Scores
    • Racial bonuses
  • Homebrew
  • Unearthed Arcana (Playtest)
  • Subclasses/Subraces from other Worlds
    • Echo Knight
• Contraditions to RAW
  • Critical Hits
  • Potions
  • Spell Scrolls
  • Race Changes
    • Dragonborn
• Augmentations to RAW
  • Spellcasting Versatility
  • True Ritual Casting
  • Unexpected Stops
  • Exhaustion
    • Going without sleep
    • Exhaustive Magic
• Extra Systems
  • Harvesting
    • Anatomy Check
    • Extraction Check
    • Part Worth
• Things I really don't care about
  • Hands
  • Bookkeeping
  • Sleeping in Armor

Character Creation and Levelup #

I take a largely relaxed approach to character building, if you feel like you're stuck playing a character who's ineffective or not fun, I'm totally ok with you mixing things up between sessions and we'll just handwave it away. Particularly with newer players, it's unfortunatly easy to fall into a character build you aren't happy with.

Ability Scores #

Standard Ability Score Array OR Standard Point Buy, both are already set up in DNDBeyond.

Racial bonuses #

...are dumb, change my mind.

Every race can assign a +2 and a +1 wherever they want (in different places obviously). If you want to play a race that this has problems with, holler at me and we'll work it out.

In D&D Beyond you'll need to use the "Other Modifier" field on the ability score screen to -2 and -1 the normal racial bonuses, and then +2 and +1 wherever you actually want them.

Homebrew #

I shy away from any homebrew races or classes/subclasses for the most part. In general the rules here are if it's available in the dndbeyond character creator without the "Homebrew" option checked I'm game.

Unearthed Arcana (Playtest) #

I'm game to use any playtest material but know that we might have to make some tweaks on the fly if it turns out to be broken in some way-shape-or-form.

Subclasses/Subraces from other Worlds #

I'm flexible. If you want to play a Dunamancy wizard in Fearun, talk to me and we'll make it make sense.

Echo Knight #

There's a lot of hub-bub about the Echo Knight's Manifest Echo ability being broken. I have a simple and intuitive fix:

You can only manifest an echo of yourself in a valid location that you can explain how you might have gotten there in an alternate version of reality.

Rationale #

You are manifesting an echo of yourself based on an alternate timeline where you have made different choices recently. If you cannot explain how you might be where you are manifesting your echo with that in mind, you cannot manifest the echo there.

Contraditions to RAW #

Critical Hits #

A Character can not do less than maximum normal damage on a Critical Strike.

Potions #

Pulling out a potion and drinking it yourself is a bonus action.

Tossing a potion from player to player is a 'free' object interaction and is fine as long as it's one of the two players' turns, or there aren't extenuating circumstances.

Force-feeding a potion is an action.

Force-feeding a potion on an unwilling target is a contested check similar to a grapple.

Spell Scrolls #

If you have an Arcana Proficiency you may attempt to cast a spell from a spell scroll.

Race Changes #

Dragonborn #

Dragonborn Breath Weapon is a Bonus Action

Augmentations to RAW #

Spellcasting Versatility #

I'll allow any spellcasting modification in the UA: Class Feature Variants. Here are the ones related to Spell Versatility:

On a Long Rest completion, these classes may replace one spell you know with another spell from your class list of the same level. This includes cantrips.

• Bard
• Ranger
• Sorcerer
• Warlock

On a Level up, these classes may replace one cantrip you know with another:

• Cleric
• Druid
• Wizard
• Any other Half-caster subclass.

True Ritual Casting #

Any spell that can be Ritual Cast that also has a material component with a gold cost can be done so without the spell prepared provided the caster can Ritual Cast spells and has access to that spell.

Unexpected Stops #

If an object or creature is subjected to an effect that would apply forced movement for some number of feet but they are stopped by a solid surface before that many feet can be moved, both things take 1d4 bludgeoning damage per 5ft the moving thing wasn't able to move.

If the moving object or creature is going to collide with another creature of the same size or smaller, that creature must make a DEX Save (DC 10) or both creatures will be prone. On a success the moving thing does not get stopped (the creature dodged out of the way).

Exhaustion #

RAW doesn't use exhaustion very much but it's a good idea that allows us to tinker with the concept of "over extending."

Going without sleep #

We'll be using a more forgiving tweak of the Optional Rules from Xanathar's Guide to Everything:

Whenever you end a 48-hour period without finishing a long rest, you must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.

It becomes harder to fight off exhaustion if you stay awake for multiple days. After the first 48 hours, the DC increases by 5 for each consecutive 24-hour period without a long rest. The DC resets to 10 when you finish a long rest.

Exhaustive Magic #

In dire circumstances, the time may come when you want to make magic flow more freely from your body. For each "magical resource" (class feature or spellcasting, ask if you're not sure) you spend where you would normally not be allowed to, make a constitution save against your spellcasting DC. If you succeed, the spell is cast. If you fail, the spell is not cast and the slot is lost. Either way, the caster gains one level of exhaustion.

Explanation: Some magical class features with resources attached (Arcane Shot) specify that they are only allowed to be used once per turn. Spellcasting falls into this bucket as well. This ruling allows multiple leveled spells to be attempted on one turn in dire straits.

Example #

Vista is close to death and within range of Cheya's Healing Word (Lv1) spell. She also wants to cast Entangle (Lv1) on this turn. RAW the rules about casting times state that she can not cast both of these spells on the same turn.

With Exhaustive Magic, Cheya can choose which spell to cast first for a garunteed cast, then attempt to extert herself to cast the second spell, gaining a point of exhaustion.

1. Cheya casts Healing Word, she doesn't want Vista to die.
2. Cheya tries to cast Entangle, make CON Save against her own Spell Save DC.
   1. Save is successful, Cheya casts entangle and gains a level of exhaustion.
   2. Save fails, Cheya burns a Level 1 spell slot and gains a level of exhaustion.

Extra Systems #

Harvesting #

Many monster parts are infused with the magics of the world and thus are valuable ingredients. Herbalists, alchemists, wizards, and many others are always in the market to buy such parts to use in their trades.

The harvest process is dangerous, difficult, slow, and gruesome. The useful properties of a monster's parts begin to break down as soon as it dies.

Two skill checks must be made to successfully harvest parts from a creature.

Anatomy Check #

The party must first make a knowledge check appropriate to they type of monster killed in order to determine how well they know the anatomy of the monster in question. This check must only be done once per monster and may not be repeated. DM's discretion if it's allowed to be repeated for multiple of the same monster.

Help can be offered on this check only if you are proficient in the required skill.

The DC for this check is 8 + the CR of the creature. A failure imposes disadvantage on the extraction check. A failure by 5 or more means the party cannot attempt extraction from this monster.

Extraction Check #

The party must then make a Medicine check to see how the extraction attempt goes. Help can only be offered on this check if you are proficient in the Medicine skill.

The harvester must declare what ingredient is going to be extracted before the roll is made. A failure on this check means the harvest fails. A failure by 5 or more destroys the attempted part, making it impossible to attempt to extract again.

Multiple Extractions #

One extraction check can yield several units of an ingredient (for ingredients where this is possible, i.e. blood). A "unit" is basically the minimum useful quantity of a part. A set of dragon-scale armor might require many units of scales, but a potion of fire resistance might only require 1 unit. The maximum number of units extractable per check is noted below.

It is also possible to attempt multiple extraction checks on a single creature depending on its size. These attempts can be used to attempt to extract the same part multiple times, or on different parts. When the max extractions have been attempted, the creature's body has been destroyed to the point where nothing else can be harvested.

What are we harvesting #

These rules generalize all useful pieces of a monster into three categories for ease of implementation.

Defensive #

Anything that a monster uses to defend itself falls into this category. This also covers the obvious parts of a creature that are not difficult to identify or harvest.

Examples: Hide, Chitin, Scales, Blood, Bones, Feathers.

Offensive #

Anything a monster uses to deal damage or move around falls into this category. These are obviously more dangerous to handle.

Examples: Venom, Acid, Claws, Wings, Tails.

Specialty #

Harvesting the organs of a creature is the most delicate (and sometimes dangerous) operation. Many creatures have a special organ unique to them that allows them some unique ability and these are highly sought after.

Examples: Heart, Brain, Eyes, Breath Gland.

Part Worth #

The worth of a monster's parts is determined entirely by the Magic Item rarity that monster's parts can aid in the creation of. This is based on the table presented in XGtE in the section about Crafting Magic Items.

Things I really don't care about #

Hands #

If you are ever really really bored, I wrote a far too long reddit post about how stupid the rules related to hands are.

TLDR: If your hand is actively being used to counter a force that is not cooperative, that hand cannot be used for anything else unless that usage is stopped. Examples include stuff like grappling, holding open or shut a door, plugging your finger into the hole in the side of the ship, etc.

Bookkeeping #

Stuff we can reasonably assume your characters to be competant at are assumed unless they have situational consequences. I don't think in this particular case any of the following matter enough to warrant keeping a close eye on book keeping them:

• Rations
• Ammunition
• Water
• Eating & Drinking

Sleeping in Armor #

Everyone does it, nobody cares. Bite me.

← Home