Author's note: I'm still porting these in, got pulled away this week while working on the article. To be continued!
Homebrew guidelines
These are homebrew rules that are active in campaigns run by the author of Cyorion. Feel free to use them in your games. This page primarily serves as a reference to my players so they have a spot to read and review.
Rules that affect actions
Critical Skill Checks
- A natural 20 on a proficient player skill checks means VERY successful and exemplary use of the skill
- A natural 20 on an unskilled player means either getting lucky or reaching deep for a stroke of genius. This is not a guaranteed success, but a successful check will be a momentous achievement.
Blind Death Saves
All death saves are privately rolled in a GM tower roll or by the GM if the player prefers. You do not know the result, unless it is a 20 in which case you would regain consciousness as per RAW.
Levels of success
Some skill checks will have consequences based on the amount you failed or succeeded by. Greatly surpassing a skill DC for a climb check may grant you additional movement. Failing a check to pick a lock by 10 or more may not only result in failure, but destroyed lock picks or damaging the lock to where the key wont even work.
Potion Consumption
Potions have many changes in this homebrew to increase their effectiveness, but introduce risk.
First, potion action economy has changed:
- Free action: Draw a potion from a belt or pack
- Bonus action: Drink a potion yourself
- Standard Action: Feed another willing or unconscious creature a potion
Secondly, potions grant their full healing capability. If you consume a Potion of Greater Healing, you would regain 20 hit points.
And finally, potions are magical by nature and can do amazing things, but the body may not be able to handle all those magnificent alterations. As such, we introduced Potion Toxicity to the game. If you drink more than 1 potion per long rest you must make a Constitution saving throw after consuming the potion. The DC is determined by the rarity of the potion. If you fail, you suffer an ill effect of the magic coursing through you.
Fast Casting
As long as you follow normal spell casting speed rules, your bonus action may be a cantrip or spell via spell slot up to and including 2nd level.
Barbarian - Intimidating Presence
This skill gains bonus from Strength, not Charisma
New Action: Sprint
On their turn, a player may use the sprint action. The player no longer may take an action or bonus action this round. The player's movement action is restricted to a straight line. The player then may move in a straight line up to 5 times their movement speed. Attacks of Opportunity provoked via this movement are rolled with advantage.
Rules that affect narrative situations
The "Click" Rule
Instead of just calling for a roll, the DM will say "click" or make some other sound that's appropriate for the trap. Then, players have a split second to declare what they do in response. Do they duck and cover? Run? Throw up a shield? Whatever they do, you can use that to inform their roll. Based on the player's actions, the DM will grant advantage, disadvantage, bonuses or penalties as the DM sees fit with regard to the nature of the trap.
The "I know a guy" rule
This rule mostly applies to urban exploration. Perhaps the party is trying to solve a murder or strike a deal for sea travel. They failed a crucial persuasion check or didn't talk to that helpful street urchin you put in their path. What can they do now? Maybe they know a guy...
This rule means that players may potentially solve a problem by "suddenly remembering" that they know someone who can help. The rogue could have a criminal contact who can forge official documents. Or maybe the ranger once met a sailor at an inn who will provide passage. By giving players this power, the DM encourages creative role play. Of course, the DM still has plenty of room to add challenge. You can say that the rogue owes their criminal friend a debt, and forging those documents will add to it. The ranger's sailor friend could have a thing against elves and give the elven fighter trouble. Whatever you decide, using "I know a guy" allows for players and DM to actively come together to move the story along.
"You have control"
This is less of a rule and more of a heads up. As a player in a situation you may be handed full control of the situation. This is your opportunity to craft responses, actions, and reactions for a narrative situation that occurs involving your player. You are not allowed to determine the actions of another player, but you get narrative control of how the situation unfolds that you have found yourself in. Feel free to give as much or as little detail as you like, but you have control of the story for that particular situation.
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