Weapons, Armor, Combat & Character Creation Mechanics

Weapons & Armor

Dual Arrow Shooting (homebrew rule)

Declare that you are loading and firing two arrows with this attack, then make your roll as normal. Depending on the roll, the following rules will apply:

1. If you hit your target, roll a d4. Upon 3-4, both arrows hit. Upon 1-2, only one hits.
2. If you miss your target, roll a d4. Upon 3-4, both arrows simply miss. Upon 1-2, one goes stray and hits the nearest creature within 10 ft on either side of the arrow's flight path.
3. If you roll a nat20, both arrows automatically hit
4. If you roll a nat1, both arrows stray and hit creatures in accordance with rule #2

Thrown Weapons (homebrew rule)

Some weapons have the Thrown property associated with them, which provides a range. However, you can still throw a weapon that does not have this property. It’s range will be determined based on the weight of the weapon.

• Light weapons: normal range 5x Str or Dex mod (minimum of 10 ft), long range 2x that
• Heavy weapons: normal range 5x Str mod (minimum of 10 ft), long range 1.5x that. Creatures not proficient with Heavy weapons or of size Small or smaller cannot do this.
• Neither light nor heavy: normal range 5x Str mod (minimum of 10 ft), long range 2x that

Armor Mechanics

If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or Attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you cannot cast spells.
Heavy armor interferes with the wearer’s ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. If the Armor table shows “Str 13” or “Str 15” in the Strength column for an armor type (or has a Strength requirement in general), the armor reduces the wearer’s speed by 10 feet unless the wearer has a Strength score equal to or higher than the listed score. Some armor will also give you disadvantage on stealth checks (padded leather, scale mail, half plate, and all heavy armor)

Homebrew rules regarding armor:

1. Armor Proficiency disadvantage rule variant: If your Strength or Dexterity scores are your first, second or third highest scores, you can choose not to be disadvantaged on whichever of these two ability scores is higher. If your higher of your Strength/Dexterity scores is tied with another ability for the third highest of all your scores, it will count for the purpose of this rule. If you have the ability to cast spells, you cannot do so while wearing armor unless you have met the requirements of this rule.
2. Armor Proficiency spellcasting rule variant: If you have the ability to cast spells and are wearing armor you lack proficiency with, you can cast them if a) you have met the requirements of rule#1, and/or b) casting spells without Somatic and/or Material components (those that require physical movements or physical materials/your arcane focus).

HP & Ability Score Rolls

HP Rolls (homebrew)

When rolling for HP each level, you roll your hit die and add your Constitution modifier. However, in my games, you have two options:

1. Take the default amount (listed next to HP on each Class description) + modifier EVERY time you level up. When you reach a level where you gain an Ability Score Improvement or a Feat (usually levels 4, 8, 12, and a couple others), you can choose to switch your HP leveling method.
2. Roll as normal each level. If you roll a natural 1 or 2, you can reroll it once and must accept the new roll.

Ability Score Rolls (homebrew)

Roll four d6 dice, drop the lowest one, then sum up the remainders (reroll ones). Do this times. These 6 values will be applied to each of your Ability Scores (also caled stats): Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. If your race, class or feats give you any bonuses, you add them on to whatever score they apply to, in addition to what you rolled. Some other rules:

1. If you get below 10 on 3 or more stats, you can choose one of those three and reroll it until it is 10 or higher.
2. The maximum Ability Score a player character can have is 22, unless otherwise specified by your class & feats. However, a player cannot create a character with an Ability Score higher than 20 at the onset. Therefore, PCs can only achieve a maximum stat through Ability Score Improvements upon level up.

General Character Creation Steps

1. Create the concept for who, what, where and why your character is.
2. Choose a race, class & background for your character. See Player's Handbook, DnD Beyond, Wikidot (http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/) or the general internet for the different classes, subclasses, races & backrounds. Wikidot does not have a functioning search feature and DnD Beyond has some paywalls, so its best to search "[class/race/background name] wikidot/Dnd Beyond" for specific results.
3. Once you have picked these things, roll your stats as explained in the "Ability Score Rolls" section, applying any applicable bonuses from your race/class.
4. Roll for your HP as explained in the "HP Rolls" section. Your class will tell you what your hit dice is (1d6, 1d8, 1d10 or 1d12). Roll for each level you are coming into the game at (ex. if you are coming into the game at level 5, you roll your hit dice 5 times).
5. Apply your starting equipment & gold to your character sheet. Apply any skill, language, tool, weapon & armor proficiencies from your class, race, & background, taking great care in choosing your skill proficiencies. Generally, your background (and sometimes race &) gives you specific skill proficiencies, while your class gives you a few to choose from.

Combat

Critical Hits & Misses (homebrew rule)

When you roll a natural 20 or natural 1, special things happen. In normal DnD 5e, these special things only affect attack rolls. On Gaion, they apply to attack rolls, ability checks & saving throws, albeit with slight differences in effects.

1. Attack rolls: a critical hit automatically hits the target doubles the total of the dice rolled (if you have a damage modifier, double the roll before adding it on). A critical failure automatically misses.
2. Ability checks: a crit maxes out your total roll (20+your modifier), but does not lead to success if the DC is more than your total. A crit fail leads to your lowest possible result, and may lead to your tools breaking if this was not the first time you attempted the check in the past 30 minutes.
3. Saving throws: a crit automatically succeeds on the saving throw, while a crit fail automatically fails.

Actions

In combat, you generally get one Action, movement totalling your movement speed, one Bonus Action (if conditions are met, see below for details), and one Reaction (if conditions are met, see below for details).
There are several actions that a player can take:

1. Attack - the most common action, can take a Melee or Ranged attack. Characters that have the Extra Attack feature as part of their class (ex. Fighters, Monks & Rangers), can attack more than once when they use this action. However, the Extra Attack attribute doesn't mean they get an extra ACTION, only that they get an extra attack when they use the Attack action
2. Cast a Spell/Using a Magic Item or Potion/Poison
3. Dash - allows you extra movement equal to your speed (ex. if your speed is 30 ft, you can move an extra 30 feet with this action, effictevly doubling your movement to 60 ft for the turn). If your speed has been increased or decreased by some other effect, the calculation will be based on your current speed.
4. Disengage - your movement will not promote opportunity attacks from opponents you were engaged/fighting with within reach (usually 5 ft)
5. Dodge - until the start of your next turn, any attacks made against you have disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make Dexterity saving throws with advantage
6. Help - you can aid another creature in a task or an attack (provided that you use this action when within 5 ft of the creature's target). If the creature makes the ability check or attack against the target, they have advantage on the first roll.
7. Hide - make a Stealth check. If you succeed, you can hide and gain benefits, such as advantage on attacking targets that can't see you. You give up your location when the attack hits or misses.
8. Ready - Gives you the ability to use your reaction towards a specific circumstance up until the start of your next turn (ex. readying a spell, pulling the lever for a trapdoor within movement range when a bad guy steps on it, etc.) If readying a spell, the spell must have a casting time of 1 action and will require concentration until releases, since you have to hold its energy until the start of your next turn. If your concentration breaks between readying the spell and releasing it, you will lose its power.
9. User's choice - Can get creative, just explain what it is you want to do and we'll determine together whether it requires an Action or Bonus Action.

Attack Types

There are several types of Attacks one can make when using the Attack action:

• Melee Weapon Attacks - standard attacks made with your chosen melee weapon(s), can employ the rules of Two-Weapon Fighting if wielding two weapons (see details under the Bonus Actions section). These attacks use the Strength modifier as a default for Attack & Damage bonuses, and only uses your proficiency bonus for the Attack if you are proficient with the weapon (or if you have loopholed around this with game mechanics, such as turning a magical weapon you aren't proficient in into your Pact Weapon). Weapons that carry the Finesse property can use the Strength or Dexterity modifier for Attack & Damage bonuses. The range on most weapons is 5 ft (10 ft for weapons with the Reach property). However, the player can choose to lunge and extend their reach into the square just beyond their normal reach (10 ft for normal weapons, 15 ft for reach weapons), but will either attack with disadvantage or provoke an opportunity attack (their choice).
• Ranged Weapon Attacks - standard attacks made with your chosen ranged weapon. These attacks use the Dexterity modifier for Attack & Damage bonuses, and only uses your proficiency bonus for the Attack if you are proficient with the weapon. All ranged weapons have a normal and long range (ex. Longbow has a range of 150/600 ft). If attacking beyond the weapon's normal range, through darkness/visual obscurity, or when the target is within 5 ft of you, you have disadvantage on the roll. You cannot attack a target beyond the weapon's long range.
• Grappling - You can make an Athletics check to grapple a creature within reach and no more than one size larger than you. Target contests the grapple with an Athletics or Acrobatics check. The target can use its Action to attempt escaping the grapple, utilizing the same roll contest. If you attempt to move the grappled creature, your speed is halved unless the creature is two or more sizes smaller than you.
• Shoving - You can make an Athletics check to shove a creature within reach and no more than one size larger than you. Target contests the shove with an Athletics or Acrobatics check. If you succeed, you either knock them prone or push them 5 ft away.
• Unarmed Strikes - covers punches, kicks, head-butts or similar blows, deals 1+Strength mod of bludgeoning damage per successful hit (piercing damage if it is a bite)
• Bites - humanoid creatures with strong bite forces (such as Lizardfolk & Dragonborn) can deal 1d6+Strength mod (Lizardfolk) or 1d4+Strength mod (Dragonborn) of piercing damage. Other creatures without a specified bite attack can use this as an unarmed strike.
• Improvised Weapons - cn be a random object that you take to be a weapon. If the object resembles a known weapon (determined by DM), it will take the associated weapon's properties and damage, giving proficiency if the user is proficient in the weapon it resembles. All other objects deal 1d4+Strength mod of damage (type determined by DM). If the weapon is thrown, it has a range of 20/60 ft and deals 1d4+Dexterity mod of damage (type determined by DM).

Bonus Actions

Bonus Actions are not standard for everyone. However, a player can utilize ONE Bonus Action per turn under the following circumstances:

• Search - If you want to specifically look for something during your turn, you can take a Bonus Action to make a Perception or Investigation check for that thing.
• Spells/Cantrips - if a spell or cantrip in the player's arsenal requires a Bonus Action to cast, you can take a Bonus Action to cast it
• Class Features - some classes, such as the Rogue class, gain access to specific Bonus Actions as part of their loadout (ex. Rogues can take Dash, Disengage or Hide as a Bonus Action on every turn)
• Personal Use of a Potion - Personal potions, such as a potion/herb of healing or another potion of beneficial effects (ex. Wild Shape, Coolaid or Penis potion) can be ingested as a Bonus Action. Potions that must be applied to other creatures, such as healing an Ally or causing negative effects towards an enemy (ex. Poisons or adverse-effect potions) can only be taken as an Action
• Special Magic Items - Some magical items can be used as a Bonus Action rather than a regular Action, such as Madrakor's Gauntlet (these items will often require attunement to utilize in this way). When utlizing these items, the user can take a Bonus Action.
• Two-Weapon Fighting -if a player is dual-wielding weapons, they can use a Bonus Action to make an offhand weapon attack (other weapon must be a Light weapon, and can be thrown as a ranged attack if they have the Thrown property). The offhand attack utlizies the appropriate attack bonus (Strength or Dexterity modifier + proficiency bonus if they are proficient in the weapon), but will not receive a damage modifier (ex. a successful offhand dagger attack will only do the regular 1d4 of damage, without your Strength or Dexterity modifier). If a creature possesses the Two-Weapon Fighting feature (available to the Fighter & Ranger class), they can add this modifier to offhand attacks.

Special cases exist that don't operate strictly as Bonus Actions: Reactions & Opportunity Attacks

• Reactions - If the user has a spell that costs a Reaction (such as Counterspell) or has another specified ability that allows them to use Reactions (ex. Class Feature, readying a specifc action on the prior turn in response to another event occuring), the user can take one Reaction between the end of their last turn and the start of their next turn. In addition, if the user is wearing a shield and wishes to protect an ally from an incoming attack, they can use their Reaction to toss the shield in their direction, giving them the +2 AC bonus. The shield will have to be picked up by the user on their next turn, however.
• Opportunity Attacks - if a creature is engaged with another creature and attempts to move out of reach without taking the Disengage action, they provoke an opportunity attack from all those engaged with them. Opportunity attacks function as a normal attack would, and utlizing this will not cost the attackers any Bonus Actions or Reactions. An opportunity attack is not provoked if the provoker teleports or is moved without their explicit movement, action or reaction (ex. hurled away by an explosion)

Movement

Players get total movement on their turn equal to their speed. If they use the Dash action, this movement is effectively doubled. Players can break up their movement (ex. a Rogue moves 10 ft, attacks an enemy, uses their class-specific Bonus Action of Disengage, and moves 20 ft away without provoking an opportunity attack). Movement across difficult terrain will be halved unless the creature has an ability or trait to counter it. Nontypical travel (such as climbing or swimming) will require Athletics checks unless they have a movement speed for that method of travel (ex. a merman having a swimming speed).

Cover

If a target is obstructed by walls, trees, creatures or other obstacles, they can benefit from cover if they are targeted by creatures on the opposite side. There are three degrees of cover, and targets obscured by multiple layers will receive only the most protective degree provided:

• Half cover: +2 to AC & Dexterity saving throws. They have this if at least half their body is covered by the obstacle.
• Three-quarters cover: +5 to AC & Dexterity saving throws. They have this if at least 3/4 of their body is covered
• Total cover: can't be directly targeted by spells or ranged attacks, but can be indirectly damaged if a spell's AoE can reach it (without that spell's AoE center being within the point of cover that the caster can't see). They have this if they are completely concealed by the obstacle.

Purpose

To guide those who navigate Gaion with the DnD RPG system.

Type

Text, Legislative

Medium

Psionic

Authors

• T'Nar