Homebrew Rules

Homebrew rules exist to adjust game mechanics for a more fun or engaging gameplay experience, to adjust the game to particular style or genre of gameplay, or to make rulings that fix or add things that a particular table of player's enjoys. Therefore, after playtesting for enough time to be familiar with the homebrew rules, if a majority of players or the DM feel as though the homebrew rules are not fun or fair in any way, they should be reworked or removed from play. As these rules are playtested, the DM may make adjustments to the text of the rules in order to balance them to the other mechanics of D&D 5E.

House Rulings

For most rules and in most cases the PHB or D&D beyond will be consulted to resolve rulings conflicts. However, for any rule discrepancies or disagreements that cannot be resolved by the PHB, the DM has final say. In other circumstances when a ruling in question is non-consequential, the DM may choose not to consult the PHB at that time in order to keep the flow of gameplay moving. Once the encounter is over or after the session, the rule can then be clarified for the future.

Inspiration

Heroic Inspiration will be awarded based on DM discretion. Any actions that are particularly heroic, creative, cool, inventive, or expressive will typically be awarded Inspiration. Players are encouraged to try new things, think about game mechanics, and engage with the roleplay and narrative elements of the game in order to receive the benefits of inspiration.

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Rule Additions

These rules are not contained in any of the core books. They we're created by the DM and as such may be updated or changed during playtesting. Rulings regarding these gameplay changes will adhere to the written text first. For rulings that fall outside the bounds of what is written here, the PHB will be used to resolve any issues and if nothing in the PHB can assist, the decision will rest on the DM.

Critical Injury

When taking a critical hit, players can choose to substitute the damage that would have been taken for an injury.

Any time a player takes a critical hit, instead of taking damage as they normally would, they may alternatively elect to take an Injury. This effect will be a serious injury or damage of some other type than Health points such as a broken leg, infected wound, memory altering concussion, or otherwise. The DM will roll on the Critical Injuries table to select an Injury, and the effects of that Injury are then added to the players character sheet. These Injuries will have a lasting negative effect on the character and may in some cases need attention in the future, or substantial time to heal. These Injuries are able to affect both the physical body or mind of a character and may change the nature of social interaction, travel, or other non-combat situations.

In the case of an Injury being too punishing, the DM may choose to re-roll on the table.

The hope is that these injuries will add narrative flavor to the game, enhance roleplay opportunities, encourage problem solving, and increase difficulty for players that want such an experience. Since injuries are optional, those who wish to engage with the mechanic may do so without affecting the ways that other players choose to engage with the game.

Quick Check

During Combat, players can make an Intelligence or Wisdom skill check at Disadvantage.

During combat, you can use your Bonus Action to take either the Search or Study action at Disadvantage. This should encourage information gathering during combat, add functionality to the Bonus Action, and make combat more engaging. Physical checks cannot be used as Quick Checks due to the fact that your hands, feet, and body are currently engaged with fighting and positioning in combat, as well as potentially taking on damage. Quick Checks are intended to act as a small way to enhance a player's ability to engage with combat while they continue to fight.

Quick Checks allow for more engaging combat and a more realistic feeling battle experience. The idea is that a player could be considering the history of a symbol while knocking their next arrow or checking the corners for hidden enemies.

Coordinated Maneuvers

In combat, players can coordinate their abilities and attacks with each other.

Activating a Maneuver

During combat, players are allowed to coordinate their attacks and/or abilities with each other by activating a Coordinated Maneuver.  Examples of a Maneuver could include firing an arrow and casting light on it, using an ally’s shield as a vault to gain height, or tossing a powder keg into the air and detonating it with a Firebolt. Each player has Three Maneuver Charges which are spent whenever that player takes an action as part of a Coordinated Maneuver. All charges are regained after completing a short or long rest.

Maneuvers can be activated by any player on their turn. In order to activate a Coordinated Maneuver, the following conditions must be met:

1. All players involved in the Maneuver must be in combat and agree to be involved.
2. Maneuvers must contain at least one attack and one ability check or D20 test.
3. The Maneuver, and each individual action, must be clearly defined in advance.
4. Each player must be able to use their action when the Maneuver is activated.

When the Maneuver is activated, each player involved spends their action simultaneously. Each player involved may also use their movement if it is required to execute the Maneuver. Coordinated maneuvers are intended to collaborative, therefore each action involved must interact with or otherwise intersect with at least one other player's coordinated action ². Each player who participates will still spend their turn in the initiative order as normal with any remaining action economy they have after the Maneuver finishes (bonus action, interaction, remaining movement, or special abilities that don’t require an action).

Determining Success

Every action involved in a Maneuver must be successful for the Coordinated Maneuver to be executed. If any action of the Maneuver fails, the entire Maneuver fails and all action economy used in the Maneuver- including players' Maneuver Charges -are spent for that round.

Training Coordinated Maneuvers

After 16hrs of practice time on a specific Coordinated Maneuver, that Maneuver becomes a Battle Tactic.

Training sessions for Coordinated Maneuvers must include each involved player, be at least 1hr long, and the days spent training must be no further than 3 days apart- in which case the total accrued time spent training will be reduced by 1hr per day since the last training day.

Once those players complete their training, they give their new Battle Tactic a name and add it to their actions list. In the future, any time that Battle Tactic is executed, each player gains a +5 bonus to their involved action.

^{1 The DM reserves the ability to deny any coordinated maneuvers should it become apparent that they break the game or power scaling in some way. However the rule of cool still applies.}

^{2 In cases where the actions being proposed do not interact with one another sufficiently enough, the players may plead their case. If players can justify how the actions intersect or interact with each other tactically then they will be allowed to execute the Coordinated Maneuver.}