Rules & Expectations

What Do You Think You're Doing ?!

In addition to the other information attached, I feel it wise to advise you on the "unspoken rules of the land", so to speak; the people of Tolara (especially that region of Talaina'vao in which you now reside) are a much relaxed sort. Still, they keep to certain values and traditions of the old lands- and it would be wise of you to keep to them as well if this venture of ours is to be successful; many of these are fairly regular, but some are... Perhaps a little peculiar for those not versed in certain philosophies.

Table Rules

Into the Wilds may be labeled a "no holds barred" style open world / sandbox campaign due to its heavy emphasis on exploration and adventure, and its lack of an overarching plotline... But "no holds barred" doesn't mean "without rules entirely"; the Into the Wilds campaign certainly does still have rules- especially at is pertains to the treatment of the DM, and the other players. And in that regard, all players are required to abide by the following rules during all game play and player interactions:

▼ Rule One ▼

❇ Respect the boundaries of the other players- including both those that have been clearly established by each individual, and those that could be reasonably assumed for any person.

▼ Rule Two ▼

❇ Act honorably, and treat your fellow players fairly, and with the utmost dignity, respect, and kindness at all times. This applies both inside and outside of gameplay.

▼ Rule Three ▼

❇ Ask other players before doing anything to their characters that could significantly impact them or their gameplay, or the group's dynamics- especially negatively.

▼ Rule Four ▼

❇ Resolve all OOC disputes in a mature, adult manner. If you need help, the DM may act as mediator. If you cannot resolve a dispute, one or both parties may be asked to leave depending on severity.

▼ Rule Five ▼

❇ Avoid Metagaming (or: utilizing information your character does not posess, to make decisions about what your character would do under the circumstance).

▼ Rule Six ▼

❇ Have a basic understanding and knowledge of how your Abilities, Class, Skills, and Spells operate- or have a quick / decisive means (other than the DM) of finding out during play.

▼ Rule Seven ▼

❇ A 15 to 20 minute grace period is provided- but please have everything you need, be organized, and be ready to play by the time the session is scheduled to start each game.

▼ Rule Eight ▼

❇ Be mentally present and actively tuned into game events during the course of gameplay- or let the group know (preferably verbally) if you need to step away from the game for a moment to do something.

▼ Rule Nine ▼

❇ Give the group (but especially the DM) at least 1 hour's prior notice if you're unable to attend a session- or at least 15 minutes prior notice if you're going to be late to the session.

▼ Rule Ten ▼

❇ Gain the DM's approval for any plans, ideas, or items you have that are intended for in game use or play- and do so prior to attempting to implement any of them.

▼ Rule Eleven ▼

❇ Ask the DM to make any dice rolls prior to doing so; due to the nature of the platform the game is being played on, unannounced dice rolls will not be counted, and will be ignored.

▼ Rule Twelve ▼

❇ Respect the DM's rulings on all issues or disputes that may arise both in and out of game; if a mistake is made or there is disagreement about a decision, concerns should be brought to the DM after the session is over.

Everyone here is new to Dungeons and Dragons in one capacity or another. So be patient, be kind, and most importantly: Have fun!

These rules and expectations apply even when players may be acting out of character, both inside and outside of gameplay. Disregarding or violating these rules will get you removed from the campaign and barred from playing with the group- either by using a three strike policy, or immediately, depending on the rule broken and its severity.

House Rules

In addition to the general rules listed above regarding player behavior both in and out of character, several modifications have also been made to the default and variant rules that can be found within the Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handook and Dungeon Master's Guide. These campaign specific house rules are intended to completely supersede- or negate- any rules in the source books, or other materials, which may regulate the same actions or similar elements of play.

▼ Hit Dice ▼

When rolling to determine the amount of hit points gained with each level increase (after level 1), all players roll with advantage and take the highest result rolled; this does not affect dice rolls made to regain hit points during short rests.

▼ Long / Short Rest ▼

Short Rests have a minimum of 30 minutes and may only be as long as 1 hour. Long Rests have a minimum of 4 hours and may only be as long as 8 Hours (or a normal sleep cycle).
You may take up to 4 short rests per "day" in game time, but may only take 1 long rest per in game "day".

▼ Consuming Potions ▼

Using Matt Mercer's alternative rules for potions in initiative based situations: Consuming a Potion (of any sort) takes a bonus action. Feeding or otherwise giving a potion of any sort to someone else, however, will take a full action.

▼ Death & Resurrection ▼

Character Death will be handled using Matt Mercer's Fading Spirit rules; any revival spell with a cast time of 1 minute or longer counts as a resurrection ritual, and may be performed by any player or NPC with access to one.
For more information regarding death, please read the Passing Beyond article which details death and dying, and the role of the Divine, in this setting.

▼ Money & Currency ▼

Disregard all prices and mentions of currency in the source books; all prices and currency throughout the course of the campaign will be based on the Tolaran Standard, as outlined in the campaign setting information.

▼ Food & Nourishment ▼

Rations will be tracked as a party- meaning 1 ration will reasonably feed up to 4 people.
Ration tracking will only be necessary during travel lasting longer than 2 weeks. Otherwise, outside of roleplay, it will be assumed that characters automatically consume rations without players needing to explicitly say so.

▼ Survival Restocking & Ammo Tracking ▼

At a cost of 5 silver per shopping trip, the party may opt to "auto restock" all necessary survival gear- including up to 2 weeks of water and rations, and enough ammunition to carry them to their next shopping trip. As a result, ammunition tracking will not be necessary during the course of the Into the wilds campaign and may be ignored by the players.

▼ Items Slots & Items Worn ▼

To increase interest in Weapon and Armor collection- as well as encourage players to think about their armaments, a slotting system will be used for active character equipment.
Each character has 1 Head slot, 1 Necklace slot, 1 Overcoat (cloak, jacket, etc) slot, 1 slot for their Chest and Leg Armor, 1 Bracelet slot, 1 slot for Bracers, 2 Ring slots, and 1 slot for Boots; you may wear one item of each type in the appropriate slot for that item type... Additionally you may have up to two active weapons.
Switching between active weapons during combat will count as a bonus action. Switching to a third or otherwise innactive weapon will require a full action; you may not switch worn items (cloaks, rings, etc) during combat.

▼ Items Slots & Upgrading Items ▼

Each Weapon, piece of Jewlery, or piece of Armor, has a chance to come equipped with a number of slots in which gems known as Aubralite and Materia may be added in order to increase potency or add additional minor effects to them. These can be easily seen on the item and do not require any sort of check to discover... They do, however, require a high DC to actively slot with such a stone.
Weapons, Armor, and other items upgraded in this manner do not count as magical items.

▼ Crafting & Enchanting ▼

Any player may make an attempt to craft items or brew potions regardless of level, knowledge, or proficiency. Additionally, any spell caster may make an attempt to enchant items or craft spell scrolls regardless of level, knowledge, or proficiency.
Please see the new Herbcrafting System for basic crafting rules.

▼ Spell Casting Abilities ▼

Ignore all instances where the 5th Edition materials stipulate a different spell casting ability for the spell. All spell casting abilities for every spell, whether racial or otherwise, will use the default spell casting ability for your class.
For example: If you’re a Tiefling and your racial spells say that your Hellish Rebuke ability uses Charisma as your spell casting ability, but you’re a Warlock, Hellish Rebuke would use the Warlock’s default Wisdom Modifier instead.

▼ Prepping Spells ▼

Prepping spells works as determined in the 5th Edition materials. In addition to prepping your entire spell list after a long rest, however: If you take a short rest lasting an hour, instead of the default 30 minutes (though you may not take a long rest lasting more than an hour, as determined in the Long / Short Rests section of this document), you may swap two spells on your preparation list.

▼ Cantrip Casting ▼

Cantrips have an instant cast time and use a bonus action to cast instead of the full action accorded by RAW; this does not affect Cantrips cast as reactions, however- nor the Eldritch Blast Cantrip for Warlocks specifically.

▼ Material Components ▼

Spells do not require the use of material components to cast- though you may continue to use the material components required by the source material to add additional descriptive flavor to your narration of character actions if you wish.
The exception is Spells cast as rituals; all spells cast as rituals will require both the spell's material components and a Spell Focus. Additionally, any spell with a casting time of 1 minute or longer counts as a ritual, even if it doesn't have the ritual tag.
For more information regarding magic, please read the By the Weave article which details the use of, and views surrounding, magic in this setting.

If you have concerns about these rule changes they may be re-evaluated / re-assessed at any point.

Plot Points

Each player begins the campaign with one plot point. These points are used by players to "purchase" resources, create npcs, decide facts about a location, or otherwise effect the world in ways outside of direct gameplay, in ways which may aid the party in play or otherwise change the landscape of the campaign setting (all within reason, of course)... Players may only have a single plot point at any given moment, and may only spend their points on one of the 4 options listed below:

▼ I Have That! ▼

When traveling, players have a wagon in which any of their survival supplies and general objects (lanterns, rations, and so on) are stored. In any situation where it makes sense to do so, a player may spend 1 plot point to declare that their character "already has that" in the wagon.
Upon declaration that the item exists in the possession of the player, the character may determine when and where they purchased the item- within reason. However, the item must be of a common type that is easily obtained, and must be directly relevant to the situation in which the declaration is made when the item is needed.
Once declared, the circumstances surrounding the purchase of the item (as told by the player) are considered a cannon part of the world and the party's history.

▼ I Did That! ▼

At any point during play, players may spend a Plot Point in order to "flashback" in time to perform an action in the past, which prepares them for a current situation they find themselves in- such as bribing the Captain of the Guard to cancel the Night Watch that afternoon, when they find themselves needing to sneak into the Mage's Tower tonight.
Upon declaration "they've done that", the event is considered a canon part of the party's history and play and treated accordingly. However, the player who declares the event must roll a 1d100 to see how it impacts the current situation; on result higher than 60, the result is positive for the party. Below 40, and the result is negative. Roll between a 40 and 60, however, and the final result is up in the air.
The party then "flashes back" to the present to finish resolving their current situation depending on the results.

▼ I Know A Guy! ▼

In any situation where it makes sense to do so, a player may spend 1 plot point to declare that their character "knows a guy". They may then determine the name, gender, and race of the newly created npc as well as how they know them (fewer details are better, leaving room for the DM to elaborate and add interest).
Upon declaration that the npc exists, the npc is considered a cannon part of the world and the character's backstory and is treated accordingly. However, the player who declares the npc must roll a 1d100 in order to verify the status of their relationship; on result higher than 50, they are considered on good terms. Below 50, and the npc will have a bad relationship with their character.

▼ I've Been Here! ▼

In any situation where it makes sense to do so (such as entering a new town, or entering a place where a character has spent a significant amount of past time), a player may spend 1 plot point to declare that their character "has been here before".
Once declared, the player may then determine 3 reasonable facts about the location- such as shops that may exist in the area, festivals they celebrate, Gods they worship, the primary racial makeup of the area, its history, or any events that may have happened there, etc... These facts are considered a cannon part of the world and the character's backstory, and are treated accordingly.

Plot points are awarded at the DM's discretion, and may not be used to alter ecosystems, established history, or other major factors of the setting. Additionally, at any time the DM reserves the right to negate, remove, or otherwise block a use of a plot point which is not congruent with the rules, or the worldbuilding of the campaign setting.

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