Player Rules and Things you should know
As part of onboarding you to the game, here is some useful information and rules to abide by for new and old players, including yours truly, the Dungeon Master.
Table Rules
- This is a game. We are all friends first, players second and characters third. Mean spirit and unfriendliness is allowed in character but absolutely not allowed out of character.
- Critical Hits: On a Critical hit, the first set of the weapon dice is maxed. Any dice that is not a weapon dice is not affected by this rule including Divine Smite, Hex, Hunter's Mark, Savage Attacks or Brutal Critical, etc.
- Long, Short and Quick Rests: A Long Rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps or performs light activity: reading, talking, eating, or standing watch for no more than 2 hours. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity—at least 1 hour of walking, fighting, casting Spells, or similar Adventuring activity—the characters must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it. A Short Rest is a period of downtime, at least 1 hour long, during which a character does nothing more strenuous than eating, drinking, reading, and tending to wounds. An interrupted long rest can qualify for a short rest as long as the criteria for a short rest are met. If too many short rests are taken within an adventuring day, it is the DM's discretion that short rests do not confer their full benefit. The players can choose to take a Quick Rest, whereby during a period of 10-20 minutes, the characters take a knee and bind their wounds. During a Quick Rest, a character may choose to expend any number of Hit Dice to replenish their Hit Points but no Short Rest or Long Rest abilities may be reset.
- Skill Challenges: Skill Challenges are narrative journeys where the player characters undergo story vignettes to achieve a goal. It can be an escape from a prison, scaling a mountain or general overland travel. During a skill challenge, players roll initiative to determine turn order. A scenario is presented by the Dungeon Master and the player will choose a relevant skill and narrate how they use their skill to overcome the challenge. The player then rolls an ability check with the skill. The Dungeon Master will determine if the ability check is a success or not and narrate the result. Limited use abilities such as spells or class features can be used to achieve an instant success. When sufficient failures are accumulated, the Dungeon Master can deem that the party achieves the goal of the skill challenge but with negative repercussions. Alternatively, the Dungeon Master can deem that the skill challenge to have failed and negative repercussions have ensued that they have to overcome first before restarting the skill challenge at a lower difficulty. During a skill challenge, the characters cannot undergo a long rest but they can undergo a short rest, if they have enough time. To gain the full benefits of the short rest, the character must expend at least 1/3 of their hit dice (rounded up). If they do not have enough hit dice, they are unable to gain the full benefits of the short rest.
- Characters who act against the overall direction of the party stand the risk of being removed the party. As part of the above rule, the player should also realise that they should make a character that fits into the party. Evil characters who act overtly evil stand to be attacked by Good-aligned characters and parties. We must trust our fellow players to respect and love each other in universal friendship.
- Player vs Player: PvP combat is allowed only for players who show that they can handle the responsibility, usually this is determined by tenure inside the game or nature of relationship between players. Players are strictly not allowed to ruin the fun of another player.
- Disruptive behaviour is strictly not allowed. Antagonising fellow characters can lead to hurt OOC feelings. It will be the responsibility of the players and the Dungeon Master to police ourselves and be mindful of our fellow players
- Prohibited content: Rape and sexual assault, unfriendly IRL racism, limited violence against children
- Argumentative behaviour: The DM is not always right, but they have final say on rulings.
- The DM pledges not to tell you how to play your character. The DM is in charge of how the world reacts to you as well as how metaphysical forces such as Gods, the environments and NPCs behave and act.
- Player discomfort: In the cases where a player is uncomfortable about how the game is run or with fellow players, everyone involved should have the maturity to discuss this in an open and fair manner, within or outside of the game session. The DM pledges to be fair and impartial towards all players and to be open-minded to criticism.
- Attendance: Regular attendance is heavily encouraged. Regular players and characters are rewarded with magic items and more in-depth story. Players that regularly miss game sessions and miss up to 3 consecutive sessions will be removed from the game. Exceptions can be allowed for special circumstances.
Things that encouraged
- Roleplaying is encouraged but not required
- Try to have your character have a stand on something or have something important to them. Do they not suffer fools? Maybe they are frivolous and not take things seriously and despise serious people? What is their motivation? Do they want a powerful magical weapon? Do they desire nobility or marriage or power?
- Player attention: As much as possible, please respect your fellow players and DM and focus on the game at hand. Cellphone use is not banned.
- Player agency: Does your character want to be possessed by your patron? Do you want to lose a limb or compromise your soul to acquire power? Do you wish to become the personal general of Hell's armies? If you have a plotline you wish to explore within the game, let's explore this together with the party
- Meta-gaming and Meta-Knowledge: Not encouraged but allowed. If there are things that you feel your character should know (that you as a player knows), knowledge can be granted in-game. Does your 5 Int Barbarian who has never fought a Ghost know not to swing his axe at it? The player knows not to but it is still flavourful for the player to direct the character to physically attack the Ghost.
- Spotlight sharing and Stealing: Be mindful that there are other players at the table. The other players have set aside their time to play a game with you. Take note to share the spotlight during combat, conversations and problem-solving.
Running Combat
- At the start of each round, the party is given two minutes to discuss their course of action and targets
- Each turn, a player has 2 minutes to complete their turn. If they cannot complete their turn in time, their turn will be skipped at the 2 minute mark. In the case of resolution of results takes more time, more time can be allotted.
- They have to declare a course of action or game-clarifying question within the first 20 seconds or be forced to take the Dodge action.
- Each meta-gaming comment from a non-active player will reduce that players' turn time by 15 seconds.
- To determine surprise during combat, the side attempting to surprise their enemies makes one roll with the lowest Dexterity (Stealth) modifier on their side. The result must reach the Passive Perception of each creature on the opposing side. If the result beats their Passive Perception, the creature is surprised. A creature on the opposing side can be surprised while others are not.
- If a section of the party wishes to make a surprise attack without the party, they can separate from the party to make a preemptive strike without the rest of the party. The party can join the combat after a determined number of rounds by the DM.
Character Creation
- Races: Published books only.
- Human
- Dragonborn
- Dwarf
- Elf
- Gnome
- Half-elf
- Halfling
- Half-Orc
- Orc
- Aasimar
- Tiefling
- Goliath
- Goblin
- Lizardfolk
- Kobold
- Tabaxi
- Triton
- Classes and Feats: All PHB + Xanathar Classes. Homebrew subclasses subject to approval.
- Multiclassing: New characters are no longer allowed without sufficient cause. If you want to multiclass then that has to be grounded in the backstory of a character, with good reason and logic fitting the setting / the world. This information is shared during or after session 0 where the character has been made. Characters that wish to form a Warlock pact must make a Pact with an Entity. To become a sorcerer, you will need to awaken the latent draconic power through intense stress or circumstance. Druidic circles can be located, fighters discover their inner rage to become Barbarians and can consider joining Paladin orders or Religious chapters to become a Cleric. Characters seeking to make deals with Warlock patrons can make those deals and are expected to follow through on those deals or risk losing their Warlock powers. To become a Rogue, you can undergo apprenticeship. The DM reserves the right to bar overpowered multiclass combinations.
- Alignment: Players are free to choose what alignment their character resides in. There are no penalties for an evil character to act uncharacteristically good and vice versa. Metaphysical forces such as
- Patrons, Gods and other DM-controlled forces may choose to rescind powers or grant additional bestowed benefits depending on character actions.
- Leveling up HP and Hit-Dice: Players may choose to use the average+Constitution of their Class Hit Dice or roll for their hit points. Players are free to use the average+Con after rolling for their hitpoints. Your class hit dice average is listed in the Player's Handbook.
The World
- The world is political and vindictive: Who you choose to side with in the world can result in powerful allies and enemies that can affect your options in this world
- The Gods are alive: Extreme acts of piousness even from non-divine casters can result in great favour from the Gods and Immortal Beings. Heresy is possible and can result in punitive or excommunication from Their divine favour.
- Oaths, Entities and Deities: Warlock Patrons can demand greater fealty and for characters to invest deeper into their Warlock powers. The Patron may demand that the Warlocks fulfill Their dark purpose or risk losing their Warlock powers. Paladins are expected to follow their Oaths or run afoul of their pledge and become Oathbreakers. Clerics who commit heresy against their Gods and their God's tenets egregiously may lose their Divine Powers.
- The world is large: It can take days, weeks or months for you to reach one of the overworld map to another point. There are ways to circumvent this for enterprising parties
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