D&D Rules & References

Recovery

In addition to healing potions, mana potions to restore MP are also available, but do half as many points (like 1d4+1 instead of 2d4+2) - they are very rare to find to buy, and cost 10x as much as healing potions.

See also: Healing Hit Points page.

Resting

• At most 2 short rests can be taken before a long rest is needed.
• In "dungeon crawl adrenaline mode" short = 1 hour / long = 8 hours.
• In "travel campaign mode" short = overnight / long = multi-day down time.
• Resting while wearing medium or heavy armor recovers only 1/4 the HD or MP than in light armor / unarmored.
• A long rest (LR) recovers half your level(s) (round up) in Hit Dice (HD).
• A short rest (SR) recovers HD equal to your Proficiency bonus-1.
• Spellcasters may be recover MP (mana points) using a HD (recovering their Spellcasting Bonus in MP for each Hit Die used).

Healing

Healing from spells as stated in the spell descriptions.

Healing Surge

Once per long rest, a character receiving healing magic from a spell may recover additional HP:

• by expending their own hit dice (as done when recovering HP during a rest).
• The number of dice the spell uses for healing (or if fixed, the number of MP in the casting) determines the maximum of the number of hit dice available in the surge.
• And the surge uses up the next turn's Action (Move and Bonus Actions still possible).

While Resting

Hit Points (HP) may be recovered using HD ("Hit Dice") as part of a rest if:

1. there is at least one person proficient with Medicine AND (either an available Healing Kit or successful of Survival to find herbs) or
2. someone is able to use a skill or spell to enable healing (Bard Song of Healing, Cure Wounds) during the rest

Roll to determine the number of HP recovered.

Healing Potions

The full potion must be consumed.

• Drinking a potion takes full action unless the potion is in one of three "handy slots" (on belt not in backpack), then it can be quaffed as a bonus action. (Otherwise an Action or longer to find the potion).
• When using a full Action to quaff (drink) the potion, it delivers the maximum healing for the potion (no roll needed).
• Giving a (handy) potion to an ally requires an Action AND bonus action.
• Quaffing an ally-given potion requires an Action AND bonus action and you roll for HP healed.

Faster Turns

Yazan Rule

• Reason: Keep things from bogging down, encourage decisiveness when it is your turn
• Rule: if you give your action within (about) 3 seconds of being asked on your initiative turn, you get +1 to the next attack/check
• Note: this also means being at the table and paying attention, if away from the table, you miss the window

Roll Attack and Damage Together

• Reason: Speed up combat
• Rule: When you roll your attack, roll your damage dice at the same time. If the hit lands, you will already have the damage there. (And just roll damage dice again if a crit).

Other

Attuned Items Limit

• An individual can have at most 3 items attuned to themselves at a time.

Escalating Criticals

• Reason: Heroic moments should be heroic
• Rule: On a critical hit, can check for a special effect of the attack, roll d20 again, if miss - then no special effect, if a 20 is rolled, roll a third d20 and if THAT is a 20: instant-kill.
• See: Lingering Injuries page

These are not meant to just be thrown in for no reason - they should make things more fun, easy, interesting, etc.

Combat Actions

Delay vs. Ready

• Reason: Sometimes high initiative works against you as the round plays out
• Currently: The "Ready" Action requires you to commit something, then use a Reaction to act upon it.
• Rule: Delay simply shuffles your position in initiative order downward to the end of the party members' turns. If at this point if you fail the Yazan Rule, you spent your turn deciding what to do next turn.

Break Casting

• Can Ready / Attack to try to force concentration check at time of an enemy casting (as an opportunity attack) - but lose action if not able to use

Two Minute Limit

• Reason: taking too long on your turn (ok to ask questions - but should be thinking and preparing during other players' turns)
• Rule: If you have not stated your turn's action/move/bonus in (about) two minutes, you spent your turn just looking around and getting ready for the next turn.
• Note: this also means being at the table and paying attention, if away from the table, you miss the window

Bonus Action Gear Slots

• Reason: some realism, simplification of options
• Rule: You have three items you can access and use as a bonus action (like 3 healing potions)
• Related rule: Drinking the potion yourself is a bonus action but delivering to another to drink takes an action for both you and them.

Free Action Checks

• Reason: Help allow for more interesting tactics in combat - can see if it is worth trying something before attempting.
• Rule: Attempting a Skill Checks in combat uses the Free Action - if you succeed the roll, performing the action costs an Action, otherwise can go with usual Attack / Spell / etc.

Game Mechanics

Initiative Extremes

• Roll a 1 on initiative: disadvantage on first attack
• Roll a 20 on initiative: advantage on first attack

Escalating Combat Lethality

• Reason: Prevent battles from going on too long
• Rule: After 3 combat rounds, put out a (big?) d6 showing 1. Every 3 rounds up the number shown. This is added to the d20 and damage rolls for both players and monsters.

Fumbles (Rolling a 1 on a d20 check/attack)

• Reason: mainly for story interest / humor
• Rule: usually just fails - may lose next attack or action or have disadvantage or others advantage vs. you temporarily, or lose/reduce next Move