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During your journey through various games, you will inevitably discover that certain aspects function differently than in the traditional D&D system. This realization stems from my extensive experience as both a player and a Dungeon Master, as I recognized the potential for enhancing and refining the game through personalized additions and alterations to the rules. While some of these changes may appear challenging at first, it is through overcoming these trials that truly memorable stories are born. Listed below are the key homebrew rules that I typically employ in my custom games. It's worth noting that when running published modules by WotC, I adhere to the default rules, ensuring consistency and familiarity.
Table of Contents
Character Creation
Sourcebooks
As a setting, Lands of Arda uses official and homebrew material that matches with the lore and provides adequate balance. Additionally, each campaign might have its own extra content or restrictions, for those check here: Campaign specific rules/options. The general setting, character materials are the following:- New Player's Handbook 2024 (PHB) - All material is allowed, few things have been modified.
- Xanathar's Guide to Everything (XGE) - Almost all material is allowed.
- Modified version of Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (MPMM). The modifications have already been applied to all the ancestries (races) and can be viewed here.
- Fizban's Treasury of Dragons (FTtD) - Almost all material is allowed.
- Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (VRGR) - Some material is allowed.
- Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (TCE) -
Subclasses, Feats, Spells (exceptions exist).
- Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants (BGG) - Subclass allowed
Official sourcebooks that are not mentioned here, UA content and the older PHB (2014) are not used. Other 3rd party/Homebrew material than the ones found here, will not be used. If you have homebrew suggestion to add, that's fine, but beware there's long process and long waiting list.
For those not familiar with the sourcebooks above, here's a list of classes and subclasses that you can use
Table of available classes and subclasses
Blue Text = official subclass, no changes, Green Text = buffed official subclass, Pink Text = homebrew subclass, Orange Text = nerfed official subclass, Class/Subclass not listed here = not being used
Additionally, there are various homebrew class, subclass, feat, and spell options available for use.
Official and Homebrew classes can be found in Arda's Classes
The following official subclasses have received a big boost: Nature Domain, Arcane Archer, College of Whispers, College of Swords . Details for these boost can be found here
New Feats can be found in the Arda's Feats category (sidebar to the left), by applying the Homebrew tag as filter.
New spells can be found in the Spells category (sidebar to the left), by applying the Homebrew tag as filter.
Available Backgrounds can be found in Backgrounds (Official & Homebrew 2024)
Altered/Banned/Restricted Material
In order to maintain game balance and preserve the theme of the world, certain spells, subclasses, feats, and other character options have been altered, banned, or restricted. However, for closed-group games, the ban/alteration/restriction of these options can be discussed and adjusted as needed.
Banned / Altered / Restricted
Classes: Artificer
Backgrounds: Only the new PHB's backgrounds are allowed currently + any Homebrew we have.
Subclasses: Twilight and Peace cleric, Hexblade Warlock (cannot multiclass), Fey Wanderer Ranger, Fey Trailblazer Warden
Spells: Plane Shift, Tasha’s Mind Whip, Booming Blade, Summon Draconic Spirit, Conjure Minor Elementals
Feats: Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Artificer Initiate, Eldritch Adept (requires to be achieved through a pact with a Patron), Gunner,
Fighting Styles: N/A
Maneuvers:: N/A
Races: Harengon, Changeling, Tortle, Fairy, Dhampir, Satyr, Reborn (restricted to ressurected dead characters)
Other: Custom Lineages/Origins, Optional Features, Sidekicks
Attribute Generation
You gain +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 from your Background. You gain +1 from your Species. Then you choose one of the methods below to generate your attributes:
- Standard Array but the 8 is a 7.
- Point Buy with 26 total points to spent.
- 2024 Gambler's. Six sets of 2d10, with a total sum between 61 and 84. Each set represents one of your stats. (rolled during session 0 in front of everyone, not on your own). If the player does not like the rolled stats, they can opt to select Standard Array.
- Random Pool. This method is only applicable at the start of a campaign. Each player uses method #3 but adds the results to a pool. Then players take turns selecting stats from the pool, with the order reversing each round.
Synergies
At levels 5, 10, 15 and 20 your character can choose a Synergy and also replace an existing one with a new one. You can view them at Synergies 2.0
Extra proficiencies
If INT is not used as your spell-casting modifier for any of your
subclasses, you get a number of extra skill proficiencies equal to your INT
modifier. (applies only to skills you're not proficient with). Being smarter
means you can pick up learning new stuff easier than others and it helps
change INT from a dump stat into something a bit more useful.
Extra skills
Six more skills have been added to allow usage of some tasks that have been commonly attempted but no prior skills was specifically covering them or felt more of a miss than a hit. These new skills have no proficiencies at character creation, but proficiencies can be obtained through the game. All of them are more specialized than the official skills making them a bit more niche. The first version has the following skills:
New Skills
| Skill Name | Deriving Attribute | Usage |
| Anticipation | Intelligence | Anticipation is a mix of educated guesses, interepreting information and calculating odds. Example cases of its use would be to calculate odds of an uncertain event, make an educated guess about an experiment or figure out the next move in a tactical situation. During combat you can make an Anticipation check to prepare yourself against another creature's offensive. Make an Anticipation check DC: 10 or 2 * the target's CR/Level (whichever is higher). On a success you have advantage on saving throws against the target and the target has disadvantage on attacks against you, until the start of your next turn. |
| Planning | Intelligence |
Teamwork is used to efficiently make a group work together, defuse tense situation between the group, properly divide tasks and responsibilities, ensure communication flows smoothly and make everyone within the group work as a unit. |
| Depicting | Intelligence | Depicting covers situations where you'd like to portrait or describe an outcome to someone else. This could include sketching, drawing, using illusions to depict things, describing verbally, making hand gestures or even facial expressions that can be interpreted as replies. |
| Endurance | Constitution | Endurance is your character's stamina. Endurance checks usually cover stamina contests and tasks that require good health and sturdy body. This includes but is not limited to: Enduring heavy cold, holding your breath, withstanding pain etc. During combat you can use Emergency Healing: As an Action you can make an Endurance check, DC:10. On a success you can spend a Hit Dice and regain hp equal to the total result rolled + your Endurance modifier. For every 5 above the DC, you can spend an additional Hit Dice as part of the same Action. (The static bonus is only added once). |
| Riding | Dexterity | Riding covers situations where a character attempts to successfully ride a creature that is not tamed, not used to having riders or when the characters attempt to perform difficult stunts with mounts. |
| Streetwise | Charisma | Streetwise is a character's skill to blend in with the commonfolk and mingle without standing out. This can be used to obtain information, plant seeds of activities or trail someone in public without standing out. |
Multiclassing
While Multiclassing has been a popular tool amongst veteran players and is allowed, it often is used a power-gaming tool and does not offer much to the game. I want to emphasize that multiclassing will not be treated as a straightforward power boost mechanic, where you simply level up and gain levels in a new class. Instead, acquiring a new class will require specific in-game accomplishments. Here are the additional requirements for gaining levels in a specific class as your first:
Multiclass requirements of each class
Barbarian: Receive training from another barbarian pc or
barbarian-style npc that utilize anger as a mechanism.
Bard:
Receive music lessons from another seasoned performer or undergo
training under a spellcaster (if you are not already one).
Cleric:
Demonstrate your unwavering faith and join a relevant religious
order corresponding to your chosen domain.
Commoner: No
additional requirements needed! Congratulations!
Druid:
Showcase your deep respect and love for nature, and seek training
under a spellcaster (if you are not already one).
Fighter:
Undergo rigorous training under a seasoned martial expert.
Illrigger:
Become a part of a cult that is not controlled by a non-player
character.
Monk: Seek training from a monastic order or another
experienced monk.Seek training from a monastic order or another
experienced monk.
Paladin: Join an order dedicated to your
chosen Oath and prove your devotion.
Ranger: Train with both a
martial expert and a druid, or seek guidance from another
experienced ranger.
Rogue: Train alongside another individual
who possesses a similar skill set.
Sorcerer: Undergo a
transformative event that awakens and manifests your innate magical
power.
Warden: Train with a skilled warden, druid, ranger, or
paladin to unlock the secrets of this unique class.
Warlock:
Seek out a powerful patron and strike a binding pact with them.
Wizard:
Dedicate significant downtime to the intense study of magic (Please
note that multiclassing as a wizard is the most challenging and
time-consuming, requiring months or even years of study. If you plan
to multiclass as a wizard, it is advisable to start as one from the
beginning).
These additional requirements ensure that multiclassing is not just
a mechanical choice but a narrative-driven decision that enhances
your character's story and growth.
Languages
There are standard and exotic languages. When creating a character you can choose any of the standard languages. Exotic languages need approval and need to be justified through your backstory. More details on languages, like where are they spoken, can be found here. The Sage background can justify exotic languages.
Combat Mechanics
Initially, the changes to combat mechanics may appear overwhelming to grasp. However, it's important to note that not all of these changes will be constantly present or utilized by your character. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the information, here are the key points to remember in a nutshell:
These three essential points apply to almost all characters and should be kept in mind. It's worth mentioning that numerous players who have participated in my homebrew games can attest that, after a few sessions, the majority of the rules become second nature without any difficulties.
Dual Wielding
CURRENTLY THIS RULE IS SHELVED IN FAVOR OF TESTING THE BALANCE OF THE 2024 NEW DUAL WIELDING MECHANICS.
In addition to the standard rules for attacking with two weapons, the damage dice of the offhand weapon is now doubled. For example, an offhand dagger attack would deal 2d4 damage. Please note that this only applies to the offhand attack.
New Weapons and Brutality Effects
We have introduced new weapons, made changes to existing ones, and added
new properties. You can find the complete list in Brutality Weapons.
If you prefer the official published version with a beautifully designed
PDF, you can obtain a free copy using the "pay what you want" model here.
Enemy HP
2024 PHB has introduced the term official, so this is not a homebrew rule anymore, but official.
Enemy hit points are hidden, but you are free to calculate them based on the damage you deal. When a token's hit points are reduced to half or less, I will mention that it is "bloodied." This terminology comes from the 4th edition of the game and has been incorporated into my 5th edition games.
Cover
The cover system in Foundry is equipped with an automatic calculation feature that determines cover based on the position of tokens. It assigns icons indicating Half, ¾, or Full cover. While it usually functions realistically, there may be instances where doors and walls are calculated incorrectly, and manual corrections are made. Both allied and enemy tokens can provide cover. Instead of manually checking according to the Player's Handbook cover rules, we rely on the automatic calculation for the most part.
Non-lethal magic/ranged attacks
When you cast a spell or make ranged attacks, before you roll the damage, you can declare "non-lethal". When you do so, the damage of the spell/attack is halved but the creature hit by it, drop unconscious instead of outright dying.
Death/Dying
When a character's hit points are reduced to 0, they lose consciousness and fall prone. Unless stabilized, the character is considered "dying." While at 0 hit points or below and not stabilized, the character must make a Death Saving Throw (DST) on each turn (every 6 seconds). Failing three DSTs indicates that the character succumbed to the severity of their injuries and has died. Succeeding on three DSTs brings the character to 0 hit points and stabilizes them.
If the damage taken exceeds the amount needed to reduce a character to 0 hit points, their current hit point value becomes negative. For example, if a character with 3 hit points takes 7 damage, their hit points become -4. If their negative hit points reach half of their maximum hit points in the negative range, they die. Healing while at negative hit points increases the current hit point pool but does not automatically bring the character to positive hit points. If the healing is sufficient to reach 1 hit point or higher, the character stabilizes and regains consciousness.
Taking damage while at 0 or negative hit points does not trigger a Death Saving Throw but only further reduces the hit points. Rolling a natural 1 on a Death Saving Throw still counts as one failure, while rolling a natural 20 brings the character to 1 hit point.
Any effect that stabilizes a creature automatically brings them to 0 hit points, regardless of how negative their hit points were.
The reasoning behind these changes is to increase the difficulty (as it is relatively easy to stay alive in 5th edition) while reducing the randomness of death (such as a natural 1 resulting in two failures).
I died. Now what?
In most games, I employ the same system for new characters. Some players have expressed concerns about others frequently changing characters, which can disrupt immersion and roleplay. To address this, the following system is used to discourage excessive character changes. The first two characters someone creates come with no penalties. From the 3rd and onward the player must choose between having their stats randomized or starting a level lower than their last character.
Potions
Drinking or administering healing potions to others requires a Bonus Action now. However,
if you instead use an Action, you can drink or administer a number of potions equal
to your proficiency bonus. These potions do not need to be of the same kind
as long as their containers are similar.
Scrolls
We are using a more expanded ruleset about scrolls and the pricing of scribing scrolls differs. See Spell Scrolls for more details.
Other Important Rules
PvP
By default, player vs player actions such as pick pocketing, pushing, grappling, casting negative spells, or attacking other players are not allowed. This rule is in place to prevent player drama and unpleasant situations. While this may be non-realistic, it helps maintain a positive and cooperative atmosphere. However, if it is a pre-made group of friends and they explicitly want PvP, exceptions can be made.
Tension Pool
The Tension Pool is a mechanic inspired by Angry GM's idea and slightly
modified. It encourages players to make impactful decisions and discourages
metagaming. In my games, the Tension Pool is also used in conjunction with the
Overland Travel rules to generate random encounters, determine their severity,
and introduce other events. You can find a detailed explanation of the Tension
Pool concept here
Fate Tokens
The Fate Tokens system is designed to promote and reward engaging roleplay and good table behavior. You can read about it here. It adds an additional layer of game play and allows players to have agency in shaping the story.
Overland Travel Rules
The Overland Travel Rules are implemented to add realism, immersion, and
challenge to traveling in an open-world setting. You can find a detailed
explanation of these rules at Overland Travel 2.0b
Encumbrance
If you carry weight in excess of 15 times your Strength score, you are
considered encumbered, which reduces your speed by 10 feet. If you carry
weight in excess of 20 times your Strength score, up to your maximum carrying
capacity, you are heavily encumbered. Being heavily encumbered reduces your
speed by 20 feet and imposes disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and
saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. When attempting
to push, lift, or drag something for a short duration, characters can go up to
a maximum of 2 times their carrying capacity. These capacity numbers are
doubled if the character has the Powerful Build feature.
Magic Items
Magic Items play a crucial role in character progression and provide exciting power-ups throughout a campaign. They can range from mundane to extraordinary in terms of their impact. Balancing magic items can be challenging, especially when custom items are used. While I prefer custom magic items over official ones to introduce variety and choices, I am cautious about creating items that can be easily abused or disrupt the balance of the group. In the case of more powerful items with charges, intended for higher-level groups or beyond their affordable range, I require that these items still require material components when casting spells through charges. This helps to mitigate the risk and potential imbalance they may introduce. This rule does not apply to all items and spells but only to those that are highly abusable or excessively powerful for the group's current level of power.
Drowning and Swimming
If you're wearing heavy armor and do not have a swimming speed equal or higher to your walking speed, you're sinking at a rate of 60 feet per round and unable to move upwards. If you have swimming speed and wear heavy armor, an Athletics check is required to swim at full speed.
Clarifications on Popular Rulings
Sometimes, certain rulings in D&D can be unclear, leading to differences between the rules as written (RAW) and the intended rules as intended (RAI). Additionally, players may have become accustomed to different interpretations of these rulings from other versions of the game. To prevent any unpleasant surprises or instances of players saying, 'I built my character based on this, and I thought it worked differently,' I have compiled a list of commonly discussed rulings. These clarifications aim to ensure fairness and consistency for both player characters and non-player characters (NPCs).
Ability Checks
Instead of simply stating "I'm making a Perception check," I encourage players to describe what their characters are attempting to do. For example, they might say, "I would like to carefully search the room for any signs of life." Only when the outcome is not automatic—either too easy or impossible—will a roll be associated with the attempt.Multiple same effects
It's important to note that multiple instances of the same effect do not stack. While this is described in the Player's Handbook (PHB), there has been some confusion regarding whether damage is considered part of the effect. In my games, I treat damage as part of the effect, aligning with the intended interpretation. For instance, if a creature is subjected to two instances of Spirit Guardians, they would only make one saving throw.
Initiative and combat
Initiative is rolled when hostile intentions are detected or when accurate time tracking is necessary. However, it's possible for initiative to be dropped if there was a misunderstanding or if creatures attempt to calm the situation.
Casting spells through keyholes (or other small openings)
To cast a spell, there needs to be an opening large enough for the entire effect to pass through. As a result, casting spells through keyholes or other small openings is often limited or even impossible for many spells.
Stealth and Hiding
Moving out of cover or obscurement reveals your position.
Familiarity requirement
Some spells, items, or features require a creature to be 'familiar with'
another creature or object. Although the term is mentioned in various
instances, its exact meaning is often unclear. To provide clarity and avoid
confusion, when a character is required to be 'familiar with' something or
someone, it means they need to have a deep level of knowledge about the
target, similar to that of a close friend, family member, or long-time
coworker.
Are all those rules needed?
The short answer is "No, but yes."
The long answer is that you can certainly have fun playing D&D without
these rules, and chances are you have already done so. However, every game
is unique, and every Dungeon Master has their own style. Over the years, I
have found that these rules help address common issues that tend to arise in
my games. They have been thoroughly tested and refined, with ongoing
adjustments based on feedback from different groups.