Leuku's Random Homebrew Class Mechanic Tables
If you're here, then that means you've read my Discussion on Innovative Homebrew Class Design and want to try making your own random homebrew class mechanic. To do this, you will need the following tables and some dice, namely a d20, a d10, d8, a d6, and a d4. And you'll need this list of mechanics:
Universal Class Mechanics List
- Proficiency with a weapon, armor, a skill, a saving throw, a tool
- Double proficiency with a skill, an ability check under certain conditions, a tool
- Advantage/disadvantage on an attack roll, an ability check, a saving throw
- Resistance/Immunity to one or more damage types
- Additional/subtractional dice on an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, AC, and hit points lost/regained
- A static modifier bonus/penalty to an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, AC, save DC, ability score, and hit points lost/regained
- Rerolling an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, or saving throw, keeping the second result
- An increase or reduction to maximum hit points/movement speed/range/duration
- A substitution for an ability score in an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, or for determining AC or a save DC
- A flat number substitution for an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, AC, a save DC, or hit points regained.
- Grant/Deny an Action, Bonus Action, Reaction, movement, traits, or spellcasting
- Apply or remove/suppress a Condition
- Substitute action required for an ability with a different kind of action
- The identification/location/creation/relocation of an object or creature
- Add/subtract number of targets/components required
What Do These Mean?
- You add your proficiency bonus to attack rolls using that weapon, to ability checks involving that skill or tool, to saving throws of that ability score, or you do not suffer penalties for wearing that type of armor.
- You add double your proficiency bonus to ability checks with a skill at all times, under certain conditions, or with ability checks involving that tool. You never add double proficiency bonus to attack rolls or saving throws (except perhaps in extreme cases; however, there are no official instances in which you do).
- You grant advantage or disadvantage on an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw. You never grant advantage or disadvantage on damage rolls.
- Resistance halves the damage dealt (rounded down) by a damaging effect. Immunity reduces the damage dealt by a damaging effect to 0, as well as makes you immune to any other effect dependent upon that damage being dealt.
- You roll a die or dice and add or subtract its result to an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, a target's Armor Class, or the amount of hit points they may lose or regain.
- You add or subtract an invariable (i.e. "static") number to an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, a target's Armor Class, or the amount of hit points they may lose or regain.
- You allow or force the rerolling or an attack roll, damage, roll, ability check, or saving throw, keeping the second result. This is distinct from advantage/disadvantage in that you are forced to keep the second result, regardless of whether it is better or worse than your first.
- You increase or reduce a target's maximum hit points, movement speed, range of reach or ability, or duration of an ability or effect.
- You substitute one ability score with another for an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, or for determining Armor Class or a save DC. For example, the Barbarian and Monk's Unarmored Defense feature substitutes the ability score(s) you normally use for determining your AC while unarmored.
- You substitute the result of an attack roll, damage roll, ability check, saving throw, Armor Class, save DC, or hit points regained, with a flat number. For example, the Divination Wizard's Portent ability lets you substitute the results of 3 pre-rolled d20s for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
- You grant or deny a creature the ability to use an Action (specific or general), a Bonus Action, a Reaction, a movement speed, any trait(s) it might have, or spellcasting.
- You apply or remove/suppress a condition, including but not limited to Blinded, Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Incapacitated, Invisible, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned, Surprise, Unconscious, or one ore more levels of Exhaustion. To suppress a condition is to essentially remove it for a temporary duration. The two are so correlated that it should just be your choice between the two should you roll it.
- Substitute for an ability that requires a specific type of action, such as an action or a bonus action, with a different kind of action. For example, the War Caster feat allows you to substitute the action normally required to cast a spell with a reaction under the condition that a creature is triggering an opportunity attack from you.
- Identifying, learning the location of, creating from nothing or from nearby material, or relocating/conjuring a creature or object.
- Adding or subtracting the number of targets of an effect or the Verbal, Somatic, and Material components required for an effect.
Step #1 Difficulty Mode
Choose Easy, Moderate, Difficult, or Extreme mode and roll the corresponding number of dice.
Easy: Roll 2d20.
Moderate: Roll 3d20.
Hard: Roll 4d20.
Extreme: Roll 5d20.
If you roll a 16 or higher, roll again! If you roll a 20, then instead roll 2d20 and increase your difficulty! Or don't if you don't want to. I'm text on a page, not a police officer.
Once you get values between and including 1 and 15, then look at the corresponding numbers under the Universal Class Mechanics List and see what you've got to work with. Then use the following tables to determine which subcategories you'll be choosing.
Step #2 Choosing Subcategories
Go to the corresponding numbers you rolled with your d20s and follow their instructions.
If you rolled a 1
Roll 1d6, rerolling on a 6.
Proficiency
| d6 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Weapon |
| 2 | Armor |
| 3 | Skill |
| 4 | Saving Throw |
| 5 | Tool |
| 6 | Reroll |
If you rolled a 2
Roll 1d4, rerolling on a 4.
Double Proficiency
| d4 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Skill |
| 2 | Ability Check |
| 3 | Tool |
| 4 | Reroll |
If you rolled a 3
Roll 1d6, rerolling on a 6.
Advantage/Disadvantage
| d4 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Skill |
| 2 | Ability Check |
| 3 | Saving Throw |
| 4 | Reroll |
If you rolled a 4
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then, when designing your homebrew feature, choose a damage type appropriate for the feature.
Resistance/Immunity
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Resistance |
| Odds | Immunity |
If you rolled a 5
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then, roll 1d8, rerolling on an 8.
Additional/Subtractional Dice
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Additional |
| Odds | Subtractional |
| d8 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attack Roll |
| 2 | Damage Roll |
| 3 | Ability Check |
| 4 | Saving Throw |
| 5 | Armor Class |
| 6 | Hit Points Regained |
| 7 | Hit Points Lost |
| 8 | Reroll |
If you rolled a 6
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then, roll 1d10, rerolling on a 10.
Static Modifier Bonus/Penalty
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Bonus |
| Odds | Penalty |
| d10 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attack Roll |
| 2 | Damage Roll |
| 3 | Ability Check |
| 4 | Saving Throw |
| 5 | Armor Class |
| 6 | Save DC |
| 7 | Ability Score |
| 8 | Hit Points Regained |
| 9 | Hit Points Lost |
| 10 | Reroll |
If you rolled a 7
Roll 1d4.
Rerolling
| d4 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attack Roll |
| 2 | Damage Roll |
| 3 | Ability Check |
| 4 | Saving Throw |
If you rolled an 8
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then, roll 1d4.
Increase/Reduction
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Increase |
| Odds | Reduction |
| d4 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Maximum Hit Points |
| 2 | Movement Speed |
| 3 | Range |
| 4 | Duration |
If you rolled a 9
Roll 1d6.
Ability Score Substitution
| d6 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attack Roll |
| 2 | Damage Roll |
| 3 | Ability Check |
| 4 | Saving Throw |
| 5 | Armor Class Calculation |
| 6 | Save DC Calculation |
If you rolled a 10
Roll 1d8, rerolling on a 8.
Flat Number Substitution
| d8 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attack Roll |
| 2 | Damage Roll |
| 3 | Ability Check |
| 4 | Saving Throw |
| 5 | Armor Class |
| 6 | Save DC |
| 7 | Hit Points Regained |
| 8 | Reroll |
If you rolled an 11
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then roll 1d6.
Grant/Deny Action Economy
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Grant |
| Odds | Deny |
| d6 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Action |
| 2 | Bonus Action |
| 3 | Reaction |
| 4 | Movement |
| 5 | Traits |
| 6 | Spellcasting |
If you rolled a 12
Roll Evens or Odds using any die.
Apply/Remove a Condition
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Apply |
| Odds | Remove/Suppress |
If you rolled a 13
No roll required.
Substitute Action Economy
Don't do anything until Step #3.
If you rolled a 14
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then roll 1d4.
Identification/Location/Creation/Relocation
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Object |
| Odds | Creature |
| d4 | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| 1 | Identification |
| 2 | Location |
| 3 | Creation |
| 4 | Relocation |
If you rolled a 15
Roll Evens or Odds using any die. Then roll Evens or Odds again.
Add/Subtract Targets/Components
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Add |
| Odds | Subtract |
| dX | Subcategory |
|---|---|
| Evens | Targets |
| Odds | Components |
Step #3
Take your results and combine them into a new homebrew feature! A strong Narrative will be key to making it make sense. You'll have to figure out what level the feature is appropriate for independently, perhaps by utilizing my Guide to Balancing (and Judging the Balance of) Homebrew Classes.
Step #3: If you rolled a 13
You should not try to randomize which kind of action you will replace with a different kind of action. The options are very far from coequal with one another. Instead, make the decision yourself based on the Narrative you're utilizing for your homebrew mechanic. I'll list here what each type of action is often used for:
- Action: Take the Attack Action, Cast a Spell, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Hide Interact with an Object, Help, Check for Traps or Hidden things, Activate an Ability
- Bonus Action: Two Weapon Fighting, Rogue's Cunning Action, some spells, Activate an Ability
- Reaction: Opportunity Attacks, Readied Actions, some spells
- Object Interaction: Interact with an Object
Example #1
Class Narrative: Puppetry
Difficulty Mode: Easy
Number of d20 rolls: 2
Results: 8, 9
#8 Increase/Reduction
Evens or Odds: Evens
Result: Increase
1d4: 4
Result: Duration
#9 Ability Score Substitution
1d6: 4
Result: Saving Throw
Final Selection
- Increase Duration
- Saving Throw
Result: Crafty Trap
Crafty Trap
Starting at X level, when a creature must make a saving throw against an ability from your puppet, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead of your puppet's Dexterity modifier to determine the save DC. If you do so, then if the creature fails their saving throw, the duration of the condition applied is increased to the end of your turn after your next turn.
or
Starting at X level, when you set a puppetry trap, you can use your Intelligence modifier instead of your puppet's Dexterity modifier to determine the save DC. If you do so, then the duration of the trap increases from 1 minute to 1 hour.
Example #2
Class Narrative: Psychic Power
Difficulty Mode: Hard
Number of d20 rolls: 4
Results: 15, 9, 5, 14
#15 Add/Subtract Targets/Components
Evens or Odds: Evens
Result: Add
Evens or Odds: Odds
Result: Components
#9 Ability Score Substitution
1d6: 3
Result: Ability Check
#5 Additional/Subtractional Dice
Evens or Odds: Odds
Result: Subtractional
1d6: 6
Result: Hit Points Regained
#14 Indentification/Location/Creation/Relocation
Evens or Odds: Odds
Result: Creature
1d4: 2
Result: Location
Final Selection
- Add Components
- Substitute Ability Check
- Subtractional Dice to Hit Points Regained
- Creature Location
Result: Baleful Malediction
Baleful Malediction
Your obscene mutterings summon a mad spirit to haunt, foil, and diminish your enemy. At X level, as an Action, you can force a creature within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature suffers the following conditions:
- When casting a spell, the creature must provide all of verbal, somatic, and material components to cast the spell, without regard for whether the spell needs them all.
- Whenever the creature makes an ability check, they must use an ability score modifier of your choice instead of the modifier they would normally use. Once you make this choice, you cannot change it.
- Whenever the creature regains hit points from any source, including hit points regained at the end of a long rest, the amount regained is reduced by 2d6.
- You know the creature's location at all times so long as you both are on the same plane of existence.
Once applied, this curse lasts indefinitely. It is removed when either you die, you end it willfully as an Action, or by the effects of the remove curse spell. You can cast this curse once, and regain the ability to do so at the end of your next Long Rest.