General Rule Changes

The following rules replace the existing rules found in the Player's Handbook.

Short Rest

A short rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps for at least 6 hours and performs no more than 2 hours of light activity such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity, at least 1 hour of walking, fighting, or similar activities, the character must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

At the end of a short rest, a character can spend any number of Stamina Dice to heal, up to however many they have.

A character can spend Stamina Die to either heal, as per normal, or reduce their current level of exhaustion by 1 per stamina die spent. For every stamina die spent during a short rest, on either healing or reducing exhaustion, a character reduces their current Stress (see Madness) by 1.

A character can't benefit from more than one short rest in a 24-hour period, and they must have at least 1 health at the start of the rest to gain its benefits. If a character has not eaten enough food or drank enough water in the last 24 hours, they can’t benefit from a short rest.

Long Rest

A long rest is a period of 7 days of Downtime Activity. This period can include even strenuous activities such as dueling or training, but can’t include proper 'adventuring' activity or overland travel. Each day of the long rest is split into two 8 hour chunks, each of which can be dedicated to a Downtime Activity of a character's choice. For example, they can commit 8 hours a day to training for the whole rest, then spend 8 hours on four days days carousing, and 8 hours on the last three days practicing a profession. Smaller activities such as shopping do not count against the number of downtime activities a character can accomplish. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity, at least 1 hour of 'adventuring' activity, they must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

At the end of a long rest, a character regains all of their Health, Stamina and Stamina Dice, and their exhaustion is reduced by 1. Additionally, a character rolls a d4 per day to recover Stress. On an even number the character removes 1 Stress while on an odd number they remove no Stress. A character can guarantee Stress removal by indulging in a vice such as drinking or wenching during a period of Downtime. For every period of Downtime they do so they roll a d4. On an even number the character removes 2 Stress while on an odd number they remove 1 Stress. Indulging a vice will often require some monetary investment or other 'price' depending on their chosen vice.

In order to take a long rest, the characters must be in a settlement of hamlet size or larger that is non-hostile towards them.

Sleeping in Armour

Sleeping in light armour has no adverse effect on the wearer, but sleeping in medium or heavy armour makes it difficult to recover fully during a short rest.

When a character finishes a short rest during which they slept in medium or heavy armour, they half any stamina they recover and do not reduce their Stress as a result of spending Stamina Die. If a character has any levels of exhaustion, they cannot choose to reduce it by spending Stamina Die.

Going Without a Short Rest

A short rest is never mandatory, but going without sleep does have its consequences.

Whenever a character ends a 24-hour period without finishing a short rest, they gain 1 Stress and must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.

It becomes harder to fight off exhaustion if a character stays awake for multiple days. After the first 24 hours, the DC increases by 5 and the amount of Stress gains increases by 1 for each consecutive 24-hour period without a short rest. The DC and Stress gained resets to 10 and 1 respectively when the character finishes a short or long rest.

Grit

A Constitution (Grit) skill check is used when a character tries to persevere through physical trauma or overcome challenges through sheer endurance.

Occultism

An Intelligence (Occultism) skill check is used when a character tries to recall obscure information not founded in historical accounts or religious doctrine, or to divine meaning from supposedly 'magical' events or objects (such as the ramblings of an accused witch or the nature of a heretical idol).

This skill replaces the Intelligence (Arcana) skill.

Gritty Injuries

Damage in standard 5e D&D normally leaves no lingering effects. The following rules introduce the potential for long-term injuries.

A creature gains a gritty injury under the following circumstances:

• When it takes a critical hit.
• When it rolls a natural 1 on a saving throw of a damaging effect.
• When it rolls a natural 1 on a death saving throw.

When one of these conditions is fulfilled a creature will then roll on the appropriate gritty injury table, determined by the damage type of the critical hit, in conjunction with the location table. A d10 is used when rolling on a gritty injury table.

The creature receives a modifier to their d10 roll from their Physical Condition before any damage from the attack is dealt. When the creature rolls as a result of hitting 0 health, use their health from before they were damaged down to 0 health.

Minor Scar

The scar doesn't have any adverse effect, though it is a grim reminder of a blow that might have killed you.

Horrible Scar

You are disfigured to the extent that the wound can't be easily concealed. You have a -2 penalty on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and a +2 bonus on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. For each Horrible Scar you obtain after the first, the penalty and bonus increases by 1.

Painful Scar

You have a scar which gets painful whenever you are subjected to physical trauma. Whenever you attempt an action in combat while you are Bloodied or Broken, you must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you lose your action and can’t use reactions until the start of your next turn. For each Painful Scar you obtain after the first, increase the DC by 1.

Useless Limbs

An essentially paralysed, amputated, or otherwise nonfunctional limb/appendage. Attempting any action with a Useless Limb is done without any positive modifiers and has disadvantage. The table below details additional, specific penalties depending on the limb/appendage rendered Useless.

Punctured Lung

You can either take an action or bonus action on your turn, but not both. A Punctured Lung heals by itself after 8 weeks. If you gain 2 punctured lungs at the same time, you die within 1d6 turns.

Festering Wound

Your health maximum is reduced by 1 every hour the wound persists. If your health maximum drops to 0, you die. The injury heals if someone can tend to the wound and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or expend one use of a healer's kit, once every hour. After ten successes, the injury heals and you regain your health maximum by 1 point every day.

Open Wound

You lose 1 health and your health maximum is reduced by 1 every minute the wound persists. If your health maximum drops to 0, you die. The injury heals if someone can tend to the wound and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or expend one use of a healer's kit, once every minute. After five successes, the injury heals and you regain your health maximum by 1 point every hour.

Bleeding Out

You lose 1 health at the beginning of each of your turns until you fall to 0 health, at which point you gain either an Open or Festering Wound (as described in the injury). A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check, done by either you or someone else, will stop the blood loss for one round. After ten successes, the injury heals into an Open or Festering Wound (as described in the injury).

Stamina Shock

A character can lose their composure should they get the wind knocked out of them. Similar to System Shock, when a creature takes damage to their Stamina from a single source that reduces them to 0 Stamina, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution (Grit) check or become Winded until the end of its next turn.

Falling to 0 Health

Whenever a creature is reduced to 0 Health but not killed outright, it gains a level of exhaustion an amount of Stress equal to any damage that was left over after reducing the creature to 0 health.

Death Saving Throws

The DC of death saving throws is 12, instead of 10.

Additionally, every time a creature fails a death saving throw it gains 1 Stress.

Instant Death

A devastating blow can end a creature's life instantly. When damage reduces a creature to 0 heath and there is damage remaining, the creature dies if the remaining damage equals or exceeds their health maximum.

Facing

At the start of their turn when a creature is being flanked, it chooses one of the creatures flanking it to face. After the flanked creature makes this choice, the flanker it is not facing gains advantage on all melee attack rolls it makes against the flanked creature, while the flanker the flanked creature chose to face does not.

Give Ground

When a creature first begins to flank a target, the target can use its reaction to Give Ground. When it chooses to do so, the target makes a Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the flanking creature's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a success, the target sees the creature coming and moves 5ft away from it. In addition, the creature cannot flank the target until the start of its next turn. On a failure, the creature can flank the target as normal.

Winded

A creature suffering from the Winded condition gains the following penalties:

• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s Attack rolls have disadvantage.
• The creature cannot take Reactions.

Staggered

A creature suffering from the Staggered condition gains the following penalties:

• The creature has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws.
• The creature’s movement speed is halved.
• The creature does not add its Dexterity modifier to its AC unless it’s a negative value.
• The creature does not add its Ability Modifier to weapon attacks and damage rolls unless it’s a negative value.

Stress

A character exposed to uncomfortable situations, extreme mental exertion, soul-shivering horror, torture, or bearing witness to unspeakable acts or sights can potentially suffer Stress.

Some environmental effects can inflict Stress, such as surviving a particularly nasty battle or spending several days without food. Stress can also be generated by encountering certain powerful creatures/beings/people.

Sanity

Sanity is a mixture of a creature's mental wellbeing, their self identity, and their determination to push past adversity and horror.

A creature's Sanity is equal to their Intelligence score + their level or number of stamina die (whichever is higher).

A creature's Sanity is used to gauge how much Stress they can undertake before their psyche warps as a result of neglected Stress. A creature cannot gain Stress over their Sanity.

Affliction

An Affliction is a short term but alarming negative change in a character's mental state.

What Affliction a character gains is determined by rolling on the Affliction Table. When rolling on the table, reroll any result that would give a character an Affliction they are already suffering from.

Afflictions can be removed once a character's Sanity returns to its maximum and they complete a short or long rest.

Trauma

A Trauma is the long term repercussion of a character not processing Stress before their psyche cracks under the immense pressure.

The Trauma a character gains is determined by rolling on the Trauma Table.

The effects of Trauma are removed after a long rest, though the Trauma itself persists and has a chance of resurfacing whenever the character gains Stress over their Resolve. When this happens, the character must succeed a DC 10 Intelligence saving throw or have the Trauma resurface and begin bearing its effects again. This saving throw is made for each Trauma a character has but is not currently suffering from.

Individual Traumas must be removed through a therapeutic process that takes 7 days worth of effort per Trauma with an appropriate professional. A character cannot benefit from a long rest during this time.

NPC Stress and Sanity

Player characters are not the only ones who suffer the misery of Stress. Non-player characters controlled by the GM also have Sanity and can therefore fall into madness just as easily as player characters. However, since many NPC's rarely resurface after encountering player characters, the long term consequences of Stress scarcely apply to them.

As a result, to simplify the bookkeeping surrounding Stress and Sanity for multiple NPC's, and to encourage player characters to use Stress as a weapon against their enemies, use the following optional mechanic:

• Fallout Vulnerability: Whenever an NPC first becomes Distressed or Tormented, they automatically fail their saving throws against Affliction and Trauma. Additionally, when a NPC is On the Brink they make only a single Sanity Saving Throw. Success grants an Insanity and failure a Ruin.

Elation of Slaughter

If the characters slaughter their enemies in combat with brutal efficiency they can instead be invigorated by their success. If the combat lasted for 3 rounds or less, and the characters are without substantial injuries, they instead gain no Stress and can make a DC 10 Charisma saving throw, removing 1 Stress on a success.

Equipment

The following rules supplement those regarding equipment in standard D&D.

Heavy Armour

Mailcoats and metal plates offer a great amount of protection to their wearers. As a result, all heavy armour types gain the Resistant property.

Scuff

Armour made from thick and/or sturdy materials are better at turning blows away from their wearer. All Medium and Heavy armour types gain the Scuff property.

Shields

Shields are the most common defensive commodity of the medieval battlefield, and for good reason. A killing strike can be turned away by a sturdy shield. As such, shields gain the Splinter property.

Helmets

An invaluable piece of equipment, a helmet protects the wearer's head. Coming in many styles, from the purely functional to the mostly decorative, helmets are essential for any who wish to survive a battle.

Donning or doffing a helmet requires an action. However, a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Slight of Hand) check can be made as a bonus action to quickly remove the helmet should the need arise.

A Helmet will protect its wearer’s head should it be struck by a brutal blow, and so gains the Absorb property.

Determining Encumbrance

When a creature is carrying an amount of Stone over their carrying capacity, they are considered Encumbered. When a creature is carrying more than double their carrying capacity, they are also considered Heavily Encumbered. It can be assumed that creatures able to set gear down temporarily when needed, but in situations where they are unable or unwilling to, such a during a surprise round or when carrying gear up a rope ladder, they receive he following penalties:

Carrying Capacity and Size

A creatures carrying capacity is also altered by their size, as seen on the table below.

Resources

There are two resources that characters will use throughout their travels: Supply and Provisions.

Navigator

The Navigator makes sure that the warband, caravan, or group of wanders are heading in the right direction. They keep track of their current location in relation to their destination though landmarks, maps, memory, instinct, or a mixture thereof.

A Navigator makes either a Intelligence (Investigation) check or an Intelligence (Navigator's Tool) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including terrain, weather, available roads, and the size of the group they are leading.

Succeeding on their check allows the Navigator to keep the group on track to their destination. Failure causes the Navigator to make a mistake and cause to group to go off course for 1/2 a day.

Gatherer

The Gatherer finds what the party lacks as they travel, scavenging/hunting for supplies in the wilderness. They may find berries, some good fire wood, or locate a dry place to set up camp - whatever the group needs most in that moment.

A Gatherer makes either an Intelligence (Nature) or a Wisdom (Survival) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including the availability of game, the season, the terrain, and if civilisation has a hold in the lands being traveled.

Succeeding on their check allows the Gatherer to find 1d6 Supply, with the Gatherer describing what they brought back to the group. Failure means that the Gatherer did not find anything.

Stockpiler

The Stockpiler manages their groups baggage, rationing out and keeping track of Supply while making sure everyone has what they need. They pack bags, arrange camp, maintain traveling equipment, feed the pack animals, and make sure there is enough of everything to go around.

A Stockpiler makes a Wisdom (Insight) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including the seasons, weather, presence of pests, and the size of the group they are managing the supplies for.

Succeeding on their check allows the Stockpiler to manage the Supply of the group properly. Failure causes the Stockpiler to misjudge the groups expenditure of supplies, loosing 1d6 Supply in the process.

Additionally, every three days of travel that pass the Stockpiler rolls a d20 on the Supply Event table (see later).

Watcher

The Watcher keeps an eye on the horizon, making sure their group is safe. They are ever vigilant in their duty, scouting ahead for hidden dangers and warning the warband in advance should they spot anything. The lives of a traveling group often lies in the hands of the Watcher.

A Watcher makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. The DC of this check is determined by several factors including visibility, the terrain, how well the group knows the location, and the level of danger posed by potential enemies.

Succeeding on their check allows the Watcher to spot danger before it befalls the group, giving them time (even if it is but a few seconds) to prepare. Failure renders the group unaware of the potential danger they are in until it is to late.

Needs

A Need is one of the requirements for a character's base physical survival. In the wilderness, meeting these Needs is not a guarantee, and thus characters must rely on their preparation or perseverance in order to meet their Needs. There are three Needs a character must meet while at Camp: the need for Food/Water, Warmth, and Shelter.

In order to meet these Needs a character can either make a Camp Roll, a skill check or saving throw depending on the Need, or can make use of their groups Supply or their own Provisions.

• Using Supply: Before a character makes the Camp Roll to see if they meet a Need, they can choose to spend 1 Supply to gain an automatic success on the Camp Roll.
• Using Provisions: Should a character fail the Camp Roll to meet one or more of their Needs, they can choose to roll their Provisions Die (Rations for Food/Water, Kindling for Warmth, and Tents for Shelter). On a roll of 1 or 2, the Provision Die is reduced by 1 step (d6>d4 etc.). Should a d4 roll a 1 or 2, then the Provision is consumed entirely and destroyed. Regardless of what is rolled, the Need is considered to have been met.

Travel Roles

In the description of each Travel Role is a brief rundown of what factors might effect their DC. Generally speaking however, the more inhospitable the environment, the higher the DC.

A Navigator in a thick forest might not be able to see any landmarks and end up setting lost in the sea of trees. A Gatherer will have a hard time finding food during the winter. A Stockpiler might not be able to properly secure the baggage on a treacherous mountain road. And the Watcher might be unable to spot nearby danger due to the unfamiliar terrain.

Below is a table with some example DCs to reference.

Camp Rolls

The DCs for Camp Rolls is determined by the accessibility of natural resources used to fulfill the Needs of a group of characters. A swamp is not the most comfortable places to sleep, but you won't want for food. A mountainside path is bound to have caves to shelter in, but food is likely scarce. The GM should think about the environment the character's are traveling though and assign the DCs appropriately.

Below is a table with some example DCs to reference.

Stages of Frostbite

• Stage 1: The character feels cold. You cannot add your Constitution modifier to the result of rolling a Stamina die to heal during a short rest unless it is a negative value.

• Stage 2: The character starts to shiver. You gain a level of exhaustion that can only be removed by resting in a warm place.

• Stage 3: The character becomes clumsy, irrational, and confused. Whenever you draw or sheath a weapon, take something from a bag or pouch, or make a weapon attack you must make a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Slight of Hand) check to accomplish the task without fumbling and dropping the item.

  Additionally, the character gains 2 Stress.

• Stage 4: The character's extremities begin to turn blue and then black. You must roll a d4 to determine which extremity if effected by the cold (1 = right hand, 2 = left hand, 3 = right foot, 4 = left foot).

  If the result is a Hand: Any weapon wielded with the effected hand halves its bonus to attack and damage rolls and any shield wielded halves its bonus to AC, and a reaction must be used to use its Splinter property.

  If the result is a Foot: If you move more than half your maximum movement speed must make a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone before you can move.

  If the hand/foot that is rolled that is already effected, the other hand/foot is instead effected, but if both hands/feet are already effected then hand/foot that is rolled becomes Useless as 1 finger/toe freezes and falls off. This Uselessness ends if your stage of Frostbite becomes 3 or lower, but becomes permanent if any particular hand/foot looses more than 3 fingers/toes.

  Finally, each time a character gains a stage of Frostbite after this one, they must roll the same d4 again and suffer the rolled effect.

• Stage 5: The character's muscles start to stiffen. You gain a level of exhaustion that can only be removed by resting in a warm place.

• Stage 6: The character stops shivering and practically collapses. You become Winded and Staggered until your stage of Frostbite becomes 5 or lower.

• Stage 7: The character wavers between consciousness. Every day you must roll a d6 (1-2 = morning, 3-4 = midday, 5-6 = dusk). For the duration of that time of the day, you become Unconscious.

  Additionally, the character gains 4 Stress.

• Stage 8: The character goes unconscious. You are rendered Unconscious until your stage of Frostbite becomes 7 or lower.

• Stage 9: The character's breathing and pulse slows. At the end of each day while still in the cold, you take 1d4 cold damage. Should this damage reduce you to 0 health, you immediately progresses 1 stage of Frostbite.

• Stage 10: The character is cold and dead. You die (and become a meat popsicle).

Stages of Heatstroke

• Stage 1: The character sweats profusely, weak and exhausted from dehydration. You gain disadvantage on Strength checks and saving throws.
• Stage 2: The character vomits as a severe headache renders them delirious and confused. You gain 1d6 Stress and the DC for any Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks or saving throws you make is increased by 2.
• Stage 3: The character turns pale as they begin to convulse and eventually faint. You must immediately make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious. On a success you instead fall unconscious if you fail a saving throw against Heatstroke. Once unconscious you can only be awoken once your stage of Heatstroke is reduced below 3.
• Stage 4: The character suffers minor brain damage and shock as they begin to suffocate due to heart failure. You are rendered Unconscious until your stage of Heatstroke becomes 2 or lower. You must then roll a d6 (1-2 representing your Intelligence score, 3-4 your Wisdom score, and 5-6 your Charisma score), permanently reduce the rolled Ability Score by 1.
• Stage 5: The character suffers major brain damage as they suffocate to death. You roll 1d2 three times and permanently deduct the result in order from your Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores.
• Stage 6: The character's muscles become rigid as they die instantly. You die.