The Game

This game is going to be long, dark (in themes and in lighting), and difficult. Taking place in Etharis, a grim dark setting found in the Grim Hollow Campaign Guide, this is a world where the good guys don't always win, the heroes aren't always good, and people will step on each other to get what they want. Dark, dreary, occasionally horrific. As gritty and grimdark as this land is, there is a fair amount of hope, joy and fun to be had. Drinks, carnivals, mirth and merry help to distract from the otherwise bleak outlook of life here, and it can be easily found where restless citizens seek to make the world a little brighter.

Generally, things are pretty much as it seems. Creatures stalk the woods and countryside, preying on those unfortunate enough to find themselves wandering or alone. Politicians wage wars to remain in power, to gain land and to assert dominance. Darkness creeps in the heart of man and crime is rampant. However, there are darker forces at play. Older beings, lost souls, dark organizations and those so corrupt they can hardly be described as humanoid.

Prepare yourselves. Combat may be important, but survival and roleplay are going to dominate much of this campaign.

The DM

I, the Dungeon Master, will be spending considerable amounts of free time preparing each session, and the game as whole. It is understood that the players rarely do what is expected, so much of my work may go to "waste." Note that this does not mean I will railroad the players/characters in any way.

I am fairly liberal with ideas for your characters and their pursuits. I will do what I can to compromise and work with you.

I am also fairly rewarding for those who are creative and who succeed, if not a little generous. I balance around the players capabilities and not CR. Not every encounter is a deadly encounter. Some are to use up resources.

You

The following are hard expectations for you and your fellow players. However, the end goal of these rules and expectations is for everyone to have fun at the table.

Intrinsically, the rules of the table - Communicate, Respect, and Participate - are the primary expectations. If you are having an issue, communicate. If you can't keep to the game's schedule, drop out. If you are constantly distracted during the game, fix the issue or drop out.

There are a plethora of players. You are replaceable if you consistently make the game less fun by being agitated by other players, not showing up, or constantly asking what is going on.

Of course, there are exceptions. It is understood life can get in the way. Sometimes you have to miss a week. Sometimes life stresses you out so much it distracts you from what's going on in-game. Shit happens, and we can work with and around that. Don't make it a habit.

Lastly, we ask that you refrain from the following:

1. Metagaming. Play what your character knows. Ask if they would know something. The DM goes to great lengths to make new monsters, traits, and items to discourage metagaming.

2. Rules Lawyering. At least fervently. If the DM asks about a rule, let them know. Don't correct other players, and don't fight the DM on a ruling.

3. Trolling. Or otherwise being childish. Don't fuck over the party cause it's funny to you. Don't give your character disruptive gimmicks. Examples include psychosis, bipolar disorder, split personalities, absolute pacifism, kleptomania, etc. Don't think you can fuck anything in sight. This game doesn't give you the freedom to release your inner asshole.

Basics

Character creation will occur during session 0, unless explicitly stated otherwise. You will be creating your character with the setting and the other party members in mind. Do not come to session 0 with a character concept ready that you are not willing to change.

Knives

Inspired by the original Knife Theory by u/jimbaby1, and u/iveld's Remastered Knife Theory.

When writing a character's backstory, it's important to include a certain number of "knives". Knives are essentially anything that the DM can use to raise the stakes of a situation for your character. Anything that can make a conflict personal, like a threatened loved one or the appearance of a sudden enemy. They're called "knives" because the players lovingly forge them and present them to the DM so that the DM can use them to stab the player over and over again until they're having fun.

Here are some examples:

• A named character your character cares about, living or dead (e.g. relative, childhood friend, mentor, or pet)

Homebrew

• Path of the Crystal Soul
       Become one with crystals by melding them into your flesh.
  
  
• Path of the Gladiator
       Cheers from the crowd or your allies gives you enough energy to put on quite the show.
  
  
• Path of the Grave
       Returning from the dead, you embrace your undeath in a rage beyond... death.
  
  
• Path of the Mist-Scarred
       Trailing with a radiant mist, your wounds heal during your rage.
  
  
• Path of the Skin-Beast
       The beast inside, be it lycanthropy or some other corruption, emerges in times of danger and rage.

Class Changes

• Reckless Attack
       Reckless Attack can be used with ranged attacks that use Strength, such as Javelins.
       Additionally, Reckless Attack can be used any time you make an attack, instead of the first attack of the turn.

• Survival Instincts
       At 2nd level, you become proficient in your choice of two of the following skills: Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Perception, or Survival. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those skills.

Homebrew

• College of Eloquence
       Wordsmithing that can shame the best of party faces.
  
  
• College of Madness
       When you go mad, everyone goes mad.
  
  
• College of Mortality
       The songs of life and health, turned to death and decay.

Class Changes

• Spellcasting Focus
       Bards can use any tool of performance that is not a weapon as a spellcasting focus, rather than a musical instrument. You gain proficiency with that object instead. You may choose one weapon here instead.

Homebrew

• Creation Domain
       Serving the great creators of the world and all within makes for a easy replacement of Forge Domain^{XGTE p.18}.
  
  
• Pestilence Domain
       Spreading the contagious love of your deity is a job that must be done for the greater good.
  
  
• Story Domain
       Sharing the epics of those before and yet to come. Closely tied with Knowledge deities.
  
  
• Trickery Domain, Redux
       An optional redux on the Trickery Domain^{PHB p.63} subclass that revolves serving a trickster deity.
  
  
• Winter Domain
       Sheltering those in need, you are the light guiding those lost in the storm; a storm you could replicate.
  
  
• Wish Domain
       You take it upon yourself to grant the wishes and hopes of others around you, as your god would.

Class Changes

None yet.

Subclass Changes

• Tempest Domain
       The 9th level cleric domain spells (Destructive Wave, Insect Plague) are replaced by Control Winds^{XGTE p.152} and Maelstrom^{XGTE p.160}.
  
  
• Trickery Domain
       The Blessing of the Trickster feature can be used on yourself a number of times up to your Wisdom modifier per long rest. The blessing doesn't affect you for an hour, but instead lasts for that roll.

Homebrew

• Circle of Ashes
       Following the cycle of rebirth of the phoenix, the ashes from your flames give birth to nature.
  
  
• Circle of Flames
       Connected to the spirits of flame, you are able to infuse living flame into your wildshapes.
  
  
• Circle of Primals
       Ancient ties have awakened primal ties to your forebears allowing you to wildshape into a dinosaur.
  
  
• Circle of the Hybrids
       Experimental hybridization between oneself and nature, you wildshape into something aberrant.
  
  
• Circle of the Sun
       Drinking from the nectar of the sun, you can create radial blooms of flowers to help you.
  
  
• Circle of Winter
       Wreathed in cleansing snow, you direct its ire to slow and disable threats.

Class Changes

• Metal Armor
       You are able to use any shield or armor no matter its composition. If you are proficient in it, you gain the benefits from wearing it. Just flavor it.
  
  
• Wild Companion
       You gain the ability to summon a spirit that assumes an animal form.
       As an action, you can expend a use of your Wild Shape feature to cast the find familiar spell, without material components. When you cast the spell in this way, the familiar is fey instead of a beast, and the familiar disappears after a number of hours equal to half your druid level.
  
  
• Wildshape
       You can wildshape into a CR 0 creature an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one) per long rest. Wildshaping into these creatures does not expend a use of your normal wildshape, but otherwise follows all other rules of wildshape.
       In addition, you can only wildshape in creatures you are quite familiar with. Druids know all the animals in the region they grew up in. Those animals can be found in Xanather's Guide to Everything on page 25.

Subclass Changes

None yet.

Homebrew

• Destroyer
       You are a titan amongst champions leaving destruction in your wake with complete and utterly raw damage.
  
  
• Juggernaut
       You are a mountain amongst the sea, immovable and unbreakable in your pathway.

Class Changes

None yet.

Subclass Changes

• Eldritch Knight
       - Spell List
       You can choose any spell in the Wizard or Warlock spell list for your spells.
       - Warlock Invocations
       You may select a Warlock Invocation^{PHB p.110 / XGTE p.56} instead of choosing between an Ability Score Improvement (ASI) or a Feat. You must follow all prerequisites except that the Warlock level is instead your Fighter level. Once selected, the invocation can't be changed or removed. Changes to Invocations are listed in the Warlock section.
       - Weapon Bond
       The ritual to bond to a weapon also attunes to the weapon if able.

Homebrew

• Way of One Hundred Blows
       From start to finish, your flurry deftly becomes twenty strikes before becoming a devastating hundred blows.
  
  
• Way of the Elements, Redux
       An optional redux on the Way of the Four Elements^{PHB p.80} subclass that revolves around manipulating the four elements.
  
  

Class Changes

• Deflect Missiles
       You can now deflect or catch any airborne object within 5 feet of yourself with Deflect Missiles. As apart of this reaction, you can move 5 feet in any direction - including upwards via jumping.
  
  
• Stillness of Mind
       The Stillness of Mind feature can additionally end confusion, as if from the confusion spell, instead of making a saving throw at the end of their turn. You can use this action instead of following the confusion effect.

Subclass Changes

None yet.

Homebrew

• Oath of Heroism
       Commitment to becoming better for the betterment of others, you become peerless in your deeds and heroics.
  
  
• Oath of Shadows
       Chained to the darkness, you work best within it becoming one with shadow.
  
  
• Oath of the Damned
       Brought back from death, you owe your life to another, even if it is an empty life.
  
  
• Oath of Zeal
       Devotion to your faith and rooting out heretics, you become an agent of faith as an inquisitor and witch hunter.

Class Changes

• Fighting Style
       Paladins can choose from any Fighting Style^{PHB p.72}.

Subclass Changes

None yet.

Homebrew

• Fey Warden
       Allying with bestial spirits, you both strike with a ferocity that replaces Beastmaster^{PHB p.93}.
  
  
• Skywarden
       Aligning yourself with the winds, you are able to utilize such heavy winds to your advantage.
  
  
• Swarmkeeper
       Utilizing a hivemind, you become a keeper to a swarm of insects that devour your foes.

Class Changes

• Variant Ranger
       The Ranger is, for all intents and purposes, lackluster. The Variant Class Features UA replaces the normal features for the ranger.
  
  

Subclass Changes

• Beast Master
       The Beast Master^{PHB p.93} subclass is replaced by the Fey Warden homebrew.

Homebrew

• Brigand
       Every band of unsavory folk has the big tough guy, and you're bigger.
  
  
• The Revived
       Everyone dies, but this isn't your first time and it won't be your last.

Class Changes

• Sneak Attack
       Your sneak attack damage can be used with any melee weapon you are proficient with instead of requiring the Finesse property.
  
  
• Weapon Proficiencies
       Rogues now have proficiency with Scimitars, Tridents, War Picks, Whips, and Blow Guns.

Subclass Changes

• Arcane Trickster
       - Mage Hand
       You may cast mage hand without verbal components.
       - Spell List
       You can choose any spell in the Bard or Wizard spell list for your spells.

Homebrew

• Acheron Ancestry
       War and endless battle surges through your veins, transforming you into a brutal warrior.
  
  
• Ghost Touched
       You live a split life - here and on the ethereal plane - turning you into a living ghost.
  
  
• Infernal Heritage
       Hellfire and brimstone corrupt your core - claiming your soul, transforming you into a mortal devil.
  
  
• Reckless Arcana
       The line between your magic and your lifeforce is blurred, creating monstrous power within you for the price of your soul and perhaps your life.
  
  
• Stygian Blooded
       Bathed in the inky, toxic waters of Styx, you become a champion with powers of invulnerability.
  
  
• Twin Soul
       With you soul split in half, you can summon the other half as a guardian spirit in the form of whatever you will it to be.

Class Changes

• Arcane Focus
       You may use your own body as an arcane focus for sorcerer spells that don't have a material cost.
  
  
• Spell Points
       The Sorcerer will use the Spell Points variant option in the DMG and add their Sorcerery points to the same pool of points.
  
  
• Empowered Spell Metamagic
       The empowered spell metamagic additionally works with any non-d20 roll for a spell, such as healing or the sleep spell.
  
  
• Expanded Spells
       When you level up, the DM will give the you additional known spells (1st - 5th) based on your Sorcerous Origin and character traits, without it counting against the maximum spells known.

Subclass Changes

None yet.

Spell Changes

Sorcerers gain the geas spell to their spell list.

Homebrew

• The Astral
       Your patron is a celestial being outside of this world looking in, not only on the various worlds scattered through the Astral Sea, but also at you.
  
  
• The Friends
       Your patron isn't that of another world, but your connection and bonds of friendship are with a patron that is every single friend you make.
  
  
• The Great Old One, Redux
       An optional redux on The Great Old One^{PHB p.110} subclass that revolves your patron from the eldritch far realms. If you choose to use the PHB version, you may still use the invocations in the homebrew.
  
  
• The Many
       Your patron is comprised out of all the unclaimed souls seeking retribution and peace.
  
  
• The Sovereign Throne
       Your patron is a sentient throne who seeks the next ruler, but will you be ruling a golden age or a dark age?
  
  
• The Undying, Redux
       An optional redux on The Undying^{SCAG p.139} subclass that revolves around your patron of undeath. If you choose to use the SCAG version, you may still use the invocations in the homebrew.

Class Changes

• Invocations
       You can select an additional invocation instead of an Ability Score Improvement (ASI) or a Feat when available.
  
  

Pact Boon Changes

• Blade Pact
       You use Charisma to hit and deal damage with your pact weapon.
       When you perform the bonding ritual, you also attune to the weapon if able.
  
  
• Leveling Boons
       Pact Boons level up with you and gain new features as per the DM's discretion.
  
  
• Talismans
       You can choose the pact boon Talismans in addition to the normal 3 pact boons.

Invocation Changes

• Cantrips
       All invocations that affect eldritch blast also affect all other warlock cantrips.
  
  
• Tome Invocations
       With the tome pact boon, you may choose from these three homebrew Invocations.

Subclass Changes

None yet.

Homebrew

• Entropy
       Unlike other necromancers who rely on undead, your necromantic powers destroy the lives you touch.
  
  
• Forbidden Lore
       When delving into the occult leads to bloody druidic and warlock spells with bodies as components.
  
  
• Polymorphism
       When passion of transmutation is taken t0o far in creating something monstrous.
  
  

Class Changes

• Spell Mastery
       At 18th level, you gain the Spell Mastery feature. In addition to that feature, you gain the following:
       All spells in your spellbook are considered prepared for you.
  
  
• Signature Spell
       The original 20th level feature Signature Spell is replaced with the following:
       Choose two spells from any class that are of 5th level or lower. The chosen spells are added to your spellbook and count as wizard spells for you. You can change or add one thing about the spell with the DM's approval when you learn them. You can cast each of them once at their spell level without expending a spell slot. You can cast either the original spell or your altered spells this way. When you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, or normally after being expending, you must expend a spell slot as normal.

Subclass Changes

• Bladesinger
       Bladesingers^{SCAG p.142} are no longer restricted to only Elves and Half-Elves.

Dungeon Delver

• Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 or higher
• You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to detect the presence of secret doors and traps.

Grappler

• Remove the 2nd bullet point.
• Your speed isn't reduced when you are dragging a creature you are grappling.

Great Weapon Master

• Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty subtract your proficiency bonus to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 twice your proficiency bonus to the attack's damage.

Heavily Armored, Lightly Armored, & Moderately Armored Armor Ready

• Ignored all the bullet points worth of features. This is now one total feature.
• Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with all armor and shields.

Polearm Master

• When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, spear, or trident, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4, and the attack deals bludgeoning damage.
• While you are wielding a glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, spear, or trident, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach.

Sentinel

• When you hit a large or smaller creature with an opportunity attack, their speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.

Sharpshooter

• Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty subtract your proficiency bonus to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 twice your proficiency bonus to the attack's damage.

Skilled

• Increase your Intelligence by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice, or you gain expertise in a single skill or tool of your choice in which you are already proficient.
• You may select this feat multiple times.

Weapon Master

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency with four weapons of your choice all simple and martial weapons.

Iron Gut

• Upon completing a long rest, you regain 1d4 -1 additional spent Hit Dice.

Nimble Physique

• As long as you are not wearing medium or heavy armor, you can take the dodge action as a bonus action. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.

Witch Hunter

• Ignore all the bullet points except the last.
• You have advantage on the initial Wisdom, Charisma, and Intelligence saving throws of spell effects, so long as you can see the creature casting the spell.
• As an action, you can see magic within 10 feet of you as if you were under the effects of the detect magic spell. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per long rest.

Critical Damage

When you land a critical hit, you double the amount of damage diced rolled instead of doubling the result of the original dice.

Additionally, we may be using the grievous wounds rule in the Grim Hollow guide. The DM may change the grievous wound rolled to befit the attack and type of damage dealt.

Fall Damage

There is no cap on fall damage (1d6 per 10 feet).

Initiative

Bestial companions, familiars, and summoned creatures all act of the same initiative order of the character who controls them.

Summoned creatures that don't follow a character's commands, such as summon lesser demons, continue to act on their own initiative, which starts on the initiative right after the summoner's initiative.

Allied creatures can act on the same initiative if they so choose, combining and-or interweaving actions. Opposing creatures have a Initiative Tie Breaker equal to their Dexterity saving throw modifier. If it is still tied, it is up to the DM's discretion.

Intelligence

You become proficient with an amount of languages, skills, or tools equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 0). You may only select Intelligence based skills (e.g. Arcana, Investigation, Religion) to become proficient in when you gain the proficiencies this way.

Invisibility

Invisible creatures have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and make the check upon going invisible.

Blood Sacrifice

Any spell with the ◈ symbol gains the Blood Sacrifice tag, which means the spell can only be cast a ritual by following the Blood Sacrifice rules.

When you ritually cast a spell with the Blood Sacrifice tag, the spell requires additional material components, a corpse of small size or bigger that has been dead no longer than 24 hours, for every spell level. The corpse can't be from a construct, elemental, or undead creature. These material components are not completely consumed, but are verily desecrated.

For example, animate dead is a 3rd-level spell and would require three fresh corpses to cast the spell as a ritual.

Additionally, any ritual with the Blood Sacrifice ◈ tag can substitute 25 gp worth of original material components with another corpse.

Cantrips

You can change your cantrips each time you level up.

Additionally, with the DM's permission and your character having a specific theme, you can change the damage type of a cantrip when you choose it. Once you change the damage type this way, you can't change it again.

An example would be the firebolt cantrip. It originally deals fire damage, but could be reflavored as an icebolt with ice damage or acidbolt with acid damage.

Disguised Spells

You can attempt to disguise or hide the casting of a spell with verbal or somatic components.

As you are casting a spell, you must declare how you are trying to cast the spell undetected. If you are trying to disguise the spell and pass it off as something else, you must make a Charisma (Deception) check as you cast the spell, otherwise you make a Dexterity (Stealth) or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to try and hide the verbal or somatic components of the spell, respectively.

A creature that is observing you makes a Wisdom (Insight) check against your disguised spell, or an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check against your hidden spell. Creatures that aren't intently observing you as you cast a spell this way uses their respective passive scores to realize your subterfuge.

Sorcerers with the Subtle Metamagic does not need to make a hidden spell check for the verbal or somatic component of their choice as they cast a spell.

Homebrew Spells

• Transport Via Mirrors by /u/yoyoman55
       A spell similar to tree stride where you travel through mirrors.