General Rules

Intelligence Proficiency Points

You gain Intelligence Proficiency Points (IPP) equal to your Intelligence modifier. You may use one to gain an additional skill, language, or tool proficiency or three to gain expertise in one existing proficiency. If a character’s Intelligence modifier ever increases, they gain IPP equal to the increase. A negative Intelligence modifier requires that you lose a number of proficiencies equal to the modifier.

Cantrip Mastery

The ability to grasp the simplest manifestation of arcane or divine power, a cantrip, is not exclusive to those who devote themselves to that path. Magic is a fundamental aspect of the world, so with a sufficient natural level of understanding, some secrets may be unlocked for an individual.

You know a number of cantrips equal to the number of ability scores (among Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) with a score of 13 or higher. You choose a class that uses that ability score for spellcasting. You may select your cantrip from that class's base spell list.

Alternate Spellcasting Ability

All spellcasting classes have the flexibility to choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as their spellcasting ability. Sorcerers have the additional option of Constitution.

This decision is made when you take the first level in that class. All references to the original ability in reference to spellcasting would be replaced with your chosen alternate spellcasting ability. Your saving throw proficiencies are left unchanged.

Interactions such as Arcane Trickster and Magic Initiate that deal with other classes without multiclassing must abide by the standard ability scores.

Bard

A character with a Bardic Inspiration die or the Cutting Words feature may wait until after the GM declares the outcome of the relevant roll, rather than requiring the player to decide before. This allows players to make an educated gamble rather than a blind one.

Fighter

The Fighter I run incorporates Battle Master maneuvers into the main class, just making BM Fighters better at it. Consult the Fighter (Reworked) GMBinder for complete details.

Monk

• You have an additional number of ki points equal to your proficiency bonus.
• As part of your Extra Attack class feature, the number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level.
• Starting at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, enemy creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attacks against you.
• You can make grapple and shove checks with Dexterity (Athletics).

Ranger

The Ranger I run is one that has undergone a major rework to the base class, in addition to some of the subclasses. Consult the Ranger (Reworked) GMBinder for complete details.

Rogue

Sorcerer

• You have an additional number of sorcery points equal to your proficiency bonus.
• At 3rd Level, you gain four Metamagic options of your choice. You gain another two at 10th and 17th level.
• Subclasses that do not include a table of additional spells (such as those in TCE) gain 2 additional spells known when they gain their 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level in Sorcerer. These spells must on the sorcerer, warlock or wizard spell list, and must be from one of two schools of magic chosen at character creation.

Inspiration

Inspiration points are a DM-awarded, shared party resource. Think of them as spendable gold stars.

Rule of Cool

If you describe a difficult but cool action, and you want your character to do it, your GM may simply allow it to succeed without a roll. There's nothing worse than a legitimate, creative idea thwarted because RNJesus shot it down.

Party Etiquette

Loot Sharing is determined by the party. Splitting rewards evenly, having a group fund, or using both are all acceptable. Magic item hoarding is against the collaborative nature of the game. If some characters are continually left out from rewards, considering resolving that in-character, else I will step in.

Player vs. Player, as stated above, it must be agreed upon between the players out-of-character

Stealing from Players is allowed as long as both players agree on it being possible, and both players are aware of the theft, successful or not.

Working Against the Party is disallowed. This includes plotting, obfuscating, refusing to participate in sessions and waving it off as “it’s just what my character would do.” If this is your concept for a character, scrap it and start anew.

Antagonizing Other Players is disallowed. Keep PvP in-character. If it goes too far and targets the player rather than the character, let me know immediately.

Secrets

The race, level, class, and subclass of all player characters are public knowledge between players. Any other character secrets discussed with the GM, such as organization membership, true names, origins, are fair game to keep secret and reveal whenever you see fit.

Passive Checks

You feel silly when your lumberjack barbarian fails to move a log or your dexterous thief fails to pick a basic lock. Depending on the situation, your GM may allow for the following rules to take place after a failed skill check, or in some cases, in place of a skill check entirely.

Teamwork Checks

It’s a common occurrence that one player fails a roll, others jump in to try their luck. Instead of "dogpiling" checks until the party succeeds, if two or more players are attempting an action, the GM may deploy a Teamwork Check.

Teamwork checks are way to allow characters to help each other without simply giving each other advantage. It has a higher DC than a regular check, and the fate of two or more characters can hang in the balance. This type of check can be used as a versatile tool, capable of being used in time sensitive missions, useful for highly trained characters to help their less inclined companions, and more. This type of check doesn't replace a simple skill check, but rather can be used as an option when two characters are working together and you want to emphasize teamwork.

Each roll contributes towards the DC, rather than requiring each to pass. See Teamwork Checks for further rules.

Skills with Different Abilities

The Variant rule that outlines situationally using different abilities for skill checks (p.175 PHB) such as Strength (Intimidation).

Critical Success

A natural 20 by a proficient character means a VERY successful and exemplary use of the skill, while a natural 20 on an unskilled character will be a success, though not to the same degree. Neither mean “automatic success” in the same way that they do on attack rolls.

Monster Knowledge

When a party encounters a monster, players often want to know what their character knows about the monster. This resolves with a skill check, from the Creature Type Skills table. If you are proficient in the relevant skill, the GM will prompt you to roll a check.

Your GM will consult the Monster Knowledge table and inform you what your character knows.

Casting Multiple Spells

Instead of any bonus action spell (whether a cantrip or not) preventing you from casting any other leveled spell during your turn (including reactions such as Counterspell), the rule is made more intuitive in the following way: You cannot cast leveled spells with your action and with your bonus action in the same turn.

Ritual Casting

Any spells learned or known through your class can be cast as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared (if your class requires spell preparation). Spells cast through innate spellcasting that are not ‘learned’ or ‘known’ do not qualify.

Spell Scrolls

Anyone can attempt read a spell scroll, so long as it has been properly identified. For the purposes of spell scrolls, a spellcaster is defined as a character who can cast at least one leveled spell innately. A scroll’s reading DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a either a successful cast and failed check, the scroll crumbles to dust.

If you are a spellcaster, the spell is on your class spell list(s), and is of a level you can cast, you may use the scroll without any skill check.

If you are a spellcaster, but the spell is either not on your class spell list(s) or is of a higher level than you currently have access to, you must make an ability check using your spellcasting ability to determine whether meet its reading DC and cast it successfully.

Otherwise, your Intelligence score must meet or surpass the scroll’s reading DC to cast the spell before attempting an Intelligence ability check to meet its reading DC and cast it successfully.

Spell Clarifications

The following are modifications to existing spells or clarifications to their usage.

Fog Cloud. When targeting a creature that is heavily obscured that the character cannot see, make a Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the target's passive Dexterity (Stealth) to discern their location through other senses. The GM will arbitrate the success of this check, noting 1-4 spaces the target may be located - fewer possibilities on a more successful check. Choose a space from the ones provided and make the attack roll normally. If the target is not located in the space chosen, the attack misses.

Scrying. When magically scrying, the caster's senses are limited to 30ft of the target. Anything beyond that range is fuzzy, muffled, or otherwise obfuscated.

Heat Metal. Alternate usage. Can be cast as a ritual with a duration of 8 hours, but still requiring concentration. This ritual version of the spell can target any non-organic material, including clay, glass, and metal. The caster can control the temperature created by the spell between its maximum (1500F) and its resting temperature.

Lightning Arrow. Concentration is not required if the spell is used immediately during the same turn.

Contested Mind Influence

Effects that influence the actions, perception, and disposition of creatures take a lot of forms in 5e. We will refer to them as ‘mind influencing’. We will use ‘source’ to refer to the caster, poison, magical item, or other source that caused the ‘mind influencing’ effect.

For any creature suffering ‘mind influencing’ effects from multiple sources, a contested ability check is prompted at the start of the creature’s turn to determine which source wrests control. Each source must make a contested spellcasting ability check or Charisma check, whether another caster, creature, or magical source. The caster or source of the highest level charm effect has advantage on the check, with none gaining advantage on a tie.

Until the start of the affected creature’s next turn, the victor of the contested check successfully suppresses all other ‘mind influencing’ effects. During that time, the affected creature will solely follow the direction of the victor (within the confines of the spell). On a tie, the source with the highest Charisma score is the victor.

After initiative ends, a creature who was the subject of the contested mind influence must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. The creature must roll on the Short-Term Madness table (p.258 DMG) on a success, or the Long-Term Madness table on a failure.

Healing

Spells, potions, and abilities that restore hit points use the maximum possible roll of the dice when applied to creatures with 1 or more hit points. Hit dice used during a rest are rolled normally.

Potions

Drinking a potion can be done with a bonus action, instead of only as an action. You must still use an action to feed a potion to another creature.

Critical Hits

When scoring a Critical Hit on an attack roll, the damage roll is calculated by rolling the standard damage dice, adding the modifiers, and adding the MAXIMUM of all damage dice. Functionally, this ensures the minimum Critical Hit damage is always more than the maximum non-Critical damage.

Initiative

Initiative Ties are broken by whichever combatant has a higher DEX score.

Mental Preparedness. Sometimes getting into action is more about mental preparedness than physical. A character may opt to use their Wisdom modifier instead of their Dexterity modifier for an Initiative Roll.

Drift Compatibility

Working as a cohesive unit, your group of characters would be able to coordinate well in combat, or have an uncanny sense of the others' combat styles and capabilities. Players can request for a short (1-3 minute) window of time after rolling Initiative for the party to strategize for the fight ahead.

The party can clarify with the GM what information their characters would already know about the encounter, as well as the option of a skill check in regards to their character's knowledge of an enemy creature.

Knocking a Creature Out

Any weapon attack, ranged or melee, can be used to deal non-lethal damage and knock a creature unconscious and stable at 0 hit points. They will regain 1 hit point and consciousness in 1d4 hours unless otherwise healed. (p.198 PHB)

Downed

A condition that occurs when a player character falls to 0 hit points. This replaces the RAW application of the unconscious condition under the same circumstances.

• A downed creature falls prone and cannot stand up on their own.
• The creature loses concentration on any spells or abilities
• The creature cannot take actions or bonus actions, but may still take reactions.

While downed, the creature makes a death saving throw at the beginning of each of its turns. If a downed creature takes damage, they must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer a death saving throw failure. If a character is healed above 0 hit points, their downed condition ends.

Death

Since the game is more character focused, character death is not something I expect often, but that does not preclude the possibility. Player Characters can die permanently. As a general rule of thumb, my view is that a player character should only die due to the decisions of the player. As a result, I generally avoid attacking downed characters or unbalancing encounters without ample warning of their difficulty. In my style of play, a PC death by my hand is a failing on my part. That said, if a character does die, there are options to restore life.

Critical Hit

When a creature takes a critical hit, they must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, or roll on the Battle Wound table. You roll a number of d100s equal to your Constitution Modifier + 2 (minimum of 1), as per the Battle Wound Modifier table, taking the highest result.

Downed

When a creature drops to 0 hit points with lethal damage but isn’t killed outright, roll on the Battle Wound Table. You roll a number of d100s equal to your Constitution Modifier + 1 (minimum of 1), as per the Battle Wound Modifier table, taking the highest result.

Battle Wound Table

Each Battle Wound has a name, mechanical description, and maximum duration. Effects have several options for treatment, between specific Spells, a minimum level of magical healing, Medicinal Magic, or a Wisdom (Medicine) check. The GM will outline the full details of a Battle Wound that is put in play. The wound may be narratively flavored based on the context of the wound, but the effect will not change.

The design of the table is to provide a chance of beneficial effects (25%) in addition to the standard effects that range from short term trauma/minor injuries (25%), multi-day injuries (25%), severe injuries (15%), and loss of body parts (10%). Rolling multiple times on the table ensures creatures with high Constitution are more likely to roll the neutral or positive effects.

This table is used to provide meaningful consequences for combat encounters, as well as give healers a meaningful role, whether through magic, medical skill, or herbalism.

Fighting Style

Available to Fighter, Ranger, and Bard (Swords), the Fighting Style ‘Two-Weapon Fighting’ is amended as follows:

• When you attack with a melee weapon while holding another melee weapon, you get +1 to the attack roll and +1 to the damage roll.

Equipping Gear

Though not realistic, limitations on worn equipment “slots” are necessary to maintain a balanced game. The following categories relate to magical items or any other item that provides an in-game benefit, excluding non-magical Holy Symbols. Magical items that are not 'equipped' in one of these categories have no limit. Standard attunement slot limitations still apply.

Attunement

Attuning to an item requires an action. This may be done in or out of combat. Breaking attunement takes 10 minutes of concentration.

Identifying

You may come across items whose magical properties are unknown. While many items can be completely identified through close examination over a short rest, some may require the Identify spell to uncover any or all of its properties.

Arcana Proficiency. If proficient, you may accompany a short rest with an Intelligence (Arcana) check. A successful check, as determined by the DM, may fully reveal the nature of an item that would otherwise require Identify.

Cursed Items

Cursed items are an opt-in gameplay feature. RAW chains players to cursed items if they attune to one unaware of its effects. These rules change that and make cursed items still have power, a will of their own, and consequences, but nothing as overly restraining or borderline manipulative as the standard rules.

Magically Crafted

The DM is the sole arbiter of what constitutes a magic item, compared to a well-crafted mundane item. These items must still be crafted as a magical item, however, as magic still plays a part. Magical means are used to enhance the crafter’s abilities to create a more effective product, rather than assigning an enchantment to the item.

Vestiges

Vestiges are artifact level items that have been infused with power beyond mortal means. Most vestiges were created for a singular purpose, goal, or user in mind. It is said that higher beings - whether a deity, lesser idol, powerful devil, or forgotten aberration - guide their champion in the creation of these mythical artifacts, imbuing it with properties relevant to the being’s powers and motivations. Its properties are established and immutable after initial creation. While most Vestiges were passed down from champion to champion, others became lost, forgotten, and have passed into legend.

Many Vestiges have been granted sentience and exhibit will and ambitions aligning with that of its original creator. If the item and the wielder come in conflict, the Vestige will attempt to influence the wielder to follow its will.

If sealed away or left without a worthy attuned individual for a period of time, vestiges will revert to their dormant state. In this dormant state, it still imbues power to the attuned, but with time, perseverance, and personal growth, the Vestige can regain access to some of its lost abilities by reaching its awakened state. Eventually, through extreme personal challenge, evolution, and achievement, the Vestige can reach its full potential in its exalted state.

The properties of Vestiges that have not been revealed by the user cannot be determined by normal magical means. Abilities, skills, and spells that reveal the nature of magical items, such as the Identify spell, will reveal that an item is in fact a Vestige, however its specific properties will not be revealed. Given that these items have a storied and near mythical history, information is difficult, but not impossible to come by if you look in the right places.

Signature Items

All Signature Items begin with humble and often unremarkable origins, eventually growing into powerful, unique, and recognizable items the user, referred to as its Champion, may become famous - or infamous - for. Signature Items develop their power dynamically, organically, and directly parallel to the growth of its user. While the source of the item’s power may involve a higher being, its creation process is largely theorized as natural magics traveling through the Champion as a conduit to the item.

Signature Items typically have five stages of development. The initial state, whether mundane or a minor enchanted item, is referred to as Inert. Once it receives its first semblance of growth, it enters its Dormant stage, developing properties akin to Rare magic items. If the item was to go without a user for a prolonged period of time, it would revert to its Dormant state for the next user. Beyond that lie the Enhanced (Very Rare) and Awakened (Legendary) stages, earning enhancements to existing abilities and/or the appearance of new ones. The final stage is Exalted (Artifact), where the item reaches its true potential.

All signature items require attunement. Any signature item used by their original Champion, however, requires attunement but does not count against their item attunement limit.

Major growth of character heralds in a new stage of power, gaining new abilities and properties specifically designed to aid the item’s Champion. The requirements of ‘growth’ is rather nebulous, but can manifest through accomplishing or taking steps toward ambitions, confronting fears, changing perspectives, or making great sacrifices.

Rest

Fifth Edition is designed as a game of attrition, assuming the game is a dungeon crawl, which doesn't translate well to games with overland travel and pacing. The way I run my table is more temporally realistic, taking week or even month-long downtime periods, traveling from place to place with only a few encounters along the way. To compensate for that, we use the following rules for Resting:

Travel Realism

Keeping track of food, water, rations, and other minor expenditures is messy and tedious. I operate with the assumption that your characters are prepared enough to fulfill their basic needs. However, this does not preclude the possibility of encounters resulting in the loss of such items, requiring you to hunt for food or find a suitable stream to replenish water. Outside of venturing into harsh or hostile environments, these will be few and far between.

Tents or other forms of shelter are a must during travel. Attempting a long rest in the open air during hazardous weather like rain or snow will prevent the completion of said rest. You will not be expected to pay for inns or other accommodations.

For the purposes of maintaining a degree of realism for carrying capacity, each character will be expected to carry a waterskin and a week’s worth of rations at all times.

Chronicle

You chronicle the party’s journey, creating a record such as drawings, songs, poems, a journal, or maps. Any chronicle you create has a set amount of value, either in gold pieces or services. For example you could recount the chronicle at taverns for free food and beds, or sell copies of the work to a library or guild.

Resources. Intelligence (History, Performance, Musical Instrument, Forgery Kit or Cartographer’s tools), Intelligence or Dexterity (Calligrapher’s supplies or Painter’s supplies).

Resolution. Roll an ability check with one of the skills or toolkits below that you are proficient with. The chronicle has a gp value equal to the result. The value is doubled if you discover a new location or creature in the area.

Craft

You can spend time using your tool proficiencies to create useful items and gear.

Consult Alchemy, Herbalism, & Poisons.

Forage

Resources. While traveling, you may only forage for 2 hours per day.

Consult Alchemy, Herbalism, & Poisons.

Motivate

You motivate the party to keep the pace up by playing music, coaching, persuading or intimidating the party.

Resources. Charisma (Persuasion), Strength or Charisma (Intimidate), Strength (Athletics), Wisdom or Charisma (Musical Instrument)

Resolution. The DC is 5 + the average party level. On a success, the party gain 5 temporary hitpoints until their next long rest and have advantage on constitution saves from Forced March.

Navigate

You navigate the wilderness, aiming to keep track of where you are and not get lost.

Resources. Wisdom (Survival), Intelligence (Navigator’s Tools)

Resolution. The DC is determined by the environment the party is travelling through and any relevant modifiers, as described in the Activity DCs table.

On a success, the party follows the planned route and/or doesn’t get lost. On a failure, the party is lost. If the DC is 0 or less, the party cannot get lost (and therefore a navigator is not required).

On Watch

You vigilantly keep a look out for creatures and hazards. You spot other creatures before they spot the party. Spotting creatures early can allow the party to move stealthy past them using normal stealth rules, if they wish to.

Resources. Wisdom (Perception)

Resolution. With a skill check, you also have a chance to spot some Environment Hazards more quickly, using the environment’s Search DC.

Search

You are tracking a creature or searching for something.

Resources. Intelligence or Wisdom (Survival, Investigation or Perception).

Resolution. Regardless of what you are searching for, calculate the DC using the Activity DCs table, based on the environment the party is in and any other relevant factors. On a success, you find what you are looking for, if it is in the area the party traversed through.

Support

You help the party handle the wilderness with supporting tasks like preparing meals or alcohol, tending to injuries, or repairing shoes or gear.

Resources. Intelligence or Wisdom (Medicine, Cook’s Utensils or Brewer’s Supplies), Intelligence or Strength (Cobbler’s Tools), Intelligence or Dexterity (Weaver’s Tools).

Resolution. The DC is 10 + the average party level. On a success, each party member regains half of their total hit dice, up to their maximum and gains advantage on saving throw involving diseases.

Utilize Vehicle

Whether its skillful control, tender caring of animals, or clever adjustments or repairs, vehicles and mounts can be pushed to travel faster.

Resources A mount, land vehicle, water vehicle, or air vehicle. Dexterity, Intelligence or Wisdom (Vehicle (Land or Water)), Wisdom (Animal Handling), Strength or Intelligence (Carpenter’s Tools or Smith’s Tools), Intelligence (Tinker’s Tools).

Resolution. The DC to utilize a vehicle (or mount) in this way is determined by the environment the party is in and any relevant modifiers, as described in the Activity DCs table. On a success, the vehicle (or mount) is able to cover distance faster, and you have advantage on any checks or saving throws made to control the vehicle (or mount). The additional distance can be calculated as:

Some rule systems would bloat this document further, so they have their own individual pages.

Alchemy, Herbalism, & Poisons

A homebrew system for characters to create their own potions, medicine, and poisons. It covers the whole process from foraging to usage.