House Rules for D&D 2nd Edition
These rules change the math to make it 3 points easier to hit, but PCs can mitigate it by fighting defensively. However, it introduces resting and a death save to reduce lethality.
It also makes all classes a bit more flexible and offers martial classes more things to do in melee than just swing a weapon.
HP, THAC0, & Advancement
- PCs start with 2500 XP (2nd level or 1/1 for dual-class).
- HP/lvl are: warriors 5, wizards 3, priests 4, and rogues 4. Characters get their CON bonus hit points at odd levels only.
- Attack bonus (20 - THAC0) replaces THAC0.
- Experience points are awarded for milestones (96% of the difference between levels) and 1 XP per gold piece spent. No XP bonus is given for high ability scores.
Abilities
Roll 4d6 and drop the lowest die. This is your charisma. Roll this way five more times and assign these to abilities as you like. If no score is at least 15, raise your lowest score to 15. You can then add +1 to any score under 17. You can swap charisma with another score to make charisma higher, but you can't make it lower.
At 4th level, your lowest ability score (only one) gets +1. At 8th level, you gain +1 to any ability below 18. At 18th level, you gain +1 to INT, WIS, or CHA.
Strength
Strength scores of 14 and up are given different combat modifiers. Percentile strength is eliminated.
Combat Modifiers for Strength/Dexterity
| Score | Old Score | Attack Mod. | Damage Mod. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 14 | -- | +1 |
| 15 | 15 | +1 | +1 |
| 16 | 16 | +1 | +1d3 |
| 17 | 17 | +2 | +1d4 |
| 18 | 18-18/75 | +2 | +1d6 |
| 19 | 18/76-00 | +3 | +1d8 |
| 20 | 19-20 | +3 | +1d10 |
| 21 | 21 | +3 | +1d12 |
| 22 | 22 | +4 | +1d12+1 |
| 23 | 23 | +4 | +1d12+1d3 |
| 24 | 24 | +4 | +1d12+1d4 |
| 25 | 25 | +5 | +1d12+1d6 |
Modifiers only apply for dexterity instead of strength (never both) when using a weapon with the DEX trait.
All Ability Scores
All of the abilities have a standard modifier, used for skill and ability checks.
Standard Ability Modifiers
| Score | Modifier |
|---|---|
| 1 | -5 |
| 2-3 | -4 |
| 4-5 | -3 |
| 6-7 | -2 |
| 8-9 | -1 |
| 10-11 | -- |
| 12-13 | +1 |
| 14-15 | +2 |
| 16-17 | +3 |
| 18-19 | +4 |
| 20-21 | +5 |
| 22-23 | +6 |
| 24-25 | +7 |
Hero Dice
Adventurers add a hero die as a bonus to certain rolls. It starts at nil and advances +1, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12.
- Warriors' die advances at levels 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20.
- Clerics and rogues' die advances at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, 20.
- Wizards' die advances at levels 5, 10, 15, 20.
Luck
You gain luck when you roll a 3 or more on your hero die.
- Spend 1 point to reroll a die roll (keep either roll).
- Luck resets to zero at the end of the adventuring day (upon reaching a place of safety).
- The DM gets luck when a player rolls a natural 1 on a d20. The DM’s luck never resets.
- The DM can get a point of luck by describing an ill omen (murder of crows, cauldron of bats, thunder clap, wolf howl, ominous echoes, slammed door) at a moment when danger is near.
Classes
Every even-numbered class level, you get 1 skill degree to put into a skill.
Wizard classes
- You can use Cantrip at will without expending a spell slot.
- In place of mundane spell components, you carry a custom-made staff, wand, or other sorcerous channel. Without it, you can only cast cantrips.
- Fireball does 3d6 hp damage +1 hp/level.
- Wizards get a degree in arcana and reading skills and one other skill degree.
- No illusionist class. No specialization.
Sorcerer features
- You don't have to memorize spells. You can cast any spell you know by expending the appropriate spell slot.
- The maximum number of spells you can learn per level is 3 plus your intelligence modifier. You can swap 1 between adventures.
Priest classes
- Favor: You gain 1 point of luck each morning.
- Minor miracle: You can spend a point of luck to find–or suddenly recall packing–one item or a few small items of a mundane sort, such as chalk or candles.
- Divination: Spend a point of luck make a successful wisdom check to ask the GM a simple question about the wisdom of a proposed action. The GM should answer honestly but briefly.
- Clerics get a degree in tradition and reading skills and two other skill degrees.
- Druids get a degree in nature lore and reading skills and two other skill degrees.
Rogues
Rogues get a degree in stealth skill and three other skill degrees.
Lucky: At 2nd level, you start every day with 1 point of luck.
You pick up skills haphazardly: at 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th levels, the DM should randomly offer one choice from two you don’t already have:
- Coup de Grace: If maximum damage from your backstab could kill a bloodied opponent, you can spend a point of luck, and, if you hit with a normal attack, kill the opponent.
- Insight: Spend a point of luck to ask the GM a simple question about an adversary in a combat, negotiation, reaction roll, or skill check. The GM should answer honestly but briefly.
- Uncanny Agility: Get advantage on agility-based checks. If you have acrobatics, you can climb most walls, cross roofs, and catch hand-holds as parkour; on a failed check, you must get down. (1d6 damage on a natural 1.)
- Dagger Fighting: As the feature for fighters.
- Evasion: When you are hit in melee but before you know the damage, you can spend a point of luck to evade the blow, but you end up several feet away. (Random square around your starting point.)
- Hide in Plain Sight: If you are with at least two humanoid allies, creatures with low to high (5-14) intelligence will generally not target you in combat, unless you are doing something conspicuous (about to attack, etc.).
- Silver Tongue: On a successful persuasion check, you can spend 1 point of luck to be so persuasive that you effectively have the ability of Charm Person. If successful, it lasts 1 day, after which the person is merely friendly (unless cheated).
- Swashbuckler: Daring feats only cost you 1 point of luck instead of 2. You can also spend a point of luck to tuck and roll after a fall (up to 15 feet) to avoid falling damage.
- Viper Strike: You can perform a backstab-like attack face-to-face, as long as it is the very first attack of a combat encounter. You create your own surprise.
Thief features
- Jack-of-all-trades: Twice when offered a rogue feature, you can instead choose a fighter or warrior feature of equal or lower level.
- The Big Score: At 20th level, you get a shot at the score of a lifetime. You define it.
Bard features
- You can cast Cantrip at will.
- Your 5th-level feature is automatically Silver Tongue.
- Jack-of-all-trades: As for thieves, but only once, starting at 8th level.
Warriors
Warriors include fighters, paladins, and rangers. Warriors get a degree in monster lore skill and two other skill degrees.
Fighter Features
At 1st level, you can choose one of these:
- Archery
- Shield Bearer
- Weapon Specialization
At 3rd and again at 4th level, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Animal Friendship
- Battle Cry
- Dagger Fighting
- Howling Fury
At 5th level, you gain Horde Bane and can choose one of these or one above:
- Quick Reaction
- Lucky Blow
- Evasion
At 6th level, you gain Steely Nerve.
At 7th level, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Marksmanship
- Multiple Attack
- Sense Unseen
At 9th level, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Defiant Spirit
- Volley
At 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th levels, you can choose one of these or one above.
- Epic Feat
- Grand Charger
Paladin features
- You must be lawful good and atone for any chaotic act and any evil act committed under the influence of magic; if you willingly perform an evil deed, you lose your paladin powers forever and become a fighter.
- You cannot possess more than 10 magical items at any one time, not exceeding one suit of armor, one shield, four weapons (not counting arrows or bolts) and four others.
- You must tithe 10% of your gains to an institution of your faith.
- You cannot build a stronghold and do not attract followers. You may only employ lawful good henchmen.
At 1st level, you can choose one of these:
- Archery
- Shield Bearer
- Weapon Specialization
At 2nd level, you are blessed to be immune to all forms of natural disease.
At 3rd level, you gain Undead Slayer and can choose one of these or one above:
- Battle Cry
- Quick Reaction
At 4th level, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Warhorse
- Dagger Fighting
At 5th level, you gain Steely Nerve and Divine Strike.
At 6th level, you gain Horde Bane.
At 7th level, you gain Detect Evil and can choose one of these or one above:
- Lucky Blow
- Multiple Attack
- Sense Unseen
At 8th level, you gain Aura of Protection.
At 9th level, you gain Mysticism.
At 11th level, you can cure any form of natural disease (once per week) and can choose one of these or one above.
- Defiant Spirit
- Epic Feat
- Grand Charger
- Evasion
At 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th levels, you can choose one from the lists above.
Ranger features
At 1st level, you gain Animal Friendship and can choose one of these:
- Archery
- Shield Bearer
- Weapon Specialization
At 2nd level, you gain Tracking proficiency, which improves at +1 per three levels (5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19).
At 3rd level, you pick your species enemy, and you can move silently and hide in shadows per Table 18 of the PHB.
At 5th level, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Dagger Fighting
- Steely Nerve
- Evasion
- Lucky Blow
- Marksmanship
At 6th level, you gain Horde Bane.
At 7th level, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Multiple Attack
- Quick Reaction
- Sense Unseen
At 9th level, you are made a forest warden and begin attracting followers, one per level, starting with a Grand Charger.
At 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th levels, you can choose one of these or one above:
- Defiant Spirit
- Volley
- Epic Feat
Class Feature Descriptions
Animal Friendship
You have a natural affinity for animals. Livestock, pets, small wild animals, and even guard dogs are automatically friendly if you are. Add your charisma modifier to your reaction checks for animals. If you get “amity”, the creature will be friendly but will flee if combat occurs. The creature will stay near you for days equal to your level.
At 6th level, you can request a large befriended beast act as a mount (elk, reindeer, bison, buffalo, aurochs, bear, giant wolf, giant goat, giant badger, etc.). It will fight with you but not independent of you.
Archery
If you are proficient in the short bow or longbow, your abilities now include:
- Take aim: You can choose to forego one bow attack you would normally get in order to get advantage on another and do +4 precision damage.
- Archery in Motion: You can move your full movement rate and still take two shots in the same round, readying another arrow while moving.
Aura of Protection
You are surrounded by an aura of protection with a 10-foot radius. Summoned and evil creatures within that space attack at -1 (any opponent). They recognize you are the source of their ill luck.
Battle Cry
You develop a battle cry that, when shouted as you close for melee, gives heart to yourself and any ally within 30 feet, so you each get advantage on your next attack in the current combat. You can do this only once in a given combat.
Defiant Spirit
You have found how to draw on your personal spirit to fight back against both arcane magic and mystical forces. You cut the duration of such effects (on you personally) in half. You make all checks against magical effects (including recovery) with advantage.
You also do not suffer disadvantage to attacks and checks from being noticeably injured.
Detect Evil
You can detect evil intent at a distance of 1 foot per level.
Divine Strike
When you make a successful attack with a melee weapon, you can spend one point of luck to do 1d4 hp lightning damage per level as paladin in addition to the weapon’s damage.
Dagger Fighting
You are practiced in melee with a dagger in one hand and another one-handed weapon in the other (no shield). You must attack the same opponent with both weapons. You are also proficient at throwing daggers and knives. When you gain an additional attack, you do not get an additional attack with both weapons.
Epic Feat
When you make an attack, you can spend a point of luck to try to perform an epic feat. If the attack is successful, you achieve a heroic maneuver that has some effect relevant to an encounter. For an opponent one size larger than “somewhat similar”, the DM may require an opposed strength check or a dexterity check.
- The attack automatically achieves a critical hit.
- You can perform a Daring Feat on a somewhat similar opponent (rather than only similar opponents).
- You climb on top of a much larger opponent, making further attacks automatic critical hits.
Evasion
You’ve learned to see a hard blow coming and get out of the way. After you are hit for damage but before damage is determined, you can check difficulty 12 using dexterity or spend a point of luck to evade the blow.
You end up several feet away in a random direction (1d12: 1 = DM chooses; 2-10 = clock points around opponent, 11-12 = you choose).
Grand Charger
You can go on a quest to find a fantasy mount. Good choices include a griffon, hippogriff, winged horse, or giant variety of lizard, panther, wolf, or other creature with semi-intelligent intellect and little to no magic powers.
The creature will sense your heroic aspect and, if approached carefully, will be open to friendship, if you've brought food. Check difficulty 11 using CHA to befriend the creature. This may be tried twice per day under most conditions. Success followed by spending one week bonding with the beast gives you the equivalent of horsemanship skill.
The grand charger will take simple orders and generally behave as a well-trained horse or dog, even guarding the company’s cart. When not needed for a time, as when you venture into a dungeon or a city, the grand charger will manage for itself (as when wild). You can sense one another at two miles in open ground, and the creature tends not to wander far. But it could get into trouble—such as eating a sheep from the local manor, which you will be responsible for.
This is a special bond, and if the creature is killed, you will mourn for a month but may then quest for another mount. However, you may suffer disadvantage to befriending checks if the creature senses guilt because the death was due to your own recklessness.
Horde Bane
Your weapon skills can make you a whirlwind of destruction when faced with multiple enemies. You can split your damage among as many creatures as you wish, as long as you have the movement to reach them all and your modified attack roll can hit their armor class. Each creature must receive at least 2 hp damage.
And you treat all 1st-level creatures as if they had just 1 hit point. Two levels later and again two more levels later, this extends to 2nd- and 3rd-level creatures.
Howling Fury
When using a melee weapon in combat, you can go into a berserk rage and gain a +2 strength, 2 points of luck, and hit points equal to your level. You become immune to abilities and spells that charm.
If you roll a natural 1 on an attack, you mistakenly attack an ally within range, if any. At the end of combat, you lose your immunity to charm, your strength returns to normal, and you lose half your remaining hit points due to fatigue. You cannot muster the same ferocity again until you get a good night's rest.
Lucky Blow
When you roll a natural 19 for an attack, you can spend a point of luck to turn it into a critical hit.
Marksmanship
If you already have Archery, your marksmanship progresses to include:
- Deadeye: Your skill reduces the effectiveness of the opponent’s armor or hide and so gains +1d3 damage.
- Shoot into Melee: You can shoot into melee without fear of hitting an unintended target. Any misses merely go astray.
Multiple Attack
You get an additional attack each round with your current weapon, which can be a melee weapon or missile weapon that is not a crossbow. However, the extra attack is at disadvantage. If you already have an attack with disadvantage (due to Weapon Specialization feature, for example), then—instead of the extra attack—that attack is as normal instead of at disadvantage. You cannot have more than one attack at disadvantage.
- 1 normal attack
- 1 normal and 1 at disadvantage
- 2 normal attacks
- 2 normal and 1 at disadvantage
- 3 normal attacks
Four levels later, the extra attack becomes a normal attack without disadvantage.
Mysticism
You are blessed with favor of your deity. You can begin casting spells as a 1st-level cleric and gain the features of a cleric of the faith (healer, oracle, or war). As you advance as a paladin, you also advance as a cleric.
Pass Unseen
If you are wearing medium armor or less, you can pass unseen thru woodlands as long as you are at least 30 feet from creatures and also leave no trace, except if there is snow on the ground. You get +3 to stealth checks in wilderness.
You can also move at your normal speed thru difficult terrain, such as rocky ground, wet mud, and tangled undergrowth, and remain alert to danger.
Quick Reaction
You can always choose to act first in an action round, after readied actions, regardless of who wins initiative. This is not an extra attack. If you have multiple attacks, you can still take your additional attacks when you would normally act, based on initiative. If you prepare an action, you can still act first after others' readied actions.
Sense Unseen
Your well-honed senses are heightened. You can detect creatures within 20 feet that are invisible or otherwise naturally or magically hidden—including incorporeal undead—and attack and defend against them as if they were visible.
Shield Bearer
If you use a shield, you can spend a point of luck to block an opponent’s successful melee attack on you or another creature within 5 feet of you. You can make the decision after learning the amount of damage the blow would do.
Or, without spending a point of luck, you can sacrifice your shield to block the blow. The shield must make a check (see Equipment) or become broken (handle or strap, etc.) and useless.
Steely Nerve
You have developed a grim resolve that makes you immune to non-magical fear, phobia, and morale problems. Any situation that would normally cause panic, you only suffer shock. You gain advantage to checks for magical fear and similar effects.
This also gives you an air of authority. You can tell NPCs of 5th level and below what to do. If they know you, aren't sure of themselves, and might do it anyway, they will try to do it. If it is questionable, check difficulty 12 using charisma and your hero die. Failure means the person becomes hostile (“I don’t take orders from you!”).
Undead Slayer
When you make a successful attack with a melee weapon against an undead or fiend, the attack does +1d6 hp damage.
Volley
If you are proficient in the short bow or longbow, you can spend a point of luck to find the opportunity to turn one archery attack into three. You grab three arrows and shoot them in rapid succession at up to three targets in the same general direction.
You can also ready three arrows as a prepared action and shoot a volley in place of one archery attack without needing to spend luck.
Warhorse
You have vision of a fine warhorse in a nearby location you must seek out. Claim it as your divinely gifted steed.
Weapon Specialization
You are a master of one particular melee weapon (long sword, battle-axe, cutlass, etc.—not all swords). You get +2 to attacks and +2 to damage with that weapon. You also get one extra attack each round at disadvantage. If you already have an attack with disadvantage (due to Multiple Attack feature, for example), then—instead of the extra attack—that attack is as normal instead of at disadvantage. You cannot have more than one attack at disadvantage.
You can choose this feature multiple times, but each time for a different weapon.
Skills
Skills allow you to do things like track creatures in a wilderness, recall odd details of history, and negotiate persuasively. Heroes start with some free skills based on their class type and some chosen skills (see the individual class backgrounds).
Some skills—called lesser skills—you can take only once, costing one skill degree. Others—called higher skills—can be honed with additional degrees after the first. These higher skills can also be used by someone who has not put any skill degrees into it, such as search and deception. The DM should make an effort to work in opportunities for heroes to be heroic at something other than combat.
Skill & Ability Checks
To use a skill, the player asks the DM if the skill is relevant to what the character would like to do and, if so, either succeeds automatically because it is easy for those who have the skill or rolls a d20 to meet or beat the difficulty determined by the DM. This roll is modified by:
- +2 for having the skill
- +2 for each level of the skill you have, including the first
- The relevant ability score’s modifier
So a hero with one degree in the skill gets +4; with two degrees gets +6; and with three degrees gets +8.
In some cases, the check may specify that the hero gets a flat bonus for having a certain skill, regardless of what their usual bonus is in that skill. This is because sometimes having the skill is relevant but being an expert at it isn’t.
In other cases, a specific skill may not be relevant to the situation, but an ability is. For example, you might be able to dodge a dragon’s breath weapon, so the DM calls for all the heroes to make a dexterity check. In this case, you apply your dexterity modifier to the roll, but it’s unlikely any skill would be particularly helpful. Or you might be able to withstand a dose of poison with a constitution check. Some of these checks may allow you to add your class level or your hero die as a bonus, since these are ways of accounting for your heroism.
How Checks Are Made
Skill and ability checks are usually phrased something like “the narrow ledge is somewhat slippery. Check difficulty 11 using dexterity and acrobatics or fall into the pit. Recovery means slipping and hanging by your fingers from the edge.” This means you roll 1d20 and apply the modifier for your dexterity and also for acrobatics skill, if you have it. If your modified roll is 11 or higher, you’re fine. If not, you can roll again to “recover”, with that success meaning you’re left hanging. Failing both rolls means you fall into the pit.
Difficulty
The DM sets the difficulty for a task to whatever seems appropriate to the situation, using guidance in the skill description. If the difficulty itself can be random, the DM may choose to roll 2d8+5 to determine the difficulty.
Natural 1
On a roll of natural 1 for a skill or ability check, the DM may even rule that no recovery is possible. When the heroes roll a natural 1 on any d20 roll, it generates a point of danger the DM can use.
Recovery
Even if you fail a check, the DM may rule that you can roll another check to recover for a partial success rather than suffer complete failure. A successful recovery can mean a variety of things:
- Success will take a long time (and you may choose to allow it to fail rather than spend that time).
- You make a lot of noise.
- You damage something valuable in the process.
- It’s not very good (relevant to entertaining in particular).
- You drop something.
- You are spotted by guards.
- You take half damage instead of none or full (relevant to a dexterity check in particular).
- You are affected by a spell for half the usual duration instead of none or full (relevant to a constitution or wisdom check in particular).
- You are reduced to 0 hp and seriously injured instead of dead (relevant to a constitution check in particular).
For something that seems pass/fail, the DM may rule that recovery is not possible.
Helping
Another hero may help the hero doing the skill check and give that person advantage, but only if he or she has the same or a relevant skill and if the DM rules it’s possible for them to work together. It’s not likely you can help another person be stealthy, for example, but one could help another with a deal using persuasion or deception. The player should always describe the nature of the help.
Special Checks
Strength Checks
Strength checks should usually be done by merely specifying the Deadlift value required to accomplish the goal. Often, characters must work together to reach it, assuming multiple characters can work together on the task.
Skill Challenges
In unusual situations, such as survival, escape from a crumbling keep, or a chase, the DM may call for a skill challenge. The DM and players must come up with a skill checks relevant to the situation. The heroes must make 3 to 5 successes (depending on the difficulty) before suffering 3 failures.
A given skill can only be successful once, and the character must be proficient in the skill to try it. Not every character present needs to participate.
Opposed Checks
In cases where two characters attempt to outdo one another using a particular skill or ability, the characters should roll an opposed check. Each character rolls 1d6 and adds the relevant ability score (not bonus). In the case of an opposed skill check, roll 1d6 and add the relevant skill bonus and ability modifier (not score). The higher modified roll wins (ties don’t count), but one character must win 3 out of 5 to best the other.
This is useful for wrestling, grappling, races, and other contests of skill, strength, and dexterity.
Higher Skills
These skills can be developed and improved over time, so you can put additional skill degrees into them as you advance. These skills can be attempted by any character without any bonus (that is, you don’t need to have the deception skill to try to deceive someone.
Brawling
You are skilled at unarmed fighting. You get two unarmed attacks (punch, kick, elbow, knee) per round, and they do 1d6 hp bludgeoning damage. You also get +2 to armor class against melee attacks when no armor or light armor and wielding no weapon. Checks use your choice of dexterity or strength. When grappling, on both your attack rolls and your opposed strength checks, you get a lock on a limb on an 18 or 19 and a headlock on a 20.
Climbing
You can climb 10 feet up or down trees and fences without a check; rough, rocky surfaces with difficulty 10; surfaces with few hand- and footholds with difficulty 18. On a failure, check at difficulty 16 to catch a hold five feet down or fall all the way to the ground. Checks use dexterity.
Contacts
You know a lot of people and can find people who have or can get useful information (difficulty 9) or actual help (difficulty 14), even in a strange city. The check determines how long it takes (a few hours or, with recovery, more than a day of greasing some palms with a few silver pieces). On a natural 1, you run into an old enemy or rival (recover or they actually want to kill you). Checks use charisma.
Deception
You can speak deceptively and persuade even where the target is distrustful. After a brief conversation with a person, you can glean information about their capabilities, including a rough idea of their intelligence, wisdom, and class level, if any. Checks use both intelligence and charisma, but failure means the deception is suspected, and the target becomes hostile. If used to impersonate a person, any differences (accent, height, clothing) from the other party’s expectation get -2 each.
Monster Lore
You know information about and can identify beasts (automatic) and common monsters of your home region and may know (or can find) information about more unusual monsters, including known (but not secret) special abilities and vulnerabilities (typically, difficulty is 10 plus the level of the monster). Checks use intelligence. Failure means you don’t know; recovery means you know someone who does know.
Nature Lore
You know information about and can identify beasts, plants, waterways, terrain, and weather patterns of your home region (automatic) and may know (or can find) information about more unusual aspects, such as special properties of certain plants (typically, difficulty is 11). Checks use intelligence. Failure means you don’t know; recovery means you know someone who does know.
Persuasion
You can speak persuasively, if the target is willing and can understand you. This is not magic; people can’t be convinced to give away their wealth. Success means the target is friendly to your suggestion or willing to make a deal. Recovery means getting them to agree will be costly, tricky, or distasteful. You can also goad an opponent into attacking. Checks use charisma or, in the case of intimidation, strength.
Oration
You can use your voice (speech, song, etc.) to exhort your companions to persevere; success gives companions advantage on all checks for 1 hour (additional attempts in a day accumulate a -3 penalty each). You can also use it to intimidate opponents and shake their morale. Checks use charisma.
Search
Searching a typical room typically takes 15 minutes and automatically finds non-hidden things (letters, a ring in a drawer, etc.). Searching a specified place automatically finds anything hidden in that place, including traps and secret compartments. Roll to find things in a place not explicitly searched. A concealed door might be difficulty 5; a secret door 12. Checks use intelligence.
Sporting
You can track a creature in suitable conditions (check each mile); hunt, trap, fish, and swim; and handle falcons and other birds of prey. You have a sixth sense for the weather even two days out. May allow an advantage in foot chases and such. Checks use intelligence.
Stealth
You can stay quiet and unnoticed under shadowy conditions when at least 25 yards from the opponent, difficulty 8. Checks use dexterity. This can be used to perform a sneak attack: you get advantage to your attack and, if you use a short weapon, score an automatic critical hit against a person (not any creature) when attacking from behind or otherwise undetected (invisible, covered by illusion, etc.). You cannot use this skill while wearing heavy armor; medium armor gets disadvantage.
Wrestling
You can wrestle and throw a similar opponent down by successfully making an opposed check using strength. This also gives you advantage in grappling attacks in lethal combat. On both your attack rolls and your opposed strength checks, you get a lock on a limb on a 17 or 18 and a headlock on an 19 or 20. (It’s possible for both grapplers to get a lock at the same time.)
Lesser Skills
These skills don’t improve much over time but also can’t be done at all by people who haven’t studied them extensively. These can only have one skill level devoted to them. You can only be so good at navigating, for example, but a group of travelers without navigation is very likely to get lost away from roads.
Craft
You know one specified craft, such as pottery, carpentry, baking, cooking, brewing, butchering, sculpting, smithing, weaving, glass or metal instrument making, etc. Checks use intelligence.
Occupation
You know one specified occupation, such as planting and herding, government functionary, engineer, ship’s officer, apothecary, barrister, building construction, etc. Can be taken only once, due to length of training. Checks use intelligence.
Acrobatics
You can perform acrobatics, tumbling, and balancing tricks and maneuvers, including those used in entertaining dances (as opposed to ordinary festival and courtly dances, which anyone can perform). Typical difficulty is 11. Checks use dexterity. You cannot use this skill while wearing more than light armor.
Appraisal
You can recognize good-quality goods from poor and estimate their value up to things worth 100 times your level. If you fail or it’s above your level-value, you have no idea; if you recover, you can give a vague guess. Checks use intelligence.
Arcana
You may know (or can find) information about magic, runes, sigils, artifacts, magical monsters, and the like. Checks use intelligence. Failure means you don’t know; recovery means you know someone who does know.
Art
You are good at an art or hobby, such as embroidery, drawing, sculpting, calligraphy, manuscript illumination, etc. Check only for new or unusual attempts or those in front of an audience. Checks use charisma. Recover for an acceptable result but not very good.
Entertaining
You can entertain people in one specific idiom, such as clowning, music, storytelling, etc. Can be taken multiple times for different arts. Checks use charisma.
Forgery
You can use costumes, vocal tricks, mimicry and accents, forged documents/seals, and makeup to try to gain entry somewhere (difficulty 10), disguise yourself to be unrecognizable (difficulty 8), impersonate another person of the same size class (difficulty 15, advantage if the person’s appearance is not known to the people being fooled). Checks use intelligence. Those without this skill can still claim to be someone else in the conventional way using deception.
Gambling
You are familiar with common betting and gambling pastimes, such as tarot, triomphe, tables, and cock-fighting but also predicting a rival’s next move. Checks use wisdom (difficulty 15 to break even, but higher among skilled gamblers). Nobles and merchants often like gambling and may challenge heroes.
Insightfulness
After a brief conversation with a person, you can glean information about their capabilities, including a rough idea of their intelligence, wisdom, and class level, if any. Checks use wisdom.
Juggling/Knife-throwing
You can juggle balls, pins, knives, hatchets, etc. and also throw very accurately, including throwing a knife, dagger, or hatchet. Checks use dexterity. As a weapon, a thrown-weapon attack gets +3 to attack rolls. You cannot use this skill while wearing more than light armor.
Language
You can speak one of the languages of the campaign setting other than the Common language, such as Imperial, Ancient, or Trade Argot. Checks use intelligence for tricky situations.
Natural Healing
Outside of combat, you can use natural means (plants, leeches, etc.) to treat wounds and heal 1d3+1 hp damage for as many as 6 different creatures per day as well as minor ailments (soreness, stomachache, cough, etc.). A given creature can only benefit from this skill once per day. Checks use intelligence.
Reading
You know how to read and write in any language you already know that has a written version. Checks for deciphering poorly written, damaged, or difficult text use intelligence.
Sailing
You can sail small watercraft and serving on a sailing ship. You are an expert in tying and untying knots, even those you are yourself tied up with. Checks use intelligence.
Survival
You have wilderness survival skills like lighting a fire without flint and steel, foraging for food, trapping (but not hunting) animals, fishing, and making shelter; checks use wisdom.
Trade
You know about the nature, prices, and values of common market items and the practices of those who conduct trade and commerce. Can be taken as general expertise or specified for an unusual area, such as gems and jewelry or silk or spices. Checks use intelligence.
Tradition
You may know (or can find) information about nobility, heraldry, religion, cults, recent history, and well-documented ancient history and legends. Checks use intelligence. Failure means you don’t know; recovery means you know someone who does know.
Free Skills
It is assumed that nearly all characters have basic skills common to the culture they are adventuring in.
- Horse saddle, tack, and bridle as well as harness for carts and carriages and basic care under normal conditions.
- The basics of etiquette and shows of respect, such as bowing and saluting and using noble titles correctly, but only for the culture in which the character has lived for some time.
- Perception: Is a creature trying to hide from the heroes, and it’s not necessary for them to see it? Roll a stealth check for it. Is there a secret door? Use search. Is it really arbitrary as to whether or not they notice something? Check difficulty 10 using wisdom.
Equipment
You can carry a number of items equal to your strength score without being encumbered. You can carry twice your strength and be encumbered (-2 to attacks and dexterity checks and disadvantage on strength checks; -10 to movement rate.). You can carry four times your strength and be heavily encumbered (no attacks or physical checks; movement rate is limited to 10).
An item is most items on the equipment list, including a pack of small, lightweight things, like 4 torches. A sack of 200 coins is 1 item.
Axes
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Attack/AC | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axe, 1-handed | 1d6 | Rend, Trip | +1/+1 | Parry | -- |
| Axe, 1 or 2 | 1d6/1d8 | Rend, Trip | --/+1 | Sweep | 1 |
| Axe, 2-handed | --/1d10 | Rend, Trip | --/-- | Sweep | 2 |
Swords
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Attack/AC | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sword, rapier | 1d6 | Bonus | +1/+1 | Dex, Parry | 1 |
| Sword, short | 1d4 | Rend, Bonus | +1/+1 | Dex, Parry | -- |
| Sword, broad | 1d6 | Rend, Bonus | --/+1 | Parry, Sweep | -- |
| Sword, 1 or 2 | 1d6/1d8 | Rend, Bonus | --/+1 | Sweep | 1 |
| Sword, 2-handed | --/1d10 | Rend, Bonus | --/-- | Sweep | 1 |
Bludgeons
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Attack/AC | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club, 1-handed | 1d4 | Knockback, Bonus | +1/+1 | Parry | -- |
| Club, 1 or 2 | 1d4/1d6 | Knockback, Bonus | --/+1 | Sweep | 1 |
| Club, 2-handed | --/1d8 | Knockback, Bonus | --/-- | Sweep | 2 |
| Mace, 1-handed | 1d6 | Knockback, Bonus | +1/+1 | Parry | -- |
| Mace, 1 or 2 | 1d6/1d8 | Knockback, Bonus | --/+1 | Sweep | 1 |
| Mace, 2-handed | --/1d10 | Knockback, Bonus | --/-- | Sweep | 2 |
| Flail, 1-handed | 1d6 | Knockback, Trip | +1/-- | No shield | 1 |
| Flail, 1 or 2 | 1d6/1d8 | Knockback, Trip | --/-- | No shield, Sweep | 2 |
| Flail, 2-handed | --/1d10 | Knockback, Trip | --/-- | No shield, Sweep | 2 |
| Warhammer, 1-handed | 1d6 | Knockback, Rend | +1/+1 | Parry | -- |
| Warhammer, 1 or 2 | 1d6/1d8 | Knockback, Rend | --/+1 | Sweep | 1 |
| Warhammer, 2-handed | --/1d10 | Knockback, Rend | --/-- | Sweep | 2 |
Picks
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Attack/AC | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pick, 1-handed | 1d6 | Bonus, Trip | +1/+1 | Parry | 1 |
| Pick, 1 or 2 | 1d6/1d8 | Bonus, Trip | --/+1 | Sweep | 1 |
| Pick, 2-handed | --/1d10 | Bonus, Trip | --/-- | Sweep | 2 |
Miscellany
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Attack/AC | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dagger | 1d4 | Bonus | --/+1 | Dex (optional) | -- |
| Spear | 1d6/1d8 | Bonus | +1/+1 | Reach, Dex (optional) | 1 |
| Quarterstaff | --/1d4 | Knockback | --/+1 | Parry, Dex | 1 |
| Staff | --/1d6 | Knockback | --/+2 | Parry, Reach | 1 |
Polearms
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Attack/AC | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bec-de-corbin | --/1d8 | Knockback, Trip, Bonus | --/-- | Reach, Sweep | 2 |
| Pole-axe | --/1d8 | Rend, Bonus, Knockback | --/-- | Reach, Sweep | 2 |
| Halberd & others | --/1d8 | Rend, Bonus, Trip | --/-- | Reach, Sweep | 2 |
Ranged
| Weapon | Damage | Effects | Rate of Fire | Traits | Encum. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dagger | 1d4 | Bonus | 2 | -- | |
| Spear | 1d6 | Bonus | 1.5 | 1 | |
| Long bow | --/1d6 | Bonus | 2 | 1 | |
| Short bow | --/1d4 | Bonus | 2 | 1 | |
| Crossbow, latchet | --/1d4 | Bonus | 1 | 1 | |
| Crossbow, light | --/1d6 | Bonus | 1/2 | 2 | |
| Crossbow, heavy | --/1d8 | Bonus | 1/3 | 2 |
Weapon Traits
- Dex: You apply your dexterity modifier to attack and damage instead of your strength modifier.
- Parry: Spend a point of luck to parry an opponent's hit and take no damage from it, if it was not a natural 19/20.
- No Shield: Ignore the opponent's shield for AC.
- Reach: One opponent's hits do no damage until you miss in the same round. Then, you must fall back 5 feet and either choke up--negating reach--or switch weapons.
- Sweep: Capable of the sweep fighting tactic.
Weapon Quality
Fine-quality weapons are 3x the standard price. Poor-quality weapons (as of goblin and orc make) are rarely sold.
You can have a weapon custom-made of a silver alloy to fight werebeasts and such for 10x the standard price (silver plating is not sufficient). However, silver makes for poor weapons, so only a silver dagger, arrow/bolt, spear, or mace will be of standard quality; others will be of poor quality.
If you roll a natural 1 in combat or otherwise are in a position to break your weapon, you must meet or beat an 6 on 1d20, or your weapon breaks. If you succeed, you merely drop it. Poor weapons get disadvantage; fine ones get advantage; magic ones get advantage plus their magic bonus. A broken magic weapon causes a minor wild magic effect to all in a 10-foot radius.
Armor
Armor class is ascending.
| AC | Description | Old AC | Enc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | none | 10 | |
| 9 | leather/padded | 8 | |
| 10 | studded leather/ring mail | 7 | |
| 11 | brigandine/scale mail/hide | 6 | |
| 12 | chain mail | 5 | 1 |
| 13 | splint/banded/bronze plate mail | 4 | 1 |
| 14 | plate mail | 3 | 2 |
| 16 | plate (no bonus for shield) | 2 | 2 |
| +2 | small shield | +1 | 1 |
| +3 | large shield | n/a | 2 |
Playing the Game
Action takes place in 15-second combat rounds.
Initiative
Each side rolls 1d20 and adds the number of characters on their side; higher modified roll wins. Deal with readied actions first, then a character chosen by the winning side, then a chosen character by the other side, alternating until all characters have gone thru all their available actions. Reroll initiative after area-effect spells.
Daring Feats
At 4th level, you can declare a daring feat, spend 2 points of luck (1 point for warriors), then hit for damage:
- Swap: You put yourself between an opponent and either an ally or something they are protecting.
- Mount: You do half damage but get the opportunity to leap onto a rock or piece of furniture and fight from the high ground. Or you leap onto the opponent, if larger than you, where your blocked attacks count as hits for damage.
- Target: You do half damage but hit a specific body part (such as the hand) that is not typically a target (like the head).
- Spoil: You do half damage but spoil an opponent’s next attack or attempt to chase you by throwing sand or dirt, knocking over barrels, toppling a brazier, etc.
- Taunt: You display skill at arms that rattles lower-level opponents and causes them to make a morale check (describe the display).
Combat
Each round, you can decide on your fighting tactics:
- Cautious: Add your hero die to your attack roll.
- Aggressive: Add your hero die to your damage roll. If you hit for damage and your opponent does not, you can force an opponent (up to 1 size larger) back 5 feet.
- Defensive: Add your hero die to your armor class. If you also fall back 5 feet, melee hits against you from your front do half damage; you cannot also be forced back by an aggressive attack.
- Sweep: If you use a weapon capable of a sweep, your hero die +1 determines how many opponents you can hit for half damage with one attack roll, as long as you hit their AC and can move to reach them.
Shorter weapons get disadvantage against longer weapons (such as dagger vs sword). Once the shorter weapon hits, it's inside the opponent's reach, and the longer weapon must fall back or get disadvantage. Exception: double daggers don't get short-weapon disadvantage.
Attack
To attack, roll 1d20 and add your attack modifiers. If at least equal to the opponent's AC, the attack hits and does damage according to your weapon die (with any modifiers for strength, magic, etc.). Otherwise, the attack was fended off or bounced off the opponent's armor or hide; but if you fail to hit AC 10, your attack missed entirely.
Natural 1 is a mishap and could cause your weapon to break (see Weapon Quality above). The GM gets 1 point of luck for the opponents. For ranged weapons, the arrow, etc., is merely dropped. For unarmed attacks, you fall down.
Natural 20 is a critical hit: do maximum damage (including strength bonus die). On a natural 19 or 20 attack roll, choose an effect based on your weapon type.
Effects
- Knockback: Knock a similar-sized opponent back 5 feet; smaller opponent also falls prone.
- Rend: Rend the opponent’s armor or hide for -2 AC (or chops off a tentacle, tendril, tail, etc.)
- Bonus: +2 damage.
- Trip: Same or smaller size opponent takes half damage and falls prone (or is unhorsed).
- Brawl: Regardless of weapon, you can choose to deal damage and still perform a free hand-to-hand combat maneuver.
Hand-to-hand Combat
As an attack (or free maneuver from a weapon effect), roll 1d20 against the target listed for the maneuver you attempt. Strength bonus applies. For creatures one size smaller, you get advantage. For creatures one size larger, you get disadvantage. (You can’t fight most non-humanoids or creatures much larger or smaller this way.)
- Tackle: On a 6 or better, you tackle your opponent and go down together. Fail: only you go down.
- Plow: On an 8 or better, you plow your opponent back 5 feet and go with them. Fail: you go past them.
- Grapple: On a 10 or better, you get a hold on your opponent. The next round, you can make an opposed strength check to do 1d6 hp damage plus strength bonus or move the opponent 5 feet in any direction. Failure (or being hit for damage) means the hold is broken.
- Shove: On a 12 or better, you shove or kick your opponent back 5 feet. Smaller opponent is also knocked prone.
- Knockdown: On a 15 or better, you knock your opponent prone.
Notes and Exceptions
- You must hit for damage to get a weapon effect. It's possible to roll a natural 19 and not hit for damage. For example, if your opponent has an AC of 20 and you don't have an attack bonus, a roll of 19 would be a blocked hit.
- Rend: A character with sufficient tools can repair rent armor during a short rest, eliminating the -2 to armor class.
- Critical hits are precision strikes. Many non-humanoids such as oozes are immune to precision damage due to their body structure and so take only normal damage.
Injury
At half hit points, you are bloodied. Monsters must check morale.
When reduced to 5 hp or less, you are injured. You get disadvantage on physical saves, checks, and attacks. Roll for hit location.
When reduced to zero hp, you are seriously injured. Roll for hit location. Check difficulty 14 using CON; on a success, you are stable at zero hp and can crawl if conscious. If you fail, fall unconscious until allies aid you, then roll recovery with -1 per round until you got aid. If you succeed, you are stable at zero hp but can't crawl. If you fail, you've died from your wounds. If you take more damage at zero hp, you die immediately.
Hit Location
| 1d6 | Description | Consciousness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | head | If no helmet, unconscious 1d4 rounds |
| 2-3 | torso | conscious |
| 4 | right arm | conscious |
| 5 | left arm | conscious |
| 6 | leg | conscious |
Great Blow
If you kill a creature with an attack that does 10 hp or more damage, you chop off its head, crush its skull, or pierce it thru the heart, etc., as appropriate for the weapon. (This goes both ways, but PCs get the system shock check to avoid death at zero hp.)
Resting and Healing
If you were seriously injured, you remain injured until you have a good night's rest, unless magically restored to full hit points.
If you were not seriously injured, you recover hit points with a good night’s rest. Sleep at least 6 hours and regain all "once a day" abilities and 2 hp per level (or, if disturbed by attack or sleeping in heavy armor, 1 hp/lvl).
Falling Damage
If you fall more than 5 feet, you must save vs half the height in feet. If you succeed, you take 1d4 hp damage per 5 feet. If you fail, you are reduced to zero hp by a serious injury (broken bone). See Injury, above for effects of being reduced to zero hp.
Magic Items
Potions have a short shelf life. If a potentially fresh one is found, check difficulty 8 or it is spoiled. On a natural 1, it is just starting to spoil, so it works but you get a minor wild magic effect. Drinking two potions also causes a minor wild magic effect. All potions spoil between adventures.
Except for potions, magic items are worth 5x their XP value in gold pieces. They cannot be bought, but, by pursuing rumors, a player can forgo gold treasure equal to the item’s value and find one on the next adventure.
Also, a powerful specialist wizard can give a weapon a +1 for 1000 gp (maximum of +3) or add a magic weapon’s effect to yours by paying half its value.