Our campaign is going along nicely, though we only get to play once or twice a month. Though with busy adult lives and literally being on opposite sides of the world, that’s pretty good! It also provides me with another creative outlet and great book material for use later—I’m already imagining how I could reshape these adventures into a series of fantasy novels.
But today I’m talking about 5th ed D&D itself and a few of our house rules. I don’t imagine everyone would like to do things this way, but here’s a few augmentations we’re using. Only the initiative rules have seen any game play thus far, but they’re working well for us.
Initiative:
Using a D20 for initiative, in my opinion, is too broad a field. A dumpy, handicapped dwarf can just as easily roll a 20 and act before the Dex 20 ninja assassin who rolled a 12 (which is still a decent roll!). A range of 1-20 just allows too much random play. Besides, the always attractive D12 has never had its well-deserve day in the sun. Until now…
1) My initiative overhaul begins with your base init score. Rather than being purely DEX-based, I wanted to add awareness into the equation too. If you’re super perceptive, you’re more likely to see danger coming and act accordingly.
Base INIT = DEX bonus + WIS bonus (+ size factor, as below)
2) I’m making use of the Speed Factor optional rules in the DM’s Guide. They look like this:
Weapon Speed:
| Spellcasting | - (spell level) |
| Melee, heavy wpn | -2 |
| Melee, two-handed wpn | -2 |
| Melee, light or finesse wpn | +2 |
| Ranged, loading feature | -5 |
Size:
| Tiny | +5 |
| Small | +2 |
| Medium | 0 |
| Large | -2 |
| Huge | -5 |
| Gargantuan | -8 |
3) D20, as I have said, leaves too much to chance. So D12 is our initiative die. It still allows a nice range for chance to play a part, but the characters who are naturally quicker are still going to get initiative more often than not. That just makes sense.
4) Under special circumstances I might give a bonus or penalty, or advantage or disadvantage rolls as well. Such as already having your bow drawn and ready, having to dodge around debris blocking the path, being drunk, etc. And if there is clear surprise, I’ll do a surprise round in which only those aware get to act. Then the next round goes into initiative rolls as normal.
5) During any one combat, we roll Init only once and we keep that order throughout. This allows for the fun and chance of rolling to play a part, but doesn’t slow us down or impose unnecessary bookkeeping every round.
New Feat: “Shuriken Mastery”
This I just recently dreamed up, but I like it! Perhaps when the PCs reach 4thlevel one will decide they like it. Even if not, I’m sure I can throw a ninja-like non-player character or two at them who will have it.
Shuriken Mastery involves the use of “dart” weapons, which could literally be darts, or Asian throwing stars/knives (shurikens), small bat-shaped shurikens, tiny blades, etc. Whatever version you want your character to wield, but all are the throwing weapons known as “darts.” This feat has three features:
* For each Attack action used to throw these weapons, the character may throw a number of the equal to his/her Proficiency Bonus, rather than just one, as if making a multiple attack. Each attack this way requires its own roll. Also, you may only add your DEX or STR bonus to damage on the first hit per Attack. Others aren’t as accurate and, like hitting with an off-hand weapon, they don’t get the damage bonus.
* As a Reaction, you may make an Opportunity Attack at normal shuriken throwing range, which is 20 feet. So when a creature moves away from you or through your threat range of 20 feet (vice 5 feet), you may throw up to your Prof Bonus in blades at them (as above).
* By spending your Bonus action to take careful aim, you make a Debilitating Hit with your shurikens. Creatures taking damage from such a hit have Disadvantage on their next Attack, Ability Check, or Saving Throw (per the DMs discretion – some actions or saves may not be distracted or hindered by being hit with small throwing blades).
This is potentially a powerful Feat, but fun for sure!
Undead:
It seems to me that undead, even weak undead, should have a preternatural quality to them that makes them scary. It’s Cthulhu-like in my mind. Dead attacking you should freak you out.
So in my game all undead have the “Fear the Grave” trait, meaning they cause Fear. This is a Wisdom saving throw. The DC is 10 + (the creature’s Charisma modifier). So for skeletons and zombies, who have a -3 Charisma mod, it’d be a 7 (so not hard, but there). Failing the save earns you the Frightened condition, which (off the top of my head) means you have disadvantage on attacks and you must try to get away. Obviously more powerful undead like vampires and liches will have a higher Charisma and therefore a more powerful aura of fear. And they are intelligent enough to turn it off at will.