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Rules Tweaks
 Every
game has rules, and Dungeons and Dragons is no different. Over many years,
we find ourselves with the latest edition (5th), which has become fairly
popular after the widely derided 4th edition. There are always items that
need clarification, either because they are not clear, or because me and
my players find something that needs tweaking or even recreated. There are
also times when there are no rules for a subject, and creating a new one
is the way to solve the problem.
Below you will find information
about rules that I felt either needed adjusting or clarification, or need
to be created. If you find something that is incorrect as per what we've
already discussed, let me know. I usually will run changes through the
group first to ensure everyone is all warm and fuzzy.
Combat
Attack (defined)
In my game, an attack is any action against
someone that would be unwelcome by them. This includes spells that require
saves.
***
D20 Ones and Crits on ACs Higher Than You can Hit
A rolled 1 on d20 is always a miss. Even if you
have abilities that allow you to reroll the dice, all ones are misses.
If your opponent's AC is too high for you to hit
with all of your bonuses, you can still hit with a natural 20 (or a 19 if
you are a champion or have some other feat/ability/item that allows you a
crit on a 19 or 20). At that point, to get DOUBLE damage, you would need to
reroll the d20. If you get another natural 20 (or 19 in the special
circumstances listed before), then you get the the double damage. If not,
then you simply roll regular damage.
Flanking
Flanking rules are observed in my game.
***
Shooting
through Allies
If you shoot through an ally to hit a target and
roll a "1", then reroll a d20. The result will be against the ally's AC. If
you hit them, roll weapon damage with all modifiers.
The same applies to any spell that travels from
the caster aimed directly at the target and requires a "to hit" roll. If
you roll a "1", then reroll the d20. If your result hits the target, then
roll spell damage with all modifiers. Area of effect spells do not apply as
the caster doesn't need to hit the target's body directly.
The above rules only apply when your ally is
within 5' of your intended target.
Having the Sharpshooter feat allows the attacker
to avoid hitting their ally in the above mentioned manner (even if you roll
a "1") unless that ally is invisible. Invisible allies are always
subject to the "1" rule. The idea being that the one launching the missile
cannot see the ally to use his/her/its sharpshooter skills to avoid hitting
their ally.
***
Armor Class and Dexterity
To add some realism to the game, there will be
situations when a PC or NPCs AC will not gain the benefit of dexterity.
Situations like this will be:
1. The character is swimming in water since they
have no "footing."
2. The character is incapacitated, paralyzed,
petrified, stunned, or
unconscious.
***
Grappling
If someone is grappled by more than one creature,
they can only break one grapple per attack option.
If an opponent tries to grapple someone who is
already grappled, they get advantage to their roll.
Anyone grappled by three or more opponents is
restrained.
Moving a grappled creature halves your movement unless the creature is two
or more sizes smaller than you. Then, your speed is normal because you're
able to pick them up completely.
***
Water Combat
If you
are swimming in the water, and you don't have any special abilities that
allow you to move unhindered by the water, you may attack using any means
at your disposal. The order goes like this:
1. On your
action, make a DC 10 athletics check (+1 for every 50 lbs. of gear
you're carrying).
If you fail,
you're done because you're too busy flopping around trying to keep from
drowning to do anything else.
If you
succeed, attack as normal.
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Feats/Skills
Arcana Checks
As per page 177 of the 5e PH:
"Your Intelligence (Arcana) check measures your ability to recall lore
about spells, magie items, e1dritch symbols, magical traditions, the
planes of existence, and the inhabitants of those planes."
If you see a spell being cast by
someone, you can use an Arcana check to determine what that spell is if it
is a spell that can be cast by you. If you can't, then you can only know
that a spell is being cast. If you can cast that spell because you are of
the appropriate class and level, the DM will have you roll the check based
upon the DC that he has determined. If you make the roll, then you know
what the spell is.
As for using an Arcana check to
determine what spell a person is under the influence of after the spell
has already been cast, you can determine symptoms that point to a spell
type, such as charmed or diseased or something that debilitates the body,
etc. So, for example, you believe your friend is under the effects of a
spell because he's attacking the party. You make a successful Arcana check
to know that a spell is in play and that the general effect is charm. You
can then make an investigation check to connect what you see with a
specific spell that you have knowledge. This can only be done if you are
able to cast the spell that was used due to class and level
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Magic/Spells
Flying Magic
Item Movement
Since magic
items have no actions, they do not get to dash. Therefore, they cannot move
more than their described movement total. Magic items, spells, and potions
that are designed to enhance the movement of a creature, such as a potion
of flying, or ring of haste, do are not constrained by the above
definition.
***
Identifying
Magic Items
Currently in
5th edition, ANY character can play with a magical item during a short rest
and know all of its abilities. I don't like this because it waters down the
game and takes away the uniqueness of spell casters and the unique insight
they have concerning magical items.
Going
forward, only someone with the identify spell (pg 252 of the PH) or a
special item or other granted power (as determined by the DM) can precisely
identify the properties and workings of a magic item, as well as any
triggers that activate (unless the trigger word or instructions are
engraved on the item itself).
This doesn't
mean that a character can't simply try the item out. If the item doesn't
require a trigger word, the character can put the item on. The DM can then
tell them things like "You feel a little bit lighter than usual" or "You
feel noticeably stronger than before." Depends on the situation. If the
magic items has a spell effect, and a PC is trying it out and they are able
to cast the spell that the effect emulates, then they can make an Arcana
check to reason out what that spell is.
Potions
Creation
Potion
creation is contingent upon the creator having proficiency with the
herbalism and/or alchemist's kits.
The herbalism
kit is used to create spells that affect health, such as vitality and
healing potions. Costs and creation times for creating these potions are
found on page 130 of Xanathat's Guide to Everything.
The
alchemist's kit is used to create all other spells. Costs and creation
times are listed on page 129 of the Dungeon Master's Guide
Identification
Only the
following methods can be used to identify a potion.
1. Pay an Alchemist to identify it for you.
2. Use an Identify spell.
3. If your character has an alchemist background
or has the ability to cast arcane spells, then I will allow you to use make
a DC check to identify the potion.
4. Take a taste and the DM will give you a little
inkling about how you feel. At that point, the character can make an Arcana
check to determine the potion's properties (i.e. if it's a fly spell, the
successful check means the character knows that the potion will allow them
to fly but not duration and speed and so forth). Detailed information (by
tasting only) can only be determined by a successful Arcana check by a
spell caster who can cast the spell that potion effect emulates.
*NOTE* If you've consumed a potion before and know
what the effects are, then going forward, you will be able to take a little
taste and identify the spell right away.
***
Healing Spirit spell redefined
This spell is too powerful. I'm going with Jeremy
Crawford's (managing editor for 5th edition DnD) recommendation, which is:
"The spell ends once the spirit has restored hit points a number of times
equal to twice your spell casting ability modifier (minimum of once)". See
the full spell description for additional information, such as casting at
higher levels.
This nerfs it down to acceptable limits for me and my game until some
better official errata comes out.
***
Find Familiar Change
As per the definition of the spell, a familiar
cannot attack. A work around has been for the caster to channel a spell
through their familiar that doesn't require an attack roll. This is no
longer possible in my game. See "Attack (defined)" under the Combat Section
above.
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Miscellaneous
Mounts
When a character is on a mount, that character is positioned in the exact
center of the space that the mount occupies, even if it means that
character is not positioned inside a square proper. A mount that is caught
in an area of effect sees its rider caught in the same area of effect. If
an attacker is within 5' of the edge of the mount's occupied space, then
the attacker can hit the rider of the mount with a 5' reach (or further)
unless that mount has special properties or the DM/character has a special
property or circumstance that takes the rider out of that 5' reach (or
further).
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