Homebrews
Some parts of my games are custom, meaning you won't really see them in the official D&D sources.
I tweak rules, add new mechanics, and reskin things to better fit the setting and the kind of stories we want to tell (plus it's just really really fun to deal a LOT of damage LOL) Most of the time, it’ll feel like normal D&D—just with a bit more flavor and a few extra options.
If something works differently, I’ll explain it when it comes up.
You don’t need to memorize anything here—just know that the rules can bend a little to make the game more fun, more thematic, and more interesting to play.
Rolling
Crits
Sometimes the dice go to extremes - always fun either way!
Rolling a 20 on a d20 is what you call a natural 20.
Rolling a 1 is a natural 1.
Attacks & Saves
A natural 20 always succeeds. On an attack, it becomes a critical hit.
A natural 1 always fails. On an attack, it’s a critical fumble.
Ability & Skill Checks
Natural 20s and 1s only matter if success or failure was actually possible.
- Natural 20 = you succeed, and something extra goes your way
- Natural 1 = you fail, and something goes wrong
(You can’t roll a 20 to do the impossible—but you can get more out of a success.)
Group Checks
If everyone succeeds, it’s a critical success.
If everyone fails, it’s a critical failure.
Exploding Damage Dice
When you roll damage for an attack, spell, or ability, and any of the damage dice shows its maximum value (such as a 6 on a d6 or an 8 on a d8), that die explodes. Roll that die one additional time and add the result to the total damage.
Rolling with Emphasis
Roll 2d20. Take the result that’s furthest from 10 (the most extreme)
This mechanic makes extreme results more likely and “middle of the road” results less likely. It’s a way to make the big, tense moments feel even bigger — when the stakes are high, when the drama’s loud, and when the story calls for something bold. Best used as an alternative to a straight luck check (d20 DC11).
GM Inspiration
The DM may award GM Inspiration for good roleplay, clever ideas, or just straight up cool fucking moments that add to the story.
When you have Inspiration, which is a d20 die, you can spend it to gain advantage on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. You can decide to use it after you roll but before the result is revealed.
Giving Help action
You can use the Help action to assist another character with an ability check, attack, or saving throw.
In combat, it costs your action. Outside combat, you can help whenever it makes sense.
When you help, the other character rolls with advantage.
You need to describe how you’re helping—keep it simple, but it should make sense. The DM decides if it applies.
You can’t help with everything, and too many people can’t stack help on the same roll.
Spamming Ability Checks
A PC may only attempt an ability check once per circumstance. Once you’ve made the roll, accept the outcome—success or failure—and let the story move forward. Let the rolls be meaningful.
If the rest of your party are in the same scenario as you, they can attempt the same check once as well.
Off-Ability Check.
The GM may call for, or a player may propose, an alternative ability–skill combination when it better represents the action being attempted. The goal is to let the description of your action drive the mechanics—not the other way around. Decide ability first, skill second.
Roll STR (Intimidation), not Athletics (since Athletics is about climbing, grappling, etc.)
Ability Modifier: based on the ability you’re swapping in
Proficiency bonus added only if proficient in the skill
Incompetence
Incompetence represents a skill in which your character is notably poor—clumsy, forgetful, or just plain bad at it.
Whenever you gain a skill proficiency as part of your Background, select a different skill in which you will have Incompetence. If you do not take skill proficiencies, you do not take an Incompetence.
5e 2014 backgrounds (PHB) all feature 2 skill proficiencies. For 5e 2024, take 2 skills for Incompetence regardless of how your Origin is crafted.
If you are Incompetent in a skill, you roll checks with disadvantage when using that skill. You also cannot give the Help action to another character making a skill check with the skill you are Incompetent in.****
Incompetence overrides proficiency — you cannot later gain proficiency or expertise in that skill unless the DM rules a narrative reason for growth or training removes the incompetence.
Rest
Short Rest
Requires at least one hour out of combat or adventuring activity. At the end of a short rest, you can spend one or more hit dice to recover lost hit points up to your maximum. For each hit die spent, roll the appropriate dice and add them together. You can spend them one at a time.
Additionally, recover expended spell slots equal to or less than half your spellcasting level rounded up. See #Short rest recovery.
Any rest taken, regardless of length, is considered a short rest unless it satisfies all the requirements of a safe rest. Also applies interrupted safe rests.`
Safe Rest
Replaces "long rest". Requires at least 8 hours out of combat or adventuring activity in a safe place (designated by the DM), typically lodging at a tavern, and at least 6 of those hours must be spent sleeping. On completion:
- regain up to half of your total hit dice
- recover up to your maximum HP
- remove 1 level of exhaustion
Combat/Action Economy
Ammunition and Spellcasting Components
We're going a tiny bit easier on spellcasting and ammunition. Spells in this campaign require only verbal and somatic components; material components are ignored, unless a spell’s description or this document specifically states otherwise (see #^Spellcasting). Likewise, ammunition are not tracked for weapons with the ammunition mechanic.
Attack Crits
When you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll, your attack hits with extra force. Roll the attack's regular damage and add maximum damage dice.
Weapon Mastery
You can only use Weapon Mastery properties a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
#Barbarian #Fighter #Paladin #Ranger #Rogue
Revised Potions
A small buff to potions:
| Type of Potion | Dice | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potion of Lesser Healing | 3d6 | |||
| Potion of Greater Healing | 5d6 | |||
| Potion of Superior Healing | 8d6 + 2 |
Instead of an action, drinking a healing potion can be a bonus action.
One-Action Cantrips as Bonus Actions/Reactions
1-action cantrips that are often treated as “quick buffs” or “fast reactions” in play (and that some DMs let you bend into bonus action/reaction territory, depending on flavor or homebrew flexibility).
| Cantrip | What It Does | Additional Tweaks |
|---|---|---|
| Druidcraft | Predict weather, make flowers bloom, tiny harmless effects. | |
| Guidance | Target gets +1d4 to an ability check (before roll). | Allowed as a reaction if the caster hasn’t used their reaction yet, but only for ally rolls (not their own). |
| Light | Create a small light | |
| Mage Hand | Conjure a magical hand | Allow “simple gestures” (like opening a door or grabbing an object) as a bonus action once the hand is already out. |
| Message | Whisper a message to a creature within range | |
| Minor Illusion | Creates a sound or image. | Could be a bonus action if kept very simple (like a noise), but larger illusions stay 1 action. |
| Prestidigitation | Minor magical tricks (flavor) | Allowed as a bonus action since they’re mostly cosmetic, speeding up RP without breaking combat balance. |
| Resistance | Target gets +1d4 to a saving throw. | |
| Thaumaturgy | Voice, tremors, eye-flare, doors slam. | |
| True Strike | Gain advantage on your first attack roll against the target on your next turn |
Spellcasting
Short rest recovery
Recover expended spell slots equal to or less than half your spellcasting level rounded up after a short rest.
Revivify
You touch a creature that has died within the last minute. That creature returns to life with 1 hit point and 1 level of exhaustion. This spell can't return to life a creature that has died of old age, nor can it restore any missing body parts.
This spell requires material equal to 300 G on the caster's person to complete.
Note: added exhaustion mechanic and reaffirmed material requirement.
Flavor
Flavor is where your character really comes alive. You can swing a sword, cast a spell, or roll for something simple — but how you describe it is what turns a normal moment into something memorable.
You don’t need flowery prose or perfect descriptions. Just adding a little personality — a quip, a habit, a visual detail, a bit of flair — can make even basic actions feel uniquely yours. Did you fire your gun with a shaky hand? Did your spell come out as a flash of color, or a weird hum? Did you reload dramatically for no reason? That’s flavor.
Flavor isn’t extra homework; it’s the seasoning that makes the whole game taste better.
And on my tables, it’s highly encouraged.
If something feels cool or characterful, go for it. Your descriptions help everyone picture the moment, build shared vibes, and deepen immersion without changing the mechanics at all.
Rules tell us what happens — flavor tells us how it feels.
And that “feel” is what makes the story stick.
Thunderwave is a spell that can be cast by a Wizard, a Bard, or a Druid. but it doesn’t have to look the same every time:
- A wizard might use a potion — pour it at their feet and boom, the wave erupts (mechanically it still comes from the caster).
- A bard could drop a killer bass solo, sending shockwaves through the air (Scott Pilgrim style)
- A druid might channel it through the earth — maybe a stomp, a punch, or even a gentle touch that resonates like Toph.