GalacticAxekick
2018-10-29, 04:19 AM
The following is compendium of houserules (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/BykLIM43m) I've developed as I've DMed, as well as an overhaul of the Fighter (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/BJ5IloNre) I've been working on to take advantage of the new possibilities within these rules.
My goal is to make 5e's combat more dynamic. Rather than having two sides deal damage to one another with little regard to what the other is doing or even capable of—rather than letting "get into range and attack" be the most viable action every round of every fight—I'm trying to give players meaningful decisions to make, and I'm trying to allow players to make observations to inform those decisions.
To accomplish this, I've made the following changes:
The revised rules for Intelligence make expertise widely available (though Rogues still gain it in spades). This means that knowledge skills and search skills are more useful whoever chooses to hone them. This also means that wrestling builds are open to the Fighters and Barbarians who need them, rather than the Rogues and Bards who don't.
The revised rules for using knowledge skills and for searching allow them to be used mid-combat before taking an action. Being able to inform one's actions crucial to create a culture of thoughtful play.
The revised rules for special melee attacks make wrestling more viable, and make climbing larger creatures a viable alternative to standing in front of them and attacking every round.
The revised list of weapons is free of identical weapons, and has fewer "trap" options that are strictly worse than alternatives. A fighter can comfortably take almost any weapon, simple or martial, without feeling like they made a poor choice.
The revised rules for Medicine allow for non-magical healing, treatment of status conditions, and even revival.
The revised rules for Animal Handling make animal companions and mounts widely accessible. The former are a unique way to scout or engage in combat. The latter are a unique way to travel and manoeuvre in combat. The former comes with the risk of misbehaviour. The latter comes with the risk of being dismounted.
Each Revised Fighter archetype gets a role-defining feature at 1st level, a utility feature at 3rd, and a tool to face magical enemies at 7th. At 10th level, a Fighter choses a second archetype rather than continuing to advance in the first, which creates even greater flexibility.
Any help I could get fine-tuning this work in progress would be appreciated.
My goal is to make 5e's combat more dynamic. Rather than having two sides deal damage to one another with little regard to what the other is doing or even capable of—rather than letting "get into range and attack" be the most viable action every round of every fight—I'm trying to give players meaningful decisions to make, and I'm trying to allow players to make observations to inform those decisions.
To accomplish this, I've made the following changes:
The revised rules for Intelligence make expertise widely available (though Rogues still gain it in spades). This means that knowledge skills and search skills are more useful whoever chooses to hone them. This also means that wrestling builds are open to the Fighters and Barbarians who need them, rather than the Rogues and Bards who don't.
The revised rules for using knowledge skills and for searching allow them to be used mid-combat before taking an action. Being able to inform one's actions crucial to create a culture of thoughtful play.
The revised rules for special melee attacks make wrestling more viable, and make climbing larger creatures a viable alternative to standing in front of them and attacking every round.
The revised list of weapons is free of identical weapons, and has fewer "trap" options that are strictly worse than alternatives. A fighter can comfortably take almost any weapon, simple or martial, without feeling like they made a poor choice.
The revised rules for Medicine allow for non-magical healing, treatment of status conditions, and even revival.
The revised rules for Animal Handling make animal companions and mounts widely accessible. The former are a unique way to scout or engage in combat. The latter are a unique way to travel and manoeuvre in combat. The former comes with the risk of misbehaviour. The latter comes with the risk of being dismounted.
Each Revised Fighter archetype gets a role-defining feature at 1st level, a utility feature at 3rd, and a tool to face magical enemies at 7th. At 10th level, a Fighter choses a second archetype rather than continuing to advance in the first, which creates even greater flexibility.
Any help I could get fine-tuning this work in progress would be appreciated.