Yet Another Iteration of House Rules

[dmhelp]

Thanks for all of the feedback in the past! I have removed/simplified more rules and tried to get things down to the bare necessity. Multisubclassing is there to help give single classed characters some more options/fun vs the Sorcadin. I also updated the multisubclassing examples (a little beefier).

Buff to Increase Ease of Getting Feats (and additional odd stat for half feats)

Players use a modified standard array (17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8) before standard racial/Customizing Your Origin modifiers


Buffs to Broken/Underpowered Options (e.g. Green Dragon Sorcerer)

Dragonborn - Breath Weapon instead uses a bonus action
Barbarian Berserker - exhaustion from Frenzy only lasts for one hour
Monk Four Elements - all Elemental Discplines (except Fangs of the Fire Snake) use a bonus action instead of an action (e.g. attack twice with staff then burning hands)
Sorcerer Draconic Bloodline - at level 1 also gains Elemental Spells - ability to pick variant Sorcerer elemental (acid, cold, fire, or lightning) spells as ancestry damage type instead (e.g. green dragon may pick a poison variant shocking grasp instead of the base spell and if desired use a second pick to take shocking grasp); Elemental Affinity (at level 6) - also gains downgrade immunity to resistance when using ancestry damage type Sorcerer spells, but does not stack with Elemental Adept or Poisoner (so immune monsters still take 1/2 damage instead of full damage)


Buffs to Underpowered Feat Options

Linguist - learn 6 languages instead of 3
Weapon Master - gives proficiency with shields and all simple/martial weapons
Now included as half feats (with +1 to any physical ability score unless otherwise noted): Charger, Defensive Duelist, Grappler, Martial Adept, Medium Armor Master, & Savage Attacker; or with +1 to any ability score: Dungeon Delver & Skilled


Buff to Single Target Damage Spells When They Become Outclassed by Cantrips (also to give spells like vampiric touch more use)

Single target damage spells that spell (melee/ranged) attack and certain other damage spell attack spells may also be cast as cantrips (assuming they are known/prepared as a leveled spell; all of these "prestige cantrips" lose duration/concentration/follow up damage if applicable) with the following base damage dice: chaos bolt d8 (loses leap, but can choose damage type from any of the d8s rolled), chromatic orb d8, flame blade d10 (casting time 1 action, does not use bonus action), guiding bolt d8, inflict wounds d10, melf's acid arrow d10 (loses half miss/delayed damage), mordenkainen's sword d12, ray of sickness d4, vampiric touch d6, witch bolt d12


Buff to Improve Single Classed Options vs Multiclassed (allows things like a Wizard who makes a pact with a fiend and helps make up for weak level 19/capstone progression)

Single classed characters may split two subclasses (usually equally from PHB/XGE) and/or pick from another class with DM approval/decision on power progression (must be mechanically/thematically compatible, see examples at end)




Barbarian Berserker/Zealot could gain @ 3 Frenzy, @ 6 Divine Fury/Warrior of the Gods, @ 10 Zealous Presence, & @ 14 Retaliation
Bard Bladesinging would gain @ 3 Training in War and Song/Bladesong (AC bonus = cha mod), @ 6 Extra Attack, & @ 14 choose either Song of Defense or Song of Victory (using charisma)
Cleric Trickery/Nature could gain @ 1 Trickery Domain Spells/Blessing of the Trickster, @ 2 Invoke Duplicity, @ 6 Dampen Elements, @ 8 Divine Strike (cold, fire, or lightning) or Blessed Strikes, & @ 17 Improved Duplicity
Druid Moon/Beast Master could gain @ 2 Combat Wild Shape/Circle Forms, @ 6 Primal Strike, @ 10 Primal Companion/Exceptional Training, & @ 14 Share Spells
Fighter Battle Master/Hunter could gain @ 3 Student of War/Combat Superiority, @ 7 Hunter's Prey, @ 10 Additional Superiority Die/Additional Maneuvers/Improved Combat Superiority, @ 15 Additional Maneuvers/Additional Superiority Die/Relentless, & @ 18 Superior Hunter's Defense
Monk Eldritch Knight/Four Elements could gain @ 3 Spellcasting/Weapon Bond, @ 6 Disciple of the Elements/Elemental Disciplines, @ 11 Eldritch Strike, & @ 17 Extra Elemental Discipline
Paladin Oath of Vengeance/War could gain @ 3 Oath Spells/Abjury Enemy/Vow of Enmity, @ 7 Divine Strike/War Domain Spells, @ 15 War Priest (using charisma mod), & @ 20 Avenging Angel
Ranger Eldritch Knight/Hunter could gain @ 3 Cantrips/Weapon Bond & access to Wizard spells out of their Ranger spells known (but Wizard spells use intelligence) using Ranger spell level progression (so could get up to 5th level Wizard spells @ 17), @ 7 Defensive Tactics, @ 11 Multiattack, & @ 15 Eldritch Strike
Rogue Horizon Walker/Thief could gain @ 3 Detect Portal/Planar Warrior, @ 7 Ethereal Step, @ 11 Use Magic Device, & @ 17 Thief's Reflexes
Sorcerer Draconic/Evocation could gain @ 1 Dragon Ancestor/Draconic Resilience/Elemental Spells, @ 6 Elemental Affinity, @ 14 Sculpt Spells, & @ 18 Overchannel
Warlock Hexblade/Fiend could gain @ 1 Hexblade Expanded Spell List/Hexblade's Curse/Hex Warrior, @ 6 Fiend Expanded Spell List/Dark One's Blessing, @ 10 Fiendish Resilience, & @ 14 Master of Hexes
Wizard Divination/Great Old One could gain @ 2 Divination Savant/Portent, @ 6 Expanded Spell List (can transcribe scrolls or learn on level up including other Warlock spells)/Awakened Mind, @ 10 Thought Shield, & @ 14 Greater Portent

[Demonslayer666]

Everything looks pretty good and I would have no issues playing in your game with those house rules.

I would still not choose Witch bolt as a spell unless you increased it's range, allowed it to arc between two targets, or something similar.

[micahaphone]

I find your level 18 cap houserule odd, as it's the DM who usually sets the pace and scale of the campaign. Unless this is just your way of telling players "I don't do campaigns that go beyond level 18". Which is also a tad bit weird to me, as the campaign scale/size between 18 and 20 isn't that different in my opinion. I personally usually finish it off around 15, that's powerful enough to take on extraplanar rulers and I don't enjoy DMing too much of that or beyond.

I'd do some of them differently, but if I were a new player looking at joining your group I'd say these rules are all pretty well thought out and I'd gladly agree to them.

[dmhelp]

I have removed/simplified more rules and tried to get things down to the bare necessity. I got rid of the capstone at 18 since I think multisubclassing would otherwise make single classed characters too strong. Since people will be taking subclasses piecemeal a lot (either multiclass cherry picking or multisubclassing cherry picking) I was able to get rid of a lot of changes and just focus on Berserker, Four Elements, and Green Dragon. I replaced a lot of the spell changes with my single target damage spell as a cantrip rule (so witchbolt can be useful). I also updated the multisubclassing examples (made them a little beefier).

[WaroftheCrans]

Spell Buff

Single target damage spells that spell (melee/ranged) attack and certain other damage spell attack spells may also be cast as cantrips (assuming they are known/prepared as a leveled spell; all of these "prestige cantrips" lose duration/concentration/follow up damage if applicable) with the following base damage dice: chaos bolt d8 (loses leap, but can choose damage type from any of the d8s rolled), chromatic orb d8, flame blade d10 (casting time 1 action, does not use bonus action), guiding bolt d8, inflict wounds d10, melf's acid arrow d10 (loses half miss damage), mordenkainen's sword d12, ray of sickness d4, vampiric touch d6, witch bolt d12



In regards to vampiric touch, mordenkainen's sword, flame blade, and MAA, how do each of them work?
Vamp touch you use a d6, and regain half? Doing so once as an action w/o conc?
Mord's Sword you simply summon a sword for a split second to deal d10 damage?
MAA you deal d10, and then half that at the end of the turn? Is that d4 at the end?
Flame blade is like mord's but flame damage, and right next to you?


It's a novel idea, and is ok balance wise at first glance. What stands out to me is melf's acid arrow, as having more damage than any other cantrip; vampiric touch, for being a healing cantrip; ray of sickness; Poisoned condition is a pretty strong condition if the enemy isn't immune. Seems a bit scary on a cantrip.

Probably don't unbalance really:
Mord's sword is force damage and a melee spell attack from range (but at lvl 13 minimum), witch bolt is the highest damage attack cantrip and probably worth the space in the spellbook for wizards every time. Guiding bolt invalidates true strike, but true strike was terrible anyway.

Flame blade and Inflict wounds aren't great compared to the SCAGtrips. Still a buff for them, but a minor note.
Chaos Bolt just seems worse than Chromatic.

That's my feedback, I hope it helps you achieve your goals.

[dmhelp]

Thanks for the feedback! So if you had vamp touch prepared as a slotted spell at level 17 you could cast as an action vamp touch cantrip for 4d6 with half healing (no concentration but you can cast it every turn). Mord sword at level 13 you could cast as an action for 3d12 (with the sword disappearing afterward). Flame blade at level 5 could do 2d10 with a casting action (I think it would be fine if flame blade stayed balance wise but I was trying to have the rule be simpler). An additional downside to them is that you are losing a leveled prepared slot or known spell.

In a prior version I had melf's retain the delayed damage and the half miss damage as a d6 cantrip option but to streamline the rules I added the "all of these 'prestige cantrips' lose duration/concentration/follow up damage if applicable" when I brought in flame blade and mordenkainen's sword. I'll add an additional note to melf's that it loses the duration damage.

So the general tiers for attack roll cantrips:

d12: Mordenkainen's Sword (60' melee, force, bard/wizard, level 13 minimum), Witch Bolt (30', electric, sorcerer/warlock/wizard)

d10: Eldritch Blast (120', agonizing blast), Fire Bolt (120'), Flame Blade (melee), Inflict Wounds (melee), Melf's Acid Arrow (90'), Primal Savagery (melee)

d8: Chaos Bolt (120', chance at force or psychic increases at higher level), Chill Touch (120', no healing), Chromatic Orb (90', can change damage type), Guiding Bolt (120', advantage on next attack), Produce Flame (30'), Ray of Frost (60', lose 10' speed), Shocking Grasp (melee, advantage if metal, no reactions)

d6: Thorn Whip (melee, pull 10'), Vampiric Touch (melee, half healing)

d4: Ray of Sickness (60', con save for poison until end of next turn)

So at low level witch bolt 30' rocks but you probably still want fire bolt for 120'. Chaos bolt has slightly longer range than chromatic orb and a chance at harder to resist damage types (I would still prefer chromatic orb but some people may like it thematically on their character). Mordenkainen's sword 60' rules the roost but it does have shorter range and you can't get it until level 13. Because poison is so good as a debuff I gave ray of sickness d4, additionally they get a saving throw after you hit. Guiding bolt advantage is slightly different than true strike because I believe it is first come first serve for guiding bolt advantage vs true strike being caster only.

It would make sense for flame blade and mordenkainen's sword to stay in place if you are going to cast them again next turn (doesn't change anything mechanically), but for the rule it was easier to say they don't have duration. Would be kind of cool to be doing bigby's hand attacks with your bonus action and mordenkainen's sword attacks with your action.

[Catullus64]

Never saw the previous iterations of this discussion, so maybe I'm missing something, but could you expand on your motivation for the changes to single-target damage spells? I guess I just don't see what problem in the base game this is meant to be addressing.

On the subject of half-feats, I think Dungeon Delver should boost Intelligence or Wisdom, since it relates to Investigation and Perception (see Observant). Might I also recommend a Wisdom boost added to Healer?

And frankly, I think Berserker ought to just let you attack as a bonus action while raging, full stop, no exhaustion needed. Maybe a Haste-esque single round of debilitation, but nothing more. In my opinion the designers vastly overestimated the value of a bonus action attack, at least relative to the other Primal Path 3rd-Level features.

For the Elements monk, I've always been of the opinion that the problem with that subclass is Ki point cost of elemental disciplines, not action economy, especially if you grant Monks the optional Ki-Fueled strike feature from the Cauldron.

[LordShade]

Do you think Healer is too weak as is?

I'll probably use most of these feat houserules, and maybe even the cantrip changes. I don't understand how the multi-sub-classing works, though.

Regardless, thanks for posting.

[dmhelp]

Thanks for the feedback! It bothered me very much that a 1st/2nd level spell slot eventually got outclassed by a cantrip (e.g. 3d8 chromatic orb vs 4d10 fire bolt) and people didn't like the idea of buffing attack roll leveled spell damage at higher level. So I came up with the idea of letting them be cast as cantrips. This also let me simplify my rules by moving flame blade, mordenkainen's sword, vampiric touch, and witch bolt buffs into the cantrip rules (so the spells have a place in the world).

Thanks, I'll just move Dungeon Delver into the same category as Skilled (since I want things more streamlined I don't want to add lots of little groups with different stats). I didn't upgrade the Healer feat because it is ranked well at the thinkdm survey https://thinkdm.org/2018/01/13/feat-strength-tiers/ and ranker https://www.ranker.com/list/best-dungeons-dragons-feats/kyle-townsend and fluteslute.

I have trialed a lot of different Berserker changes. I can tell you that if you drop exhaustion on Berserker you get a lot of feedback on power creep (which would be especially true now that a single classed barbarian can mix Berserker with another subclass).

Four Elements lower ki still has a large number of players say that it isn't worthwhile as a subclass. Because of the number of things I'm changing I need a very simple fix and I think bonus action for Elemental Disciplines (essentially free Quicken) definitely fits as simple (saw it proposed at enworld). It is one extra attack compared to the TCOE Monk upgrade.

So for multisubclassing (single classed only because it would be way too much with multiclassing) this is what I mean by "DM approval/decision on power progression":
Layout the levels the chosen class gains subclass features (3, 7, 11, and 17 for Rogue).
Player picks two subclasses.
Do they work mechanically? E.g. you can't pick a Barbarian subclass for Rogue because most of their powers say "while raging".
Do they work thematically? E.g. a Paladin oath or a Sorcerer subclass probably doesn't make sense on a martial character.
DM will propose power ladder with input from player (two of the chosen tiers from subclass #1 and two of the chosen tiers from subclass #2).
At level 3 gains tier 1 subclass 1 power(s) or tier 1 subclass 2 power(s).
At level 7 gains tier 1 or 2 subclass 1 power(s), or tier 1 or 2 subclass 2 power(s).
At level 11 gains tier 1, 2, or 3 subclass 1 power(s); or tier 1, 2, or 3 subclass 2 power(s).
At level 17 gains tier 1, 2, 3, or 4 subclass 1 power(s); or tier 1, 2, 3, or 4 subclass 2 power(s).

And then I may fudge a little. So for the Druid example I gave:

Druid Moon/Beast Master could gain @ 2 Combat Wild Shape/Circle Forms, @ 6 Primal Strike, @ 10 Primal Companion/Exceptional Training, & @ 14 Share Spells

It was Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 1 & 2, Tier 4. So I cheated a little and gave Exceptional Training as a freeby at Tier 3 Druid because I thought it made sense for them to get Primal Strike (count as magic), Exceptional Training (count as magic), and thematically get Share Spells.