Some house-rules I'd like to run by the playground

[Danielqueue1]

So I am running a homebrew campaign soon and I wanted to see about a few things. (Please note I do not allow any world specific source books in my campaign so these will not interact with anything from them.)

First off, I made a lot of little changes to spells. Find traps now actually finds traps, Witch Bolt scales repeat damage and only ends if the caster ends their turn out of range etc.

Counterspell can now also effect spells whose origin or targets are within 30 feet of the person casting counterspell. Caster still has to be able to see the spell being cast. (This is mostly for the image of a mage protecting a group of soldiers from a hostile caster. Now outranging counterspell is less 'I take 2 steps back and now you are powerless')

Standing up from prone now provokes opportunity attacks from creatures within 5 feet unless you disengage. Features that reduce the cost of standing up (drunken master, athlete feat etc) also prevent these opportunity attacks.

The next ones I have been wanting to test are about balancing two weapon fighting.

1) Pole-arm Master add "that you are weilding in two hands" to the text for the bonus action attack. (PAM-one-handed-quarterstaff-dueling-with-a-shield was always such a silly thing anyway)

2) two weapon fighting style is expanded and the name changed, I am thinking 'alacrity'

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack. Also You can draw a weapon that has the light or thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. (Small change allowing for thrown weapon and two weapon fighting in same fighing style. The damage boost removed from throwing fighting style as they are already getting the off-hand damage boost.)

3) Dual Weilder feat.

•You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one handed melee weapons you are wielding aren’t light. (Same as normal text)

•The additional attack from two weapon fighting is now part of the attack action instead of a bonus action. (Melee Rangers rejoice!)

(Edited)•When you make an opportunity attack and have a weapon in each hand and attack with your main weapon, you retain your reaction that can only be used to make an opportunity attack with your other weapon. You can use this feature once until the start of your next turn (Attacking twice with same provokation seemed off so it needs 2 enemies provoking opp attacks or one creature provoking two, to work fully, but it with the changes above, there will likely be more opportunity attacks going around. Also it combos with sentinel so you can stop 2 enemies from getting past you to the squishies in your party)

The biggest problems I've seen with two weapon fighting are the poor higher level scaling and the terrible feat. (Feat is typically worse than +2 to dex) I feel that with the changes to fighting style and feat, (and removing PAM's 1 handed capability) now martials have a reason to invest in the style. Barbarians can rage and get an off-hand attack in the same round if they invest in the feat, Rangers can move hunters mark freely etc. I am not sure about removing the +1 to AC from the feat though, it seems like a little too much, but removing it also gets rid of some of the verisimilitude.

[Kane0]

Standing up from prone now provokes opportunity attacks from creatures within 5 feet unless you disengage. Features that reduce the cost of standing up (drunken master, mobile feat etc) also prevent these opportunity attacks.

I think you meant Athlete? Seems OK, though I would expect at least one player to shove a lot more often, and if you use this against PCs i'd expect them to start looking for boosts to Athletics rather quickly.



Dual Wielder feat.
•You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one handed melee weapons you are wielding aren’t light. (Same as normal text)
•The additional attack from two weapon fighting is now part of the attack action instead of a bonus action. (Melee Rangers rejoice!)
•when you make an oportunity attack while you are weilding a separate melee weapon in each hand, you gain a second special reaction that can only be used to make an opportunity attack with the other weapon.
(Attacking twice with same provokation seemed off so it needs 2 enemies provoking opp attacks or one creature provoking two, to work fully, but it with the changes above, there will likely be more opportunity attacks going around. Also it combos with sentinel so you can stop 2 enemies from getting past you to the squishies in your party)

Very similar to what I and many others do, removing the BA cost of TWF with the feat is a good move. I also do the TWF opp attacks, I think it just fits.
If you want to keep a defensive portion of the feat but don't want to use the static +1 AC, maybe some sort of thematic horde-fighting benefit like denying advantage to hit you from creatures you attack (splitting attacks against creatures like kobolds and wolves will stop pack tactics, for example)

Though I will note that I swap around the stat-to-damage and non-light-weapons of the feat and style, but that's a minor thing.


Base rule: Thrown weapons can be drawn freely like ammunition
Base rule: Two-Weapon Fighting works with light melee weapons, natural weapons and unarmed strikes

Fighting Style: You can use two-weapon fighting even when the melee weapons you are wielding are not light, and draw/stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally only be able to draw/stow one.

Dual Wielder Feat:
- When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack
- When you make a melee attack against a creature, that creature cannot benefit from Advantage on melee attacks against you until the start of your next turn.
- You can use two-weapon fighting as part of the attack action instead of using a bonus action. If you do so you cannot also use your Bonus Action to make a weapon attack on the same turn.
- While wielding a different weapon in each hand, if you make an opportunity attack you can make an attack with each weapon you are wielding against the same target (with the usual TWF restrictions).

[Bjarkmundur]

Check out Kane0's spell changes as well, although you have to note that some play off his other houserules (Hunter's Mark I'm looking at you). Cure Wounds and Lesser Restoration should especially be noted. I pillaged those a while ago and it just ==makes sense==

Otherwise, yeah, you seem to be doing similar or same things as most of us who use Houserules are. That means you can generally trust your gut feeling one what to change and how going forward. (I wish I was the same, but nope, I have to make at least half a million ridiculous changes before I land one Something that actually works -.-") I mean, if you had the same experience and came to the same conclusion as multiple other GMs, you can assume you'll also do so next time.

Hope your players love your campaign ^^

[Danielqueue1]

Oh yeah I did mean athlete feat. Thank you. Any thoughts on the counterspell change?

[JNAProductions]

I'm iffy on standing provoking an AoO. The rest of your changes seem fine-nothing super crazy there, just general quality of life stuff.

[Kane0]

Oh yeah I did mean athlete feat. Thank you. Any thoughts on the counterspell change?

Well it does make an already good spell stronger, but we should probably ask if you use the Xan's spell identification rules.

[Mastikator]

Find traps now actually finds trapsNice. Costs a 2nd level spell slot to cast to find traps withing a radius. Fair



Witch Bolt scales repeat damage and only ends if the caster ends their turn out of range etcAh so it no longer sucks.


Counterspell can now also effect spells whose origin or targets are within 30 feet of the person casting counterspell. Caster still has to be able to see the spell being castThat's a buff to an already powerful spell. I don't think it's necessary. TBH even if you start saying "NPC casts a spell... you may counterspell now or forever hold your peace" it's still a good spell.


Standing up from prone now provokes opportunity attacks from creatures within 5 feet unless you disengage. Features that reduce the cost of standing up (drunken master, mobile feat etc) also prevent these opportunity attacks. Seems unnecessarily punishing, I'd say that proficiency in athletics or acrobatics is good enough to prevent


1) Pole-arm Master add "that you are weilding in two hands" to the text. (PAM-one-handed-quarterstaff-dueling-with-a-shield was always such a silly thing anyway)Seems like an unnecessary and missplaced nerf. PAM is OP when either combined with sentinel or GWM, both being with a two handed 10ft reach weapon. IMO don't nerf this, martials should have nice things if they spend TWO ASI's on these feats.


2) two weapon fighting style is expanded and the name changed, I am thinking 'alacrity' A small buff, but a welcome one.


3) Dual Weilder feat.A fine change. I'd update the text on the final bullet point to make it easier to read.

"When you make an opportunity attack and have a weapon in each hand and attack with your main weapon, you retain your reaction that can only be used to make an opportunity attack with your other weapon. You can use this feature once until the start of your next turn".

[EggKookoo]

Standing up from prone now provokes opportunity attacks from creatures within 5 feet unless you disengage. Features that reduce the cost of standing up (drunken master, mobile feat etc) also prevent these opportunity attacks.

I've been thinking of doing something like this at my table.

[Kane0]

So standing from prone provoking an OA, i'm going to try and go through all the options here.

Ignoring the standing OA: Monk & Rogue (Drunk & Swashbuckler especially), Athlete feat, Mobile feat, moving out of range before standing (eg Misty Step, Telekinetic feat, etc)
Helping against the OA: Hunter Ranger, countering with any source of disadvantage
Avoiding falling prone: Cavalier Fighter (falling from saddle), Monk (Slow fall), Feather Fall

Athletics Expertise: Bard, Rogue, Feat
Athletics Advantage: Barbarian, Spells

Knocking someone prone: Totem Barbarian, Battlemaster Fighter (or anyone picking up the maneuver via fighting style/feat), Open Hand Monk, Swarm Ranger, Shield Master
Benefits from reaction attack: Anyone in melee (especially Rogues for extra sneak attacks), anyone looking for advantage (eg Barbarians don't need to Reckless), anyone looking to crit (Paladins wanting to smite)

Some of those options are kinda lacklustre and could be made more enticing by this change. Some of those things are already very good and don't need to be improved.

For whichever side in a fight has more melee attackers (or ranged weapon users with crossbow master) then shoving prone and surrounding a target is an excellent way to dramatically increase your damage output. Some creatures like Wolves and Bulettes have a prone built into their attack so they become even more nasty, it's double the attacks plus advantage thrown in for good measure. Inducing a condition like Poisoned or Frightened is another way to get some easy Prones in thanks to disadvantage, and things like Hex or Bardic Inspiration can help there too. Hell even Guidance can be used on the Athletics check!

It changes combat quite a bit when used tactically, but its a sword that cuts both ways and there are ways around it. I'd encourage you to give it a good try for a few sessions and report your findings.

[TyGuy]

I moved the 'draw two weapons' part of the dual wielder feat to the fighting style verbatim. I also made the feat move the attack from BA to part of the Attack action.
And I am also struggling with the third bonus part of the feat.
Using the extra weapon to parry explains the +1 AC, I don't mind keeping that. But GWM & SS have an active component (referred to as the power attack) and I would love for DW to have something similar. Alas, I couldn't come up with anything I liked.

[kingcheesepants]

1) Pole-arm Master add "that you are weilding in two hands" to the text. (PAM-one-handed-quarterstaff-dueling-with-a-shield was always such a silly thing anyway)


What about spear and shield users? Is the most common weapon combination in human history also silly? If you really hate PAM and quarterstaff for whatever reason (I had a campaign where the paladin was using exactly this the whole time and it was fine, but hey maybe it just really irks you) just say that quarterstaves aren't polearms. Don't punish spear and shield users, they already have it bad enough.

[Gurgeh]

Whacking someone with the haft of a spear you are wielding one-handed and expecting to inflict any meaningful sort of damage is silly, yes.

Fighting with spear and shield is overwhelming historically prevalent for soldiers who fight in formation, which does not represent a significant (or, I would assert, even a measurable) fraction of PCs in fifth edition D&D.

[Danielqueue1]

Whacking someone with the haft of a spear you are wielding one-handed and expecting to inflict any meaningful sort of damage is silly, yes.


This precisely. I don't hate shield and spear users. I hate the Idea of someone twirling it between the fingers of one hand so they can bop someone with the other end. Every round. If you want the bonus action attack use both hands. I will however modify the post so that you can still get the opportunity attack with a spear in one hand.

[Saelethil]

And I am also struggling with the third bonus part of the feat.
Using the extra weapon to parry explains the +1 AC, I don't mind keeping that. But GWM & SS have an active component (referred to as the power attack) and I would love for DW to have something similar. Alas, I couldn't come up with anything I liked.

I like the idea of giving an AoO against creatures that miss melee attacks against you. Allowing you to “parry” with one weapon and use the other to take advantage of the opening.


Whacking someone with the haft of a spear you are wielding one-handed and expecting to inflict any meaningful sort of damage is silly, yes.

I’m with you on not liking the shaft smack but I think it works just as well to call it a quick change in angle to make another weaker strike with the business end of the weapon. Just leave the damage type of the BA the same as the regular attack.

[Danielqueue1]

Seems like an unnecessary and missplaced nerf. PAM is OP when either combined with sentinel or GWM, both being with a two handed 10ft reach weapon. IMO don't nerf this, martials should have nice things if they spend TWO ASI's on these feats.


I have modified the house rule to only require two hands for the bonus action attack so sentinel opportunity attack should work fine now. I don't understand the bit about GWM though, my change would not affect any weapons that qualify for GWM -5 +10.



A fine change. I'd update the text on the final bullet point to make it easier to read.

"When you make an opportunity attack and have a weapon in each hand and attack with your main weapon, you retain your reaction that can only be used to make an opportunity attack with your other weapon. You can use this feature once until the start of your next turn".

Yeah that wording is nicer. thank you.