House Rules Advice Needed for Custom Campaign

[fortyseven]

I would welcome some advice for house rules please.

I am a novice DM (3rd attempt after two short introductory campaigns with a group of newcomers) and have only played half a dozen proper campaigns as a player which have all been quite a few years apart.

I am DMing for my son, nephew and a couple of their friends (ages 11-14). They are bright for their age and very good at maths and they like getting into the detail of character development and strategy (combat and non-combat). They love having lots of skills and abilities to be creative with and they all play primary spellcasters. They have been extremely keen to get a DnD session going for a couple of years but given we live rurally (and also COVID) it’s been difficult to assemble. It is very important to me that they can enjoy this as much as possible on their own terms.

In our preparation for this campaign, we agreed that aiming for high level characters L15+ isn’t that cool because of the exponential power creep that sets in. They don’t want to be fighting the masters of the universe. They are keener on more down to earth and traditional scenarios from a story telling point of view. However, they have been frustrated by the limitations on the variety and combination for skills and spells at lower levels.

The solution we are now considering is as follows:
Feats will be granted together with ASIs (no either or)
The metamagic feat is stackable (in case you were wondering the sorcerer of the group is also advocating for this).
They want to use spell points instead of slots with sorcery points and spell points combined into a single pool.
They want the proficiency modifier to be added to the known/preparable spells number.

Finally, and this is the one I find most difficult to get my head around from a balancing point of view, they want to have access to all the class feature abilities at half their normal level requirement (the campaign I’m building is aiming to finish at around level 9).

As a trade-off to all these enhancements, they have suggested I introduce a haircut nerf on the party halving damage and healing output and a +1 to all DCs and enemy ACs (doubled at level 5).

They still want to be able to be challenged by the typical CR and other challenges for lower levels. But they want to be rewarded for creative combinations of skills and spells instead of brute force. They also want me to play NPC’s as cunningly and tactically aware as possible and not cut them any slack (they want to feel the stakes and for failure to have consequences which they then have to meet by using their creativity with skills to find a way out of).

My question: is any of this feasible (with normal amounts of session preparation, as I have a full-time job) or is this just prone to end in an unbalanced over/under-powered disappointment?

If you think it could be done how severe do you think the nerfs to damage, healing, saves and checks should be to keep the difficulty challenging but without it getting severely punishing? The example I have given seems doable, although my hunch is it would be quite a bit harder than normal, but then they did find the first two campaigns too easy. We would prefer the nerfs not to be too complicated.

Another idea was to double enemy hit points instead of changing the party’s damage output, but I feel that might create even more headaches.

[JNAProductions]

1) Feats will be granted together with ASIs (no either or)
2) The metamagic feat is stackable (in case you were wondering the sorcerer of the group is also advocating for this).
3) They want to use spell points instead of slots with sorcery points and spell points combined into a single pool.
4) They want the proficiency modifier to be added to the known/preparable spells number.

1) Moderate power boost. Manageable and fine.
2) Combined with 1, a pretty hefty boost to casters. But it shouldn't be overwhelming.
3) That's fine, though it will really let a Sorcerer spam metamagic.
4) Totally fine.

But...


5) Finally, and this is the one I find most difficult to get my head around from a balancing point of view, they want to have access to all the class feature abilities at half their normal level requirement (the campaign I’m building is aiming to finish at around level 9).

6) As a trade-off to all these enhancements, they have suggested I introduce a haircut nerf on the party halving damage and healing output and a +1 to all DCs and enemy ACs (doubled at level 5).

I would not recommend 5 or 6 at all. If your players want to play with high level features, be high level.

And halving everything just seems like a bad idea. Use higher CR foes, if need be.

[fortyseven]

1) Moderate power boost. Manageable and fine.
2) Combined with 1, a pretty hefty boost to casters. But it shouldn't be overwhelming.
3) That's fine, though it will really let a Sorcerer spam metamagic.
4) Totally fine.

But...



I would not recommend 5 or 6 at all. If your players want to play with high level features, be high level.

And halving everything just seems like a bad idea. Use higher CR foes, if need be.


Thank you for your reply.

I understand your concerns regarding point 5. My argument to them has been if you want these skills why not go for high level spells while you are at it? They argued that these abilities are integral to the class they want to play. For example, one of the wizards is an illusionist and he says that the lvl 14 ability Illusory Reality opens up huge potential for out of the box ideas without having a direct damage benefit (one of the key principles for them).

Maybe a compromise would be that they can each chose one class defining utility enhancing ability that is only available at lvl 10+ instead of having all the higher abilities?

I see you are advising not to use a damage nerf but to use a higher CR. But what about the changes to healing and DC? The buffs they want will make them more powerful in all game situations not just combat.

[Breccia]

Finally, and this is the one I find most difficult to get my head around from a balancing point of view, they want to have access to all the class feature abilities at half their normal level requirement (the campaign I’m building is aiming to finish at around level 9).

...why can't you just hand out levels faster?

[MrStabby]

So basically they want to play high level casters but without:

a) the larger number of spell slots,so resource managment is tighter
b) the higher level spells that can disproportionately impact the game in ways they don't like
c) more hit points an proficiency bonus
d) cantrips scaling to higher damage

It seems a reasonable ask, though how the balance will work out... I don't know.

If you were to do this, I would suggest a small introductory/test campaign first. Don't just find out if its balanced, bu where it works, where it doesn't and if its fun. Let people roll back the changes before being too invested.

In terms of high level abilities that would be an issue at lower levels... there are a few. Some are obvious.

Warlock mystic arcana are class abilities and you probably want to ban those. Invocations are probably fine as long as you keep the level prerequisites matched to actual level.

Cleric is probably fine, though death domain improved reaper coming early might be a big boost - though probably not enough to usurp the peace/twilight clerics. Arcana cleric's 17 ability will need a rework. Forge cleric also will get a powerful late game ability and mid game abilities earlier.

Druid might need some supervision. Getting moon druid elemental form early is likely to be unbalanced. Archdruid and Beast spells early is also likely to be a major headache.

Wizard is mostly fine. Illusonist might be an issue. I would also flag that divination wizard's portent is somewhat balanced by legendary saves so you might need some adjustments. Abjuration wizard will get their boosts to counterspell and dispell magic before thy can cast those spells... but their access to magic resisance will come very early. I was worried about winned enchantment, but with fewer spells and spell slots its maybe less of an issue. Bladesinger will be getting extra attack before other casters get their level 3 spell power boost.

I think sorcerer is probably fine.

Bard is weird. The magical secrets might need a look at. Things like lore bard getting two sets of magical secrets by level 5 is going to leave some redundancy for example. The collages are maybe a bit of a complication. Valor/Swords get the extra attack early relative to spells - maybe a bit of a balance issue. Getting Master's flourish on swords bard at level 7 is probably transforming the character from a primary caster with some fighty skills to the opposite.

Honestly, I think you are helped a lot as everyone wants to play a spellcaster.

[Breccia]

So basically they want to play high level casters but without:

a) the larger number of spell slots,so resource managment is tighter
b) the higher level spells that can disproportionately impact the game in ways they don't like
c) more hit points an proficiency bonus
d) cantrips scaling to higher damage

Well, that's a decent answer to my question.

I completely get the idea of wanting more options without wanting more power.

[Yakk]

Ok, lets see if I can do this.

1. everyone advances at twice normal rate on their class chart, except HP/HD and Proficiency bonus. ASIs are gotten twice as fast, so no need to combo them like you describe.

The effect of this is a massive offensive boost for non-casters relative to HP.

2. Cantrips gain damage at level 3, 6 and 9 instead of 5/11/17. (This keeps it in line with attack based damage scaling).

3. Replace Warlock casting as follows:
Pact Magic:
During a short rest, you can request pact-spells from your patron. The spells come from the Warlock class list, and cannot exceed 1/2 of your level plus 1 (rounded down).

The total level of pact-spells you can request is limited by twice your Warlock class level. Each pact-spell you gain can be used once then becomes expended.

You can choose to pay twice as much for a pact-spell; if you do so, the spell is not expended the first time you use it, and each additional time there is a 50% chance it is not expended after its use.

Mystic Arcanum
When you gain a Mystic Arcanum, the maximum level spell you can choose is 1/2 of your Warlock class level plus one (rounded down) when you gain the feature, just like pact-spells. However, it casts as if you used a 6th through 9th level slot on it. You pick your Mystic Arcanum when you gain the feature and cannot change it.

...

The goal is that Warlock pact magic is still distinct and quirky compared to standard magic. You do point-based preparation on short rests from the entire list.

The idea is the Warlock has specific favours from their Patron, not a well of power.

3. Spells Known

Spellcasters know a number of spells equal to the standard class progression of their class +1 level (no doubling). So a level 1 wizard, sorcerer or cleric knows 3 1st level spells, while a level 1 ranger knows 2 1st level spells.

4. Wizard

The Wizard spellbook starts with 2 1st level spells in it. Each additional level the Wizard researches 2 additional spells and adds it to their book. They can also add spells to the spellbook from scrolls. The Wizard can prepare 1 additional spell per Wizard class level from their spellbook, and cast ritual spells out of their spellbook.

5. Cleric

The cleric gains its domain spells as additional spells known once they have access to that level of spell (ie, 2nd level spells at level 2, 3rd at level 4, 4th at level 6 and 5th at level 8).

6. Druid

Druid wildshape uses twice the Druids level.

7. Spell points

Full casters gain 6 spell points per class level.
1/2 casters gain 3 spell points per class level.
1/3 casters gain 2 spell points per class level.

Spells cost their level in spell points to cast the first time you cast them in a day. Each additional time you cast a spell in a day costs 1 additional point.

(the goal here is to discourage chain-spamming the same spell all of the time. Note that spells have a discounted price compared to baseline spell points the first time, but by the 3rd time per day they cost more.)

8. Sorcerer
The Sorcerer gains an additional 2 spell points per level instead of sorcery points. They do not gain flexible casting (as it is redundant). Metamagic is fueled by spell points.

9. Monks
Gain 2 Ki per class level.

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Max spell level for full casters is 1 at 1, 2 at 2, 3 at 4, 4 at 6, 5 at 8 and 6 at 10.
(Maybe just remove 6th level spells from being an option)

Max spell level for half casters is 1 at 1, 2 at 3, 3 at 7.
Max spell level for 1/3 casters is 1 at 2, 2 at 6.

Extra Attack arrives at level 3.

Fighters have 1 attack and action surge at level 1, 2 attacks at level 3, 3 attacks at level 6, a second action surge at level 9, and 4 attacks at level 10.


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This is aimed at PCs that are significantly deadlier than a level X PC but equally fragile.

Add up PC levels and add up monster CR, then divide CR by PC level sum.

The thresholds should be about:
0.3: Easy
0.4: Medium
0.5: Hard
0.6: Deadly

So a party of 4 level 3 PCs has a sum of 12. Easy is 3.6, Medium 4.8, Hard is 6 and Deadly is 7.2 (total monster CR).

This is based off of using a 1.5x multiplier on PC power from these changes (offence boosted, HP and max spell level not).