Campaign House Rules

== Character Creation House Rules ==
Multiclassing is allowed, however character builds that intentionally exploit games systems, and effect overall balance are not permitted. This includes builds such a Coffeelock, etc
# Custom Backgrounds are permitted, but are subject to DM approval.
# Proficiencies in skills DO NOT stack. If you are forced to take the same skill because of a limited class/background combo they do not stack.
# Characters must be of a Mature age for their race.
#We use a slightly modified standard array: 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 8.
# We allow a Thematic feat to be taken at character creation. As such the Variant human is not eligible for play, please utilize the standard human statistics
# HP is either determined by the average. First level HP are the Full Hit Die + CON mod. however you may roll if that is your inclination.
# You have the option of taking a -2 to one of your character's abilities for a +2 to another. This can only be done once, and it's important to note it on your sheet.
# Secondary Characters are available to all players from the get-go. Not only that, they're available to play whenever you could normally play your Primary character (because sometimes you're just not feeling Paladin-ish that day, we get it).
In Endless Aetherium we allow you to reflavor class features and abilities to build your perfect character. So long as your Flavor imparts no Mechanical Changes, the limits are only your imagination. However there are some things that are set in stone:
* Warlocks have a patron, the core flavor of the class regardless of subclass or reskinning is that you sold yourself to a being or entity in some capacity. This aspect of the Class is non-negotiable.
== Class and Mechanics Errata ==
* Artificers cannot sell their infused items.
*Pit Fighting Downtime Changes: Pit Fighting now requires two weeks of concurrent downtime, up from one. The idea behind this is that it's a very physically intense process. Weeks straight of fighting is exhausting, and the extra week is used to make up for rest and recuperation.
*Gambling Downtime Changes: The cap on the initial investment has been lowered from 500gp down to 200gp. And, as with normal casinos, if you're doing suspiciously well over a long period of time, you will likely not be allowed back. High Rollers are subjected to extensive scrutiny and security measures to ensure that no "disguise" fuckery is going on.
*Work Downtime: Since expenses are assumed covered, players will collect pay equal to a week of lifestyle expenses. A week of poor living is 14 silver, modest is 7 gold, comfortable is 14 gold
*All Classes except Druid have Proficiency in Firearms as they are commonplace In the Realms of Endless Aetherium.
*Close Quarters Shooter has been approved as a Fighting Style for Fighters and Rangers: You are trained in making ranged attacks at close quarters. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half- and three-quarters cover against targets withing 30 feet of you. Finally, you have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
* Centaurs Max Carry weight is 3000lbs
*Sorcerer: Clockwork Soul: When you use "Trance of Order," you must now choose to apply its effect to either Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, OR Saving Throws.
* For The Chronurgist’s Arcane Abeyance, only spells with a casting time of 1 Action are Eligible
*Contact Home Power is no longer a spell, but a Class Feature that Divine casters (Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Warlock) obtain upon reaching level 5 in their respective Divine class.
* The Dragonborn use the Dragonborn (Revised) Homebrew.
* Kobolds and Draconic Sorcerers can benefit from Draconic Racial Feats.
*Skill Expert Feat: Must be 12th level to take this feat.
*The Gunner Feat is not viable for active play.
*Order of scribes: as an added feature of the level 2 wizardly quill feature, you may choose 2 schools of magic, you can scribe spells from these schools at half cost.
*Wizard: Scribes: "Awakened Spellbook" has been altered slightly. The second point will now read, "When you cast a wizard spell with a spell slot, you can temporarily replace its damage type with the damage type of another spell that you have prepared", rather than simply having it in your spellbook.
*Plane-touched, Warforged, and Beast-kin PCs are rare and require DM approval, a link to a 3for5 must be submitted to the office for approval before Character Creation.
*Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden spells are good to go! (There are only three, but they're nifty!)
*Path of Wild Magic Barbarian: Allowed, however the wild magic results, 1,7,8 on the table affect both enemies and allies. On a roll of 8, the target will be the creature closest to you.
*Druid Wild Companion: edited, druids add find familiar on their spell list.
*Fighting Style blindfighting requires level 12 in fighter to take it.
*Blossom of Life, Revisited: This feature can only be utilized with spells of 1st through 6th level, and The 10th level ability has be swapped with the 14th level ability. In addition, the ability Blossom of Life is restricted to Int Mod (Minimum of One) + Long Rest.
* Contact Home Plane and Alternative Spell Rules UA: spoke about the UA and the spell contact home power resolution is:UA Alternate casting is allowed, and Contact Home Power will change into a 5th Level Class ability for all casting classes. Addendum: The Swapping of spells must be logged in Downtime!
*Conjuration Spells/Minionmancy: Strictly because this has been an issue in the past, we've implemented a hard limit of 10 semi-permanent minions per character at any given time. Planar Binding shenanigans are allowed, but please don't abuse the system; if you're taking half an hour to run though all of your Summons' turns in combat, nobody's having fun at that point. On that note, for spells such as Conjure Animals, universal sheets will be provided for various creatures; if you panic and cast it in the middle of combat without preparing something beforehand, you'll have a fallback. If you have specific monsters in mind that you want to summon, be sure to ping a GM so we can get that set up before you cast it.
*Wish: Using the spell to duplicate the effects of a lesser spell has been modified a bit. The first 15 castings of Wish in this way are free, with no repercussions. However, after that point you do run the risk of losing the Wish spell, starting at 15% and increasing by 1% with each subsequent casting in this way. This does need to be logged on your sheet.
* Combining Potions/Gunsmithing/Artificer/Custom Magic Items: Please contact a DM if you wish to do some wacky stuff. We are working on some rulings towards combining items and having items act as reagents on their own. Look for another announcement in the future containing more details on this.
*True Polymorph: NPC/Creature Stat Blocks with the leveled casting ability are NOT eligible for Polymorph. ie Diviners, Abjurers, Drow Matrons, etc. Additionally the subject of True poly research must be researched as per the research downtime rule, and the collective lore facts earned must equal the desired creature's CR, if you have seen said creature the research is NOT required.
*Research: Only any mental stat when it comes to researching a specific beastie for true polymorph, otherwise Research must be used with the Int Stat.
* The Echo Knight Manifest Echo, Can only be used a number of times equal to your CON modifier + 1/2 Level of your level in the Fighter Class. Uses reset after long rest, Voluntarily Dismissed Echos do not count toward you uses.
*College of Spirits: Do not attempt to infinitely heal. Try it, you will ruin this for everyone and we will ban the class option. As stated in the #character-creation-info channel, do not try to break the game..
* Raging while Raging and Wildshaping while Wildshaped - Don’t do this. Wild Shapes should expire and raging has to end, to avoid barbarians being brought back to life while dead and druids having two health bars.
* Bard Magical Secrets: You cannot change these spells out with the Spell Versatility feature.
*Twisted Fate’s Otherworldly Form - You get all three traits, because you’re 17th level, you deserve being a wacky idiot mooncalf. 
*Exorcist feat changes - Instead of ignoring resistances and immunities, you deal an extra D6 of force damage.
*Witch Hunter - Grants Proficiency in your choice of Arcana or Insight. Instead of instantly knowing, make a check with one of these skills. The DC is a minimum of ten, or the creature’s level or CR. If you already have both of these skills, you’re shit out of luck. "If you take this feat you’re legally cool. I say so." -Pycno 
*Soul Lens - Knocked down to +1 - Uncommon +2 - Rare +3 - Very Rare. This requires attunement. It is also one of the best items in the game, and if you say otherwise I’ll steal your kneecaps.
*Training for Expertise: Once you have proficiency in a tool, you can potentially begin the process of training to gain the fabled Expertise in it as well! It's a little bit more complicated, naturally. The first step is to find an instructor that can teach it. This can't just be some run-of-the-mill instructor like when you're training for Proficiency; this needs to be someone that is quite literally a master of what they do, usually an npc that has been established as such in-session. If there's a particular tool that you want to learn Expertise in, let one of the GM's know so that they can try to work an applicable npc into the world somewhere. Once you've found an instructor, you can actually begin the Downtime process. This training takes a total of 50 weeks, minus your Int mod and Proficiency bonus, and costs 50gp per week. The gp cost doesn't have to (and shouldn't be) paid all at once, it's paid on a per-week basis. As a final note, if your Proficiency bonus or Int Mod increase over the course of your training, that does affect the number of weeks required; you subtract a week from the total, essentially granting you a week of progress for free. This applies to standard Training as well: if your Int mod increases, you get a free week.
*Training Complications: Happens at the end of 10 weeks, or at the end of training, regardless of modifier. For any training complications, speak to a DM to help with the results of it.
*Tasha’s Spells: Tasha’s Mind Whip replaces the spell Mind Thrust, Tasha’s Otherworldly Disguise is also available to Clerics, and Spirit Shroud is also available to Druids.
*New Witch Spells: Here are the Tasha’s spells available to witches. Green Flame Blade, Lightning Lure, Mind Sliver, Tasha’s Caustic Brew, Summon Beast, Tasha’s Mind Whip, Intellect Fortress, Spirit Shroud, Summon Fey, Summon Shadow spawn, Summon Undead, Summon Elemental, Summon Celestial, Summon Fiend, Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise, Dream of the Blue Veil
*Spell scrolls prices: The base market price is one and half times the cost of scribing, and other places might be more expensive depending on where you go.
*The Jump Spell: If you jump more than your maximum movement, you have no more movement to use for that round. For every 5ft beyond your movement speed of jump, add +1 difficulty (starting at 10) to the Dex Saving throw. Successful Dex Save halves the damage, Damage is based on fall damage of equal distance.
== Backstory, GM's and You ==
If you want to have an in-depth backstory arc, please bring it up to a GM. If you have a particular GM in mind (either because they run the sphere that your backstory takes place in, or for any other reason), take it to them first. Given the amount of players that we have, a specific GM unfortunately might not be available, in which case, we're asking that that GM, you, and a secondary GM be available to sort it out among the three of you.
== Player VS Player Combat ==
The entire process needs to be consensual and a DM must oversee it for both In-Game and RP based PvP. We understand sometimes events happen at once while a game is going on, and sometimes you may feel compelled to do something about a certain behavior by another PC.
For example, if a PC punches your Mom and you, the Paladin, feels you must do something about it, you are entitled to do so, however you must make an effort to 1. Get the DM’s full attention if it isn’t already on you, 2. Declare that you are going to initiate this PvP and why, then ***with the DM’s permission*** you may begin. (For those who would be the PC who punched that Mom, you *chose* in that moment to accept the consequences of your actions when you decided to take that action. In essence, you consented to the PvP by purposely antagonizing the other player.)
If the PvP is RP based, you must contact both the player you wish to do PvP with, and a DM to oversee it.
Example: Say your character wishes to rob another PC’s business, you have to contact that PC who owns that business, have them say it’s okay to do so, then both of you contact the DM. The PC you’re robbing may have things to say about their business that may make stealing from them more difficult and whatnot, and they need to give those details to the DM so appropriate checks can be made.
In addition to consent, we would like to remind you all that your characters are part of a society and group! You can get support if another PC attacks yours in any capacity. This could lead to very interesting RP dynamics for the future. You are also anyways able to say no to PvP if it’s simply not your cup of tea. We are not allowing Murder Hobos though, you cannot just kill for killing’s sake, and that is part of why a DM must be present for any and all PvP.
== Selling your Soul for Cool Stuff/Taking Disadvantages for RP benefits: ==
Contact a DM and discuss what you want to do with them to get approval for your ideas.
== Two-Parter Sessions ==
Sometimes, a session will be split into two parts. Most of the time, this will be on purpose and players will know beforehand that the session will have two parts. However, there may be instances where a DM has to split the adventure into two parts where that originally wasn’t the case, usually due to things taking longer than intended, tiredness on the whole, or other extenuating circumstances. In the case of an unintended two-parter, and a player cannot attend the second one the following week, we ask that player to please make a choice. Regardless, your character will be with the group and be unavailable for play in a different campaign. (If you’re in space, you can’t just magically teleport home just because you can’t attend the session) That character will still receive the same amount of mission points and gold dispersion as the others in the party. In the case of a party wipe, your character would die with them. However if even one player survives, your character would automatically survive as well. The choice for that player is either they can have others/a DM run their character for them, or just have them there in the background. If you allow a DM or another player run your character for you during that session, you accept the possibility of character harm or death as an in-game consequence, just as you would if you were playing the character yourself.
==Gameplay House Rules==
Endless Aetherium is at its core a Swashbuckling Stare-Faring Pirate adventure. In order to Facilitate that we have enacted these additional rules for game play
# Rolling a 20 on a d20 is an automatic success only for an attack roll or a saving throw, not for an ability check
#New Actions for Combat
====New swashbuckling combat actions====
Bind Weapon - When you take the Bind Weapon action, you make a melee weapon attack contested by a creature’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them. On success, you bind your target’s weapon. While bound, you and your opponent can’t use the bound weapons or move. On their turn, your opponent can use an action to attempt to free their weapon with an opposed Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or drop the weapon. If the creature doesn’t free or drop their weapon, the creature can’t move. A bound weapon that is dropped remains bound until the character that initiated the bind ends it. While binding your opponent, you suffer the same limitations, except that you can end the bind at any time. 
Give Ground - As a reaction when you take damage from a melee attack, you can move 5 feet away from the attacker onto non-difficult terrain, reducing the damage you take by 1d6. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. If this reduces the attack’s damage to 0, treat the attack as a miss. The attacker can immediately move into the space you evacuated. This doesn’t cost the attacker’s reaction and doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks, but a creature can only move this way once per turn. A clarification: If none of the three squares behind you that increase your distance from the attacker are legal places to end your movement, you can’t Give Ground (even if you could otherwise pass through the square, such as when occupied by an ally). 
Tackle - When you want to tackle a creature, you can use a special melee attack, a tackle. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them. The target of your tackle must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. Instead of making an attack roll, you make your choice of a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you win the contest, the target is knocked prone and takes 1 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier in bludgeoning damage. On a success or failure, you are knocked prone, landing in a square adjacent to the target. 
Tag - You can attempt to slice the feather off a hat, pin a cape to a wall with an arrow, or some other impressive act with a weapon against an enemy. While wielding a weapon with the finesse property or any ranged weapon, you can use a special attack, a tag. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack can replace one of them. Instead of making an attack roll, you make a Dexterity (Performance) check contested by a creature’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). On a success, the target has disadvantage on saving throws against the frightened condition until the start of your next turn. You can’t use this action against the same creature again for the next 24 hours. 
Toss Debris - When you take the Toss Debris action on your turn, you can hurl sand or other small particles at a creature you can see within 5 feet of you. This debris could be from your inventory, such as a bag filled with sand, or from the environment, such as kicking up embers. As an action, you make an improvised ranged attack to throw debris at a creature. Being within 5 feet of a creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on this ranged attack. On a hit, the creature has disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of your next turn. In addition, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + Dexterity modifier), or it is blinded until the start of your next turn. Once blinded, a creature can spend an action to clear its eyes of the particles and end the condition. You can’t use the Toss Debris action again until you finish a short or long rest
# A Duel Mechanic has been Implemented
# A Brawling Mechanic has also been Implemented
'''After The Game'''
When the session is complete you will need to log your progression and any rewards earned. Please Do Not Cheat.... It won’t end well.
Edit your Character Sheet in the Main Lobby.
You may also write a record about the session in the #tavern-stories. Notify the DM of that session for Inspiration
==Endless Aetherium Level Systems==
"Does Endless Aetherium use the XP or the Milestone Leveling systems?"
The Answer?...NEITHER!
In this shared campaign, characters gain levels not by accumulating experience points but by reaching experience checkpoints. This system rewards every character (and player) for taking part in a play session.
A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure's projected playing time, rather than the actual time spent at the table. The reward for completing an adventure designed for 2 hours of play is 2 checkpoints, even if a group spends more than 2 hours playing through it. 
If a character completes an adventure designed for a tier higher than the character's current tier, the character is awarded 1 additional checkpoint.
For example, if a 2nd-level character completes a 6th-level adventure designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to work. A character played for 10 hours reaches the same number of checkpoints, whether the character went up against a dragon or spent all that time lurking in a pub. 
This approach ensures that a player's preferred style is neither penalized nor rewarded. Whether someone focuses on roleplaying and social interaction, defeating monsters in combat, or finding clever ways to avoid battles, this system gives credit where credit is due. 
=== HOW DO I USE CHECKPOINTS? ===
I'm so glad you asked you magnificent thing you.... The number of checkpoints needed to gain the next level depends on a character's level: 
* Levels 1-5: requires 4 Checkpoints to reach each level.
* 6-10: requires 8 Checkpoints to reach each level.
* 11-15: requires 12 Checkpoints to reach each level.
* 16 - 20: requires 16 Checkpoints to reach each level.
== I'm Level 20...Now what?: You're practically a Demigod! Hooray! ==
In this campaign we use an Epic Boon Mechanic.  After reaching level 20, if a Character attains 24 checkpoints they gain access to an epic boon, after which you receive an additional boon every 24 checkpoints. These boons don't just happen out of nowhere, They are the result of heroic deeds. please roleplay the process of working towards/acquiring these boons and describing how they manifest, what source of epic power you're drawing from, and how they affect your character. Nobody becomes a mythical hero by accident...make it a good story.
== Things To Do Out Of Game ==
RP CHATS
There are in-character RP chats players can use to interact with each other and NPCs. If they get abused they may become non-canon.
* Be Aware and Careful when casting spells and using  abilities among the general public and within the Guildhall. Certain parties may look unfavorably to reckless behavior.  
* Keep explicit NSFW material and RP out of this server, While there may be places for that, This Game is not one of them.
* In Character romances are fine, please do not go overboard with the descriptions
== DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES ==
In Endless Aetherium we utilize a calendar for tracking the passage of Ingame time and for the use of Downtime. While some games would track such things in Weeks, We track it in Days. As Stated in Xanathar's Guide, downtime requires a Week's worth of the Character's time to be committed to the activity they wish to accomplish whether it's crafting a Magical item or Committing Crime. Therefore a Character needs to spend seven days straight of downtime to perform that activity.. Downtime covers everything from odd jobs, Researching Foes, and Much More. 
Notes on Downtime
* It will not level you up…
* It cannot grant feats
* All requests for downtime must be done in #downtime-ledger
* Downtime posts must use the following Discord Format
```
Character Name
IG Date:
Activity:
Location:
Venue:
Gold Modifier Bonus, if Applicable
```
=== Changes to Downtime ===
* Magic Items of a rarity of Rare or Higher cannot be purchased during downtime.
*Research has be altered to allow use of all casting checks and thus is no longer bound to the sole use of INT for research rolls
*a Maximum cap of eight total weeks of downtime stored an each character.
* The chance for complications in Pit Fighting has been increased from 1:10 up to 2:10.
*Pit Fighting now requires two weeks of concurrent downtime, up from one. The idea behind this is that it's a very physically intense process. Weeks straight of fighting is exhausting, and the extra week is used to make up for rest and recuperation.
*Gambling has also been edited, for the same reasons. The cap on the initial investment has been lowered from 500gp down to 200gp. And, as with normal casinos, if you're doing suspiciously well over a long period of time, you will likely not be allowed back. High Rollers are subjected to extensive scrutiny and security measures to ensure that no "disguise" trickery is going on
*Work Downtime: Since expenses are assumed covered, players will collect pay equal to a week of lifestyle expenses.
*Training Complications: Happens at the end of 10 weeks, or at the end of training, regardless of modifier. If the complication doesn’t make sense, wing it.
Here’s a Link to 5etool info on Downtime
=== Magic Item Crafting: ===
Players during their travels may come into possession of gear and items of a magical nature, but sometimes you do not wish to wait to find a magic item. Players with the requisite crafting Skills and appropriate materials can craft their own over the span of Downtime. 
Resources and Resolution
In addition to the appropriate tools for the item to be crafted, a character needs raw materials that carry similar properties to the Item they wish to craft and they must be of a specific potency. In Endless Aetherium we use a ranking system that organizes Reagents into the Following categories:
* Uncommon Reagents
* Rare Reagents 
* Very Rare Reagents
* Legendary Reagent
Additionally The Potency of Reagents are ranked as follows:
* Fragile 1:1/2 
* Sturdy 1:1
* Substantial 1:2
* Dynamic 1:3
In order to craft an item you need 6 Reagents of a certain Category. For Example; To Craft an Uncommon Item you need 6 uncommon reagents, 
A character can complete multiple items in a workweek if the items' combined cost is 50 gp or lower. Items that cost more than 50 gp can be completed over longer periods of time, as long as the work in progress is stored in a safe location.
Multiple characters can combine their efforts. Divide the time needed to create an item by the number of characters working on it. Use your judgment when determining how many characters can collaborate on an item. A particularly tiny item, like a ring, might allow only one or two workers, whereas a large, complex item might allow four or more workers.
== Death & You ==
Character death can often prove to become a minor inconvenience in some campaigns once the adventuring party reaches a certain level, with spells being available to return fallen comrades from the afterlife with temporary setbacks, robbing a small element of danger, and threat to future conflicts and challenges within the story. In that vein we have implemented Matt Mercer's Fading Spirit Rules
If a character is dead, and a resurrection is attempted by a spell or spell effect with longer than a 1 action casting time, a Resurrection Challenge is initiated. Up to 3 members of the adventuring party can offer to contribute to the ritual via a Contribution Skill Check. The DM asks them each to make a skill check based on their form of contribution, with the DC of the check adjusting to how helpful/impactful the DM feels the contribution would be.
For example, praying to the god of the devout, fallen character may require an Intelligence (Religion) check at an easy to medium difficulty, where loudly demanding the soul of the fallen to return from the aether may require a Charisma (Intimidation) check at a very hard or nearly impossible difficulty. Advantage and disadvantage can apply here based on how perfect, or off base, the contribution offered is.
After all contributions are completed, the DM then rolls a single, final Resurrection success check with no modifier. The base DC for the final resurrection check is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone (signifying the slow erosion of the soul’s connection to this world). For each successful contribution skill check, this DC is decreased by 3, whereas each failed contribution skill check the DC increases by 1.
Upon a successful resurrection check, the player’s soul (should it be willing) will be returned to the body, and the ritual succeeded. On a failed check, the soul does not return and the character is lost. (While tragic, in rare circumstances a quest or adventure may arise to retrieve the soul) 
Only the strongest of magical incantations can bypass this resurrection challenge, in the form of the True Resurrection or Wish spells. These spells can also restore a character to life who was lost due to a failed resurrection ritual.
=== "THE WIZARD IS DOWN! WHERE'S THE CLERIC!" ===
On the fly Revival for you Adventurous types
If a spell with a casting time of 1 action is used to attempt to restore life (via the Revivify spell or similar effects), no contribution skill checks are allowed. The character casting the spell makes a Rapid Resurrection check, rolling a d20 and adding their spellcasting ability modifier. The DC is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone. On a failure, the character’s soul is not lost, but the resurrection fails and increases any future Resurrection checks’ DC by 1. No further attempts can be made to restore this character to life until a resurrection spell with a casting time higher than 1 action is attempted.
==== Replacement Characters ====
If you die or retire, your new character’s level is half the dead or retired character. If a character has no reason to continue adventuring other than for giggles or money, maybe consider retiring them?
Perhaps characters requesting a retirement mission to retire on a high note (or bite the dust at their moment of triumph.)