House Rules

This page contains a list of all house rules utilized in the Cintias campaigns, which differ from the original 5e rules. The house rules are meant to either improve gameplay and balancing, as well as provide flavor or make the game feel more realistic.

## Combat

### Critical Hit

When dealing a critical hit, do the following:

* The normal damage roll is maxed out.
* Add damage bonus as usual.
* Roll the same amount of dice you would on a normal damage roll and add it to the total damage.

Example:

* Player damage is 1d8 + 4 damage. The max damage is 12. Roll 1d8 and add the roll to the 12.

Reason for rule: Sometimes, critical strikes can be underwhelming if players roll low damage values. This will ensure that a critical hit will always be more powerful than a regular hit.

### Five foot step attack of opportunity

A combatant may take a five foot step without triggering an Opportunity Attack whilst within an opponents reach. If the combatant moves more than 5 feet and is within reach of an opponent, the opponent may react with an opportunity attack.

Reason for rule: Flanking and surrounding opponents is too easy with the basic 5e rules. This house rule will make flanking harder and allow players and opponents to utilize reach in a more tactical manner.

### Melee fumble triggers reactions

If a combatant fumbles by rolling a 1, opposing melee characters may react by using a reaction against the fumbling character, such as an Opportunity Attack.

Reason for rule: Melee fumbles have no inherent penalty. This allows combatants to exploit the fumbles of another melee combatant.

### Ranged fumble hits another character

If a ranged combatant fumbles by rolling a 1 and another character was standing in the line of sight, the ranged combatant roles another attack against the other character instead, potentially hitting them.

Reason for rule: Ranged fumbles will make a player think twice before shooting at an enemy where an ally is in the line of attack.

### Flanking

When players flank an opponent, the opponent will be engaged with one of the flanking attackers. Only the player who is not engaged gets attack of opportunity.

Reason for rule: Flanking is easy to exploit and can be activated by characters who are within an opponents reach but not actively fighting them.

## Inspiration

The following rules adds more features to the Inspiration mechanic, allowing for more utility outside of getting an advantage.

### Inspiration Reroll

Normally, players may declare that they want to use inspiration to gain advantage on roll. The inspiration reroll will allow the player to reroll if their roll is low.

### "I have a thing for that"

If a player is faced with an issue that requires a mundane item that the party does not have, the player may use an inspiration to suddenly recall that they had actually bought such an item and are carrying it with them. The item is added to the inventory and the cost of the item is subtracted from the players gold.

Example: Players have to descend into a hole. No one has rope. Player uses their inspiration to recall that they had bought rope before the adventure started and add the item to their inventory.

### "I know someone for that"

If the players face a situation which requires someone's expertise or knowledge, the inspiration may be used to generate an NPC whom the player knows that they could seek out. This can only be utilized if it is realistic that the player character would know someone in the area who could help them.

Example: The party is confused about the sudden appearance of owlbears that attack local farmers and are tasked with stopping the attacks. A player uses inspiration to recall their acquaintance with a local ranger who knows a lot about owlbear behavior.

### "Eureka!"

The player may spend their inspiration to gain a hint from the DM. The hint could be in relation to a problem, a puzzle etc.

## Language

### Regional Language

Aside from the standard languages available in D&D, another subset of languages exist called "Regional Languages". A Regional Language reflects a specific region in which a language is spoken.

Reason for rule: The D&D rules for languages does not properly reflect language diversity on a broader geographic scale. It does not make sense that a human from the arctic north can speak with and understand the language of a human living in a desert on the other side of the world. The Regional Language mechanic will make languages function in a more realistic fashion.

#### Number of learned Regional Languages

A player character will have a mother tongue Regional Language and knows a second regional language besides their mother tongue. More Regional Languages may be learned in the same manner that one learns the standard D&D languages.

#### Function of Regional Languages

If a player speaks a certain language, he or she may speak it in a specific regional tongue. For example, if speaking elvish and the mother tongue of the player character is Midrealmic, an NPC character that speaks elvish but only understands the Aeborian Regional Language wont understand the player even though he speaks elvish.

#### Regional Language List

* Midrealmic
* Eolainnian
* Aeborian
* Mankheggian
* Kesrican
* Sernerian

#### D&D languages exempt from Regional Languages rule

The Regional Language rule does not apply to exotic languages in D&D, as these languages are less bound by geography and culture and tend to be attributed to celestial, magical or demonic planes. Exempt languages include:

* Abyssal
* Celestial
* Draconic
* Deep Speech
* Infernal
* Primordial
* Sylvan
* Undercommon