Custom Rules D&D 5e

*Click here for the page on D&D Homebrew*

Custom Rules are modified or new rules added to the game which are not part of the core D&D 5e ruleset. Below you can find all the custom rules Owen uses in his D&D games, both on and off stream in the Lost Archives.

**If you could please give the Lost Archives and Owen a shoutout when you use this content in public spaces (such as livestreams, videos and podcasts, etc.) that would be greatly appreciated!**

## Session 0 - Reworked

The aim of this style of Session 0 is to maintain an element of roleplay during the character creation and story setup. It also gives players a chance to build their characters and backstory together in an organic way while still allowing for character optimisation as part of a party.

This is conducted in the style of a job interview, with an NPC recruiting the characters to a guild, faction or company based on their skillsets and proficiencies. The below sections can be completed in any order however it is recommended to stick to the rough outline below. It is important to allow for players to go back and change their minds about some of the answers as well based on the responses of the other players.

### **Character Names and Identity**

The characters are all welcomed into the interview room by the interviewer who starts by explaining the interview style and process (in this case the order you intend to ask questions). The interviewer NPC also uses this chance to introduce the guild/group the player characters are joining and provide some background to the adventure. This is also a good place to discuss homebrew rules and table expectations. Once the introduction is complete it is time for each of the players to introduce their character by name and provide a brief description of their appearance, race, age, preferred pronouns, etc. It is also a good opportunity for players to briefly share their racial traits and abilities.

### Character Class and Stats

The interviewer now questions each of the characters about their chosen class; in character this can be through questions regarding past training, work or natural abilities. Once the characters have all shared their chosen class as a group they can now assign stats, using the preferred method (ie point buy/roll/standard array).

### Character Backgrounds

The interviewer now asks the characters about any specific skillsets they are proficient in (ie. stealth, deception, etc.) as a way of helping to prompt a specific background. Each member of the group can openly discuss their proficiencies and also elaborate a little on how they might have gained such skills. This can help to build some backstory elements which the DM can now start to tie together with the other characters (if a shared backstory or elements of shared backstory is desired).

### Character Backstory

This is where all the above sections can now come together - the interviewer can start to ask follow-up questions based on the answers characters have given above and weave together the information to help the players build backstories for their characters. How detailed this goes is up to the DM and the players!

## Improved Critical Hits

This homebrew rule is inspired by Chris Perkin's modified version of critical hits. When a critical hit is made you calculate the damage as follows: roll all damage die as if a normal attack has occurred then add the total rolled damage to the maximum damage the dice could have rolled. This is done before bonuses, proficiencies and other modifiers are added to the damage. The reason we use this rule is to ensure critical hits always feel spectacular and hit hard - but this rule applies to all creatures/monsters/NPC's as well!

*For example; Mira scores a critical hit with firebolt, she rolls 1d10 and gets a 4. This is then added to the maximum she could have rolled which on a d10 is 10, taking her critical hit damage with dice to 14 (4+10=14). Now she adds her spellcasting modifier of +5 to get the total critical damage of 19 (14+5=19).*

## Ability Based Tool Checks

This homebrew rule allows the players to choose which ability they wish to use when rolling tool checks; either with or without proficiency. When a player wants to use a tool they describe how they use it to the DM, stating which ability they are aiming to use and justifying how that ability helps with the use of the tool. The DM then decides if this justification makes sense and if so the player then rolls a skill check for the tool based on the ability they wish to use. If the justification doesn't make sense the DM can make suggestions on which ability would make the most sense given the player description.

*For example; Lockie encounters a locked door and pulls out his lockpicking set to pick the lock and open the door. Lockie then states he wants to use his Intelligence for this roll and describes how he will be focusing on analysing the lock structure, comparing it to his notes on lock designs and forms, to be able to unlock the door. DM Owen agrees that this justification for using Intelligence as the ability roll makes sense and so Lockie makes a d20 roll and adds his Intelligence modifier to the roll.*

## Sanity and Madness

The homebrew rules below outline a way to introduce the concepts of fear, sanity and madness into a game. To be compatible with D&D Beyond this score is actually utilised as a custom skill and is calculated using the following;

* max Sanity skill score = 10 + [Wisdom/Intelligence Modifier]\* + [Constitution Modifier]
	+ The player must choose which modifier they would like to use here

When a character has their Constitution and Intelligence/Wisdom modifier increased this also increases their Sanity score. Over the course of a campaign a characters Sanity will fluctuate wildly, decreased by exposure to horror and restored by resting and relaxing. A characters Sanity however can never be raised above their Max Sanity score as calculated above, and if the Sanity score drops to 0 the character is lost to insanity and becomes a creature controlled by the DM, at least until their Sanity is restored.

A character with a high Sanity is level-headed even in the face of insane circumstances, while a character with low Sanity is unsteady, breaking easily when confronted by eldritch horrors that are beyond normal reason.

### Sanity Check

You might call for a Sanity check when a character faces something horrific, eldritch or particularly confronting, such as:

* Coming face to face with a deep fear or phobia
* Taking half their max health in a single attack
* Committing an act or action that goes against their morality or alignment
* Seeing a creature from the Far Realm or other alien realms for the first time
* Making direct contact with the mind of an alien creature
* Being subjected to spells that affect mental stability, such as the insanity option of the symbol spell
* Passing through a demiplane built on alien physics
* Resisting an effect conferred by an attack or spell that deals psychic damage

When a player is called to make a sanity check the results are determined as follows;

* Roll is equal to or higher than the DC: the creature is able to resist the effect
* Roll is under the DC by >5: the creature reduces their sanity score by 1
* Roll is under the DC by >10: the creature reduces their sanity score by 2

### Madness

Losing too much Sanity can result in serious adverse effects on a creatures mind. When the Sanity score first drops to 10, 9 and 8 the creature begins to feel the effects of madness; roll on the short term madness table, this effect can be ended early with *calm emotions*. When the Sanity score first drops to 7, 6 and 5 the creature feels the madness deepening; roll on the long term madness table, this effect can be ended early with *lesser restoration*. Every time the Sanity score drops to 4 or lower the creature suffers a complete mental break; roll on the indefinite madness table, this effect can only be ended with *greater restoration*. When the madness is ended, either using spells or by the duration completing, the Sanity score is not increased or changed as well.

### Recovering Sanity

A creature can restore their lost Sanity through a number of methods, however as mentioned above their Sanity score can never be raised above their Max Sanity Score. Taking a short rest in a place of safety and comfort can restore 1 point of Sanity, while taking a long rest in such an environment can restore 3 points. There are other times a character might restore some of their lost Sanity, such as;

* Saving an NPC or player character from a perilous situation
* Overcoming a source of fear
* Learning some lore which sheds light on a scary or dangerous foe
* Receiving some encouragement or guidance from an NPC or player character

### Sanity and Alignment

An optional part of this variant ruleset actually replaces traditional alignment and instead uses the Sanity score to help guide character actions and decisions. A lower sanity score will be tied to making more chaotic and thoughtless choices whereas a higher sanity score will help guide more thoughtful and considered decisions.

As a rough guide the following outline can be used;

* Sanity Score >10 will result in increasingly more considered and thoughtful actions being taken
* Sanity Score <10 will result in increasingly more chaotic and thoughtless actions being taken

This is just a guide and it's going to be up to the players to also choose what baseline behaviour their character will take when balanced (ie. Sanity score is equal to 10).

## Damage Based Lasting Injuries

This rule and the table below are modified and expanded versions of an amazing resource created by Farland World. This homebrew rule makes combat more tense and the consequences of being knocked down more severe - without making the game unplayable/frustrating for those who have sustained injuries. The changes Owen made to this are aimed to balance the injuries to ensure player fun remains at it's core and also increase the opportunities for roleplay and engagement with the world and the game.

Upon falling to 0 hit points a creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw where the DC is equal to the total damage received on the single blow which reduced the hit points to 0. If this roll is based proceed with death saving throws as normal; the creature sustains no lasting injury. If this roll is failed the creature must roll a d20 to determine the lasting injury received based on the type of damage sustained by the final blow.

*For example; Jinn is reduced to 0 hit points by a melee attack which dealt 16 bludgeoning damage; Jinn must now roll a Constitution saving throw of 16 or greater to avoid taking an injury. In this example Jinn only rolls a 12 and now must roll a d20 to determine the type of injury he takes. Jinn roll a 15 so the DM goes to the bludgeoning damage table and informs Jinn he has sustained the Major Bruising injury.*

### Acid

 **17-20** | Shallow Acid Burns. The acid has damaged nerve endings across your skin resulting in minor and manageable temporary pain. This results in no significant impairment but looks painful.

### Bludgeoning or Force

 **17-20** | Minor Bruising. The blunt force trauma to your body has resulted in minor bruising on a section of your body. This results in no significant impairment but looks painful.

### Cold

 **17-20** | Chills. Exposure to cold has dropped your body temperature rapidly causing uncontrollable shivers. This injury has no further effects and self-resolves after a few hours

### Fire

 **3** | Fourth Degree Burns. The exposure to fire has caused significant damage to your skin across a large area of your body.
 **17-20** | Heat Exposure. The fire has burned away hair resulting in loss of sections of hair on your head, face and body. This results in no significant impairment but does make you look ridiculous.

### Lightning

 **17-20** | Minor Burns. The lightning damage has burned a line across your body or face, creating an intense looking scar. This results in now significant impairment.

### Necrotic

 **17-20** | Skin Discoloration. Patches of grey skin resembling that of a corpse appear on your body. This results in no significant impairment but appears unsightly.

### Piercing

 **17-20** | Scar. A small puncture mark scarred on your skin is the only remaining sign of this injury. This results in no significant impairment.

### Poison

 **17-20** | Topical Rash. Contact with a poisonous substance has triggered a mild skin reaction. This results in no significant impairment but looks unsightly.

### Psychic

 **17-20** | Minor Headache. A pounding pain in the back of your skull is a reminder of the psychic damage received. This results in no significant impairment but looks painful.

### Radiant

 **17-20** | Radiant Exposure. The radiant energy has burned away hair resulting in loss of sections of hair on your head, face and body. This results in no significant impairment but does make you look ridiculous.

### Slashing

 **17-20** | Scar. A small silvery scar across your skin is the only remaining sign of this injury. This results in no significant impairment.

### Thunder

 **17-20** | Minor Bruising. The blunt force trauma to your body has resulted in minor bruising on a section of your body. This results in no significant impairment but looks painful.