5e House Rules

Home brew or house rules for my 5e games

View the Project on GitHub danlangford/5e

Explorer's Pack

A Player Character (PC), or adventurer, has six main abilities

  • STRength - Athletics
  • DEXterity - Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
  • CONstitution - Endurance
  • INTelligence - History, Investigation
  • WISdom - Perception, Insight
  • CHArisma - Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion

Each has an ability modifier (MOD) to alter dice rolls

When you attempt something risky, roll a d20⬡ and add an ability modifier trying to meet or exceed a target d20⬡+MOD≥TARGET where MOD is STR, DEX, etc

Attack Rolls: Rolls to cause harm, target an Armor Class (AC)
Saving Throws: Rolls to resist, target a Difficulty Class (DC)
Ability Checks: Other tasks, target a DC or a contested roll
Commons DCs: 10=Easy, 15=Medium, 20=Hard, 25=Very Hard

When a PC is proficient at a task add a proficiency bonus to rolls. It may be a static bonus (d20⬡ +2 +MOD) or a die roll (d20⬡ +d4△ +MOD)

Some situations help or hurt your chances.
ADVantage: use the best of 2 d20⬡ rolls.
DISadvantage: use the worst of 2 d20⬡ rolls.
ADV and DIS do not stack and cancel each other out.

Create a PC by assigning the following modifiers to the abilities of your choice: +3, +2, +2, +1, 0, -1

Choose 1 ability the PC will usually be proficient in

Fighter

Hit Points: 10+CON
Armor Class: 16 (Chain mail) DIS on stealth

Attack Range to Hit Damage
Greataxe 5’ d20⬡+d4△+STR d12+STR*
Handaxe 5-20’ d20⬡+d4△+STR d6+STR

* Reroll damage dice showing 1, 2
Resting: 1hr heal d10+CON, 8hr heal 100%

Cleric

Hit Points: 8+CON
Armor Class: 18 (Chain mail, Shield) DIS on stealth

Attack Range to Hit Damage
Mace 5’ d20⬡+d4△+STR d6+DEX
Sacred Flame 10-120’ d20⬡+d4△+WIS d8

At will magic: move light objects, create light/sensory effects
Spells (2/day): touch a creature and choose:

  • Cure Wounds: heal d8+3 hit points
  • Inflict Wounds: deal 3d10 damage

Resting: 1hr heal d8+CON, 8hr heal 100%

Rogue

Hit Points: 8+CON
Armor Class: 11+DEX (Leather armor)

Attack Range to Hit Damage
Shortsword 5’ d20⬡+d4△+DEX d6+DEX*
Shortbow 10-80’ d20⬡+d4△+DEX d6+DEX*

* If sneaky or flanking your damage becomes 2d6+DEX
Expertise: Double proficiency when dealing with locks, traps Resting: 1hr heal d8+CON, 8hr heal 100%

Wizard

Hit Points: 6+CON
Armor Class: 10+DEX (no armor)

Attack Range to Hit Damage
Dagger 5-20’ d20⬡+d4△+DEX d4+DEX
Fire Bolt 10-120’ d20⬡+d4△+INT d10

At will magic: move light objects, create light/sensory effects
Spells (2/day): force sm group to resist spell (Save DC=10+INT) choose

  • Burning DEX save vs 3d6
  • Thunderwave STR save vs 2d8 push back

Resting: 1hr heal d8+CON, 8hr heal 100%