DND House Rules


House Rules for Dungeons and Dragons

There are a lot of source books and optional rules for Fifth Edition Dungeon and Dragons.  This is how I plan to run the game.  References are from the 2024 Players Handbook (PHB) or 2014 Dungeon Masters Guide (DMG).

DND House Rules

Most of these are based on the Optional Rules from Chapter Nine of the 2014 DMG.
  1. Rest Variants (DMG p267): A Short Rest is 8 hours and only once per day. A Long Rest is 3 days camping in the wilderness or 1 day in a safe haven.  If a Long Rest is interrupted you need to have rested for 8 hours to get the benefits of a Short Rest.  As per the Rules Glossary PHB p372 any "per day" abilities require you to complete a Long Rest to refresh including spell slots.
  2. Initiative Score (DMG p270): With this optional rule, creatures do not roll initiative at the start of combat. Instead, each creature has an initiative score. 10 + Dexterity modifier. Alert Feat still adds Proficiency Bonus also add +4 for Advantage (such as Champions or Surprise).
  3. Injuries (DMG  p272) - Falling Unconscious: Each time a character is reduced to zero HP they gain 1 level of exhaustion.  Remember the penalty to D20 Tests applies to your Death Saving Throw.
  4. Injuries (DMG  p272) - Permanent Injury: When a Player Character would otherwise be killed instead they gain a permanent injuries.  Either roll 1d10 or pick an appropriate injury from the table below.  Re-roll duplicate results.
  5. Hero Points (DMG p 264): Character starts with 5 hero point. Each time the character gains a level Hero Points reset to 5.  A player can spend a hero point whenever he or she makes a D20 Test after the roll is made but before any of its results are applied. Spending the hero point add 1d6 to the d20 possibly turning a failure into a success. A player can spend only 1 hero point per roll.
  6. Weapon Mastery Properties (PHB p214): Slow and Topple gain the same restriction as Push and only work "if the target is Large or smaller".  It might be a Fantasy game but knocking a Dragon over with a Quarterstaff seems a step too far.

Permanent Injury Table

  1. Bad Shoulder: Your shoulder hinders quick movement. You have Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
  2. Cracked Ribs: Your ribs hurt when you run. When you take the Dash action, you take 2d6 damage.
  3. Fractured Skull: Your mind fails you at the worst of times. You have Disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws.
  4. Internal Injury: Your wounds weaken you. Reduce your Maximum HP by 2d6 after each Long Rest. 
  5. Irregular Heart: Your heart can skip a beat. You have Disadvantage on Constitution saving throws.
  6. Limping: Your leg is not what it used to be. Your speed is reduced by 5 feet and you cannot take the Dash action.
  7. One-Eyed: You are missing an eye. You have Disadvantage on Ranged Attacks and Perception checks that rely on sight.
  8. Phantom Pain: Your wound keeps acting up. When you take physical damage (B/P/S) you take an additional +3 damage.
  9. Trauma: You startle easy. You have -5 on Initiative and cannot use Reactions.
  10. Tremors: Your hands shake. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks that use Dexterity.

Character Creation and Progression

Given everyone is using pre-generated characters for the current campaign I have not added anything for character creation.  
  • Progression will be Milestone.  
  • Single Class Characters only for Dragonlance.
  • Restricted Spell Lists: Depending on the Campaign some spells may not be available or may be restricted to only certain classes.


Image Credits
Playing D&D I found on Reddit by: chanley012

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