Homebrew Rules for D&D

A few folks have asked whether I have any table rules for my homebrew Skyfell campaign. The topic of table rules comes up periodically on social media as well. So, I figured I would write up a quick post not only to address these questions but also as a source for my own players. So, here we go!

As a side note, I always get buy-in from my players regarding all table rules. If a table rule can be improved, I am willing to change it. If a table rule isn’t working at all, I am always willing to drop it. The goal of the table rules should be about making the game more fun. They should not be a means to create “legal cheats” for the DM to hold over their players. Moreover, where applicable, the rules apply to PCs, NPCs, and creatures alike. 

Initiative

I have special rules for natural 1s and natural 20s on initiative rolls that apply to OCs, NPCs, and creatures. I’ve talked about both in past posts (Nat 1s and Nat 20s), so I won’t go into much detail here. In general, the rules are:

• A natural 20 grants the character a turn before the regular initiative begins. This basically gives the character a surprise round. 
• A natural 1 causes the character to be unable to act for the first round. This basically causes the character to be surprised.

Skill Checks

I have a couple basic rules for skill checks as well. These rules do not apply to attacks.

• All skills have a passive rating calculated in the same way as Passive Perception. If the rating equals or beats the DC for a check, the character automatically succeeds. No roll is required. The results are equivalent to meeting the DC. This is only important if the results are scaled. For example, on a DC 12 Acrobatics check for a character with a passive 18 Acrobatics, the success acts as though the player had rolled a 12. 
• Even when the passive rating automatically succeeds, players can opt to roll in an effort to improve their success. This is only important either if success is scaled or if a natural 20 bestows any additional benefits that the player wants to shoot for. A failed roll simply falls back to the passive rating with no adverse effects. A natural 1 is treated as such, with all the negative consequences that usually come with such a hideous score.
• Even when the passive rating would normally succeed, the DM can still call for a roll under certain circumstances. This includes when the roll is at disadvantage. This also includes situations where conditions are sufficiently adverse as to override the passive rating, such as a Perception check to hear a specific noise during an orchestral concert. If the roll fails, the passive rating also fails.A natural 1 is still a natural 1.
• Every time a player rolls a natural 20 on a non-proficiency skill check, that success goes toward gaining proficiency in that skill. Once the player scores 5 natural 20s in this way, the character gains proficiency. I’ve also discussed this in an earlier blog post. Characters cannot gain expertise in this way.
  (Aug 20, 2022 edit: I've been toying with the idea of extending this to natural 1s. I feel that failures are just as important--if not more important--than successes when it comes to learning. If I were to extend this, I'd also want to increase the number of 20s and 1s needed to earn the proficiency. Anyway, it's something on my mind.)

Chip Rewards

In an effort to reward players for participation, successes, and roleplaying, I’ve implanted a reward system using poker chips. These rewards are only meant as small boons to add a little variation in the experience levels. They aren’t meant to catapult any one particular character ahead of the others in the party. All chips are cashed in at the end of the session.

• Red Chip - (revised Oct 31, 2020) When a character destroys an enemy all by themselves, the player gets a red chip. Each red chip gives an experience point bonus equal to the creature's hit points.
  When a character delivers the killing blow to an enemy, the player gets a red chip. Each red chip gives an experience point bonus equal to 2 times the character’s current level.
  
  
• White Chip - When a player scores a natural 20 on any roll for which they have proficiency, they get a white chip.
  (Revised: January 28, 2024) Each white chip gives an experience bonus equal to the character’s current level. (Reducing this to account for the change in session award.)
  Each white chip gives an experience bonus equal to 3 times the character’s current level.
  
  
• Blue Chip - When a player engages in good roleplaying, comes up with creative solutions, contributes meaningfully to the setting’s canon, or does something that makes the game more entertaining (including bad dad jokes), they get a blue chip. During the session, players can use blue chips as inspiration. At the end of the session, players can bank one chip for inspiration to carry over into the next session.
  (Revised: December 27, 2021) They can also cash in blue chips for an experience bonus equal to 10 times the character's current level. So a level 5 character can cash in the blue chip for an extra 50 experience.
  They can also cash in blue chips for an experience bonus equal to 1% of their character’s next experience level threshold. For example, a level 2 character gets a 9XP bonus (because the level 3 threshold is 900.)

Session Experience

(Revised January 28, 2024): Base session rewards are 35 times the average party level
I keep adjusting this because I want the party to linger for a while at their current level. They are all level 10, and I feel like advancement should slow considerably from here on out. This aligns with my original goal of getting the characters up to a specific point in their careers rapidly, and then slowing down after that. 

(Revised December 27, 2021): Base session rewards are 75 times the average party level.

At the end of each session I award a base set of experience equal to 10% of the difference between the next-level threshold and the current level threshold. So, if the average level of the group is level 2, then I award 90 experience (because the level 3 threshold is 900). This is in addition to XP for creatures. 

I might also award additional experience to the group for any number of reasons. I have no hard rule for this. It’s mostly a judgement call for whether the experience the party receives feels right for what they did. 

Conclusion

That’s basically it as far as homebrew rules go. None of these are meant to complicate game play. I really like to keep the game flowing so stopping for complex rules isn’t really my cup of tea. Feel free to borrow any of these for your game. Cheers! 

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