What kind of rule changes have you folks tried at your tables, and how have they worked out for your games? Good? Bad?
Two of the houserules I implement for every campaign I run:
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No multiclassing until after 5th level, and no further multiclassing unless you have at least 5 levels in all your existing classes. I do this for two reasons, the first being to ensure that every character has access to extra attack/third level spells and slots/some other equivalent before they start dipping elsewhere, and to keep the munchkins at my table from taking multiple 1-3 level dips into classes just to set up a niche wombo combo. Even then, I’m pretty stringent on what I’ll allow from a storytelling perspective - I want to know what motivates your Paladin to dip into Warlock besides getting to use CHA for attack and damage modifiers.
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Instead of an ASI or a Feat, every ASI level gives a +1 and a feat. My players and I like this rule because it allows them to pick something fun at those levels instead of feeling obligated to dump straight into the primary stat, and encourages grabbing those fun half-feats like Actor or Linguist that would otherwise go by the wayside.
I am currently trying the xp to level 3 unconscious rules and its going decently. I had to change it a bit, but it allows players to do actions even at 0 hp for a price. Hard to test since they are over level 12 and they are hard to hurt.
If you drink a healing potion outside of combat its full effect.
Bottled inspirations. They get one in their inventory if they still have one.
Present players play abseetees and get xp as a reward, so I dont redo encounters 10 minutes before the start.
@sammytheman666 @LoamImprovement one I’ve considered is just not resetting the failed death save count until a short/long rest. Wanna wait until save 3 to heal? Sure hope they don’t have to roll again any time soon…
But I just want less tubthumping, and rebalancing everything healing related seems too hard.
(Alternately, a level of exhaustion from every time you go unconscious?)
Here is my complete set of rules, but it’s in french sorry. Feel free to translate it using Google The key is that it HAS to be tempting to use. Or the players will just ignore it entirely. Like the Deck of Many Things.
Condition Dying
Pas pour les NPCs, le but est de garder les joueurs en vie.
Quand les points de vie atteignent 0, le personnage tombe Prone et devient Dying
Au début du tour, on commence par les Death saving throws.
Ensuite, le personnage peut soit :
Bouger (prone = moitié de mouvement). Coût : gratuit
Parler en mourrant. Coût = gratuit
Action. Coût = 3 niveaux d’Exhaustion
Bonus Action. Coût = 1 niveau d’Exhaustion
Réaction. Coût = 1 niveau d’Exhaustion
Il n’est pas possible de se relever.
Exhaustion :
Sur les d20
1 = -1
2 = -2
… …
9 = -9
10 = mort
Récupération
Premier short rest = - 1 Exhaustion
Long rest = - 2 Exhaustion
One rule I’ve considered using is, if you fall to 0 HP, you can forgo making death saves and immediately take a full turn, but you die at the end of that turn, no save or healing allowed. It would also allow PCs to get last words where they otherwise wouldn’t be able to speak.
Oh yeah, Last Words are a fucking must. It’s the last chapter of your character. It’s the last bit of action they might ever take. What curle DM would say : no you are dead now shut up.
Well, I used to read a lot of stories on rpghorrorstories, so yeah it’s entirely possible.