House Rules
Falling
Falling damage now reflects the increased hazards of greater heights. The damage type is deliberately unspecified so as to avoid resistance complications.
When a creature size Large or smaller falls 10 feet or more, it must make a DC 20 Hard Fall saving throw. The creature chooses either a Dexterity or Constitution saving throw. On a success, the creature takes the average fall damage. On a fail, the creature takes maximum fall damage. This applies to Huge and Gargantuan creatures who fall 20 and 30 feet or more, respectively.
| Height fallen | Average Damage | Maximum Damage |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 4 (1d6) | 6 |
| 20 | 7 (2d6) | 12 |
| 30 | 14 (4d6) | 24 |
| 40 | 21 (6d6) | 36 |
| 50 | 32 (9d6) | 54 |
| 60 | 42 (12d6) | 72 |
| 70 | 56 (16d6) | 96 |
| 80 | 70 (20d6) | 120 |
| 90 | 88 (25d6) | 150 |
| 100 | 105 (30d6) | 180 |
| 110 | 126 (36d6) | 216 |
| 120 and more | 147 (42d6) | 252 |
Combat
Bloodied Status
If asked, the DM may provide a visual clue as to an enemy’s current health. This will not be a fixed science, but you can assume that if the creature looks OK, it has at least 51% of its hit points remaining.
If the creature looks bloodied, it has fewer than 50% of its hit points remaining. Occasionally, the creature may be described as badly bloodied, which suggests the creature’s current hit points are no higher than 25% of its maximum.
Recharge-timer abilities recharge quicker for a bloodied creature by 1 degree on the d6 roll. If an ability recharges on a 6, it recharges on a 5-6 once the creature is bloodied.
Flanking
- Two creatures attacking a creature they are both flanking gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls to hit that creature
- Third and successive creatures attacking a creature that at least two others are already flanking gain a +5 bonus on attack rolls to hit the flanked creature.
Maximised Crit
- When rolling a natural 20 on an attack roll, roll double the dice for damage, as usual
- You can re-roll up to half the dice once, but must use the new rolls
- Any modifiers are then applied to the sum of the above.
Pushing Past a Hostile Creature
You can attempt to push past a hostile creature as a bonus action. Make a contested Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (your choice) against the creature, which also chooses the check it makes.
On a success, you can move through the creature's space. Moving through another creature's space costs twice the normal movement.
Suffocating
Whist holding your breath, if you take damage, you must make a Constitution saving throw, as with concentrating on a spell. On a fail, you lose your breath and immediately begin suffocating.
Tactical Potions of Healing
Consuming a potion of healing as an action restores a maximised number of hit points.
Consuming a potion of healing as a bonus action restores a number of hit points equal to the sum of the dice rolled, plus any due modifier.
Whilst Unconscious
Armour Class
Ranged attacks ignore positive Dexterity modifiers to the Armour Class of an unconscious creature.
Evasion
A creature can't benefit from Evasion if unconscious.
Resistance & Vulnerability
Resistance
Our system is based on 3.5e’s system.
For damage resistances (and vulnerabilities) each resistance (and vulnerability) is suffixed with a number. For example, a creature may have fire resistance (5).
This means that the creature’s fire resistance negates the first 5 hit points of fire damage it takes, each time it takes damage. If a creature that has fire resistance (5) is caught in a fireball that deals 28 hit points of fire damage, the creature would take 23 hit points on a failed save, or 9 on a successful save.
This additional flexibility comes into play as resistance to damage types can range from 1 all the way up to 20 (although numbers this high would be extremely rare). Resistance higher than 20 is almost unheard of.
Vulnerability
Similarly, if a creature has fire vulnerability (15), it takes an extra 15 fire damage each time it takes fire damage.
Sometimes, a vulnerability may come with a percentage modifier instead, such as fire (+50%). This means the creature takes 1.5 times the amount of damage from fire.
Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing
These damage types follow the above rules, but in most cases, the resistance is limited to (5), or exceptionally (10).
Spell Resistance
As with damage type resistances, Spell Resistance has a numbered suffix, usually between 10 and 30. When a creature casts a spell or uses an item that casts a spell that doesn't involve a spell attack on a creature with Spell Resistance, the caster may choose to make a Spell Penetration check.
Spell Penetration check
If the Spell Penetration check fails, the creature automatically succeeds on the saving throw against the spell. The creature can still make the saving throw. On a success, the spell has no effect on the creature whatsoever. In this instance, if the spell ordinarily deals half damage on a successful save, the creature instead takes no damage.
Certain spells, such as assay spell resistance and the power word spells don't allow a saving throw. These spells ignore Spell Resistance.
If you make a spell attack against a creature with Spell Resistance, you have disadvantage on the attack roll in lieu of making a Spell Penetration check.
Magic Immunity
Very rarely, a creature may have lesser; limited; or greater immunity to all magic. These grant immunity to spells of up to 3rd, 6th, and 9th level respectively.
Saving Throws and Resistance
When making a saving throw against a damage type for which a creature has resistance, the calculation order is – first: saving throw; second: apply resistance damage reduction to outcome.
Dying and Death
Death Saves
Failed death saves stick until completing a long rest. For example, if you drop to 0 hit points and fail a death save before regaining 1 or more hit points, you carry over the 1 failed death save.
If you take damage while making death saves, the amount of damage proportionate to your hit point maximum you take determines the number of failed death saves that imposes. If you take damage equal to
- Less than 1/2 of your maximum hit points in one hit, you fail 1 death save
- More than 1/2 of your maximum hit points in one hit, you fail 2 death saves
- More than your maximum hit points in one hit, you fail 3 death saves
First Natural 20 Each Day
A natural 20 on the first death save each day brings the character back up on 1 hit point --- and as a bonus action, provided the character has Hit Die remaining, the character can spend a number of Hit Die equal to its proficiency bonus to recover hit points.
Death and Coming Back
Returning from death is a traumatic and risky business, even with powerful magic. There is a chance the spell fails – a soul must both be able and willing to return to life.
What Happens When a Character Dies?
Upon dying, the soul of a dead character may initially linger in the vicinity of the body. After 1 minute at most, the soul leaves whatever plane it was on and departs for the Fugue plane. At the end of the day of the character’s death, its soul arrives on the Fugue plane (the journey to the Fugue plane seemingly takes less time in the hours of nightfall).
At the end of the day of the death, and then again at the end of each subsequent week an unjudged soul that is not in Kelemvor’s service spends on the Fugue plane, the player must make a Fugue Plane check. The player rolls a d20, uninfluenced by any feat, item, or spell. Note also that time functions independently on the Fugue plane and does not match its rate anywhere else.
On a 1 result, before the soul can find sanctuary (however temporary) in the City of Judgment, while wandering the endless barren landscape of the Fugue plane, it is ensnared by fiends from the Abyss and taken there for eternal torment.
On a result of 2-10, the soul remains lost, wandering the Realm of the Dead in search for the City of Judgment.
On a result of 11-15, the soul makes its way to the Supplicants’ Gate and enters the City of Judgment. There it remains at large for an indeterminable time (time on the Fugue plane proceeds at a rate independent to everywhere else) but is not yet summoned for Kelemvor’s judgment. Now inside the city, the soul is safe from infernal abduction. The lowest result of any Fugue Plane Check from this point is 11.
A subsequent result of 11-15 means the soul has remained in the vicinity of the Supplicants’ Gate.
Whilst at this stage, the player may choose to accept an infernal deal with the occasional sorties of devils that are permitted entry to the City of Judgment. The benefits -- and costs --- of this are determined by the nature of the deal. The player can entreat with the devil to agree on the deal.
On a result of 16-19, the soul is gathered by one of Kelemvor’s doomguides, and taken to the Basilica of Lost Hope, whereupon it is presented to Kelemvor for judgment. Often, the Voice of Kelemvor will preside over judgment on behalf of Kelemvor – he alone has authority to do so.
On a 20 result, the soul makes it safely to the Basilica of Lost Hope in the City of Judgment very rapidly, thus attracting the interest of Kelemvor, usually via one of his Most Trusted, such as the Voice of Kelemvor.
This soul is immediately taken before Kelemvor and if the player wishes, the character can make a DC 25 Divinity check to convince Kelemvor to enlist the character into Kelemvor’s service, upon which the character commits to remaining in the City of Judgment forever.
Divinity check
If the character lived its life without genuinely revering at least one god, or merely paid lip service --- what Kelemvor judges as false --- the check is made with disadvantage.
If the creature lived its life without acknowledging any god at all --- what Kelemvor judges as faithless --- the check automatically fails.
Note that Kelemvor, especially within his domain, can't be successfully lied to.
Kelemvor's Judgment
At this point, restoring life is much more difficult: any DC required by a spell seeking to bring the deceased back to life increases by 10 and success likely risks Kelemvor’s ire, though he may allow the resurrection, if he deems fit.
Depending on how the character behaved and anything the character did or said in the name of (or against) its deity, Kelemvor will form and pronounce his judgment.
The soul will be judged as faithful; false; or faithless. There is no appeal and Kelemvor’s decision is final. The fate of a character’s soul following Kelemvor’s judgment is unknown to the player, unless events follow where this may be revealed.
The Afterlife
Kelemvor's judgment of a soul determines what happens to it next and forever after.
Faithful souls are granted immediate safe passage to the realm of the soul’s deity. The soul is considered to have reached the afterlife and this is the optimal outcome for every soul eventually. Petitioners of the deceased’s deity come to collect the soul.
False souls are sentenced to whatever fitting punishment Kelemvor devises. Sometimes, the souls surrender and promise to serve Kelemvor in menial servitude; others refuse to repent and so their punishment continues indefinitely. Though the Judge is even-handed, he is rarely deterred from his ruling.
Faithless souls are sentenced forever to torment in the Wall – although the Wall will utterly consume the soul long before forever happens.
Restoring Life Using Magic
The revivify, raise dead, (true) resurrection, and wish spells can bring the dead back to life.
Revivify
The caster must succeed on a Rapid Resurrection check. The DC is equal to 10 + the number of rounds the creature has been dead. For each time the creature has died previously, the DC increases by 2. On a fail, the spell is unable to replace the departing soul back into the creature's body. The components are still consumed.
Rapid Resurrection check
Raise Dead and Resurrection
For these spells to work, a soul must not be within the Wall of the Faithless, or now reside somewhere within the Nine Hells or the Abyss.
A successful Resurrection check is also required, made at the end of the casting time.
Resurrection check
Given the casting duration, this check can’t benefit from any other means (such as bless, bardic inspiration or the Lucky feat). The DC is 10. For each time the deceased subject has been brought back to life previously, the DC increases by 2. The caster has advantage on the roll if using resurrection as opposed to raise dead.
If the Resurrection check is unsuccessful, it means the spell lacked the power necessary to pluck the soul from the Fugue plane (or its journey there) and so the spell fails.
Even on a success, the journey the soul must make returning to its body represents an extraplanar ordeal and the subject often permanently loses an element of what it once was in life. Roll a d8. This roll can't be influenced by any feat, item or spell.
| d8 roll | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Character loses 2 Strength |
| 2 | Character loses 2 Dexterity |
| 3 | Character loses 2 Constitution |
| 4 | Character loses 2 Intelligence |
| 5 | Character loses 2 Wisdom |
| 6 | Character loses 2 Charisma |
| 7-8 | No lasting effect |
True Resurrection and Wish
Provided any material components of the spell are met, and provided the deceased’s soul is both able and willing to return, these spells work automatically, assuming the spells’ other criteria are met.
Fiends do not surrender their prisoners easily and a soul is not usually able to return from them.
If a soul now resides somewhere in the Nine Hells or the Abyss, the caster rolls a d20. On a 15 or higher, the soul is wrenched away from the Nine Hells or the Abyss and is transposed back into its body (if it still exists) or is instantly housed in a new body that is identical to the one it had before dying. In either instance, the body is unharmed and at full health.
Otherwise, the spell fails and the soul remains where it is. On a critical fail, the ruler of whichever of the planes the soul now resides on becomes aware of the caster’s attempt at stealing back the soul.
No spell has authority over the Wall of the Faithless, and so a soul is never able return if the soul is mortared into the Wall of the Faithless, unless Kelemvor permits it.
Similarly, a soul is almost always unwilling to return if it has made its final journey and reached the afterlife. After all, the soul has reached (its) heaven – why would it go anywhere else?
It no longer exists as a singular entity, but instead has joined with the cosmic energy that knits that deity and its domain together. Only in the event that the deity consents could the soul be separated from the cosmic energy of the deity’s realm and be restored.
Resting
Sleeping in a secure place of comfort and warmth, with prepared meals and little stress, is wholly different to camping out in the wild, subjected to the environment, climate, and possibility of ambush.
- When you complete a long rest outside of a sanctuary zone, you regain half your maximum hit points. Add these onto what your current hit points were at the time of beginning the long rest. You also regain half your maximum Hit Die. Feature uses and spells etc. refresh by half the usual amount (rounding up).
- Completing a long rest inside a sanctuary zone, you regain all hit points as usual, along with half your Hit Die, and your abilities and spells refresh as usual.
Sanctuary zones are settlements, such as cities, castles, etc. and tend to involve an inn or other comfortable place.
Hordriss's Academy of Arcana
Did you know that the power word spells can't be counterspelled? You do now!
– Hordriss the Confuser
Spells and Spellcasting
Casting Components
Provided a spellcaster has an arcane focus, it may ignore the physical material requirements to cast most spells. Exceptions are spells that require either material components whose value exceeds 10 gp, or a spell that requires a material component that is consumed in its casting (or both).
Conjuring Aid
The conjurer may choose within the conjuring parameters which creatures are summoned, but may not specify where they appear. Most conjuration spells state a range of 60 feet. For each conjured creature, roll 1d6 and multiply by 10; this is how many feet from the caster the conjured creature appears. Creatures can only appear in a space the caster can see.
If a caster attempts to summon 8 creatures and can only see a space large enough to accommodate 4 creatures, only 4 creatures are conjured; the other 4 fail.
Identifying Spells Being Cast
In combat, knowing what spell an enemy is casting can be helpful. Keeping things simple and logical, if the creature curious about the spell being cast knows how to cast that spell themselves, they automatically know what spell is being cast (no action required).
Otherwise, the curious creature may spend its reaction to attempt an Intelligence (Arcana) check.
Intelligence (Arcana) check DC
Learning New Spells
When gaining a level as a spellcaster that grants access to new spells, players are free to choose any spell from an official source (unless stated as a campaign exception).
Learning a new spell from an instructor. If a player wishes for their character to learn a homebrew spell, regardless of its class and usual spell list access, it must locate a source from which to learn the spell.
Typically, this could be an instructor. For a fee, the character will be taught the spell with no check required. A character need not level up before purchasing a new spell.
Learning a new spell from a spell scroll. First, an Intelligence (Arcana) check is required to decipher the spell scroll. The DC can vary but is usually 10 + the spell level.
On a success, the character, if it is able to cast spells of that spell class, learns the name and level of the spell. If the player wishes, the character may attempt to learn the spell (see Learning a New Spell --- Spellcraft check.)
If the scroll contains a spell of a class different to the character (for example, a wizard succeeds on the Intelligence (Arcana) check and the scroll contains a cleric spell), the character just learns the spell type (cleric) and spell level.
Learning a new spell from a spellbook. Each spellbook is unique and whilst spells are not, the way a spell is presented and formatted in a spellbook typically varies from one spellbook to the next.
Upon discovering a spellbook, an Intelligence (Arcana) check is required to decipher the contents. Only one check is made to see the maximum spell level the character can understand from the spellbook.
| Intelligence (Arcana) check | Maximum spell level discerned |
|---|---|
| 11 | 1st |
| 12 | 2nd |
| 13 | 3rd |
| 14 | 4th |
| 15 | 5th |
| 16 | 6th |
| Intelligence (Arcana) check | Maximum spell level discerned |
|---|---|
| 17 | 7th |
| 18 | 8th |
| 19 | 9th |
| 20 | Epic |
| 22 | Legendary |
| 25 | Mythic |
Depending on the Intelligence (Arcana) check, the character may decipher (identify) none, some or all of the spells contained. This character can't repeat this check with this particular spellbook. For example, the wizard’s Intelligence (Arcana) check is 18. This means he identifies all the spells contained in the spell book up to and including 8th level. Any spells of higher levels are incomprehensible to the character.
Studying a spellbook takes time. This is represented by one hour per spell level (cumulative). So a wizard in the above example would need to spend 6 hours to discern all the spells of first to 3rd level (1 + 2 + 3 hours). The player can then decide which, if any, the character wishes to learn.
Learning a new spell --- Spellcraft check. A character must be able to cast spells of that particular level and class in order to learn a new spell. Regardless of whether the source is a scroll, spellbook, or something else, the player makes a Spellcraft check to try and learn the spell.
The success rates are on the table, right. Locate your spellcasting ability modifier and check against the spell's level.
Only one attempt is permitted to learn the spell from a particular source, per character. On a success, the character learns that spell. If the source is a scroll, it becomes blank (useless) whether or not the Spellcraft check succeeds.
Bards, clerics, druids, paladins, rangers and warlocks know all the official spells from their respective spell lists. They must still find a way to learn a homebrew spell, using the above rules.
| Spellcasting Ability Modifier | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | Epic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -5 to -1 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | ─ | ─ | ─ | ─ | ─ |
| 0 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 30 | 25 |
| +1 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 30 |
| +2 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 |
| +3 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 |
| +4 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 |
| +5 | 95 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 |
| +6 | 100 | 95 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 |
| +7 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 |
| +8 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 |
Coming Back from the Dead Chart
Kelemvor Waits For You
Look busy.
Spell Piercings and Protections
Spell Matrix
| Protection Spell | Dispel Magic | Assay Spell Resistance | Spell Strike | Mordenkainen's Disjunction | Purge Magic | Single Target Spell | Area of Effect Spell |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globe of Invulnerability | Cancels* | Protects | Dispels | Dispels | Dispels | Protects* | Protects* |
| Shield of the Archons | Dispels* | Ignores | Dispels | Dispels | Dispels | Ignores/Protects | Protects |
| Spell Mantle | Cancels* | Protects | Dispels | Dispels | Dispels | Protects | Ignores |
| Spell Resistance | Dispels* | Reduces | Reduces | Dispels | Dispels | Protects** | Protects** |
| Spell Shield | Cancels | Cancels | Cancels^ | Dispels | Dispels | Protects^ | Ignores |
| Spell Trap | Protects | Protects | Protects | Ignores | Dispels | Protects | Ignores |
| Spell Turning | Ignores | Protects | Dispels | Dispels | Dispels | Protects* | Ignores |
*Incoming spell needs to be of a certain level, use a certain level slot, or succeed on a Spell check, to cancel or dispel, or ignore the protection spell.
**Spell Penetration check from the caster of the incoming spell settles the outcome.
^Protection spell may require a successful Spell check to cancel or protect.
Definitions
Cancels
The protection spell and incoming spell are both cancelled. This means the incoming spell removes the spell protection, but can't further affect the protected creature.
Dispels
The protection spell is dispelled by incoming spell. If applicable, the incoming spell may further affect the protected creature.
Ignores
The protection spell and incoming spell do not affect each
Lyndala, of the Triad
Prior to Avernum, Lyndala was once an adventurer, who fought the lich Sammaster, First Speaker of the Cult of the Dragon.
other in any way. The protection spell remains, and the incoming spell takes ordinary effect.
Protects
The protection spell absorbs the incoming spell and the protection spell isn't removed, unless its protection expires as per the protection spell's description. Depending on the protection spell, the incoming spell may reduce the protection spell's effectiveness or duration.
Reduces
The incoming spell reduces the effectiveness or duration of the protection spell, but doesn't remove the protection spell. The incoming spell has no other effect on the protected creature and isn't in itself harmful. The protection spell is vulnerable to the incoming spell in a way it isn't vulnerable to other spells.
Higher Magic
None of the protection spells cancel or protect from incoming epic, legendary or mythic spells.
