All Things Under Heaven House Rules: Character Creation

So, my Twitch campaign has finally launched! The first session and first GM Prep session are up, and I'm feeling pretty good about it. The players are keen, the characters are really cool, and I feel like we're set to dive into some cool content and world-exploration. 

Ironically, it's at this time that it's looking like the home game is going to take a step back for the next month or so, but I guess that's the way of things. 

Things diminish, things increase: such is the will of Heaven.

Today's post is the first of a number in which I am going to share homebrew content I've created for All Things Under Heaven.

That will eventually include the races, the journeying mechanics, the fortunelling mechanic, the revised death and dying rules the campaign uses, the town development rules, etc - everything that may help people to follow along with the campaign or to run their own All Things Under Heaven game. 

For today, like the campaign itself, I think I'm going to start at the very beginning.

Character Creation:

(I'd like to acknowledge Steven Lumpkin and the phenomenal West Marches campaign he ran for Rollplay some years back. It represents a major inspiration for this game, and the mechanics presented here owe a great debt to him for inspiration and occasional wholesale borrowing).

Rule Zero

You are an adventurer because you feel a strong call in your bones to action. The boredom of a calm life doesn't appeal to you – you are driven to leave behind the safety of civilization and explore the wilds: to make your name, to make your fortune, to accomplish some passion or goal. Regardless of what drives you, you are driven. You choose where to go and what to do. There will be a handful of obvious choices, but you don't by any means need to take them. The adventure is in your hands.

Adventuring Motivation (replaces Alignment, )

Why are you adventuring? Choose a motivation, or tell the GM your own. At the end of each session, if you did something clearly in support of your motivation, tell the group. If everyone agrees, you gain XP equivalent to your share from a Moderate encounter of the group's CR.

• Personal glory
• Protect the weak
• Seek the truth
• Challenge the strong
• Study the arcane
• Tame the Wastes
• Increase your wealth/fame

Skills

In place of the Arcana and Religion skills presented in the Players Handbook, All Things Under Heaven uses the following Skills:

• Cosmology measures your ability to recall lore about the workings of Chi, the cycle of the elements, the arrangement and nature of the universe, the categories into which magical and unusual things fall, and the details of magical practice.
• Folklore measures your ability to recall lore about superstition, beliefs and ritual practices among the common folk, legends from the local oral history, and your capacity to recall information about similar entities or situations when encountering the strange and unusual.
• Theology measures your ability to recall lore about the gods of your people, the gods of others, Celestial beings, religious history and the history of the gods, and your ability to participate in and perform religious ceremonies.

Additionally, it adds the following Skills:

• Etiquette determines how well you remember the manners, customs, and values of different peoples, and how well-versed you are in important cultural practices like poetry, calligraphy, tea-ceremony, etc.
• Geography measures your ability to recall lore about the geopolitical borders of kingdoms past and present, various routes for trade and travel around the world, and the processes by which local weather and geology give rise to regional biomes.

History (replaces Backgrounds)

Each one of us comes from somewhere. We have a past that has shaped us; people who have helped or hindered us, raised or abandoned us, loved or hated us; lessons we have learned or mysteries we still puzzle over.

The characters are no different.

Every character has a History made up of the following: a one-or-two-word description of their previous life (Acolyte, Criminal, Soldier, Wanderer, etc.), three skill proficiencies they have previously acquired, any combination of tool proficiencies and language proficiencies that adds up to two, and a Speciality Knowledge.

Speciality Knowledges make a character a source of information for the group in relation to a subject related to their past. They give the player a direct means of interrogating the fiction, and also allow players to signal to the GM what kind of content they are interested in.

Mechanically, they work as follows:

The player, in consultation with the GM, identifies a subject related to the character’s History. The player can, spread out as they like across sessions, ask the GM a number of freeform questions about the subject (as if they had access to a Book or Library) equal to their Intelligence modifier.

The GM will also identify a form of research (studying local folklore, getting to know the local terrain, reading holy scriptures) that allows the player to replenish one question while visiting town.  

Alternate 5E D&D Fighter

I have a long-standing dissatisfaction with the way that the Fighter has been handled in D&D. 5E has done slightly better in this regard, but the Fighter remains bland and boring, as well as underpowered. The most promising aspect of the 5E execution is the Combat Superiority mechanic, which was originally a core part of the class in the D&D Next playtesting but got shifted into the Battlemaster archetype. 

The following represents the best attempt of myself and the players from my All Things Under Heaven campaign to create a more tactically-interesting, evocative, and balanced interpretation of the Fighter.

(Credit for inspiration and some mechanic ideas goes to the discussion in this thread).

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per fighter level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per fighter level after 1st.

Proficiencies
Armour : All armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength  and Dexterity OR Constitution
Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival.

Equipment: You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) chain mail or (b) leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Fighting Style: You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. You choose an additional Fighting Style at 13^th level.

• Archery – You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
• Defence – While you are wearing armour, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
• Duelling – When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
• Great Weapon Fighting – When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
• Protection – When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.
• Two-Weapon Fighting – When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack.

Tireless: If you are under half-health and not unconscious, you regain hit points equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up) at the start of your turn.

Combat Superiority: Beginning at 2nd level, you learn manoeuvres that are fuelled by special dice called superiority dice.
Manoeuvres. You learn three manoeuvres of your choice, which are detailed under “Manoeuvres” below. Many manoeuvres enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one manoeuvre per attack. You learn two additional manoeuvres of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new manoeuvres, you can also replace one manoeuvre you know with a different one.
Superiority Dice. You have four superiority dice, which are d8s. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another superiority die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.
Saving Throws. Some of your manoeuvres require your target to make a saving throw to resist the manoeuvre’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Manoeuvre save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Martial Archetype: At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you strive to emulate in your combat styles and techniques. Choose Champion or Mage Slayer, all detailed at the end o f the class description. The archetype you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th level.

(Details of the archetypes to follow in a future post)

Ability Score Improvement: When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack: Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take an attack action on your turn. The number of attacks increases to three at 19th level.

Indomitable: Beginning at 6th level, once per long rest you can choose to reroll a saving throw that you fail with advantage and using Strength. You can use this feature one additional time between long rests beginning at 11^th and 16^th levels.

Heightened Defenses: Beginning at 8th level, you gain proficiency in whichever saving throw (Dexterity or Constitution) you didn't choose at 1st level.

Improved Combat Superiority: Beginning at 9th level, your superiority dice turn into d10s. At 18th level, they turn into d12s.

Parry: Beginning at 9^th level, you can spend a reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC against one melee attack that would otherwise hit you. You can use this ability a number of times equal to 1 + Con mod per long rest.

Improved First Fighting Style: Beginning at 11^th level, you advance further in your mastery of your first Fighting Style and gain the further benefits listed below:

• Archery – When there are no creatures in melee range with you and a creature attempts to enter your space, you may spend your reaction to take a ranged attack against them.
• Defence – While you are wearing armour, your bonus to AC increases to +2.
• Duelling – When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons and you roll a critical hit against an opponent, they are disarmed and their weapon flies 15ft away from them in a direction of your choice.
• Great-Weapon Fighting – Now, when you roll a 1, 2, or 3 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and take the higher of the two totals. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
• Protection – When a creature you can see hits a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to roll a number of d6 equal to your proficiency bonus and reduce the damage the target takes by the result. If this would reduce the incoming damage to 0, the target takes no damage.
• Two-Weapon Fighting – When you engage in two-weapon fighting and hit with your first attack, you gain advantage on the bonus attack.

Adrenaline Surge: Beginning at 14^th level, on your turn you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your Constitution modifier + your fighter level. You may use this once per rest at no cost, but each use after this costs one level of Exhaustion.

Battlemaster: Beginning at 20th level, your expertise in combat becomes the stuff of legends.  You may double your proficiency bonus for any attack you make.  You may apply this feature after you roll, but not more than once per turn.

Monk Archetype: Way of the Drunken Master + Rules for Drinking

(Credit goes to other takes on this archetype at middlefingerofvecna, basicredrpg, and the forums at enworld.org from which I have liberally borrowed and taken inspiration)

Monks of the Way of the Drunken Master find enlightenment and reunion with the larger universe not in long meditation or ancient mudras but at the bottom of a wine barrel. They learn to turn the effects of intoxication into both sword and shield, and become more dangerous the more sozzled and inebriated they become. 

Drink like a Demon

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you have learned to catch your enemies off-guard with your drunken and staggering movements. Instead of adding your Wisdom modifier to your AC as per the Unarmoured Defense class feature, add instead the number of Drinks you have imbibed since your last rest. Additionally, hostile creatures have disadvantage on Opportunity Attacks against you. You also gain proficiency with improvised weapons and may count them as monk weapons.

Stance of the Drunken Ox

By 6th level, you become proficient with Constitution saving throws if you aren’t already. Whenever you make an attack, add the number of drinks you have imbibed since your last rest as a bonus to your damage. You may also spend 1 Ki to use Patient Defense as a reaction even if you have already taken one this round.

Slap of the Drunken Carp

At 11th level, when you make an attack you may use your bonus action to also cause a target within melee range to make an attack against a creature within range. The creature may not pull its punches and must attack the new target as if it were a dangerous enemy.

Tao of Drunken Bumbling

Beginning at 17th level your constant stumbling and falling always seems to cause your attackers to come to harm against your elbows, knees, head, or other things you are carrying. When a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can make a melee attack against that creature as a free action. You may use this feature a number of times per round equal to the number of drinks you have imbibed since your last rest.

Drinking

The consumption of alcohol is measured in units called Drinks, each one of which represents a substantial portion of alcohol – half a bottle of wine, a brimming pint of strong beer, a couple of shots, etc. Each time you consume a Drink, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw (+2 per Drink already consumed) or gain a level of drunkenness. Drunkenness is measured in six levels.

A creature suffers the effect of its current level of drunkenness as well as all lower levels. For example, a creature suffering level 2 drunkenness has disadvantage on Dexterity-based ability checks and saves and advantage on Charisma-based ability checks.

Drunkenness drops by 1 level for every four hours that pass once a creature has stopped drinking.

Instinct, Bonds, and Inspiration

(I have problems with the way that D&D 5E handles Alignment, Personal Characteristics [Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws], and the awarding of Inspiration for good roleplaying. The system presented below is intended to replace all of those features.)

Instinct

Instinct is a statement of your character’s mostly deeply-held belief, an impulse towards a certain course of action that reflects your core values. It concretely expresses the ideals that you aspire to and can guide you when you’re not sure what to do next. Instinct replaces the standard D&D 5E concept of alignment: morality is about the habits you cultivate and the actions that seem to flow most naturally from your world-view, not about a narrowly defined set of categories.

Example 1: Huan is a proud and haughty Noble whose uncle usurped the leadership of his family and sought to control him. He seeks power so that he will never have to be ruled again. Huan’s Instinct is: Defy an attempt by authority to exert power over you.

Example 2: Xi Leng is a curious and somewhat amoral Wizard who worked for years with a ruthless and power-hungry group of other magic-users. He is more interested in improving his knowledge and skills than in applying that knowledge and skill to help others. Xi Leng’s Instinct is: Better yourself or your skills through new knowledge.

At the end of every session, each player should remind the group of their character’s Instinct. If the group agrees that they fulfilled their Instinct then the character gains experience equal to a level-appropriate Deadly encounter. 

Bonds

Bonds are statements which bind a character to their fellow characters, to other people they know, or to larger groups or concepts. A character may have up to three Bonds at a time, which may be dropped or altered at the GM’s discretion (usually because of a development in the fiction).

At the end of every session, each player can nominate one Bond that they feel has been resolved (completely explored, proven or disproven, no longer relevant, or otherwise). If the player of the other character the Bond concerns (the GM in the instance of Bonds connected to concepts, NPCs/organisations, etc.) agrees that it has been resolved then the character gains experience equal to two level-appropriate Deadly encounters. 

Inspiration

The question of how to define good roleplaying is one of near-infinite difficulty, with the answer varying greatly depending upon the goals, themes, and premise of a given campaign. In the case of an open-ended sandbox campaign (like Wild Seas Under Heaven), the story and the action is entirely player-driven and therefore good roleplaying is that which produces bold and decisive attempts to interact with and change the surrounding world. 

Inspiration is intended as a mechanic to reward and encourage good roleplaying, but this requires that the players know the criteria. Players who know that there is a reliable source of Inspiration are more likely to use it rather than conserving it like a scarce and unpredictable resource. 

The GM should reward characters who engage with the setting through their goals, and who take decisive action towards achieving those goals. At the end of every session the GM should assess whether each character has:

• Established a new goal that is bold, decisive, or shows a real sense of purpose and agency. If the answer is yes, the GM should award Inspiration at the start of the next session. (Good judgement applies here: do not reward goals that are petty or meek, and do not continue to reward players who constantly set goals and make no meaningful effort to fulfil them).
• Taken a meaningful step towards achieving a goal – reaching a significant milestone, discovering vital information, or taking concrete and tangible steps. If the answer is yes, the GM should award Inspiration at the start of the next session. (Once again, good judgement applies. When in doubt, seek the opinions of your group as to whether or not real progress has been made towards achieving the goal in question).