House Rules

[Drew]

I am not a professional tabletop game designer.
My House Rules were created long, long before 5.24e dropped, and as I slowly learn the new 5.24 rules, my own House Rules may change over time.
My House Rules were created with the following goal in mind: "Make the game more fun to play." Some things have become simpler, some have become more complex, and some things are just gone entirely. Maintaining game balance was not the top objective, so as these rule are play-tested, they may change a little over time to try and achieve some balance.

Magic Items

You can attune to up to nine items at once. You are allowed to have a piece of gear in the...

• Head slot
• Body slot
• Hands/Arms slot
• Belt slot
• Feet/Legs slot
• Cloak slot
• Amulet slot
• Ring 1 slot
• Ring 2 slot

After that, you're full. You can't put anything else on until you remove something.

Spell Scrolls

A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class's spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell. Otherwise, the scroll is unintelligible. Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell's normal casting time. Once the spell is cast, the words on the scroll fade, and it crumbles to dust. If the casting is interrupted, the scroll is not lost.

To transcribe a spell from a scroll to a spellbook, a wizard must sacrifice 50gp per level of the spell being transcribed, and then succeed on an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC of 10 + the spell's level. The scroll is destroyed regardless of success or failure, but the gold is not lost on a failure.

Magic Shops

Most towns have a magic shop. These special merchants are the only place where magic items can be bought and sold. They deal exclusively in magic. Need a potion? A scroll? An enchantment placed upon a weapon or armor? Find a magic shop. Here are their prices. At customer request, the shop will perform Identification services for a flat 40 gp per item. They will also buy your unidentified item for a flat 20 gp, no questions asked. Finally, they will sell deciphered scrolls that anyone can read for twice the normal value.

Infinite Ammo

Ranged weapons have infinite mundane ammunition. You do not need to purchase any ammo and you do not to keep track of ammo spent. You will never run out. Magic ammunition is another matter.

Material Components

A spell's material components are only consumed if its description says so. A Component Pouch comes pre-loaded with all of the components needed to cast most spells, except for spells that mention a specific cost, or spells that use a component with a listed price. A Spellcasting Focus works in exactly the same way.

Masterwork Gear

A masterwork weapon costs ten times its normal amount, but if you roll a 1 on the weapon's damage roll, you may roll again once.

Masterwork armor costs ten times its normal amount but will provide resistance to 1 damage type of your choosing.

Short & Long Rests

You can sleep while wearing your armor. There are no penalties for sleeping in armor.

You are allowed to have up to two Short Rests before you must take a Long Rest.
Be aware, Long Rests are only possible when it is more likely than not that you will be safe for the duration of the entire rest.

Elves and Half-elves can trance instead of sleeping, and their trance lets them finish a Short or Long Rest in half the normal time, while also remaining somewhat aware of what's going on around them.
But still, a 'Long Trance' is only possible when it is more likely than not that you will be safe for the duration of the entire trance.
To enter and remain in a meditative trance, the elf or half-elf must be able to lay flat on their back. Their legs must be straight, their arms must be straight with their hands positioned palm facing upward on either side of their waist, and the tips of their middle and ring fingers must be touching the tip of their thumb on each hand.

When keeping watch, a character can remain on watch duty for as long as they want.

HP Gain at Level-Up

At Level 1, you take max HP like always.
But each time you gain a level after that, you roll for your hit points first. If your roll isn't as good as the average, take the average. If your roll is better than the average, go with your roll.

Weight & Encumbrance

I do not bother with item weight, and I don't use the Encumbrance game mechanic.
In my opinion, it doesn't add any real enjoyment to the game and only serves to hold you back, so just ignore the weights of things and use your common sense instead.
No, you can't carry that marble column around, it's obviously too big and heavy.
Yes, you can carry as many weapons and items as you want in your bag. Yes, even a musket. No, not a cannon. Like I said, common sense.
And when in doubt, just ask.