Custom rules for this campaign:
Fear/Horror/Madness (DMG) - I won't use these heavily but they are obvious shoe-ins.
Firearms (DMG) - Barovia is turn of the 18th century technology.
Additional Action Options (DMG) - climb onto a bigger creature, disarm, mark, overrun, shove aside, & tumble. Descriptions below:
Climb onto a Bigger Creature
If one creature wants to jump onto another creature, it can do so by grappling. A Small or Medium creature has little chance of making a successful grapple against a Huge or Gargantuan creature, however, unless magic has granted the grappler supernatural might.
As an alternative, a suitably large opponent can be treated as terrain for the purpose of jumping onto its back or clinging to a limb. After making any ability checks necessary to get into position and onto the larger creature, the smaller creature uses its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If it wins the contest, the smaller creature successfully moves into the target creature's space and clings to its body. While in the target's space, the smaller creature moves with the target and has advantage on attack rolls against it.
The smaller creature can move around within the larger creature's space, treating the space as difficult terrain. The larger creature's ability to attack the smaller creature depends on the smaller creature's location, and is left to your discretion. The larger creature can dislodge the smaller creature as an action- knocking it off, scraping it against a wall, or grabbing and throwing it- by making a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the smaller creature's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The smaller creature chooses which ability to use.
Disarm
A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a target's grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item.
The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands. The target has advantage on its ability check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller.
Mark
This option makes it easier for melee combatants to harry each other with opportunity attacks.
When a creature makes a melee attack, it can also mark its target. Until the end of the attacker's next turn, any opportunity attack it makes against the marked target has advantage. The opportunity attack doesn't expend the attacker's reaction, but the attacker can't make the attack if anything, such as the incapacitated condition or the shocking grasp spell, is preventing it from taking reactions. The attacker is limited to one opportunity attack per turn.
Overrun
When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature's space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature. As an action or a bonus action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the hostile creature's Strength (Athletics) check. The creature attempting the overrun has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature's space once this turn.
Shove Aside
With this option, a creature uses the special shove attack from the Player's Handbook to force a target to the side, rather than away. The attacker has disadvantage on its Strength (Athletics) check when it does so. If that check is successful, the attacker moves the target 5 feet to a different space within its reach.
Tumble
A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature's space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an action or a bonus action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the hostile creature's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the tumbler wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature's space once this turn.
Additional Combat Rules (DMG) - Hitting cover, cleaving through creatures (combat will not involve maps), morale, adjudicating areas of effect, improvised damage, handling mobs, etc.
Gritty Combat Rules (DMG and homebrew) - From the DMG: lingering injuries & massive damage. For homebrew: Death's Door replacing Falling Unconcious from the PHB, Instant Death only happens 4th level and after, stabilizing brings a character to 1 HP; see the rules below:
Death's Door Yes, like Darkest Dungeon.
If damage reduces you to 0 hit points and fails to kill you, you are on Death's Door. You gain 3 levels of exhaustion instantly, though this cannot raise the exhaustion suffered above level 5. When you are brought above 0 hit points remove 3 levels of exhaustion.
Feat Modification (homebrew) - see the feats below:
Dual Wielder
Vou master fighting with two weapons, gaining the following benefits:[list]
You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand.You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one handed melee weapons you are wielding aren't light.You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.When you hit a creature with with the weapon held in your main hand (using the attack action), your offhand weapon attack or an unarmed strike from Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows deals an extra 1d10 damage.
Grappler
Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher
You've developed the skills necessary to hold your own in close-quarters grappling. You gain the following benefits:[list]
You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling.You can use your action to try to pin a creature grappled by you.To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, you and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.You can grapple creatures up to two sizes larger than you within your reach.
Tavern Brawler
Accustomed to rough-and-tumble fighting using whatever weapons happen to be at hand, you gain the following benefits:[list]
Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.You are proficient with improvised weapons and improvised weapons and your unarmed strikes count as light weapons.Your unarmed strike uses a d4 for damage.When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.
Warlord Updates for Urrnir:
Warlord's Favor
Your attacks help to point out the flaws in an enemy's defenses. Once per round when you hit with an attack, you may forego adding your ability modifier to the damage roll. If you do, one creature other than yourself who can see and hear gains advantage on the next attack roll the creature makes against the target of your attack.
Inspiring Word
At 2nd level, you can inspire allies to fight on, no matter what the odds. You have a number of d10s equal to your warlord level representing your ability to change the course of battle with your words.
As a bonus action, you can spend a number of dice eaul to half your warlord level. Roll the spent dice and add them together. You or a friendly creature who can hear you within 60 feet of you regains a number of hit points equal to the total. The target also gains 1 temporary hit point per die spent.
At 7th level, the target gains and number of hit points equal to the total + half your warlord level (rounded up). The target also gains 5 temporary hit points per die spent.
You regain the expended dice when you finish a long rest.
Lead the Attack
At 3rd level, when you make a melee attack you may choose to mark the target. You and all friendly creatures that damage the target deal extra damage equal to half your proficiency bonus until you choose a different target to mark or until it drops to 0 hit points.
