T1: The Village of Hommlet 5e Conversion (Inactive)

Game Master hiiamtom

My rules*:

• 1) As long as you continue to express interest to continue on a regular basis (weekly), and warn me of any long absences you will not be removed from the game and I will bot you when absolutely needed.
• 2) Combat rounds will last 48 hours, I will roll initiative and any missing rolls from your post. If you do not post by the deadline I provide I will bot your action.
• 3) You will never die through my actions, that is my promise to you in case you worry about me botting your character. You might be in rough shape or captured, but you won't die through me acting on behalf of your character.
• 4) I expect people to be respectful and air out grievances through the discussion thread or PM and keep it out of the gameplay thread. I want to work with everyone so we're all enjoying this.

*I am developing these rules as I GM PbP, forgive me if they get updated as we go.

Additional Actions in Combat:

Additional Action Options (Not listed in the PHB) - 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.

House Rules:

Feat Modification (homebrew) - see the feats below:

Dual Wielder (Modified)
You 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 a melee weapon attack using the weapon held in your main hand, your offhand weapon attack deals a bonus +1d10 damage.

Man-at-arms (New)
Your experience on the field of battle has developed a keen sense of danger and opportunity with a variety of weapons. You gain the following benefits:[list]

You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are not wielding a heavy weapon.

When another creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to move up to half your movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Before you make a melee attack with an unarmed strike or with a weapon that does not have the heavy property, you can choose to take a -4 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +8 to the attack's damage. You must be proficient with the weapon used to make the attack to receive this benefit.

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.

Ability Check Proficiency
There are no skill specific checks in this game, only ability checks. So instead of Wisdom(Perception) or Strength(Athletics) there is only Wisdom or Strength checks. Be aware this impacts all ability checks, so there are things that get impacted by these rules - initiative or what rage gives advantage to for example.

You gain one ability score to add your proficiency to from your class based on this list:
~ Barbarian - Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom
~ Bard - Any one
~ Cleric - Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
~ Druid - Intelligence or Wisdom
~ Fighter - Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom
~ Monk - Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence
~ Paladin - Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma
~ Ranger - Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom
~ Rogue - Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
~ Sorcerer - Intelligence or Charisma
~ Warlock - Intelligence or Charisma
~ Wizard - Intelligence or Wisdom

You then choose one more ability score based on your background. It must be an ability score tied to one of the skills granted by the background. Rogues are always granted proficiency in Dexterity checks as a bonus proficiency.

Tool proficiency is separate from ability score proficiency, meaning a player making a Dexterity check to use Thieves' Tools will only add their proficiency bonus if they are proficient in the use of the tool even if they are proficient in Dexterity ability checks.

For rogues and Bards: Expertise grants its bonus to Thieves' Tools for rogues, a Musical Instrument for bards, and one ability score you are proficient in the first time you gain the Expertise feature. At the next time you gain Expertise, you can choose ANY tool proficiency and one more ability score you are proficient in. This means a rogue choosing Dexterity at level 1 adds double their proficiency bonus to all Dexterity checks and to any ability check with Thieves' Tools.

For class features granting skill proficiency past level 1, Half-eves, variant humans, multiclassing into certain classes, or those taking the Skilled feat: You gain 1 additional ability check to be proficient in. Half elves may also choose one tool to become proficient in.

For races with defined skill proficiency: You gain the ability score proficiency for that skill, if you have more than one skill proficiency you may still only choose one ability score (I don't think this applies to any race, but I want to have it covered up front).

Saving throw proficiency is still determined by your class' saving throws, and other feats or abilities that grant proficiency to saving throws.

Named NPCs

With the Party:

Chewie - Dinkerdink's familiar; a squirrel.

Villagers of Hommlet:

Ostler - Male human innkeeper of the Welcome Wench, and leader of the town militia. Man of little words, and very serious and angry looking most of the time.

Jaroo - Male human druid. Very old and wirey.
~Smyth - Male human blacksmith and disciple of Jaroo. Heavily muscled, but gentle and not good in combat. Responsible for sheltering the citizens if an attack occurs.

Phellan - Male human apprentice of the braumeister who converted to St Cuthbert after surviving a bandit attack east of town.