5e Curse of Xanathon

Game Master Helaman

Exposition and Background:

Runaheim, now Rhoona, was taken from an insignificant coastal village to the capital of a new Duchy by Erik the Tall around 200 years ago, centuries after the battle of Bridensfjord, that established the Kingdom of Vestland. It's grown beyond its roots in fishing and raiding to one of the most cosmopolitan towns in the north. It's current ruler, Stephen, styles himself as a modernist, and has changed his title from the Jarl of Runaheim, to Duke of Rhoona at the start of his rule four years ago. The Duke is young, 22 summers, and as yet unmarried but has the good will of his people.

Rhoona is known throughout Vestland and beyond for its many fine breweries. A number of taverns offer the traveller a chance to sample the wide variety of fermented malt beverages brewed here. Wine and brandy must be imported by ship, and are therefore priced accordingly. With the exception of the unfinished Ducal palace and portions of the three temples, all of the buildings in Rhoona are made of wood, with either wooden or sod roofs and are one story tall, unless otherwise mentioned, and all but the largest will be made up of a single large room. In the Old Town near the waterfront, life is hard but happy. Many taverns may be found here, and strangers will generally be greeted with a friendly invitation to share an ale.

Rhoona is starting to change and while a burly warrior culture is at its foundation, literacy and the level education of the city has been on the rise for at least a decade. With this, and the increased number of foreign traders who have visited or moved to the city, has come some acceptance to different ways of resolving issues besides violence. There is definitely the rule of law, aided and fostered by the worship of Forsetta, but Trial by Combat is the final court of appeal for some disputes.

Two old temples, erected decades ago, stand in Rhoona in tribute to a pair of the major Immortals of Vestland. The Temple of the Lawful Order of Forsetta is the oldest, and most of the citizens are members of this faith. The basic tenets include a belief in the authority of the Duke and the conviction that good deeds done throughout a person's life will result in great rewards after death. The Temple of the Sealord, sometimes called Nooga, is the home of a more neutral order, comprised mostly of fishermen and sailors. This faith is a less restrictive one, believing that a person must strive against the circumstances of his life to make the best of a short existence.

Many steep, treacherous and hidden passes lead across the mountains to Rockhome, and dwarven caravans often cross these with loads of metalgoods and other dwarven crafts. ln fact, a sizeable number of dwarves live in Rhoona, and are presently engaged in the construction of a mighty palace for the current Duke, Stephen Rhoona.

Other passes in the rugged mountain range to the north west have recently been crossed by immigrants from the Ethangar Khanate. The number of these nomads in Rhoona is small, but noticeably growing. They are welcomed for the fine horses and goats that they bring with them. Sheep, goats, cows, and horses are all herded in the rugged country around the town. Barley, rye, fish, milk, cheese, and mutton are common foods here, thanks to these newcomers. They have also bought the worship of one of their Immortals, Cretia, whose influence has been growing in the Khanate. A large temple has been raised in His honour, finished just before the ascension of Duke Stephen. To most Rhoonans this temple is a strange and mysterious place, and little is known about the beliefs of the faithful.

The Ducal Guard is responsible for maintaining order in the community, as well as defending it from any outside threats. This brutally effective force made up of hardened warriors is led by Draco Stormsailer, a staunch traditionalist, whose very name inspires fear and awe in most Rhoonans. Once Draco sailed to all parts of the world on plundering and raiding expeditions, but now he has settled down to the quiet life of garrison commander. He lives in the Ducal Barracks. It is said that the Duke respects his judgement above all other advisors.

Recently, the town has been thrown into an uproar by several rather peculiar decrees that have originated from the Duke's palace. Ten days earlier the order was issued that all taxes must be paid in beer, not money. Many kegs have been delivered to the palace, and now it is very difficult to purchase even a small glass of beer m the taverns of Rhoona. This has contributed to grumbling and complaining among the thirsty populace, but people are in such a fear of the Ducal Guard that no protest has been made. Three days ago, a second decree was issued, declaring that horses ridden within the town boundaries must carry non military riders facing the mount's tail. Since only the very wealthy ever ride in the town, this decree has resulted in some very entertaining sights for pedestrians, as merchants and the wealthy struggle to maintain balance and dignity in the awkward position. Even so, more rumors have been spread regarding the odd nature of the last two ducal pronouncements. Many people are frightened by the thought that the Duke is no longer rational.

Adventurers are not uncommon in Rhoona. The regional warrior culture coupled with the untamed wilderness in the area around Ostland and Vestland means a constant flow of treasure seekers and monsters hunters. They are grudgingly accepted by the local population as useful but dangerous.

Link to Roll20.

Link to Trello.

Character Creation:

27 pt point buy or standard array.
Only one stat below 10. No stat higher than 17 (including after feat bonuses).

No artificers. All PHB, SCAG and Xanathars classes on the table.

I'd REALLY prefer no drow.

Everyone gets a bonus feat at level 1. PHB, Xanathars, or UA weapon or skill feats. Check the feat rule updates out when choosing.

http://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/UA-Feats-V1.pdf or https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/UA-SkillFeats.pdf.

Level 3 characters. No Multiclass to start. You can do that later.

Equipment is as per level 1 but start with a healing potion and extra 50gp for additional supplies to customise your character. You can sell starting equipment at FULL price to buy different stuff.

Race Updates:

Aasimar can be DMG or Xanathar Versions.

Dragonborn (will be shoehorned in) can use breath weapon as a Bonus Action.

Dwarves can also add Mining Tools to the list of Tool proficiencies for their race.

Gnomes are gifted craftsmen in their own right. They gain Tool proficiency in either Jewelers Tools, Miners Tools, Smiths Tools or Tinkers Tools as a bonus tool proficiency. Forest Gnomes can add Woodcarvers Tools to the list to choose from, and Rock gnomes can add Alchemist Tools to the list to choose from.

Forest Gnomes add the Wood Elf 'Mask of the Wild' feature. Rock Gnomes can either know the Minor Illusion cantrip or the Mending cantrip. [If this seems like a bit much it's because I believe that unless you're playing a wizard, gnomes are a bit sucky]

Half Elves can be PHB or SCAG Versions.

Humans use standard human but add one skill as a bonus.

Tieflings just use PHB or Xanathar Versions.

Class Updates:

Barbarians can maintain rage as long as they are in combat, or moving directly into combat.

Berserker Barbarians get ONE frenzy per short rest. If they frenzy more than that, THEN they take exhaustion as per the rules. They also ignore exhaustion while in Frenzy. On the flip side? They MUST use reckless attack while in Frenzy.

Clerics are always considered ‘proficient’ for Religion checks for their own religion even if they do not have the skill. Clerics who do have the skill gain advantage for religion checks for their own religion or specific faith.

Druids gain proficiency in Nature skill at level 1 for free. Druids cannot use class features or spells if wearing metal armor. Non metal medium and heavy armor is availability later in the campaign. **Circle of the Moon druids restricted to CR 1/2 forms until level 4.**

Rangers have the Hunters Mark spell known for free in addition to the number of spells known on the class spells known table when they get spell casting.

Ranger characters SHOULD use the better and updated version of the ranger found if considering the two rangers found in the Player Handbook: https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_RevisedRanger.pdf

Rogues can exchange Thieves Cant for another language and Thieves Tools for another tool proficiency. Not all rogues are criminals.

Thief Archetype rogues can take advantage on out of combat Sleight of Hand checks or checks involving use of thieves tools.

Sorcerers regain sorcery points equal to proficiency bonus after completing a short rest. Regain all of your sorcery points when you finish a long rest. At level 2, they gain THREE metamagic options, and you can swap out 1 metamagic choice for another when you level just like you would swap a spell when levelling.

Warlocks know their Patrons spells (instead of adding them to the spell list of spells that can be learned so that they become bonus spells known) and do not count against the limit of spells known.

Feat Updates:

Charger (PHB pg 165) The Attacker does not provide enemies advantage when defending against attacks if using the charge house rules. Additionally you either gain a +5 bonus to the attack’s damage roll (if you chose to make a melee attack and hit) or push the target up to 10 feet away from you (if you chose to shove and you succeed).

Grappler (PHB pg 167). Add: If you have pinned an enemy by restraining them with a second successful grapple, as an Attack Action, you may do 1d4 + Strength modifier damage to the enemy on each successive round that you maintain the grapple.

Healer (PHB pg 167). Add Prerequisite: Proficiency in Medicine. As an action you can spend one use of a healer's kit to tend to a creature and restore 1d6 + 4 hit points to it, plus additional hit points equal to the creature's CURRENT number of Hit Dice. The creature can not regain hit points again in this manner until they complete a long rest.

You can instead choose to spend 10 minutes out of combat to tend to a creature, if you do so then you restore maximum hit points, just as if the healer had rolled a '6' on the amount of hit points to restore.

You can expend one use of a healer’s kit to grant an adjacent creature a new saving throw against a poison or disease they are currently suffering from (at the same DC as the initial effect) that takes place during your round, without any potential penalties if they fail the save. Once you do so, you must wait until the creature who is being treated has taken a long rest before attempting on that creature again.

Finally you restore a failed death save when you use this feat.

Mage Slayer (PHB pg169) Any attacks made as a reaction to casting spells count as opportunity attacks.

Magic Initiate (PHB pg169) This day is just a clarification given by Jeremy Crawford: “If you aren't a spellcaster when you take the Magic Initiate feat, you become a spellcaster. But the feat doesn't turn you into a bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You'll need to multiclass for that sort of transformation.”

Martial Adept (PHB pg169) Number of combat superiority dice is increased to ‘2’.

Mounted Combatant (PHB pg169) If you move more than half your mount’s move in a turn, and you hit your attack’s damage is doubled (as if it were a critical hit) for your first attack.

You do not incur opportunity attacks from unmounted foes.

You have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that is smaller than your mount.

You can force an attack targeted at your mount to target you instead.

If your mount is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

If you are wearing light armor or less, you may mount or dismount the horse as an item interaction (no time). If you are wearing medium armor, you may use a bonus action to mount or dismount.'

Polearm Master (PHB pg169) includes spear to the approved list of weapons. Quarterstaves and spears must be used by both hands to use the feat benefits. If you use a glaive or halberd, you can instead inflict 1d4 piercing damage (using the spike on the tip of the weapon) instead of bludgeoning damage.

Savage Attacker (PHB pg169) In addition to re-rolling a damage die, when you score a critical hit, you may also double your static damage modifiers in addition to the normal rules for critical hits.

Sharpshooter (PHB pg170) The attacker may only choose one of the three bullet points as an option on each attack.

Shield Master (PHB pg 170) Bonus action may be used to either attack with shield for 1d4 damage or shove foe 5 feet away. Unless the attacker has Two Weapon Fighting Fighting Style, they do not apply Strength bonus to damage. Shields count as a proficient weapon.

Combat Updates:

* Combat maneuvers are in play

Use the rules in the DMG to try different uses for your attack action. Also a new maneuver: CHARGE!

- Charge

As part of a Dash action, you can choose to charge a target and make a single attack as a bonus action during your Dash (This can be an attack with a weapon or a bull rush but nothing else). The charge must be in a straight line and you must at least move 15 feet. You cannot charge through any obstacle (person, objects, even friendlies) or through hindering or difficult terrain.

The attack at the end of the charge has advantage.

However, until your next turn, anyone attacking you has advantage to their attacks against you.

Note that this is different from the ‘Charger’ feat bonus. Someone with that feat can use whatever option they qualify for and are not locked into just using the feat bonus.

* Crits Rock

Crits are Max damage then roll the dice again.

When you roll for damage just roll once. If you crit, I'll just assume that the roll is in addition to max weapon damage.

* Fumbles suck.

When you roll a 1 on attack, you automatically miss plus choose either to take disadvantage on your next attack or damage your weapon (-1 to damage). Damage can be repaired by the mending spell (Note I said spell, see below) or a weaponsmith etc. Fighters of level 3 and above never suffer from fumbles. They simply miss.

* Dying is bad

Hitting 0 HPs makes you exhausted/fatigued.

Each time you go down, you generate a level of exhaustion. Consider this to be an injury of sorts.

A failed death save takes a long rest to reset (per failed save). See above.

* Armor and shields canceling crits!

On receiving a crit BUT before taking damage (in this case recording the damage), a character may opt to remove 2 AC provided by the armor or shield to cancel the critical hit if they are proficient with the armor or shield. If this is done, the player makes a note on their character sheet and reduces their armor class (and notes the change in armor class benefit granted by the armor or shield). Damage is rolled as if the critical was just a normal hit.

If a hit would reduce a character to '0' hit points the character may also choose to remove 2 AC provided by the armor (not shield) to a) not suffer exhaustion/fatigue and b) to gain advantage on their first death save, with the armor absorbing the worst of the blow. This may result in armor losing multiple AC points in certain situations such as a crit. The benefit is only applied for the actual attack that drops hit points to zero and not to attacks that may follow while the wearer is unconscious.

Not all attacks may allow for armor to provide benefits in this way. Armor is no use again poison, and normal armor will not give protection from the life draining energy from an insubstantial foe (though magical armor might). The DM will have to work with you to make decisions on the fly for unusual cases.

Magic armour simply adds its bonus to the total AC points that can be lost. Damage to these bonuses (and only the bonuses) are restored after a long rest.

If a piece of armor or shield is reduced to granting 0 AC benefit it is considered useless and counts as destroyed (though its encumbrance remains). Repairs to both normal and magic armour require the attention of an armor smith or from a spell caster with the ‘Mending’ spell (Not Cantrip, see below).

Mage armour does not provide any of the above benefits.

* Non Lethal Damage

Attackers may choose to try to take their foes alive and without them suffering a serious injury but it’s not easy. In combat and with weapons you are generally trying to maim or kill your enemy.

Attackers can ‘pull their punch’ so to speak and choose to take disadvantage on their attack. If they do so they will not kill/maim their enemy if their attack reduces their foe to ‘0’ hit points. The downed enemy is considered stable and does not need to make death saving throws.

Unarmed strikes (that do not use claws, spikes etc) as well as weapon attacks like saps will not kill or maim the creature attacked and so do not require the attacker to pull their punch... most of the time. Accidents happen. If the attacker chooses not to pull their punch by taking disadvantage and still crits, then the damage is considered lethal.

This replaces the rule found on page 198 of the Players Handbook.

* Reach Weapons work just fine

When using a weapon with the ‘Reach’ property and a spell or feature allows you or requires you to make a weapon attack but specifies a 5 foot range, extend that range to 10 feet with any reach weapon. Examples include Booming Blade, Green Flame Blade, Opportunity Attacks (including that of the Mage Slayer feat).

* New Conditions

- Bloodied. No penalty BUT at this point its now obvious you are wounded. Some creatures may target you as a result.

- Flanked. If you are flanked, attackers get +1 to hit.

- On your Heels. If rising from prone after being shoved OR picking up a dropped item or weapon after being disarmed and any attackers are still within 5 feet of you, you are on your heels. Your attacks are at disadvantage for the round and you lose your reaction for the round. Spells cast or that come from a picked up item allow the defenders advantage on their saving throws if there is no attack roll.

Spell Updates:

Blade Ward: This spell can ALSO be cast as a reaction to a single attack if it is not already in effect. Once the ward has granted you resistance against the damage from a single non magical weapons attack, the spell ends.

The spell works against non magical physical attacks such as arrow traps, falling rocks, claws (I still count this as a weapon), fangs etc. but will not prevent damage from falling from a height, being swept away etc. It will only work on physical attacks (bludgeoning, piecing or slashing) and not against ‘attacks’ that use fire, acid and so on.

Barkskin: There's the general rule that states you only use one AC "rule". Unarmored defense, mage armor, regular armors, etc all state what your AC is with penalties, etc. The specific rule is when you look at one of these and it reads slightly differently you then use that specific value. However, this spell is giving a THIRD rule. It's basically stating that, however you calculate your AC, if said value is less than 16 it = 16. Done.

Enhance Ability: You also temporary gain +2 to the affected attribute for the duration of the spell, to a maximum of 18.

Haste: Also provides a + 2 initiative modifier.

Healing Spirit: Spell ends after rounds equal to the spell slot used. Creatures may only benefit from it once per round.

Identify: Without the identify spell,or appropriate ability you are unable to identify a magic item. Without identifying the item you might only be able to attune to an items basic functions. For example a +1 flame tongue would work as a +1 sword but you can't activate the flame function.

Lesser Restoration: This spell can be cast to restore 1 level of fatigue.

Mage Armor: While the spell provides AC, it does not provide the other benefits of armor provided by the house rules (ie it will not stop critical hits).

Mending: In it’s cantrip form the spell will not repair damaged weapons, shields and armor however the caster can choose to use a higher level spell slot to empower the cantrip into a full spell. For each level of the spell it restores 1 level of benefit (either a hit or damage penalty or a point of armor class)

Fully broken mundane weapons and armor require an extra level just to move them from broken to damaged but can be repaired. Magical items or those made from rare materials also require an extra level. Once broken, a magical item can be repaired to fully functional albeit mundane condition, but the magic is lost.

A set of chain mail with -2 AC needs a level 2 spell slot and a broken shield needs a level 3 spell slot (restoring the condition from broken, then to restore 2 AC). A chipped sword (-1 damage) requires just a level 1 spell slot.

The DM may rule some items, for example a Cloak of Elvenkind, the players find is damaged. In this case the GM may rule either a level 1 or possibly a level 2 spell slot is needed to restore the item.

The component cost is 10gp times the spell slot used. If the item is magical or made of special materials then the cost is 100 times the spell slot used. The critical material component is a small amount of material that is the same as the item to be repaired. In some cases it may be a quest in itself to either find the rare material needed or someone who can do the repair.

If you know the cantrip, you know the spell.

Sleep: This spell now allows the target(s) a (Wisdom) saving throw to avoid its effects.