I'll be starting a new campaign relatively soon, and here are two house rules I am considering.
1. PCs get a number of inspiration equal to their proficiency bonus.
2. PCs will begin with a "knack," which will be roughly equivalent to half a feat.
Do these sound like fun and not-overpowering optional rules?
House rules for what game?
5E.
I play in one 5th ed game....so I am by no means a expert but nothing looks too over powering.
Especially if you amp the enemy a little it should not be a problem.
Yeah, I like to give my PCs safeguards against me going nuts with challenges.
It's going to be a party of 6.
That seems pretty fair from what I can tell. How is Inspiration going to be handled? Will the players get a fixed amount of Inspiration per level? Or will it be more like Refresh in Fate where they start the session with a fixed value of Inspiration but as they gain/spend it their personal store goes up and down and as they level they have more starting "currency" with which to tip things in their favor?
It will be refreshed each session, and then fluctuate throughout that session.
I'm thinking of having the Players determine when another character regains inspiration. Hopefully that will get folk to learn each other's traits, flaws, bonds, etc.
It will be refreshed each session, and then fluctuate throughout that session.
Basically you're giving lucky for free (well, not quite since you can't make an opponent reroll with inspiration).
It might be a bit much once the proficiency bonus gets to 4+ if it replenishes in whole every session. I would suggest either a slower refresh or a lower threshold.
Alternatively, you could allow players to accumulate inspiration up to their prof. bonus if you're handing out inspiration generously.
Could you give an example of knack?
1 bonus skill proficiency
1 bonus save proficiency
1 bonus weapon proficiency (such as firearms!)
1 bonus tool proficiency
1 bonus cantrip known
Stuff like that. Just little things customize the PC. I know some are a lot more powerful than the others, so they might need to be adjusted somewhat.
I'm even considering some new feat-level knacks:
Heirloom weapon: 1 specific weapon has a magic bonus equal to half your proficiency bonus.
Magical Scholar: You increase the number of spells you can prepare per day by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.
Exotic Weapon Training: Select a number of weapons equal to your proficiency bonus. You add 1 exotic quality to the selected weapon (light, reach, thrown, finesse, versatile, etc.)
I'm thinking of having the Players determine when another character regains inspiration. Hopefully that will get folk to learn each other's traits, flaws, bonds, etc.
I like this idea - not only does it take some book-keeping from the DM, it also gives the players a way to 'reward' one another.
FWIW, I wouldn't grant multiple inspirations. One of the things I like about it is that you can't get it once you've got it - which is incentive to spend it rather than hoarding it for 'just the right moment'. I suspect that in a game with multiple inspirations it may actually get used less (depending on how often it gets handed out at your table).
When awarding things like knacks, I think it's good to broaden a player's scope of action, rather than deepening their power level. (So as an example, I'd prefer to hand out Magical Scholar rather than Heirloom weapon, from your list).
We tend to burn through Inspiration pretty quick.
Of course, we're 11th level, now, and some of the save DCs are 18 or 20, which are really hard if you're not proficient in them.
At least we're generous with handing them out to each other.
SG: I REALLY like your idea of broadening character options rather than making characters more powerful.
Something I've thought about a little is expanding on the Backgrounds, so that they improve as you level.
For example, at 5th level, it might give you another skill/tool proficiency. I understand that they're supposed to be "backgrounds", but it feels like an opportunity to help continue to grow the character in a way that isn't related to their class. Maybe a second background ability gained at 8th level. Could even leave them open ended, so that players design their own and have to justify them in the story, perhaps making them related to their Bond.
This also gets to the concept of broadening who the Characters are without increasing power level.
Maybe something at levels 3, 7, 11, and 15? Kind of complementing the odd levels where the proficiency bonus does NOT increase?
Maybe a bonus tool, then skill, then language, then save?
Or something less generic and more situational?
For example, my really dumb, supposedly "street smart" Urchin half-elf rogue specializes in parkour (Expertise in Acrobatics and Athletics) and the Urchin class feature of moving through a city in half the time of regular folk really synergizes with my vision of him running through allies, hopping on barrels, swinging on lamp posts, and dashing across rooftops.
It would be neat to have some neat background features that also helped outline my character. Especially some crunchy little bits that helped fleshout life on the street and/or running and climbing like a crazy person.
Yup, you could either expand on that ability, or add something new. If the campaign was centered around one city (if I were DM), I'd allow something like: You've built a network of connections within your city of friends, allies and informants. You know what's going on and when. You have advantage whenever you attempt to gather information within your city.
That'd be a nice 7th level ability that reinforced your background. It could easily be about disguising yourself within the city, how you've now become a recognized member of the city, or even a benefit to your lifestyle (or maybe just income) due to parkour performances.
For a soldier, at 7th level they might start being treated like an officer/knight/higher rank when interacting with other military people, then at 15th level, people start treating them like a war hero/general. Even if it's not a military campaign, if the character maintains those links, they get treated with respect like they held that position.
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For what it is worth I give out tons of background like abilities to my players. The key is to avoid combat pluses and generally any other stacking things, and it stays pretty balanced.
Some of the things I have given out:
A barbarians reputation grew so fierce that she got double proficiency on intimidate.
Someone learned to cook really well.
Someone got so good with a particular weapon that they increased their crit range to 19-20 with just that weapon.
Someone got so good with a shield that they can block 3d10 worth of damage per long rest as a reaction.
Someone got medals and a uniform that gives them advantage in social situations in a particular city.
Someone got given a house and food for life in a given village.
The whole party got given mechanical griffons that can fly at 60 feet per round but cannot meaningfully participate in combat.
I gave out the spell sharpshooter feat for free.
None of these things have caused me an issues as a GM. The worst thing for balance so far was a ring that gave the wearer 19 constitution. The party wizard ended up with more hp than anyone else in the party!!!
In 2nd Ed, I DMed for a ranger that put THREE non-weapon proficiencies into cooking!!!! :-O
Increasing the number of Inspiration rolls could be a bit overpowering, especially seeing as they can be given to other characters. There's an optional rule in the DMG called action points or some such that might be more in line with what you're going for, which can be used to add a d6 to a variety of situations.
The knack seems fine, though I'd remove the saving throw option from the list, that's kind of OP.
Something I've been trying to come up with is a way to make skill use and ability checks more prominent. I feel like the ability system built into the game is really versatile enough to make adding "special" abilities unnecessary. I think it's just that folks rarely try to use them unconventionally.
Yeah, I'll definitely encourage unusual skill use. Particularly (Parkourily?) with swashbuckling and other movement-based activities, like combat in unusual environments and chase scenes.
PF has rules for chases that usually have 2 options that can be resolved as checks or saves (run into a dwarven tavern, make a DC 12 Persuasion check to convince them you're in a hurry, or do a shot with them and make a DC 8 Constitution save to avoid 1 level of exhaustion).
Stuff like that.
Also, I'm reconsidering the bonus save proficiency.
I want knacks to give characters more options, not more power.
I've come upon this blog where the author suggest stealing some mechanics from other rpg.
I find that the ones from 13th Age could be easily inserted and would add a nice flavor to character backgroud. While escalation die could be interssting to implement in some game.
I kind of like Icon Roles, but it seems like it could take over the story. For example, if the PCs are exploring an elven jungle, and someone gets One Good Thing from the Dwarf King, suddenly you have to insert a bunch of dwarf flavor into an elven cocktail, and that might ruin the taste of that adventure.
I really like the One Unique Thing rule. It seems really fun.
The Escalation Die seems like it might make 5E combat too swingy. With Bounded Accuracy, +3 or more could lead to auto hits against some opponents, such a zombies (AC 8 vs +2 proficiency, +3 ability modifier, and at least a 2 on a d20). Heck, even a +1 Escalation Die would do that! After 5th level, I assume PCs have a +7 to hit (+3 prof, +4 ab) and ACs don't get crazy high like PF (most monster ACs seem to be 12-18 in my experience), so an Excalation Die would almost insta-end encounters after a few rounds. And 5E combat is so fast, that 10 rounds of combat can be done in half an hour or so.
I don't like the other ones. Complicating initiative seems less fun and more cumbersome. Granting random abilities that change all the time is too weird. Maybe it would work for specific character concepts, but definitely not most or every character concept.
I like the idea of handing out multiple inspirations based on proficiency bonus. I'm going to steal it for my group. I've also added the addendum that only other players can hand out inspiration, and they can only do so if they feel their fellow players have appropriately acted upon their personality trait, ideal, bond, or flaw.
I feel this will not only encourage better roleplaying, but it will also encourage players to get to know the other PCs better.
I'll be trying this out with Out of the Abyss, which can be a deadly campaign, so I'm not too worried about this being over powered.
Things like Icon rolls are really for a DM who wants to run adventures by the seat of their pants. If you have it more planned out, it's not as useful. If you want to come up with stuff on the fly, it works well.
I play a lot of 13th age as well, I find Icon's work better when you get the group to focus on just a few to keep adventures more focused. I think about 5-6 icons total for the group is a good max.
My campaign is going to be inspired by Planescape, but with different floating continents instead of different outer and inner planes as adventuring locales.
The hometown Big City is kind of separated from its continent, but with lots of trade with the other 12 continents, so it will be Sigil-like as well as gas-lit steampunk Victorian London-like.
There are a dozen "rebel angels" that could work as Icons. I'll just need to flesh them out. Two each of LG-CN. There is also the Clock Queen, who is kind of the Uber-Deity.
And since the hometown is gonna be Sigil-like, I'm also going to feature a dozen or so factions, which I plan on including as Backgrounds, possibly/probably with additional features at levels 3, 7, 11, and 15. Kind of like mini-archetypes.
There WILL be outer planes, of course, but I'm going to have a real simplified cosmology. LG Heaven/Elemental Air, CG Paradise/Elemental Earth, LE Hell/Elemental Fire, and CE Abyss/Elemental Water. I'll be combining the Feywild and Shadowfall into the Gloaming, a vast dark forest of twisted pathways. It will also be the primary transitive plane, too. And in the middle of it all, the City of the Dreaming Dead, which will act as Courts of Judgment for the souls of the dead and the spirits of the dreaming. It will also be the realm for Super Neutral who cannot/will not go to Heaven, Hell, Paradise, or the Abyss.
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I really like the inspiration points thing but I think I would either keep it as 2 per session or make it into 1/2 the proficiency. I also like the idea of mini feats but there is obviously a big difference in a tool/skill proficiency and a cantrip or save proficiency. I don't really know how I would look into balancing that. It might be better to just say everyone has one bonus skill or tool proficiency of their choice and leave out the cantrip and save....
Have you looked into all the bonus free downloads from WotC? They have a bunch of different classes and archetypes and such that they released, most look fairly well-balanced and the few I've seen in action seem to work decently.
Yeah. One guy wants to be a Swashbuckler rogue. I REALLY like the Storm Sorcerer--NO TABLES!
A bonus saving throw proficiency is equivalent to half a feat (Resilient gives you +1 to an ability score AND proficiency in that ability score's saving throw). But it does seem over powered for some reason. But is it? I'm not sure.
A bonus saving throw is like 1/3 of a feat. Magic Initiate gives you two cantrips and one 1st-level spell per day.
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Yeah. One guy wants to be a Swashbuckler rogue. I REALLY like the Storm Sorcerer--NO TABLES!
A bonus saving throw proficiency is equivalent to half a feat (Resilient gives you +1 to an ability score AND proficiency in that ability score's saving throw). But it does seem over powered for some reason. But is it? I'm not sure.
A bonus saving throw is like 1/3 of a feat. Magic Initiate gives you two cantrips and one 1st-level spell per day.
Yeah, I guess you are right. Just seems like if I had a choice between the whole lot I would see everyone grabbing spells and saves and a very few taking a skill, weapon, or tool proficiency....maybe a boost to them would be in order? To make them more attractive in comparison to extra magic and saves? I dunno. I need to peruse my books to see later, been a while since I looked at feats and char. creation....
I can totally see your point. My first feat ever was Resilient (Constitution) for my hill dwarf Life Cleric. It's like half Toughness and half Super Great Fortitude in PF terms.
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I think the big question on saving throws is that they are not all equal. A charisma or Wisdom Saving throw is going to be more important than a Strength or Intelligence saving throw, for instance. So it's kind of tough to really quantify, especially for classes that have two good saving throws to begin with (the option would be less favorable) versus one that could shore up a defense due to having a class with 1 or less good saving throws.
It's tricky.
Con, Dex, and Wis are the "common" saving throws, and Str, Int, and Cha are the "uncommon" saving throws, with Int being a lot more uncommon than Str or Cha.
Totally.
I see a lot of Strength saves, but I like dynamic effects that move PCs and NPCs around.
In practise and play there are more cha and str saves than just reading rules would make you think.
I sometimes allow Int saves go "get" a clue or innuendo or subtlety that the players missed.
That makes them *somewhat* more common
I sometimes allow Int saves go "get" a clue or innuendo or subtlety that the players missed.
That makes them *somewhat* more common
That's a great idea!!! *steals it*