Special Rules and Guidelines

NOTE: These rules are subject to change upon petition of players or the DM. If anyone wishes to change a rule, that conversation should be had with everyone available to listen/contribute. These changes are meant to make the game more fun, improve/maintain balance, play up the setting's themes, and codify certain rulings so I don't come off as some arbitrary, capricious asshole if I issue a ruling against whatever you had in mind.

1. Character creation and progression must be done with material from the Player's Handbook (PHB) and Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (SCAG). This campaign, while sporting some choice modifications, is heavily based upon the 5e module Curse of Strahd (CoS), which came out in 2016. There's simply too much content for me to determine if the material in later books would throw the campaign's world out of balance. SCAG came out before CoS and the campaign is technically set on the Sword Coast, hence it being the exception. If you want to play a ranger or otherwise believe your class is underpowered, let me know. We'll figure something out. I will provide general information about the campaign so that you aren't embracing a style of play that is dissonant or ineffective at the table. Please double-check your character against the PHB's errata. I will check as well, but for my sake, please help me keep that work to a minimum.
   
   
2. Starting stats will be done using point-buy. Because we are working with just the PHB and SCAG for character creation, I have also decided that normal Humans will receive two +1 ASIs and two +2 ASIs, instead of the usual +1 to everything. This should make them a more competitive option while still reflecting the all-rounder na. As such, no taking Variant Human. In addition to trait, ideal, bond, and flaw, please define the following: Three things that if said/done, your character would throw hands, one thing they deeply fear, and one thing they would die for. Please ensure that there is a reasonable chance these could come up during play (if you are unsure, just ask). Place those somewhere on Page 2 of your character sheet. Not to rag on the 5e model, but traits and bonds are easily forgotten/ignored by players and DMs alike, and ideals just rephrase a character’s alignment. Flaws are more interesting (and more useful), but we can do even better.
   
   
3. All characters are allowed to take one feat upon character creation from the list I curated. These are exclusively from the PHB (SCAG doesn't have any). I’ve tried to eliminate feats that are “top-tier” or part of powerful synergies. I want the feat chosen to help flesh out your character, so please have something in their story that explains the feat. Again, double-check the errata to be sure of what you're actually getting. As stated on the feats page, all feats that normally include a +1 ASI do not provide this benefit if taken at character creation. Should anyone wish to take one of these feats outside of character creation, they will receive all of that feat's benefits at that time.
   
   
4. You may not play an Evil or Chaotic Neutral character without my approval. There's already enough shitty stuff going on in Barovia. We don't need to add more. If you think your character should be an exception, pitch it to me. In addition, the content meant for the first and third page of everyone's character sheets is public knowledge. You can keep all your backstory info to yourself, but no being sneaky about your stats, equipment, skills, spells, etc. Narrative secrets are totally fine. Also, I would like to have a copy of all parts of your character sheets so I can make challenges that are interesting and suited to the personal and mechanical strengths/weaknesses of the party.
   
   
5. If you plan to multiclass down the line, please tell me as far in advance as you can. There should be a compelling reason for this new direction your character takes, like how your backstory at character creation was crucial to your initial class choice. Letting me know in advance can help me tailor moments in the story to facilitate your multiclass. If you plan on adding any class with spellcasting, you must tell me that at character creation. I want good explanations for how your new role makes sense, since taking levels in a new class almost always require the help of a third party (teachers, gods, patrons, bloodlines, orders, etc.).
   
   
6. Upon level-up, HP will be rolled, and 1's get rerolled. I will call for the roll, so don't jump the gun. I'm also trying something new of (mostly) my own creation: Your HP will be split into Heroism and Physique (I'm pleased with the new acronym). Physique is equal to your class level, except for classes with a d10 or d12 Hit Die, for whom Physique is double your class level. Heroism is the remainder of your HP and behaves as you're used to, healing on short/long rests and via magic. Physique is more difficult to restore, regaining one/two points per week (depending upon class Hit Die) and can only be healed rapidly by select spells. There are instances in which Heroism can be bypassed: throat slit in your sleep, ingesting a poison (nerfed for this system, naturally), being hanged for your crimes, etc. This system is meant to reflect that your durability is primarily a function of skill/experience/luck, and that at the end of the day, you're not invincible juggernauts just because you killed a few zombies over the past two weeks.
   
   
7. A streamlined encumbrance system might be used, pending campaign needs. STR has very little utility in 5e, and in a campaign like Cos, I believe that having limits to what you can have on your person is fitting. Hoarding isn't a good adventuring trait, so bring what you need, and save enough room to bring your loot back with you. Act like you have physical limits, or I will have to impose them mechanically. To keep it simple, yet relevant, I will assign items or groups of items weights, and you may carry weight up to your STR score. Armor will be less taxing while being worn rather than being carried.
   
   
8. This one is less of a rule and more of a best practice: when declaring actions (in or out of combat, it doesn't matter), try to frame your action as an intent plus an approach. Tell me what you're trying to do, and how you're trying to go about doing it. Phrasing it as "I [act], trying to [intent]," or "Attempting to [intent], I [act]," is an easy way to do so, but feel free to spice it up as needed. I like this as a means to avoid ambiguity in assigning difficulty to checks and adjudicating the outcome of actions.



9. On the topic of declaring actions and intentions, if it is not your turn (in or out of combat), please do not say anything. Crosstalk and side conversations greatly increase the time it takes to resolve player decisions. During combat, group strategy meetings are inappropriate. Nothing wrong with planning outside of combat, but exceptional coordinated maneuvering without any prior planning is kind of ridiculous. I will give the party up to 30 seconds (pending context) to settle on a general plan for the next round. Related to appropriate conversation, try your absolute best to not communicate anything out of character that could be done in character at some point. If you have a reason for doing something in combat that you think the group would like to know, tell them after the fight. Breaking character breaks both immersion and tension. Keep the fourth wall as intact as you can, or I'll have to use the spray bottle.
   
   
10. You may use your full turn (movement, action, bonus action, reaction) to perform a Sprint, moving up to 5x your normal speed in a straight line without interruption. If the scouting character gets noticed, he shouldn't have to wait 5+ turns for backup. You may do this up to 2x your CON modifier per encounter (minimum 1). This also may give attacks and spells with longer ranges a chance to actually use that range (on, say, an enemy sprinting away from a lost fight).
    
    
11. Players' normal weapon damage dice (not the extra fire damage on a Flame Tongue, for instance) explode. That is, if you roll the max value on a die, roll another of that die and add it to the total. This new die can also explode. The purpose of this rule is to slightly buff weapon damage on average and to decrease the odds of a critical hit coming out disappointingly low, all without seriously slowing down gameplay. Most importantly, there is no upper limit on the damage you can deal. Statistically unlikely, but the possibility is exciting!
    
    
12. Melee weapon attacks can "cleave" enemies, meaning that remaining damage from an attack can be applied to an adjacent enemy within range of the attacker (the original roll applies to the new target's AC and conditions to deal additional damage must still be met). The maximum number of enemies hit from a single attack is equal to your Proficiency Bonus. I wanted there to be a way to create encounters with large numbers of relatively weak enemies without making characters with AoE abilities massively outclass high-damage, single-target attackers. It's super cool to see a Paladin's smite turn three grunts into paste with one swing, or a Rogue carve through a pair of enemies in a flash of steel, and kind of lame to roll a Natural 20 against an enemy with 3HP left.



13. If you try to do something cool in combat outside the established actions a character can do, I will likely call for a check and declare a DC. You can either accept the terms or pick another action - no negotiating. If you succeed, you will expend your action to do your intended move. If you fail, you will expend your bonus action for your effort. If you’ve already used your bonus action, failure will expend your action. You must have your action available to attempt this. Large margins of success or failure may bring additional benefits or consequences.
    
    
14. If a character is reduced to 0 HP from more than two thirds of their max health in one turn from a single source, they will roll a CON save to avoid lingering injury. For sanity's sake, this rule will start when player characters reach Level 3. On failure, the character sustains a lingering injury corresponding to the nature of the damage, taking effect after or during combat, depending upon degree of failure. All lingering injuries can heal with time and/or magic. I will not cripple any characters so bad they can't adventure, make them generally less effective than their fellow party members, or leave them without means of fixing it within a session or two.
    
    
15. When you are downed, you will roll your Death Saves behind the DM screen, only viewed by you and me. Please do your best to not let your party members know the results of your roll (fist pumping, facial expressions, etc.). We're going by the honor system, so just do your best. Please know that death is not necessarily the only outcome of failing three saves. Depending upon the context, I may have other plans. Additionally, able characters may perform Medicine checks on downed allies to stabilize them. The result of this check is treated as the result of a Death Save. A Natural 20 will return the character to the fight with 1 HP, as will a check with a final value of 25 or greater. A natural 1 or a check with a final value of 5 or less counts as two failed saves. Upon returning to nonzero HP, you will only be able to take a dodge, disengage, or hide action on your first turn and will not have a bonus action or reaction.



16. I will not adjudicate any inter-party conflicts, with the exception that there will be no PvP without setting ground rules first (outside of the game session prior to any such confrontation). If one character tries to deceive or mistreat another, figure out how to resolve that as your characters as quickly as you can. Maybe you roll, or maybe you see that the narrative is more enjoyable if your character doesn't get their way. On the topic of deceiving others, the contents of the first and third pages of your character sheet are public knowledge, unless I make a specific exception. No such exceptions will exist at character creation. You are welcome to keep backstory info to yourself, though I would like a copy of that page for personal use in narrative design. Passing private notes at the table is permitted, but please do so using the provided index cards instead of your phones, and consider that in a game where we're trying to minimize metagaming, some secrets are actually more impactful when they're known by the players, but not the characters.



17. Barovia exists in a very interesting place in the world of D&D. As a result, certain spells behave differently than one would expect from the PHB. If a spell is rendered useless or significantly reduced in utility, I will allow a character to learn a different one at the normal time that class's spells recharge. Note that the spell must be used at least once to determine something is amiss. On the topic of spells, I intend to be more demanding about component requirements. I will be checking for having a free hand, a casting focus, etc. Additionally, unless a spell's description or usage strongly implies subtlety, assume that spells are obvious to those nearby. Unearthly voice, arcane sigils in the air, stuff like that. Everyone in a scene/encounter knows who launched the fireball or buffed an ally.



18. Inspiration will expire at the end of the session after the one at which it was awarded. I would like to be more generous in my awarding of single-use buffs, and cannot easily incentivize quality play if you don't use what you already have. I may create other, smaller benefits, but they will certainly be subject to expiration dates, too. Conversely, if I hear anyone say the word "flavor," I will impose a penalty upon one of your rolls at an inconvenient time. Its use guarantees complete lack of importance to the associated sentence while simultaneously damaging immersion by being meta commentary. It's the worst word to ever infect roleplayers' minds, and I will exorcise it from every mind that I can.