Shattered Empires

A number of house rules will be in place this game, most have to do with the setting but a few are attempts to improve over all game play.

Rules Articles

Table Rules

Exp

• We will be using book standard Exp, at least until 10th I might slow it down a bit at that point.
• Leveling up will take place after the next long rest or down time following the characters reaching a lavel.
• Exp is on a group basis so missing wont put you behind and no one should end up higher or lower level than anyone else

Player Vs Player

I would prefer you didn't engage in PvP combat or a large amount of PvP conflict, the exception is if you ask the other player first, in private message or other wise. If you both agree this would be an interesting character moment or just want to do it that's fine but respect that not everyone wants your character attacking theirs.

Player Discomfort

If as a player a theme or event in game is making you uncomfortable pm me for a time out or just call for a time out, we can move from the topic if you need to/avoid it in the future.

Game Balance & Fairness

Expect the need for tactics and smart play in combat.

As a DM I feel needless combat (random encounters with rats etc.) is a waist of our game time as such you'll be encountering more challenging combat but less often than the 5e encounter day. Some combat may require you use your environment and some enemies may be modified or have abilities they do not possess in the monster's manual.

Rules Debates

A rules adjudication is bound to come up (some of the house rules below are do to such rulings) I will try to be fair but my first thought in such moments is game balance, please roll with the call at the time and if you want to talk it out we can do so post game.

The Sage Advice column will be taken into account but is not a definitive ruling at the table.

Spotlight Sharing

This game is on the larger side, 6 players, if you're an experienced player think about how and when you can turn the spot light on the players that have been quieter. I'll be thinking in the same way as a DM but I'd appreciate the help and the table will appreciate the feeling of everyone being involved.

MinMaxing

I don't want anyone to feel like they can't build an interesting and powerful character but MinMaxing is a cold war arms race, if you do it I'm going to do it back. The victims here are everyone at the table playing a "normal" character, so build powerful but don't try and break the game please.

Downtime/Crafting

The downtime/crafing system from Xanathar's Guide are available in this game and depending on the path the game takes you may have the time to put them to good use.

House Rules

Quicker Short Rests

Short rest take progressively more time but start out much faster, Your First Short rest is 5 minute, your second is 30, third is an hour and your forth would be 2 hours. A long rest resets the cycle, you are limited to 5 short rests a day.

5 minutes > 30 minutes > 1 Hour > 2 Hours > 4 Hours

Short Rest Spell Recovery

A caster who spends their short rest recovering their magical energies in prayer, meditation, or study regains spell slots with a combined total equal to or less than half their casting class level . Multi class casters use their effective level for spell slots as determined in muliticlassing. Once a caster has used this recovery they must complete a long rest before doing so again.

Potions as bonus actions

Pulling out and Drinking a Potion yourself takes a Bonus Action. Using a potion on an ally is still an action.

Empowered Inspiration

Gaining Inspiration

At the end of each game players may nominate one or more player to receive an inspiration token for a particularly good moment of game play during the session. No player may have more than one inspiration token but s/he may transfer a token to another player upon receiving a second one.

Using Inspiration

If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.

Spending your inspiration gives you pseudo-advantage on the roll where the second roll is always 20 (though not a critical). This roll counts as having advantage for the purposes of class skills and effects (e.g. sneak attack). Spending inspiration on a roll that is suffering disadvantage results in a roll of 20 (no d20 roll needed), this roll cannot crit and does not count as having advantage or disadvantage.

Effectively you can spend your inspiration to buy a "20" on a d20.

Spending inspiration usually constitutes an exemplar moment, and should come with a description of the amazing thing you're doing resulting in your 20; a weapon maneuver, acrobatic stunt, moment of brilliance, bout of luck, etc.

Down but not out

Small modification to the health & dying rules: at 0 health a character is mechanically unconscious but may still perceive their surroundings (disadvantage on any skill checks) and speak. Dying creatures and players are mortally or nearly mortally wounded but may still scream for help or say something dramatic as they die. Just keep in mind you're bleeding and beyond the ability to concentrate on magic so no spells or yelling out advanced strategies.

Critical's & Called Abilities

Effects that can be added after an attack is rolled (such as the paladins smite) can not benefit from critical hits.

Pulling a Stunt/Dramatic Combat

This is less of a rule more of something I want to put in writing; if in the course of a combat you, in character, think of a stunt or action not covered by 5e rules but which seems very possible role-play/narratively, go for it. I won't make a promise as to the results but I won't punish you for it. So if you in a moment of desperation want to throw a fireball right into a Cyclops's eye I might ask for an extra roll or inflict disadvantage or even tell you that if you miss the fireball spell will go off far in the air (effectively doing nothing) but I won't stop you and if you pull it off there will be an effect.

The flip side to this is you have to live with my adjudications, i.e. if I say the cyclops was blind for a few rounds but has recovered enough to see you again, roll with it. I also ask you not to abuse this tool, its here for fun and great moments not for abuse, if it becomes game breaking it will just get dropped.

I may use it as a GM but I already have a big toolbox of ways to make encounters interesting so this is in my mind a tool in the player's belt not mine.

NPC levels & soft level cap

mostly for setting understanding this games levels range from 1 to 10 instead of 1 to 20, this is only a soft limit for players and NPCs but effectivly means all but the most powerful NPCs in the game will be level 10 or under.

If you are familiar with the Epic rules of 3.5 levels above 10 are viewed in a similar light, you're not just a hero at that point you're a icon, one of if not the best of your class in the world.

Dwarves and Elorii tend to be more experienced and higher level than others due to their long lives or reincarnation cycle but even then you'll note that next to no one on this list can cast spells higher than 3rd level. Meaning magics like bringing the dead back to life or teleportation are almost unheard of. as players approach this level they will be capable of feats that aw the average man and lord alike.

I plan for the game to reach these levels and for exp to be slower at that point but as we play you can also keep this in mind. For much of this game you will be better than those around you, uniquely capable of dealing with enemies and growing legends.

Summoning Spells and Fey

There are no fey on Arcanis, nor does the Feywild exist. There are spirits, however, which are like fey but are connected to the Material Plane.

The following spells function differently on Arcanis, as detailed below:

• Commune with nature: This spell gives you knowledge of spirits, not fey, within the area.
• Conjure animals: This spell summons spirits in the shape of beasts, not fey.
• Conjure fey: This spell does not exist.
• Conjure woodland beings: This spell summons spirits, not fey.
• Detect evil and good, dispel evil and good, divine word, hallow, magic circle, protection from evil and good, and planar binding: These spells all function on spirits, but not on fey.
• Find familiar, find steed, and spirit guardians: These spells all summon spirits, not fey.

Secret Spells: Some spells are only taught to members of specific groups, religious orders, or bloodlines. A spell that is designated a secret spell is only available to you if you are a member of the listed group.

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