My (relatively simple) 5E house rules

[RobbyPants]

Preface
The idea is that I wanted to make a relatively small amount of changes to 5E to help fix a few things I don't like about 5E. This is meant to be fairly short, so it's not meant to be a wholistic fix to the entire system. Pretty much any version of this game has always involved heavy use of agreement of everyone at the table (whether they realize it or not) and mind caulk.


What I don't like

• I'm fine with the -5/+10 aspect of Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter. I don't mind the increased damage it brings to the table. What I don't like is that the only two viable choices of weapons are either great weapons or ranged weapons. This locks small-sized melee characters from contributing and makes many iconic weapon choices terrible. Further, once you throw in Polearm Master or Crossbow Expert, the list of viable weapons drops to just halberd, glaive, or hand crossbow. That's terribly limiting and is a feat tax for martials to contribute.
• Some classes and subclasses are great as an idea, but are just terrible at the table. I wanted to boost some of these.
• There is very little reason to take more than two levels of warlock.
• Squishy casters (sorcerers, wizards, and non-hexblade warlocks) can easily pick up medium armor and shield proficiency and often run around with some of the best armor classes in the game. I'd like them to still feel squishy and have to use their spell slots for those defenses.
• Two Weapon Fighting is pretty weak compared to the other styles.
• Some feats are interesting on paper but not good enough to ever make the cut.
• The simplicity of advantage and disadvantage sometimes lead to absurdity.

Quick overview:
So, the biggest thing I did on the martial end was to create an ability under Combat both called Power Attack and Called Shot. It allows you to take a penalty on the attack equal to your proficiency bonus and gain double the bonus to damage rolls. This only applies to attacks taken with the Attack option. This removes the feat tax for Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter while opening the damage up for other weapons (and unarmed strikes). Not working with bonus attacks means that extra attacks from Polearm Master and Crossbow Expert are far less valuable, making these feats less mandatory.

I made the extra attack on Two Weapon Fighting part of the attack action once you have the Extra Attack class feature or Thirsting Blade invocation. This was based on me looking at the damage outputs compared to fighting with a heavy weapon on their own, with the respective fighting styles, and when using Power Attack. They're pretty well in line this way.

A lot of the weaker feats are now "half feats", granting a single ASI as part of the feat.

As for squishy casters being squishy, I'm taking an idea from Treantmonk's channel, limiting casting in armor to class proficiency. The only change I made to his rule was to exclude ritual casting from the limitation.

I feel most of the absurdity of advantage and disadvantage can be fixed by simply applying whichever of the two has more. They only cancel in equal number.

Moving the armor proficiency and +Charisma to attack and damage rolls from the Hexblade subclass to the Pact of the Blade is mostly a personal choice. It's not that I mind people getting those benefits at level 1, but rather I'd like to be able to see Archfey warlocks and Genie warlocks be able to use those abilities. I feel it being tied to a patron called "the Hexblade" was more of an artifact of how the class was designed several years earlier. I wasn't really fixing a perceived balance issue here.


Thanks
That's the long and the short of it. I'd like your feedback on the ideas. I know I've said a couple times that this is meant to be short and sweet and not fix everything, but I don't want that excuse to shield me from criticism.

[RobbyPants]

MISCELLANEOUS

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE
When tracking multiple sources of advantage and disadvantage that apply to a roll, add up the number of each. They only cancel each other if they are in equal number. If the number of advantages is higher, then the roll is still made with advantage. The roll is made with disadvantage if the number of disadvantages is higher.

RACES

Ability Score Increases. Each race gains either a +2 bonus to any one ability score and a +1 bonus to any other, or a +1 bonus to any three ability scores. If playing a race that gains a bonus feat at level 1, you may not put a +2 bonus onto a score that also gains an increase from the chosen feat.

Speed. Any race with a base speed of 25 feet now has a speed of 30 feet.

Spellcasting. Any racial spellcasting ability (such as a high elf’s Cantrip or tiefling’s Infernal Legacy) may use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, chosen at the time the ability is gained.



FEATS

•   The following feats also have a bullet point added to increase your choice of ability score, to a maximum of 20:

Feat	Ability Increase
Charger	Strength or Dexterity
Defensive Duelist	Dexterity
Dual Wielder	Strength or Dexterity
Elemental Adept	Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
Grappler	Strength
Great Weapon Master	Strength or Constitution
Healer	Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
Inspiring Leader	Charisma
Martial Adept	Strength or Dexterity
Savage Attacker	Strength or Dexterity
Sharpshooter	Dexterity or Wisdom

•   Remove the -5 penalty to attack option from Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter.
•   Change the first bullet point of Great Weapon Master to read “On your turn, if a melee attack you make with a heavy weapon reduces a creature to 0 hit points, you may make one melee attack with that weapon as a bonus action”.


 
FIGHTING STYLES

GREAT WEAPON FIGHTING
This fighting style now reads “When you make a melee attack with a weapon you are wielding in two hands using Strength, you add double your Strength modifier to the damage roll.”


COMBAT

INTERACTING WITH OBJECTS AROUND YOU
The list in the PHB (pg 190) has the first item changed to “draw or sheath up to one weapon in each hand”.

POWER ATTACK / CALLED SHOT
When using the Attack action to attack with weapons or unarmed strikes, you may subtract a number from your attack roll no greater than your proficiency bonus. If you do, you add double this number to the damage rolled if the attack succeeds. You choose separately for each attack before rolling the die.
   Note this does not apply to attacks made outside of the Attack action, such as opportunity attacks, attacks made on a bonus action, or attacks made as part of a cantrip.

TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
If you have the Extra Attack class feature or the Thirsting Blade invocation, the off-hand attack granted when fighting with two weapons is taken as part of the Attack action. If you do not have Extra Attack or Thirsting Blade, the off-hand attack still takes a bonus action. All other rules apply.


SPELLCASTING

CASTING IN ARMOR
You may only cast a leveled spell (not cantrip) while wearing armor or holding a shield if the spell’s class (or subclass) granted you that proficiency. This restriction does not apply to spells cast as rituals.
So, a cleric could cast cleric spells in medium armor and with a shield since the cleric class grants those proficiencies. If the character multiclassed as a wizard, they could not cast wizard spells (aside from cantrips or rituals) wearing that armor or shield because the wizard class does not grant them those proficiencies. A valor college bard would be able to cast in medium armor (since the proficiency is granted by the sub class), but a lore college bard with the Moderately Armored feat would not (since it was granted by a feat).

[RobbyPants]

EXPANDED OPTIONS

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. All expanded class options and spell lists in TCoE are available to each class (pg 24-78).


ARTIFICER

ALCHEMIST

Experimental Elixir. You do not need to roll to randomly determine the type of elixir you create. You can create a number during a long rest equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum one).

Potion Brewer. You may create one of the following potions as one of your infusions: Animal Friendship, Climbing, Diminution, Fire Breath, Giant Strength (Hill giant), Growth, Healing (common), Poison, Resistance, or Water Breathing. You choose the type of potion to make each time you create the infusion. Until consumed, the potion counts against your number of items infused.

Alchemical Savant. In addition, when casting a cantrip that deals one of the specified damage types, you may add your artificer level in place of your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll.


BARBARIAN

Athletic Fury. At 7th level, while raging, you double the distance of your long and high jumps. You also gain a climbing and swimming speed of 20 feet during your rage.

Brutal Critical. In addition to the extra damage dice, when you score a critical hit with a melee attack, the target, and any additional creatures you choose within five feet of the target need to make a Wisdom save or be frightened until the beginning of your next turn. The DC is 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus.
   At level 13 the range of the frightening effect extends to 10 feet, and to 15 feet at 17th level.

Howl. At 9th level, when you enter your rage, any creatures you designate within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the beginning of your next turn. The DC is 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. The radius increases to 20 feet at 13th level and 30 feet at 17th level.


PATH OF THE BERSERKER

Frenzy. You only gain a level of exhaustion at the end of your rage if you use this ability more than once before finishing a long rest. While raging, you may take the Dash action as a bonus action. Any time you reduce a creature to 0 hit points while raging, you gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency modifier.


DRUID

Wild Shape. Being reduced to 0 hit points in wild shape gives the Druid a level of exhaustion in addition to changing them back to their normal form.

CIRCLE OF THE MOON

Wild Shape. The Moon Druid is limited to forms of CR 1/2 until level 5.


FIGHTER

CHAMPION

True Grit. At 7th level, when you use your Second Wind feature, you may spend up to a number of Hit Dice equal to half your level, healing the amount rolled. You gain resistance to one damage type of your choosing for one minute.

Indomitable Will. At 10th level, you gain proficiency in either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throws.


MONK

Martial Arts. In addition to the normal abilities, you may use the Power Attack ability (see Combat under 5E House Rules document) with any unarmed strike you make, even as a bonus action.

Ki. Step of the Wind does not require ki. At 4th level Patient Defense does not require ki if you are not wearing armor or using a shield. if Both still take a bonus action, as normal.

Ability Score Improvement. You also gain an ability score improvement at levels 10 and 14.

OPTIONAL CLASS FEATURES

Force of Will
1ST-level monk feature
When taking your first level, you may choose to use Charisma in place of Wisdom for determining Unarmored Defense, Ki save DC, or other class features. Once made, you cannot change this decision.


WAY OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS

Disciple of the Elements. In addition to the normal abilities, you one extra elemental discipline at levels 3, 6, 11, and 17. This grants you a total of two elemental disciplines at each of those levels, plus Elemental Attunement at 3rd level.

Elemental Disciplines. Each elemental discipline with a ki point cost can be used one time without paying the cost. For disciplines normally costing 4 or more ki points, this use is regained after a long rest. For disciplines costing 3 ki points or fewer, this use is regained after a short or a long rest.
   Any Elemental Discipline with a level requirement of 11 is reduced to 6, and any with a requirement of 17 is reduced to 11. The ki costs remain unchanged. You may ignore the Maximum Ki Points for a Spell entry when casting a spell at its minimum level.

Elemental Attunement. In addition to the normal abilities, you learn any two of the following cantrips from XGtE: Control Flames, Gust, Mold Earth, and Shape Water. At level six, you learn the other two.


ROGUE

Roguish Architype feature. You gain your second feature at level 6 instead of 9, your third at level 10 instead of 13, and the final feature at level 14 instead of 17.

Blindsense. You gain this ability at level 9 instead of 14. At 13th level, the range extends to 30 feet.

Improved Uncanny Dodge. At level 17, you may use Uncanny Dodge without using your reaction.


SORCERER

Subclass spells. Each subclass now grants you two new spells known at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, similar to the Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul subclasses in TCoE (pg 66 – 69). At each of these levels, pick two sorcerer spells of a level you can cast that are thematically appropriate for your subclass and character, as approved by the DM.


WARLOCK

Spell Slots. Increase the number of spell slots to 2 at 1st level, 3 at 5th, 4 at 9th, 5 at 13th, and 6 at 17th.

Expanded Spells. At levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, you add one of your Expanded Spell List spells to your list of spells known. This does not count against your total known. In addition, you may swap one of these spells known for another from the list at these levels. In both cases, you cannot select a spell too high a level for you to cast.

Pact of the Blade. In addition to the normal benefits, this pact boon also grants you proficiency in medium armor and shields. In addition, when attacking with your pact weapon, you may use your Charisma modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

HEXBLADE

Hex Warrior. Only grants proficiency with martial weapons (the rest is moved to Pact of the Blade).

Hex Ward. You learn the Blade Ward cantrip and may cast it as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain these uses after a long rest. You learn the Hex spell. It does not count against your number of spells known.

[YouLostMe]

I really like these.

Feedback:

Power Attack / Called Shot: I like systematizing this tradeoff. One thing that bugs me is that you can't make lesser tradeoffs as your proficiency bonus goes up. So at level 4 you can make a -2/+4 trade, but at level 5 you must make a -3/+6 trade, even if a -2/+4 would be more efficient here. But letting players choose from a range of penalties sounds like it's going to slow down the game unnecessarily... I'm not sure what I would recommend here, it just doesn't sit so well with me.

GWM: I feel like 90% of the power of this feat was the -5/+10 trade. Making it a half-feat alleviates some of the pain, but most players are going to be looking for bA actions from other sources like PAM. I think this feat should be opened up a little, either by making the attack free (would need a 1/turn restriction) or by increasing the rate at which the effect can be triggered.

Class Changes: Not that I disagree with these, but a lot of the changes here both more complex than I would want from a houserule set while also not being sufficient to cover the various underperforming player features. There's a lot of stuff going on here for the Monk and Rogue, and big changes to the Wo4E and Alchemist. But now it feels like the Barbarian is left out at mid/high levels, and weaker subclasses like Storm Herald, Champion, Undying.

This isn't to say "y u no fix champion". Re-balancing a lot of the low end classes & subclasses is just a ton of work, and I think you're either going to have classes missing from your personal fixes OR your simple houserules will balloon in size and become not-so-simple. I think it would be better to divide your houserules into 2 buckets: systemic fixes meant to get the most value out of a single line of text, and detailed fixes for sprucing up underperforming subclasses.

Ability Scores: What's the thought behind 27 pb / max 17 array?

[RobbyPants]

Power Attack / Called Shot: I like systematizing this tradeoff. One thing that bugs me is that you can't make lesser tradeoffs as your proficiency bonus goes up. So at level 4 you can make a -2/+4 trade, but at level 5 you must make a -3/+6 trade, even if a -2/+4 would be more efficient here. But letting players choose from a range of penalties sounds like it's going to slow down the game unnecessarily... I'm not sure what I would recommend here, it just doesn't sit so well with me.

So, say that you can take up to a penalty equal to your PB? I certainly don't think it's abusable. It may or may not slow things down at the table depending on if the person is overthinking it. I'd heard a lot of tables nerfed GWM/SS to cap it at PB instead of the flat -5/+10 and thought that it might make this houserule easier to swallow. Also, it makes it a bit less strong at lower levels, where it tends to make hits very swingy.

But yeah, I could go either way on this. I'd lean toward just using a flat PB penalty, but I think using it as a cap would be fine.

GWM: I feel like 90% of the power of this feat was the -5/+10 trade. Making it a half-feat alleviates some of the pain, but most players are going to be looking for bA actions from other sources like PAM. I think this feat should be opened up a little, either by making the attack free (would need a 1/turn restriction) or by increasing the rate at which the effect can be triggered.

Yeah, I feel like GWM is only used for the Power Attack option. The Cleave was just thrown in there to add a new bullet point. It's going to come up in fewer than 5% of attacks, so I figured either I should get rid of the feat or remove the critical hit trigger on the Cleave. I still think it's a weak feat the way I have it written (with the crit restriction removed and adding in the ASI), but I can see some people taking it.

As for the bonus attack from PAM and CE, one specific limitation I put into Power Attack/Called Shot is they only work on attacks made with the attack action. So, you can pick up that extra juicy attack with either of those feats, but it's contributing far less damage to your overall DPR calculation because of that. Honestly, If I took this whole thing and took just one houserule from it at all, it'd be the Power Attack/Called Shot section. It makes weapons other than a halberd, glaive, or hand crossbow viable.

Class Changes: Not that I disagree with these, but a lot of the changes here both more complex than I would want from a houserule set while also not being sufficient to cover the various underperforming player features. There's a lot of stuff going on here for the Monk and Rogue, and big changes to the Wo4E and Alchemist. But now it feels like the Barbarian is left out at mid/high levels, and weaker subclasses like Storm Herald, Champion, Undying.

Yeah, this was extremely arbitrary and you're not wrong about that. I think I want to simply a few things, anyway. Like that whole table in the Artificer isn't adding much and it's just word count. While the rogue isn't a strong class, it's still a fun one and can be played well when played to its strengths. My only beef with it is waiting until level 9 for that second subclass ability, and most of the bullet points there came from me being like "well, what do I do with this dead level, now?". I hate that the class makes you wait so long to get another subclass ability, and none of the ones I've seen published look like they need to be held off that long.

Monk I feel is just the weakest class (with the ranger being addressed in XgtE and TCoE) and needed something. Warlock is a class I really want to like, but almost everything you care about comes from either level 1 or 2. I'm not sure my changes give you a lot of reason to take the class past that point, but I think I could happily play one of these in most games.

Also, I kind of want to just way "Wo4E casts like an Eldritch Knight/Arcane Trickster, uses Wisdom, and here's your spell list" and be done with it. It's such a clumsy mechanic and I was trying too hard to keep working within it.

This isn't to say "y u no fix champion". Re-balancing a lot of the low end classes & subclasses is just a ton of work, and I think you're either going to have classes missing from your personal fixes OR your simple houserules will balloon in size and become not-so-simple. I think it would be better to divide your houserules into 2 buckets: systemic fixes meant to get the most value out of a single line of text, and detailed fixes for sprucing up underperforming subclasses.

Yeah, you're right about that. My extremely arbitrary personal choices in this regard came from me just picking a few things that seemed extra egregious to me at the time. There are definitely some omissions that probably deserve some attention. My Word docs I'm using to create these are in two files (a two page one for the house rules and a (currently) three page one for the class fixes). Keeping it separate makes it easier to hand out relevant things to players so they don't get overwhelmed. I wanted this small because most of the people I play with are fairly casual and all of this balance stuff is me having way more time to theory craft than actually play as an adult.

Every time I look at Champion, I think "what simple fix could make this more fun?" followed by "I'm 90% sure this subclass was written to give to new players".

Ability Scores: What's the thought behind 27 pb / max 17 array?

Honestly, I was watching a lot of Dungeon Dudes content and they like that array. I liked the idea, but I could leave it out. Especially for brevity. Looking at how the new races from MotM are handling ability modifiers, I'll probably just make a blanket rule to make everything like that. Every race gets +2 to one and +1 to another or +1 to three. I'd put in a note that any race that gets a bonus feat at level 1 cannot apply a +2 to the same ability that they boosted with a feat. It'd be more simple and probably better.


Thanks for the feedback. I'll see when I can get around to updating this.

[RobbyPants]

I still want to look at the class-specific stuff a bit, but I updated a few things.

• Power Attack/Called Shot can now take a penalty up to your PB.
  
• I removed the unusual starting array.
• I updated races to bring them more in line with what we're starting to see from Monsters of the Multiverse.
• I updated the monk as I'd updated it in my document. The damage increase mostly comes from being able to use Power Attack on their bonus unarmed strikes.
• I pulled out the expanded effects on elixers from high level slots because I doubt it will come up much at the table and I want to reduce word count.
• Added some mid level stuff for the barbarian
• Added two things for the Champion fighter.

I still want to revisit the four elements monk and maybe add in some stuff for other weaker classes/subclasses. Mid-level barbarian abilities could be nice. Some I may just not worry about (like the Inquisitor or Mastermind).