Fifth Edition Options

Fifth Edition
Options
Optional Rules
and Mechanics
5th Edition
Compatible
Designed & Written by: Brian Berg
Additional Content by: Jason Sonia
Editing: Michael Ritter
Cover Design: Brian Berg
Layout: Brian Berg
Cover Artwork: © 2015 Eric Lofgren, used with permission. All rights reserved; interior artwork: Jacob Blackmon,
Joseph J. Calkins © Cerberus Illustrations, Storn Cook, Image Portfolio © Louis Porter, Jr. Design. All Rights
Reserved, Some artwork © 2015 Scott Harshbarger, used with permission. All rights reserved, some art by
Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games, Hopsy Graphic Art, Shaman’s Stock Art,
Eric Lofgren, Maciej Zagorski/The Forge Studios.
Product Identity: The Total Party Kill Games (TPK Games) company, names and logos; the “Fifth Edition Options”
name and logo; all original artwork, backgrounds, and logos; all trade dress, and graphic design elements are
©Total Party Kill Games.
Open Content: All game mechanics, proper names of classes, prestige classes, archetypes, feats, skills, spells, magic
items, monsters, rituals, artifacts AND/OR the names of abilities presented within this book are open game content
as described in the Open Gaming License.
Published by Total Party Kill Games, LLC. 1st printing, June 28, 2016.
Thank you for your purchase of Fifth Edition Options! We hope you enjoy it and that you check out our other
great print and PDF products. You can find our other works on Amazon.com, d20pfsrd.com, DriveThruRPG.com,
Fantasy Grounds, and Paizo.com.
1
It is our intention that you treat these rules as modular
OPTIONS, toolkits, allowing you to pick and choose what suits

your table best.
OPTIONS… WARNING!
If you have not played much of the 5th Edition game,
we encourage you to play through several sessions,
maybe even a full adventure before adopting any of
Players and GMs alike can agree that we all love
these optional rules. Adding new rules can often have
options. Options in a game, be it for players or the
consequences that are unforeseen, as can stacking
GM, allow you to tailor your character or game to suit
many different optional rules. We’ve given some aid
your needs—and the needs of those who sit with you
to GMs that want to use these rules and understand
on those revered days known as “Game Day.”
that their players' characters may be more powerful
Because of options, not every game will be the same,
because of. See the GM’s Miscellany section for rules
and that adds to the experience and fun, of course.
on adjusting encounter difficulties when using optional
Fun, it turns out, is the reason why we all get together
rules.
to enjoy roleplaying games.
How to Use This Book

This book is designed to allow GMs and players to
take a look at their games, determine what works best
for them, grab the optional rules they want and ignore
the rest. What works for you might not work for the
next person, and what works for one style of game
might not work for another. However, the options
presented below should give you a wealth of
opportunity to play the game in new ways and add to
the fun at your tables.
2
What this brings to the table is a method that gives
CHAPTER ONE: slightly above average stats, without being min-
maxed. You get the customization you seek as a
CHARACTER player, but luck and priority placement of stats still

plays a huge role, inherently balancing the method.
Beware though, you may end up having to take a roll
OPTIONS that’s lower in a particular stat because of your choices
earlier.
Every group seems to have their own preferred rules THE DICE POOL METHOD (24d6)
set for use when making characters. One of the most Roll 24 six-sided dice and assign any number of those
fun aspects of the game is character creation. You roll
some dice and a spark of an idea is forged into flesh
and steel. The optional rules below are designed to
give your games more options for creating great
characters.
RANDOM ABILITY SCORE

GENERATION METHODS
dice for each of the six stats you wish to generate. You
must place at least three dice in each stat. You then
roll all the dice, keeping the three highest die rolls for
each stat.
For example, if you want a high STR score, you can

put 6d6 in it if you like. Your chances of getting a high
score are good, but not guaranteed. It is entirely
possible that by placing a lowly 3d6 into INT (for
THE GRID METHOD (4d6-L) instance) that you could still find your character with
Known sometimes as the “Tic Tac Toe” method, the an 18 INT. You may have only gotten a 16 STR out of
grid method allows you to create very diverse stats, 6d6 and now also have an 18 INT.
which should feel heroic, but not overly powerful. It
creates stats that lend themselves to roleplaying, and What to do, what to do… This opens up great
are much more diverse than point buy creation. avenues for roleplaying. You don’t have to be the
“dumb fighter.” You might be a cunning warrior, a
Draw a 3 x 3 grid on paper and on the left hand multiclass fighter/wizard, or even a tactician.
column label the STR, DEX, and CON statistics. Then Sometimes that randomness can be great are create
go across the top row record the INT, WIS, and CHA awesome roleplaying opportunities.
statistics. Then roll 4d6, dropping the lowest die to
generate and record each of the scores in the squares DEAL WITH THE DEVIL METHOD
(all nine) row by row. This dice rolling method offers some risk and reward,
gambling stats with the game master. Players roll 4d6,
Choose one rolled score in each row and column, then dropping the lowest die. The GM rolls the same dice
mark it off. You may not use any chosen roll twice, behind his screen, and the player chooses if he wants
and you must choose a stat from the appropriate row his rolled stats or to take the GM’s rolls.
or column combination.
Needless to say, this makes for some very exciting stat
rolling, and can help those who roll poorly on their
own.
3
IMPROVED POINT BUY HIGH FANTASY ARRAY
The standard point buy does not allow for stats that 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 8
go beyond 15. This is because in the standard game,
stats raise fairly easily and have a maximum of 20. EPIC FANTASY ARRAY
This may not be the case in your game. With this 16, 15, 14, 12, 12, 8
optional rule, you can expand your character creation
to include stats up to 18, albeit at a greater cost.
ALTERNATE ABILITY SCORE BONUSES
In addition, there are different point pools listed to
suit the various styles of game play that you may wish BACKGROUNDS
Barbarian +1 Str and Con
to use in your games. A low fantasy game should not
Bard +1 Cha and Int
have the same measure of ability scores as would an Cleric +1 Wis and Cha
epic fantasy game. Druid +1 Wis and Con
Fighter +1 Str (or Dex) and Con
ABILITY SCORE POINT COST Monk +1 Str (or Dex) and Wis
8 0 Paladin +1 Str and Wis
9 1 Ranger +1 Dex and Wis
10 2 Rogue +1 Dex and Cha (or Int)
11 3 Sorcerer +1 Con and Cha
12 4 Warlock +1 Int and Cha
13 5 Wizard +1 Int and Wis
14 7
15 9
BACKGROUNDS
16 11
Acolyte +1 Wis or Cha
17 13
Charlatan +1 Cha or Int
18 15
Criminal +1 Dex or Int
Entertainer +1 Int or Cha
CAMPAIGN TYPE POINTS Folk Hero +1 Wis or Cha
Guild Artisan +1 Int or Wis
Low Fantasy 24
Hermit +1 Con or Wis
Standard Fantasy 27 Noble +1 Int or Cha
Outlander +1 Con or Wis
High Fantasy 30
Sage +1 Int or Wis
Epic Fantasy 35 Sailor +1 Con or Wis
*Standard Fantasy is the default creation set for a Soldier +1 Str or Con
Urchin +1 Dex or Cha
typical game.
ALTERNATE ABILITY ARRAYS With this variant, PCs generate their ability scores not
simply from race, but by class and background as well.
Differentiating between the level of fantasy in your
It stands to reason that a character who has been a
games means that the standard array does not suit
soldier all their life, or even the past couple years has
each campaign type. Some GMs may prefer to allow
been changed by the experience. They are stronger,
players to have an array of stats, or use these as an
leaner and more enduring. A criminal might be
alternative for those who roll poorly or are simply
craftier and more lithe, having been shaped by the
unsatisfied with rolling stats in general.
streets they grew up on.
Below are a number of different basic ability score
Each class and background grants an alternate ability
arrays to suit each play style.
score bonus. Use these bonuses instead of the innate
racial bonuses, or mix and match them. A class bonus
LOW FANTASY ARRAY
can be substituted for a racial +2, and a background
15, 14, 12, 10, 10, 8
bonus can be substituted for a subrace’s +1 bonus.
STANDARD FANTASY ARRAY
15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8
4
RACIAL MAXIMUMS  Large creatures have double the carrying
capacity of a Medium creature.
While 5th Edition does not have negative adjustments
on ability scores, some GMs may wish to keep halflings
from having a 20 Strength score, or elves from having HANDEDNESS
20 Constitution. The following scores represent racial Roughly ten percent of the population are left-
maximums. Where most races can have a maximum handed. Characters that are left-handed have no
of 20 in any ability score, the races below have their mechanical penalties, but in some societies, left-
own maximums in certain ability scores. handed people are frowned upon, or viewed with
suspicion.
RACE MAXIMUMS
Dwarf Dex 18, Cha 18 Performing complex tasks, such as fighting with a
Elf Con 18 weapon or using tool with the “wrong” hand imposes
Halfling Str 18 disadvantage on any check involved. Ambidextrous
Dragonborn Int 18 characters do not suffer penalties for using their
Gnome Str 18 “wrong” hand for complex tasks.
Half-elf Con 18
Half-orc Cha 18
Tiefling Cha 18 2D6 ROLL HANDEDNESS
2 Left
3-11 Right
VARIANT ABILITY SCORE 12 Ambidextrous
IMPROVEMENT New Feat: Left-Handed Duelist
In order to show a greater progression, all characters
gain ability score improvement of +1 to a single stat at Left-Handed Duelist
every even level. If you are using feats, you must You have learned to duel left-handed, putting those
forgo two ability score improvements (4th and 8th, etc. you face at odds with your “backwards” style.
to gain a feat). Prerequisite: Left-handed, Dex 13+
*During the first round of combat with a humanoid

VARIANT SIZES foe that is not left-handed, you gain advantage on all
In 5th edition, a character’s size has relatively little
attacks and those foes suffer disadvantage on their
effect. To some, this is a boon, and to others it is less
attacks against you.
realistic. The following rules can be applied to give
*After the first round of engaging with those foes,
Small characters some differences from other
you instead gain a +1 bonus to attacks against foes
characters.
that are not left-handed.
SMALL CHARACTERS
 All Small races have a maximum of 16 on ABILITY SCORE PROFICIENCY
initial Strength scores and a maximum of 18
after character creation. Most all other dice rolls increase as a character
increases in level, but ability checks have always been
 Small characters gain a +1 bonus to AC.
a weak spot in the game. Incredibly strong characters
 Small characters have half the carrying
have difficulty bending bars, and intelligent characters
capacity of a Medium creature.
sometimes cannot recall details of knowledge they
should have committed to memory.
LARGE CHARACTERS
By the same token, some races may allow a player to
To combat this, you can allow classes to gain
be Large sized.
proficiency in ability checks related to their class.
These proficiency bonuses would be added only when
 Large characters may have a maximum a character makes a simple ability check, not a skill
Strength and Constitution score of 22. check.
 Large characters gain advantage on saves
against being pushed, tripped, etc. by Class Ability Score Proficiency
creatures that are smaller than themselves. Barbarian Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom
Bard Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma
Cleric Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
5
Druid Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom Below are some options to allow feats at
Fighter Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution 1st level for other characters:
Monk Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom
Paladin Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma Option 1: All characters gain a bonus feat at 1 st level.
Ranger Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom Humans still gain a bonus feat for being human (if that
Rogue Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma option is used). Note that this is a direct power
Sorcerer Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma
increase, and you should expect your PCs to handle
Warlock Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
challenges more easily than normal.
Wizard Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
Option 2: All characters gain a bonus feat at first

Granting Advantage
level, but humans gain proficiency in three additional
GMs could instead grant advantage on the above
skills at first level instead of their human bonus feat (if
ability score rolls instead of adding your proficiency
you use that option).
bonus. This would generate less random rolls,
allowing PCs to feel more heroic when making these
This option keeps human PCs from being vastly more
tests, but not guaranteeing success.
powerful, considering that they might already gain a
bonus feat for being human. The three bonus skills is
GMs might also simply offer a feat that grants them
essentially a feat, but not one that necessarily relates
this option.
to combat strength, making it more palatable.
New Feat: Exceptional Ability
Option 3: Any character can gain a bonus feat at first
Exceptional Ability level, but at the cost of two stat points. With this
You are well-practiced in the use of one of your
option, a character must sacrifice two of their attribute
ability scores. Choose one of your ability scores.
point bonuses to gain the bonus feat. Characters can
Prerequisite: Ability Score 13+
sacrifice their +2 bonus to a stat for their feat or a +1
and +1, as long as the total bonus sacrificed equals +2.
* You gain a +1 bonus to your chosen ability score,
to a maximum of 20.
This option is more balanced and works in a similar
* You have advantage when making ability score
way to how feat progression works in 5th edition
checks with your chosen ability.
already. Some players may not like losing their initial
attribute bonuses, but many feats do provide some
small measure of attribute boosts also and are often
FEATS AT FIRST LEVEL worth the sacrifice of some ability score points, as
In other editions and games, feats were they increase with relative ease as you level or
more plentiful, and allowed for myriad take more feats.
choices of character customization. In
5th Edition, feats are more powerful, CHARACTER FLAWS
encompassing broad strokes of ability,
One additional way for players to
but are harder to acquire. Some GMs
gain an additional feat is to use
and players alike may wish to allow
flaws. A flaw is a weakness of sorts
their PCs feats at first level, as they
that the character gains. Characters
are accustomed to. However, this
who choose a flaw should be
optional rule presents some
allowed to gain a feat or increase
challenges.
two of their ability scores by +1
(or one by +2).
Allowing PCs feats at first level
presents an increase in power, as
Flaws should only be chosen at
feats are much stronger in 5th
first level, but some situations
Edition. Normally, only human
could arise where a flaw is
characters can gain feats at 1st level,
granted at a later level. The
and only through a variant rule that
GM has final say on such
reduces their ability scores.
matters.
6
1d100 Flaw Animal Animosity
1-3 Abrasive Personality Animals have a tendency to dislike you.
4-6 Absent-Minded Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all Handle
7-9 Aggressive
Animal skill checks. Additionally animals and beasts
10-12 Animal Animosity
choose you as a target in preference of other targets
13-15 Aquaphobic
(as long as doing so does not put the attackers in
16-18 Asthmatic
19-21 Blatant
some obvious additional risk), and such creatures
22-24 Blind gain advantage on attack rolls made against you.
25-27 Claustrophobic
28-30 Clumsy Aquaphobic
31-33 Craven You are deathly afraid of water.
34-36 Deaf Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all Athletics skill
37-39 Easily Distracted checks made to swim and on attack rolls, skill checks,
40-42 Farsighted and saving throws made when you are in water that
43-45 Fear of Heights is at least half your height.
46-48 Frail
49-51 Graceless Asthmatic
52-54 Hard of Hearing
Harsh conditions or long exertions overtire you and
55-57 Illiterate
set you to wheezing.
58-60 Loathesome
61-63 Naive Effect: You suffer disadvantage on any effect that
64-66 Nearsighted will cause you to gain exhaustion, and any effect
67-69 Not the Brightest Torch with cloud, dust, fog, or smoke in its name. You can
70-72 Obese hold your breath for only half the normal duration.
73-75 Overly Cautious Additionally, sleeping in light or heavier armor causes
76-79 Phobia you to gain one level of exhaustion.
80-82 Poor Defense
83-85 Puny Blatant
86-88 Sickly You are terrible at being deceptive.
89-91 Uneducated Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all Deception and
92-94 Unfocused Spellcaster Stealth checks, as you find it difficult to conceal any
95-97 Unwise aspect of your activities.
98-100 Weakness
Blind
Abrasive Personality You cannot see.
You are difficult, overbearing and generally crass in Effect: You permanently have the blinded
social situations, causing others to dislike you. condition.
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all Persuasion
skill checks.
Claustrophobic
You are deathly afraid of being enclosed.
Absent-Minded Effect: If you are underground or in an enclosed
You are frequently preoccupied with random area (five or less feet), you gain the frightened
thoughts, and find it difficult to pay attention. condition.
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on Initiative and
Perception skill checks.
Clumsy
You have a difficult time moving over and through
Aggressive obstacles.
You are hot-headed and brash, eager to rush into Effect: When in difficult terrain or when making a
combat. Dexterity save, if you roll a natural 1 or 2 on any d20
Effect: Opponents gain advantage on their first check you make (attack, ability or skill check), you
attack roll against you when you engage them in fall prone.
melee.
7
Craven Effect: Your initial Dexterity ability score is reduced
You are not brave and frighten easily. by -3.
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all saves against Hard of Hearing
fear and are frightened for the first round of combat Your hearing is greatly impaired.
against any creature whose CR is equal to or higher Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all hearing-based
than your character level. Perception checks. The GM may decide you suffer
disadvantage on other skill checks situationally.
Deaf
You cannot hear. Illiterate
Effect: You permanently have the deafened You cannot read.
condition. Effect: You do not begin play knowing how to read
any languages. It takes you twice the time and
Easily Distracted money to ever train yourself to read any languages.
You find it difficult to pay attention.
Effect: You have disadvantage on Perception checks Loathsome
and extended skill checks. There is something about your manners or looks that
people find repulsive.
Farsighted Effect: Your initial Charisma ability score is reduced
You find it difficult to see things at close range. by -3.
Effect: You have difficulty making out details of
close objects. You cannot read, and you have Naive
disadvantage on Perception checks and ranged attack You lack wisdom and experience, foolishly believing
rolls made for targets 10 feet and closer. what others speak as truth.
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all Insight checks
Fear of Heights to see through deceptions.
If you climb or become more than 15’ elevated, you
become very nervous. Nearsighted
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all attacks, skill You see well close-up, but have difficulty farther
checks and saving throws any time you are climbing, away.
or when you are within 10 feet of a dropoff of 15 Effect: You suffer disadvantage on sight-based
feet or more. Perception checks and ranged attacks beyond 10 feet.
Frail Not the Brightest Torch

You have weak physical health. You are somewhat slow and dim-witted.
Effect: You lose 1 hit point per every Hit Die you Effect: Your initial Intelligence ability score is
possess, starting at 1st level. reduced by -3.
Graceless Obese
You possess no balance or agility. You are large, slow and heavy.
Effect: You weight +50% or more than others of
your kind. Armor must be custom made for you,
costing twice the normal amount listed. In addition,
your movement speed is halved.
Overly Cautious
You are extremely cautious and take great care
before making any action.
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on all Initiative
checks.
Phobia
You are terrified of a certain thing or creature type.
8
Effect: You gain the frightened condition whenever version of multiclassing we are accustomed to today.
within 30’ of the object of your phobia. This variant multiclassing reproduces that older
version.
Poor Defense In this variant, characters have multiple classes,
You are not good at defending yourself. leveling each class separately. The classes do not stack
Effect: You suffer a -1 penalty to AC. in ability, rather functioning more like two separate
characters.
Puny
You are noticeably smaller and weaker than most of Multiclassing Rules
your race. Choose a maximum of three classes to multiclass. A
Effect: Your initial Strength ability score is reduced word of warning however, multiclass characters will
by -3. initially have slightly more abilities and strengths than
a single class character, but they will quickly fall behind
Sickly in power. This is the price of multiclassing.
You are frequently ill and get exerted easily.
Effect: Your initial Constitution ability score is You must meet the ability score prerequisites to allow
reduced by -3. for multiclassing.
Uneducated Class Ability Score Minimum

Barbarian Strength 13
You did not have the benefit of a standard
Bard Charisma 13
education. Cleric Wisdom 13
Effect: You are illiterate and only have proficiency Druid Wisdom 13
in one class skill. Fighter Strength or Dexterity 13
Monk Dexterity and Wisdom 13
Unfocused Spellcaster Paladin Strength and Charisma 13
You are not good at spellcasting when threatened or Ranger Dexterity and Wisdom 13
distracted. Rogue Dexterity 13
Sorcerer Charisma 13
Prerequisites: Caster level 1st
Warlock Charisma 13
Effect: You suffer disadvantage on concentration Wizard Intelligence 13
checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability
when casting on the defensive or when grappled.
Experience
Your experience chart depends on the number of
Unwise
classes you choose to multiclass. When you reach the
You are imprudent and prone to making poor
appropriate number of XP on your multiclassing chart,
decisions.
you level up in each class.
Effect: Your initial Wisdom ability score is reduced
by -3.
As you can see, an 8th level single class character would
have 34,000 XP. That same character multiclassed
Weakness with two classes would be 6th/6th and if they had three
You are less resilient than you should be. classes would be 5th/5th/5th. Thanks to 5th edition’s
Effect: You always suffer disadvantage against one gradual progression, each of those characters would
ability saving throw. still have a +3 proficiency bonus and be similar in
power. The multiclass characters would lag behind in
VARIANT MULTICLASSING hit points, but have extra abilities to (hopefully) keep
In 5th edition, multiclassing represents the acquisition them out of harm’s way or recover faster.
of a new pool of talents. These talents and skills are
added onto your existing skills and abilities. When Table: Double Class Multiclassing
you multiclass, you may begin play as a 1st level fighter, Level Experience Points
but then add one level of rogue, becoming a 2nd level 1 0
character. 2 600
3 1,800
4 5,400
In earlier editions, characters were able to multiclass in
5 13,000
a way that was different from the stacking of levels
9
6 28,000 If the saves for additional classes are the same, the
7 46,000 character gains no additional benefit.
8 68,000
9 96,000
10 128,000
Level Based Bonuses
11 170,000 Your proficiency bonus is based on your character
12 200,000 level, not your combined levels. A triple multiclassed
13 240,000 character of 5th/5th/5th is a 5th level character, not a 15th.
14 280,000
15 330,000 Abilities
16 390,000 Multiclassing has advantages and drawbacks. When
17 450,000 you choose to multiclass, you sacrifice the full
18 530,000
spectrum of ability of a class in order to gain a handful
19 610,000
20 710,000 of abilities from other classes as well. Your lack of
specialization means you have more abilities, but will
Table: Triple Class Multiclassing never be as good as a single class character. Each
Level Experience Points multiclass only gains some of the class’s normal
1 0 abilities. You do not gain all the abilities of one class
2 900 as with normal multiclassing. Refer to the abilities
3 2,700 below.
4 8,100
5 19,500 Class Proficiencies Gained
6 42,000 Barbarian Shields, simple weapons, martial
7 69,000 weapons
8 102,000 Bard Light armor, one musical instrument of
9 144,000 your choice
10 192,000 Cleric Light armor, medium armor, shields
11 225,000 Druid Light armor, medium armor, shields
12 300,000 (druids will not wear armor or use
13 360,000 shields made of metal)
14 420,000 Fighter Light armor, medium armor, shields,
15 495,000 simple weapons, martial weapons
16 585,000 Monk Simple weapons, shortswords
17 675,000 Paladin Light armor, medium armor, shields,
18 795,000 simple weapons, martial weapons
19 915,000 Ranger Light armor, medium armor, shields,
20 1,065,000 simple weapons, martial weapons
Rogue Light armor, thieves’ tools
Hit Points Sorcerer -
Warlock Light armor, simple weapons
Multiclass characters only use one Hit Die. This Hit
Wizard -
Die is based on an average of their class dice (rounded
down). For example, a fighter/wizard would average
a d10 and a d6, using a d8 as their Hit Dice. A Skills
ranger/barbarian would average a d12 and a d10, When creating a multiclass character, you gain a
rounding down to a d10. This simplifies Hit Dice, and number of skills equal to the starting number of one
gives a unified Hit Die for the purposes of spending of your classes. Each other class grants one additional
them, etc. skill from their skill list.
Equipment Extra Attacks

You only gain the starting equipment for one of your You only gain a number of extra attacks equal to those
classes. gained from the class that grants you the best number
of extra attacks. They do not stack.
Saving Throws
Multiclass characters gain the saves of one chosen class,
plus one additional save from each other class chosen.
10
Unarmored Defense VARIANT XP PROGRESSIONS
If you gain Unarmored Defense from another class, Some GMs may feel that the pace of character
you may choose one of the abilities to use. You may advancement is too fast. Below we present a few
use either, but they do not stack. different options for the various styles of play.
Spellcasting In Low Fantasy, characters progress much more

All spellcasting abilities are tracked separately. In slowly, taking twice as long to advance per level. In
addition, multiclass spellcasters gain one less spell slot Standard Fantasy (or Heroic Fantasy), use the default
per level than normal. If this would reduce your advancement. For a faster and more epic game, use
number of slots to zero, you cannot cast these spells the Epic Fantasy progression chart, which levels at
yet. about 33% faster.
Additional Restrictions Table: Low Fantasy Advancement

As the GM, you may choose to impose some Level Experience Points
restrictions on the class combinations allowed. 1 0
Humans might only be able to multiclass with two 2 600
classes, or perhaps they multiclass as listed in the 3 1,800
4 5,400
Player’s Handbook. Elves might be restricted to
5 13,000
fighter/wizard or fighter/wizard/rogue as per some 6 28,000
older editions. 7 46,000
8 68,000
Multiclassing After First Level 9 96,000
If a character wishes to multiclass after first level, it is 10 128,000
often better to simply use the rules presented in the 11 170,000
Player’s Handbook. 12 200,000
13 240,000
14 280,000
15 330,000
16 390,000
17 450,000
18 530,000
19 610,000
20 710,000
Table: Epic Fantasy Advancement

Level Experience Points
1 0
2 200
3 600
4 1,800
5 4,300
6 9,200
7 15,400
8 22,800
9 32,000
10 42,800
11 57,000
12 67,000
13 80,000
14 94,000
15 110,000
16 130,000
17 150,000
18 177,000
19 204,000
20 237,000
11
ABILITY SCORE INCREASES Fighter Bonus Ability Score Increases:
Level Benefit
BY LEVEL, NOT CLASS 1st
2nd
By the core rules, ability score increases are gained at 3rd
4th
nearly each increment of four levels of class
5th
progression, not necessarily at each fourth level 6th Bonus Ability Score Increase
progressed. This puts multiclass characters at 7th
somewhat of a disadvantage and isn’t as intuitive to 8th
players of previous editions. Optionally, GMs can use 9th
10th
the following charts to award ability score increases
11th
(and feats). Notably, the fighter and rogue have 12th
different advancement, and thus gain their bonus 13th
ability score increases as listed on their class 14th Bonus Ability Score Increase
advancement chart. 15th
16th
Level-based Ability Score Increases: 17th
Level Benefit 18th
1st 19th
2nd 20th
3rd
4th Ability Score Increase Rogue Bonus Ability Score Increases:
5th Level Benefit
6th 1st
7th 2nd
8th Ability Score Increase 3rd
9th 4th
10th 5th
11th 6th
12th Ability Score Increase 7th
13th 8th
14th 9th
15th 10th Bonus Ability Score Increase
17th 12th
18th 13th
20th 15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
12
CHARACTER WEALTH AT GMs can easily adjudicate Sword and Sorcery versus
Epic Fantasy as well. Assume the above chart
HIGHER LEVELS represents Standard Fantasy. Subtract four levels from
Some GMs may wish to allow characters to begin play a PC’s level to determine their effective level for
at higher levels and have an amount of wealth based wealth in Sword and Sorcery or Low Fantasy and add
on their previous encounters. See the chart below for four levels for High Fantasy.
a more even “per level” wealth advancement.
BETTER SAVING THROWS
Level Wealth Equipment Limitations
1st Starting Starting Equipment, Common While some classes should certainly be better at
Wealth Items
some saves than others, some GMs may wish to
2nd 200 gp Common Items
3rd 300 gp Common Items show the benefit of experience in the results of
4th 400 gp Common Items saving throws. In previous editions, even your poor
5th 500 gp Common Items saves increased marginally as you progressed in
6th 550 gp Common Items levels.
7th 700 gp Uncommon Items
8th 850 gp Uncommon Items At the GM’s option, PCs can add half your
9th 1000 gp Uncommon Items proficiency modifier to non-proficient saves. Note
that if you use this rule, allow it for monsters and
NPCs as well.
14th 10,000 gp Uncommon Items
17th 18,000 gp Rare Items
13
CHAPTER TWO: NO SKILLS
While more skills might be the right option for some
GMs, less or even none at all might be the answer for
SKILLS others. With this variant, all skills are simply ability
score checks. You gain proficiency in ability score
checks based on your class. If you attempt to do
VARIANT SKILL something, the GM decides which ability score it
relates to, and if it’s one of your class abilities you gain
ADVANCEMENT proficiency on the roll.
Some GMs and players will be remiss that their
characters do not learn new skills as they advance in
Class Ability Score Proficiency
levels. You may always take the Skilled feat, but we
provide some additional options here to make Barbarian Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom
progression more linear. Bard Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma
Cleric Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
At levels 5, 10, 15 and 20, characters automatically Druid Constitution, Intelligence, and
gain proficiency in one additional weapon, tool, Wisdom
language or skill. This gradual increase of skills will Fighter Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution
make characters slightly more powerful, but it also Monk Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom
allows for a better customization and shows character Paladin Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma
growth. Ranger Strength, Dexterity, and Wisdom
Rogue Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma
STATS AS SKILLS Sorcerer Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma
With this option, at each 4th level, when a character Warlock Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
gains their ability score improvement they may Wizard Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
optionally choose to gain only a +1 bonus to a stat
and also gain proficiency in any one weapon, skill,
language or tool. They may expend both ability score VARIANT SKILL LIST
improvements in this fashion if they desire.
Some GMs and players may find 5e’s existing skill list
too simplistic or small for their liking. The variation
AUTOMATIC SUCCESSES below allows for more depth and customization, and
works well with the extra skills options. Note that
While ‘Taking 10 and 20’ don’t really exist in the core some of these skills are intentionally broad and may
game, 5e still has passive scores for some skills such as have uses that apply with different ability scores. It is
Perception and Investigation. It’s not that far of a up to the GM what ability score you can use in a given
stretch to create passive scores for all of your skills by situation.
simply adding 10 to your total modifiers. If the GM
calls for a skill check and the DC is equal to or lower Below are also optional rules for use with the skills in
than 10 plus your skill modifier, this can be counted as general and are not limited to this variant.
an automatic success. If there is a significant danger or
element of failure, then the GM may require a roll STRENGTH
regardless. Athletics (Climbing Walls, Jumping, Swimming)
For example, a rogue with a Stealth of +7 wants to
DEXTERITY
sneak past some guards. The guards have a passive
Acrobatics (Balancing, Contorting, Juggling,
Perception of 12. The rogue has an automatic Stealth
Tumbling)
of 17. It’s reasonable to allow the rogue to sneak by
without rolling. If he was to attempt to steal a key off
Thievery (Disable Device, Escape Artist, Pick Locks,
one of the guards, then that might not be allowed,
Stealth, Stealing, Tailing)
since that carries significant risk.
CONSTITUTION
Athletics (Running)
14
INTELLIGENCE With this variant, you can spend the 250 days and 250
Arcana (Aberration Lore, Construct Lore, Dragon (or more) gold pieces to secure training in a
Lore, Magical Beast Lore, Planar Lore, Spellcraft, proficiency of your choice. You can use this to gain a
Spellcasting, Use Magic Device) weapon proficiency or skill proficiency. While some
GMs may scoff at the idea of allowing characters to
History (Military History, Noble Lineages, Nobility gain skills in this fashion, 250 days is a considerably
Lore, Racial History) long time in most campaigns. They may choose to
add additional complexities or roleplaying to the
Linguistics* (Decipher Script, Speak Language) training as well, like owing a favor the elves of the
high forest for their teaching of Survival, etc.
Science* (Alchemy, Engineering, Technology,
Astronomy) EXPERTISE AS ADVANTAGE
As written, expertise allows a character to add his
WISDOM proficiency bonus twice to a skill. This generally
Heal* (Anatomy, First Aid, Medicine, Surgery) increases your potential roll and increases your
maximum skill check potential.
Nature (Animal Lore, Dungeoneering, Fey Lore,
Geography, Handle Animal, Monstrous Humanoids With this variant, expertise does not add twice your
Lore, Plant Lore, Ride, Survival, Vermin Lore) proficiency bonus to the skill check, instead it grants
advantage. Granting advantage allows for a more
Perception (Find Traps, Hear Noise, Investigation, realistic sense of skill mastery, being more reliable at a
Sense Motive, Spot, Tracking) skill. Note, however, that while using this variant will
increase your overall odds of success, it will reduce
Religion (Demon Lore, Devil Lore, Dogma, Gods, your maximum DC potential.
Mythic History, Portents, Spirit Lore, Undead Lore)
Society (Local Culture, City Lore, Nation Lore,

LANGUAGE LIMITS
As a variant rule, GMs can cap the number of
Racial Lore, Profession)
languages a character may speak equal to one plus
their Intelligence modifier. This generally allows
CHARISMA characters to know their initial languages and have the
Deception (Bluff, Disguise, Imitate, Feint, Forgery,
ability to gain a few more during gameplay, but limits
Gambling, Seduction)
them from learning ten or more languages.
Diplomacy (Court Lore, Haggling, Negotiation,
This option makes languages more rare, and thus more
Politics)
flavorful. Players will need to make choices about
which languages they learn and that may add to the
Intimidation (Blackmail, Interrogation,
roleplaying experience.
Threatening)
Performance* (By Instrument) PLAYER CONCEALED CHECKS

Some PC rolls may be better served if they are rolled
*Skills marked with an asterisk suffer disadvantage by the GM, and not the PC in question. Use this
when used without training. option when the PC needs to make a check where the
result of their check should not be readily apparent.
They might think that their action is successful, but
TRAINING SKILLS won’t know for sure.
The initial skills for classes can seem a little limiting at
times. Your character concept might not fit so well Use the following chart to determine the level of
pidgeon-holed into two skill proficiency choices and success the PC assumes to be true.
the backgrounds might not necessarily do the trick
either. Your GM may choose to allow skill training,
like any other proficiency.
15
Degree of Success Assumed Success becomes your falling height and calculates your falling
Natural 20 Assured Success! damage (if any).
Success by +5 or more Likely
Success Unsure Escape Bonds: Your training and flexibility in
Failure Unsure Acrobatics allows you to slip bonds and escape from
Failure by -5 or more Incorrect Success
grapples.
Fumble Assured Success!
Action Acrobatics DC
When describing the results of the PC’s actions, refer Escape Rope/Binding Opposed vs. Survival
to the chart above. Escape Net/Entanglement DC 20
Move Through Tight Space DC 20
Assured Success! Right or wrong, the PC is 100% Escape Manacles DC 25
certain of their level of success. Escape Grapple Opposed vs. Strength
Likely The PC feels relatively good about their actions By suffering disadvantage on your Acrobatics skill
and has a general feel for the outcome. check to escape bonds, you can do so without being
noticed. A GM may also decide that this is a complex
Unsure The PC isn’t sure about their results. They skill challenge.
may have succeeded, but they may also have failed.
Kip Up: You can get back to your feet by doing a flip
Incorrect Success The PC believes they have back onto your feet. With a successful Acrobatics
succeeded, but has failed instead. check (DC 20), you stand up from a prone position as
a bonus action and do not spend extra movement to
SKILLS DEFINED stand.
You might have noticed that skills are incredibly fast
and loose in 5th edition. The intention is that the GM Maintain Balance: You can use Acrobatics to move
has a lot more room to adjudicate what is right for on narrow surfaces and uneven ground without
their game. However, some may also find this falling. A successful check allows you to move at half
freedom a little confusing. Below we have fleshed out speed across such surfaces. If you take damage while
the skills to some additional degree and provide using Acrobatics, you must immediately make another
options for that skill’s use. Acrobatics check at the same DC to avoid falling or
being knocked prone. A balancing pole (8 sp, 10 lbs.)
ACROBATICS grants advantage on the balance check.
Your Dexterity (Acrobatics) check covers your Balance DCs to Cross Narrow Surfaces
attempts to stay on your feet in a tricky situation, such 1–3 feet wide DC 5 (Easy)
as when you’re trying to run across a sheet of ice, 7–11 inches wide DC 10 (Moderate)
balance on a tightrope, or stay upright on a rocking 2–6 inches wide DC 15 (Hard)
Less than 2 inches wide DC 20 (Difficult)
ship’s deck. The GM might also call for a Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check to see if you can perform acrobatic
stunts, including dives, rolls, somersaults, and flips. Move through an Enemy Square: you can move
through an enemy square by using Acrobatics with an
Effects Roll/DC Modifier opposed Acrobatics vs. Dexterity check. When moving
Light Obstructions (gravel, sand) DC 12 in this way, you move at half speed. If you do not
Severe Obstructions (cavern, rubble) DC 15 succeed in your Acrobatics check, your movement for
Slippery Disadvantage the round ends in front of the enemy’s square and you
Slope/Incline/Unsteady DC 15 do not pass through. Your GM may subject you to an
Severely Unsteady (earthquake) DC 20 opportunity attack instead of ending your movement.
Diving Into Water: You can use the Acrobatics skill Roll with Fall: When you deliberately fall any
to safely dive into water without taking damage. You distance, even as a result of a missed jump, a DC 15
can safely dive into water from a height equal to twice Acrobatics skill check allows you to ignore the first 10
your Acrobatics check. The difference in your check feet fallen. You become prone if you take damage
16
17
from a fall. At DC 25 you can ignore 20 feet of falling leave you alone. You can attempt to influence a
damage. beast’s mood by giving the creature a day’s worth of
edible food appropriate to its diet and making an DC
10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. If the check
ANIMAL HANDLING succeeds, the beast ignores you to devour the food. If
you exceed the DC by 10, the target will regard you as
When there is any question whether you can calm
friendly the next time it encounters you. Failure results
down a domesticated animal, keep a mount from
in you provoking an opportunity attack from the
getting spooked, or intuit an animal’s intentions, the
creature and you cannot try again against the same
GM might call for a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
target for 24 hours. This skill works only against
You also make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to
creatures of the beast creature types.
control your mount when you attempt a risky
maneuver.
Spur Mount: You can spur your mount to greater
speed as a bonus action with a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal
Control Mount in Battle: In place of your own
Handling) skill check. A successful Animal Handling
movement, you can attempt to control a light horse,
check increases the mount's speed by 10 feet for 1
pony, heavy horse, or other mount not trained for
round but deals 1d3 points of damage to the creature.
combat riding while in battle with a DC 20 Wisdom
You can use this ability every round, but the mount
(Animal Handling) check. If you fail the Animal
becomes fatigued after a number of rounds equal to
Handling check, you can do nothing else in that
its Constitution score. This ability cannot be used on a
round. You do not need to roll for horses or ponies
fatigued mount.
trained for combat.
Stay Mounted: You can react instantly to try to
Fast Mount or Dismount: You can attempt to
avoid falling when your mount rears or bolts
mount or dismount from a mount of up to one size
unexpectedly or when you take damage with a DC 10
category larger than yourself as a bonus action by
Dexterity (Animal Handling) skill check. This usage
making a Dexterity (Animal Handling) skill check. If
does not take an action.
you fail the Animal Handling check, mounting or
dismounting takes an action. You can't use fast mount
Study Beast: Animals rely on relatively simple
or dismount on a mount more than one size category
tactics and maneuvers in combat, allowing you to get
larger than yourself.
a handle on their plans with a close study of their
actions and bearing. You may make a Wisdom
Guide Mount with Knees: You can guide your
(Animal Handling) check against an animal as an
mount with your knees so you can use both hands in
action. The DC of this check equals the creature’s
combat. Make a DC 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
passive Deception (10 + Deception bonus). If the check
check at the start of your turn. If you fail, you can use
succeeds, you know one of the creature’s abilities or
only one hand this round because you need to use the
gain either a +1 bonus on attacks or Armor Class
other to control your mount. This does not take an
against the creature as you learn to anticipate its
action.
actions in combat. If you fail, you cannot try again
against the same creature type for 24 hours.
Mounted Leap: You can get your mount to leap
obstacles as part of its movement with a DC 15
Use Mount as Cover: You can react instantly to
Widsom (Animal Handling) skill check. If the Animal
drop down and hang alongside your mount, using it
Handling check to make the leap succeeds, make a
as cover with a DC 15 Dexterity (Animal Handling)
jump check using your mount’s Athletics skill or your
skill check. You can't attack or cast spells while using
Animal Handling, whichever is lower, to see how far
your mount as cover. If you fail your Animal Handling
the creature can jump. If you fail your Animal
check, you don't get the cover benefit. Using this
Handling check, you fall off the mount when it leaps
option is a reaction, but recovering from this position
and take the appropriate falling damage (at least 1d6
is a bonus action (no check required).
points). This usage does not take an action but is part
of the mount's movement.
Teach an Animal a Trick: You can teach an
animal a specific trick with one week of work and a
Placate Beast: If you have a tasty morsel or other
successful Animal Handling check against the indicated
treat, you can silence an angry beast or convince it to
DC. An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn
18
a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an character. When defending you, it can cause one
Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six attack per round against an adjacent creature that
tricks. attacks you to be made with disadvantage.
The following tricks can be taught to animals by Deliver (DC 15): The animal takes an object (one you
training the animal for a week and making a successful or an ally gives it, or that it recovers with the fetch
Handle Animal skill check against the listed DC. trick) to a place or person you indicate. If you indicate
a place, the animal drops the item and returns to you.
Aid (DC 15): The animal can use the Help action to aid If you indicate a person, the animal stays adjacent to
a specific ally in combat. You may point to a particular the person until the item is taken.
creature that you wish the animal to aid, and it will
comply if able. The animals aid grants advantage on Detect (DC 25): The animal is trained to seek out the
the roll if applicable. smells of explosives and poisons, unusual noises or
echoes, air currents, and other common elements
Attack (DC 15) The animal attacks apparent enemies. signifying potential dangers or secret passages. When
You may point to a particular creature that you wish commanded, the animal uses its Perception skill to try
the animal to attack, and it will comply if able. to pinpoint the source of anything that strikes it as
Normally, an animal will attack only humanoids, unusual about a room or location and goes on point.
giants, or other animals. Teaching an animal to attack Note that because the animal is not intelligent, any
all creatures (including such unnatural creatures as number of strange mechanisms, doors, scents, or
undead and aberrations) counts as two tricks. unfamiliar objects may catch the animal's attention.
Bombard (DC 25): A flying animal can deliver Down (DC 15) The animal breaks off from combat or
projectiles on command, attempting to drop a otherwise backs down. An animal that doesn’t know
specified item that it can carry (often alchemist's fire or this trick continues to fight until it must flee (due to
some other incendiary) on a designated point or injury, a fear effect, or the like) or its opponent is
opponent. The animal cannot throw the object, and defeated.
must be able to fly directly over the target.
Entertain (DC 25): The animal can dance, sing, or
Break Out (DC 20): On command, the animal perform some other impressive and enjoyable trick to
attempts to break or gnaw through any bars or entertain those around it. At the command of its
bindings restricting itself, its handler, or a person owner, the animal can make a Charisma
indicated by the handler. If not effective on its own, (Performance) check to show off its talent. Willing
this trick can grant the target character advantage on onlookers or those who fail an opposed Insight check
skill or ability checks to escape bonds. The animal can suffer disadvantage on Perception checks to notice
also take certain basic actions like lifting a latch or anything but the animal entertaining them. Tricksters
bringing its master an unattended key. Weight and and con artists often teach their animals to perform
Strength restrictions still apply, and pickpocketing a this trick while they pickpocket viewers or sneak about
key or picking any sort of lock is still far beyond the unnoticed.
animal's ability.
Exclusive (DC 20): The animal takes directions only
Bury (DC 15): An animal with this trick can be from the handler who taught it this trick. If an animal
instructed to bury an object in its possession. The has both the exclusive and serve tricks, it takes
animal normally seeks a secluded place to bury its directions only from the handler that taught it the
object. An animal with both bury and fetch can be exclusive trick and those creatures indicated by the
instructed to fetch an item it has buried. trainer's serve command. An animal with the exclusive
trick does not take trick commands from others even
Come (DC 15) The animal comes to you, even if it if it is friendly or helpful toward them (such as through
normally would not do so. the result of an animal friendship spell), though this
does not prevent it from being controlled by other
Defend (DC 20) The animal defends you (or is ready enchantment spells (such as dominate animal), and the
to defend you if no threat is present), even without animal still otherwise acts as a friendly or helpful
any command being given. Alternatively, you can creature when applicable.
command the animal to defend a specific other
19
Fetch (DC 15) The animal goes and gets something. If Perform (DC 15) The animal performs a variety of
you do not point out a specific item, the animal fetches simple tricks, such as sitting up, rolling over, roaring or
some random object. barking, and so on.
Flank (DC 20): You can instruct an animal to attack a Maneuver (DC 20): The animal is trained to use a
foe you point to and always attempt to be adjacent to specific combat maneuver on command. An animal
(and threatening) that foe. If you or an ally is also must know the attack trick before it can be taught the
threatening the foe, the animal attempts to flank the maneuver trick, and it only performs maneuvers
foe, if possible. It always takes opportunity attacks against targets it would normally attack. This trick can
when possible. The animal must know the attack trick be taught to an animal multiple times. Each time it is
before it can learn this trick. taught, the animal can be commanded to use a
different combat maneuver.
Flee (DC 20): The animal attempts to run
away or hide as best it can, returning Menace (DC 20): A menacing animal
only when its handler commands it attempts to keep a creature you
to do so. Until such a command is indicate from moving. It does its best
received, the animal does its best to intimidate the target, but only
to track its handler and any attacks if the target attempts to
creatures with him or her, move from its present location or
remaining hidden but within take any significant action
range of its sight or hearing. (particularly a hostile-seeming
This trick is particularly useful one). As soon as the target stops
for thieves and adventurers in moving, the animal ceases
that it allows the animal to attacking, but continues to menace.
evade capture, then return
later to help free its Seek (DC 15) The animal moves into
friends. an area and looks around for
anything that is obviously alive or
Get Help (DC 20): animate.
With this trick, a
trainer can designate a number of Serve (DC 15): An animal with this trick
creatures up to the animal's Intelligence willingly takes orders from a creature
score as “help.” When the command is you designate. If the creature you tell
given, the animal attempts to find one of the animal to serve knows what tricks
those people and bring her back to the handler, even the animal has, it can instruct the
if that means journeying a long distance to the last animal to perform these tricks using your
place it encountered the target creature. Animal Handling bonus on the check instead of its
own. The animal treats the designated ally as friendly.
Guard (DC 20) The animal stays in place and prevents An animal can unlearn this trick with 1 week of
others from approaching. It makes threatening noise training. This trick can be taught to an animal multiple
when it detects the approach of others it is not familiar times. Each time it is taught, the animal can serve an
with. additional creature you designate.
Heel (DC 15) The animal follows you closely, even to Sneak (DC 15): The animal can be ordered to make
places where it normally wouldn’t go. Stealth checks in order to stay hidden and to continue
using Stealth even when circumstances or its natural
Hunt (DC 20): This trick allows an animal to use its instincts would normally cause it to abandon secrecy.
natural stalking or foraging instincts to find food and
return it to the animal's handler. An animal with this Stay (DC 15) The animal stays in place, waiting for you
trick may attempt Wisdom (Survival) checks to to return. It does not challenge other creatures that
provide food for others or lead them to water and come by, though it still defends itself if it needs to.
shelter. An animal with this trick may use the Help
action to assist Survival checks made by its handler for Track (DC 20) The animal tracks the scent presented
these purposes. to it. (This requires the animal to have the scent ability)
20
Throw Rider (DC 15): The animal can attempt to fling Identify Magical Materials: You can identify
a creature riding it to the ground. Treat this as a trip materials manufactured by magic with an Intelligence
combat maneuver that applies to all creatures riding (Arcana) check of DC 15 + spell level. If you are not
the animal, and that does not provoke opportunity proficient with the Arcana skill, you have disadvantage
attacks. An animal that knows the throw rider and on checks for this skill use.
exclusive tricks can be instructed to attempt to
automatically throw anyone other than its trainer who Planar Lore: You can recall general lore about the
attempts to ride it. planes of existence with an Intelligence (Arcana) check
DC 15. If you are not proficient with the Arcana skill,
Watch (DC 15): The animal can be commanded to you have disadvantage on checks for this skill use.
keep watch over a particular area, such as a campsite,
and raise an alarm if it notices any sizable or dangerous Identify Supernatural Creature: You can
creature entering the area. identify aberrations, celestials, constructs, dragons,
elementals, fey, fiends, monstrosities, oozes and
Work (DC 15) The animal pulls or pushes a medium undead with a DC of 15 + their challenge rating. If you
or heavy load. are not proficient with the Arcana skill, you have
disadvantage on checks for this skill use. A successful
You can attempt to push an animal to perform a trick check allows you to remember a bit of useful
that it does not know, but the skill attempt is made information about that creature. For every 5 points by
with disadvantage. The GM may not allow the roll at which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall
all if the attempt is too unrealistic. another piece of useful information.
ARCANA Analyze Magic Trap: After you (or an ally within

30 feet) discover a magic trap using the Perception skill
Your Intelligence (Arcana) check measures your ability or by other means, you can attempt to determine the
to recall lore about spells, magic items, eldritch exact nature of the trap using detect magic and the
symbols, magical traditions, the planes of existence, Arcana skill. The DC of this check equals 20 + the
and the inhabitants of those planes. trap’s challenge rating. If you succeed, you know what
spell the trap triggers. If the trap triggers more than
Identify a Spell or Spell Effect: You can identify one spell, check separately for each one. This
a spell effect that is in a fixed location with an knowledge grants you no advantage for disarming the
Intelligence (Arcana) check of DC 15 + spell level. If trap, but it does tell you what to expect should the
you are not proficient with the Arcana skill, you have trap go off. If you are not proficient with the Arcana
disadvantage on checks for this skill use. If you are skill, you have disadvantage on checks for this skill use.
proficient with the Arcana skill and see the
components used, you gain advantage on this skill use. Determine Spellcaster Power: Observing an
opponent cast a spell or use a spell-like ability in
You can identify a magic item with an Intelligence action, you can, as a reaction, with a successful Arcana
(Arcana) check depending on the rarity of the item. If check, identify the opponent’s caster level and the
you are not proficient with Arcana, you suffer highest spell level they can cast with a DC 20 skill
disadvantage on this skill use. check. If the spellcaster uses a feat or special class
ability, that too can be identified with a successful
Rarity Arcana DC Arcana check DC 20.
Common DC 5
Uncommon DC 10 ATHLETICS
Rare DC 15
Very Rare DC 20 Your Strength (Athletics) check covers difficult
Legendary DC 25
situations you encounter while climbing, jumping, or
swimming. Examples include the following activities:
On a failed roll, the character must wait at least 24
hours before attempting a new Arcana check to Jumping: You can use the Athletics skill to make
identify the item. jumps. You can make a long jump with a number of
feet equal to your skill check. You can make a high
jump equal to your skill check result divided by four.
21
Creatures with greater than 30’ movement gain Catch Yourself When Falling: It’s incredibly
advantage on any running jump check. difficult to catch yourself while falling. Make an
Athletics check with a DC equal to the climb DC at
Pole Use: If you use a pole as part of an Athletics jump disadvantage to do so.
check you gain advantage on the check (but must drop
the pole). Catch a Falling Character While Climbing: If
someone climbing above you or adjacent to you falls,
Faster Base Movement: Creatures with a base land you can attempt to catch the falling character if he or
speed above 30 feet have advantage on Acrobatics she is within your reach. Doing so requires a successful
checks. Creatures with a base land speed below 30 Athletics check DC 20 (possibly more or less by
feet suffer disadvantage on Acrobatics checks made to circumstance). If successful, you must immediately
jump. No jump can allow you to exceed your attempt a climb check equal to the climb DC. Success
maximum movement for the round. indicates that you catch the falling character, but his
total weight, including equipment, cannot exceed
Climbing: With a successful Athletics check, you can your heavy load limit or you also fall.
advance up, down, or across a slope, wall, or other
steep incline (or even across a ceiling, provided it has Expeditious Climb: In return for suffering
handholds) at half your normal speed. A slope is disadvantage on your Athletics check to climb, you can
considered to be any incline at an angle measuring less move with such speed and vigor that you do not lose
than 60 degrees; a wall is any incline at an angle your Dexterity bonus to AC while climbing and climb
measuring 60 degrees or more. A climb check that fails at your full movement speed.
5 or less means that you make no progress, and one
that fails by more than 5 means that you fall from Slow Descent: It is possible to slow your descent if
whatever height you have already attained. The DC of you fall. You might attempt to grab ahold of rocks,
the check depends on the conditions of the climb. branches or vines when falling. If you make a DC 15
Compare the task with those on the following table to Athletics check, you are able to reduce your effective
determine an appropriate DC. falling height by 10’. At DC 25 you can reduce your
falling height by 20’.
You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling
to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take Swim: Make a Strength (Athletics) check once per
some other action that requires only one hand. While round while you are in the water. Success means you
climbing, you can’t move to avoid a blow, so may swim at up to half your base speed as your
opponents have advantage on their attacks against movement. If you fail by 4 or less, you make no
you. You also do not gain the benefits of a shield while progress. If you fail by 5 or more, you go underwater.
climbing. Anytime you take damage while climbing,
make an Athletics check against the DC of the slope or If you are underwater, either because you failed an
wall. Failure means you fall from your current height Athletics check or because you are swimming
and sustain the appropriate falling damage. underwater intentionally, you must hold your breath.
You can hold your breath for a number of rounds
If you can brace yourself against another wall or equal to twice your Constitution score, but only if you
surface, you gain advantage on the check. If any of do nothing other than movement or free interactions.
the surfaces are slippery (from rain, greased, etc.) the If you take an Attack action or other strenuous action,
checks are made with disadvantage. You can also the remainder of the duration for which you can hold
climb at full speed by making the Athletics check with your breath is reduced by 1 round. (Effectively, a
disadvantage. The use of pitons (or a climber’s kit) character in combat can hold his breath only half as
grants advantage. long as normal.) After that period of time, you must
make a DC 10 Constitution save every round to
Climb DC Example continue holding your breath. Each round, the DC for
5 (Easy) Climb a knotted rope that save increases by 1. If you fail the Constitution
10 (Moderate) Very rough wall or ship’s rigging save, you begin to drown. The DC for the swim check
15 (Hard) Rough natural wall or tree depends on the water, as given on the table below.
20 (Difficult) Typical dungeon wall
25 (Very Difficult) Typical building, natural wall
30 (Impossible) Ceiling, smooth wall
22
Water Swim DC In order to use Athletics in this manner, there must be
Calm water 10 sufficient flexible branches and vines for you to grasp
Rough water 15 and they must be long enough to allow you to swing
Stormy water 20 between trees. For this reason, this skill use can only
be used in forest, jungle, and some swamp terrain
Each hour that you swim, you must make a DC 20 (specifically, swampy forests). The DC of moving
Constitution save or gain a level of exhaustion. along using this skill use is a base of 20. Failure by 4
or less means you do not move but can try again
Swimming in Armor (having missed your next hand hold); failure by 5 or
If you attempt to swim while wearing armor, you more results in you falling (and possibly taking falling
suffer disadvantage on your Strength (Athletics) check damage).
if your armor provides a penalty to Stealth checks.
Additionally, if a creature with a swim speed wears DECEPTION
heavier armors, its swim speed is halved.
Your Charisma (Deception) check determines whether
Drowning Rules you can convincingly hide the truth, either verbally or
Any character can hold her breath for a number of through your actions. This deception can encompass
rounds equal to twice their Constitution score. If a everything from misleading others through ambiguity
character takes any strenuous actions (such as an to telling outright lies. Typical situations include trying
Attack or Dash action), the remaining duration that to fast-talk a guard, con a merchant, earn money
the character can hold her breath is reduced by 1 through gambling, pass yourself off in a disguise, dull
round. After this period of time, the character must someone’s suspicions with false assurances, or
make a DC 10 Constitution save every round in order maintain a straight face while telling a blatant lie.
to continue holding her breath. Each round, the DC
increases by 1. If an opponent wants to believe you, is drunk or
otherwise impaired, or you have convincing proof of
If the character finally fails their Constitution check, your deception, then you have advantage on the roll.
they begin to drown. In the first round, they become If your deception is highly unlikely or the target
incapacitated and their hit points are reduced to 0. mistrusts you, then you have disadvantage on the roll.
When characters are drowning, they make death saves
as normal, with the exception that three successes do Blend In: You can move into a large crowd of people
not cause them to regain consciousness. Drowning and slightly change your appearance to resemble those
characters die when they accumulate three failed death around you. This allows you to make a Deception
saves regardless of successes. check by creating a quick disguise. You may also use
this Deception check as a Stealth check to “hide in
Unconscious characters must begin making plain sight.” However, you may only use Deception
Constitution saves immediately upon being in this manner if there is a group of people nearby into
submerged (or upon becoming unconscious if the which you can escape. For example, you could blend
character was conscious when submerged). Once they into a small group of beggars by grabbing a nearby
fail one of these checks, they immediately drop to 0 filthy, soiled cloak, draping it over your shoulders, and
hit points and begin making death saves. sitting down amongst them. Obviously, this skill does
not prevent anyone who witnessed your attempt from
It is possible to drown in substances other than water, pointing you out to any pursuers or enemies.
such as sand, quicksand, fine dust, and silos full of
grain. Convey Secret Message: You can use Deception
to pass hidden messages to another character without
Swing on Vines: The deep forests and jungles of the others understanding your true meaning. The DC of
world are choked with hanging vines and flexible this check is 15 for simple messages and 20 for complex
branches. Some characters can use these objects as messages. If you are successful, the target automatically
impromptu ropes and swing lines, giving them the understands you, assuming you are speaking in a
ability to move with incredible speed, far removed language that it understands. If your check fails by 5
from the dangers of the forest floor. or more, the message is misinterpreted. Other
creatures that hear the message can decipher the
23
message by succeeding at an opposed Insight check you strike with it, you may surprise your enemy and
against your Deception result. gain advantage on your attack. When you do so, make
an Intelligence (Deception) check opposed by your
Deceive or Lie: If you use Deception to fool foe’s passive or active Perception check. If your check
someone, with a successful check you convince your succeeds, your opponent is considered surprised in
opponent that what you are saying is true. Deception regards to your next attack.
checks are modified depending upon the believability
of the lie. The following modifiers are applied to the Anyone who searches you must make a Perception
roll of the creature attempting to tell the lie. Note that check opposed by your Deception check to find the
some lies are so improbable that it is impossible to weapon. They gain no special bonus on this check—
convince anyone that they are true, though the unlike with weapons hidden using the Sleight of Hand
opponent might believe that you think you are telling skill because you have physically modified the weapon
the truth (subject to GM discretion). in order to disguise it.
Deception Modifiers DC Modifier Fast-Talk: With meaningless fast-talk and quick-

The target wants to believe you Advantage thinking you can sometimes converse your way out of
Lie is believable - a problem you talked yourself into. The use of fast-
Lie is unlikely Disadvantage talk happens after you have just failed a Persuasion or
Target is drunk or impaired Advantage Deception check. If you have failed that check by 5 or
You possess physical “proof” Advantage
more, you would normally have disadvantage on
future attempts. However, with a successful fast-talk
Disguise: Your Deception check result determines
attempt, you are able to recover from your failure and
how good the disguise is, and it is opposed by others’
regain the target’s (relative) trust.
Perception or Insight check results. If you don’t draw
any attention to yourself, others do not get to make
If, after your failed Persuasion check, you also fail on
Perception or Insight checks. If you come to the
your fast-talk use of Deception, and you fail by 5 or
attention of people who are suspicious (such as a
more, you also deeply insult your target. If it was an
guard who is watching commoners walking through a
attempt to influence a given creature’s attitude, you
city gate), use the character’s passive perception as
make the character’s attitude worsen by yet another
your DC.
step (so, two steps total since you failed by 5 or more
on the initial Persuasion check), and if it was a request,
You get only one disguise attempt per use of the skill,
you cannot make any other requests of the target for
even if several people are making Perception checks
24 hours. Once you attempt this skill use (successfully
against it.
or not), you cannot use it against the same target again
for 24 hours.
The effectiveness of your disguise depends in part on
how much you’re attempting to change your
Feign Death: You can use a reaction to make a
appearance.
Charisma (Deception) check the next time you take
damage. Make the Deception check with a DC equal
Disguise Disguise Modifier to any observer’s passive Perception check. As a rule
Disguised as different gender Disadvantage
of thumb, only opponents directly engaged against
Disguised as different race Disadvantage
Disguised as different age category Disadvantage you should gain an active check, unless you are
Disguised as different size category Disadvantage actively being observed by a group. You fall prone
and drop any items you hold during the attempt.
If you are impersonating a particular individual, those
You are prone, but are not considered helpless, as you
who know what that person looks like gain advantage
can try to defend yourself against a coup de grace or
on their Perception checks. Furthermore, they are
similar attack at the last moment. If you attack an
automatically considered to be suspicious of you, so
opponent who thinks you are dead, you gain
opposed checks are always called for.
advantage on your first attack against that opponent.
Once your action ends, your foes know that you are
Disguise a Weapon: You can hide a weapon on
alive.
your person, often in plain sight by making it appear
as some ornament or other harmless keepsake. When
24
Feign Weakness: You attempt to convince your women, or someone who has taken a vow of
target you are weaker than you actually are through celibacy).
your actions and posture. If your opponent has seen
you take an offensive action, you suffer disadvantage Before you can get to the point where a sated partner
on this roll. If you are one size smaller than your can be used for gather information, or if you are just
target and have taken no offensive actions against it, seeking sensual pleasures, you must first get through
you gain advantage on this skill use. the target’s defenses and lure him or her into your bed.
You must succeed at a Deception check with a DC
Feint in Combat: See the combat section for more equal to their Wisdom score (or opposed by Insight).
on this use. This skill use requires an evening of socializing and
usually somewhere private to retire to. If you
Impressive Distraction: With a successful successfully seduce a target, further attempts to seduce
Intelligence (Deception) check, you create a large that person into your bed gain advantage. If you fail
obvious distraction that draws everyone’s attention the check, however, you are rebuffed and may not
for 1 round. The DC of this check is equal to your make another seduction attempt against the same
opponent’s passive Insight score. Allies are able to use target for at least 1 week (otherwise checks are made
the Stealth skill or to flee until they are out of sight with disadvantage).
during this time. There may be opponents who were
aware of you or your allies before you make this After you have successfully seduced a target you may
attempt, if any of your allies attempt to attack those make one Deception check, instead of Investigation to
opponents during this round, that attempt gather information or Persuasion to suggest the
negates the beneficial effect of this target do something. Your seduced
skill use. target makes regular reports to you, in
attempts to keep your favor, about any
Obfuscate Spellcasting: specific topic you designate. You may
When casting a spell, you can have more than one active seduced
attempt to hide its verbal, partner that provides these benefits
somatic or material equal to your Charisma modifier
components and thus make it (minimum 1).
harder for others to recognize
that you are casting a spell. Make Spread Rumors: Rather than seek
a Dexterity (Deception) check out information, you can spread
opposed by any observing rumors of your own invention across
creature’s Perception check town. Make a Deception check to
(spellcasters gain advantage on create false rumors. For 1d3 weeks
their Perception check). Each after this check, anyone looking for
observer who fails to beat your information regarding the topic of
Deception check fails to your rumor might uncover your
determine that you are casting a falsehoods in place of useful
spell. If creatures can see the information. If Investigation checks
spell’s effect project outward from made by others are less than your
you, they know you cast a spell. You Deception check, they uncover your
must perform this Deception rumor instead of the information
check at the time you they want. If they exceed
cast the spell. your check by 5 or more
they recognize your
Seduction: Some enjoy rumors as false.
sensual pleasures for the acts in
and of themselves, while some use them Suggestion: You can use Deception and
as a means to a greater end. You can use the Deception Persuasion together to make a request of a creature,
skill to seduce others. You suffer disadvantage when without it even realizing you have made the request.
attempting to seduce a creature that is not attracted to You can gradually coax a target into thinking a
your race, culture, gender, or proclivities (such as a suggestion is entirely its own idea, making the creature
faithful spouse, one who only likes blonde-haired more likely to act on the idea than if you had
25
suggested it outright. You discuss topics subtly relevant more than 5, you widely exaggerate or misidentify the
to the request, asking leading questions and narrowing value of the item.
the scope of the conversation so that the target
eventually decides to take a specific action you have INSIGHT
led it to.
Your Wisdom (Insight) check decides whether you can
You first attempt a Deception check to convince the determine the true intentions of a creature, such as
target that your request was actually its idea. This is when searching out a lie or predicting someone’s next
always treated as far-fetched circumstances, resulting move. Doing so involves gleaning clues from body
in disadvantage on the check. If successful, you then language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.
attempt a Persuasion check to make the request of the
creature, treating its attitude toward you as indifferent Comprehend Language: When trying to
for this single request (regardless of its actual attitude). communicate with someone with whom you do not
share a common language, you can watch his body
HISTORY language, listen for changes in his tone of voice, and
use other subtle clues to determine the gist of what he
Your Intelligence (History) check measures your ability is trying to say. A successful Intelligence (Insight) check
to recall lore about historical events, legendary allows you to pick up the basics of a conversation
people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars, carried on in a foreign language. You must be able to
and lost civilizations. see and hear the creature you wish to use this skill on.
The level of comprehension is determined by the result
Determine Age of Construction: With a DC 10 of the skill check:
Intelligence (History) check, you can identify and
determine the age of ruins or structures. If the Table: Comprehend Language
structures are more than 500 years old, the DC DC Level of Comprehension
increases to 15. If they are more than 1000 years old, 15 You can sense the general emotional tone of the
the DC increases to 20. If you are not proficient in the creature. Example: This goblin is nervous about
History skill, this attempt is made with disadvantage. something.
20 You have a general sense of what the creature is
talking about. Example: This goblin is nervous
Identify Humanoid Creatures: You can identify about the well water.
humanoid creatures with a DC of 10 + their challenge 25 You pick up half the specific details about what a
rating. If you are not proficient with the History skill, creature wants. Example: This goblin thinks the
you have disadvantage on checks for this skill use. A well water is poisoned.
successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful 30 You fully comprehend what a creature is trying to
information about that creature. For every 5 points by communicate. Example: This goblin is trying to tell
which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall us that the orcs poisoned the well.
another piece of useful information.
The GM may feel free to rule that some cultures,
Know Historical Facts: You can delve into general languages, etc., are so alien that they impose
historical knowledge with a DC 10 Intelligence disadvantage on the skill check.
(History) check. Lesser-known facts are a DC 15 and
relatively rare facts DC 20. Obscure or “lost” Discern Secret Message: You may use Insight
information may impose disadvantage on this check. skill to detect that a hidden message is being
transmitted via the Deception skill. In this case, your
Local Knowledge: You know the local laws, Insight check is opposed by the Deception check of the
customs, nobility and, popular locations with a DC 10 character transmitting the message. If you succeed by
Intelligence (History) check. With a DC 15 you can 4 or less, you know that something hidden is being
pick up local rumors or other less well known communicated, but you can't learn anything specific
information. A DC 20 check is needed for more about its content. If you beat the DC by 5 or more,
obscure information. you intercept and understand the message. If you fail
by 4 or less, you don't detect any hidden
Appraise Art Object: A successful DC 10 communication. If you fail by 5 or more, you might
Intelligence (History) check will allow you to identify infer false information. You suffer disadvantage on
the value of an art object. If you fail the check by this skill check if you do not have all of the pieces of
26
information related to the secret message (words, 10 or more you make an educated guess at the total
pages, codes, etc.). character level (but not racial Hit Dice).
Hunch: This use of the skill involves making a gut Sense Enchantment: You can tell that someone's
assessment of the social situation with a DC 20 behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect
Wisdom (Insight) skill check. You can get the feeling even if that person isn't aware of it. The usual DC is
from another's behavior that something is wrong, such 25.
as when you're talking to an impostor. Alternatively,
you can get the feeling that someone is trustworthy. INTIMIDATION
Read Target: You can sometimes read an When you attempt to influence someone through
opponent’s body language and eyes to determine the overt threats, hostile actions, and physical violence,
nature of their next action. As an action, you can the GM might ask you to make a Charisma
attempt an Insight check opposed by your opponent’s (Intimidation) check. Examples include trying to pry
Deception check to read your foe’s intentions. If your information out of a prisoner, convincing street thugs
check succeeds, you learn what your foe plans to do to back down from a confrontation, or using the edge
on her next action. You learn only general of a broken bottle to convince a sneering vizier to
information, such as whether your foe intends to cast reconsider a decision.
a spell, use a ranged attack against a specific target, or
flee. You do not learn exactly which spell she plans to Awe: You can use a Strength or Dexterity, etc.,
use, but you do know their target. You may then take (Intimidation) check to show off your skill at arms,
your action as normal. Note that the result of your magic or any other pursuit that might impress an
action, and others’ actions, could cause the target to onlooker. You make an Intimidate as a bonus action
change her mind. You only learn what she is planning while performing another action in an awe-inspiring
to do at the moment you act. manner. The DC of this check is equal to the target’s
Wisdom score. If your check succeeds, you gain
You may also use this skill in combat to attempt to advantage on all Charisma skills against that target for
determine your foe’s next attack. By knowing where 1 round. For each additional five points over the
the attack is coming from, you can gain a measure of target’s Wisdom score you achieve, you extend the
defense against it. You may make a Perception check duration of advantage on Charisma skill checks by one
as a reaction when your foe attacks or takes a harmful additional round. This is a mind-affecting effect.
action. This is an opposed roll against the foe’s attack
roll. If you are successful, you gain a +1 bonus to your Deadly Boast: As you hew through your enemies,
AC against that attack. you use threats, taunts, and a bloody display of your
martial prowess to strike terror into your remaining
You can also use an Insight check to read a target’s opponents. If you kill an opponent outright by
profession. You can examine the subtle physical and dropping her from positive hit points to death
social traits exhibited by someone to determine their (negative hit points equal to their Constitution score),
trade and relative level of skill. After studying you may make an Intimidate check against another foe
someone for three rounds, you may make an Insight within 30’ as a bonus action.
check at DC 20 to search for subtle clues, such as
calluses on a person’s hand, his peculiar stance that The slain foe must have been able to fight when you
indicates he studied at a fencing school, or the faint cut her down. A paralyzed or otherwise helpless
traces of spell components staining his fingers. If your opponent does not qualify for this use of the
check succeeds, you determine what classes someone Intimidate skill. The DC of this check is equal to the
has levels in and what professions or crafts he second foe’s Wisdom score. If your check succeeds, the
practices. If you attempt to use this skill against a foe gains the frightened condition for one round. For
disguised person, your Insight check made at each additional five points over the target’s Wisdom
disadvantage, as you might falsely predict their score you achieve, they are frightened for one
disguised attempt. On a successful check, you notice additional round. This is a mind-affecting effect.
that your subject seeks to conceal his true identity
otherwise you get the information the disguised Threaten/Intimidate: You make a threat of a
person wishes to provide. If you exceed the check by physical (Strength) or more subtle nature (Charisma)
against a target. As an action, make an Intimidate skill
27
check against a target within 30’. The DC of this check check determines the value of a common item. A DC
is equal to the second foe’s Wisdom score. If your 15 determines the value of uncommon items. If you
check succeeds, the foe gains the frightened condition succeed by 5 or more, you also determine if the item
for one round. For each additional five points over has magic properties, although this success does not
the target’s Wisdom score you achieve, they are grant knowledge of the magic item’s abilities. If you
frightened for one additional round. This is a mind- fail the check by less than 5, you determine the price
affecting effect. of that item to within 20% of its actual value. If you
fail this check by 5 or more, the price is wildly
You can also use this skill to lean on a target and force inaccurate, subject to GM discretion. Particularly rare
them to to act friendly towards you for 1d6 x 10 or exotic items might increase the DC of this check by
minutes. On a successful check, the target will possibly 5 or more.
give you information you desire, take actions that do
not endanger it, or offer other limited assistance. All You can also use this check to determine the most
of these actions are at the GM’s discretion and after valuable item visible in a treasure hoard or on a
the Intimidate expires, the target treats you as person. The DC of this check is generally 20 but can
unfriendly and may likely report you to local increase to as high as 30 for a particularly large hoard.
authorities. You can also use this check to determine the rough
value of an entire hoard with a DC 20 check.
You gain advantage on threatening targets if you are
one or more sizes larger, and suffer disadvantage if Detect Forgery: You can use the Investigation skill
you are one or more sizes smaller. to detect if a crafted good is real or a forgery. This
generally requires time to examine the object in close
Torture: Torture is a finely honed skill in some proximity and an Intelligence (Investigation) check
creatures’ repertoires, whether used to elicit equal to or greater than the DC achieved when
information or simply for pleasure. However, torture crafting the forgery.
is an unreliable means of gaining accurate information:
The victim will say anything to end the pain or Determine a Magic Item’s Properties: You can
frustrate his captors. You can use Intimidate to force use Investigation to determine a magic item’s
an opponent to act helpfully toward you or speak properties in lieu of the Arcana skill. When you do so,
truthfully with a successful check. The target makes an you suffer disadvantage on the check.
opposed Constitution or Wisdom save (target’s
choice) to resist. The NPC then provides Information Gather Information: You can use Intelligence
based on your success or failure. A failure by 5 or more (Investigation) to gather information about a specific
results in the target providing false information. You topic or individual. To do this, you must spend at least
can make this check only once per day against a 1d4 hours canvassing people at local taverns, markets,
particular target, and its effects last until the next day. and gathering places. The DC of this check depends on
You cannot take 20 on this check. Creatures immune the obscurity of the information sought, but for most
to critical hits, pain, or fear effects cannot be commonly known facts or rumors it is 10. For obscure
intimidated in this way. or secret knowledge, the DC might increase to 20 or
higher. The GM might rule that some topics are simply
INVESTIGATION unknown to common folk.
When you look around for clues and make deductions While seeking out news and information, you can
based on those clues, you make an Intelligence choose to keep a low profile. You focus on
(Investigation) check. You might deduce the location overhearing conversations, drawing inferences from
of a hidden object, discern from the appearance of a peoples’ behavior, and spying on others. You suffer
wound what kind of weapon dealt it, or determine disadvantage on your attempts, but you avoid leaving
the weakest point in a tunnel that could cause it to any clues about the information you seek. If you fail
collapse. Poring through ancient scrolls in search of a your Persuasion check by 5 or more, you are
hidden fragment of knowledge might also call for an automatically noticed as someone seeking information
Intelligence (Investigation) check. about the subject.
Appraise Item: You can use the Investigation skill to Assess Damage: You can look over an item as an
appraise the value of most items. A DC 10 appraise action and accurately measure how much damage the
28
object has taken and how much more punishment it manner in which the wound was inflicted (the attacker
can take. With a successful check (the DC is equal to was left-handed, about six feet tall, and probably
the object’s AC), the GM tells you the object’s grabbed her from behind).
hardness, how many hit points of damage it has taken,
and how many more it can withstand before being Presence of Foreign Substances reveals whether the
ruined. This skill does not work on constructs or victim had drugs, poison, or high levels of alcohol in
undead. his system when he died. As with a cause of death
check, this information is not specific; it simply
MEDICINE determines that something unnatural was present at
the time of death.
A Wisdom (Medicine) check lets you try to stabilize a
dying companion or diagnose an illness. Nature of Foreign Substances allows you to determine
the specific nature of any substance you have
Autopsy: By combining medical knowledge with identified. You must discover the presence of foreign
alchemical techniques, it is possible to gain a significant substances before you can attempt to determine their
amount of information from a corpse without the use nature.
of magic. The Medicine skill forms the basis of forensic
pathology, and allows you to test the characteristics of Time of Death reveals when the victim was killed. This
blood and is required for certain advanced actions. is an imprecise science at best. If the user does not
The table below indicates the type of information that possess proficiency in Arcana, time of death can only
can be gained with a Medicine check (the check is be determined to within 4d6 hours. With access to
made in secret by the GM, see retry), along with the Arcana, the time can be pinpointed to within 1d6
DC of the check. hours. You cannot try again after a failed roll. If you
miss the check by 10 or more points you may come to
Nature of Information DC a false conclusion, otherwise you will just be unable to
Cause of Death 10 obtain any useful information.
Examine Injury 10
Presence of Foreign Substances 15
Special: Time is the enemy of the pathologist. Every
Nature of Foreign Substances 25
twelve hours that passes from the point of death adds
Time of Death 20
2 to the DC of any autopsy check. In a swampy or
tropical environment, this penalty is doubled; in an
Performing an autopsy requires approximately three
especially dry environment it is halved. The spell
hours. At the end of this time, you can make two
gentle repose will preserve a body in its current
checks (typically cause of death and examining the
condition for the duration of the spell.
injury that caused death). Each additional check takes
an additional thirty minutes to perform.
Certain poisons and drugs may be harder to detect
than others. The GM should consider the poisons that
Cause of Death can be useful when you want to know
exist within the game world; those that are difficult to
if the crushing damage came after the victim was
trace could increase the DC of checks made to
poisoned. This only provides general information:
determine cause of death, presence of foreign
“She died as a result of decapitation” or “She appears
substances, and nature of foreign substances by up to
to have died of natural causes.” To obtain more
5 points.
specific details, you must make an additional check to
examine the injury or determine the nature of foreign
During the course of an autopsy, you may also make
substances.
a Perception check to notice any unusual details about
the corpse. There may not be any; but perhaps you
Examine Injury allows you to obtain information
will notice a few threads of cloth caught under the
about a specific wound. If you make the check, you
victim’s fingernails, or a small tattoo that will prove to
determine the basic cause of the injury (a narrow
be relevant later. It is up to the GM to determine
blade, a small blunt object, teeth). If your check beats
whether there are any facts to be discovered, and if
the DC by 5 or more, you gain specific details about
so, what the DC of the check should be.
the weapon that caused the injury (a double-edged
dagger with a six-inch blade). If your check beats the
Diagnose: When preparing to treat someone, you
DC by 10 or more, you gain information about the
can examine their wounds or condition and determine
29
several facts about the poison, disease, or condition a first aid check before the beginning of your next turn,
affecting her and a rough estimate of their hit points the damage is negated.
(25% crippled, 50% injured, 75% battered, or mostly
unharmed). You cannot use this skill to know the hit Provide Long-Term Care: Providing long-term
point totals of creatures, merely there relative health care means treating a wounded person for a day or
in relation to those hit points. more. If your Medicine check is successful, the patient
If a detrimental condition or effect had a saving throw may expend Hit Dice and automatically gain the
you may attempt to diagnose it. At the start of your maximum result.
next turn the GM makes a secret Medicine check for
you with a DC equal to or exceeding the DC of the You can tend as many as six patients at a time. You
spell or effect that caused the detrimental condition. need a few items and supplies (bandages, salves, and
On a successful check, you determine the nature of the so on) that are easy to come by in settled lands. Giving
problem, the future effects, the amount of potential long-term care counts as light activity for the healer.
harm or hindrance it will cause (for example how You cannot give long-term care to yourself.
much damage it will do), and its potential duration.
Note that rare or exotic conditions or effects may have Treat Deadly Wounds: You must expend a use
a higher DC, at the GM’s discretion. from a healer's kit to perform this task. You suffer
disadvantage on your check if you lack a healer’s kit.
If your skill check is 10 or higher than the DC, the GM
will suggest a potential cure for the condition. If your When treating deadly wounds, you can restore hit
skill check is 10 or lower than the DC, you misdiagnose points to a damaged creature. Treating deadly
the patient’s problems. The GM provides you with wounds forces a character to expend a use of their
incorrect information regarding the nature of the daily Hit Dice. These Hit Dice are rolled as normal.
problem, the amount of potential harm/hindrance
caused by the effect, and its potential duration. A Treat Disease: To treat a disease means to tend to
successful diagnosis grants you advantage on a single diseased character. Every time the diseased
subsequent attempts to aid the victim. A misdiagnosis character makes a saving throw against disease effects,
causes disadvantage to such skill checks. you make a Medicine check. The target may use your
Medicine check or their own save roll as their saving
First Aid: You usually use first aid to save a dying throw against the effect.
character. A character receiving first aid may use either
their death save check or the practitioner’s Medicine Treat Poison: To treat poison means to tend to a
check as his death save result. single character who has been poisoned and who is
going to take more damage from the poison (or suffer
Identify Drugs/Pharmaceuticals: The Medicine some other effect). Every time the poisoned character
skill can be used to identify and understand makes a saving throw against the poison, you make a
pharmaceuticals. The DC varies by rarity. Medicine check. The target may use your Medicine
check or their own save roll as their saving throw
Malpractice: You must also be proficient in against the effect.
Deception to use Medicine in this fashion. Rather than
making a Medicine check to perform first aid or some NATURE
other form of treatment on a helpless or willing
creature you intentionally bungle the job in order to Your Intelligence (Nature) check measures your ability
ensure that the creature perishes or is severely injured. to recall lore about terrain, plants and animals, the
You make the check as an action and deal hit point weather, and natural cycles.
damage to the creature at the beginning of your next
turn equal to your Medicine skill check. If the creature Dungeoneering: A Wisdom (Dungeoneering) check
is helpless this is considered a coup-de-grace attack. If will allow you to identify underground hazards with
under the watchful eye of others (including your a DC of 10 plus the hazard’s CR (or listed Perception
patient), your Medicine check is opposed by another’s DC). In addition, you can determine slope (DC 10)
Insight or Medicine, a failure on your part results in and depth underground (DC 15) using this skill.
them detecting your malpractice and they may
attempt to intervene. If someone successfully performs
30
Identify Natural Creature: You can identify unknown locations are a DC 20. Secret locations
beasts, giants, and, plants with a DC of 10 + their impose disadvantage on this check.
challenge rating. If you are not proficient with the
Nature skill, you have disadvantage on checks for this PERCEPTION
skill use. A successful check allows you to remember a
bit of useful information about that creature. For Your Wisdom (Perception) check lets you spot, hear,
every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the or otherwise detect the presence of something. It
DC, you recall another piece of useful information. measures your general awareness of your
surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For
example, you might try to hear a conversation
through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open
window, or hear monsters moving stealthily in the
forest. Or you might try to spot things that are
obscured or easy to miss, whether they are orcs lying
in ambush on a road, thugs hiding in the shadows of
an alley, or candlelight under a closed secret door.
Notice Someone/Something: Perception has a

number of uses, the most common of which is an
opposed check versus an opponent's Stealth check to
notice the opponent and avoid being surprised. If you
are successful, you notice the opponent and can react
accordingly. If you fail, your opponent can take a
variety of actions, including sneaking past you and
attacking you.
Perception is also used to notice fine details in the

environment. The DC to notice such details varies
depending upon distance, the environment, and how
noticeable the detail is. The following table gives a
number of guidelines.
Detail Perception DC
Hear the sound of battle 5
Notice the stench of rotting garbage 5
Detect the smell of smoke 5
Hear the details of a conversation 5
Notice a visible creature 5
Determine if food is spoiled 5
Hear the sound of a creature walking 10
Hear the details of a whispered 15
Identify Value of Gems and Precious Metals: conversation
A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check will Find the average concealed door 15
allow you to identify the value of a gem or precious Hear the sound of a key being turned 20
in a lock
metal. If you fail the check by more than 5, you
Find the average secret door 20
widely exaggerate or misidentify the item. If you are Hear a bow being drawn 25
not proficient in Nature, you suffer disadvantage on Sense a burrowing creature underneath you 25
this skill use. Notice a pickpocket Opposed
Notice a creature using Stealth Opposed
Know Geography: A DC 10 Wisdom (Nature) Find a hidden trap Varies
check will allow you to know your relative location
geographically or on a map. You can find other
locations with a DC 10 check if they are well-known.
Less known locations are a DC 15 and relatively
31
Perception Modifiers DC Modifier Each of the nine categories of the Perform skill includes
Distance to the source, object, or +1/10 feet a variety of methods, instruments, or techniques, a
creature small sample of which is provided for each category
Through a closed door +5 below. Choose one category of perform that you are
Through a wall Disadvantage proficient in when you choose proficiency in the
Favorable conditions Advantage
Perform skill. Other proficiencies may be added
Unfavorable conditions Disadvantage
Distracted/Asleep Disadvantage through training. Other performances may be
available at the GM’s permission.
Identify Weak Spot: As an action, make a DC 25
Act
Intelligence (Perception) check to pinpoint a weak
comedy, drama, pantomime
spot in an object or weapon. This object must be in
your threatened area in order for you to examine an Comedy
object closely enough. If you succeed, you gain buffoonery, limericks, joke-telling
advantage on sunder attempts against that weapon or
a +2 bonus to damage against an object. If you can Dance
examine the object in your close proximity for at least ballet, waltz, jig
one round, you gain advantage on this check.
Keyboard Instruments
You can also use this skill against armor. As an action, harpsichord, piano, pipe organ
make a DC 25 Intelligence (Perception) check against
a foe who stands in your threatened area. If you Oratory
succeed, you gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against epic, ode, storytelling
this foe for the rest of the encounter. For this check to
be effective, your target must have an armor or natural Percussion Instruments
armor bonus to Armor Class from some type of bells, chimes, drums, gong
observable physical armor. Your GM may judge that
certain protective measures, such as bracers of armor, String instruments
provide an armor bonus but are not subject to this use fiddle, harp, lute, mandolin
of Perception. As a rule of thumb, this Perception
check works only against suits of armor and natural Wind Instruments
armor, not magic devices that offer similar protection flute, pan pipes, recorder, trumpet
in a different form.
Sing
ballad, chant, melody
Read Lips: To understand what someone is saying by
reading lips, you must be within 30 feet of the speaker, Table: Perform Skill DCs
be able to see him speak, and understand the speaker’s DC Performance
language. (This use of the skill is language-dependent.) 10 Routine performance. Trying to earn money by
playing in public is akin to begging. You can earn
When you make the attempt, the GM makes the roll 1d10 cp/day.
in secret (DC 25, but it increases for complex speech 15 Enjoyable performance. In a prosperous city, you
or an inarticulate speaker). You must maintain a line can earn 1d10 sp/day.
of sight to the lips being read. If your Perception check 20 Great performance. In a prosperous city, you can
succeeds, you can understand the general content of a earn 3d10 sp/day. In time, you may be invited to
join a professional troupe and may develop a
minute’s worth of speech, but you usually still miss
regional reputation.
certain details. If the check fails by 5 points or more, 25 Memorable performance. In a prosperous city, you
you draw some incorrect conclusion about the speech. can earn 1d6 gp/day. In time, you may come to the
attention of noble patrons and develop a national
PERFORMANCE reputation.
30+ Extraordinary performance. In a prosperous city,
Your Charisma (Performance) check determines how you can earn 3d6 gp/day. In time, you may draw
well you can delight an audience with music, dance, attention from distant patrons, or even from
acting, storytelling, or some other form of extraplanar beings.
entertainment.
32
Influence Crowd: Some performers are able to use When negotiating, a character may attempt to gain a
their skills to not only earn money and impress an better deal or value for a contract or service. They
audience, but also to influence that audience’s make a complex skill check similarly to bargaining, but
attitudes (in a similar manner to using the Persuasion against a DC equal to the NPC’s Charisma or Wisdom
skill to change NPC attitudes). This use of the Perform score (whichever is higher).
skill can only influence NPCs whose attitude toward
you is indifferent or friendly, and any attempts to Negotiation Successes Increase
influence hostile or unfriendly NPCs in this manner Three Successes Before Two Failures: +5%
automatically fail. To influence the attitudes of a Five Successes Before Three Failures:
crowd, make a normal Performance check and treat +10%
the result exactly as you would the result of a Seven Successes Before Four Failures: +15%
Ten Successes Before Five Failures: +20%
Persuasion check to influence the attitudes of
indifferent or friendly NPCs in the audience.
Bribery: A character can attempt to bribe an NPC
PERSUASION for a much better Persuasion result. The formula to
bribe a target is their challenge rating 2 (squared) x 10 gp.
When you attempt to influence someone or a group A bribe of this value or greater grants advantage on a
of people with tact, social graces, or good nature, the Persuasion check or allows for a reroll on a failed
GM might ask you to make a Charisma (Persuasion) attempt. Some NPCs might be greatly offended by
check. Typically, you use persuasion when acting in attempted bribes and this could cause disadvantage
good faith, to foster friendships, make cordial however.
requests, or exhibit proper etiquette. Examples of
persuading others include convincing a chamberlain to Calm Emotions: You can use Persuasion to
let your party see the king, negotiating peace between diplomatically talk your way out of a potential fight.
warring tribes, or inspiring a crowd of townsfolk. When dealing with an NPC who is ready to make an
attack, make a Charisma (Persuasion) check with a DC
Bargaining and Negotiating: An item is worth 25, to bring him to his senses. If you succeed, your
only what someone will pay for it. To an art collector, opponent stops to consider your words, though he
a canvas covered in daubs of random paint may be a remains hostile. Your GM has the final say in
masterpiece; a priestess might believe a weathered determining if your Persuasion skill has any use in a
jawbone is a holy relic of a saint. Bargaining is a situation—as a rule of thumb, this skill works in any
complex skill check. The DC of the skill check is equal situation that arises in a neutral or safe setting with a
to the target’s Wisdom score. hostile NPC who otherwise has no particular reason
to seek your death. You cannot use Persuasion against
Generally when reselling an item, the starting value a creatures that do not share a language with you or
PC can get for it is 50%. By bargaining and haggling, have a specific reason to attack (you attacking them or
additional results are possible. trespassing). If your opponent has not been given a
good reason not to fight, you suffer disadvantage on
Successes Item Value this skill use.
Three Successes Before Two Failures: 55%
Five Successes Before Three Failures: Complicate: Sometimes you find it to your
60% advantage to delay the resolution of a specific
Seven Successes Before Four Failures: 65% discussion for a while (or even indefinitely). Every time
Ten Successes Before Five Failures: 75% you attempt to complicate a situation in order to
delay resolution you make a single Charisma
If a character fails one of the extended checks, they (Persuasion) check. The other participants in the
simply use the previous bargain value for their item. discussion make opposed Insight checks; if you
Generally there are only a few buyers for each type of succeed, then you can prevent any of the discussion’s
good in a typical community. PCs should not be able participants from coming to agreement for a single
to try again with dozens of other vendors until they day, without seeming to be interfering. Each
succeed at higher results. If they do, there should be participant that beats your Persuasion check realizes
consequences such as time and possibly offending the what you are doing.
local merchants and becoming banned from doing any
business in that community.
33
The danger associated with this activity is directly Request DC or Modifier
related to the importance of the situation. Give simple advice or directions Advantage
Complicating the negotiations between two countries Reveal an unimportant secret +5
on the brink of war exposes you to a high degree of Give lengthy or complicated aid +10
risk. Similar actions taken to delay the discussions of a Give dangerous aid +10
Reveal secret knowledge +10 or more
sea captain and a merchant so that your party can get
Aid that could result in punishment +15 or more
onto a ship carry a fairly low degree of danger. Additional requests +5 per request
Influence Attitude: You can change the initial

Parlay: Using your skills of persuasion, you call for a
attitudes of nonplayer characters with a successful
temporary halt to fighting. Your enemies may halt to
Persuasion check. The DC of this check depends on the
listen, but they remain alert and ready for a trick. As
creature’s starting attitude toward you.
an action, you call for an end to the fighting and make
a Charisma (Persuasion) check with a DC 20. If you
Success - If you succeed, the character’s attitude
succeed, your opponents ready actions to attack when
toward you is improved by one step. For every 5 by
you or your allies attack or take a threatening action.
which your check result exceeds the DC, the
You may then parlay as normal with your foes. Your
character’s attitude toward you increases by one
GM may consider your foes to remain active on their
additional step. A creature’s attitude cannot be shifted
initiative counts.
more than two steps up in this way, although the GM
can override this rule in some situations.
If your foes appear to have the upper hand in combat,
you suffer disadvantage on this check. If your
Failure - If you fail the check by 5 or less, the
opponents appear to be losing, you gain advantage
character’s attitude toward you is unchanged. If you
on this check.
fail by more than 5, the character’s attitude toward
you is decreased by one step.
Your GM may rule that certain foes are immune to this
skill use, such as fanatics who are inspired by religious
You cannot use Persuasion against a creature that does
or political fervor, raging barbarians, and other hateful
not understand you or has an Intelligence of 3 or less.
enemies. In addition, you must share a language with
Persuasion is generally ineffective in combat and
your opponents or otherwise have some means of
against creatures that intend to harm you or your allies
communicating with them or you suffer disadvantage
in the immediate future. Any attitude shift caused
on this check.
through Persuasion generally lasts for 1d4 hours but
can last much longer or shorter depending upon the
Gather Information: As per the Investigation skill,
situation (GM discretion).
but you can use Charisma (Persuasion) instead. Using
the skill in this manner uses your charm or social
Starting Attitude Diplomacy DC
standing to coerce individuals to come forth with
Hostile DC 25
Unfriendly DC 20
information. Bribing the common folk or plying them
Indifferent DC 15 with free drinks might grant advantage on the check.
Friendly DC 10
Helpful DC 5 RELIGION
Make a Request: If a creature’s attitude toward you Your Intelligence (Religion) check measures your
is at least indifferent, you can attempt to make ability to recall lore about deities, rites and prayers,
requests of the creature. This is an additional religious hierarchies, holy symbols, and the practices of
Persuasion check, using the creature’s current attitude secret cults.
to determine the base DC, with one of the following
modifiers. Once a creature’s attitude has shifted to Identify Supernatural Creature: You can
helpful, the creature gives in to most requests without identify aberrations, celestials, constructs, dragons,
a check, unless the request is against its nature or puts elementals, fey, fiends, monstrosities, oozes, and
it in serious peril. Some requests automatically fail if undead with a DC of 15 + their challenge rating. If you
the request goes against the creature’s values or its are not proficient with the Religion skill, you have
nature, subject to GM discretion. disadvantage on checks for this skill use. A successful
check allows you to remember a bit of useful
34
information about that creature. For every 5 points by an object than to hide it. A dagger (or other smaller
which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall weapon) is easier to hide than most light weapons,
another piece of useful information. and grants you advantage on your Sleight of Hand
check to conceal it. Heavy or baggy clothing (such as
Recognize Holy Symbol: You are familiar with a cloak) grants you advantage on the check as well.
many of the gods and their symbols. You can make a
Wisdom (Religion) check to recognize them. Disguise Weapon: You hide a weapon on your
person, or make it appear as some ornament or other
Mythology: You know a wide amount of harmless keepsake. When you strike with it, you may
information about the gods and their various surprise your enemy and leave her vulnerable to your
mythologies. You can make a Wisdom (Religion) attack. You may only hide a light or one-handed
check to recall facts. weapon on your body. Hiding weapons larger than
this suffer disadvantage on your Sleight of Hand check.
SLEIGHT OF HAND Each weapon you hide in this manner gains a separate
skill check.
Whenever you attempt an act of legerdemain or
manual trickery, such as planting something on Later, when you make an attack with the hidden
someone else or concealing an object on your person, weapon, if it was not detected you gain advantage on
make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. The GM your first attack. Anyone who searches you must
might also call for a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check make a Perception check opposed by your Sleight of
to determine whether you can lift a coin purse off Hand check to find the weapon.
another person or slip something out of another
person’s pocket. Plant Item: If you try to place an object on a
creature (such as a pin on his clothes or something in
Draw Hidden Weapon: You can draw a hidden his pocket), you must make a Sleight of Hand check.
weapon as a free interaction as part of your The opponent makes a Perception check to detect the
movement with a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. attempt, opposed by the Sleight of Hand check result
This skill use is opposed by the Perception skill of those you achieved when you tried to deposit the item. An
observing. opponent who succeeds on this check notices the
attempt, regardless of whether you planted the item.
Entertain: You can also use Sleight of Hand to
entertain an audience as though you were using the Palm Item: If you try to take something from a
Performance skill. In such a case, your “act” creature, you must make a DC 20 Sleight of Hand
encompasses elements of legerdemain, juggling, and check. The opponent makes a Perception check to
the like. detect the attempt, opposed by the Sleight of Hand
check result you achieved when you tried to grab the
Hide Object: A DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) item. An opponent who succeeds on this check notices
check lets you palm a coin-sized, unattended object. the attempt, regardless of whether you got the item.
Performing a minor feat of legerdemain, such as You cannot use this skill to take an object from another
making a coin disappear, also has a DC of 10 unless an creature during combat if the creature is aware of your
observer is determined to note where the item went. presence.
When you use this skill under close observation, your STEALTH
skill check is opposed by the observer's Perception
check. The observer's success doesn't prevent you from Make a Dexterity (Stealth) check when you attempt to
performing the action, just from doing it unnoticed. conceal yourself from enemies, slink past guards, slip
away without being noticed, or sneak up on someone
You can hide a small object (including a light weapon without being seen or heard.
or an easily concealed ranged weapon, such as a dart,
sling, or hand crossbow) on your body. Your Sleight Tail: You discreetly follow another person, using the
of Hand check is opposed by the Perception check of city crowds, jungle foliage, or other cover to conceal
anyone observing you or of anyone frisking you. In your presence. You keep your quarry in sight, carefully
the latter case, the searcher gains advantage on the monitoring him while remaining far enough in the
Perception check, since it's generally easier to find such background to evade his sight. Every ten minutes of
35
your pursuit, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check locate a path through the terrain as though it were a
opposed by your target’s Wisdom (Perception) check. road or trail for the purpose of determining your
Note that if you follow several people traveling as a overland speed. This benefit also extends to your allies
group, every person you pursue makes a Wisdom or traveling companions.
(Perception) check. Victims consciously looking for
someone tailing them gain advantage on their check. Intuit Depth: By concentrating for five minutes, you
If you exceed the first check by 10 or more you do not can gauge your current depth beneath the earth's
need to make an additional check for that person for surface. The GM makes this check in secret. If the
1 hour. check is successful (DC 20), you correctly deduce your
depth. If you fail the check by 5 or more the GM adds
SURVIVAL or subtracts (at his option) 1d100 feet to or from the
current depth.
The GM might ask you to make a Wisdom (Survival)
check to follow tracks, hunt wild game, guide your Know Direction: You can determine true north in
group through frozen wastelands, identify signs that relation to yourself with a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival)
owlbears live nearby, predict the weather, or avoid check.
quicksand and other natural hazards.
Track: To find tracks or to follow them for 1 mile
Avoid Getting Lost/Avoid Natural Hazards: requires a successful Wisdom (Survival) check. You
You can use the Survival skill to avoid getting lost or must make another Survival check every time the
avoid natural hazards and you make a Wisdom tracks become difficult to follow. If you are not trained
(Survival) check whenever the situation calls for one. in this skill, you can make untrained checks to find
tracks, but you suffer disadvantage.
Cover Tracks: You know not only how to find
signs that mark the passage of men and animals but You move at half your normal speed while following
also how to make your own tracks more difficult to tracks (or at your normal speed by suffering
follow. If you move at three-quarters your normal disadvantage). The DC depends on the surface and the
movement rate, you can make a Survival check with a prevailing conditions, as given on table.
-5 penalty to destroy signs of your passage (you may
take 10 on this). Anyone attempting to track you must
not only beat the DC of the environmental conditions, Table: Base Survival DC's to Track by Ground Condition
but their own check must equal or beat yours. If they Surface Survival DC
fail to do this, they cannot track you. Very soft ground 5
Soft ground 10
Determine Distance: By concentrating for 1 Firm ground 15
Hard ground 20
minute, and making a Wisdom (Survival) DC 15 check
you can determine the distance between two points
within your line of sight. If the check fails, you cannot Table: Modifiers to Survival Checks when Tracking
determine the distance. If you succeed, the GM tells Survival DC
you the distance in a reasonable unit of measure. If Condition
Modifier
you fail the check by 5 or more, the GM adds or
Every three creatures in the group –1
subtracts (at his option) 1d20 of the same units to or
being tracked
from your measurement. You cannot determine the
distance between two towns down to the nearest Size of creature or creatures being
foot, but you can judge how many miles separate tracked:1
them. You may also use this skill to determine the size Tiny or Smaller Disadvantage
and dimensions of a subterranean chamber that you
Small +1
cannot fully see, using echoes, and telltale rock
formations (DC 20). Medium +0
Large –1
Find Path: One excellent use of the Survival skill is to
Huge or Larger Advantage
allow quick movement through wilderness terrain.
Whenever you are moving in trackless terrain, you Every 24 hours since the trail was +1
may, as an action, attempt a DC 20 Survival check to made
36
Table: Modifiers to Survival Checks when Tracking Survival
Task
Survival DC DC
Condition
Modifier
predict the weather for one additional day
Every three creatures in the group –1
in advance.
being tracked
Rain since the trail was made Disadvantage
Fresh snow since the trail was Disadvantage COMPLEX SKILL CHECKS
made
With most skill checks, a single die roll immediately
Poor visibility:2 determines whether or not a character succeeds. If a
Overcast or moonless night Disadvantage character wants to jump across a chasm or recall a
specific piece of information, his success or failure is
Moonlight +3
apparent after a single check.
Fog or precipitation +3
Tracked party hides trail (and Disadvantage For complicated and time-consuming tasks (such as
moves at half speed) disabling a very complex trap or researching an
obscure bit of knowledge), or at times when the GM
wants to build tension and suspense, the complex skill
1For a group of mixed sizes, apply only the modifier for the
largest size category.
check variant described here might be called for. In
2Apply only the largest modifier from this category. such a case, a specific number of successful skill checks
must be achieved to complete the task. The
complexity of the task is reflected in both the DC of
Survive in the Wilderness: You can keep
the required check, the number of successful rolls
yourself and others safe and fed in the wild. See Table:
required to complete the task, and the maximum
Survival DCs by Task for DCs for various tasks that
number of failed rolls that can occur before the
require Survival checks.
attempt fails.
Table: Survival DCs by Task
In most cases, one or two failed rolls does not mean
Survival that a complex skill check has failed, but if three failed
Task
DC rolls occur before the character makes the required
number of successful rolls, the attempt fails. Although
10 Get along in the wild. Move up to half your three failures is a common baseline, GMs are
overland speed while hunting and foraging encouraged to change the number if the situation
(no food or water supplies needed). You warrants it.
can provide food and water for one other
person for every 2 points by which your
The GM can also apply a penalty to future rolls in the
check result exceeds 10.
complex check if the character rolls one or more
failures. For instance, an intricate trade negotiation
15 Gain a +2 bonus on all Constitution saves requiring a complex Diplomacy check might assess the
against severe weather while moving up to character a -1 or -2 penalty on her checks for each
half your overland speed, or gain advantage failed check made as part of the complex check
if you remain stationary. You may grant the
(representing the tide of the negotiation turning
same bonus to one other character for
against her).
every 1 point by which your Survival check
result exceeds 15.
Each die roll is one portion of a complex skill check,
and each die roll in the attempt represents at least 1
15 Keep from getting lost or avoid natural
round of effort (it might represent more time,
hazards, such as quicksand.
depending on the skill or task in question).
15 Predict the weather up to 24 hours in Like skill checks, ability checks can also be complex.
advance. For every 5 points by which your
Survival check result exceeds 15, you can
Complex skill checks are rarely used in situations that
call for opposed checks.
37
Successes Complexity Example one failed roll in the check’s progression or can mean
Required that the complex check fails.
2 or 3 Easy (DC 5) Training an
animal The Help Action
4 or 5 Medium (DC 10) Tracking a You can use the Help action normally with complex
humanoid skill checks. Characters helping another character must
6 or 7 Hard (DC 15) Bypassing a
take their Help action prior to the other PCs roll, and
timed trap
must be able to help in some meaningful way. The
8 or 9 Very Hard (DC Picking an
20) amazing lock GM has the final say on whether or not a character
10 Nearly Impossible Persuading the can assist with the Help action.
(DC 25) King to grant
you a land and Group Checks
title Sometimes the entire group is performing an action at
once. In these scenarios, consider using less skill
Successes Needed checks, but make them group checks (the majority of
During play, the GM will encounter additional the group must succeed in order to gain a success).
situations in which complex skill checks may be
appropriate. Two questions then arise: How high Why Complex Checks?
should the DC be, and how many successes should the Complex skill checks allow the GM to build suspense
task require? The answers to both of those questions in critical situations, add tension to multiple-round
depend on how great a chance of success the GM tasks during combat, enhance special adventure-
wants the players to have. specific tasks, and resolve complex activities more
quickly.
Although making these determinations might seem
daunting, the system for complex skill checks actually To build suspense with complex skill checks, the GM
provides the GM a great deal of flexibility. Under the can simply substitute a complex skill check for a
standard rules, GMs have only one tool to represent normal skill check during a critical task. In most such
increasingly difficult tasks: increasing the DC. With situations, using a complex check lessens the likelihood
complex checks, the GM can also use the number of that one failed roll will cause the party a significant
successful attempts required to achieve overall success setback.
to control a skill check’s difficulty.
Complex skill checks provide a more balanced way of
Trying Again creating combat-affecting situations that depend on
Complex skill checks can usually be retried, however skill checks. For example, a complex Investigation
this depends on the consequences and if the GM check made to find the weak spot in a narrow stone
allows it. However, like normal skill checks, some bridge might allow the characters to collapse the
complex skill checks have consequences, and those bridge more easily and elude a group of powerful
consequences must be taken into account (for pursuers.
example, a trap that requires a complex tool skill check
to disarm is triggered if the attempt fails). Complex skill checks can also enhance adventure-
specific or location-specific tasks such as disabling a
Some skills are virtually useless for a particular task particularly complex trap, appraising an extremely
once an attempt to accomplish that task has failed, and rare work of art, and so on.
this includes complex checks as well as regular skill
checks. The Complex Skill Use section, below, Complex skill checks let players resolve complicated
describes which skills can be used in complex skill situations with fewer die rolls. This is especially true of
checks and which allow retries after failed attempts. complex social interactions requiring multiple Bluff,
Intimidate, or Persuasion checks.
Interrupting a Complex Skill Check
Most complex skill checks can be interrupted without In most situations when the GM feels a complex skill
adversely affecting the result of the check. However, check is warranted, it’s appropriate for the DC of a
the GM is free to rule that interrupting a specific check complex skill check to match the DC of a simple check
affects the result, especially if there is a time limitation. involving the same activity. This decreases the
At the GM’s discretion, an interruption can count as character’s chance of achieving overall success, but
38
because complex skill checks are used to best effect in complex skill checks variant, this use of the skill always
tense situations and climactic encounters, increasing involves a complex skill check, with each die roll
the difficulty adds spice to the scenario. representing one week of training time. Rolling three
failed results during the complex check means that the
Increasing the number of successes required always entire attempt fails and that training must begin again.
increases the difficulty of the task, but the degree of
increase depends greatly on how likely the character Table: Complex Animal Handling Checks
attempting the check is to get a success each time he General
rolls the die. Purpose Time DC Successes
Combat riding 6 weeks 20 6
Complex Skill Use Fighting 3 weeks 20 3
The following section provides general guidelines for Guarding 4 weeks 20 4
using the complex skill check variant with each skill in Heavy labor 2 weeks 15 2
5th edition.
Hunting 6 weeks 20 6
Arcana Performance 4 weeks 15 4
A complex Arcana check could represent extended Riding 3 weeks 15 3
research for spells or magic item formulas. To attempt
a complex Arcana check, a character must have access A character performing a lengthy demonstration of
to a library that the game master decides is sufficient difficult or trick riding, or competing in a race, might
for the task. The game master is also free to rule that have to make a complex Animal Handling check to
several successful rolls in a complex Arcana check pull off the entire show or finish the race; one roll per
exhaust a particular library or tome’s resources and round is probably appropriate.
lead the character to another work or library. In this
way, a complex check can become an adventure in Deception
itself as the character searches out rare or lost volumes Almost all uses of the Deception skill require only a
of information. single roll to indicate whether or not you successfully
fool an individual or a small group. However, in
Acrobatics and Athletics certain complicated social situations, a GM might want
Acrobatics and Athletics are generally a poor choice to speed the game along by requiring one complex
for extended checks since these skill checks are Deception check rather than many simple checks.
designed for short movement and a single skill check.
A few specific environmental situations might call for For example, one of the characters wants to spend
a complex Acrobatics check. The most obvious of several days in a noble’s court trying to convince the
these and by far the most common is a long, extremely people there that he and his adventuring companions
narrow passage that is only wide enough to let a are more capable than they really are. Rather than
character wiggle through. In this case, each successful roleplay the many individual interactions, the GM
roll made in the complex check represents navigating decides to simulate this activity with a complex
a portion of the passage, and a failed complex check Deception check. Because the nobles have heard little
means the character is stuck somewhere within the of the group’s exploits, the GM sets the DC at 25 and
passage. requires that the player achieve five successful rolls
before rolling three failures. Although this is a good
Extended checks could be used for extreme feats of simulation of the character interacting with a series of
coordination or endurance, like Olympic gymnastics minor NPCs over several days, the GM still decides
or long-distance running or physical games and that interactions with a few individuals (the duke, his
competitive matches. chancellor, and one renowned knight in the duke’s
service) are too important to incorporate into the
Animal Handling complex check, and decides that the player should
Complex skill checks work well with the extended roleplay short encounters with each of the three and
training times that some uses of the Animal Handling make separate, simple Deception checks for each of
skill requires. When an animal is trained for a general them.
purpose such as combat riding or hunting, it requires
several weeks of work and one simple Animal
Handling check under the normal rules. With the
39
History questions to follow, the game master might want to
An extended History check should be treated like an use one complex skill check to resolve the information-
extended Arcana check when researching long lost gathering attempts. In this case, the number of
information, or putting together clues. successes required equals the number of questions or
leads pursued, and the game master determines the
Insight number of failures that ruin the complex check.
Although typical use of the Insight skill does not allow
retries or lend itself to complex skill checks, a game In a complex Gather information check, each die roll
master might choose to simulate an unusually represents 2 hours spent pursuing each individual
complicated series of social encounters in a deceit- question or lead.
filled environment with a complex skill check like
those described under the Deception and Persuasion Complicated books, convoluted essays, or coded
descriptions. documents might require a complex Investigation
check. When a character attempts to decipher an
Intimidation extremely long document, the GM can require one
Although typical use of the intimidate skill does not complex skill check rather than a simple skill check for
allow retries or lend itself to complex skill checks, a each page. The DCs for complex checks follow the
game master might choose to simulate an unusually same guidelines that normal Investigation checks
complicated series of social encounters with one follow (DC 20 for simple messages, DC 25 for
complex skill check in the same way that Deception standard texts, and DC 30 or higher for intricate,
and Persuasion can be used in such situations. exotic, or very old writing). Succeeding on the
complex check requires that the character achieve one
Investigation successful attempt for every ten pages of the
The Investigation skill seldom lends itself to complex manuscript before failing the check three times.
skill checks. In rare cases, the game master might rule
that a relic from a lost civilization or an extremely Medicine
powerful magic item might require a complex skill While most uses of the Medicine skill are defined as
check to appraise properly. In these cases, the DC and simple checks, game masters are free to require
number of successes required should be determined by complex skill checks to treat particularly virulent
the game master specifically for the item in question. strains of a disease or especially effective mixes of
certain poisons. Research or especially complex
At the game master’s discretion, certain very well- medical procedures could easily be extended skill
hidden items might require a complex Investigation checks.
check to find. Usually this activity represents several
individual Investigation attempts made in sequence Nature
and is typically better handled by treating each Generally, Nature checks are single use skill checks,
separate attempt as a normal Search check. however, there are some great complex skill check uses
as well. When using Nature to navigate the wilderness
Alternatively, if an item has a common value that is to a desired location or even to follow tracks across a
accepted in most of the campaign world but a desert, for instance.
drastically different value in one small portion of the
setting, it might require one simple check to appraise Perception
the item’s common value and a second, complex Since one Perception check represents one attempt to
check (usually at a higher DC) to assess the item’s notice something, using the skill does not usually lend
worth in the specific area. itself to complex skill checks. A GM could request an
extended Perception check for guard duty to stay
When using Investigation to gather information, the aware.
skill allows characters to get a general impression of
major news items in a city or to find the answer to a Performance
specific question or information about a specific At the game master's discretion, a few rare and
rumor. As long as the character has only a few powerful magic instruments might require a complex
questions or rumors to follow up on, a simple skill Perform check to activate. Writing exceptional music,
check should be used. In situations where the speeches or other artistic measures might also require
characters have half a dozen or more leads and extended skill checks.
40
Persuasion within a large city without being seen by members of
Although typical use of the Persuasion skill does not the city watch, the game master might use a complex
allow retries or lend itself to complex skill checks, a skill check to simulate the character's progress without
GM might choose to simulate an unusually long having to determine the location of every guard or
diplomatic session or interactions with multiple small roleplaying each encounter.
groups for an extended period of time with one
complex Persuasion check.
TOOL-RELATED COMPLEX
For example, a character wants to convince a large SKILL CHECKS
and fractious group of merchants to suspend travel
through a dangerous area for a short amount of time Disabling a Trap
so that he and his companions can adventure in the Nearly any trap can be made to require a complex
area and confront the monsters there without Sleight of Hand check rather than a simple one. If
exposing innocent travelers to danger. Instead of the trap requires a large number of successes (six or
rolling thirty or more Persuasion checks and more) or if the attempt is ruined by less than three
roleplaying the reaction of each merchant in the failures, adjust the challenge rating of the trap up by
group, the GM uses one complex skill check with a DC 1 or 2 to reflect the greater difficulty of disarming
of 25 (representing the extreme difficulty of getting all the trap.
the quarrelsome merchants to agree) that requires five
successes before rolling three failures. The GM also A trap that requires a complex skill check may have
might rule that because the tide of opinion can turn
a higher cost and challenge rating than a trap of the
against the character very quickly in this case, each
same sort that only requires a simple check; see
failed roil applies a cumulative 2 penalty to further
Table: Complex Disable Device Checks. See the
rolls in the complex skill check.
standard rules for trap costs.
Religion
Religion is generally a single skill use skill. Religious Feature Cost Modifier CR Modifier
research, a spirit quest or a philosophical debate could
all be uses for a complex skill check.
3 or more +250 gp per +1 (CR 7 or
Sleight of Hand successes additional success more)
Normal use of the Sleight of Hand skill does not lend
itself to complex skill checks. A character performing a 3 failures +0 gp —
lengthy demonstration of legerdemain (such as a
magic show relying on Sleight of Hand) might have to
2 failures +500 gp +1
make a complex Sleight of Hand check to pull off the
entire show, one roll per 15 minutes is probably
appropriate. 1 failure +1,500 gp +1
Survival
The game master might rule that a complex Survival Opening a Lock
check allows long-term survival in one type of climate Although normal locks require only one Dexterity
or terrain, raising the required number of successes for check, the game master is free to include locks or a
extreme environments such as arctic regions or deserts. series of locks that requires a complex check to open.
(He can also rule that each casting of a knock spell
Stealth counts as six successes toward opening a complex
Normal use of the Stealth skill does not lend itself to lock.) Particulars for complex locks are given in Table:
complex skill checks. In certain unusual situations, a Complex Opening Locks Checks.
game master might use a complex skill check to
simulate navigating an intricate environment such as
an urban area while remaining unnoticed (this might
mean blending in rather than remaining entirely out
of sight in particularly crowded areas). For example, if
a character wants to move from one place to another
41
Table: Complex Opening Locks Checks TRAINING
Lock Quality DC Successes Price
Better Training
Very simple 20 2 25 gp
You may train a new skill proficiency, tool proficiency
Very simple 20 3 30 gp or weapon proficiency or language during downtime.
This requires the expenditure of 250 gp, and requires
Average 25 4 50 gp a number of 8 hour days training equal to 250 divided
by your Intelligence modifier.
Average 25 5 60 gp
Mentors
Average 25 6 70 gp Having a mentor to teach you also aids the progress.
Add the mentor’s Intelligence modifier to yours to
Good 30 7 100 gp
determine your effective Intelligence modifier. Of
Good 30 8 120 gp
course, the GM is certainly able to charge more than
250 gold for the privilege of learning from exceptional
Good 30 9 140 gp tutors.
Amazing 35 10 200 gp
MIXING COMPLEX SKILL

CHECKS
GMs may design complex skill checks that require
more than one type of skill or can be achieved by use
of more than one skill, even with different DCs.
Example: Researching location of an

Artifact
The thirteen scrolls of Inu-Herit are rumored to
contain the largest collection of necromancy rituals
known to man, and the reader will gain the
knowledge of immortality (or lichdom!).
Requirement: 10 successes before 5 failures. At least 2

successes must be achieved in Arcana, History and
Investigation each.
Arcana: DC 25, to hunt down rumors of the scrolls

and their powers.
History: DC 25, to research the ancient Khemetian
culture and history, including the secretive cult of Inu-
Herit.
Investigation: DC 20, to piece together all the clues
unearthed from all the investigation work.
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Table: Variant Costs and Level Requirements
CHAPTER THREE: Item Rarity
Common
Cost
50 gp
Required Level
Level 1
EQUIPMENT Uncommon
Rare
Very Rare
500 gp
5,000 gp
50,000 gp
Level 5
Level 11
Level 17
Legendary 500,000 gp *GM Permission Only
SIMPLER MUNDANE CRAFTING Table: Variant Crafting Time

As an option, your GM may permit you to craft Item Rarity Crafting Duration
simpler mundane items at a speed of 5 x your Common One week. For level 5+ characters, they
proficiency bonus in gold piece equivalent per day. take one day to create.
You may not craft an item if you are not proficient in Uncommon One month. For level 11+ characters,
the tool or tools required to create it. The cost of the they take one week to create.
materials remains the same (half the total cost). Rare One year. For level 17+ characters, they
take a season (3 months) to create - or
less, at the GM's discretion.
Crafting Level Limits
Very Rare One year.
This option changes the item crafting rules, changing Legendary Entirely up to the GM; but it should take
the rules on what level items characters can craft, and at least a year.
how long such crafting takes. The time needed to craft
an item is then also based on the creator's level. This is Multiple Craftsmen
an elegant solution for item creation, which removes When multiple qualified item crafters aid each other,
the math from gameplay. In cases where rarity and at the GM's discretion, you may divide the required
cost conflict, use the items cost as a baseline (such as a time by the number of workers, rounding down. For
suit of plate armor). instance, if a circle of eight wizards word together to
43
craft a Very Rare item, the GM could rule it will take STRONGER CROSSBOWS AND
six weeks to craft.
FIREARMS
Historically, crossbows and firearms are more
New Feat: Master Artisan
dangerous when fired at close range, even capable of
piercing through plate armor. With this variant,
Through training and dedication, you have crossbows and firearms can be more dangerous.
mastered the use of a type of artisan's tools. When firing crossbows or firearms at targets within
Prerequisites: Int 13, Tool proficiency. half of its first range increment, you reduce the benefits
of a target’s armor by -2 points.
*Choose one set of artisan's tools that you have
proficiency. When using that set of tools to craft Even Stronger Missile Weapons
an item, you may double the amount of progress If the GM and players would like to make missile
you make each day, after all other modifiers. weapons even more dangerous, they can allow (fired)
ranged weapons to increase their damage die by one
Special: You may purchase this feat multiple size increment when striking targets within half of their
first range increment.
times, each purchase applies to a different set of
artisan tools.
MASTERWORK EQUIPMENT
There are mundane items that are mass produced for
MORE HINDERING ARMOR mere function, and then there are items that craftsmen
Armor that grants disadvantage on Stealth skill checks labor over for weeks or months. Such items are often
also grants disadvantage on Athletics and Acrobatics named and given to the finest warriors and heroes of
skill checks. Creatures who sleep in these armors also the realm.
gain a level of exhaustion after sleeping for a long rest.
Below we treat masterwork items as magic items with
GMs could instead rule that these armors do not allow regards to cost and rarity. Such items do not count as
for proper rest. You can perform a short rest, but do magical, nor do they count against your magical item
not gain the benefits of a long rest while wearing these limits. You do not need to attune masterwork
armors. mundane gear. These items are simply better than
standard.
SIMPLER AMMUNITION MASTERWORK TOOLS
Item, common
Tracking ammo is realistic, but not necessarily fun. For
While wielding a masterwork tool that you are
missile weapons, it can be safe to assume that during
proficient with, you gain a +2 bonus to any ability
the course of a typical adventure, a PC will fire off
score or skill check you perform with it. In addition,
around two stacks of (20) piece ammunition. At the
you craft at a rate of +20% gold value when using this
end of each level, charge the PC a number of units of
tool.
ammunition equal to 40 units of ammo. Alternatively,
at the end of an adventure, the PC can be charged an MASTERWORK WEAPONS
amount of ammunition fees equal to 40 x the number Weapon, uncommon
of levels they increased. You can also charge a fee of Masterwork weapons have either a +1 bonus to attack
20 units of ammo for any adventure concluded where rolls or to damage (chosen during item creation) and
the PCs do not level. the item has maximum hit points for an object of its
size (usually 18 hp). Elves favor faster and more
A really simple way of making ammunition easier is precise weapons for instance, while dwarves prefer a
simply to not track it. Simply ignore the need to buy hammer that leaves no orc standing. Such a weapon
ammunition for ammunition that costs less than 1 gp is not magical, and if it is enchanted, its masterwork
per stack. bonus does not stack with its magical bonuses to hit
and damage.
Specialty ammunition such as a unique magical arrow
or poisoned arrows should be tracked however.
44
to withstand the shattering blows of an attacker’s
blades. [+100 gp]
Gigantic: This weapon is designed to be larger than

normal, doubling the damage dice. By default, a
character is not proficient with a massive version of a
weapon and must train in its use. A half-ogre might
forge a gigantic claymore. [+100% cost]
Guard: A properly designed guard is not only

beautiful, but functional as well. The guard serves as
a small shield for its wielder, protecting them from
harm and being disarmed. You gain a +1 bonus to AC
and your opponent’s suffer disadvantage when
attempting to disarm you. [+50 gp]
Light: May only be placed on a weapon that does not

have the heavy property. Weapon gains the finesse
property. The elves make longswords that can be
wielded with great flourish. [+15 gp]
Weighted: Weapon gains the heavy property, loses

the finesse or light property if it had it before, and
increases the damage dice by one size. The dwarves
are known for the deadliness of their weighted
hammers. [+50 gp]
EXOTIC EQUIPMENT
MASTERWORK ARMOR An exotic weapon or suit of armor can still be used by
Armor, uncommon characters, but they do not gain a proficiency bonus
Masterwork armor is usually custom-fit and more with it. You must forfeit a skill (or tool) proficiency to
flexible than typical off the shelf wares. Such armor begin play proficient, or spend the 250 days of
allows the wearer to increase the maximum Dexterity training to become proficient. A GM may allow
modifier of their armor by +1 and you only suffer a - certain races, classes, etc. proficiency with exotic
2 penalty on physical skills (i.e., Stealth) instead of weapons if applicable (elven, oriental, etc.).
disadvantage. Masterwork armor can usually be
refitted to a new wearer by spending 10% of the POISON HANDLING
item’s cost in crafting.
Given their deadly natures, poisons are illegal in most
NEW EQUIPMENT OPTIONS societies but are favored among assassins, drow, and
other evil societies.
Double: This enhancement may only be added to
one-handed, non-heavy weapons. Weapon gains the Applying Poison
two-handed property, and loses the versatile property A single dose of poison on a weapon or some other
if it had it before. The weapon gains a second end that object only affects a single target. A poisoned weapon
functions as another weapon, usually the same. The or object retains its poison until the weapon scores a
wielder may treat both weapons as if they had the hit or the object is touched (unless the poison is wiped
light property for the purposes of two-weapon off before a target comes in contact with it). Once
fighting. [+100% cost] applied, the poison retains potency for one minute
before drying.
Folded: Weapon gains resistance to B/S/P damage
from weapons that are not magical or adamantine.
Certain oriental blades are folded hundreds of times
45
Purchasing Poison To create a poison, you use a poisoner’s kit and craft
In most societies, laws prohibit the possession and use as normal until you reach the value of the poison
of poison, but a shady black-market dealer or unlawful desired.
apothecary might have a stash and be willing to sell
some poisons because of the sheer temptation of their Distilling Poison
value in gold. Those characters with illicit contacts More heinous poison can also be crafted if one has the
might be able to find poison relatively easily. Other skill. By doubling the effective cost of poison during
characters might have to make extensive inquiries and crafting, the Constitution save DC is increased by +1.
pay bribes before they track down the poisons that This process distills the poison, greatly increasing its
they seek. potency. A poison can only be distilled up to twice,
resulting in a 300% increase in its base price and a +2
Use the poison’s cost to determine its effective rarity bonus to its save DC.
(similarly to a magic item). Then use the same
approach as listed for finding magic items for sale. Harvesting Poison
A character can attempt to harvest poison from a
Crafting Poison poisonous creature, such as a snake, spider or other
During downtime between adventures, a character poisonous animal. The creature must be incapacitated
can craft poisons if the character has proficiency with or dead and the harvesting requires 1d6 minutes and a
a poisoner's kit. Not all poison ingredients are DC 20 Intelligence (Survival) or Poisoner’s Kit tool
available for purchase, and tracking down certain proficiency check. On a successful check, the character
ingredients might form the basis of an entire harvests enough poison for a single dose. On a failed
adventure. This may require the use of Nature checks check, the character is unable to extract any poison. If
to find the appropriate herbs in the wild if not able to the character fails the check by 5 or more, the
find the ingredients in the PCs location. character is subjected to the creature's poison.
46
47
refreshed. This makes healing more realistic and
CHAPTER FOUR: encourages players to save some Hit Dice to use
overnight. If they do not have any Hit Dice left for a
COMBAT long rest, they do not regain any additional hit points,
but otherwise gain the benefits of a long rest.
Limited Recovery per Hour

With this optional rule, characters may only expend
HIT POINTS one Hit Die per hour of rest (short rest). For example,
Hit points are one of the most house-ruled mechanics if an adventuring group needs to spend 3 Hit Dice each
in any game. Every GM has their own style of play before regaining their full hit points, it would take a
and need for various hit point mechanics. minimum of three hours of rest. Note that this variant
leaves PCs much more vulnerable to interruptions
Rolling Two Dice for HP
during rest…
Many players love to roll dice for their hit points, but
become incensed when rolling 1s. This option uses Fatiguing Injuries
two smaller dice for hit points for each class,
guaranteeing that PCs will gain at least two hit points With this variant, characters that become incapacitated
per level of advancement. also gain one level of exhaustion. This is considerably
more realistic and gritty, causing serious injury to have
In this variant, characters roll two dice for hit points at side-effects and setbacks requiring rest. Characters will
each level. This method grants a more average roll, not be able to recover to 1 hp and rush onward.
ensuring that PCs never gain a 1 on hit point rolls each
level. Lingering Injuries
Hit Die HP Roll With this variant, failed death saves represent serious
D6 2d3 wounds and injury. When a character fails a death
D8 2d4 save, it accumulates until they take a long rest, which
D10 d6+d4 removes one failed save. Characters with one or two
D12 2d6 failed death saves may need to rest and recuperate for
several days to mend their wounds before they feel
More Starting Hit Points adventurous again.
With this variant, PCs start at first level with hit points
equal to their CON score, with no CON bonus. Medicine Checks
Thereafter, they only gain the average hit points. This A character can make Medicine checks to allow
variant gives players a little more survivability at first characters to expend Hit Dice. These Hit Dice must be
level. rolled, and the target of the healing chooses whether
or not they want to expend a Hit Die. This variant is
HEALING great when time is of the issue, and the group can’t
Not all styles of play are the same, thus, having more simply wait around to perform a short rest. With a
options for healing can help you find the right style of quick stitch or two, the PCs are back in action. The
recovery for hit points and wounds for your table. GM may require a Medicine skill check to accompany
this, and it should be especially difficult if attempted
Slower Healing in combat.
In this grittier option, spending Hit Dice for healing is
much more difficult. A short rest recovers hit points as Healer’s Kits
usual (a roll of a number of Hit Dice spent plus CON Beyond stabilizing a character, a GM may allow PCs
bonus for each die), however you are limited by your to expend a use of a healer’s kit to gain a maximum
level in Hit Dice per day and do not automatically amount on their Hit Dice roll. A GM may require a
regain all of your hit points upon taking a long rest. Medicine skill check to accompany this.
During a long rest, the remaining Hit Dice are used up Average Hit Dice Rolls
as if rolled, but calculated at maximum value. After Some GMs and players may find that the spent Hit Die
taking a successful long rest, all Hit Dice are then rolls are too random. Rolling a 1 on your Hit Die can
48
be a real bummer. As an option, use the values below giving high-level characters more ability to shrug off
for your recovery. attacks. Most types of damage reduce vitality points.
Hit Die Recovery Value Characters gain vitality points as they gain levels. Just
D6 4 + Con Bonus as with hit points in the standard d20 rules, at each
D8 5 + Con Bonus level a character rolls their Hit Die and adds their
D10 6 + Con Bonus Constitution modifier, adding the total to his vitality
D12 7 + Con Bonus point total (and, just as with hit points, a character
always gains at least 1 vitality point per level,
New Feat: Shake it Off regardless of his roll or Constitution modifier.) A 1st-
SHAKE IT OFF level character gets the maximum vitality die result
You can recover quickly from critical hits. rather than rolling.
Prerequisite: Tough
A character’s hit points are then broken up into two
*After being dealt a critical hit, you may expend a pools. Their wound points are equal to their number
Hit Die as a reaction after you are dealt the damage. of current hit points or their Constitution score,
If you are unconscious, you may not use this ability. whichever is less. This means that a starting fighter has
This counts against your total number of Hit Dice 10 wound points, plus his Constitution modifier.
you may use per day. These would all be wound points if his total hit points
is equal to or less than his Constitution score.
New Feat: Enduring
ENDURING When you level, additional hit points are added to
You always seem to recover from any punishment your wound points first, until you reach your
given. Constitution score. Any additional points beyond
Prerequisite: Durable your Constitution score then are added to your vitality
points.
*Your Constitution increases by +1, to a maximum of
20. Low level characters almost always have all of their hit
*Your total number of Hit Dice that you have points as wound points. A single stab wound to them
available to spend to recover points increases by +2. is a significant injury.
Critical Hits
VITALITY AND WOUNDS A critical hit deals the same amount of damage as
normal but the distribution of damage points is
The vitality and wound points system was originally
different. The base damage die and normal modifier
developed as a more cinematic method of handling
is subtracted from vitality. The bonus dice of damage
damage than the traditional hit point system. The
are subtracted directly from wounds.
system allows for characters to improve the amount
of punishment they can withstand as they go up in
For example, a longsword thrust strikes with a natural
level, while still allowing for a single lucky or skilled
20. It would deal 1d8 points of damage (plus
attack to take down a character.
modifiers) to vitality and 1d8 points (the bonus dice)
to wounds.
Characters using this system should be more wary in
combat, which can turn deadly in the space of a few
Injury and Death
lucky rolls. But they can also bounce back from a fight
Vitality and wound points together measure how hard
relatively quickly. For that reason, this variant is an
a character is to hurt and kill. The damage from each
ideal system for low-magic campaigns or games where
successful attack and each fight accumulates, dropping
healing is otherwise rare.
a character’s vitality point or wound point totals until
he runs out of points.
Vitality Points
Vitality points are a measure of a character’s ability to
Zero Vitality Points
turn a direct hit into a graze or a glancing blow with
At 0 vitality points, a character is not unconscious, but
no serious consequences. Like hit points in the
can no longer avoid taking real physical damage. Any
standard d20 rules, vitality points go up with level,
49
additional damage he receives reduces his wound rest period prevents the character from healing that
points directly. night.
Exhaustion and Wound Damage As an option, a GM may require players to spend Hit
As an option, the first time a character takes wound Dice after the completion of a long rest to heal.
damage—even a single point—he gains one level of
exhaustion, causing disadvantage on skill and ability Temporary Hit Points
checks (but not attack rolls or saves). When a creature would normally gain temporary hit
points, it gains temporary vigor points instead. When
A wounded character must then take a rest to remove that creature takes damage, it loses these temporary
wound damage and the exhaustion. A GM may vigor points first. If an attack deals damage to wound
choose to make the exhaustion only removable by a points only, these temporary vigor points are not lost.
long rest (as per the core rules), this is more realistic,
but may slow down the game, especially at lower Special Healing Abilities
levels. Some classes have special abilities that allow them to
fight on, like the fighter’s Second Wind ability. These
Zero Wound Points hit points are immediately added to the character’s
At 0 wound points, the character is unconscious and vitality points.
dying. They must begin making death saves as normal.
Magical Healing
Special Damage Situations Spells that heal hit point damage work somewhat
The vitality point system changes the way some special differently in this system. Any spells that heal an
damage effects work. amount of hit point damage (such as cure wounds),
apply the results as restored wound points first.
Coup de Grace
If this variant rule is used (see the combat section), a This option makes it so that magic is indeed magical,
coup de grace functions normally in that it and can mend wounds with ease. A GM may choose
automatically hits and scores a critical hit (and thus the to allow players to remove their exhaustion level from
damage dealt is applied to the target’s wound points). being wounded immediately upon receiving enough
If the defender survives the damage, he must make a magical healing to restore all of their wound points.
Constitution save (DC 10 + the amount of damage
dealt) or die. Harder Magical Healing
Optionally, receiving magical healing, even from a
Massive Damage potion heals vitality points first and does not heal
The massive damage optional rule should not be used wounds until all vitality has been recovered.
under this system. However, receiving magical healing allows a character
to expend a Hit Die in addition to the normal effects
Healing of the healing spell or item as a reaction. This Hit Die
After taking damage, a character can recover vitality may be added directly to wound points, and any
and wound points through natural healing (through additional hit points healed are then applied to
short or long rests), or by magic. In any case, a vitality.
character can’t regain vitality points or wound points
above his full normal totals. This option makes magic valuable, but does not wave
away grievous wounds with ease. Also, the stronger
Natural Healing the character (i.e., higher the Hit Dice), the better they
Characters recover vitality points by expending Hit can recover from wounds.
Dice during rests. Wound points may only be healed
after vitality points are refilled. Points healed after Feats
vitality points are filled are then used towards wound When a feat grants additional hit points, these bonus
points. hit points are vitality points.
Optionally, with a long rest, a character recovers all

wound points. Any significant interruption during the
50
New Feat: Unbreakable points. Certain attack forms, typically fire and acid,
Unbreakable automatically deal wound damage to a regenerating
You are able to withstand a huge amount of creature, though it may attempt a Constitution save
punishment that would cripple lesser men. (DC 10 + damage dealt) to convert this to vitality
Prerequisite: Tough. damage, which it can regenerate normally. Otherwise,
regeneration functions as described in the standard
*You increase your Constitution score by +1, to a rules and in individual monster descriptions.
maximum of 20.
*You add all bonus hit points from the Tough feat to DROPPING TO ‘0’ HIT POINTS
your wounds hit point pool instead of Vitality.
Exhausting Wounds
NPCs and Monsters If a character is dropped to 0 hit points, they gain one
NPCs without heroic class levels should treat all hit level of exhaustion. If you recover and are dropped
points as wound points, up to their Constitution score. to zero again, you gain another level of exhaustion. If
Anything beyond that are considered vitality points. you roll a 1 on your death saves, you gain another
level of exhaustion.
Most monsters, on the other hand, have both wound
points and vitality points. For Small, Medium. and No Instant Death
Large creatures, a monster’s wound point total is equal With this variant, characters never perish if the
to its hit points, up to its Constitution score. Creatures remaining damage from an attack that drops their hit
smaller or larger than that have their wound point point totals to 0 is equal to their Constitution score.
pool multiplied by a factor based on their size, as Characters that reach 0 hit points make death saves as
indicated on the table. Note that this does not normal, but they do not suffer instant deaths,
increase their total number of hit points, it just regardless of the amount of damage they suffer.
distributes their hit points differently than other
creatures. For example, a pixie succumbs to wounds Variant Death Saves
much easier than a great sand worm. In this variant, your physical health plays a larger role.
The DC for death saves is changed to DC 11, but
Size Wound Point Multiplier characters may add their Constitution modifier to the
Fine x1/8 save.
Diminutive x1/4
Tiny x1/2 Variant ‘Death’s Door’
Small x1 Characters are knocked unconscious when they go to
Medium x1 0 hp or below. Characters die when their hit point
Large x1 totals reach a negative amount greater than their CON
Huge x2 score.
Gargantuan x4
Colossal x8
A character reduced to zero or below is knocked
unconscious (and gains a wound if the wounds
Damage Resistances optional rules are in use). Characters between 0 and -
Damage resistance functions normally, reducing 5 HP are unconscious but stable, and those at -6 or
damage dealt by attacks. A critical hit still deals worse are dying.
damage to both vitality and wounds, but both
amounts would be reduced accordingly. On an unconscious character’s turn, they make a DC
15 Constitution saving throw. If they achieve a DC 15
Regeneration
on the save, they regain 1 hit point on their turn. For
All damage dealt to creatures with regeneration is
each additional +5 DC they achieve on their save (i.e.,
vitality point damage, even in the case of critical hits.
DC 20, DC 25, etc.), they regain an additional hit
The creature automatically heals vitality point damage
point. This repeats until the character is in positive hit
at a fixed rate per round, as given in the entry (for
points and conscious. Failure only results in the
example, a troll has regeneration 10). A regenerating
character being unconscious longer.
creature that runs out of vitality points becomes
fatigued just as if it had taken wound point damage.
On a dying character’s turn, they too must make a
Excess damage, however, does not reduce its wound
Constitution save. However, if they do not achieve a
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15 on the test, they suffer 1d4 points of direct HP expending a Hit Die. Generally this allows players to
damage (armor and DR do not apply to this damage). return to their adventures, albeit a bit shaken up and
If they do achieve a 15 on the test, they regain 1 hit battered.
point. Dying characters may regain more than one hit
point as explained above. This repeats until they are Critical Wounds
either dead or simply unconscious. Another option for wounds is to only grant wounds
when characters suffer critical hits and possibly even
A character is immediately slain if their hit points reach sneak attacks. This makes critical hits and sneak attacks
a negative amount equal to their Constitution score. more deadly and cinematic.
Note that if you are using wounds, wound penalties CONDITIONS

apply towards all death and dying tests. The list of conditions in the 5e game is purposely
simplistic. There’s only a handful of conditions that
WOUNDS serve as a catch-all for what ails you. The following
In general, fantasy games have worked because list is intended to broaden that list, allowing GMs to
damage and defenses were merely abstractions. A be more selective in handing out conditions for effect.
valiant knight could be knocked from over 100 hit
points down to less than 5 and still manage to slay the Bleeding
dragon and rescue the princess, showing only a few A creature that is taking bleed damage takes the listed
scratches for his efforts. amount of damage (usually 1 or a die amount) at the
beginning of its turn. Bleeding can be stopped by a
Wounds are for GMs and players who want a little DC 15 Medicine check or through the application of
more realism in their games. With this variant, getting any spell that cures hit point damage.
damaged can have significant consequences and
multiple wounds could mean your demise. GMs may choose to have bleed damage stack with
itself or not, depending on the type of campaign
If a character ever suffers more damage than their they wish to play.
Constitution score, they suffer a wound. A wound
should be noted with a red counter or chip. Wounds Blinded
have a cumulative effect of -1 to all rolls (including A blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any
death saves). ability check that requires sight. Attack rolls against
the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack
Wounds can be removed with a Medicine DC 15 skill rolls have disadvantage. Creatures that are not used
check and expending one use of a healer’s kit. A to being blind must make a DC 15 Dexterity
wound can also be removed with rest and the (Acrobatics) skill check to move faster than half of their
expenditure of a Hit Die. This die does not grant hit base speed. Creatures that fail this check fall prone.
points, it only removes the wound. Wounds can also
be removed with curative magic. Magic can cure both New Feat: Blind-Fighting
hit point damage and remove one wound per die of BLIND-FIGHTING
healing. Magic items such as potions that heal 2d4+2 You are accustomed to being blind and have learned
points of damage then also cure two wounds. to use your other senses to replace your missing sight.
Prerequisite: Wis 13, proficiency in Insight and
Really Gritty Wounds Perception.
If a GM wishes for an especially gritty game, they can
rule that if a character has more wounds than their •Your Dexterity score increases by +1, to a maximum
level plus their Constitution modifier, they are of 20.
immediately knocked unconscious. They keep the •Attackers do not have advantage against you when
same number of hit points, but are unconscious and you are blind, nor do you suffer disadvantage on
do not regain consciousness until they remove the your own attacks within 30 feet.
appropriate number of wounds.
Characters may regain consciousness in 2d4 hours and

automatically remove one wound point without
52
If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many
charges when used.
If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the
broken condition has no effect on its use. Items with
the broken condition, regardless of type, are worth
50% of their normal resale value. Items lose the
broken condition if a spell restores the object to half
its original hit points or higher. Non-magical items can
be repaired in a similar fashion, or through crafting.
Charmed
A charmed creature can’t attack the charmer or target
the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects.
The charmer has advantage on any ability check to
interact socially with the creature.
Confused
A confused creature is mentally befuddled and cannot
act normally. A confused creature cannot tell the
difference between ally and foe, treating all creatures
as enemies. Allies wishing to cast a beneficial spell that
requires a touch on a confused creature must succeed
on an attack roll. If a confused creature is attacked, it
attacks the creature that last attacked it until that
creature is dead or out of sight.
Roll on the following table at the beginning of each

confused subject's turn each round to see what the
subject does in that round.
d% Behavior
01–25 Act normally.
26–50 Do nothing but babble incoherently.

Broken
Items that have taken damage in excess of half their 51–75 Deal 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self
total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning with item in hand.
they are less effective at their designated task. The
broken condition has the following effects, depending 76–100 Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a
familiar counts as part of the subject's self)
upon the item.
If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the A confused creature who can't carry out the indicated
item suffer disadvantage on attacks. action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers
are not at any special advantage when attacking a
If the item is a suit of armor or a shield, the bonus it confused creature. Any confused creature who is
grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next
always inflicts disadvantage on skills, regardless of turn, as long as it is still confused when its turn comes.
armor type. Note that a confused creature will not make
opportunity attacks against anything that it is not
If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check already devoted to attacking (either because of its
made with the item suffers disadvantage.
53
most recent action or because it has just been Intimidated
attacked). Intimidated is a lesser version of the Frightened
condition. An intimidated character suffers
Deafened disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls made
A deafened creature can’t hear and automatically fails against creatures that intimidate you.
any ability check that requires hearing.
Invisible
Entangled An invisible creature is impossible to see without the
The character is ensnared. Being entangled impedes aid of magic or a special sense. For the purpose of
movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the hiding, the creature is heavily obscured. The creature’s
bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered location can be detected by any noise it makes or any
by an opposing force. An entangled creature moves at tracks it leaves. Attack rolls against the creature have
half speed and cannot take the Dash action. You also disadvantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have
suffer disadvantage on any attack rolls attempted. An advantage.
entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must
make a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) or Nauseated
lose the spell. Entangled characters generally need to Creatures with the nauseated condition experience
achieve a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity (Acrobatics) stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to
check to free themselves. attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do
anything else requiring attention. The only action such
Fatigued a character can take is a single movement per turn.
Fatigue is similar to exhaustion, but a lesser form.
Fatigue levels function exactly as exhaustion levels, but Paralyzed
it recovers at a rate of one level per hour of rest (short A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (see the
rest). Fatigue levels (and their penalties) stack with condition) and can’t move or speak. The creature
exhaustion. automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving
throws. Attack rolls against the creature have
Flat-Footed advantage. Any attack that hits the creature is a critical
A character who has not yet acted during a combat is hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
flat-footed, unable to react normally to the situation.
A flat-footed character suffers advantage on all attacks Petrified
made against them and cannot make opportunity A petrified creature is transformed, along with any
attacks. nonmagical object it is wearing or carrying, into a solid
inanimate substance (usually stone). Its weight
Frightened increases by a factor of ten, and it ceases aging. The
A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t
checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.
within line of sight. The creature can’t willingly move Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. The
closer to the source of its fear. creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity
saving throws. The creature has resistance to all
Grappled damage. The creature is immune to poison and
A grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t disease, although a poison or disease already in its
benefit from any bonus to its speed. The condition system is suspended, not neutralized.
ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the
condition). The condition also ends if an effect Poisoned
removes the grappled creature from the reach of the A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls
grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is and ability checks.
hurled away by the thunderwave spell.
Prone
Incapacitated A prone creature’s only movement option is to crawl,
An incapacitated creature can’t take actions or unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
reactions. The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls. An
attack roll against the creature has advantage if the
54
attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the
attack roll has disadvantage. •When you use Two-Weapon Fighting and hit with
both weapons, you add an amount of bonus damage
Restrained equal to 1d6 + your proficiency bonus.
A restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t
benefit from any bonus to its speed. Attack rolls Option: Surprised as a Condition
against the creature have advantage, and the Surprised creatures have the "surprised" condition:
creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage. The creature
has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. Surprised
A surprised creature cannot take reactions, attacks
Sickened against it have advantage and it has disadvantage on
A sickened creature has disadvantage on attack rolls saves and ability checks. Surprised creatures go last in
and ability checks. the first round of initiative.
Stunned The benefits of using surprise in this fashion is that a

A stunned creature is incapacitated (see the condition), creature is never stuck in a pattern of abuse for two
can’t move, and can speak only falteringly. The full rounds (surprised, then going last). This continues
creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity to create balance in an encounter, yet rewards
saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have characters surprising their foes. A surprised character
advantage. may act in the first round, but is largely ineffective.
Unconscious VARIANT INITIATIVE

An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the
condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its Some groups prefer simpler initiative systems while
surroundings The creature drops whatever it is holding others want ultra-realism. Below are a few new
and falls prone. The creature automatically fails options to explore.
Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls
against the creature have advantage. Any attack that ROLL EACH ROUND
hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within In order to create more dynamic and variable combats
5 feet of the creature. GMs could allow that initiative be rolled each round.
This makes the game less uniform, but it also shows
Wounded the randomness and circumstance of combat.
When a character falls below ten percent of its hit
point total, it is considered wounded. While One way to speed up this sort of initiative could be to
wounded, a creature has disadvantage on attack rolls simply draw beads or cards with numbers on them to
and ability checks and saving throws. represent each player and forget about the actual
initiative number. It’s less realistic, but mixes up
Note: It is best not to mix the wounded condition with the Wounds
optional rule. The two are separate mechanics that are designed to
initiative and is very easy to track.
signify the same effect. Stacking them can be unbalancing.
ROUND TABLE INITIATIVE
New Feat: Bloodthirsty With this variant, the GM and players all roll initiative
BLOODTHIRSTY as normal, but the highest roller begins play and then
You revel in the defeat of weakened foes. all turns happen clockwise around the player group at
Prerequisite: Non-good alignment. the table.
•You deal +2 damage to targets that have the When it gets to the GM’s turn, all of the monsters act,
wounded condition or two or more wounds. in whatever order the GM thinks is most appropriate
in the situation (e.g. the fastest monster, the highest
New Feat: Two Weapon Rend level monster, or the monster in front might be first).
Two Weapon Rend
The beauty of this system is the speed of initiative
You revel in the defeat of weakened foes.
tracking. It’s easy to tell whose turn it is and who is
Prerequisite: Dex 17, Two-Weapon Fighting.
up next. The only flaw is if there are players who try
55
to stack the table, by putting the fastest players to the important, granting them more opportunities to deal
GM’s left, attempting to keep the GM going last. If the killing blow.
this scenario occurs, it is handled simply by making
initiative start with the fastest player, but always go in A creature has a number of ‘hits’ equal to their Hit
the direction of the GM. Dice. Creatures with d10 Hit Dice gain one additional
hit, while creatures with d12 Hit Dice have two
ALTERNATE INITIATIVE ROLLS additional hits. Creatures with the Tough feat gain
In this variant, initiative is determined to be from a two additional hits.
few factors. It is a measure of both luck and
circumstance, but also your quickness and wits, plus When dealing damage, each die of damage is
combat experience. This system is more realistic, but considered a ‘hit.’ Weapons that deal two dice, deal
also less random. two hits. Spells doing multiple dice of damage deal
multiple hits.
Initiative = 1d10 + DEX + WIS + Proficiency Bonus
Healing ‘hits’ is accomplished by using magic or
Alternately, the GM can use any dice they deem spending Hit Dice. A spent Hit Die (or Second Wind)
adequate to the roll. Consider using a d12 or 2d10 heals one ‘hit.’ Curative magic heals one hit per die of
even. the spell. Potions of cure wounds heal two dice.
This variant is best used for the GM’s purposes only.

THE QUICK AND THE DEAD
It is only intended as a way to simplify combat and to
In this option, the PCs choose whether or not they
differentiate between major and minor NPCs.
want to go before the GM, or want to go after.
If the PCs Choose Before: Players take one action FIRING INTO MELEE
(movement, attack, etc.), but may not take bonus Yes, you can hit your friends and unintended targets.
actions. This allows the players the versatility of When firing into melee, cover bonus is added to the
making that well-timed arrow shot against the evil normal fumble threat range of 1. If you roll within
wizard, or to rush in to draw the minions away from that range, you reroll against a random target granting
the softer party members. However, this timeliness cover.
comes at a cost of some of their actions. Players
determine among themselves who goes in what order. Example: An ally is attacking a goblin and both are
engaged in melee. You fire a ranged attack at the
If the PCs Choose After: Players are allowed their goblin. You must add the soft cover bonus of +2 to
full actions (attack and movement, etc.), and may take your normal fumble range of 1. This becomes a
bonus actions. This allows players their full action, but fumble chance of 1-3. If you roll a fumble, you would
at the cost of going slower and giving the GM’s strike your ally instead of the goblin. However, if
characters a chance to go first. there were multiple allies or goblins surrounding a
target, this could have different results, such as striking
CINEMATIC COMBAT ‘HITS’ a different goblin or ally.
In this variant, health is extrapolated into a number of
‘hits,’ rather than purely hit points. A GM might use
this to make minor creatures such as kobolds or goblins
one-hit wonders, in service of a greater creature as
their minions.
By the same token, using damage as hits allows for a

more cinematic resolution for major challenges and
encounters. If you have a PC that deals a large amount
of damage, this somewhat mutes their abilities from
the GM’s perspective, and ensures that your encounter
isn’t defeated without significantly more effort. Also,
it allows characters that deal less damage to feel just as
56
restrained, stunned or unconscious) opponent. You
can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are
within 30’ of a helpless target.
You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the

defender survives the damage, he must make a
Constitution save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or become
dying with 0 hit points. A rogue also gets her extra
sneak attack damage against a helpless opponent
when delivering a coup de grace.
You can't deliver a coup de grace against a creature

that is immune to critical hits.
VARIANT COMBAT ACTIONS

During combat, you can attempt to perform a number
of special combat actions that can hinder or even
cripple your foe.
Bull Rush
Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee
attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or
push it away from you. If you’re able to make multiple
attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one
of them. The target of your shove must be no more
than one size larger than you, and it must be within
RISING FROM PRONE your reach. You make a Strength (Athletics) check
contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or
As any combat enthusiast knows, rising from a throw
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the
or fall is a difficult thing in the heat of battle. It takes
ability to use). If you win the contest, you either knock
training and skill to do so very quickly and even more
the target prone or push it 5 feet away from you. For
so when faced with an aggressive adversary. The
every 5 points you beat the target’s roll, you may
following variant rules can be used to make your
shove them an additional 5 feet.
combats slightly more realistic.
You must spend half your movement to stand from Charge Attack
prone. However, when threatened, you must also As a Dash action, you can choose to charge a target
make a successful Acrobatics or Athletics DC 15 to and make a single attack as a bonus action during your
attempt to stand. You have Disadvantage on the roll Dash (This can be an attack with a weapon or a shove
when threatened by more than one enemy. A attempt, but nothing else). The charge must be in a
character may choose to use the Disengage action or straight line and you must at least move 10 feet. You
suffer an opportunity attack from threatening cannot charge through any obstacle (person, objects,
opponents to get up from prone without making any even friendlies) or through hindering or difficult
skill check. terrain.
This represents a characters skill at rolling with a fall The attack at the end of the charge has advantage.
and their ability to keep attackers at bay while they However, until your next turn, anyone attacking you
stand. has advantage to their attacks against you.
If you have the Charging Expertise feat, you no longer

COUP DE GRACE grant attackers advantage against you at the end of the
charge.
As an action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver
a coup de grace to a helpless (incapacitated, paralyzed,
57
Cleave them to suffer the blinded condition until their next
Rather than using the Cleave feat (Fifth Edition Feats), turn.
you can use cleave as a combat maneuver available for
any character. If your attack roll using a non-light Giving Ground
weapon drops a foe to 0 hit points, you may make When attacked, a character may spend a reaction to
another attack as a bonus action against an adjacent move 5 feet after suffering an attack. The character
target. This attack is made with disadvantage. must have at least 5 feet of movement left from their
previous turn.
Disarm
A creature can use an attack to attempt to strike a In reality, melee combat rarely involves two
weapon or other such item from a target's grip. The opponents standing in front of one another taking
attacker makes an attack roll (Strength check or turns swinging swords at each others' faces.
Dexterity if a finesse weapon) and adds any attack Opponents dodge and weave, moving deftly across
modifiers with the weapon and proficiency bonus. their field of combat attempting to avoid their
This check is contested by the target's Strength or opponent’s blows while striking their own.
Dexterity saving throw (target’s choice). If the attacker
wins the disarm attempt, the attack causes no other This optional rule may require some measure of
effect or damage beyond the defender dropping the counters for movement. A d12 works great, with each
item. The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if point representing five feet of movement.
the target is holding the item with two or more hands.
The target has advantage on its saving throw or skill Leap onto a Larger Creature
check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or After getting into position near the larger creature, the
disadvantage if it is smaller than its target. smaller creature uses its action to make a Strength
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested
Drag by the target's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
As your action, you may attempt a Strength check DC
10 to drag a creature of your size. The DC increases by If the climber wins the contest, the smaller creature
5 for creatures one size category larger and decreases successfully moves into the target creature's space and
by 5 for creatures one size category smaller. While clings to its body. While in the target's space, the
dragging a creature, your movement is halved. If two smaller creature moves with the target and has
or more creatures attempt to perform a Drag action, advantage on attack rolls against it.
they gain advantage and only one needs to succeed.
You cannot drag a creature more than two sizes larger The smaller creature can move around within the
than your own. larger creature's space, treating the space as difficult
terrain. The larger creature's ability to attack the
Feint smaller creature depends on the smaller creature's
As a bonus action, you attempt to fake out your location, and is left to your discretion. The larger
opponent. You make an Intelligence (Deception) skill creature can dislodge the smaller creature as an action,
check opposed by your target’s Wisdom (Insight) knocking it off, scraping it against a wall, or grabbing
check. You gain advantage on your next attack against and throwing it by making a Strength (Athletics) check
that opponent this round. contested by the smaller creature's Strength (Athletics)
or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The smaller creature
Fighting Dirty chooses which ability to use.
Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee
attack to fight dirty against a creature, hindering it in Overbear
melee combat. If you’re able to make multiple attacks When a creature attempts to pass through a
with the attack action, this attack replaces one of nonfriendly creature's space, the overbearing character
them. You make an attack roll and the target makes can attempt to push its way through the space by
an opposed Intelligence or Wisdom save (target’s overbearing the hostile creature. When moving, the
choice). If successful, you may either gain advantage mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by
on your next attack against the target, cause the target the hostile creature's Strength (Athletics) check. The
to suffer disadvantage on their next attack or cause creature attempting the overbear has advantage on
this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or
58
disadvantage if it is smaller. If the overbearing could then roll 3d20 for his attack, very likely hitting,
character wins the contest, it can move through the and having three chances to roll a 20 for a critical hit.
hostile creature's space once this turn. If you fail an
overbear attempt, your movement ends and you GMs could alternately award or penalize characters
provoke an opportunity attack from the defending with increased threat or fumble ranges for each
creature. additional factor of advantage or disadvantage.
Powerful Attack BETTER CRITICAL HITS

When using the Attack action, an attacker may make With this variant, critical hits are more lethal. Instead
a powerful attack. The attacker chooses a penalty of simply dealing double the dice of damage, critical
between -1 and -5 on their attack roll. If the attack is hits deal maximum damage plus the attack’s dice of
successful, you add twice that amount as bonus damage. For example, a longsword attack that deals
damage. 1d8+5 damage would deal 1d8+13 on a critical hit.
Trip The benefit to this variant is that critical hits become

Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee much more effective and faster during gameplay. This
attack to trip a creature, knocking it prone. If you’re is nice because as written there are times when a
able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, critical hit could equate to simply one more point of
this attack replaces one of them. The target of your damage, which is neither impressive, fun nor
trip must be no more than one size larger than you, cinematic. This does make combat a little more lethal
and it must be within your reach. You make a though and especially at low level. If you want a more
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target’s gritty or epic game, consider this variant.
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check
(the target chooses the ability to use). If you win the Critical Damage to Equipment
contest, the target is knocked prone. PCs may choose to reduce a critical hit to a normal hit,
but at the cost of reducing either their armor or shield
Tumble bonus by 1 point. If a shield loses all of its bonus, it is
A creature can try to tumble through a hostile destroyed. If a suit of armor is reduced to an AC of
creature's space, ducking and weaving past the 10, it is destroyed.
opponent. As part of a movement, the tumbler makes
a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the hostile Harsher Critical Hits
creature's Strength (Athletics) check. If the tumbler Alternately, players don’t choose to have armor and
wins the contest, it can move through the hostile shields damaged, this is simply how critical hits work.
creature's space once this turn and does not provoke All critical hits reduce the value of armor or shields.
opportunity attacks. If the tumbler fails, their Shields are damaged first, and then armor. Creatures
movement ends. with natural armor suffer the same consequences as
real armor, but regain one point of armor per day.
MULTIPLE ADVANTAGES AND Their armor is never destroyed.
DISADVANTAGES
There are times where a character might have multiple Realistic Critical Hits and Fumbles
instances of advantage or disadvantage. If the GM For even more realistic critical hits, check out Laying
wishes, he can allow the extra d20 rolls in order to Waste: The Guide to Critical Combat for 5th Edition by
show the likelihood of success or failure. TPK Games. Inside there are over 600 (!!!) critical hit
and fumble effects, plus new feats and archetypes.
Allowing advantage to stack means you are much
more likely to succeed, but also to critically succeed.
The same is conversely true for disadvantage.
For example, a rogue is stealthily moving into position

to stab a foe engaged in melee with his fighter ally.
Because he is hidden, he has advantage on his attack,
as well as now flanking his opponent. Our rogue
59
Ranged Attacks
With this option, ranged attacks still suffer
disadvantage when made while threatened, but also
cause opportunity attacks.
Unarmed Attacks
Characters that are not trained to fight unarmed (like
monks or monsters) suffer opportunity attacks when
making attacks against other armed creatures.
Casting a Spell
The act of casting a spell generally leaves a
character’s defenses down during the incantations.
Casting a spell while threatened causes an
opportunity attack.
Undefended Actions
Certain actions such as drinking a potion, applying an
oil, lighting a torch, reading a scroll and using the
Medicine skill in combat cause a character to suffer
an opportunity attack from any threatening foes.
The character performing these actions is spending
their focus on the other action and not defending
themselves properly.
Standing up from Prone

Characters failing to make their successful skill checks
to rise from prone (see above) suffer opportunity
attacks as they rise.
SIMPLIFIED SPEED FACTOR

FUMBLES Some groups love the “realism” of speed factor, but
With this variant rule, a character that rolls a natural 1 the optional rules presented in the GM’s Guidebook
on an attack roll suffers disadvantage on their next are somewhat cumbersome additional math that
attack roll. does not add value to the game. To combat this,
we have the Simplified Speed Factor rules below.
MORE OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS Some quick actions grant advantage on initiative
Some groups may desire more opportunity attacks and other slower actions cause disadvantage. It’s
than those presented in the player’s handbook. The very simple and adds the extra realism some groups
rules below grant additional occasions for opportunity seek with initiative. If the action is not listed below,
attacks. it has no modifier.
Taking an opportunity attack is a reaction, and a Table: Speed Factor Initiative Modifiers
character that exhausts his reaction may not take Factor Modifier
another opportunity attack in that round, regardless Spellcasting: Cantrip Advantage
of his number of opportunities. Spellcasting: 1st-3rd level -
Spellcasting: 4th or greater Disadvantage
Moving Out of a Threatened Square Melee, Heavy Weapon Disadvantage
Instead of suffering an opportunity attack when Melee, Light or Finesse Weapon Advantage
leaving an opponent’s reach, you suffer an Melee, Two-handed Weapon -
opportunity attack any time a foe exits any of your Ranged, Loading Weapon Disadvantage
threatened squares.
When you change your action (cast a different spell,
attack with a different weapon, etc.), you use a
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modified initiative for the next round based on that Armor Type Damage Reduction
action. Refer to the chart below. Light DR 1
Medium DR 2
Table: Speed Factor Initiative Modifier Changes Heavy DR 3
Factor Modifier
Gain Advantage +5 If you use this option, we suggest changing the
Lose Advantage -5 Heavy Armor Master feat to increase the amount of
No Change - damage reduction granted by heavy armor by +2.
For example: A character attacks on round 1 with a CLASS DEFENSE BONUS

cantrip to gain advantage on his initiative roll. He rolls In the standard rules, a character’s skill at attacking gets
a 12 and a 16 (modified by +2 for his Dexterity of 14). better as he goes up in level—but not so his skill at
On round 1, the character would go on an 18, zapping avoiding attacks. Characters rely on armor and magic
out his well-practiced cantrip with lightning speed. items to protect them in combat. With the Class
However, he finds that his cantrip was less than Defense Bonus system, characters have an innate
effective so he draws his longsword in round 2. His defense (AC), and armor provides a means to keep
initiative changes from having advantage to no from being damaged.
modifier and so because he lost advantage, his new
initiative score is reduced by -5 to 13. This variant system is particularly appropriate for
swashbuckling or stealth-based campaigns, for settings
ARMOR AS DAMAGE REDUCTION in which firearms are common, for seafaring
campaigns (in which the characters would rather not
wear armor for fear of drowning), or any other setting
in which armor is not worn on a day-to-day basis—
even by adventurers.
Using the defense bonus variant in your game means

that sometimes, at least, characters won’t want to
wear armor—their defense bonus provides them with
free protection that’s just as good as armor.
THE CLASS DEFENSE BONUS

In this variant, every character has a defense bonus
based on his character level. The defense bonus applies
to Armor Class. However, it does not stack with the
character’s armor bonus. A character wearing armor
gains damage reduction (including any enhancement
to that bonus) instead of an additional bonus to AC.
The defense bonus stacks with all other bonuses to AC,
including the character’s shield bonus, natural armor
bonus, and other special abilities (such as the barbarian
or monk’s class abilities).
Some groups enjoy a little more realism when it comes
to armor and taking hits. With this system, armor Druid, Sorcerer, Bard, Barbarian,
provides the ability to deflect attacks and a measure of Warlock, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin,
damage reduction against successful strikes. Level Wizard Rogue Ranger
Each category of armor provides a listed amount of 1st 10 10 12

damage reduction. While you are wearing armor, 2nd 10 10 12
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you 3rd 10 11 13
take from non-magical weapons is reduced by the 4th 10 11 13
listed amount. 5th 11 11 13
6th 11 12 14
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Druid, Sorcerer, Bard, Barbarian, Armor provides a die for damage reduction, and this
Warlock, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, die is rolled and the amount subtracted from all
Level Wizard Rogue Ranger physical damage taken. GMs are free to rule that some
damage, like falling, is not affected or even to allow it
7th 11 12 14 to reduce magical damage as well, such as a fireball’s
8th 11 12 14 effects against a knight in full plate.
9th 12 13 15
10th 12 13 15
11th 12 13 15 Armor Type Damage Reduction
12th 12 14 16 Light DR 1d4 (or 2)
Medium DR 1d8 (or 4)
13th 13 14 16
Heavy DR 1d12 (or 6)
14th 13 14 16
15th 13 15 17
16th 13 15 17
17th 14 15 17
18th 14 16 18
19th 14 16 18
20th 14 16 18
Multiclass Characters
Multiclass characters may either add all of their levels
together and apply it to their weakest class defense or
take the highest defense listed for each class
(whichever is greater). For instance, a fighter
4/rogue 4 has eight levels, and applies them
to the rogue column, earning a defense of
12. As a 4th level fighter however, his
defense is a 13, so his base defense is a
13. A barbarian 4/ranger 4 would have
a 14 when combined or 13 individually,
so his defense is a 14.
Monsters
Generally, it is not worth recalculating monster’s
defense and AC. Simply use a monster’s listed
AC as their defense, and grant them damage
reduction based on the type of armor they
wield or the strength of their natural
armor in comparison to existing armor.
Class Defense and Armor as DR

When using the Class Defense
option, the Armor as Damage
Reduction rules need to
change. Damage reduction
becomes vastly more
important as PCs (and
monsters) will be getting hit
much more often. Armor
with this system is designed for protection, not
necessarily to keep you from being hit.
62
Locating Magic Items
CHAPTER FIVE: Because of their rarity you must first locate a magic
item before you can even attempt to buy one. A
MAGIC character must dedicate a full eight hour day to

locating a magic item. This may entail research or
following up on rumors and leads as to whom might
possess the item you are looking for. Each day of
MAGIC ITEMS investigation allows for one roll.
There is a much greater scarcity of magic in 5th edition
compared to previous editions. This generally means Item Rarity Investigation DC Required
that magic items are not sold in shops, but rather Common DC 15
Uncommon DC 20
people need to be “in the know” to find them or be
Rare DC 25
connected to someone that has what you are looking
Very Rare DC 30
for. Even a person selling relatively mundane items Legendary N/A
such as potions of healing would be forced to hide
their stores for the great risk of theft and worse, being
Conditional Modifiers Modifier
inundated with beleaguered individuals needing the Familiarity with locale +2
healing but who could not afford the 50 gp (more Very familiar with locale +5
than most peasants make in a year). Most people Spending less than 8 hours Investigating Disadvantage
might never see a real magic item in their lives, and Spending 100 gp +1
stories would be told (and greatly exaggerated) of Spending 500 gp +2
those that did see one. Consequently, an adventuring Spending 1000 gp +3
party isn’t likely to be able to waltz down Main Street Spending 5000 gp +5
looking for magic items.
63
After locating an item, you must still negotiate with its is being performed at an adequate place of lore. Such
owner and persuade them to part with it. This might research often comes at a cost as well. Research of
mean trading magic items, parting with vast sums of magic lore is an excellent choice for a complex skill
gold or other illicit methods. check.
It should be noted that this is an excellent opportunity Identify might also no longer be an option for players,
to use complex skill checks with the Investigation, instead requiring painstaking research or have a much
Persuasion and History skills. Ultimately the difficulty greater cost.
needed to find an item is up to the GM.
MAGICAL CRAFTING
MAGIC ITEM IDENTIFICATION LIMITATIONS
The Craft Magic Items feat below can also be used to
Some GMs may want slightly harder magic item
limit the creation of magic items. This feat is essentially
identification, and especially those in a low-magic
a feat tax that allows players to have access to the
setting. The following rules require more difficulty
creation of magic items in their games. This feat serves
based on the magic levels in your setting.
as a barrier of entry, making magic items more rare in
your campaign. This is an excellent option for low
High Fantasy
magic games.
As per the GM’s Guidebook, the identification of
magic items requires only a short rest of reflection and New Feat: Craft Magic Items
attunement with the item. At the end of this period CRAFT MAGIC ITEMS
of time, the items special abilities are uncovered. You know the secrets of magic item creation.
Prerequisite: Arcana proficiency, Int 13.
Standard Fantasy
*You can craft permanent magic items if you are
With standard fantasy, magic items are slightly more
proficient with at least one type of tools necessary
rare and harder to uncover their abilities. Identifying
for their manufacture.
a magic item requires an Arcana check depending on
the rarity of the item. If you are not proficient in the
*The time to craft consumable magic items is reduced
Arcana skill, you suffer disadvantage on this skill check.
as if they were one degree of rarity more common.
For example, crafting a Rare potion would take as
Rarity Arcana DC much time as an Uncommon enduring item.
Common DC 5
Uncommon DC 10
Rare DC 15 Normal: You cannot craft permanent magic items,
Very Rare DC 20 and reduced crafting times for consumable magic
Legendary DC 25 items.
On a failed roll, the character must wait at least 24 Magical Formulae

hours before attempting a new Arcana check to The GM may also decide that certain cities or locations
identify the item. may have knowledge of some formulae (item recipes)
you can learn. Additionally, some formulae may be
The identify spell is also an option, as per the PHB. It found on scrolls or texts that you come across during
may also simply grant advantage on the Arcana roll, your adventures.
rather than automatically providing the results.
Alternately, such things might be very rare and your
Low Fantasy GM may require great amounts of research or questing
to gain the formulae needed to craft a magic item.
In low fantasy settings, magic items are considerably
rarer to come by, and knowledge of such items exists MAGIC ITEM ATTUNEMENT
only in rumors and fables. Increase the effective
category of all items by one (i.e., increase the DC by Harder Attunement
+5) when making Arcana checks and all such Arcana In a low-magic setting, magic and magic items should
checks are made with disadvantage unless the research be very rare, and magic items weigh upon a
64
character’s soul and psyche. A character can attune
to a number of magic items equal to half of their
proficiency modifier. If they attune to another item
above their limit, they gain a level of exhaustion as
the magic fatigues and drains them.
Easier Attunement
With this variant, magic and magic items are more
common. Characters can attune to a number of
magic items equal to their proficiency bonus.
New Feat: Greater Concentration

GREATER ATTUNEMENT
You are able to attune with magic items more easily.
Prerequisite: Cha 15
*You can tell if an item is magical by touching it.

You do not gain knowledge of any properties,
merely whether or not an item is magical.
*You may attune with a number of magic items,
equal to three or your proficiency bonus, whichever
is greater.
*You can attune to magic items after a period of only
10 minutes.
VARIANT MAGICAL HEALING

Your curative spells always heal their average die roll
(rounded up). For example, a 1st level cure wounds
MAGICAL FOCI
spell heals 5 hit points per die. No one likes getting 1s
on the cure critical wounds when the chips are down. FOCI (+1, +2 OR, +3)
Item (any), uncommon (+1), rare (+2), or very rare
VARIANT COUNTERSPELLING (+3)
Counterspell as written is a spell. Many GMs may find
that distasteful and would prefer it as more of a Foci are magical aids that channel a spellcaster’s
magical wrestling match between two eldritch forces. power. They often come in the form of holy symbols
In that case, use the rules presented here. or staves. Spellcasters use these foci as magical
conduits to achieve greater results with their magic.
To attempt to counterspell a spell, you must be Wielding a foci adds its bonus to concentration checks
capable of casting spells and not be incapacitated. and spell DCs.
When another spellcaster begins casting a spell, you
can attempt a counterspell as a reaction. You must VARIANT CONCENTRATION
expend a spell slot and then make an ability check One problem that spellcaster players suffer with this
using your spellcasting ability score + proficiency the hard limit of spells that can be in play, thanks to
bonus and a bonus of 1 point per level of the spell slot the concentration rules. Some GMs (especially in high
expended against a DC that equals 8 + the spell’s level magic games) may wish to allow more options for
+ the caster’s proficiency bonus. On a success, the concentration. In this variant, spellcasters can
creature’s spell fails and has no effect. The GM may concentrate on an amount of spells equal to half their
rule that you have disadavantage on this roll if you do proficiency bonus (rounded down).
are not the same tradition of spellcaster (arcane vs.
divine, etc.). Optionally, this can also be treated as a feat.
65
New Feat: Greater Concentration BONUS SPELLCASTING SLOTS
GREATER CONCENTRATION Some players feel they should be rewarded better for
You are skilled at maintaining spells and are able to higher spellcasting attributes by gaining additional
concentrate on more than one at a time. spell slots as per previous editions. We present this
Prerequisite: Primary spellcasting attribute 13+, option below, but with the caveat that this will
ability to cast spells. definitely increase the power of your spellcasters. If
you are in a high magic game, this will add to the
*You may concentrate on an additional number of theme and flavor, but in other more low-magic games
spells per round equal to half your proficiency bonus. it could have the opposite effect.
New Feat: Cooperative Concentration, Greater Bonus spells slots are only added when a spellcaster
COOPERATIVE CONCENTRATION, gains the ability to cast spells of that level.
GREATER
You know how to draw on the mental focus of Table: Bonus Spell Slots
Primary Bonus Spell Slots
other, lesser spellcasters to maintain more spells than
Casting 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
normal. Stat
Prerequisite: Cooperative Concentration, Lesser 9 Can’t cast spells tied to this ability
10-11 - - - - - - - - -
*When you spend an action to cast a spell, you may 12-13 1 - - - - - - - -
rely on the magical focus of another willing 14-15 1 1 - - - - - - -
spellcaster. As long as you keep that spellcaster in 16-17 1 1 1 - - - - - -
sight and within range (60 feet), you can cast a 18-19 2 1 1 1 - - - - -
second spell that requires concentration, using their 20-21 2 1 1 1 1 - - - -
concentration in place of your own. Any spell you 22-23 2 2 1 1 1 1 - - -
cast must be one they could normally be able to cast, 24-25 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 - -
at a level they could normally cast. If they lose 26-27 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
concentration at any point, you lose the spell they 28-29 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
were concentrating on. 30+ 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
New Feat: Cooperative Concentration, Lesser SIMPLER SPELL RECOVERY

COOPERATIVE CONCENTRATION, Some groups may wish for an easier time recovering
LESSER their spells in between fights. With the Simpler Spell
You have practiced techniques that allow you to Recovery rule, spellcasters of all types can spend a
magically bond with another spellcaster, allowing minimum of one hour resting (doing nothing but
you to focus your concentration on them instead of meditating, praying, studying, etc.) and may regain a
yourself. spell slot with a level equal to the hours spent
Prerequisite: Primary Casting Attribute 15+, ability recovering. For example, a wizard might choose to
to cast spells. study his spellbook for two hours while a party rests.
He could then recover two first level spells or a single
* You may spend an action to focus your second level spell.
concentration on another willing spellcaster. As long
as you keep that spellcaster in sight and within range At the GM’s option, spellcasters cannot regain more
(60 feet), they can cast a second spell that requires spell slot levels per day than their primary spellcasting
concentration, using your concentration in place of ability score modifier. Example: A cleric with an 18
their own. Any spell they cast must be one you could Wisdom could only recover four first level spells or
normally be able to cast, at a level you could two second level spells, etc.
normally cast. If you lose concentration at any point,
they lose the spell you are concentrating on. Note that the wizard (and to some extent the warlock)
already has this option as one of his class features, and
allowing other classes to perform this ability may
enhance your game, but may leave the wizard feeling
less unique.
66
To combat this, the GM could require the other classes Recharging doesn’t require any actions; as long as a
a special condition to go along with this option to fuel spellcaster is alive, he naturally recharges his energy.
their spell recharging.
All spellcasters must maintain a list of prepared spells
Bard: The bard must spend his time singing and equal to their caster level + primary casting stat
performing for his companions. A successful DC 15 modifier. They may choose to cast any spell on their
Performance check is needed during each hour of rest. list of prepared spells as long as they have an available
spell slot.
Cleric: Must pray to his deity, requiring his holy
symbol, an area of quiet contemplation and possibly GMs are free to modify the recharge rates further.
an idol or shrine. Some settings where magic is rarer may have much
slower recharge rates, where 9th level spells might only
Druid: May only recover spell slots while resting in a recharge after a week or a month!
natural setting.
Sorcerer: Must spend a Hit Die for each spell slot

HARDER RESURRECTION
Many GMs feel that resurrection should carry a greater
he recovers and does not gain the benefit of expended
weight. In addition to the listed penalties of the
Hit Dice for healing when used in this manner. resurrection spell, you can add one of the following
options. If a character’s Con ever reaches 0, they die
SPELL RECHARGING and cannot be resurrected. If the character’s Charisma
In this variant, spellcasters don’t have a hard limit on ever reaches 0, they fall permanently catatonic and die
spells per day. Instead, it takes time to gather the within 24 hours and can never be resurrected again.
magical energies required to cast a spell of a particular
level, so characters must wait a number of rounds, Option One: Lose 1 point of Con and Cha.
minutes, or hours before casting such a spell again.
Spells with an instantaneous duration or a duration Option Two: Lose 1d4 points of Con and Cha.
measured in rounds can be cast dozens of times per
day. Longer-duration spells cast outside of combat
have recharge times measured in minutes or hours.
Spell
Level Recharge Time
9th Level 24 hours
8th Level 12 hours
7th Level 8 hours
6th Level 6 hours
5th Level 4 hours
4th Level 2 hours
3rd Level 1 hour
2nd Level 30 minutes
1st Level 1 minute
At its heart, the recharge magic variant is simple: A

well-rested spellcaster can cast any spell he knows or
has prepared, but then must wait an amount of time
before spell slots of that level become available again
(if it’s a general recharge spell) or loses access to that
spell for a specified time (if it’s a specific recharge
spell). Spell slots are never completely expended; they
just become temporarily unavailable.
67
fear ratings. In such cases, the GM can grant advantage
CHAPTER SIX: on the saves to individuals that have successfully faced
such creatures before (or if your level is equal to or
GM’s MISC. greater than the creature’s CR).
Below are some examples.

FEAR CHECKS
Creature Fear Rating
Zombie DC 8
Animated Armor DC 9
Doppleganger DC 11
Banshee DC 12
Vrock Demon DC 14
Tyrannosaurus DC 16
Bone Devil DC 17
Vampire DC 21
Eye-Thing of Doom DC 21
Dracolich DC 25
Lich DC 29
Ancient Red Dragon DC 32
Example Situations Fear Rating

Find a mangled animal carcass DC 8
Surprised to find human corpse DC 10
Find a stream flowing with blood DC 12
Witness a friend’s violent death DC 14
Undergo severe torture DC 15
Witness a haunted site DC 16
See the dead rise DC 18
See evil deity DC 30
DOOM
Doom is the opposite of inspiration. Doom represents
when fear, terror or other forces are so overwhelming
that they cause player characters to doubt themselves
or be paralyzed with fear. When faced with
Adventurers are a tough, hardy lot. However, something terrifying (an unholy demon, a terrifying
depending on the theme of the game you are running, monstrosity or even the grisly scene of sacrifice) a GM
they might not be… yet. might inflict doom points upon the players.
You can use fear checks for monsters that are beyond The GM can hand out doom points in an amount of
the normal ken, or those of supernatural horror like (usually) one point per player. These doom points
dragons, demons and aberrations. cause disadvantage on rolls. The PC must use the
doom point up on their first roll made in a given
Characters should make a Wisdom save against the scene. Alternatively, the GM can be the one who
fear rating of a creature or situation. The DC of the decides when the doom affects a character, and how.
fear rating is equal to 8 plus the CR of the creature
(rounded down). Characters that fail the fear DC gain XP TOKENS
the frightened condition for one minute or while With the XP Tokens variant, experience is greatly
within 60 feet of the creature (whichever is greater). simplified, making the GM’s job much easier.
Some creatures are truly terrifying and should true Encounters and roleplaying scenarios generate roughly
horrors to behold. 1 to 3 XP tokens each, and once a character
accumulates 20 tokens, they gain a level. The
GMs are free to determine which creatures could cause challenge of the encounters increase, but the amount
fear. In a real horror setting, even goblins might have
68
of XP tokens needed to level do not, making this before advancement continued. Either way, the effect
system a very simple addition to most games. is the same.
First, as the GM, decide what sort of setting you are BETTER INSPIRATION
playing in. This will give you the amount of XP tokens Inspiration can be granted to do more than just grant
needed to level. In swords and sorcery style (low advantage. It can be used in many different ways if the
fantasy) games, the number of XP tokens needed is GM allows it. Inspiration might also have the
more than in those of high fantasy (epic) games. following benefits:
Setting XP Tokens Needed per Level Heroic Inspiration

Low Fantasy 25 You gain a bonus die to the inspired roll based on your
Standard Fantasy 20 proficiency bonus: +2 (d4), +3 (d6), +4 (d8), +5
High Fantasy 15
(d10), +6 (d12). You must choose to add this bonus
before rolling for effect.
To award XP tokens, the GM need only look at the
rating of any given encounter or ad hoc a rough guess Swift Inspiration
of the worth of any scenario. Trivial and easy You gain an extra action.
scenarios do not generate XP tokens, as they do little
to improve a character’s skill. However, even Recovering Inspiration
meaningful roleplaying in a social encounter could You may regain a single use ability that normally can
grant XP tokens. The GM always has the final decision only be used after a short rest.
as to what generates XP tokens.
Rejuvenating Inspiration
Challenge XP Tokens Awarded You may spend a Hit Die as a bonus action. You must
Trivial 0 tokens have a Hit Die available to use this ability, and it
Easy 0 tokens counts against your normal number of uses.
Medium 1 token
Hard 2 tokens Smiting Inspiration
Overwhelming 3 tokens
You automatically critically hit with your next attack
Social Encounter 1 tokens
that hits.
Some GMs may also want to allow XP tokens for the Expeditious Inspiration
completion of milestones. With this option, simply You can take your action now, changing your place in
decide if the milestone is of lesser or greater value to the initiative order and acting simultaneously (or
the overall story and award accordingly. When the interrupting if the GM allows) as those taking their
adventure or story arc is concluded, you can also turns.
award a great reward.
Accurate Inspiration
Milestone XP Tokens Awarded You may reroll any roll (including those with
Lesser 1 token advantage/disadvantage) and choose which result you
Greater 2 tokens
wish to use.
Adventure Completion 3 tokens
Invigorating Inspiration
Inspiration for XP Tokens As an action you may gain a number of temporary hit
Another great option is to allow players to use their points equal to your level.
XP tokens to buy inspiration points. Perhaps they
need inspiration to heroically succeed on a dramatic Stalwart Inspiration
roll. This option would allow them to buy inspiration You can use your inspiration to automatically gain
when needed, but at the cost of reducing their level three successes on Death Saves when unconscious. You
advancement. A character with 0 XP tokens (i.e., just treat those three saves as though you rolled natural
leveled) could not buy inspiration in this manner. 20s, also gaining 3 hit points.
Optionally, the GM could allow PCs to accrue
negative XP tokens, requiring them to be paid back
69
CONVICTION ALIGNMENTS common solider might be [Lawful] Neutral. A druid
In reality, alignments are frequently shades of grey; might be [Neutral] Good.
rarely do they exist as absolutes. Morality is also
relative to the individual’s beliefs. Having a Choose up to three ideals within an alignment. You
conviction to one’s beliefs, however, grants resolute must uphold these ideals, and gain the conviction
strength. bonuses to go along with them. Should you fail to do
so, you lose your conviction with that ideal. If you
Alignments are generally mutable. A good man can lose all of your ideals, you lose conviction with that
still do evil deeds if pressed hard enough, and even the alignment type. Characters with no conviction
most chaotic of despots produce some order in their become characters with a generic alignment.
regime. This makes the standard alignment difficult to
truly track. The conviction system addresses these Spells, magic items and anything that requires a specific
misconceptions in standard “Black & White” alignment only function on those who have
alignments in fantasy games. Now, you can choose to conviction. For example, a holy avenger may only be
be much more morally grey, but those that choose a wielded by those who are [Lawful] [Good]. Detect
conviction will be rewarded for their beliefs. alignment spells barely register those without
conviction, unless they have immediate intent. A
Alignment in Fiction rogue intending to mug and steal your valuables in a
Unlike in many fantasy games, fictional characters are dark alley might normally be Neutral Evil, but in this
much more dynamic, with shades of alignments. situation his actions cause his alignment to detect as
Rarely do they ever fall within a simple, rigid absolute Evil.
alignment. Darth Vader was an overlord of evil in Star
Wars, yet despite his villainy, he opposed the Emperor Intent is when a person with a generic alignment
in his final hour, helping Luke. In Game of Thrones, intends to do something in the immediate future. A
many characters show their spectrum of alignment and boring sod with a Neutral alignment might drink too
even villains show their moral ambiguity. much and suddenly want to fight everyone in the bar.
His alignment suddenly shows his Chaotic intent.
Mechanics
Everyone chooses an alignment as per the standard Here are some examples:
rules. This alignment is not static however, and can
change based on the actions of the individual, even on A brutal dictator deposes the former aristocracy with
a daily basis. These basic alignments are recorded as ruthless efficiency and supplants his regime in power.
normal (Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic He controls the military, his own royal guard and a
Neutral, etc.). Characters of this type are treated as spy network. He has conviction to Law and Evil. His
non-aligned for all purposes however. They have alignment is [Lawful] [Evil].
intentions, but they have no conviction.
A soldier serves in the army of the dictator. He is not
Characters can choose to have conviction in an evil, but follows orders. He has a conviction for Law.
alignment however. This means that they choose one His alignment is [Lawful] Neutral. Sometimes he is
or more axis of their alignments (Law/Chaos, forced to do evil deeds to the enemies of the dictator.
Good/Evil) and choose a conviction. This means they At that moment, his alignment temporarily shifts to
devote themselves to this alignment and its beliefs. As [Lawful] Evil due to his intent. Sometimes he is
a character with conviction, their alignments now look protecting his homeland and the innocent within his
like this ([Lawful] Good, Neutral [Good] or [Chaotic] native villages. At that moment, his alignment shifts
[Neutral], etc. The alignment descriptor with brackets to [Lawful] Good because his intent at that moment is
shows conviction. This portion of your alignment is to protect his people, possibly sacrificing himself to do
now treated as an absolute. You have conviction and so. When he no longer has any intent, his alignment
will never budge from your beliefs. Because of your simply shows as [Lawful] Neutral.
devotion to your ideals, your convictions grant you
some benefits. A religious warrior fighting for god A villager has lost his leatherworking shop in the war.
and crown might be Lawful Good, but a Paladin who He can no longer provide for his family. His
has sworn an oath might be [Lawful][Good]. A alignment was Neutral Good. He hoarded his food
and wealth, unable to share with other unfortunates
because he wanted to keep his family fed. His
70
alignment shifts to Neutral. As things become more  Justice/Judgment/Truth: You add a
and more grim, he turns to banditry and theft, where bonus equal to half your
he learns new skills and his alignment proficiency bonus to
becomes Neutral Evil. Later, Perception and Insight
he is discovered by the checks.
dictator and given a chance
to become an assassin. He Chaos: You are wild
now has wealth and a and unpredictable,
prized role. He gains unrestrained and
conviction in the tyranny fickle. You refuse
and relishes in his ability to to be tamed
kill. His alignment now or
becomes [Lawful] [Evil]. follow
the laws
Acting at an alignment is of others.
not sufficient to achieve a  Uncontrollable: You add a bonus
conviction bonus, you equal to half your proficiency bonus to any
must have true conviction in saving throw that keeps you from being
that alignment. influenced mentally.
 Revolution/Conflict: You add a bonus equal
ALIGNMENT CONVICTIONS to half your proficiency bonus to all
Choose a single conviction that sums up the opportunity attacks.
core of your beliefs from each axis in your  Compulsive: You add a bonus equal to half
alignment. True neutral characters may your proficiency bonus to all initiative checks.
choose two convictions from the neutral  Destruction/Violence: You add a bonus equal
category. to half your proficiency bonus to damage on
all critical hits.
Law: You rigidly oppose a lack of direction, and seek  Deception: You add a bonus equal to half
order for others. You are organized and follow rules your proficiency bonus to all Bluff checks.
to the degree, expecting others to do the same.  Insanity: You add a bonus equal to half your
 Order/Organization: You gain advantage on proficiency bonus to all Wisdom saves against
all Intelligence or Wisdom saves requiring you mind-affecting effects.
to do something contrary to your convictions.  Spontaneity: You add a bonus equal to half
 Duty/Loyalty: You gain advantage on all your proficiency bonus to attack rolls in the
Strength or Constitution saves requiring you first round of combat.
to persevere (forced march, cold, etc.) while
in service of another. Neutrality: You find your way in the balance. Some
 Honor: You add a bonus equal to half your perceive you as selfish, but you simply look out for
proficiency bonus to Insight and Persuasion your own interests.
checks.  Balance: You add a bonus equal to half your
 Tradition: You add a bonus equal to half your proficiency bonus to damage on critical hits
proficiency bonus to Arcana, History or dealt to either [Good] or [Evil] targets.
Religion checks (choose two).  Harmony: You add a bonus equal to half your
 Creation: You add a bonus equal to half your proficiency bonus to Intelligence or Wisdom
proficiency bonus to skill checks using tools saves to resist mind-affecting effects.
that you are proficient with.  Nature: You add a bonus equal to half your
 Power/Control: You add a bonus equal to proficiency bonus to Nature skill checks.
half your proficiency bonus to Intimidate and  Preservation: You add a bonus equal to half
Persuasion skill checks. your proficiency bonus to Survival checks.
 Fate: Once per long rest you may reroll a  Pleasure: You add a bonus equal to half your
single die roll, adding a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus to all Constitution saves
proficiency bonus to the roll. You must take made against non-magical poisons and
the new result. alcohol.
71
 Renewal: You add a bonus equal to half your of damage equal to half your proficiency
proficiency bonus to Medicine checks. bonus.
 Fear: You add a bonus equal to half your
Good: You believe in the sanctity of life, and protect proficiency bonus to Intimidate checks.
the innocent and the weak.  Vileness/Impurity: You add a bonus equal to
 Freedom: You add a bonus equal to half half your proficiency bonus to Constitution
your proficiency bonus to any saving throw saves against disease and non-magical
or skill check that keeps you from being held, poisons.
bound or restrained.
 Mercy: When casting curative magic, you Breaking Your Vows
add a bonus equal to half your proficiency What happens when you break the vows that you
bonus to the total hit points healed. have held your conviction in? Immediately you are
 Righteousness/Honor: You add a bonus treated as though you no longer have conviction and
equal to half your proficiency bonus to saves not only do you lose the benefits of the conviction,
against evil or necromantic spells and effects. but you suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls, skill
 Security: You add a bonus equal to half your checks and saving throws for 48 hours or until you
proficiency bonus to AC when defending an atone for your misdeeds.
innocent.
 Sacrifice/Martyrdom: You add a bonus equal After losing one’s conviction, it becomes necessary to
to half your proficiency bonus to death reflect and atone for your deeds. This is left in the
saves. hands of the player and GM to determine. The tasks
 Peace: You may not take the life of another required to atone should not be easy by any means.
sentient being. You add a bonus equal to Only then can the conviction be regained. If you do
half your proficiency bonus to Medicine and not atone, you do not regain conviction in your
Persuasion checks. alignment or its benefits.
 Community: When fighting in the defense of
your community, you gain a +1 bonus to
your AC.
 Heroism: You add a bonus equal to half your
proficiency bonus to saves against fear.
 Purity: You add a bonus equal to half your
proficiency bonus to Constitution saves
against poison and disease.
 Love/Compassion: You add a bonus equal to
half your proficiency bonus to Medicine skill
checks.
Evil: You are devoid of compassion, a being devoted

to darkness and the depravity of pure evil.
 Slavery/Oppression: You add a bonus equal
to half your proficiency bonus to checks
made to bind or grapple opponents.
 Greed: You add a bonus equal to half your
proficiency bonus to Deception and
Persuasion checks made to haggle on prices
and Investigation checks made to identify
items.
 Misery/Cruelty: When you hit a foe you are
flanking, you deal a number of additional
points of damage equal to half your
proficiency bonus.
 Murder/Death: When reducing a foe to 0 or
less hit points, you deal an additional amount
72
NPC CLASSES any ability check you make that uses either of those
NPC classes are non-heroic classes designed to help chosen proficiencies.
easily flesh out common characters. These are non-
heroic characters, and as such they do not gain At 6th level, and every six additional levels, you can
archetypes or other heroic character benefits (without choose two more of your proficiencies to gain this
the GMs discretion). benefit.
Equipment
THE EXPERT You start with the following equipment, in addition
to the equipment granted by your background:
Class Features
As an expert, you have the following class features.  (a) Leather armor and shortsword or (b)
dagger and studded leather.
Hit Points  Two tools you are proficient with.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per expert level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution THE SPELLCASTER
modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your
Constitution modifier per expert level after 1st Class Features
As a spellcaster, you have the following class features.
Proficiencies
Armor: None Hit Points
Weapons: Simple weapons Hit Dice: 1d6 per spellcaster level
Tools: Two tools of choice Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution
Saving Throws: Two of choice modifier
Skills: Any five of choice Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your
Constitution modifier per spellcaster level after 1st
Level Proficiency Class

Bonus Features
1 +2 Expertise
2 +2
3 +2
4 +2 Ability Score Improvement
5 +3
6 +3 Expertise
7 +3
9 +4
10 +4
11 +4
12 +4 Expertise, Ability Score
Improvement
13 +5
14 +5
15 +5
17 +6
18 +6 Expertise
19 +6
Expertise
At 1st level, choose two of your skill or tool
proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for
73
Proficiencies THE WARRIOR
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Choose two from Intelligence,
Wisdom or Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight,
Investigation, Medicine and Religion
Level Proficiency Class

Bonus Features
1 +2 Spellcasting
2 +2
3 +2
5 +3
6 +3
7 +3
9 +4
10 +4
11 +4
13 +5
14 +5
15 +5
17 +6
Class Features
18 +6
19 +6 As a warrior, you have the following class features.
Hit Points
Spellcasting Hit Dice: 1d10 per expert level
At 1st level, the spellcaster chooses Intelligence, Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution
Wisdom or Charisma as their primary casting statistic. modifier
Once chosen, this is the ability score that determines Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your
all spellcasting abilities. Constitution modifier per warrior level after 1st
The spellcaster gains spell advancement and slots as Proficiencies

per the bard class and you may choose one Armor: All armor shields
spellcasting class to draw spells from based on your Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
choice of spellcasting stat: Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Intelligence: Wizard Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling,
Wisdom: Cleric, Druid Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception
Charisma: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock and Survival
Equipment Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition You start with the following equipment, in
to the equipment granted by your background: addition to the equipment granted by your
background:
 Chainmail and two martial weapons.
 (a) Longbow or (b) light crossbow and  Chainmail and two martial weapons.
ammunition.  (a) Longbow or (b) light crossbow and
ammunition.
74
Level Proficiency Class based on a theme. The variant rules sets listed allow
Bonus Features the GM to enhance the flavor of the game.
1 +2
2 +2 HIGH FANTASY
3 +2
 Dice Pool (24d6), High or Epic Fantasy Array
5 +3 Extra Attack or Improved Point Buy stat generation
6 +3  No spell components tracked that cost less
7 +3 than 10gp
8 +3 Ability Score Improvement  Feats at First Level
9 +4  Epic Fantasy Advancement
10 +4  Ability Score Increases by Level, Not Class
11 +4 Extra Attack (2)
 Better Saving Throws
13 +5  Variant Skill Advancement
14 +5  Simpler Mundane Crafting
15 +5  Simpler Ammunition
16 +5 Ability Score Improvement  More Starting Hit Points
17 +6  No Instant Death
18 +6  Variant Death Saves
19 +6
20 +6 Extra Attack (3), Ability Score
 Variant Combat Actions
Improvement  Multiple Advantages and Disadvantages
 Better Critical Hits
 Easier Magic Item Attunement
CALCULATING POWERFUL PCs  Variant Magical Healing
So you want to try out a number of the new options  Magical Foci
in this book, great! However, without careful  Variant Concentration
examination, combining some of these abilities  Bonus Spellcasting Slots or Simpler Spell
could lead to more powerful PCs than you Recovery
anticipated. There are some things you can do as a  Better Inspiration
GM to accommodate this new play style.  Conviction Alignments
Try to gauge how much more powerful your LOW FANTASY

players are than a typical character. If it is slightly  Low Fantasy Array or Grid Method stat
more powerful, you can add a quarter level or half generation
a level to their levels when calculating challenges.  Racial Maximums
For example, if a group of four 5th level PCs are  No identify spell. Magic items have to be
slightly more powerful, add 1 level (1/4 x 4) to your figured out the hard way, through trial and
calculations. This would be treated as three 5th level error, or quest for lore
PCs and one 6th level to determine the party’s actual  Silver pieces are the standard coin. All gold
strength. piece values are instead converted to silver
pieces
Then, when you are making your encounters,  No resurrection, unless you are willing to
budget for the effective experience level of the pay a price…
group instead of their actual levels. However,  Magic item rarities increased by one category
remember that against single foes, the PCs could be  Track spell components
more or less powerful than you think. The best way  Low Fantasy Advancement
to adjust encounters is to add more lower level  Masterwork Equipment
adversaries to an existing encounter until you know  Exotic Equipment
their true power level.  Round Table Initiative
 Simplified Speed Factor
 Locating Magic Items
CAMPAIGN TEMPLATES  Harder Magic Item Identification
Below are a number of templates for campaigns that
 Magical Crafting Limitations
can allow GMs to create a certain style of gameplay
75
 Conviction Alignments  Class Defense Bonus
 NPC Classes  Locating Magic Items
 Conviction Alignments
GRITTY
 Standard Fantasy Array or Grid Method Stat HORROR
Generation  Low Fantasy Array or Deal with the Devil
 Racial Maximums Stat Generation
 Character Flaws  Character Flaws
 Variant Multiclassing  Low Fantasy Advancement
 Low Fantasy Advancement  Player Concealed Checks
 Language Limits  Poison Handling
 Player Concealed Checks  Slower Healing
 Complex Skill Checks  Lingering Injuries
 Training  Wound Tokens
 More Hindering Armor  Harder Resurrection
 Stronger Crossbows and Firearms  Fear Checks
 Slower Healing  Doom
 Limited Recovery Per Hour  Conviction Alignments
 Fatiguing Injuries
 Vitality and Wounds or Wound Tokens
 Variant Death Saves
We’d love to hear about it! Also, please let others
 Firing Into Melee
know by submitting a review on the site you
 Fumbles
purchased it and on Amazon. We truly appreciate
 Armor as Damage Reduction
your support!
 More Opportunity Attacks
76
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another,
Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved. independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered
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License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, © 2002, Sean K Reynolds
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5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing
original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC;
Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte
grant the rights conveyed by this License. Cook, and Skip Williams.
6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Combat. © 2011, Paizo Publishing,
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OPTIONS, toolkits, allowing you to pick and choose what suits

How to Use This Book

CHARACTER player, but luck and priority placement of stats still

RANDOM ABILITY SCORE

For example, if you want a high STR score, you can

*During the first round of combat with a humanoid

Option 2: All characters gain a bonus feat at first

Frail Not the Brightest Torch

Uneducated Class Ability Score Minimum

Equipment Extra Attacks

Spellcasting In Low Fantasy, characters progress much more

Additional Restrictions Table: Low Fantasy Advancement

Table: Epic Fantasy Advancement

Society (Local Culture, City Lore, Nation Lore,

Performance* (By Instrument) PLAYER CONCEALED CHECKS

ARCANA Analyze Magic Trap: After you (or an ally within

Deception Modifiers DC Modifier Fast-Talk: With meaningless fast-talk and quick-

Notice Someone/Something: Perception has a

Perception is also used to notice fine details in the

Influence Attitude: You can change the initial

MIXING COMPLEX SKILL

Example: Researching location of an

Requirement: 10 successes before 5 failures. At least 2

Arcana: DC 25, to hunt down rumors of the scrolls

SIMPLER MUNDANE CRAFTING Table: Variant Crafting Time

Gigantic: This weapon is designed to be larger than

Guard: A properly designed guard is not only

Light: May only be placed on a weapon that does not

Weighted: Weapon gains the heavy property, loses

Limited Recovery per Hour

Optionally, with a long rest, a character recovers all

Note that if you are using wounds, wound penalties CONDITIONS

Characters may regain consciousness in 2d4 hours and

Roll on the following table at the beginning of each

01–25 Act normally.

26–50 Do nothing but babble incoherently.

Stunned The benefits of using surprise in this fashion is that a

Unconscious VARIANT INITIATIVE

This variant is best used for the GM’s purposes only.

By the same token, using damage as hits allows for a

You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the

You can't deliver a coup de grace against a creature

VARIANT COMBAT ACTIONS

If you have the Charging Expertise feat, you no longer

Powerful Attack BETTER CRITICAL HITS

Trip The benefit to this variant is that critical hits become

For example, a rogue is stealthily moving into position

Standing up from Prone

SIMPLIFIED SPEED FACTOR

For example: A character attacks on round 1 with a CLASS DEFENSE BONUS

Using the defense bonus variant in your game means

THE CLASS DEFENSE BONUS

Each category of armor provides a listed amount of 1st 10 10 12

Class Defense and Armor as DR

MAGIC character must dedicate a full eight hour day to

On a failed roll, the character must wait at least 24 Magical Formulae

New Feat: Greater Concentration

*You can tell if an item is magical by touching it.

VARIANT MAGICAL HEALING