Orthodox Dungeons & Dragons

Brian Malowany

Audio by Paper2Audio; with a lot of added context

Additional context

This document represents a contribution to the vast and dynamic field of tabletop role-playing games T.T.R.P.G's, with a specific focus on Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). D&D, since its inception, has fostered a culture of creativity and player-driven adaptation, moving beyond its published rulesets to become a personalized storytelling medium. The practice of 'homebrewing'—where Dungeon Masters modify game rules to suit their unique campaign visions—is a fundamental aspect of the T.T.R.P.G community. This allows for deeper immersion, tailored challenges, and unique narrative experiences that resonate with specific player groups. The work presented here is part of this ongoing tradition, building upon the foundation laid by decades of T.T.R.P.G design and community innovation.

4 Definitions

Definition 1: Campaign: A continuous, overarching storyline or series of interconnected adventures played out over multiple gaming sessions.

Definition 2: D.M: Dungeon Master; the person who acts as the narrator, referee, and manager of the game's world, rules, and story.

Definition 3: Homebrew: Custom content, rules, or campaign settings created by players or D.M's that deviate from or add to the official published rules.

Definition 4: T.T.R.P.G: Tabletop Role-Playing Game; a game where players describe their characters' actions through speech and dice rolls.

This document outlines a customized ruleset for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), a tabletop role-playing game (T.T.R.P.G) that has been a cultural phenomenon since the 1970s. D&D involves players creating characters and embarking on adventures guided by a Dungeon Master (D.M), who narrates the story and manages the game's rules. The core rules, published by Wizards of the Coast, provide a framework, but many D.M's, like Brian Malowany, create 'homebrew' campaigns with modified rules to tailor the experience to their group's preferences. This practice is extremely common within the D&D community, as the game is designed to be flexible and adaptable. These modifications can range from minor tweaks to complete overhauls of the core mechanics.

- All rules in this homebrew document supersede any published rules by Wizards of the Coast.

- (50%) This ruleset contains changes from the 2024 edition of Dungeons & Dragons' Core Ruleset: Player's Handbook (P.H.B), Monster Manual M.M, Dungeon Master's Guide (D.M.G).

- (25%) “Modified Rules” are specific to my homebrewed campaign. The acronym B.A.M used in some dark hidden corners of this document, refers to my own modifications which you are reading now.

- (10%) Setting of Greyhawk Rebooted G.R.

- (15%) A portion of my additional rules comes from my internet research sources, including:

- ✓ Kingdoms and Warfare, Strongholds and Followers, Arcadia Periodicals, Where Evil Lives, Flee Mortals! “Running the Game”. Matthew Colville of M.C.D.M

- ✓ “So, You Want to be a Game Master”. Justin Alexander

- Sly Flourish's Lazy R.P.G Talk Show. Michael E. Shea

- ✓ The Mighty Glue Stick. A.J. Pickett

- Treammonk's Temple. Chris Honkala

- ✓ Esper the Bard. Jared Hickey

- Dungeoncraft. Professor D.M Dan DeFazio

- The Mystic Arts, Daði Birna

- ✓ The A.I Guy, You-Tube

- ✓ Dr. Ben, R.P.G P.H.D

- Grok Al v.4, Gemini (Google A.I), Copilot

- ✓ Weapons, Armor & Historical references: Shadiversity (Shad Brooks), Medieval Workshop (Tod Cutler), Skallagrim (Skall), Scholagladiatoria (Matt Easton) and Metatron (Rafaello Urbani).

Ultimately, this document represents a synthesis of established D&D principles, insights from the broader T.T.R.P.G community, and the D.M's own unique creative contributions. It's an example of how D&D continues to thrive through customization and collaboration, allowing players to create unique and memorable gaming experiences.

This document is subject to periodical changes with each interesting source of Dungeons & Dragons' rules...

Official Rules of the Game

We will be playing Dungeons & Dragons, a group-focussed game within a fun social environment. The enjoyment of the group is the priority and sometimes the D.M must be the referee between personal disputes over rules. I am the final arbiter of any such dispute!

I make rulings at the game table but between games I make rules to improve the game experience. I aim not to interfere, not to handhold nor to railroad player characters along any narrow pre-defined adventure path. Player Characters will have many options.

2 Definitions

Definition 1: Action: A fundamental mechanic representing a discrete, significant effort a character performs during their turn in a combat round, such as attacking, casting a spell, or searching.

Definition 2: Oerth: The specific planet and game world where the campaign takes place.

The world is dangerous and there are always consequences to your actions. I can be playful and comical in one setting, vile and murderous in another setting. It is my wish that Oerth is seen as a powerful & dramatic game-world where things make a certain sense, they are simultaneously wondrous, unfair, humble, immense, cruel, pathetic, and heroic.

Official Game rules — Which rules are considered official? Who decides the outcome of a rules dispute?

Definition

Rules As Written: Interpreting the game's regulations exactly as they are printed in the rulebooks, without personal or situational modification.

Wizards of the Coast (Hasbro) provides the official rules for the game but always subject to the Dungeon Master's approval. My campaign mostly uses 2024 (5 ^{th} edition) D&D Rules as Written. I use many of the optional and variant rules presented in the core books.

- I am a Sandbox style of Dungeon Master. I can adapt to a player driven adventure path even if it totally diverges from what I prepared for the group.

- I am a Story-Arc style of Dungeon Master. I always craft an epic journey for all my player characters, but the final act belongs solely to the players. Beneath the grand campaign arcs, there are narrative arcs, stories, dungeons, heists, hex-crawls, mysteries, social engagement, intrigue, point-crawls, urban and wilderness adventures.

- I am a West Marches style of Dungeon Master. Player Characters come and go upon their whim. There is a large time investment with creating every character that I will not squander on an indecisive, manipulative or arrogant player. If you waste my time, then I will find your replacement.

- I am a Gatekeeper type of Dungeon Master. I have the last say on whether any or all rules apply in my game, and I am always trying to improve balance and fairness. As Chris Perkins points out: "The rules of the game serve to support the D.M". I craft the past. I shall provide adventurous opportunities, the setting, the pace, and the theme. That is the essence of the campaign. You, dear player, craft the present; your decisions, words and actions will take the adventure down unforeseen paths and its consequences in the future. Together we can make an enduring heroic story.

- I am a Heartless type of Dungeon Master. Though I eschew dark fantasy and I truly want the P.C's to succeed, I will nevertheless aim for realism when it comes to villainy. I have many custom rules that protect the D&D game experience from being a hyperactive superhero farce. P.C's will sometimes die and I advocate two characters being rolled for each player.

- My self-criticism: I micro-manage the game too much. Perhaps I do not know where the fun happens in D&D anymore. I used to think it was full immersion in the persona and the setting of the fantasy worlds. Role Players are fickle creatures. They want action, heroics and more than anything they want to win and get rich and powerful, essentially...get better. But if it is too easy then what? P.C's will get bored if it is too easy and they will get bored if it is too hard. Some P.C's will leave the campaign if it is too slow or they might get overwhelmed if it is too fast. I haven't found the perfect game as a player and I do not offer the perfect game as a D.M. I do strive to improve the experience of Dungeons & Dragons. 48 years and I am not there yet....

- My campaign is medium fantasy-fare. I dislike egregious-horror-themes so I would not classify the campaign as 'grimdark'. The players are the future heroes of my story craft. I want all of you to succeed! Still, the world of Greyhawk can be unforgiving and full of villainy. Modern D&D 5.5e is an oversimplified theme park, a very easy game and nigh impossible for 5 P.C's (working together) to die or fail. I consider the game to be a failure only if the players become bored. I cannot foresee the future nor force fate to bend to my will. Polyhedral dice will determine the outcome of each adventure!

- My game contains a lot of granularities – more descriptive detail, usually at the expense of swift gameplay. Knowing this, I cite Tracy Hickman's Law of Playability: The more detailed a game system becomes the less fun it seems to be. I constantly work at odds with myself to find the right balance for challenge versus immersion.

- Truth be told, I am not a gentle Dungeon Master. Many-a-player has moved through my games. They leave citing a plethora of excuses. My game does not meet their expectations. My D.M style may not suit you at all. To me, the World of Greyhawk is real, strange, magical, haunting and momentous. It is up to you, good player, to make friends from your adventuring companions ... and through teamwork & determination, meet the challenge of the intricate fantasy realm set before you.

Definitions

Homebrew: Custom rules, settings, or content created by players or D.M's that are not part of the official Dungeons & Dragons rules.

Wizards of the Coast: The company that publishes Dungeons & Dragons and sets the official rules for the game.

Railroad: A style of D.Ming where the players' choices have little impact on the overall story, which proceeds along a predetermined path.

R.A.I: Rules As Intended, interpreting the rules of Dungeons & Dragons based on the designers' intent rather than a strict literal reading.

Oerth: The name of a specific Dungeons & Dragons game world.

Action: Something a character does in a round of combat.

Definition

Grimdark: A tone or setting characterized by extreme violence, moral ambiguity, and a pessimistic outlook.

Grimdark: A subgenre of fantasy that is particularly violent, morally ambiguous, and pessimistic.

2 Definitions

Definition 1: High Fantasy: A subgenre of fantasy featuring common and powerful magic, epic quests, and godlike beings.

Definition 2: Medium Fantasy: A genre balance where magic is present but not all-pervasive, allowing characters to become heroes in a recognizable world.

Medium Fantasy: A balance between low and high fantasy, where magic exists but is not overly prevalent, and characters can become heroic.

Definition

Polyhedral: Referring to the various sided dice D.4, D.6, D.8, D.10, D.12, D.20 used in the game.

Polyhedral: Having many faces.

Campaign: An ongoing series of connected Dungeons & Dragons game sessions forming a larger story.

Down-time: Periods between adventures where player characters can engage in activities like training, crafting, or resting.

Definition

One-shot: A standalone adventure designed to be completed in a single gaming session.

One-shot: A self-contained Dungeons & Dragons adventure intended to be completed in a single session.

2 Definitions

Definition 1: Boundaries: The established limits and comfort levels regarding content, themes, and social interactions agreed upon by players and the Dungeon Master during a session.

Definition 2: Session 0: A meeting held before the campaign begins to set expectations, discuss safety, and build characters together.

Session 0: A preliminary meeting before starting a Dungeons & Dragons campaign to discuss expectations, boundaries, and character concepts.

Definition

Low Fantasy: A subgenre of fantasy characterized by rare or subtle magic and a greater emphasis on realism, gritty conditions, and human-centric conflict.

Low Fantasy: A subgenre of fantasy where magic is rare, subtle, and often feared, with a greater emphasis on realism and gritty elements.

Definition

Demi-human: In this context, non-human fantasy species such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes.

Demi-human: Non-human races in Dungeons & Dragons, such as elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes.

Ostentatious magic: Obvious and flamboyant displays of magic.

C.Y: Common Year, the standard way to note the date on Oerth.

School of Magic: A category of spells grouped by their effects, such as Evocation, Abjuration, or Necromancy.

Druids: Gain their magical power either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity.

Definition

P.H.B: Player's Handbook; the core rulebook for Dungeons & Dragons.

P.H.B: Player's Handbook, the core rulebook for Dungeons & Dragons.

Definition

Standard Array: A fixed set of numerical scores provided by the rules for players to assign to their character's ability statistics.

Standard Array: A pre-determined set of ability scores that players can use to create their characters.

Definition

Feat: A special capability or talent that a character can select to gain unique mechanical benefits outside of their standard class features.

A.S.I: Ability Score Improvement, a feature in Dungeons & Dragons that allows characters to increase their ability scores as they level up.

High Fantasy: A subgenre of fantasy where magic is common and powerful, and characters often engage in epic quests and face godlike beings.

Rules as Fun: An approach to Dungeons & Dragons gameplay where the D.M prioritizes enjoyment and flexibility over strict adherence to the rules.

Red Flags: Warning signs or problematic elements that may indicate a negative gaming experience.

Definition

D.C: Difficulty Class; the target number a player must equal or exceed on a die roll to successfully complete a task.

D.C: Difficulty Class, a number that a player must meet or exceed when making a dice roll to succeed at a task.

Player Agency: The ability of players to make meaningful choices and influence the story and world of the game.

Usurp: To take someone's power or position illegally or by force.

Definition

P.v.P.: Player versus Player; instances where player characters engage in conflict with one another.

P.v.P.: Player versus Player, referring to situations where player characters are in conflict with each other.

Clandestine: Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit.

Hosting the Game:

Section A: Player Behaviour, Metagaming & D.M Expectations of Player Characters.

Image summary: A digital illustration of a large, grey-scaled dragon with glowing orange eyes coiled around a stone castle tower. The dragon features sharp horns, detailed scales, and a menacing expression, while the weathered tower is topped with battlements and patches of green moss.

1. Three Strikes and Yer out! — The reason this document exists is to be fully transparent on my expectations from the players. Anything deemed anti-social behavior at the game table will be covered below. I will give one additional warning regarding disruptive player behavior before removing a player from my game. This section A is a long read but it also serves as the first of three strikes. Once we understand the multi-lateral social contract of gaming we can get down to the matter of memorable adventuring.

Definition

Downtime: Periods of time within the game world between major adventures, used by characters to train, craft, or recover.

2. Player absences — You may want to discuss with your players: how many players get to be absent for the session before the game is cancelled that night? What is the minimum number of people you will D.M for in a session? What happens when too few players show up? The players that do show up get in some 'down-time' play that can provide minor benefits or progress some downtime activities that had going on? You can do a one-shot you have been planning for?

2.1. Attendance is the only requirement that I strictly impose on this game. I want a minimum of 4 players attending every game. I will recruit 4 to 5 players who can commit to a bi-weekly 6+ hour game. If 4 players do not confirm their attendance 1 day before the next scheduled game, then it is cancelled. I agree with Professor D.M on this stance around game attendance.

- P.C's will be vetted in person before they can join the game. One of the questions will be about attendance.

- Players that do not show up lack animus. They will have their characters carried along with the group and they will earn no experience. The dungeon does not become easier because a player cannot make it to game night. If the group gets Total-Party-Killed, the indolent P.C dies as well.

- Experience, therefore, is semi-traditional, not group-milestone. Not every player character makes the same amount of experience.

- P.C's who are absent have all of their actions, skills and saving throws performed (by a proxy) at a disadvantage.

- o These absent P.C's act last in any combat round. Initiative of 1.

- ☐ Any other player, who volunteers to be the proxy, will get 10% more experience in that same session.

2.2. Players who are absent without 24 hours of prior notification will be considered for immediate removal. Two game absences in one campaign season (12 games) and you are out. Two 1-hour-late appearances or 1-hour-early departures in that same season and you are out. This is obviously stricter than some adults are accustomed to. Commitment to showing up is more important to me than skill, attitude, and experience.

2 Definitions

Definition 1: P.C: Player Character; a character portrayed by a player within the game.

Definition 2: Tier: A grouping of levels (usually 1 to 4, 5 to 10, 11 to 16, 17 to 20) that denotes the scope of power and influence a character has in the world.

2.3. This game is lethal and unforgiving. Death happens often. Most P.C's never make it out of tier 1. A player character who leaves the adventuring party

through a heroic story element or decent roleplaying may rejoin with another character at the next game. A revivified character carries on normally. A resurrected character, dead beyond 1 minute or a gentle repose spell, has journeyed to their final judgement by whatever deities guard the dead. Anyone successfully returned to the living are forever changed, neither alive nor dead. They will have an affliction they will carry forward. (Mute, cold, deaf, colorblind, etcetera). This affliction is not minor, nor can it be waived off with lip service to role-playing. It can be restored with powerful healing magic. The gods of death do not permit a second resurrection.

3. Safety Tools — In 2025, player sensitivities can be very complicated. If you are reading this document then you will have a series of expectations and limits, moral and ethical lines that you do not want to cross in a role-playing game. The trouble with that is that every other player has a set of boundaries and they do not communicate them for fear of incompatibility with this social group. What can be done to identify these boundaries?

3.1. We will discuss our expectations together at Session 0, 00, 000 or however long it takes to arrive at a consensus, before we ever roll a character.

3.1.1. The game can be low fantasy, where the grim realities of medieval life can be sensible, dramatic and depressing all at the same time. Low fantasy incorporates styles like Conan's Hyborea, Westeros, Broken Empire, or Egyptian, Roman, Norse, Oriental or Celtic parallels, Arthurian stories of gallantry and divinity in a dark ages world. Worlds such as Greyhawk & Birthright in Tiers 1 and 2, fit this mould.

The low fantasy array is used to create characters. The species options is limited, usually human dominant. Demi-human races are not simply rare; they are outcast or hunted. Magic is fabled and rare and mysterious or so subtle as to be all but missed.

Ostentatious magic is feared and its practitioners are burned at the stake or suffer a fate upon the blades of the heroic. Adventurers are born of common cloth, and they deal with sensitive (but real) game topics like slavery, disease, blood and gore, betrayals, slaughter in the name of religion or country, brutality, sex, warfare and inhumanities to one another. Most games of low fantasy fare, offend the sensibilities of modern gamers.

Safety Tools will need to discuss these areas out in the open so as not to surprise players afterwards. There may be special limitations, such as a limited magic system where divine powers control access to magic and monitor its use. In low fantasy campaigns healing magic might only be granted by a god of mercy or healing, and that god or goddess may require a vow of non-violence from their priests.

Druids might be required to live in the wild. Warriors might be required to make ritual sacrifices of their enemies or lose divine favor. A wizard might have access to only 1 school of magic. D.M's have a difficult time refereeing low fantasy games because of the constant enforcement of the laws of consequence and realism necessary here.

Such games can be immersive, and morally dangerous. Magic 20%, Realism 80%.

3.1.2. The game can be medium fantasy, where magic exists in the hidden places of the world. Adventurers are from the standard species available in the 2024 P.H.B and they begin with the standard array. They become heroic and may rise to be famous and rich.

Worlds such as Lankhmar (Fafhrd & Gray Mouser), Eberron & The Continent (Witcher), fit this mould. You can expect all types of adventures here with the lower chance of breaking immersion. You start with typical lifestyles and are pulled into grand storylines.

This tone of game can be the easiest for D.M's to mesh their styles with some corner of the game world. This type of game is offered everywhere, and it can be hard to stick with one game of this style if you want more Dungeons & Dragons. Magic 50%, Realism 50%.

3.1.3. The game can be high fantasy, where everyone casts magic spells and its use is prevalent. Everyone starts with an impressive array of statistics, but if everyone is epic, then individually nobody is. This game level strongly depends upon the imaginative and creative levels of the Dungeon Master. The players are not that special because there is always someone who has optimized better, a plethora of species, classes and abilities drawn from the entirety of Dungeons and Dragons. The rules are very loose here as the Rules as Fun dominates the superheroic theme of the game. Countries are rarely at war, benevolent and band together against monstrous and magical threats. Slavery is an evil; player character races are all assumed to be unified and good aligned.

Disease, infections, pestilence, and any other inconveniences are simply ignored in favor of game speed. “I came to fight monsters, not to flee the vagaries of political strife”. Safety Tools may generally be ignored as players want to focus on the “fun” aspects of the game. Only later when some boundary line is crossed does the Player argue vehemently or leave the game.

P.C's are typically high level as they would be unhappy being a pawn in the great game. Focus is on noble pursuits and high society. Intrigue with kings, wandering the planes, daring to become gods.

All these lofty pursuits rarely require safety tools. But this game style is not grounded. It is not believable and therefore not immersive.

Winning does not feel satisfying. She with the best imagination wins but wins alone. The Forgotten Realms, Spelljammer, Pathfinder, Piers Anthony's Xanth, are examples of this. Magic 80%, Realism 20%.

3.2. So, which game is best for you? To me it is the D.M's prerogative to pick the fantasy setting of the game world. It is up to the player to vet the game, discuss their limits and decide whether they will participate. The D.M does the lion's share of the work so if the game world has too many red flags, then choose to leave now before wasting everyone's time.

4. Alcohol — Can players drink at the table? Do you care if your players get drunk? What happens when someone gets drunk?

What happens when a player arrives at the session & they are already drunk? Should there be consequences, if so, what are the consequences?

5. Narcotics — Same considerations as Alcohol, but perhaps you have different rules & consequences than with Alcohol. Though perhaps similar, I have found it best to discuss this separately from Alcohol.

5.1. No booze nor drugs nor tobacco – alcohol and weed may be imbibed during a break in the game time. If that becomes a distraction, then it will be banned altogether. I do not endorse mood altering substances at a game. It makes everyone uncomfortable.

6. Cellphones & digital devices — Do you allow them at the table? Do they need to be left in the basket at the door? If you do allow them, what happens when a player gets a call they must take?

Do you allow headphone use at the table? Should there be consequences for when this becomes a problem, if so, what are the consequences?

Definition

Character Sheet: A physical or digital document recording a player character's statistics, abilities, equipment, background, and progress.

6.1. Cellphone use will be monitored – players' attention to the game is always required. Digital devices that hold character sheets and information is permitted provided people do not “tune-out” of the game when their character is not in the spotlight. We can check messages on a break or order food. Surfing and taking calls during the game always incurs experience penalties (10%). Using headphones during the game is simply rude to all gamers and will not be tolerated.

7. Player attention — What happens if a player is constantly distracted? What happens if they are constantly delaying the game because they are not paying attention? Should there be consequences for when this becomes a problem, if so, what are the consequences?

7.1. Social chat before the game begins is expected. Be mindful that it does not extend into game time or becomes a distraction. Comparing rulings and events to other games and other D.M's is rude and won't be tolerated.

7.2. In games more than 4 hours long there will be a scheduled break of 10 minutes where the player may do what they please. However, extended absences (cumulative time greater than 30 min) are very disruptive. Players and D.M's are expected to give their full attention to the events. Distracted players will lose experience (-10%) and if it is disruptive the player will be removed from the game or simply not invited back.

8. Disruptive topics — Are real-life topics like religion, politics, porn, or sex allowed at your table? What about sports? Are there other topics that are disruptive?

Many of these topics can lead to heated discussions that can be disruptive to a game session & upsetting to other players. While this applies more to online D&D games, it can still be an issue for offline D&D games as well. Should players arrive an hour early so that they can do a bit of socializing before the session?

8.1. Real life topics, not associated to gaming, are unwelcome at the table once the game has begun. Breaks are a permissible time for such discussion. Annoying topics (sports, secular politics, music, movies, memes, identity politics, recruiting for other games) are discouraged.

Uncouth topics (sex, slavery, drug abuse, porn, misogyny, misandry, violence, religion, racism) are not allowed. After two more warnings the player would be removed from the game or not invited back. When the D.M calls for game-time, players should respect the event.

Definition

Nat 20: Natural 20; the result on a 20-sided die before any bonuses, often representing an automatic success or critical hit.

9. Rolling Dice in this game — What happens when a player makes dice-rolls without saying anything, only then to say, "I just rolled a Nat 20 on my perception check!" or are allowable dice-rolls made only when prompted? How are dice rolls managed? Can players make their rolls when they think they need to?

9.1. Players are often given to aimless dice rolling to amuse themselves, which is perfectly fine. It is mostly fidgeting. Some players take it a step further rolling dice until they get a number they like and then declaring their action.

That is cheating. Dice rolls are only allowed after the D.M prompts the player for the roll. Players manipulating events after cast die rolls will be ignored. Attack & damage dice can be rolled together to speed up gameplay.

Trivial tasks just happen. They do not require dice rolls.

- Impossible tasks do not allow P.C's to roll for success. Do not waste the D.M's time asking for a ridiculous Difficulty Class for an impossible task. I will make rulings instead and carry on.

9.2. The opposite also occurs more often than the above situation. Players roll very low on the test and they mumble “miss” or “fail” instead of declaring their roll. They are unable to deal with the consequences of admitting they were fallible.

Definition

Fumble: A catastrophic failure on a die roll, often resulting in negative consequences like dropping a weapon or missing an attack badly.

Doing this ignores fumbles and degrees of success or failure (ex. Missing the D.C by 5 or more). In these cases, the D.M is not the person taking the fun out of the game, the players are doing it to themselves through delusion.

9.3. Dice rolls that are requested by a player: The player shall declare two things before the D.M determines a D.C and the P.C makes a roll.

• What are the consequences of a successful roll?

What are the consequences of a failed roll?

• If there are no significant consequences either way then you cannot attempt the roll.

9.4. Dice shall be rolled by players in a visible, central table tray. Rolled dice will be left on the table until the roll is accepted by the Dungeon Master. Do not pick up the die to read it better. Use high visibility dice. The D.M has a flashlight available.

Dice towers and tall trays can hide die rolls from the table and are unacceptable. Multiple dice rolls can also confuse the results and roll history. Dice goblinsshall separate their dice rolls from any mountain of polyhedrals. If even suspect dice cheating going on, you will get an experience penalty (-10%). If I catch you cheating at dice rolls then no experience is awarded for the game and you are on probation.

10. Dice rolls against one another — Are dice rolls allowed to be used to settle in-character arguments? Can the Bard P.C roll to persuade the Fighter P.C that his course of action is right? Or is this kind of thing not allowed at all? or is it something that is allowed sparingly, but only under the D.M's guidance, or only when prompted by the D.M? Everyone at the table must agree to allow such rules first.

10.1. The abilities of player characters can affect other player characters but only under D.M approved and supervised circumstances. The skills most often used to usurp player agency are the charismatic skills: Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation. The players at the game table are encouraged – but not forced – to comply with the results. The players are encouraged to share some agency with each other, leading to mutual respect and immersion. If the enjoyment of the game overall is at risk, any player can stop it.

11. Player Versus Player — Is tension between characters allowed? What about argument between characters? Is combat between two or more P.C's allowed? What happens when character tension finally breaks out into violence between those two characters? Is it allowed only if the D.M approves? Does the whole table have to approve the P.v.P.? What is your stance on P.v.P. as a D.M?

11.1. P.v.P. is not desired during my games. In the case of charm or domination the players need to be mature enough to separate fantasy from reality. Typically, improvisation is most fun when it is embraced, not resisted. The D.M is a guide, a referee, not an enemy.

11.2. A character that cannot immerse themselves in a negative emotive situation cannot really enjoy the positive, heroic and magical moments of the game.

11.3. Most players are very clever and scheming. But when they get mind controlled, they suddenly become incompetent and forgetful. Lean into the moment and take risks!

12. Player Character secrets — Are players allowed to keep in-game secrets from other players? Are characters allowed to keep in-game secrets from other characters? If so, who decides what secrets are allowed?

Is this sort of thing left up to the players? Is it only the privilege of the D.M?

12.1. Secrets between players is not conducive to teamwork play. It only promotes suspicion, competition and animosity. Players can expect the D.M to reveal any secrets before the next session if the player does not reveal it through good role-playing.

In general, I will not waste much time passing notes, text messages or taking players aside for private discussions. Such clandestine activities can be done between games over forums like Discord.

13. Discord server and channels — This campaign will use a Discord server, named: D&D: Gaze of the Oculus, where all types of game information will be shared with the players, and players can interact between sessions to reveal interesting nuances to their characters. We will also use this to schedule games, award experience and discuss any metagaming topic you desire.

14. Player expectations, types, goals & diversity — What happens when one player's expectations ruin the fun of another player? Does every player at your table need to be there for the same reasons as every other player? Is it acceptable that Tim is only here for the sweet loots & experience, while Mary–Sue is here to role-play her snowflake?

Ann is just here to 'kill shit', while Steve has brought a completely min/maxed P.C to the table, & poor Billy, he is here to hang out with his friends & have pizza. D.M's you may want to discuss with each player at the table, why they are here & what they hope to get out of the game & how you as a D.M can meet those hopes & expectations. If for some reason you cannot, discuss that with the player & offer what you can do instead. After you have, you may want to reinforce that you are all there to have fun but have different ideas of what fun is.

14.1. I disagree with the generaust concept presented above. My goal is to find a small group of experienced, committed and engaged players. I no longer care whether each player is there for their own concept of fun. That type of scattered expectations has only led to party disunity, lack of participation, failure at achieving group oriented goals and unhappy chaos. 97% of those groups have failed and that is not the D.M's idea of fun.

15. Player discomfort — Occasionally things may happen in-game that makes a player uncomfortable. There may be times when everyone agrees about a topic in session-0, but when it surfaces in-game, the player may find out that they in fact are not comfortable with it. How are such things managed? Is there a time-out system?

Definition

Retroactive Continuity: Altering or revising established facts or past story events after they have already occurred.

Does the D.M call a break, and this becomes a table discussion? Is the player allowed to step out on the stage & come back after it has passed? Does the D.M use Retroactive Continuity to modify the story?

15.1. There is a mechanism for antisocial behavior in modern games where players claim that their behavior is consistent with their character. "It's what my character would say or do!" This typically amounts to an excuse to be mean, arrogant, or creepy. Roleplaying must be gauged against the audience and the ambience. Play this characterization carefully.

15.2. Any player may call a 'time out' during any session. The game is placed on pause to address the player's concern. A Retroactive-Continuity will not be used once actions have been announced or dice have rolled.

15.3. Every player is entitled to their own opinions and expressions but voicing these things out-of-character have repercussions and consequences. Actions cannot be undone. Words cannot be unsaid.

16. Player agency — As a D.M, how do you feel about player agency? What is your stance on it? Is it possible that the warlock becomes possessed by his patron? What about when a P.C becomes a werewolf? When does that P.C become a D.M controlled character?

Historically, D&D has not cared much about player agency, what the D.M said is what happened, but it has gotten significantly better about it as the editions have passed, save—or—die effects linger but are gone for the most part. Players (veteran or not) coming to play D&D though, may welcome & want this kind of thing, while other players may not. D.M's you may want to discuss with your table.

16.1. I am a firm believer in player agency. I let the players make their own choices about their present circumstances, but I determine the consequences of each choice as the campaign proceeds. They can collaborate on personal story arcs.

The same player does not dictate to the D.M their past nor future circumstances. Doing so invites bias, favoritism and resentment.

16.2. I guarantee a challenge in our game. I do not guarantee survival. I will not fudge dice rolls to save or sink P.C's.

16.3. A player that loses his or her agency through mishap becomes controlled by the D.M. This may include absent players. I loathe to take away player agency, but some monsters are diabolical with mind control, fear, seductive charms, and magical influences. Further communication by the player character to his adventuring companions, such as revealing a charm or an unknowable secret, is considered metagaming and will get the P.C an experience penalty (20%) and a warning. Ruining game immersion this way is bad behavior. Respecting the game and your fellow players includes a willing suspension of disbelief.

16.4. Creatures (that subvert player agency) you may want to consider discussing are Lycanthropes (curse), Vampires (undeath), Mummy (frightened), Intellect Devourers (domination), Basilisk (petrification), & Medusa (charm & petrification). These are the creatures that potentially have the likelihood of taking away player agency. If you cannot accept the prospect of character death, charm, petrification, fearfulness, paralysis, insanity or being controlled by tragic magic, then you may not be mature enough to play Dungeons & Dragons with adults.

Definition

Sandbox: A style of game design where the world is open and players are free to pursue their own goals, rather than being directed by a linear plot.

17. Game balance & fairness — As a D.M, what are your feelings about the balance of the game you are playing? How will you as a D.M handle encounter balance? Will you constantly be throwing only deadly encounters at the P.C's? Do you feel that in this kind of sandbox campaign, players can stumble into the Ancient Red Dragons lair at level 1? or do you feel that the game is broken, or the balance it presents is a farce, so you will employ other means of being fair to your players?

17.1. Great consideration will be given to planned encounters. The encounters will be aimed at an elevated challenge level for the group. Cooperative, diligent, skilled player characters will usually prevail but encounters with no real risk is not a challenge. Experience in the game is awarded by the D.M. The players are not aware of all possible consequences to their actions.

17.2. Random encounters can be highly variable. City encounters, world events, weather and player driven detours may have unforeseen outcomes. Exploration is inherently unpredictable.

A red dragon does not get weaker or mightier depending upon who it spots while hunting. Players need to learn about danger and the best times to run, hide or surrender. Bad luck may plague a group one evening. It will quickly bore gamers if the realism is 'modified for the group's level'.

18. Rules debates — As a D.M, how do you manage rules debates? Does the game pause to look up rules? Does the D.M make a quick ruling to keep game flow & then the rule is looked up later? As a D.M do you use some combination of both?

19. Spotlight sharing — Are players allowed to have spot-light focus? Will the spotlight only be focused on the party as a whole? Are players or characters allowed to steal another P.C's spotlight? What happens if a player or his/her character tramples over another character's scene/spotlight? This kind of thing can ruin another player's fun, but it is also the kind that the player will not immediately voice their discomfort about. D.M's you may want to try to be watchful of this.

19.1. Respect for each other builds great games. Share the spotlight! If a player pursues a solo adventure, I will probably allot no more than 30 minutes to complete it. I try to avoid mini quests as the four other players will get competitive, and they will also want individual spotlights.

19.2. Courtesy is the rule at this table. I value each player, their voice and participation. Please do not interrupt players or dominate the talk at the table.

Please do not drone on about trivial things which are not relevant to the adventure at hand. All players deserve an equal share of the time in the spotlight. Eager and excited P.C's can be hard to contain but take notice of the quiet sullen types and seek to involve other players in your plans and quests. They are your best allies.

20. Splitting the party — All players are welcome to remain at the game table. Note exchanges and secret talks with the D.M drastically ruins gameplay; and it bores players who are excluded from the actions of a split party. To ease the flow of play and to keep everyone involved, there are special rules governing those times when the players' party split up to accomplish different tasks.

The spotlighted players respond to the D.M and the situation as normal. Those players who are not directly involved can remain at the table and take notes about the encounter. They must remain silent and not interact nor distract the spotlighted players in any fashion. They cannot offer advice nor react emotionally to any event that transpires.

Later it is assumed that all players will confer and exchange notes about what transpired, maintaining a mature attitude to fantasy roleplay. When this rule is continuously abused with outbursts or improper metaknowledge, considerable experience penalties will ensue.

20.1. Splitting the party for solo adventure goals leads to a slow, boring game.

20.2. Experience penalties (5%) will accrue for each incident where the party intentionally splits up to make the D.M's work multiply.

20.3. Generally, once a party is split there will be quick resolutions to tasks, chases, and combat. I will avoid drawn out combat encounters for obvious reasons. You can expect a single roll vs a D.C set by the D.M to resolve sidetracked missions.

21. Party Balance — the top 12 suggestions for a successful group occurs when the party is created. They will generate stats by using the (reduced) standard array. Creating an effective party takes some coordination and I highly recommend the following recipe suggested by Treantmonk's Temple:

21.1. Avoid Redundancy – (any) spread out damage types, skill rolls, tools, and tasks.

21.2. Scouting – (any) one character should be a scout who can provide valuable information before the party encounters a difficult challenge: Rogues, gloom stalker rangers, wildshaped druids, a warlock's familiar or a wizard's arcane eye.

Definition

Martial: A character class that relies primarily on physical prowess, weapons, and non-magical combat skills.

21.3. Single target damage – (martial) for focus firing down a resilient big bad boss. Concentrated damage win fights: rogues, fighters, barbarians, rangers. Buffs for these heavy hitters pays off!

Definition

bbeege: Acronym for Big Bad Evil Guy; the primary antagonist or central villain of a campaign or major story arc.

21.4. Defenses – (martial) the bulwark against which the deadly attacks of the bbeege simply fizzle. Fighters, Clerics of War, Paladins.

Definition

Caster: A character class that primarily relies on using spells as their main source of ability, utility, or power.

21.5. Utility – (caster) ritual spell casters support an adventuring group extremely well: alarm, ceremony, commune, detect magic, divination, find familiar, comprehend languages, identify, augury, phantom speed, water breathing, Leomund's tiny hut, silence, speak with animals.

Definition

Initiative: A numerical roll at the start of combat that determines the order in which characters and monsters take their turns.

21.6. Initiative – (martial) somebody fleet of foot and quick thinking to get the edge on potential enemies: monks, rogues, origin feat: alert, alacrity.

21.7. Battlefield control – (caster) web, plant growth, darkness, sleet storm, fog cloud, wall of stone.

21.8. Crowd control – (caster) slow, hypnotic pattern, fear, spirit guardians, synaptic static, fireball.

21.9. Battlefield repositioning – (caster) vortex warp, bait & switch, scatter, dimension door, phase step, thunder step, fly, grapple, forced movement.

21.10. Saving throws – (any) imagine a 6th level paladin with his aura is indispensable! Bless, flash of genius, arcane deflection.

21.11. Condition removal and healing – (caster) restoration, cure wounds, heal, revivify.

Definition

Hireling: An N.P.C paid by the players to perform tasks such as carrying gear, scouting, or cooking.

21.12. Time saving choices – (any) hirelings, familiaries and retainers will do the mundane tasks and save your P.C's the time without sacrificing your control.

22. Party Roles – A.D and D is a role-playing game. Think about what that means. Everyone is expected to play a role in the game.

Definition

N.P.C: Non-Player Character; any character in the game world controlled by the Dungeon Master.

There are too many roles for an average group of five players to cover them all. That is why this game has N.P.C's to fill vacant roles. P.C's should not double up on roles because too much specialization makes the group vulnerable in other areas.

2 Definitions

Definition 1: D.P.S: Damage Per Second (or Damage Per Round in tabletop terms); refers to characters or roles specialized in dealing high amounts of damage quickly.

Definition 2: Tank: A role in a party dedicated to absorbing damage and protecting other players, usually through high defense or health.

It limits the types of adventures you can have because you cannot fill the roles which create balance and effectiveness. Consider the 10 basic roles in D&D. [credit to the D.S.R channel on YouTube], [editorial based on years in M.M.O.R.P.G's raids – I have seen too many groups fail because they could not create viable groups that covered key roles – everyone wants to be D.P.S, everyone is perpetually looking for a tank or a healer – the same holds true for Dungeons and Dragons – no tank? fail, no healer? fail no D.P.S? Possible but slow to achieve results.]

Table summary: Combat and non-combat roles for various character classes, detailing their primary functions, survivability or positioning goals, and targeting preferences. Combat roles range from the Tank, who taunts enemies and has very high survivability, to the Blaster and Controller, who both aim to stay as far from melee as possible to deal area of effect damage or impede enemy movement. Other combat roles include the Frontliner for single target melee damage, the Skirmisher for high mobility and high single target melee damage, and the Ranged role for high single target ranged damage. Support roles include the Healer and Support, both of whom stay near the group to restore HP or grant buffs. Non-combat roles include the Scout for reconnaissance, the Face for social skills, and the Utility role for saving resources. Classes often overlap across roles; for example, the Bard appears as a Controller, Healer, Support, Scout, and Face, while the Wizard serves as a Blaster, Controller, and Utility.

23. Party Tasks — Successful games involve a lot of paperwork and setup for the Dungeon Master and some tasks for the players. There are some roles for players that enhance the game, each player is responsible for their own character sheet and origin story. The sheet is left with the game master in case you are absent the following session.

There will be copies available to personal notes and secrets should be kept in your own journal. The following tasks should be given to the group and let them decide how to manage them. Respect for each other builds great games.

Exploration experience will take into consideration these tasks that the characters accomplish (if lazy characters do not choose a task then they can relax and enjoy a 5% penalty to experience earned). Share the workload and all will benefit. There are eight roles, and it is not expected that the group will fill all roles.

Hopefully a player can choose one role of the eight offered. The unfilled roles need to be done, however, so it is highly recommended that N.P.C's be hired to fill all empty roles, at a daily wage plus a 1/10 share bonus in the spoils of adventure.

If N.P.C's, without a stat block, are hired to fill these roles, you can assume a Commoner stat block will be used. They are proficient (+2), have a statistic of 12 (+1) in the stated skill and have advantage on all of their professional skill checks. Thus a skill modifier of +3 with advantage (effectively a +8).

Table summary: Roles and benefits for a chain of command, listing their associated skill advantages, daily pay in silver pieces, and the number of personnel for each role. The Vanguard is the highest paid at 12 silver per day, providing benefits like setting marching orders and combat search actions with Intimidation and Perception advantages. Other specialized roles include the Treasurer, who handles loot and appraisal for 3 silver, and the Medic, who provides healing and therapy for 8 silver. Field roles include two Scouts at 8 silver and four Sentinels at 6 silver, both providing security and reconnaissance. Support roles vary in pay from 2 to 5 silver, such as the Navigator, Cartographer, Lorekeeper, Provisioner, and Teamster. Additionally, four Guard dogs are listed at 2 silver each, and a single Expert can be hired for 6 silver for a specific purpose.

: Table summary: A list of expedition roles, vehicles, and animals with their associated duties and requirements. Personnel roles include the Cook, who prepares meals for up to 12 people and uses Cook's Utensils, the Groom, who cares for up to 6 mounts using Animal Handling, the Camper, who handles setup and cleaning, the Porter, who carries heavy items using Athletics, and the Linkboy, who carries light sources using Acrobatics. The list also includes various transport options such as small and large Carts, as well as small and large Wagons. Additional entries include Draft Animals and Mounts, with the total Expedition figures listed as 25 and 118.

23.1. Vanguard – The person who leads the party (within the first 2 ranks of the marching order) and is responsible for quick decision making for the group. This person sets up nightly watches, marching orders, and diplomacy/combat protocols. Without this role filled, the group can never attain surprise in an encounter (individuals can, like scouts who have 60' or more separation from the party).

Without this role filled, the group cannot benefit from any synergy bonuses. If he takes the Search (Perception) Action, on the first round of a combat, he gains advantage, to detect any hidden enemies or traps in the area. This action may reveal concealed objects, traps, hidden creatures and the like.

The Vanguard gains advantage on any Intimidation (Charisma) checks at the beginning of an encounter. Good results should have the D.M consult the Morale section. The D.M will usually give the players 1 minute to discuss their options and actions unless they are surprised by the enemy.

23.2. Treasurer – The person who records all treasure received, mundane and magical. This person ensures fair treatment of all members, calculates shares and equitable use of magic. They often haggle with merchants or intimidate sketchy customers. A list of acquired loot for the party is kept current if they wish to claim these benefits.

The treasurer temporarily gains advantage in Deception (Charisma) while haggling with merchants. They can also make Intelligence rolls to get the correct value for all items with a D.C 10 check – one attempt per item. Artisans may add their P.B bonus for items associated with their proficient tool kits.

23.3. Medic – The person who takes care of the health of the party, occasionally risking his own safety to save others. The gentle manner of this individual endears him to others and people often share their hopes and dreams to those demonstrating concern. Their role is in the aftermath of a combat: tending to wounds and improving overall health and recovery.

The medic temporarily gains advantage in Medicine (Wisdom) while performing this role. They must also carry a healer's kit, but they can get 12 uses out of the standard kit instead of 10. The Medic often ends up doing the cooking and cleaning for a small (6 or less) group, as this is the best path to sustained good health.

23.4. Scout – The person who journeys out from an expedition to chart a course or learn the lay of the land. When scouting they gain advantage on their navigation checks Survival (Wisdom) for the next travel watch. They can be an outrider. Whenever an encounter is generated for the expedition, each outrider can attempt a Wisdom (Perception) check at D.C 15 or opposed by the encounter's Stealth check, to detect the encounter before its encountered by the expedition.

They can also be a tracker. A tracker with a bloodhound gains advantage on Survival checks to follow a quarry. That bloodhound has keen smell too. The scout can be a trailblazer. The scout temporarily gains advantage on Stealth (Dexterity) while in this role. See the Survival skill in Section O.

23.5. Sentinel – The persons (or animals) who stay with the party to act as guards, lookouts and watchmen. Typically, 1 guard per 6 people in an expedition. They are equipped with light spear, shield and a chain shirt armor (unless upgraded by the P.C's). A sentinel gains advantage on Perception checks when on watch (negates dim light disadvantage). They pair well with guard dogs who have keen smell. Mastiffs add 2 sp/day for upkeep.

23.6. Navigator / Cartographer – The person who keeps maps for wilderness and dungeons. This player should have some graph paper handy. The cartographer temporarily gains advantage on Nature (Intelligence) while performing this role.

Actual maps must be drawn and kept. Without a map the D.M is under no onus to provide clues for P.C's. In wilderness situations roll to get lost.

23.7. Lore Keeper – The person who keeps campaign knowledge, N.P.C names and events in an orderly fashion. The lore keeper temporarily gains advantage on History (Intelligence) skill rolls while performing this role. A notebook will be provided for campaign info. Digital devices are not acceptable as this lore book stays at the table.

23.8. Provisioner / Teamster – The person who manages group supplies, provisions, hirelings, pets, mounts. A pack-puller can lead several animals equal to their passive Wisdom (+Animal Handling) score. Daily and monthly attention is needed. Anyone with a penchant for logistics can fill this role. A party inventory must be kept earning this reward.

The provisioner temporarily gains advantage on Animal Handling (Wisdom) while performing this role. They can also negotiate an automatic 10% savings on mundane equipment (less than 100 gp in value) purchased on behalf of the party and room rentals at inns.

23.9. Linkboy / Porter / Groom / Cook / Minstrel – optional personnel who carries torches, lanterns, backpacks, food and assorted gear. When on expedition they are paid 2 sp/day. Their role may involve danger pay in dungeons. When they enter a dungeon area that has the potential for combat, their pay escalates to 3 sp/day. Their only action options are dodge, disengage & dash. A porter [Str 12] (can pack their carry capacity without a speed penalty for a 12 strength. (144 lbs). The linkboy [Dex 12] carry 10 torches, a tinderbox and a spare flask of oil. They never lead or trail the party or put themselves at unnecessary risk. A groom [Wis 12] will care for any mounts the party brings.

Definition

H.P: Hit Points; a numerical representation of a character's or monster's health and resilience before they are incapacitated or killed.

They remain with the mount, brushing, feeding, watering, saddling, harnessing, packing according to the master's wishes. The cook [Con 12] will coordinate meals for up to 12 individuals, given sufficient supplies. Using a cook reduces the overall cost of iron rations (5 sp/day-person) to 3 sp/day-person and delivers fresh hot meals (+1d4 H.P temp breakfast and dinner) which give benefits for 12 hours. A minstrel [Cha 12] makes the journey somewhat easier.

Definition

Exhaustion: A status condition representing physical or mental fatigue, which imposes progressive penalties on character performance.

Their stories, song and music lighten the moods on the N.P.C's. They are also adept at games. Loyalty of all N.P.C's are temporarily boosted by 2 and saving throw D.C's vs exhaustion are decreased by 2.

23.10. Expedition – a full team of explorers can number 25 individuals (including the player characters). The pay rate for this group is 118 sp per day and they consume 75 sp per day in food and water. If you were to add 12 mounts, 4 guard dogs, 4 small wagons, 8 draft horses and 4 spares, the daily feed costs would increase 0.5 sp/animal = 14 sp. This comes to a grand total of 207 sp per day.

24. Table-talk-When players are engaged in the game, what you say is taken seriously. For example, if you declare that you take an action but later wish to withdraw that action to do something else then the general ruling will be that the first thing that you said is what occurs; no alteration of history, unless some powerful magic, the D.M, or a unanimous vote by the players allows you to do so.

24.1. Make it clear who is speaking: whenever you speak it is assumed that your character (default) is uttering those words. If you want to say something 'out of character' please declare it beforehand. Characters should not share information that they would not know or that the character is incapable of sharing because of being unconscious, dead, or far away. Doing so will affect your experience (-20%).

24.2. Please keep the shared illusion going by using proper character names and references to player character attributes. Avoid true player names as that becomes O.O.C and metagaming.

25. Meta-knowledge — Do you allow it? Is it ok for players to know that swinging their weapon at a ghost will not harm it? Are characters allowed to know that trolls do not regenerate health when harmed with acid or fire? What about when it comes to multiple rolls? Just because the wizard player knows the rogue rolled low for his check for traps, would it make sense for the Wizard character to insist that he check as well? If some meta-knowledge is ok, and some is not, please review that with your players. Though it gets talked about like it is some sort of sin, some meta-game knowledge is ok to have at your table if everyone is having fun.

25.1. Meta knowledge is not desired. But it is also difficult to control. I do not want to nag or berate any player. If the D.M sees evidence of communicating secret knowledge or using meta-knowledge for an unfair advantage or an argument, then you can expect experience penalties (-20%).

Definition

Min-maxing: A method of character creation that sacrifices non-essential skills to maximize primary attributes for high combat efficiency.

26. Min-maxing & Multiclassing — What is your stance on this as a D.M? Do you welcome optimized characters, even if the character concept/theme is ridiculous? You simply tolerate it if it does not become an issue? Or you & your players decided to play a campaign that is more about Roll-play than Roleplay? Are veterans allowed to help newer players optimize their P.C's? If optimized P.C's are allowed or encouraged, you may want to let your players know that it is also fine to play unoptimized characters as well.

26.1. Min-Maxing can greatly optimize your characters. I support this!

26.2. However, when discussing multiclassing there must be a logical precedent for combinations which thematically match the character's origin. Often players seek to circumvent a class's limitations by dipping into another class for its intrinsic abilities. They typically want to eliminate a character's perceived weakness such as low A.C choices. Sometimes they want to be able to do it all including the roles of other player characters at the table.

You can help other characters between the games become better at their class rather than taking over their portfolio. Generally, avoid trying to interfere with another character's role in the party.

27. Character concept, alignment & party fit — The 'loner' character? Are they allowed? If so, at what limits?

Is it ok if a P.C just tags along only to do combat & avoid anything social? D&D is a social based game; you may wish to encourage your players to create characters that play well with others and that will fit with the party. On the other hand, you may want to be mindful about players potentially bullying other players into playing species & classes they do not want to play. Party fit should not limit class & species choice.

27.1. Teamwork and friendliness are essential in my game. I do not support loner or selfish characters. Bullies and egomaniacs need not apply. This is my reason for disallowing Neutral Evil and Chaotic Evil alignments. To a lesser extent, Chaotic Neutral and Lawful Evil alignments are distasteful, and you must demonstrate how your character will be compatible with other P.C's if you choose or become these alignments.

27.2. Your origin story must include a favourable reference to another player character. Characters with an exclusive, grim-dark-edgelord with terribly mysterious origins ... tend to oppose friendly team-play while they pursue their own selfish agendas.

Definition

Murder Hobo: A derogatory term for characters who travel from location to location, killing inhabitants and taking loot without engaging with the story or world.

28. Murder Hobos — What is your stance on this as a D.M? Is it allowed? If allowed, will there be in-game consequences? You are doing an evil campaign, and this is exactly what you want in this campaign. D.M's understand that D&D, by its nature & history, encourages this style of gameplay, so be forgiving but mindful.

28.1. I detest “Murder Hobos” – I do not wish to have sadistic & psychopathic characters in my games. If you prefer wanton slaughter without moral consequences, then go play a computer game. The world has consequences for the kill-or-be-killed mentality. The lawful societies in my world actively hunt and punish such characters.

I advocate for heroic and noble fantasy, not the gritty, gloomy, and apathetic nihilists. Experiencing a violent world is a precarious tightrope walk. Insanity and despair lie below those who lose their balance...or their purpose.

28.2. The role-playing parts of this game depend upon mutual respect. Murder-Hobos take player agency away from each other as they initiate combat and put story elements and their fellow players at risk. As I see this behavior developing a P.C will lose experience, face divine or secular consequences or if it gets disruptive then the player will be removed from the game.

Section B: Gameplay Style and Content

1. Type of game — Is this a sandbox game? a theatre of the mind? or more of a railroad? Is it a railroad that leads to a sandbox game? a sandbox game where players can jump on & off the railroad only at certain points, or perhaps whenever they like? Will the campaign be following a campaign book, & how closely will that be? Does the setting revolve around the players? or are the players just a tiny cog in a much larger world? What kind of narrative will the game be? Is it something like Lord of the Rings or will it involve more mystery and conspiracy, or will it feature heavy political themes, like Game of Thrones?

Definition

Hex-crawl: A style of campaign exploration where the world map is divided into hexagonal segments, focusing on wilderness exploration and discovery.

1.1. In 2025 I will try to run a Hex-crawl campaign. This is atypical of my many previous (failed) campaign arcs.

1.2. I run a sandbox game. I may follow published adventures in the Greyhawk Rebooted campaign setting. There are urban, rural, and subterranean adventures.

Definition

Railroading: A style of play where the D.M forces the story along a narrow, pre-defined path, ignoring or limiting player choices.

There are random encounters, not always geared to the tier level of characters! Randomness is fun. Usually, P.C's will have a decision tree for avenues to pursue. Railroading a campaign is detestable to me. Although good planning often has successful and satisfying results, real fun comes from your own spontaneity and unexpected plot-twists. Player contribution and notoriety to world events are tied to the tier level of play.

- Tier 1 (lvl 1 to 4) is local adventures, tasks, escorts, and mundane issues and problems.

- Tier 2 (lvl 5 to 10) involves quests, dungeons, country level intrigue.

- Tier 3 (lvl 11 to 16) play affects surrounding countries and major villains.

- Tier 4 (lvl 17 to 20) affects the whole game world. The narrative will be something like Lord of the Rings, dramatic and epic in scope.

2. Campaign length — Discuss how long you think this campaign will run. Will characters be able to reach level 9? level 14? How many sessions do you expect the campaign to go on?

2.1. I aim for 6 hours of quality game time every two weeks, whether that is one session on a weekend or two sessions on weeknights. The campaign starts at 5th level and goes until level 20. I will treat it cinematically. P.C's gain experience in the traditional, albeit slow, manner.

3. In-game adventurers — What can P.C's expect from being an adventurer? Are adventurers all heroes? Are they members of an adventuring guild? or are they all pirates on a pirate ship? They are all members of a faction. Do adventurers have 'normal lives' during downtime?

How do N.P.C's view adventurers? Is it favorable? or are they looked down upon because they cause more trouble than good? Or perhaps because only the desperate accept the adventuring life?

3.1. Societies are suspicious of uncontrolled adventuring parties. The erudite disdains them. Merchants love them.

Law enforcers fear them. Thieves mark them. Sovereigns manipulate them.

The gods toy with them. The common folk admire them. The reputation of the adventurers will have a significant impact on how the world treats them. The players will create their own legacy.

3.2. Adventurers may form strongholds & bastions and gain followers as their reputation grows. Eventually they may participate or command armies, naval ships and form their own societies. The campaign arc may impose certain restrictions.

3.3. Good-aligned folk will attract followers, commissions, and support from both peasant and noble. Good folk will struggle against a harsh world but alliances will be offered in strange circumstances. They will also attract the jealous attention of villains. Neutral aligned folk will attract lucrative endeavors, shady business deals and the typical pursuits of happiness. Evil aligned folk will attract the worst elements of society, power and menace will come easy, but you will also be hunted by heroes and villains alike.

4. Civilization — Player characters wander and travel beyond their places where they were safe as children. The far reaches of the world holds mysteries, magic, and danger! The world is a wild, scary, and uncertain place, only tamed by civilization. As such the ancient places and dungeons are lawless and abominable. Closer in are the rural lands inhabited by various species and guarded by patrols, armies, and alliances.

As peoples form communities and settlements, cultures form, ethics and morality take hold. Social hierarchy is established along medieval lines: lords, vassals, peasants. As cities are formed along trade routes and seaways, the centralization of power brings stricter laws, taxation, levies, tradesmen, clergy, merchants, guilds, schools, and the ruling class.

Players can expect all cities to have strict laws for the safety of its citizens and wandering player characters are outsiders and always under suspicion. Crime and punishment are extremely harsh and swift in urban settings. In contrast, nobody will know of your whispered adventures in the dark recesses of the deeps, and nobody will judge you for actions that go unwitnessed.

5. In-game politics & factions — What are the various factions at play? Can P.C's join or already start as members of a faction? What kind of government would the P.C's live under? Is it a feudal system? A democracy? A republic? A tribe? Will the P.C's be able to choose to change factions or move to live under a different form of government? What impact does the 'standard adventurer' have on the political landscape?

Can the P.C's go beyond what the 'standard adventurer' can do? Can the P.C's change the political landscape? Can P.C's become part of the government? Can P.C's even overthrow the government?

5.1. The Greyhawk Rebooted supplement will be used as the current adventuring world. The campaign start year advances over successive story arcs. It began in C.Y 573. The ancient history of Oerth is grand: full of mighty Ur-wizards who could command 10th level spells, demon princes, a panoply of demigods, gods, and lost civilizations, all which span a history of 15,000 years.

Definition

Cabal: A secretive or exclusive group of people, often used to describe factions or organizations operating behind the scenes in a game world.

5.2. The P.C's are members of a faction. A Cabal known as the Oculus, or the Eye of the Beholder. It is a good-aligned association of adventurers run by powerful entities in its upper echelons. For operative reasons, they are secretive and selective. The oculus spies on its members, delivers rewards, has safe houses scattered in different cities and mercilessly punishes those who turn traitor. The higher up in the cabal one rises, the stricter is their code, and their influence.

Definition

Flanaess: A specific geographical region on the continent of Oerik within the World of Greyhawk setting.

5.3. The Sheldomar Valley, a fertile region in the southwestern Flanaess of the World of Greyhawk setting, encompasses several nations that originated as part of the ancient Kingdom of Keoland but have since gained varying degrees of independence. These realms are bordered by the Crystalmist Mountains to the west, the Lortmil Mountains to the east, the Azure Sea to the south, and the Barrier Peaks to the north. The primary rivers, the Sheldomar and Javan, define much of the geography and serve as trade routes. The region's politics reflect a mix of monarchies, oligarchies, and democratic elements, with threats from giants, humanoids, and the Scarlet Brotherhood.

5.4. A standard adventurer can enjoy unrestricted movement through these countries. Farther abroad, the free cities are havens for foreigners. The other counties of distant Flanaess can be amiable or hostile according to it politics.

5.5. P.C's are unlikely to challenge governments until they gain tier 4 power and develop fame and influence.

:

6. game Start/Standing — Are characters starting at 1st level, or perhaps at a higher level? If they start off at a higher level, are these characters members of a town? A guild? A religion? How long have they been members? How did the character get their higher levels? During this time, have these characters somehow earned some minor notoriety?

6.1. There will be a session 0 unlike other games of its ilk.

The D.M will not be listing out 132 pages of alternate rules and substitutions in a Homebrew lecture to new players. The vastness of this article does not lend well to the first game being a list of limitations & restrictions to players.

• Players who show up to the first game with pre-rolled characters in hand will be ignored.

Instead, the players will craft their communal background together with their origin story. The premise begins with the eldest player at the table and goes to everyone of younger age. So, the scaffold is set by the D.M, and the players figure out their role in the story and how they met each other, one by one until all players and N.P.C's are accounted for.

No single player owns this game. "All the world's a table, and all the men and women merely player characters."

Only when everyone is satisfied about their origin stories will they create their character with the D.M. At this critical time the D.M's input and discussion of limitations and suggestions take hold.

6.2. Characters will begin as level 1 (tier 1). They will all come from countries in the Sheldomar Valley area of the Flanaess in Eastern Oerik. Characters have at least one or more connections to other player characters. Normal starting age is determined by Table 3. Other starting ages are possible with D.M consent. New player characters will begin at the least experience of the existing player characters.

Table 3 summary: Subspecies traits and statistic adjustments. All human subspecies, including Baklunish, Flan, Murian, Oeridian, Olman, Rhenee, Suel, Shaofeng, Sunelan, Touv, and Zahind, share an age of maturity of 13, lightvision, and a statistic maximum of 20. Each human subspecies allows the player to spend 2 points into statistics, requiring one point in a specific attribute and one in any other; for example, Baklunish and Olman focus on Dexterity, while Oeridian and Rhenee focus on Charisma. Non-human subspecies generally have a higher statistic maximum of 22 but suffer a statistic cap of 18 in one specific area. Examples include High Elves, who mature at 99 with a cap on Constitution, and Hill Dwarves, who mature at 55 with a cap on Charisma. Perception abilities vary by race, with superior senses providing a plus 5 and keen senses providing a plus 10. For instance, Wood Elves have keen lightvision and superior hearing, while Rock Gnomes have darkvision and superior smell.

There are no opuons for P.C's to be Drow, Urcs, Tietlings or any other monstrous races in the World of Greyhawk. The 50 additional species from D&D 5e supplements and different worlds are also not available for player use.

Definition

M.P.C: Multi-player character; a character managed collectively by the entire group rather than an individual player.

There will be an M.P.C (Multi-player character). It is played collectively by the players. It will start as level 1. The D.M will create this character after all the players have chosen their own character.

6.3. The campaign begins in a bizarre location and under bizarre circumstances. The countries of Oerik are in constant competition for dominance in a magic fueled, diversely populous world. The countries in the Sheldomar valley on the continent of Oerik of Greyhawk are peaceful.

Those beyond the Sheldomar valley are not. Player characters must choose from within their tier of play or lower.

Common (tier 1): Humans (Oeridian, Flan, Baklunish, Suloise, Rhennee, +6 more foreign cultures), half-elves (demi-olven), hill dwarves (dwurin), halflings (hobniz), and rock gnomes (noniz) are common. The long-lived species (dwarf, halfling, gnome) occupy the ruling castes of the Ulek States. Player agency for these species choices is unrestricted. (Humans gain +5% experience, the rest are on par)

- Uncommon (tier 1): High Elves (olvenoldor), Wood elves (olvendarin) are aloof and reclusive due to local politics and a timeless apathy. Mountain dwarves (dwurok) are similarly suspicious of outsiders. Goliaths (grond) [fire-anar, frost-alya, stone-ambar, hill-amon, cloud-alma, storm-umbar] are occasionally seen in the Ulek States. (all these species suffer 10% experience penalties)

Rare (tier 2): Grey Elves (olvenithil), Valley elves (olvenquenya), Dragonborn (dracheniz), Deep Gnomes (svirfneblin), Tritons (vandrul), Half-Orcs (demi-euroz) are mostly shunned because they are 'different' but the lawful societies of the Sheldomar will grudgingly protect even these bizarre minorities. Aasimar (meerain) and Forest Gnomes (bogniz) are welcomed within most societies but they are seldom encountered anywhere in public. There are restrictions on all of these species as player characters. (all these species suffer 15% experience penalties)

• Very Rare (tier 3): Duergar (dwureg), Dark Elves (olvendrow), Orcs (euroz), Goblins / Hobgoblins / Bugbears (jebli / hochjebline / buchveer), Kobolds (celbit), Norkers (noblink), Gnolls (kell), Trolls (trunkt), Tieflings (tanari'i), Ogres (eiger), Lesser Giants (jiai) are all considered evil. They are feared and are anathema in civilized lands, bounties are offered for their heads and they are killed on sight. Beyond species alignments their history on Oerik defines these species as 'enemy.' These monsters are amassing in dark places such as the mountains of Geoff and the wastelands of the Pomarj. Players may not choose characters from these species. Fey creatures such as pixies (gnatz), satyrs (qweer), Centaurs (hueleneer) are acceptable choices but they are all considered chaotic.

6.4. The character's first name and its gender is up to the player. The D.M may veto the name. The character background will be a collaboration of the D.M and Player. The D.M will decide if the character has a second name or honorific, based upon their species, age, parentage, familial, origin and social standings.

6.5. Furthermore, there are additional restrictions for non-humans that are common and uncommon in tier 1, adding rare in tier 2.

- Atheism is not an acceptable part of this fantasy world. All living beings, and many unliving beings realize the gift of existence is not random. There are outer planes where the soul and spirit exist. The concept of oblivion and nihilism is inconceivable to all but Aberrations. Despair, wrath and world destruction is the purview of monsters, and I am not going to G.M such a campaign. If you want total freedom of religious belief, then roll a human. They may choose any deity to emulate or worship.

The standard species selections may not ignore their culture nor their species' deities. An elf, dwarf, orc, gnome or halfling picks their entire pantheon. Some individuals may choose the World of Greyhawk deities with no penalties.

- A religious choice outside of your cultural norm makes you a heretic. All charisma-based checks (Persuasion, Intimidation, Deception, Performance) vs targets within your natural culture is thereafter at a disadvantage.

- Goliath, beginning in tier 2, come from remote mountainous regions and their cultures descend from giantish ancestors. They revere true giant deities or animism as suits their tribal upbringing.

- Hill giantkin are from the Yatil Mountains E of Perrenland, the Jotens of Sterich, Wormsjaw Mountains of the Pomarj, the Glorioles of Sunndi, the Sulhaut Mountains north of the Sea of Dust.

- Frost giantkin are from the Yatil, Griff & Corusk Mountains, the Barrier Peaks and the Land of Black Ice.

- Stone giantkin are from the Crystalmist Mountains, Esmerin in the Emerald Vale of the Lortmil Mountains, the Rakers near Ratik, the Spine Ridge in the Tilvanot Peninsula. The Gull Cliffs of the North Kingdom

- Fire giantkin are from the Hellfurnaces S.W of the Hold of the Sea Princes, the Rift Canyon, and the Kvalo Hills

- Cloud giantkin are from the Crystalmist Mountains and the Lortmil Mountains N.E of the Gran March, the Peaks of Heaven, the Tyurzi mountains, the Xaro Mountains of Hepmonaland and a tribe on the Lendore Isles.

- Storm giantkin are from the Clatspur Range near Lake Quag, oceanic realms near the Lordship of the Isles, Vatun's teeth along Grendep Bay, the Mist Kingdom of the Pearl Sea.

- Dragonborn, beginning in tier 2, are limited to metallic and gem versions as all chromatic dragonborn have been summoned to the aid of Tiamat, the 5 headed queen of dragonkind. Metallic dragonborn all worship Bahamut. Gem dragonborn all follow the triplets Sardior, Chronepsis and Astilabor. The choice of metal or gem dragon heritage (color) remains yours.

- Aasimar, beginning in tier 2, are either Celestial (good) or Fallen (evil), they cannot be antipolar. They are not allowed to choose their form option each time they transform. No neutral aligned aasimar allowed.

6.6. The grim world of Oerth's Flanaess' continent has seen many wars, uprisings, and cataclysms. Strange folk are usually invaders, and the countries are very suspicious of travellers, emissaries, and adventurers. Magic is seen as ruinous, and it is unlawful in many urban locations.

Rural locations are infrequently patrolled, and wilderness areas are dangerous to all. Although humans are the most numerous, they do not dominate the population of Oerth. Common folk always shun strange folk (any other than the common species). Only a few cosmopolitan locations like Greyhawk City and other city states allow strange creatures to roam unchallenged in the streets.

6.7. Your origin will determine many things about your character including your ability scores, skills, tools, native language, and feats. It will establish your starting equipment as well. If your starting level is advanced, everyone will be enriched according to Table 3. These characters are not exactly affluent. They need to be employed as adventurers.

7. Player -Dungeon Master Cooperative story boarding. — Attempts to involve the players as participants in the narrative will occur.

7.1. Imagine a combat that goes as follows. An ogre A.C 13 is fighting two characters: a platemail and shield wearing fighter A.C 20 and his bard companion, A.C 15.

7.1.1. The D.M narrates the ogre swinging his greatclub against the fighter and then the bard. His rolls to hit are 18 and a 14, both misses. However, they are both rolls at 10 or above. Instead of a simple and boring, hit A.C 18, "miss" and hit 15, "miss". The players are expected to fill in the visuals to complement the D.M. The fighter responds with "his raised shield fends off the blow and his armor absorbs the weight of the greatclub scraping along his breastplate" instead of "miss". The bard responds with "although in studded leather armor, his nimbleness allows him to dodge out of the way as the warclub crashes down into the dirt", instead of "miss".

7.1.2. Yes, fights now take longer but everyone is creating the story instead of just observing the D.M trying to perform miracles of entertainment.

7.1.3. P.C's that are 'wounded' (reduced to below their H.P (body), essentially any damaging hit at first level, should demonstrate their pain audibly, visually or narratively in the story board manner. In later levels you gain H.P (grit) and shrug off lots of damage until you are wounded. Doing this is one way to gaining extra experience.

It is meant as a story element and not to embarrass you. As you gain levels and grit, you naturally gain resilience to this level of critical health. You will not be allowed to offer your current H.P levels across the battlefield to other players in an attempt to plead for rescue.

Definition

Meta-gaming: Using out-of-character knowledge to influence a character's decisions or actions within the game world.

8. Character Context — D.M's you may want to consider covering the kinds of things that character may know vs what the player may know & the distinction between them. The character has potentially lived 15+ years in this setting & may know things that a player would not. D.M's, if meta-gaming is a concern for you, this is another place where you can break it down, & how you manage it. How can a player have access to something the character may know, should know, will know?

Do they roll for this? Do they automatically become told this knowledge by the D.M when circumstances trigger it? Can players freely ask? You use a mix of all the above.

8.1. The D.M will fill in background information as required. Handouts and local politics and gazetteers should help acquaint the players with Grey-hawk. At low levels, their sphere of influence is small – a city, town, or region. The P.C's can develop their knowledge as the game moves up levels. The players are assumed to know their own culture, religion, and class very well. Even though players have limited knowledge about their neighbors, the wider world does not concern them. You know your own origin culture, norms, laws, heroes, and the like with an Intelligence (History) check D.C 8. The events of the greater world beyond your country's borders are unknown, or at least dependent upon your origin. Outside your sphere of influence those history checks are at a disadvantage.

1. D.M Style — As a D.M, what is your style? Are you a raw or R.A.I type D.M? Do you prefer to improvise or prepare? Do you like making rulings on the spot &

looking them up later, or would you rather pause the game & look up the rules? Do you like home-brewing & having home-brew content, or do you prefer to minimize home-brew? Do you prefer story over mechanics?

Do you want roll-play or roleplay? How do you prepare for a game session? Share with your players your preferences as a D.M.

2. I am a Rules As Intended type of D.M. My games are more 'sandbox' than 'theatre of the mind.' I prepare many

Image summary: A diagram featuring a coordinate system with two intersecting axes. The vertical axis ranges from Transparency at the top to Secrecy at the bottom, and the horizontal axis ranges from Rules on the left to Improv on the right. The four quadrants are labeled Tactics, Storytelling, Narration, and Investigation. A grey circle centered at the intersection of the axes is defined by a legend as representing typical Game Masters (GMs) who mix aspects of each approach or favor one based on a specific game or scenario.

Image summary: A digital illustration of a small, elderly man with a bald head and long white hair and beard, wearing a red robe. He stands atop a stack of balanced stones, overlooking a surreal landscape featuring floating rock formations and a distant castle amidst a cloudy sky.

things in advance; however, I often improvise when players divert from the main story line. In any nexus of adventuring ideas, players will have 3 to 5 directions that they can go, or they may invent their own. I try not to railroad players, but my adventures have in the past, been ruined by defiant and disruptive players.

I do make rulings on the spot, and I do not appreciate rules lawyering. Betwixt games is the correct time to address these rulings. The players will be reminded of the new rule at the next game.

I like established game worlds and pan-theons. Home brewing applies to rule variants like what you are reading now. I favor mechanics—over-story.

Mechanics are logical and trainable, while story is creative, fanciful, and spontaneous. Yet I still prefer roleplay over anything else. I prepare for game sessions by establishing the setting and forecasting a timeline. Events happen in the game world whether players are there or not. I never truly know what will happen in the game.

2.1. My D.M Alignment (according to The Dungeon Dudes self-assessment) is either Neutral Good or Lawful Neutral. I cannot give a definitive answer as the players are driving functions of the equation.

2.2. My Game Content (self-ratings) — Exploration: moderate, Levity: moderate, Politics: low, Rhetoric: low, Magic: moderate, Tactics: high, Roleplaying: low but desire to improve, Religion: high, R-rated content: low, Self-determination: moderate, Dungeons: moderate, Wilderness: moderate, Urban: low.

3. Player Narrative Authority — Do you allow your players to have some narrative authority in your game? How much do you allow in your game/campaign, for each player? For example: Can the Cleric player create the deity she follows & you as a D.M allow her to decide what her deity personality, attitudes, domain? Or does she have to select a deity from the book? Does the Goliath have a tribe/herd? Who is the leader of his Herd? Does the Paladin follow a specific sect or order? Is the Fighter the son of a Farmer? So now there is a whole farm in your game that, when the party arrives, the Fighter player becomes an assistant D.M. This can go a long way to allowing your players to feel attached to the game setting.

3.1. In many past games players suffer option paralysis. They have so many subclasses and species to choose from that they simply ignore the setting and theme and restrictions of the campaign and aim for the most radical combination of traits, species, feats and powers possible. Every campaign suffers because of this edgelord disunity. Everyone must be a heroic specialist that prefers to work alone. Five such P.C's are wholly unmanageable.

3.2. P.C's own their present circumstances, and their destiny is not yet written. What players cannot do is narrate their own fame and glory from the perspective & populace of the game world. That is the sole purview of the D.M. The P.C and the D.M collaborate on a character's past that enables the P.C to fit within the game setting and the plot web of the campaign. To indulge these special considerations demonstrates favoritism and results in resentful players.

3.3. Players can create secular organizations. However, only the D.M can make deities and establish the creation myth of his universe.

3.4. Players may opt to run a minor adventure as a temporary Dungeon Master. However, they give over control of their character to be run as a M.P.C.

3.5. Players can create Bastions beginning at Tier 2 (level 5+). However, creating Bastions requires money and my world is notoriously harsh about finances.

4. Campaign Planning Strategy – these setup ideas are taken from 'Enter the Dungeon.'

4.1. Pacing: the frequency of your game schedule has a lot of impact on your pacing. If you find that much of your session is spent re-orienting your P.C's to what is going on in your story, then you are not playing D&D often enough. Once a week is ideal, but once a month is not. Most campaigns do not last more than seven sessions so unleash your good ideas and plot twists early!

4.2. Engagement: (player interest in events and story). This can only be coaxed from the players. The tension and tone of the story is critical. There needs to be a crucial level of plot points in an adventure. Too little or too much will damage engagement.

Build tension and then release. There are five things that kill engagement.

- Endless Random Encounters. Consider if these encounters really contribute to the story. Be mindful that hexcrawls feature exploration (and more random encounters) than dungeoncrawls.

- Needlessly Hostile N.P.C's. Combat should not be the default option for every encounter. The D.M.G has encounter reaction charts for a very good reason. The danger is that all skills become oriented towards combat and P.C's become 2-dimensional.

- Pointless Quest Objectives. Minimize the 'fluff' of an adventure. If the P.C's are bored, then you are likely drawing out the plot too much or have added too many distractions.

- Too much focus on the movement grid and interrupting the flow of the story.

- Overly restrictive rulings on non-consequential events.

4.3. Verisimilitude: realism of the game world. It needs to be experienced rather than described. Realism applies to both players and monsters, at least until tier 4.

4.4. The Triple Arc campaign structure. Always be advancing at least one of the following story arcs:

- Campaign Arc – it is the thesis of your campaign. A world where the P.C's will rise to level 20 and confront the epic crisis facing your world. It is the Hero's Journey. Player's should know something about this at the end of the first narrative arc. A campaign arc should have a target timeline, say eighty sessions. It should have a beginning and an end because people change. Even at one game a week this is a 3-year campaign. The Oblivion Prophecy

- Narrative Arcs – like a season in your favorite T.V show, a good story concludes in 10 to 12 episodes. These elements advance the narrative of major plot points. Narrative arcs need a definitive ending! Campaign that bogs down into a slog usually lack narrative arcs. This is the place to involve character backstories. Start off with vague ideas and focus in on them during the season. Begin with an Initiating Event for the protagonist. Make the objective clear and obvious. P.C's need a direction for their creativity. Flesh out the antagonist. Write out their motivations. Include plot twists and potential for flipping the narrative. Include a connection or bridge to the next narrative arc but give P.C's a release from the tension of a completed narrative arc. Intercept the party's solutions in an interesting way. A predictable story ruins player engagement. Include the improvisation mantras: "Yes, and ..." and "No, but...". The D.M should strive to make interesting developments to the player's solutions. The mobius Realm.

- Immediate Arcs – the problem the party is dealing with over one to three sessions. Finding the N.P.C, delving into a dungeon, solving a mystery. D.M should invest the most planning in this arc. However, be prepared to discard this arc if the players are feeling railroaded. Mega dungeons often fail because they are a series of endless immediate arcs.

5. D.M Progress — The Following Advice Is Taken From, So You Want to Be a Game Master.

5.1. Questions to answer when designing a Random Encounter.

What makes these monsters unique?

Table summary: A set of categories including Appearance, Rank, Distinctive Ability, and Behavior, with Personality and Visible Treasure listed as specific entries.

Where are they coming from?

A keyed location Somewhere nearby Somewhere far beyond

Table summary: A variety of activities characters might be performing, ranging from security and labor tasks like working guard patrol, escorting prisoners, and moving raw goods, to personal or social actions such as eating or relaxing, singing songs, and going to meet someone. Other listed activities include professional or specialized tasks like performing a ritual, performing an experiment, and building or expanding the dungeon.

Where are they going? Passing by Passing through Somewhere far beyond roll encounter distance

How do they react to the P.C's?

2.D.6 2 to 3 Immediate Attack 4 to 5 Hostile 6 to 8 Cautious/Threatening 9 to 10 Indifferent 11 to 12 Amiable

perception Find the Trap Triggering the trap Playing the trap Combining Traps with Monsters. Proximity Trigger (1 in 4) Action Trigger Failing a Search check, Disable Check by 5 or more.

5.2. Questions to answer when designing a keyed Encounter.

- Impressive Descriptions: appeal to at least three of the five primary senses.

Table summary: A list of sensory modalities, including the five traditional senses like Vision, Hearing, Smell, Taste, and Touch / Texture, as well as internal and specialized senses such as Balance (vestibular), Movement (kinesthesia), Temperature (thermoception), Pain (nociception), and an Ultra-human sense for magic detection.

- Two Cool Details: irrelevant-but-cool details. Use superfluous details to keep the world feel like a real place.

- Three by Three: three details to prioritize essential elements, give each of those elements the focus it deserves.

- Exits and Dimensions: list the shape and size of a room; usually at the beginning of the description. Adjectives can be better than numeric dimensions and units. Do not forget the room height, roof and floor. Next comes the exits. Describe them in a group to reduce confusion and a wandering eye.

- Impressive Descriptions: appeal to at least three of the five primary senses.

- Keep it Pithy and Concise: choose your narrative timing well. Craft evocative images.

- Room Descriptions beyond the Text Box: keep the immersion going.

Room Descriptions beyond the Text Box: keep the immersion going. Illumination Ceiling Height Shape Walls Doors Floors Features

- Corridor Themes: establish a theme and switch it up in different sections.

5.3. Questions to answer when designing a dungeon.

Build encounters with multiple stat blocks.

• Add a curious feature.

5 + 5 Dungeons: this is an adventure recipe

The Scenario Concept

Dungeon Features and Corridor Themes.

five featured rooms.

☐ 1 challenge: trap, environmental, skill, puzzle, social.

1 fight: guardian, sentry, mooks, boss

☐ 1 twist: trick, secret area, remix, combo, unexpected ending.

☐ 1 reward: treasure, clue, sanctuary, boon, scenario goal

pick any one additional challenge.

five scenic rooms: this provides pace, rest, strategy and is appropriate for 4 hours of play

Themed - should tell a story.

☐ Utility – often rooms that logically exist

Fantastic feature – the world is magical, use it.

• Mapping & Keying: mix up the usual choices, unusual corridors, multiple exits, crossroads and secret doors.

Finishing Touches: last thing to add is the scenario hook.

6. Pet Peeves — This is where you can discuss your own personal pet-peeves. Things about the game that really bother you as a D.M. It is ok to have them, even though you would rather avoid them. Just remember that when discussing them, you are coming from a place of kindness & doing so to inform them so to avoid issues later. Here are the biggest Dos and Don'ts.

6.1. Players who choose these odious behaviors can expect a 5% experience penalty or removal from the group for egregious conduct.

6.2. Use body deodorant before coming to the game. Help clean up trash after the game and help put furniture away. Do not talk while eating.

Definition

V.T.T: Virtual Tabletop; an online software platform used to simulate physical D&D play at a distance.

Chew your food quietly. Keep drinks off the game table (especially the V.T.T) & away from expensive books. Roll your dice in your own personal space.

Do not use other player's dice without permission. Do not handle figurines in a damaging way. Avoid yelling or slamming the game table.

Avoid standing or looming above other players. Do not spy on the D.M or behind his screens.

6.3. Minimize all the distractions including turning your phone to silent. Do not bring pets to the game. Leave your real-world issues at home as you 'get in character.' Do not disparage or bully any other P.C. Do not make fun of other players as they attempt to act, speak, or gesture in character. If you bring props, make them non-lethal. I want all players to have fun, but I also want them to be safe.

6.4. Do not put greasy fingerprints on the chalkboard. Do not roll dice aggressively, knocking over terrain or figurines.

6.5. My all-time greatest peeve as a D.M are indecisive players. It is a great delay to the game when you cannot make up your mind and waste the game time. React instinctively if you are a martial character or plan if you are a caster. Experts are known for taking risks.

If you dawdle, ask for do-overs, and try to do too many preposterous things in the new ten second rounds, you will only test the patience of everyone at the table. Roleplaying allows you a lot of latitude and nuances. Combat and action are not reversible nor are they delayed for panicked player characters.

A quick index card with default actions will be created for every P.C at the table.

Section D: Ethical Concerns, Topics of Contention

this part will cover mature topics which may or may not provoke people, it is not my intention to do so. this writing is here to avoid suddenly triggering players, by bringing these out in A Session—0 discussion. they should be discussed in A mature respectful manner. it is important to include A preface to this topic set. be as respectful and as Frank as possible but ask for forgiveness in case you Happen to Fall Short, these are not Easy topics to Discuss but should be Brought up at the Table During Session—0 Regardless. for these topics, it is important to Address Every Player at the Table for their Individual Input & then Individual Consent.

1. Gender — D.M's consider discussing the gender roles, if any, in your setting and the possibilities of encountering patriarchal or matriarchal cultures & how prevalent each are in this setting. What can characters find as the most common 'norms' for gender roles. Bring up any species/culture in your setting that has off set or extremist views from the general gender norms you described earlier. Consider discussing the topics of creatures, deities & magic items that can change gender, if any, & how common those are. (Succubus/Incubus come to mind.)

1.1. Player Characters and Non-Player Characters can come in any gender without chauvinism. Classic gender roles are in effect in the game but there is no overt prejudice, misogyny, or misandry either way. Table 2 outlines statistical maxima modifiers for different genders of each species.

: Table 2 summary: Gender-based statistics maxima, where each gender is associated with one attribute that receives a plus one bonus and one that receives a minus one penalty. Male characters gain Strength and lose Charisma; Female characters gain Dexterity and lose Strength; and Non-Binary characters gain Intelligence and lose Constitution.

2. Attraction & Sexual Orientation — D.M's consider discussing the possibilities of attraction or sexual orientation of both the P.C's & the N.P.C's & the populous, in general, in your setting/campaign. Are there cultural stigmas in selecting sexual orientations that span across multiple species? Or does each species/culture have different views that vary?

Or does everyone make this decision for themselves? Does religion, does government have an effect here? Are some cultures, religions or governments that are more accepting than others?

You may want to ask if it is all right for their character to experience attraction from others that may not match their personal views as a player. You may want to ask if they will be unconformable as a player with seeing interactions in character that may not align to their personal views.

2.1. Attraction & Sexual Orientation in Oerth does not reflect modern day planet Earth. I will avoid those issues as a Dungeon Master and confine sexual habits to private places. I do not intend to stir the quicksand of woke behavior.

2.2. Species and Gender interaction is permitted. Bigotry does not belong at the game table unless specified in the local historical elements of the campaign setting. Players who have problems in these areas can call a time-out with no negative repercussions.

3. Rape, Sexual Assault — D.M's what is your stance on this topic? Are characters allowed to have had this happen in their origin/past? You do just limit it to the past, but never the present.

Can it happen to N.P.C's but not P.C's? Are characters allowed to perform these acts? If so, is it done only 'off camera'?

3.1. Rape and sexual assault may be written into a backstory but is not permitted at the game table. Characters are not to engage in such acts to protect the security of all players.

4. Racism, Prejudice — Is this a fantasy setting where people are judged by their deeds & merit, on a person-by-person basis? Or do Elves hate Dwarves? If so, why? Do all the demi-human species view the goblinoid species with disdain?

Is it a species-by-species thing? It is all faction based. Which cultures or species are more open-minded, which ones are hugely xenophobic, which ones feel that their culture/species is superior?

4.1. Racism, prejudice, and class bigotry are permissible as this is an unavoidable part of the human psyche. Villains need motivation too and society runs the gamut of despicable ideals and behaviours. Humans are infinitely adaptable, and they have many subcultures in Greyhawk. There are thirteen sub-species of humans on Oerik – they are not all friendly with each other unless they face a common enemy.

Hill dwarves, rock gnomes, stout & harfoot halflings, and half-elves are open minded, and they usually form mixed communities for mutual benefit. The campaign cities of Gryrax and Gorna are two such communities. More lawful civilized societies may have better integration but may not care about individual deeds & merit. Chaotic tribal societies are the obverse.

4.2. Arcane magic is feared nearly everywhere for its unbridled power corrupts. Every culture in Greyhawk has dark periods in its history where some entity has claimed vast powers of magic only to wreak destruction by its use. Use of arcane magic in some cities carries harsh penalties! Divine magic is not feared as much because the spiritual cultures of Oerik believe in the gods and a creationist view of their world.

5. Pernicious verisimilitude — what aspects of your game may be viewed as unfun? If so, why do you include them in your game?

Definition

Concentration: A mechanic for spells that last over time, where the caster must maintain focus; taking damage or certain conditions can force a check to see if the spell ends prematurely.

5.1. Encumbrance, taxation, equipment ruin & decay, random encounters, natural disasters, hirelings, hunger, thirst, gruesome deaths, exhaustion, bad weather, extreme temperatures, high winds, spell concentration, height advantage, reach advantage, festivals, gangrene, crime, invasion, armies, politics, imprisonment, punishment, famine, slavery, pestilence, disease, sanity, dishonor, wildfire, true villainy, and N.P.C morale are all present in my games. They are aspects of a fantasy game that nearly no one enjoys. I believe that they do not serve a purpose in one-shot adventures or online games. However, they do serve a purpose in extended campaigns!

They make a setting more real, gritty, and believable, giving player characters a sense of purpose and immersion. This is a key difference between T.T.R.P.G's and video/online R.P games. Comedy and shared experiences can arise from difficult circumstances as well as triumphs. The players have an equal hand in determining the pace of the game. It is a simple choice whether to observe or to participate.

6. Slavery — D.M's consider discussing with your table, the stance you have on this topic. Can P.C expect to encounter enslaved N.P.C's? Can P.C become enslaved, or does it only happen to N.P.C's? Can this be a part of the P.C's origin? If a P.C does become enslaved, does the P.C somehow become an N.P.C? How is slavery viewed in your setting by the various cultures in your game? Do only certain species seek to enslave others, or does every species have the potential to take slaves? A certain species is a slave species, like house-elves in Harry Potter.

6.1. Slavery exists but this stigma is attached to evil societies, monsters, and strange cultures. It can be part of any P.C origin. The world of Greyhawk is filled with hundreds of diverse species and cultures. They do not get along, as competition for resources and survival creates endless areas of conflict. Demi-humans can co-exist in many cultures.

Humanoids cannot. Enlightened cultures typically reject slavery. Lawful cultures ironically endorse slavery as a product of empire building. Slavery is a part of Oerth's varied gamut of cultures. However, slavery and abuse practiced by a player character is not considered 'fun' at my table and will not be promoted. The P.C's at this game table have equal value and status.

6.2. Animal abuse is another facet of these grey zones. If something at the table offends any player, then it will not be developed. My game is not intended to coddle delicate sensibilities, but I aim to avoid egregious dark tetrad behaviors too.

7. The ten worst D&D player behaviours — The Players contribute by deed and words. Dungeon Craft on YouTube outlines the worst behaviors. "Top 8 Worst D&D Players Ever (Ep. 207)", published on August 24, 2021. I added two more from his later episode. Players acting like this is a guarantee of lower experience and eventual removal from the game.

: Table summary: New DMG Elements in the Homebrew, consisting of ten character traits. These include behaviors such as Perpetually Unprepared, Spotlight Hog, Mood Killer, Time Waster, Always Tardy, Control Freak, Argumentative, Emotional Blackmailer, Cheater, and Constant Messenger.

Table summary: New Dungeon Master Guide elements in the homebrew, covering rules for skill checks, consequences, and improvised damage. Group based skill checks on page 28 pass for the entire group if there is 50 percent or more success. Page 30 defines consequences where a success is meeting the DC, a great success is exceeding it by 5 or more, and a massive failure is missing it by 5 or more. Also on page 30, an improvised damage guide provides dice rolls for various scenarios, ranging from 1d10 for being burned by coals to 24d10 for being crushed by a moon size monster. A damage severity table maps these values to character levels, defining nuisance and deadly damage. For example, for levels 1 to 4, the table lists nuisance and deadly categories, while for levels 17 to 20, nuisance damage is 22, or 4d10, and deadly damage is 55, or 10d10.

Monster Attitude and Personality rules for a game system. The Monster Attitude Encounter Chart determines creature disposition based on specific rolls: Predatory Monsters are Hostile on a roll of 1 to 4 with disadvantage on influence checks; Wary Travelers are Indifferent on a roll of 5 to 8; and Kind-hearted locals are Friendly on a roll of 9 to 12 with advantage on influence checks. Monster Personality is decided by a 1d8 roll, with results ranging from Cowardly and Greedy to Fanatical, Brave, and Orderly. For groups of two or more, a 1d6 roll determines the relationship, such as a bitter rivalry, a bullied member, or one monster being revered by the others. Combat rules include static initiative based on Dexterity and a complex hit point system divided into HPbody, HPgrit, and HPtemp. Combatants are wounded below HPbody, unconscious at 0, and dead at negative HPbody. Damage that penetrates armor causes a Stumble for one round, while damage below HPbody causes a Daze for one round. Temporary hit points, treated as HPgrit, are stackable.

Table summary: Creature size and space requirements, where Tiny creatures allow 4 per square, Small and Medium occupy 1 square, Large occupy 4 squares, Huge occupy 9 squares, and Gargantuan occupy 16 squares or more. Combat action descriptions include Dash as hurrying across the room, Disengage as edging away, Dodge as parrying attacks, Help as causing a distraction, Magic as uttering an invocation, and Ready as waiting to act. Additional rules define the Bloodied condition at 1 and a half hp and Morale checks as DC 10 Wisdom rolls under specific combat or situational pressures. Alignment is noted as being indicated by actions with minimal impact on game rules. Background options include Clansman or Tribal with proficiencies in Athletics, Stealth, and Survival; Fey lost with proficiencies in Deception and Survival; Fisher with proficiencies in Animal Handling, Survival, and Nature; Genie Touched with proficiencies in Perception and Persuasion; and Miner with proficiencies in Athletics and Perception.

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: Environmental, Fear, and Mental Stress effects. Environmental effects include Dead Magic Zones, Deep Water, and temperature extremes. Extreme Cold and Heat both require hourly Constitution saves to avoid exhaustion, with DCs increasing as temperatures become more severe; for example, Extreme Cold ranges from DC 5 at minus 10 degrees Celsius to DC 25 at minus 60 degrees Celsius. Other environmental hazards include Frigid Water, Heavy Precipitation, High Altitude above 10,000 feet, Slippery Ice, Strong Wind, Thin Ice, and Wild Magic Zones. Fear effects utilize Wisdom saving throws to avoid the frightened condition, with sample DCs ranging from 10 for a terrifying apparition to 20 for a portal to the Abyss. Failure by 5 or 10 below the DC adds penalties such as granting advantage to attackers, dazing the creature, or forcing the Dash action. Mental Stress effects, triggered by things like hallucinogenic substances or the Far Realm, cause psychic damage and result in Short Term, Long Term, or Indefinite effects, such as being incapacitated or having disadvantage on ability checks, which can be suppressed or removed by spells like Calm Emotions or Restoration.

Table summary: Rules for Gods and Divine Magic, listed under entry 74. In contrast to the Dungeon Master's Guide, gods may restrict divine power based on character actions and alignment shifts, affecting clerics, druids, paladins, rangers, and Illriggers. This section also covers Blessings, which are supernatural gifts found on page 76, Emissaries, such as celestials or fiends sent for aid, and Miracles.

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Table 61 summary: A list of Magical Contagions and their effects. Examples include Cackle Fever, Sewer Plague, and Sight Rot from the DMG, as well as Rusting Flesh, which reduces maximum hit points by 1d8 daily until death or after 7 days. Mummy Rot prevents healing and reduces Charisma by 2 points per month, while Rot Grub Infestation involves parasitic worms that burrow toward the heart. Another set of six randomly occurring contagions, such as Boneblight and Brainfog, reduce a specific ability score by 2d4 and cause 1 level of Exhaustion, with severity ranging from Mild to Terminal based on a 1d8 roll. Additionally, Lycanthropy is acquired via saliva contact and causes transformation and alignment changes, and Spellplague is spread through innocuous cantrips, causing a loss of 2d6 from a primary casting stat and reducing maximum hit points based on the level of spells cast.

Inferno

Deadly Hazard (Levels 5 to 10) or Nuisance Hazard (Levels 11 to 16)

Whenever an uncontrolled fire spreads, it can create an inferno that quickly engulfs creatures, objects, and vegetation.

An inferno consists of at least four contiguous 10-foot Cubes of fire. Each of the inferno's 10-foot Cubes can be doused with 10 gallons of water. Exposure to a strong wind for 1 minute causes the inferno to grow, adding 1d4 new 10-foot Cubes to its volume. An inferno deprived of fuel burns itself out after 1d10 minutes.

An inferno damages any vegetation or object that isn't being worn or carried that it touches, dealing 22 (4d10) Fire damage immediately and again at the end of each minute. Any creature that enters the inferno for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 22 (4d10) Fire damage and is burning.

Poisonous Gas

Poisonous Gas

Nuisance Hazard (Levels 1 to 4)

D.M.G'24 Page 77

Poisonous gas is usually encountered in an enclosed space, such as a sewer or sealed tomb. The gas fills as much space as it can, up to a maximum of ten 10-foot Cubes. The transparent gas carries a foul odor. The gas is continuously or periodically replenished by some natural or magical source, though a strong wind disperses the gas for 1 minute.

Any creature that enters poisonous gas for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there makes a D.C 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 5 (1d10) Poison damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures in the gas also have Disadvantage on Death Saving Throws.

At Higher Levels. You can scale the hazard for higher levels by increasing the Poison damage and the save D.C, as shown in the following table.

Table summary: Poison Damage and Save DC scale upward as Levels increase. For levels 5 to 10, the Poison Damage is 11, or 2d10, with a Save DC of 14. This increases to 22 damage, or 4d10, and a Save DC of 16 for levels 11 to 16, and reaches 55 damage, or 10d10, and a Save DC of 18 for levels 17 to 20.

Quicksand Pit

Quicksand Pit

Nuisance Hazard (Levels 1 to 4)

D.M.G'24 Page 77

A quicksand pit is 10 feet deep and covers the ground in a 10-foot square. A creature that enters the area sinks 1d4 + 1 feet into the quicksand and has the Restrained condition. At the start of each of the creature's turns, it sinks another 1d4 feet. As long as the creature isn't completely submerged in quicksand, it can take an action to try to escape, doing so with a successful Strength (Athletics) check (D.C 10 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk into the quicksand). A creature that is completely submerged in quicksand has Total Cover and the Blinded condition and risks suffocation.

A creature can pull another creature within its reach out of a quicksand pit by taking an action and succeeding on a Strength (Athletics) check (D.C 5 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk into the quicksand).

At Higher Levels. You can scale this hazard for higher levels by making the pit deeper and increasing the number of feet a creature sinks at the start of each of its turns, as shown in the following table.

Table summary: Pit depth and sinking rates increase as character levels rise. For levels 5 to 10, the pit depth is 15 feet with a sinking rate of 1d6 feet. This increases to a 20 foot depth and 1d8 feet sinking rate for levels 11 to 16, and reaches a maximum of 30 feet depth and 1d10 feet sinking rate for levels 17 to 20.

Razorvine

Nuisance Hazard (Levels 1 to 4)

Razorvine is a plant that grows in wild tangles and hedges. It also clings to the sides of buildings and other surfaces as ivy does. A 10-foot-high, 10-foot-wide, 5-foot-thick wall or hedge of razorvine has A.C 11; H.P 25; and Immunity to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Psychic damage.

When a creature comes into contact with razorvine for the first time on a turn, the creature must succeed on a D.C 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d10) Slashing damage from the bladelike thorns.

Rockslide

Rockslide

Deadly Hazard (Levels 1 to 4)

D.M.G'24 Page 78

When a rockslide occurs, every creature in its path makes a D.C 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 11 (2d10) Bludgeoning damage, has the Prone condition, and moves with the rockslide. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage only.

When the rockslide stops, its space becomes Difficult Terrain, and all Prone creatures in its space are buried under rocks and debris. A creature buried in this way has the Restrained condition and has Total Cover. As an action, a creature can try to crawl out from under the rock pile. If the creature succeeds on a D.C 15 Strength (Athletics) check, it is no longer Restrained; instead, it has the Prone condition and is atop the rock pile. If the check fails, the creature remains buried and gains 1 Exhaustion level.

A creature that has neither the Incapacitated nor the Restrained condition can spend 1 minute freeing another creature buried by the rockslide.

At Higher Levels. You can scale this hazard for higher levels by increasing the Bludgeoning damage as follows: 22 (4d10) at levels 5 to 10, 55 (10d10) at levels 11 to 16, and 99 (18d10) at levels 17 to 20.

Vicious Vine

Vicious Vine

Nuisance Hazard (Levels 1 to 4)

D.M.G'24 Page 78

Vicious vines are animated by magic. They often cling to doorways, archways, walls, and statuary. Until a vicious vine moves, there's nothing to distinguish it from an inanimate vine.

Each vicious vine has A.C 11; H.P 16; and Immunity to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Psychic damage. When a creature enters a space within 5 feet of the vine for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the vine tries to coil around that creature. The target must succeed on a D.C 12 Dexterity saving throw or have the Grappled condition (escape D.C 12). While Grappled in this way, the target takes 5 (1d10) Necrotic damage from the vine's life-draining thorns at the start of each of the target's turns. The vine can grapple only one creature at a time.

As an Influence action, a character under the effect of a Speak with Plants spell or similar magic can try to persuade the vine to release its victim, doing so with a successful D.C 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check. A creature released by the vine in this way won't be attacked by that vine again for the next 24 hours.

At Higher Levels. You can scale the hazard for higher levels by increasing the Necrotic damage, the save D.C, and the escape D.C, as shown in the following table.

Table summary: Necrotic Damage and Save/Escape DC scale upward by character level. For levels 5 to 10, damage is 11, calculated as 2d10, with a DC of 14. This increases to 22 damage, or 4d10, and a DC of 16 for levels 11 to 16, and reaches 55 damage, or 10d10, with a DC of 18 for levels 17 to 20.

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Table summary: Game setting rules and item lists. Loyalty Score ranges from 0 to 20, starting at the party's lowest Charisma score and capped at the highest, with adjustments based on personal goals and alignment. Poisons are priced in silver pieces and are boosted by 2 DC on saving throws and one additional damage die. Examples of poisons include Purple Worm Poison with a Constitution DC 23 and 11d6 damage costing 2000 sp, and Tainted Food and Drink with a Constitution DC 14 and 2d4 damage costing 5 sp. Other rules include Renown starting at 0, a requirement to revert to Native language plus two standard languages, and the availability of Bastions from level 5 onwards. The table also lists categories for Settlements, Supernatural Gifts, and various Traps like Falling Nets and Poisoned Darts.

Oerth is Slightly Larger (2%) than Earth but it is Slightly less Dense due to the Presence of Magic. Oerth has A Gravitational Acceleration of 30 F.T per sec 2. Oerth has an Axial Tilt of 30 Degrees Making the Seasonal Variance Harsher than Earth (23.5 Degrees). it has Two Moons: Luna and Suhleen. it Takes 364 Days to Orbit its Star, which is Named Pelor. the Calendar has 12 Months of 28 Days and Four week long Festivals Growfest, Richfest, Brewfest, Needfest Marking the Equinoxes and Solstices. Oerth Includes Hundreds of Species and Cultures. Oerth has one Massive Continent, Oerik. the Northeastern Portion of that Continent is Called the Flanaess After the First Tribe of Human Settlers Moved into the Area 12,000 Years ago. Central to this Region is the free City of Greyhawk. it is A Central Hub of Commerce, Intrigue, and Adventure. it is the most Advanced and Populous City in the Flanaess.

The Campaign World

Greyhawk is the world in which all my story arcs reside. It begins as low fantasy and ends as moderate fantasy. I hold true to the original 'feeling' of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as it was introduced in 1978 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Over time the game pandered to the players.

Now in 2026 the game is too easy, nobody ever dies and rarely are they truly challenged. When everyone has a pocket full of spells then magic is not special and all characters are vanilla. Orthodox D&D was gritty, bloody, treacherous, memorable because they relate to true tales of love and loss, heroism and villainy. Your choices dictate your character and in Greyhawk those choices are hard.

The Story Elements

The campaign is called the Oblivion Prophecy. It has many narrative arcs and some of them have been attempted by various gamers down the years. Their successes and failures contribute to the campaign. All P.C's who survive become legends and heroes for the rest of the campaign.

The Stars over Mirrormere began in the capitol city of Gryrax in the Principality of Ulek in the Common Year 575. It was the spring festival. Ulek is a temperate climate, full of hills, forests scrub and plains. The ruling monarch is Prince Olinstaad Corond, a 317-year-old Dwurin, heir to an ancient dwarven kingdom lost to the ages.

He lost his first wife and two sons to giants in the lands of Geoff while crossing under the Crystalmist mountains two hundred years ago. To this day he hates giants. His current wife is Princess Ogatha Corond. She is his second wife at a mature age of 226 years. Together they have two daughters: Princess Kristyrd (160), & Princess Llana (117). A son has recently been born to the royal couple, but he has just come of age (in spring 576 C.Y) for his inheritance.

Prince Valorond is. Two adamantine guards always flank the young ambitious dwarven heir. Prince Corond's court is rife with schemers and politicians who have felt the pressure of a massing border force of euroz from the Pomarj. An alliance of Ulek-states binds everyone to a common purpose: that of defense of territory, mutual protection, trade, and industry. But the forces in the Pomarj outnumber the defenders and they grow more numerous every year.

Defense strategy is not deterrence; eventually the Ulek alliance armies will have to confront Pomarj in open warfare.

Gryrax is a city upon a verdant plateau. Gryrax is known for the best weapons and armors in all the Flanaess. A modest river named the Sluice flows from underground streams in the Lortmil mountains to the northeast. It gathers some volume from spring fed streams and tumbles over the Gryrax cliffs in a sparkling array of rainbows in the evening light.

Below the cliff lies the docks and trade district for a major trading port on the Azure Sea. It is the most ambitious open city that dwarves have ever ruled. Its laws are strict, but its rule is benevolent. Punishments are swift and lethal. Slavery is outlawed.

Image summary: Three heraldic shields displayed side-by-side. The first shield is white with a red double-headed axe. The second shield is dark blue with a white rearing unicorn. The third shield is split horizontally with a jagged line, featuring a gold top section with three black arrows and a dark blue bottom section.

The tri-states of Ulek include a Principality, a County, and a Duchy. They are the haven for dwarves (dwurin), gnomes (noniz), high elves (olvenoldor) and the ubiquitous halflings (hobniz). Even so, humans (Flan, Oeridian and Suloise) make up 60% of the overall population. The tri-states are no longer vassals to their scheming neighbor: the Kingdom of Keoland.

Keoland has a varied history. Originally settled by Flannae tribes, it has survived 1000 years. Suel refugees fought the Flan and established the capitol city of Niole Dra after the dominion of Vecna ended. It is a feudal monarchy, but it is not patrilineal, the King is crowned by an electoral council (called the Court of the Land) of the five great houses (Neheli, Rhola, Lizhal, Linth, Secunforth). Disagreements often lead to revolts & civil war. House Neheli currently leads.

Lordship does not pass down the line of male heirs. This fosters continual intrigue and power struggles, but the great houses will unify in the face of a great enemy. They have a strange revulsion to ambassadors of the Celestial Emnire (and celestials in general).

The Gran March is a feudal monarchy ruled by a Commandant who is elected by its four knightly orders every 5 years. The knightly orders include, in order of pre-eminence, Knights of the Watch. Knights of Dispatch, Knight of the March, and the Queen's Knights. It is independent but on good terms with Keoland.

The March of Sterich formed as an earldom eight hundred years ago and is a vassal of Keoland. Marquess Resbin Dren Emondav rules Sterich.

The March of Bissel formed 750 years ago and is the most northern vassal state of Keoland. Margrave Larrangin rules here.

The Yeomanry League, led by Marius Lindon, is now an independent democratic state but it used to be a part of Old Kingdom of Keoland.

The Grand Duchy of Geoff is a nation nestled in the western Sheldomar Valley region of the Flanaess. It is a vassal state to Keoland. Grand Duke Owen I rules for life. Flan and Oeridian peoples survive here. The court of Geoff number six high counties, seven low counties, numerous elven, dwarven and halfling lordships, and many petty baronets, little more than tribal chiefs.

The nation is bordered by the Crystalmist Mountains (wildlands) to the far southwest, the Barrier Peaks (wildlands) to the far northwest, the Stark Mounds (dwarfen) to the near south, and the Javan River to the east. Great forests lie in Geoff (Oytwood, Hornwood and the Dim Forest). The Rushmoors are an impenetrable swamp on the eastern border. Many rivers flow down from the mountains including the Javan, Oyt, Avon Fyn, Deor, White & Deepvein. It is a land of crags, rock, moss, trees, highlands, tarns, gorges, and canyons.

There is little room for open farming but ample sheltered ranches for livestock.

The Grand Duke's closest neighbors include the reclusive Valley of the Mage (hostile) to the north, Gran March of Bissel (neutral) to the far east, and the Earldom of Sterich (allied) to the far south. Geoff encompasses the entire Hornwood, most of the Oytwood, and the western portion of the Dim Forest. Due to its isolated position, Geoff experiences some unusual weather. Morning fog is quite common near the Dim Forest, contributing to northeastern Geoff's reputation for secrecy and hauntings.

Rain is plentiful, with short, violent thunderstorms. Geoff experiences significant snowfall in winter, especially in the mountains and western regions. The human folk of Geoff show strong Flan racial characteristics, tempered by Suel and Oeridian influences. Sylvan elves (olvendarin) inhabit the Dim Forest. The Oytwood is home to Grey elves (olvenithil) and the Weeping Council. The Hornwood forest is the home to High elves (olvenoldor), while the infamous Drow have known to wander the Dim forest under the command of a Shadow Dragon. There are secret entrances to the underdark as well. The Stonereaver clan of Goliaths have driven out the mountain dwarves (dwurok) from the surface of an ancestral home, leaving their relations strained.

Goliaths (grond) hunt above and trade for goods from the Clan Deepholm mountain dwarves who dwell in the leeward slopes of the Crystalmist mountains. Clan Underhill dwarves and Rock gnomes (noniz) thrive in the Stark Mounds south of Gorna. Halflings (hobniz) are also found in Geoff, usually attached to human communities for protection. The free city of Hochoch is more of a military encampment and castle with a great temple to Heironeous.

Image summary: A coat of arms featuring a shield divided horizontally. The top half has a gold background depicting a black ship's hull floating on the dividing line, with a crown floating directly above the center of the ship. The bottom half of the shield is a solid blue field.

Image summary: A black and white fantasy map of a continent featuring various geographical regions and political territories. The landscape is dominated by the Crystalmist Mountains and Barrier Peaks to the west, with the Azure Sea and Jekdea Bay bordering the southeast. Labeled territories include Geoff, Keoland, Yeomanry, the Gran March, Veluna, Furyondy, and Ulek, interspersed with landmarks such as the Dim Forest, Dreadwood, and the Bright Desert.

In the central Flanaess, Celene lies to the north and east behind the Lortmil mountains. It is sequestered by deep forests. It is a fey kingdom, ruled by Queen Yolande. She is the high monarch of the reclusive gray elves and their kin: (high elves, wood elves, tallfellow halflings). They have closed their borders to all travel. Intruders are never seen again.

The Pomarj is a grim land dominated by evil humanoids. They are more than a nuisance. They raid by land and sea constantly and they breed faster than their neighbors. The borderlands are continually contested, dangerous places.

The Hold of the Sea Princes was established 130 years ago when Keoland was distracted by another war. They are an anarchic nation ruled by Pirate Captains. The strongest is named the Prince of Pirates. They are as formidable as they are chaotic but sinister forces are corrupting their political neutrality. They engage in open piracy, illicit drugs, illegal markets, slavery, and the trade of exotic items from the far nations of Oerth. Tieflings (tanari'i) can be found here in positions of political power.

Veluna is a stable theocracy (Rao) nestled in between the Fals and Velverdyva rivers. The capital of Mitrik stands above the vale. It's demesne is peaceful and agricultural. It houses the Great Library of Greyhawk. It is governed both by a College of Bishops and the Celestial Order of the Moons. The country has seven dioceses plus the archdiocese of Veluna City. It became independent of Furyondy in 446 C.Y.

Furyondy is allied with Veluna against the growing threat of luz. It is a hereditary feudal monarchy with laws administered from the white marbled capitol city of Chendl. Its populace is Oeridian. King Belvor 4, a paladin of Heironeous, leads the most impressive army in the Flanaess, perhaps 20,000 soldiers and 2,000 knights on horse.

Narrative Arcs

The Stars over Mirrormere story arc began in C.Y 574 It involved a quest to consider the portents and puzzle of Mirrormere, the Tarn of Omens. A special decanter of endless holy water was rescued from the flames in the barn of Magus Errolson Barnabus. The decanter is carried by a Dhampir Bard named Thralmar Glen'Dale. A poor gnome captive was rescued from a ship of Hobgoblins (hochjebli), all bearing a black shield painted with a red fist. The name of the gnome was Dabbledop Glittergem.

The Crypt of Promise story arc begins in the summer of C.Y 575 by a quest given by Elderbeard Garth Anvilsmite, the royal weaponsmith of Gryrax. It led to the city of Havenhill in the Lortmil mountains. A cadre of adventurers, sponsored by Alectra Summerbreeze voyaged deep into the Lortmil mountains and discovered the twin legends of Grot-Ugrat and the Knarr-Ulek. Characters destroyed an allegiance formed between a tribe of Hobgoblins, priests of Nerull and various tragic heroes. They encountered Ajax, a diabolical Illrigger and his mount, a blue dragon. The heroes would have failed were it not for the help of Ursah, a servitor of Pelor sent to aid them in their darkest hour.

Irânû-grimstznborith, a legendary Ugrosh was recovered igniting the rumors of a returning hero. Another elven artifact, Taulmir, and the armor of Prince Triserron was also recovered. Ragnar Lothbrok, a vampire skald converted the bard to his mysterious and unholy quest for the Llano.

The Sunless Citadel story arc began in the autumn of C.Y 576. Dabbledop has deciphered the Arcanum Phantasmagoria. The Oculus sent a fledgeling party of adventurers away to Geoff to help establish an outpost for the Oculus, reason unknown. These new initiates to the Oculus, (a secret society of spies, mercenaries, and adventurers), were transported to Oakhurst and backwards in time by 70 days. They discovered the Sunless Citadel and the Ashen Ruins of Ashardalon. Their task was to infiltrate the Sunless Citadel and acquire the Apple of Fate, the last fruit of the doomed Guthias tree.

The Oculus Clocktower story arc began in Gryrax in the winter of C.Y 576 and spring of C.Y 577. Rumors of undead legions led by an infernal dragon lord amassing on the borders of the Suss forest have spread and made the population uneasy. A legendary Dwarvish Ugrosh has returned home and sits above the anvil in the royal smithy of Gryrax. More refugees move in from the east and the farmlands of Ulek are strained to support the growing military of the region. There is a secret portal between Geoff and Ulek, built by the secret cabal known as the Oculus. A gnomish chronomancer, who is gifted with time-sight, has summoned heroes to the village of Oakhurst. Despite his support and planning, this neophyte group failed their task. They had too many agendas that led to greed and pride and failed to secure the treaty with Queen Bargnot of the Jagged Edge Goblins.

The Pawns of Prophecy story arc begins far back in time in the courtyard of none other than the great mage Vecna when he was, but an evil and mortal tyrant bent on malice and gathering power. There are twenty-four souls who were cursed to a living death. And now they are free.

In the spring of 577 C.Y the Pawns stumbled upon a momentous event in the village of Huddersfield in the province of Corond, named after the throne lands of the Prince of Ulek. A group of 6 liberated the artifact called the Mace of St. Cuthbert from the Dolinder tomb. The artifact had guarded a talisman of ultimate evil coveted by a necromancer. They bartered away the amulet for safe passage away from Dolinder tomb. What they did not discover in time was that the Mace also guarded a phylactery of Acererak, a once lieutenant of Vecna and now a demi-lich of untold power. The adventuring group fled to Havenhill and turned over the Mace. But agents of the undead sent assassins which recovered the phylactery. The adventurers paid the blood price.

The Mobius Realm story arc is a tale disconnected from time and space yet remains firmly in the World of Greyhawk. Although part of the Oculus, they entered Castle Greyhawk in winter of 577 C.Y and have yet to emerge.

The Gaze of the Oculus story arc is a prequel of sorts. It covers the many threads unravelled by previous campaign arcs. The time is the spring of 577 C.Y. Construction of the clocktower in Oakhurst is well underway. Tremors in the earth, disappearing crystal miners and foul creatures crawling up from the dragonscar have focussed the attention of the town council. Has the Sunless Citadel re-appeared?

Simultaneously a story arc named Dragon fruit takes place in Havenhill, at the gates of the Pomarj.

Section F: Experience for Playing Dungeons & Dragons

Whether the Campaign Proceeds at A Fast Advancement Rate or A Slow Advancement Rate will be Decided in Session 0. if A Fast Advancement Rate is Chosen the D.M is free to Handwave the Passage of Downtime at A Whim and not Indulge Individual P.C's any Special Considerations if they Wish to Build Outside the Scope of their Character's Adventuring Career.

1. Traditional Experience. Experience will be calculated according to raw. There are some caveats: full attendance for the full game-time is required. A session must be longer than 4 hours of active gaming. Below are some examples of penalties to individual P.C's.

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2. Roleplaying: players often have difficulty roleplaying until they trust the other players at the table. To offer incentives to roleplaying your character is often not enough. The D.M acting on his stage is often not enough. Colin of Enter the Dungeon simply requires the P.C's to use descriptive narrative of certain roles of the P.C. Start off in third person if you wish, using the name of the P.C often. Weave an image in the mind of the other players. Narrate your actions and your speech but be careful not to narrate the reactions and response of the environment and N.P.C's around you, that is the D.M's job. Special voices and gestures are not expected. Once the player gets comfortable, he or she will naturally shift to first person as immersion begins.

3. Dr. Ben of R.P.G P.H.D describes the character's role-playing journey in much more nuanced detail. He refers to a Psychology paper published by Markus, H. and Nurious, P. in 1986 describing "Possible Selves". The P.C should set out (in point form at least) the Identity & personality of the character, answering these questions of who they might become:

- o Where am I at the start of my journey? This is the Possible-self. Every time a character is rolled or generated the player imagins a possible self. Have I set a character arc for myself? What stage of life am I when beginning this personal quest? This forms what the player character hopes will happen during their journey.

- These form cool archetypes which include:

- The dashing rogue

- The stoic warrior

- The brilliant arcane scholar

- The stalwart knight

- The wise and respected cleric

- The honorable barbarian

- The powerful sorcerer

- The sublime martial artist monk.

- The acclaimed wandering minstrel.

- And the list goes on...

- The Expected-self: What do I hope I will become? What challenges must I face? What do I want to become by the end of the campaign? This trait is the hardest to see clearly in yourself or at the table.

- The Successful-self. These are qualities other people admire about us. If my charisma is high (14 or higher) can I project an aura of competence and confidence?

- The Loved-self. These are qualities we admire about ourselves.

- The Capable-self. These are qualities shown to benefit our community.

○ What is my Feared-self? This is the version that you are trying to avoid.

What secrets do I keep and what do I fear might happen if I fail? Am I brave in words but cowardly in action? Am I morally compromised when confronted with avarice, condemnation or rejection?

• If my Charisma is low (8 or less) am I able to play that in the game setting?

Am I in danger of being socially outcast? Do I sabotage my own goals to be included in the team?

Am I a leader or a follower?

- o Character motivation is largely defined by the gap between the Expected-self and the Feared-self. People work hard when the hoped-for self feels reachable and the feared self feels avoidable. People disengage when the expected self collapses toward the feared one, or the hoped-for self feels out of reach.

The Dungeon Master has to keep the horizon visible to all characters on their personal journeys and the hoped-for self. Dramatic tension and realism aside, the purpose of the role-playing game is the character journey towards the hoped-for self and away from the feared-self.

• Players need agency over whether the feared self materializes when given difficult choices and consequences.

Players whose character is exclusively in the hoped-for self is a stale and dull experience. The player lives in the competence fantasy that can never fail. If there is no hero's journey there is no Need to play this role-playing game. Without the feared-self, there is no pressure point driving the story forward.

"When a player goes quiet, stops initiating, gives flat answers in character. The table's instinct might be to read it as attitude: 'They're checked out. They're not trying. They don't care about the group story'."

The D.M's pitfall is engineering the table so nobody's feared self ever activates. Every encounter is winnable, there is no challenge nor moral dilemma, there is no progress towards any goal. This can produce flat characters and flat stories.

The fix for actual attitude is a conversation about table expectations.

The fix for identity misalignment is a conversation about what the player actually came to play.

Players never communicate this at the beginning of a campaign and if the game does not meet their expectations, then they quiet-quit and move on. They may be convinced to play a character archetype that is incongruent to 'balance' the group. This ultimately leads to group failure.

All players and the D.M must realize that this is a group game. One player, and their character's personal narrative, cannot dominate the flow of the game. Play must be inclusive of others, not exclusive.

The D.M shall not play favorites nor stubbornly stick to a narrative to the detriment of the entire party. Total Party Kills do happen, but these should be the result of player group choices, not individual sabotage nor inescapable, unwinnable scenarios designed by the D.M.

4. Another psychologist, Dr. Oyserman, D. (2009) defines Identity-based Motivation."People don't just act on their goals; they act on goals that feel like theirs." Identity shapes the gateway to motivation. If your character goals are identity congruent, that is the player's personality matches the character's personality and goals, you will be highly motivated. You might generate ideas between sessions or invest time and effort to contributing to the game experience for all.

5. A Practical Guide to Creating a Character Arc – five steps.

5.1. Find the arc, not just the backstory.

Before Session 1, identify where your character's story is going.

• Write one sentence before you sit down at the table: "By the end of this campaign, my character will have……"

5.2. Name your hoped-for self explicitly.

Picture the destination version of the character. A player who can't picture the hoped-for self has no gap to move across. The arc stalls before it starts.

5.3. Find the thread you'd actually pull.

• Find it before session one, because you won't find it at session six when the character already feels hollow.

5.4. Tell your D.M your arc before the campaign launches.

- A five minute conversation before the campaign begins, where you describe the arc you're hoping to play, gives your D.M something to work with.

The D.M may not protect your arc but they can't even consider it if they don't know it's there.

5.5. Check in on your hoped-for self every few sessions.

• Is the character still moving toward the version you were building toward, or has the expected self collapsed toward the feared one?

The goal is finding a direction that still carries the same identity weight, even if the arc has shifted from what you originally planned.

Maintain your horizon. Move towards it.

6. During times of combat an indefinite period occurs on initiative 30 (or before each round) for P.C's, villains, and monsters to excnange verpai cnallenges, descriptive behavior, and soliloquys. This is the essence of the fantasy game, and I will set no time limits on it if the players are enjoying the game and engaged in the encounter. To that end I encourage:

61. Martial Classes (Barbarian, Fighter, Monk): Narrate all their actions in combat – attacks, misses, dodges, and movement.

6.2. Caster Classes (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard): Narrate all their spellcasting and their proficient skills. Include what each hand is doing.

6.3. Expert/Hybrid Classes (Bard, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue): Narrate their special attacks, expert skills, special abilities, and movement. They should focus on their appearance, and mannerisms always.

7. Game Mechanics: The game system is based upon bounded accuracy which I believe I have strained but not broken. The 5.5e system aims for a 65% chance for all characters to hit a target considered challenging to their level. My additions to armors and defensive tactics are balanced out by the plethora of new offensive weapons and tactics available to characters. A notable change in this homebrew includes Damage Reduction by armor type.

This will extend a typical 3-round combat into a 4-round combat allowing much more use of abilities and spells (at least at lower levels). Spells are harder to shake off, and concentration is easier to break. These combat additions protect the characters as much as the monsters.

7.1. Monsters can be defeated with cleverness, skill use, and roleplaying; they do not require slaying to earn you experience. Traps, difficult treks, and special discoveries are part of Exploration Awards. I reward team goals over personal goals.

7.2. The lust for wealth drives adventures to risk their lives – treasure is usually its own reward without inflaming greed amongst individual party members. If you find yourself perpetually poor and equipment is deteriorating, taxes are levied, time passes with expensive lifestyles...then you simply are not adventuring hard enough and should go back to gong-farming.

8. Experience Progression — Homebrew modification to the campaign experience. How much is needed to level? Are there modifiers for species, statistics, age, class, or alignment?

8.1. Included is the starting money awarded to characters of various levels. Access to purchasing equipment types or magic is also indicated. There is universal fairness in character generation but your social status may be random and certainly tied to your origin. The starting funds may be adjusted -50% to +50% at the D.M's discretion.

8.2. At higher starting levels, the beginning wealth is determined and one choice from the equipment limitations column. Equipment so chosen must be used and not sold for extended cash. (megawatt Heavy Armor would replace megawatt Medium Armor)

9. Level-up — When do P.C's level up? Long rest? Once they are back in town, are they only between game sessions? or the moment they gain enough exp? Do player characters level up instantly? Are there any costs in time or gold for learning new levels, skills, languages, and abilities?

9.1. Most times P.C's will level up after an extended rest once they are back in a town or city. They gain their new hit die and manifest their new spell powers (casting slots). P.C's must begin free of disease, curses, exhaustion levels and at full health. Typically, a safe place to train (in a secure location (inn, home, guild, stronghold)) will be needed. The Dungeon Master must witness all Hit Point rolls. Heroic Advantage applies to H.P increase rolls for the primary character. The secondary character gains fixed H.P by Class according to the schedule in the P.H.B (p 42).

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A student must factor in weekly expenses while training. Tier 1 requires a modest lifestyle; tier 2 requires a comfortable lifestyle; tier 3 requires a wealthy lifestyle; tier 4 requires an aristocratic lifestyle. Every training day leaves the student with 1 level of exhaustion (be it mental or physical). A full rest restores this and any lost hip points.

If additional projects are undertaken at the same time: bastion building, special training (language, skill, tool or feat), working a job, or item crafting, then a maximum of 4 additional hours can be spent each day on them, and you always have an extra level of exhaustion at the end of each day. The long rest only restores 1 exhaustion level and half the H.D.

Casters require additional costs during training.

At the end of the training period the student must pass both an Intelligence Check D.C 5 and a primary ability check at a D.C determined by the character class and tier. The D.C increases by 2 for any extra exhaustion levels. Failure extends the training and costs by 50%. Then the D.C drops by 5 for the next check.

Only when passed does the character get awarded their advancement, Hit Dice and Hit Point rolls.

A calendar month in Greyhawk is 28 days / 4 weeks.

Martial classes: Fighter B.M, Ch, PsyW), Rogue (As, Sk, Th), Barbarian (all), Monk (Mer, Oh)

Partial Caster: Fighter (Ek), Rogue (At), Monk (El, Sh), Paladin (all), Ranger (all)

Caster classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

10. Special training — are there special rules for subclasses? Tier transition? Languages? Skills? Tools? Feats?

10.1. Training is according to the rules laid out in the D.M.G (page 81). 250 hours or 30 (8-hour) days with a specialist trainer is required to gain a skill, tool proficiency or a language. 2500 hours are required for expertise training in a skill or tool. The trainer sets the price at their whim. A W.I.S or I.N.T check D.C 10 is required to pass the basic proficiency training, D.C 15 for expertise training. Failure on this roll means 50% additional time is required and the D.C drops by 5.

10.2. Training absorbs 8 hours per day, five work-days per week (40 hours). Additional activities may be simultaneously accomplished during these months (such as shopping, gambling, crafting, labour, research, carousing, learning new languages, learning new tools or instruments) but it occupies 4 hours per day (25 hours per week) and you always have one level of exhaustion (which weakens your success rate at both endeavors).

10.3. The Training Cost table includes a Primary Ability D.C. Each week of training requires a Primary Ability D.C test to pass other wise the week must be repeated and paid. This test assumes a mentor, guild or academy is available to train you. If no such place exists and you have to self train, then the advancement rolls are made with disadvantage.

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Section G: Character Creation: Species, Statistics, Gender, Background, Classes, Names, Titles, Alignment

Tiers of Gameplay – As introduced in the Dungeon Master's Guide (page 36), campaigns in D&D are loosely organized into different tiers. Some additional rules are presented in this document that match the different tiers of gameplay. Tiers represent advancing challenge difficulties, tougher monsters and encounters, bigger plot lines, better treasure, and greater power.

An Excerpt from Greyhawk Rebooted Concerning Player Character Species.

Humans are the most common people, by far, on the World of Oerth, but they live and work alongside dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes and countless other fantastic species. Your character belongs to one of these peoples. Dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes and humans are the most common species to produce the sort of adventurers who make up typical parties. Half-elves, half-orcs, and even half-ogres are less common as adventurers. Unlike other game worlds, Drow, a sub-species of elves, are unheard of above ground, save in legend and rumour as are Duergar and, to a lesser extent, the kind and reclusive Svirfneblin.

And then there are three default 5e playable species that pose a particular problem: Aasimar, Dragonborn and Tieflings. Neither of these species existed during the formative or heyday years of Greyhawk development. They simply do not fit with that traditional Greyhawk "set & setting." The same can be said for all the additional playable species from alternate sourcebooks.

As mentioned in the first paragraph of this chapter: Oerth is a human-dominated world. This is especially true of the region known as The Flanaess. This region is the original home to most of the common demi-human species and the ancestral homelands to most of the classic Greyhawk human ethnicities like the Oeridians, Suloise, Flannae and Baklunish. In fact, its this human-centricity that helps set the World of Greyhawk apart from other well-known settings like The Forgotten Realms world of Toril. While a Dragonborn, Firbolg, Tortle, Kenku or Tiefling walking down a main thoroughfare in Waterdeep may be no cause for concern, such an event in the City of Greyhawk, Mitrik or Niole Dra most certainly will raise more than a few eyebrows. In fact, the character may be run out of a cosmopolitan town or violently attacked on site under the worst circumstances.

Similarly, monstrous species like the orcs, goblins and gnolls (euroz, jebli and kell in the Flan tongue) are not available as player characters in traditional Greyhawk games. These folk are the ancestral enemies of humanity and demi-humanity alike and hatred between them runs deep. This was the default approach to game design in the early days of D&D: Much black and white with fewer shades of gray. Today, the game has "evolved" and there is more room for moral relativism. To that end, and since this publication is intended to update the setting to 5.5e, all playable species available from the above listed sources are also presented here, sometimes in a modified format to help them fit better into the set and setting of Oerik. It is still highly recommended that games played in the traditional region of the Flanaess try to maintain that human (demi human) centrality.

Greyhawk Rebooted 576 C.Y covers more than just the Flanaess however so those interested in playing more exotic species will find plenty of opportunity in the far-off realms of Hepmonaland, Zahind, Mur, or the Celestial Empire. There are many other species on Oerik that are sentient and have cultures of their own although folk in most civilized lands might view these others as strange or barbaric at best, or monsters to fear at worst. Note: Only species not considered "outright evil" by the majority of "civilized" humans and demi-humans are presented. Races like Orcs, Goblins, Gnolls, Yuan-Ti and Drow are not playable in standard Greyhawk Rebooted 576 C.Y campaigns. That said, please see the D.M's Guide to Oerik book for information on playing a humanoid or underoarth-centric campaign in Greyhawk Rebooted 576 C.Y.

Monsters? The fighting of monsters is the bread and butter of adventurers, whether they be intelligent beasts like goblins and ogres, or stupid and ravening creatures like gorgons and grell. Hoarders of treasure, kidnappers of maidens and nobles, weavers of dark plots and keepers of goodly wisdom, monsters fill all sorts of roles in the wilderness places of Oerik. Many monsters are stupid, ravening predators that are nothing but enemies to humans and demi-humans. Most of these will cross paths with adventurers when they are the minions of some intelligent evil, are preying on innocents, or simply meet adventuring bands on their travels.

Relishing battle and violence, chances are they must be immediately destroyed, as they will give and expect no quarter from their enemies. Of course, unintelligent predators have much more important roles than to simply destroy and kill. They are important parts of an ecological chain, often feeding on excessive numbers of game animals or amounts of vegetation. They thus fulfill the position that wolves, bears, and other natural carnivores do, only on a larger scale.

They also attack and feed on each other freely, and these habits keep the monster populations more manageable. Not all monsters are evil or vicious—some, such as the rust monster, the almir'aj or the infamous flumph, are as innocuous as deer, rabbits, or moles. Many of these could be kept as pets, but their abilities or wild nature often prevents this. Most of them do not attack sentient creatures, since they know instinctively that they would be killed. Many are herbivores or feed on minerals, fungi, or metal. Those that eat metal and minerals might attack humans to get their food but are quite happy to leave their would-be opponents alone if these give them what they want.

Those who are carnivorous usually eat small game such as rabbits, voles, or other creatures like them. Intelligent monsters are another matter entirely. Intelligent humanoid creatures such as orcs, goblins, and giants all have their own communities and their own social structures.

Some of them have organized systems of government and politics, with hereditary kings and chiefs, and live in their own cities and villages. These may be constructed by the monsters as any human would do, and sometimes they are taken by the monsters from human victims.

Humanoids and giants are the most persistent and most evil of raiders and those nonhuman creatures who plague mankind, but others are far worse. Demons, devils, and daemons (i.e., yugoloths) all have their own powers and plots for causing mayhem and suffering on the material plane, and they are experts in using both bloodied swords and honeyed words to get what they want. The derro, the illithids, the aboleth, and other creatures such as the fabled drow rarely interact with surface dwellers on a regular basis but still pose threats to those who travel through their domains.

Other creatures are of course of goodly nature and may help heroes and those working for noble means who pass through their domain. The members of any demi human species, certain members of the fairy-folk such as sprites or nymphs, and otherworldly creatures of good such as ki-rin, lammasu, and devas may all help. However, this aid is usually taken at best, as most of these creatures fear retaliation if their complicity in defeating any great evil is made known.

The creatures of good from the upper planes must aid heroes indirectly or in a secondary role outside of the area covered by the Celestial Empire; to act directly both goes against their purpose and invites retaliation from enemies. Only when they are threatened directly will these species aid in a direct fashion. This aid will usually take the form of assistance in any military battles that are to come, or to fight beside the heroes against whatever enemy threatens them all. Not every monster will be an ally or enemy of those they meet or be caught up in some epic struggle of good and evil. There have been times when monsters have lived in mutually beneficial relationships with humans and demi-humans. One of the most famous examples is the otyugh—humans will feed the otyugh all their waste and garbage.

The monster gets a life of luxury and an unlimited food supply, while the humans are saved having to burn or sort through their waste and can live in clean streets and homes. Monsters such as griffons can make highly effective mounts, while giant eagles can make fine spies. Creatures such as centaurs and fairies may work in tandem with humans, living together off the land in partnership. These monsters, in addition to rarer creatures like goodly giants and fantastical creatures such as guardian naga, may dwell in the courts of certain lands such as Tenth, Geoff and some circles of Perrenland. Orcs, goblins, and giants may hold places in the social structures of evil realms, most infamously in the Great Kingdom and its component states.

Demi-humans commonly live in the social structures of every human realm, and are commonly merchants, entertainers, and warriors. Local human settlements might have alliances with them and be entertained by their actors. What is surprising is that evil creatures may live in this way as well. A few very daring humanoids have set themselves up as mercenaries, entertainers and even merchants, although these are rare and usually serve their own kind or the people of realms who readily accept their presence, such as the Horned Society or Great Kingdom. Evil humans often have no qualms about entering treaties with lawful monsters such as orcs and goblins, just as their goodly counterparts might do with dwarfs or elves.

Humanoids can also be found in free cities such as Greyhawk, Dyvers and even Dullstrand, although they rarely find any true acceptance in the free cities as opposed to those overtly evil countries. Usually, they are panhandlers and ruffians who are forced to live with other rogues and thieves in the gutter. They may find work as assassins or the members of pressgangs, and some of them join street gangs to find the money, power, and respect they otherwise lack.

The merchants and entertainers of the humanoid species are also confined here, forced to work in shoddy stalls and perform in rat hole inns. Mercenaries are luckier. Those few that survive long enough to join a mercenaries' guild will have a better time of it, although by nature they are hired and employed by evil families and unethical merchants.

With all this diversity in sentient species, it becomes obvious that there are playable options beyond the normal human, elf, dwarf, etcetera paradigm. 5e has a plethora of species and, with a little work and imagination, we have tried to integrate in as many as possible. The original Greyhawk did not provide the freedom to do this so many of these other species have been worked into the development of the lands beyond the Flanaess. We doubled down on the "Here there be Dragonborn!" concept. Friendly or hostile reception?

Although charisma is often overlooked when fighting dragons or engaging in magical research, it can be critical in determining whether one spends the night in a warm and comfortable inn or a leaky, rat-infested stable. This is especially important in rural areas, where the goodwill of the townsfolk usually determines whether you may even be allowed into the village in the first place! Depending on your character, peasant villagers will treat you in unusual ways; grim and taciturn peoples will take your money and give you service, but no more. Friendly and jolly peoples can fete you with songs and ale, provided you repay them with tales and news, as rural folk often get little news besides what travellers bring to them. Coolly hostile peoples will either make you sleep on the outskirts of town, ignore you altogether, or simply chase you off. Charisma determines how good or bad a reception one ma get, but many other factors come into play. Species relations can be a factor—dwur mines and olven tree-villages often show low-key hostility to each other when travellers of the other species attempt to pass through their lands.

Image summary: A photograph of a crystalline ice cave featuring a turquoise pool of water. The cave is characterized by jagged, translucent blue and white ice formations and stalactites hanging from the ceiling, with golden-brown rock accents. The still water creates a mirror-like reflection of the ice structures above.

National alliances and prejudices can also change one's mind—the people of Geoff will greet olven and citizens of Sterich with open arms, although be merely friendly to those from Keoland or the Uleks. People from the Aerdy states will either be ignored or harassed by many in Nyrond, and the Iron League states. How one behaves is another important thing to consider. Being excessively nosy, boastful, rude, arrogant, or greedy turns off many potential friends, and people who act this way often get higher prices and worse service as a result. Being friendly, courteous, and generous with your money has the opposite effect. Minding one's own business and not angering village elders or other influential figures are also important.

All the above notwithstanding, the sad, simple fact is that some people do not like or trust the presence of adventurers and are so prejudiced against them that they will order all such people to leave voluntarily or run out of town. In large cities, most people tend to ignore visitors, unless they are of a species or nationality the inhabitants dislike, in which case they may suffer the same mistreatment as described above. Otherwise, if a person breaks no laws and does not offend anyone powerful, they will generally be served and treated like any other travellers.

The impact your character's species has on first impressions depends on the specific location of your campaign. Races considered "exotic" or "monsters" on the Flanaess may be commonplace in other regions (a Lizardfolk P.C in an Amedio Jungle campaign for example). In more traditional campaigns, those set in the civilized lands of the Flanaess for example, playing a character of an exotic species would require careful cooperation with the D.M to fit the character's back story into the campaign.

Players of such characters should also be aware that your choice of species could have a significant impact on in-game play. A player playing an Lizardfolk character in a game set in and around Verbobonc, or Highfolk, or Sunndi will face challenges that those playing humans, elves or gnomes would not. This is also true in the inverse.

Characters playing elves and dwarves may need to take particular care when travelling through humanoid dominated lands to overcome the species prejudice felt toward them. This is a significant difference between 1e and 5e and between Greyhawk and other settings like The Forgotten Realms. Things tend to be blacker & whiter in 1e Greyhawk than they are in 5e Forgotten Realms for example. Moral relativism has taken a more prominent place in the 5e game, and that is not a bad thing.

Many shades of grey can be as fun as good versus evil or law versus chaos. But again, the traditional set and setting of Greyhawk has leaned heavily on that binary approach heroes versus villains. Similarly, sensitivity to species stereotypes and cultural appropriation is the way forward as the game evolves and adapts to an ever-changing society. As designers, we fully support this approach to game design especially as it relates to each player feeling welcome, safe, and represented at any gaming table.

In the traditional world of Greyhawk, Orc = Bad. Species prejudice can be a significant obstacle. Similarly, things like slavery, while abhorrent in our real world, is common on Oerik although only amongst typically evil cultures and cults. And therein lies the most crucial point, Orc = Bad because Orc = Evil and it is assumed that most, if not all P.C's are fighting the forces of evil, not because Orc = Different.

While the non-human or demi-human species listed in this section can be viable player characters, such P.C's may face challenges that those of the more traditional species do not. Whenever these characters openly enter a civilized settlement, they will be at disadvantage on all Charisma-based skill checks. The D.M should fully role-play any failed roll potentially even to the level of torches and pitchforks at dawn depending on the character's actions. Your choice of species affects many distinct aspects of your character.

The Half-Elf

A child of two neutral cultures, the half-elf exists on the borders of both. They are never fully welcomed in either world, so they are given to wandering and adventure seeking. The following abilities define the half-elf player character.

Speed 30'

Superior Lightvision: +5 on Perception (vision) checks.

Size: Medium

• Age of Maturity: 31. Lifespan: 180 years.

Languages: Common, Elvish

Skill Versatility: the half-elf can choose proficiency in one skill.

Tool Versatility: the half-elf can choose proficiency in one artisan tool.

Musical: the half-elf can choose proficiency in one musical instrument.

Fey ancestry: advantage on saves to avoid or end the charmed condition.

Fey gift: choose one cantrip from the cleric, druid or wizard spell lists. The half-elf can change the cantrip whenever they advance a level.

Experience modifier: -15%

The Half-Orc

Another child of two hostile cultures, the half-orc exists on the borders of both. Strangely they are usually welcomed in either world – as brute labor in human cultures or smarter companions in orcish cultures. The following abilities define the half-orc player character.

Speed 30'

• Dulled Darkvision: 30' and -5 on Perception (vision) in complete darkness.

Superior Smell: +5 on Perception (sniff) checks.

Size: Medium

• Age of Maturity: 9. Lifespan 75 years.

Languages: Common, Orcish

• Aggressive: the half-orc gains proficiency in Intimidation.

Martial culture: the half-orc can choose proficiency in a martial/artisan tool of their choice.

Bonus Origin feat: Savage Attacker.

Experience modifier: -15%

The Ranger Class Re-imagined

Credit for many of the ideas presented below goes to Treantmonk.

The ranger suffers from the least likeable class from Tier 2 onwards. The class lacks versatility and distinctiveness from the paladin and fighter, both of which can be more useful to a typical party. The revisions make for a more competitive and viable class, reminding old players of how rangers used to be desirable characters in earlier editions of the game. The class presents the same as found in the 2024 P.H.B with additions by Treantmonk presented in dark gold font, modifications by Brian in dark red font.

Level 1: Favored Enemy

Choose any two spells from the list below that you could select as prepared Ranger spells. Those spells are always prepared for you. When you use a spell slot to cast any of the chosen spells, you may immediately recover the spell slot (no action required) by expending a number of uses of this ability equal to the spell slot level. You begin with two uses of this ability, and the uses increase when you reach certain levels as shown on the Ranger class chart. You recover any expended uses of this ability and may change your selected spells when you complete a Long Rest.

- snaring Strike - 1st Conjuration (Ranger), Casting Time: Bonus Action, which you take immediately after hitting a creature with a weapon. Range: Self Components: V, Duration: 1 minute; The target takes an extra 1d6 Piercing damage from the attack as grasping vines appear on it, and it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or have the Restrained condition until the spell ends. At the end of each of its turns, the Restrained target repeats the save (at disadvantage), ending the spell on itself on a success. Using a Higher-Level Slot. The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1.

- ail of Thorns - 1 superscript st Conjuration (Ranger), Casting Time: Bonus Action, which you take immediately after hitting a creature with a weapon, Range: Self, Components: V, Duration: Instantaneous, As you hit the creature, this spell creates a rain of thorns that sprouts from your weapon or ammunition. The target of the attack and each creature of your choice within 5 feet of it take 1d6 Piercing damage. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1.

Hunter's Mark approximately 1st Divination (Ranger) Casting Time: Bonus Action, Range: 150 feet, Components: S, Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour; You magically mark one creature within range as your quarry. The target is unaware of the mark unless they possess truesight, and a detect magic will reveal a divination aura about the creature. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 Force damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack roll.

The damage dice improves at each tier of a ranger (1d6 for levels 1 to 4, 1d8 for levels 5 to 10, 1d10 for levels 11 to 16, 1d12 for levels 17 to 19). The Hunter's Mark also increases the critical threat range of all attacks on the marked target by 1. It also increases the D.C of any ranger spells cast upon the target by 1. For the duration, you see the target if they have the Invisible condition as if they were visible. You also have Advantage on any Wisdom (Survival) check you make to find them. If the target drops to 0 Hit Points before this spell ends, you can take a Bonus Action to move the mark to a new creature you can see within range.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot: If you cast this spell using a level 3+ spell slot, the spell doesn't require Concentration, and the duration becomes 8 hours. If you use a level 5 spell slot, the spell lasts until you complete a Long Rest.

Cordon of Arrows - 2nd Transmutation (Ranger), Casting Time: Action or Ritual, Range: Touch, Components: V, S, M (an ornamental braid), Duration: 8 hours; You touch up to four nonmagical Arrows or Bolts and plant them in the ground in your space. Until the spell ends, the ammunition can't be physically uprooted, and whenever a creature other than you enters a space within 30 feet of the ammunition for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, one piece of ammunition flies up to strike it. The creature takes 1d8 Piercing damage. The piece of ammunition is then destroyed. The spell ends when none of the ammunition remains planted in the ground.

When you cast this spell, you can designate any creatures you choose, and the spell ignores them. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 2.

Conjure Barrage - 3 superscript rd

Lightning Arrow – 3rd Transmutation (Ranger), Casting Time: Bonus Action, which you take immediately after hitting or missing a target with a ranged attack using a weapon, Range: Self, Components: V, S, Duration: Instantaneous, As your attack hits or misses the target, the weapon or ammunition you're using transforms into a lightning bolt. The target takes 3d8 Lightning damage. Each creature within 10 feet of the target takes 1d8 Lightning damage. The weapon or ammunition then returns to its normal form. Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage for both effects of the spell increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 3. Conjure Volley – 5th

Swift Quiver – 5th Transmutation (Ranger), Casting Time: Bonus Action, Range: Self, Components: V, S, M (a Quiver worth 1+ G.P, Duration: 1 minute; When you cast the spell and as a Bonus Action until it ends, you can make two attacks with a weapon that fires ammunition: Arrows, Bolts, Stones, Bullets, such as a Longbow, Crossbow, Sling and Firearm. It also ignores the weapon's loading property. The spell magically creates and loads the ammunition needed for each attack. Each Arrow or Bolt created by the spell deals damage like a nonmagical piece of ammunition of its kind and disintegrates immediately after it hits or misses.

Level 1: Weapon Mastery

Whenever you finish an Extended Rest (1 week), you can change weapon mastery between the kinds of weapons you use.

Level 6: Roving

Your Speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing Heavy armor. You also have a Climb Speed and a Swim Speed equal to your Speed. You have Advantage on the roll whenever you make a Strength (Athletics) check to Climb or Swim.

You, and creatures of your choice (equal to your ranger level) traveling with you, do not suffer stealth, perception or exhaustion penalties for traveling at a Normal or Fast pace.

Level 10: Tireless

Endurance. Whenever you gain Exhaustion, you may reduce the Exhaustion gained by 1 by expending one use of your Favored Enemy ability. Your D.20 Tests are reduced by 1 times your Exhaustion level (instead of 2 times). Your Exhaustion level is halved (rounded down) when determining the amount your Speed is reduced.

Level 13: Relentless Hunter

Taking damage can't break your Concentration on your Ranger Spells. While Advanced Hunter's Mark is upon your quarry, you do not suffer any penalties for a forced march and do not have to make Constitution checks.

Level 14: Nature's Veil

You invoke spirits of nature to magically hide yourself. As a Bonus Action, you can give yourself the Invisible condition until the end of your next turn. You may extend your Nature's Veil for another round by taking an action to extend it, in which case it lasts until the end of your next turn. You can maintain Nature's Veil this way for up to 10 minutes.

You can use this feature several times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Level 17: Precise Hunter

You have Advantage on attack rolls against the creature currently marked by your Hunter's Mark.

Level 18: Feral Senses

Your connection to the forces of nature grants you Blindsight with a range of 60 feet.

Level 20: Foe Slayer

The damage die of your Hunter's Mark is a d20 rather than a d6.

Definition

Critical Hit: A lucky or exceptionally effective attack roll, typically resulting in double or increased damage dice.

When you hit with an attack roll, you may turn the hit into a Critical Hit. You may turn a hit into a Critical Hit a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Ranger Subclasses:

The Beastmaster:

Level 3 - no changes

Level 7 – Exceptional Training Commanding your Primal Companion on your turn no longer requires a Bonus Action, and the Primal Companion's A.C gains a +2 bonus and its Hit Points increase by a number equal to twice your Ranger level.

Level 7 – Primal Steed When you summon your Beast of the Land or Beast of the Sea, you can choose to make it a Primal Steed. When you do so, its size is one size category larger than yours and has the anatomy to serve as a mount for you. While mounted on your Primal Steed you cannot be dismounted against your will. When you reach level 11, you may summon your Beast of the Sky as a Primal Steed as well.

Level 11 – Bestial Fury When you command your Primal Companion beast to take the Beast's Strike action, the beast can use it twice, and the damage of each Beast Strike attack improves by +2. In addition, if the Primal Companion needs to make a Saving Throw, it can use your bonus instead of its own if it's higher.

The Fey Wanderer:

Level 3 – Dreadful Strikes You can augment your weapon strikes with mind-scarring magic drawn from the murky hollows of the Feywild. When you hit a creature with a weapon, you can deal an extra 1d4 Psychic damage to the target, which can take this extra damage only once per turn. The extra damage increases to 1d6 when you reach Ranger level 11. Alternatively, you can choose for the creature to have a penalty equal to the extra damage you would have done on the next saving throw it makes that is Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma before the end of your next turn. You make the decision to use Dreadful Strikes this way after you roll the damage die but before the damage is applied.

Definition

Reaction: A brief, instant action a character can take in response to an event during someone else's turn.

Level 7 – Beguiling Twist The magic of the Feywild guards your mind. You have Advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the Charmed or Frightened condition. If you end your turn with the Charmed or Frightened condition, you may end that condition (no action required). In addition, whenever you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can take a Reaction to force a different creature you can see within 120 feet of yourself to make a Wisdom save against your spell save D.C. On a failed save, the target is Charmed or Frightened (your choice) for 1 minute. The target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Level 11 – Fey Reinforcements You can cast Summon Fey as a Bonus Action without a Material component. You can also cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a Long Rest. Whenever you start casting the spell, you can modify it so that it doesn't require Concentration. If you do so, the spell's duration becomes 1 minute for that casting. Whenever you cast Summon Fey, the creature summoned is treated as if cast with a spell slot two levels higher.

Level 15 – Misty Wanderer You can cast Misty Step without expending a spell slot. You can do so several times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. In addition, whenever you cast Misty Step, you can bring along one willing creature you can see within 15 feet of yourself. That creature teleports to an unoccupied space of your choice within 15 feet of your destination space.

The Gloom Stalker:

Level 3 - Dread Ambusher – no changes

Level 3 – Umbral Sight – You gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet. If you already have Darkvision when you gain this feature, its range increases by 60 feet. You may take the Hide action as a Bonus Action and may take this action if Heavily Obscured by Darkness even if you can be seen because of Darkvision or Truesight. When you have the Invisible Condition because of the Hide action, you cannot be seen by a creature with Truesight. Against all other means of perception, you impose disadvantage upon the roll.

Level 7 – Iron Mind – You have honed your ability to resist mind-altering powers. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws (your choice). Whenever you make a Saving Throw for Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma and are Invisible because of the Hide Action, you gain a bonus to the roll equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Level 11 – Stalker's Flurry – Whenever you are Invisible because of the Hide Action, and you make a Dreadful Strike, it does not count against your number of uses per long rest. In addition, when you use the Dreadful Strike effect of your Dread Ambusher feature, you can cause one of the following additional effects. Sudden Strike. You can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and that is within the weapon's range.

Mass Fear. The target and each creature within 30 feet of it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save D.C. On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition until the start of your next turn. If you are Invisible because of the Hide Action when you hit a creature with a Dreadful Strike, you may apply both Sudden Strike and Mass Fear to the same attack.

Level 15 – Shadowy Dodge – When you are Invisible because of the Hide action and are hit by an attack, you may use your Reaction to cause that attack to miss instead.

The Hunter: Protect Nature and People from Destruction

Level 3 – Mark of the Hunter – You have the Hunter's Mark spell prepared and it is treated as a Favored Enemy spell for you.

Level 3 - Hunter's Lore - You can call on the forces of nature to reveal certain strengths and weaknesses of your prey. While a creature is marked by your Hunter's Mark, you know whether that creature has any Immunities, resistances or Vulnerabilities, and if the creature has any, you know what they are. After gaining this knowledge, your attacks ignore any applicable resistances to the damage you inflict with your attacks or spells against that creature.

Level 3 - Hunter's Prey - You gain one of the following feature options of your choice. Whenever you finish a Short or Long Rest, you can replace the chosen option with the other one. You gain the following features.

Colossus Slayer Your tenacity can wear down even the most resilient foes. When you hit a creature with a weapon, the weapon deals an extra 1d8 damage to the target if it's missing any of its Hit Points. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn.

Horde Breaker Once on each of your turns when you make an attack with a weapon, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target, that is within the weapon's range, and that you haven't attacked this turn.

Level 7 - Defensive Tactics - You gain one of the following feature options of your choice. Whenever you finish a Short or Long Rest, you can replace the chosen option with the other one. You gain the following features.

Escape the Horde Opportunity Attacks have Disadvantage against you. When you take the Attack action, you may also take the Disengage action as part of the same action. Multiattack Defense When a creature hits you with an attack roll, that creature has Disadvantage on all other attack rolls against you this turn.

Resilience When you fail a Saving Throw, you may use your reaction to reroll.

Level 11 - Superior Hunter's Prey - Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature marked by your Hunter's Mark, you can also deal that spell's extra damage to a different creature that you can see within 30 feet of the first creature. The first time you deal damage to a creature with your Advanced Hunter's Mark spell on your turn, the spell deals additional 2d6 die of damage, in addition, if the creature uses its movement before your next turn to move further away from you, it takes another 2d6 die of force damage.

Level 15 – Superior Hunter's Defense – When you take damage, you can take a Reaction to give yourself Resistance to that damage and any other damage of the same type until the end of the current turn.

The Rogue Class Modification

All items in the P.H.B remain the same except for the damage dice of Sneak Attack. In this homebrew it changes from a d6 to a d8.

Choices & Restrictions: Gender

The player chooses the gender of their character. If your character is part of Class: Mammalia; Order: Primates, Family Hominidae, then you also have Gender Statistic Maximum Limit Adjustments. There are species which do not fit the mammalian mold. This will stack with any species maximums.

Species' Restrictions for the Cultural Locus of Gameplay

Story arcs are tied to geography and cultures. Far too many times, players ignore this area in order to optimize skill choices and avoid familial responsibilities. Doing this removes them from the story line.

Each and every game where I gave the option to players to pick their cultural background. They chose lone wolves from different continents and countries in no way supported by lore. It has disturbed me so much that I am removing that option from players.

Use the Table below only if you commit to a Completely random character generation experience.

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Table summary: Random generation options for various fantasy races, including their roll ranges, sub-types, associated classes or subclasses, and cultural naming conventions. For example, Half-Elves, who are described as adaptable wanderers and bastards from both societies, roll on a range of 85 to 86 and may be a Thief, P of Wildheart, or Aberrant Sorcery. Gnomes, rolling 87 to 91, are split into Rock and Forest types and typically have at least 5 long names. Other entries include Half Orcs, Goliaths with six environmental sub-types like Hill and Storm, Aasimar, Dragonborn, Tieflings with four fiendish origins, and Tritons.

Table summary: Progression titles for various player classes across four tiers of play. Each class follows a path from Tier 1 to Tier 4, such as the Artificer moving from Crafter to Journeyman, Engineer, and finally Architect, or the Fighter progressing from Sergeant to Myrmidon, Slayer, and Warlord. Other examples include the Rogue starting as a Footpad and ending as a Boss, and the Wizard moving from Apprentice to High Wizard.

1. Dice rolling Histograms

Image summary: A bar chart showing the frequency distribution of the sum of rolls for 3d6. The x-axis represents the sum of rolls from 3 to 18, and the y-axis represents frequency from 0 to 30. The distribution is bell-shaped and symmetrical, peaking at sums of 10 and 11, each with a frequency of 27.

3. Option 1: Ability scores are created by choosing a fantasy array method with modifiers for species, gender and origin. This process is detailed at the end of the document in the variant rule table. Characters may assign modifiers for origin, feats and starting age as appropriate. Below are the arrays for optional campaign difficulties. This is modified for species choice on Table 2.

Grimšark / Low Fantasy Array: 14, 13, 10, 10, 9, 8; [Total 64]; Stat Maximums are set at 19. H.P at 1 superscript st level is the average of the H.D. Heroic / Stančarš Fantasy Array: 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 8; [Total 68]; Statistic maximums are set at 20. H.P at 1st level is the maximum of the H.D. Mythic / High Fantasy Array: 15, 14, 13, 11, 10, 9; [Total 73]; Stat Maximums are set at 21. H.P at 1 superscript st & 2 superscript nd levels is the maximum of the H.D's.

a. Option 1.A: A player who chose one of the fantasy arrays may optionally choose the mutant gambit–increase a single statistic by 2 and decrease any other statistics by a total of 3.

b. Option 1.B: A player who chose one of the fantasy arrays may optionally choose the talented gambit – gain a general feat from the following list and decrease one other statistic by a total of 2. These general feats might be possible to learn as a gifted adolescent.

1. Resilient (any Stat)

2. Durable C.O.N

3. Telepathic (I.N.T) – only if pursuing a psionic subclass.

4. Telekinetic (I.N.T) – only if pursuing a psionic subclass

5. Speedy D.E.X

6. Shadow-Touched C.H.A or W.I.S) 7. Observant (W.I.S) 8. Keen Mind (I.N.T) 9. Fey Touched C.H.A or W.I.S) x. Chef (W.I.S) 11. Athlete S.T.R 12. Actor C.H.A)

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4. Options 2 & 3: A player may generate a new character's ability scores by rolling dice:

- When you generate your ability scores by rolling dice, the total of your modifiers must range between +3 to +9. This avoids a character that is severely under/overpowered. This occurs before origins, feats and A.S.I are applied.

- Gary Gygax's rolling method. You generate your character's six ability scores randomly. Roll four 6-sided dice and record the total of the highest three dice on a piece of scratch paper. Do this so that you have six numbers between 3 to 18. Average: 12.244. Each P.C does this a second time to get 2 sets of stats. The P.C chooses their favorite set, and the second set is discarded. 4d6 (take the highest 3 die rolls). When you roll these two sets there is no rearrangement among the statistics..

- Brian Malowany's rolling method. You generate your character's six ability scores randomly. Roll three 4-sided dice plus one 10-sided die and record the total of the highest three dice on a piece of scratch paper. Do this so that you have six numbers between 3 to 18. Average: 11.433. The P.C then has the option of choosing these rolls or the Grimdark/Low Fantasy Array from option 1. 3d4 + 1d10 (take the highest 3 die rolls). Roll 6 stats and arrange them where you like.

Figure 1 summary: A bar chart titled Advantage Dice Roll 2d20 showing the frequency of the highest roll when rolling two 20-sided dice and keeping the highest. The x-axis represents the highest roll from 1 to 20, and the y-axis represents frequency from 0 to 40. The frequency increases linearly as the roll value increases, with the lowest frequency at a roll of 1 and the highest frequency at a roll of 20.

Chart 1 summary: A bar chart titled Disadvantage Dice Roll 2d20 shows the frequency of the lowest roll when rolling two 20-sided dice and keeping the lowest result. The frequency decreases steadily as the roll value increases, with the highest frequency occurring at a roll of 1 and the lowest frequency occurring at a roll of 20.

: Chart 2 summary: A bar chart showing the probability distribution for rolling 4 six-sided dice and keeping the highest 3. The distribution is skewed toward higher values, with the most frequent total resulting in a 13, followed closely by 12 and 14. The possible totals range from 3 to 18, with the lowest probabilities occurring at the extreme ends of the scale.

Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

All the base stats have species' maximums (no longer a-generic twenty across the board). It is preposterous that a 3' – 35 pounds halfling and an 8' – 500 pounds goliath can have the exact same range of statistics. I have modified the statistic limits for each species; they include adjustments to the initial stats. They modify the hard limit of twenty for the life of the character. The table below applies to levels 1 to 18. At level 19 to 20 these limits are typically broken by epics boons and high-level character abilities.

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Table 4 summary: Racial and sub-species adjustments for the World of Greyhawk. Human characters choose from eleven sub-species, such as Baklunish, Flannae, and Suel, each providing a plus one bonus to one of three specific skills and unique cultural considerations. Other species provide a plus two bonus to a single skill and specific combat or utility boons. For example, Olvend-row Drow gain plus two to Arcana and plus one shadow points, while Dwurin Hill Dwarves gain plus two to Persuasion and a reduced speed penalty when wearing medium armor. The table also details size-based modifiers, where small creatures receive a plus one bonus to AC and initiative, but suffer a reduction in base weapon damage and start with one less HPbody than medium creatures. Equipment costs and weights scale by size, ranging from Tiny characters paying one fourth cost with one tenth the weight, to Huge characters paying four times the cost with sixteen times the weight.