Questions tagged [optional-rules]
For questions about optional rules in RPGs. In many RPGs, there is the concept of rules that are essential to the game, and optional but official rules that can be used if desired. Optional rules can completely replace certain parts of the rules, or merely add to the existing rules to make them more complex, complete, and/or well-rounded.
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What happened to the variant rules in the new 5e?
In the past, the 5e rules contained a large number of rules variants, like the variant for creatures giving half cover, or for encumberance, that allowed the DM to tweak the level of abstraction or ...
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Can a creature with reach flank without being directly next to the enemy? [duplicate]
This is something one of my players asked me recently and I'm not 100% sure how to handle it. I'm leaning towards "no, this does not work" but I am not certain and don't want to be unfair to ...
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How does the Beast Transformation optional rule for the Beastlands work?
I'm a little confused about how to handle the Beast Transformation optional rule for the Beastlands (DMG, pg. 60).
What happens when a creature drops to 0 hp before the spell becomes permanent (i.e., ...
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Does the DM need to declare a Natural 20?
I see a lot of D&D content out there and when combat starts eventually someone gets a roll of 20, a so-called Natural 20, shouts out "Nat 20" and everyone cheers. The DM then does some ...
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With the optional Disarm rule, what happens if the target wins the contest?
The optional Disarm rule in the DMG says:
A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a target's grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested by the target's ...
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Would the Disarm optional rule let a monk use Stunning Strike with it?
I'm playing a monk in a Tomb of Annihilation campaign. My game plan has been to keep our party alive as much as possible through debuffs, body-blocking opponents, and the like.
I recently saw the ...
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How do the knowledge skills of the cloistered cleric work?
The class description says that:
"the cloistered cleric class skill list includes decipher script, speak language, and all knowledge skills(from the Knowledge domain)"
Does that mean that ...
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Treat Wounds DC under Proficiency without Level
Using the rules for Proficiency without Level, what is the DC for Treat Wounds?
I assume the base DC would stay at 15, which makes things harder for PCs but not too hard, but what about the option to ...
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When should Death Saves be rolled under the rules for Speed Factor Initiative?
In my new campaign I am using the Speed Factor variant for Initiative (DMG pp. 270-271). We like this a lot but it is confusing concerning unconscious PCs.
This question says that taking Actions while ...
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Is there a RAW or optional rule for how a player could discover what type of skill check needs to be made?
I have a specific example, but while I was thinking of how to do it, I had this realization. I, as a DM, always tell my players what checks to make for every interaction, usually resulting in a ...
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Rules for crafting magic items or spells in Middle Earth Roleplaying System (MERP)?
For example, can I play an Elven character who specializes in crafting magic rings and apprenticed with Celebrimbor?
I haven't seen specific rules in the MERP rule books, perhaps there are supplements ...
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Is "The GM's Book of Legendary Dragons" a valid D&D 5e rulebook?
True to the holiday season, I recently received an RPG rulebook titled "The Game Master's Book of Legendary Dragons."
At first glance, there was no doubt in my mind that it was meant to be ...
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Is there a measure on most commonly included Optional Rules?
Context
A player amidst one of the groups decided to try his hand at DM'ing for the first time. It's going relatively well despite teething trouble (primarily from a mismatch of expected ideas after ...
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How does the Proficiency Without Level variant rule work for lvl -1 creatures?
In Pathfinder 2 the Proficiency Without Level variant rule lists that:
Additionally, for creatures, hazards, magic items, and so on, reduce each statistic that would include a proficiency bonus by ...
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Is an Urban Druid's Urban Companion an Animal?
A level-1 Druid has access to the ACF Urban Companion:
Urban Companion
The fearsome animal companions who accompany some casters in the wild
are indeed a boon in combat, but a hulking wolf or ...
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Can a druid use Wild Companion and Wild Shape simultaneously?
The context for this is that a PC druid that is not yet level 8, wants to achieve flight by using the Wild Companion feature from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything to summon a familiar with a fly speed ...
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When are the monk's Slow Fall feature and similar features applied if I use the optional rule for falling onto another creature? [duplicate]
The monk's Slow Fall feature description states:
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to
reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times
your monk level....
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Is it "RAW-Legal" to combine TCE and SCAG Bladesingers?
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything updated Bladesinger wizards (originally from Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide) in a few key ways. For one, it expanded the Extra Attack feature to allow casting a cantrip ...
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How to manage exhaustion when using Gritty Realism?
In my exploration-based game I am using a variant on the Gritty Realism optional rules. I have a good handle on most of the implications of this, however I have some concerns about my handling of the ...
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How does a creature counter the Frightened condition? [closed]
Some conditions have obvious counters—-for example, if prone, a creature can stand. But how does a creature counter being frightened of another who has successfully intimidated it into being ...
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Can I change the cantrip I get from my Pact Boon with Eldritch Versatility?
I need to check with my GM first whether this is allowed but I'm considering retraining one of my fourth level Warlock's cantrips she learnt from her Pact of the Tome. Looking at the optional class ...
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Potion Miscibility: growth and fire breath
Since our session zero we've included the Potion Miscibility variant rule but never used it 'til now.
The party (lvl 5 now) has hoarded quite a few potions - all common or uncommon level - and only ...
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When using the Mixing Potions variant rule, if a 100 is rolled on the Potion Miscibility table, does the DM choose the permanent effect?
When using the Mixing Potions variant rule, if a 100 is rolled on the Potion Miscibility table, is the choice of permanent effects up to the DM?
The rules for rolling 100 on mixing potions is:
Only ...
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Are there any rules about "energy" in any D&D version? [closed]
I am developing a turn-based combat game that uses D&D rules (as much as possible) as its foundation. The relevant rules are around concepts such as movement, distance, range, HP, AC, to hit, and ...
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How does variant encumbrance affect monsters like Grells?
I'm running a game with variant encumbrance, and I'm wondering how the monsters would be affected. Obviously, heavily armed and armoured enemies would be hampered, but what about "drug and drag&...
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Can a creature with Multiattack use Disarm with one of its attacks?
Noteably a creature with multiattack cannot Grapple or Shove instead of one of its attacks, because these are other types of attacks than those the creature can use multiattack for. However Disarm (...
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How do the official firearms affect balance?
At least two other GMs and I will be running a shared game that uses the optional firearms from the DMG (pg 269). Renaissance arms will be available, and we will be deciding whether we will also make ...
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What are the official options for alternate familiars using the Find Familiar spell?
Other than the options listed under the find familiar spell in the PHB, and the Pact of the Chain warlock, what other official options are available for familiars that can be summoned by find familiar?...
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Do I need to convert spell points into sorcery points to use them for Metamagic options? If so, how does it work exactly?
I need help understanding how the Spell Points variant rule (DMG, p. 288-289) works with a sorcerer using Metamagic.
I had all my sorcery points and spell slots in spell points, but I just turned ...
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Does the Wild Companion optional class feature for druids let them use spell slots to cast the Find Familiar spell?
Does the Wild Companion optional class feature for druids grant access to the find familiar spell?
Basically I'd rather hard cast it than waste the Wild Shape on it. The Circle of Stars druid's Starry ...
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Does Blessed Strikes count as a magical effect?
In Tasha's Cauldron of Everything on page 31 the Optional Class Feature "Blessed Strikes" for Clerics is explained:
8th-level cleric feature, which replaces the Divine Strike or Potent ...
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Does the "Changing a Skill" optional rule from Tasha's allow me to change a skill proficiency from the background for one offered by the class?
Does the "Changing a Skill" optional rule from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (p. 8) allow me to replace a skill proficiency from my background with a skill proficiency offered by my class?
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Guidelines for setting haggle test difficulty when using the tracking money option?
I have been running a game of WFRP 4e and my players haven't really been enjoying tracking money much so I was thinking of switching to the optional tracking money rule on page 290 of the rule book.
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Using the optional rule on falling onto a creature, is the fall damage divided between creatures before or after damage resistance/reduction?
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (p. 170) offers the following optional rule on falling onto a creature:
If a creature falls into the space of a second creature and neither of them is Tiny, the second ...
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Are there any penalties for fighting in the same 5ft space?
A scenario occurred in my game tonight where the wizard used mold earth to cause a scenario of my barbarian and an opponent to be trapped in a 5x5 ft space that was 15ft down.
We played it as normal, ...
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Customizing Your Origin and Reincarnate
The druid spell Reincarnate says "The reincarnated creature recalls its former life and experiences. It retains the capabilities it had in its original form, except it exchanges its original race ...
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How do you resolve the damage and effects of Eldritch Claw Tattoo's "Eldritch Maul" ability on a hit that is beyond your weapon's normal melee range?
The Eldritch Maul ability says:
each of your melee attacks with a weapon or an unarmed strike can reach a target up to 15 feet away from you, as inky tendrils launch toward the target. In addition, ...
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Can Steady Aim be used by a rogue aboard a moving ship?
Can the Steady Aim optional class feature for rogues from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything be used when aboard a ship in motion, or other similar moving platform? What about a horse? The Steady Aim ...
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Does the Beast Master ranger's Primal Companion optional class feature allow the beast to take two actions in a single turn?
The description of the Primal Companion optional class feature for Beast Master rangers says, in part (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, p. 61):
In combat the beast acts during your turn. It can move ...
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Is there a reason not to take the optional class features from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything?
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything includes optional class features for every class from the Player's Handbook. Barbarians, for example, can choose to gain an extra skill proficiency at 3rd level, and/or ...
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How does the Variant: Skills with Different Abilities rule affect the game?
The PHB mentions how it is possible to make ability checks based on different abilities, a variant "Skills with Different Abilities" rule.
In some situations, though, your proficiency might ...
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What is an 'appropriate number' of 'significant foes' for the purposes of Never Conquered, Never Feared?
So, I'm giving the players in my campaign a free Story Feat because I think they're cool from a hand-curated list of choices that they and I feel are appropriate to their characters backgrounds and ...
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Using Wild Shape to hide (as a parasite)
A question came up in a game recently. Can a Druid use Wild Shape to transform into a parasitic animal and thus occupy the same square as the host, as well as smuggle the Druid into some other place?
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Do bonus actions trigger the save from an Internal Injury?
One of the possible injuries from the optional "Lingering Injuries" table in the DMG is Internal Injury:
Internal Injury. Whenever you attempt an action in combat, you must make a DC 15 ...
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Could a Paladin use the Divine Smite ability on a disarm attack?
The Oath of Redemption Paladin that I DM for has asked me for clarification on disarming rules. I've decided to use the optional rules from page 271 of the DMG, which state:
Disarm
A creature can use ...
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How to roll for avoiding damage when using Black Hack 1e with optional rule "Original armor"?
The Black Hack 1e has an optional rule called "Original Armour". It reads like this:
Original armor
The traditional concept of ascending AC bonuses can still be used with The Black Hack. ...
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Which of the available options for downtime from XGtE would give the most money after one week?
In the "Downtime Revisited" section of Xanathar's Guide to Everything, pages 123-134, it gives you various suggestions with what to do with a week of downtime. My character is being given a ...
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Who decides which PHB variant rules are in play?
The rules variants presented in the DMG are clearly there for the DM to decide upon.
Some of the variants in the PHB say that they are the DM's prerogative. For example, "Variant: Customizing ...
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Are Called Shots worth the investment?
I have been searching for interesting rules systems to make Pathfinder сombat more cinematic in an E6 campaign and to make classes relying on mundane attacks a bit more powerful. At first, Called ...
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Does the optional Overrun rule override the creature size requirements on moving through a hostile creature's space?
The standard rule on moving through other creatures' spaces state that in order to move through a hostile creature's space, a creature must be two sizes larger or smaller than the one whose space they ...
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