Default Houserules

These are the changes I usually make when DM'ing. Other than the racial restrictions these are not setting specific.

Class Changes

UA and homebrew are available on a case-by-case basis except where noted.

Barbarian (Path of the Berserker)

You may use frenzy up to once per short rest without incurring exhaustion--all subsequent uses cause exhaustion penalties as noted.

Fighting Styles

• Protection : Can be used after seeing the roll.

Spells

Summoning

All spells that summon, create, or animate creatures have the following addition: "Creatures created (or summoned or animated) by this spell cannot use any ability that would allow them to summon, create, or animate other creatures." This is categorical--no summon chains.

I strongly encourage use of Tasha's Summon X spells over the PHB (and other) Conjure X. If you choose to use the mass-conjure spells, please restrict yourself to either 1 or two creatures. I'll generally let you pick what you get, but please be prepared to run them quickly.

Counterspell

Xanathar's identification rules (requiring a reaction and an Intelligence (Arcana) check to identify a spell) are in effect. You cannot, generally, hide a spell-casting that has verbal or somatic components--the volume is at least that of a normal speaking voice and is uniquely identifiable as "arcane words". If a monster is casting a spell, I will say "The <X> begins casting a spell...."--that's your opportunity to counterspell. Monsters with counterspell will (in the main, with very few exceptions) counterspell the first N spells they can counterspell. I won't metagame the fact that you're telling me what spell you're casting.

Force Barriers

These are experimental and not often in use.

Tiny Hut, Wall of Force, and Forcecage have additional language: "The barrier created by this spell is an object with (10+spell level) AC and a damage threshold of 5+(spell level/2), resistance to non-magical attacks, and immunity to fire, cold, poison, lightning, radiant, psychic, and necrotic damage. If the barrier takes damage in excess of its threshold, the caster must make a Constitution saving throw as if they had taken the damage while concentrating on the spell (even if it does not require concentration), except that the minimum DC increases by 2 for every time it is triggered for the duration of the spell. On a failure, the spell ends. Note: if the spell does not require concentration normally, this does not occupy your concentration, and does not benefit from things like War Caster (or other sources of advantage on Concentration saves). Disintegrate still automatically ends the spells as well.

Forcecage specifically: It loses the "immune to all damage" line.

Polymorph (for campaigns starting on/after 7/31/2022)

Change "The new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target's (or the target's level, if it doesn't have a challenge rating)." to "the new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the level of the spell."

Races

See Player's Guide--Character Creation for available races.

Dragonborn can use their breath weapon as a bonus action (instead of an action). They also get darkvision (60 ft) and can choose between +2 DEX or +2 STR.

At your option, you can use the Player Option--Variant Races and Player Option--Regional Backgrounds. This is not required, but you can only use the Regional Backgrounds if you use the Variant Race that matches (for those with variant races).

Inspiration

The party has a number of inspiration points equal to the number of players. These reset at the beginning of each session.

No player can use inspiration on themselves. Any other player may choose to use a point for someone else, allowing them to re-roll any d20-based check, attack, or saving throw. This can be done after the roll, and inherits any advantage/disadvantage from the first roll (ie if you had advantage before, roll again with advantage). You must use the second roll and no more than one inspiration can be used on any check.

Variant Rules

• Encumbrance is used normally (NO variant encumbrance)
• Alignment is not in use.
• Combat Maneuvers (Climb onto a bigger creature, Disarm, Overrun, and Shove Aside) are in use.
• Feats and Multiclassing are available without restriction, subject to source restrictions.
• XP is off--see below for level advancement.
• Resting is normal (1 hr short rests/8 hr long rests), although certain occasions may call for modified rest schedules.
• Skills may be used with non-traditional abilities.
• Xanthar's downtime rules are in play. For crafting, see Items and Crafting.

Advancement

Instead of using XP (in any fashion), you will advance in levels in the following manner.

Each session where the table feels something meaningful happened, each player present will mark one tic under the XP portion of their sheet. When a character has accumulated a number of tics equal to their current level (or 4, whichever is smaller), they will advance in levels.

So, for example, if Bob is level 4, he needs to attend 4 meaningful sessions to reach level 5. A meaningful session may involve combat (or not), exploration, social interaction with other characters, etc.