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

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 (optional)

Each player will start with a single Inspiration point. This can be used in one of three ways:

• Inspiration can be used to re-roll any dice roll that affects you directly. This could be one of your attack rolls, saving throws, or ability checks or that of another character who is directly affecting you or affected by one of your abilities (this is basically a luck point).
• Inspiration can be donated to another player, as long as they do not already have a point of Inspiration.
• Inspiration can be used to establish a fact about the situation or setting that must be taken as true. The DM can veto this use--if he does so, the Inspiration is not expended. This new fact cannot contradict anything that has been directly stated at the table already, but can add a wrinkle. For example, you might spend a point to establish that a particular guard is corrupt and can be bribed easily or that a wall is crumbly and can be pulled down to block pursuers.

Inspiration is regained the following ways, but cannot exceed one point at any specific time:

• When the group votes that an action was awesome or very in-character (especially if it was non-optimal and caused issues for your character).
• When the party takes a long rest in a safe area such as a home base or protected city (no more than once per session).
• When the player accepts a complication suggested by another player or the DM based on their character's Bond, Flaw, or Ideal. This should produce a notable worsening of the situation (or at least add a wrinkle that requires some maneuvering around).

The Lucky feat now gives three limited inspiration uses per long rest--these can only be used to re-roll a dice roll. A character with the Lucky feat can store up to 4 points: 1 regular and 3 limited Inspiration.

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.
• 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.