Rules Changes . DnD 5E

OOC
See also: Chain; Character Creation; Limits of Magic; Paradigm; Source Points; Wheels

We use D&D 5E with some modifications.

Armor

The following armor is available to PCs where the tech level is Modern or Future. (It's available in Fantasy Grounds.)

Armor	Category	AC	Strength	Stealth
Undercover Vest	Light	12 + Dex modifier	.	.
Tactical Vest	Medium	14 + Dex modifier (max 2)	Str 10	.
Light Military Armor	Heavy	16	Str 13	Disadvantage
Heavy Military Armor	Heavy	18	Str 13	Disadvantage

This table is partly inspired by My New D20 Modern Campaign.

City Circle Spells

A druid of the Circle of the Land can choose City, and receive these spells.

• Level 3
  • Knock
  • Pass Without Trace
• Level 5
  • Stinking Cloud
  • Tongues
• Level 7
  • Compulsion
  • Fabricate
• Level 9
  • Cloudkill
  • Passwall

Exhausted Condition

We use the Exhausted condition from the D&D One playtest materials.

• The condition looks like: "Exhausted; CHECK: -1; ATK: -1; SAVE: -1; Spell Save DC -1 (apply manually)"
  • -1 penalty to ability checks (including skill checks)
  • -1 penalty to attacks
  • -1 penalty to saving throws
  • -1 penalty to your spell save DC
• Fantasy Grounds handles most of that (including stacking), but you need to remind the DM to adjust your spell save DC.
• This condition can be gained by:
  • Dropping to 0 HP
  • Drinking a healing potion
  • Other effects
• This condition can be stacked 9 times.
  • If you have 9 and would gain a 10th, you die.
• This condition can be removed:
  • By finishing a long rest
  • Greater Restoration (a Level 5 spell)
  • Spending a Source Point
• If you have a stack of Exhausted, only one can be removed at a time.

Fighting Style: Gun Kata

Available to: Fighters; Paladins; Rangers
Adapted from: Close Quarters Shooter (Unearthed Arcana: Light, Dark, Underdark!)

You are trained in making ranged attacks at close quarters. When making a ranged attack with a one-handed ranged weapon while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. If you make such an attack, you may take a bonus action to make a melee attack against any creature using your ranged weapon; the base damage for this attack is 1d4 bludgeoning damage, and you can use Str or Dex. You may make the ranged attack and melee attack in either order. If you hit with the first attack, you have advantage on the second attack. When making the melee attack, on a roll of 1 you lose your grip on your ranged weapon and it lands 10 feet away (DM's choice of direction).

Miscellaneous

1. You're Unbound (unless you and the DM have agreed otherwise). You will often make Unbound Checks.
2. Professional Specialty: You have 1 professional specialty. Choose 1 skill in which you have proficiency. When using this skill, you usually have advantage. If something would cause disadvantage, the basic rule applies: you have neither advantage nor disadvantage (see PHB 173).
   1. The power in Fantasy Grounds is: "Professional Specialty; ADVSKILL: sci/tech" (or the name of the skill)
3. Source Points
4. Healing from a potion (or any source other than a direct spell or feature) causes the Exhausted condition.
5. If you want to speak but you're trying not to interrupt, type "..." in the Fantasy Grounds chat.
6. I assume a caster is using a spell focus for any material component. When you use a focus, please describe it. If a spell description includes a material component that's destroyed (e.g., Resurrection), you must use that component and it's destroyed.
7. We use a Tactical Formation for loosely-assigned team roles and a buddy system on operations and in combat. (In Fantasy Grounds, search Images for "tct".)
8. Spell Boosting
9. Swift
10. Each time you gain a level, use the fixed value for gaining HP (PHB 15).
11. Periodically throughout the campaign, there are IC opportunities to respec or change characters. If you're interested, talk with the DM.
12. Barbarian Rage also lasts if the barbarian is attacked (even if they don't take damage) or interferes in an enemy's attack (e.g., using the Protection fighting style). (FYI: Barbarians are called "Primals" in Edgewar.)

See also: Character Creation

Skill: Governing

Governing (Wis) measures how well you perceive, understand, and engage in building and sustaining a community. This includes elections, leadership, policies, legislation, law enforcement, justice systems, and bureaucracy. The day-to-day work of governing often involves other skills, especially Insight, Performance (e.g., oratory), and Persuasion (e.g., negotiation).

Skill: Sci/Tech

Sci/Tech (Int) measures how well you perceive, understand, and manipulate any technology from a Modern or Future tech level (see below). This includes computers or computer-like systems. This skill also measures your perception, understanding, and application of relevant sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, astronomy, etc.).

Spells

Cat's Reflexes

Level 1 Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Components: S
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You ask the greater spirit of the Coronal Sand Cat to enhance the target's awareness and reflexes. You especially seek the Cat's ability to detect and respond to opportunities and threats. While the spell is active, each round the target can take a second reaction before their next turn.

This spell pushes the target's body to exceed its natural limits. This spell can be cast as a bonus action, but doing so causes the target to take 1d6 damage. Nothing can prevent this damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can choose one additional target for each slot level about 1st. While you're casting the spell, you must be touching at least one target and all targets must be touching, or the spell fails.

This spell was developed by Delly.

Haelra's Chains

Level 2 Necromancy
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Range: Touch
Components: V,S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You touch a creature which has two of its wrists or ankles touching (e.g., together, crossed). Its wrists may be in front of or behind its back. If the creature moves it wrists/ankles while you're casting the spell, the spell fails.

The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or have its wrists/ankles paralyzed and connected for the duration. The connection can be tight like glue or loose like a short chain. Every 1 minute the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

This spell causes the actual flesh and bones of the wrists/ankles to be magically chained together. It may not work on a creature without flesh and bone (e.g., a construct). There are no permanent side effects.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one pair of wrists/ankles (on the same creature or another creature) for each slot level about 2nd. Each pair must be touched while you're casting the spell.

Tech Levels

We use 4 tech levels:

• Past: Stone Age through the Age of Sail
• Mythic: Past, plus magic is relatively common, which has removed some pressure/incentive to advance technology
• Modern: Industrial Revolution through the Digital Age
• Future: Microtech Age and beyond; mad science

I loosely base this on the the GURPS tech levels. Your PC can be from a Past, Mythic, or Modern setting.

Weapons

We use some of the optional Firearms rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide (p. 267-268), with some modifications/nerfing.

Ammo Types

• Buzzkill: shocks on impact, then delivers fractal-edged darts (lightning,piercing)
• Flamejet: flash heats on impact, then delivers fractal-edged darts (fire,piercing)
• Icefang: flash chills on impact, then delivers fractal-edged darts (cold,piercing)

Explosives

• Dynamite… As an action, a creature can light a stick of dynamite and throw it at a point up to 60 feet away. Each creature within 5 feet of that point must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• Grenades… As an action, a character can throw a grenade at a point up to 60 feet away. With a grenade launcher, the character can propel the grenade up to 120 feet away. Each creature within 20 feet of an exploding fragmentation grenade must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Firearms

Firearm	Damage	Weight	Properties	Proficiency
Assault Rifle	1d10 piercing	8 lb	Ammunition (range 80/240), burst fire, reload (30 shots), two-handed	Martial Ranged Weapon
Pistol	1d6 piercing	3 lb	Ammunition (range 50/150), reload (15 shots), light	Simple Ranged Weapon
Sniper Rifle	1d12 piercing	18 lb	Ammunition (range 120/360), reload (5 shots), two-handed	Martial Ranged Weapon
Shotgun	1d10 piercing	7 lb	Ammunition (range 30/90), reload (5 shots), two-handed	Martial Ranged Weapon

• Ammunition… The ammunition of a firearm is destroyed upon use. Renaissance and modern firearms use bullets. Futuristic firearms are powered by a special type of ammunition called energy cells. An energy cell contains enough power for all the shots its firearm can make.
• Burst Fire... A weapon that has the burst fire property can make a normal single-target attack, or it can spray a 10-foot-cube area within normal range with shots. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take the weapon’s normal damage. This action uses ten pieces of ammunition.
• Reload… A limited number of shots can be made with a weapon that has the reload property. A character must then reload it using an action or a bonus action (the character's choice).

Other

Weapon	Damage	Details
Shock Baton	1d8 lightning	Simple Melee Weapon Light No ability bonus to damage Con Save (DC 12) or Prone, Paralyzed (1 turn)
Spring Baton	1d6 bludgeoning	Simple Melee Weapon Finesse, Light
Taser	1d6 lightning	Martial Ranged Weapon Ammunition (range 10/20), Light, Loading No ability bonus to damage Con Save (DC 12) or Prone, Paralyzed (1 turn)