Searching for Players via Application Completion (Mondays 7pm EST)

Any messages of comments left here won't be responded to, it's not to be disrespectful, but instead allow the most equality when choosing our players. 

Link for Application: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0lvYWGn2vfmXJt61wE0U6eEI7Xr__PqKHXBxiS5VlC2w6PQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Current Players: 
Monk 3
Cleric 3
Blood Huntress 3
Sorceress 3

Game: Curse of Strahd

House Rules: 

Alrighty, so I really want to make things more brutal when it comes to combat, but also less frequent. So I thought we could find a balance of rewarding and punishing homebrew rules.
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Negative House Rules:

1. Secret House Rule (Revealed after entering Shrahd's Realm)

2. Meat Grinder
This mode of play is suitable for experienced players who have highly optimized characters and who don’t mind putting those characters in jeopardy for the sake of a good challenge.

You must choose as a group to run the adventure as a meat grinder from the very beginning. In this mode of play, the Soulmonger gains the power to draw characters who are close to death, and the following rules apply:

- A death saving throw succeeds on a roll of 15 or higher (instead of 10 or higher). This effect ends when the Soulmonger is destroyed. Other rules concerning death saving throws remain unchanged.

- If you all choose meat grinder mode, then ALL experience gained is multiplied by 1.5.

3. Secret House Rule (Revealed after entering Shrahd's Realm)

4. Replacement Characters Start One Level Below the Lowest Level Player
If a player's character dies, their new character will be one level lower than the remaining party members. This encourages players to maintain focus on keeping their characters safe.

5. Grievous Wounds
When being on the receiving end of a critical hit, roll on the below table (Includes Enemies):
http://archadestower.blogspot.com/2018/12/5e-critical-wounds-chart.html

Positive House Rules:

1. Keep Death Saving Throws Secret
When players reach zero HP, they start rolling saving throws to see if they'll wake up or not! When they're hidden, no one knows what condition you're in, and choices about whether to aid you or fight enemies must be made in the dark! Some DMs go so far as to roll the saving throws themselves and keep them from the player who might be dying, so they feel the tension too and can't give anything away by mistake (or on purpose). However, it might not be the house rule for players who don't like combat in the first place.

2. Popcorn Initiative via Dexterity Modifiers
Randomness is a key part of D&D combat. However, it's not fun for either side if combat turns out unbalanced because of simple dice rolls. This can especially happen in Initiative. If one side gets one turn after another, it can leave the other side with few ways to defend themselves.

Popcorn initiative tries to solve this problem. It foregoes rolling for Initiative altogether. Instead, one player takes their turn, and then an NPC, and then another player, and so on. Perhaps the Rouge always goes first, allowing them to get off that sweet sneak attack! This can also speed up combat and let players strategize more effectively.

3. The D&D Group Can Give Inspiration
Typically in D&D 5e, the Dungeon Master can award inspiration to a character for any number of things. It's commonly a reward for excellent roleplaying, heroic moments, or clever ideas.

One house rule that can help bring the table together is to allow the group to award one token of inspiration at the end of every session. Let the players choose their own criteria for whom they think deserves it, and take a vote at the end. This is a good way to help players feel valued.

4. First-Level Feats Can Open Up Unusual Options
Feats are rare and powerful in D&D 5e. A player can only take them when they get an Ability Score Improvement, and they have to sacrifice that improvement to do so. As such, only the most powerful of feats tend to get taken. There are a range of weaker and more flavorful feats that players don't take due to limited availability. This can be mitigated if player characters get a feat at first level.

5. Making Drinking Potions Take A Bonus Action Makes Them More Useful
Potions are very useful in D&D 5e. However, they suffer from one drawback: they cost an action to drink. Even the Thief rogue can't manage to drink them quickly. This limits their use in combat. An action is the biggest part of a player's turn.

6. Gritty Realism
This variant uses a short rest of 8 hours and a long rest of 7 days. This puts the brakes on the campaign, requiring the players to carefully judge the benefits and drawbacks of combat. Characters can’t afford to engage in too many battles in a row, and all adventuring requires careful planning. This also increases the power of Warlocks and Sorcerers, plus the Wizard's Arcane Recovery and the Fighter's Second Wind.

This approach encourages the characters to spend time out of the dungeon. It’s a good option for campaigns that emphasize intrigue, politics, and interactions among other NPCs, and in which combat is rare or something to be avoided rather than rushed into.

7. Sidekicks
If you rescue or aid an NPC, they might want to become a Sidekick so they can learn from you to help their family or have a better life than they previously had. If a player takes a Sidekick under their wing, you'd be responsible for tracking their food, stats, hit points, and abilities.

8. Precious Pets
Players can find pets in the world, but can not start with them. You will be responsible for feeding you pets in proportion to their needs. Having pets around can help characters with their emotional stability and possible madness effects.
Pets are invincible only if they are cosmetic, using them for their abilities opens up the chance of harm.

9. Relationship Mechanics

Friendship Points are a mechanic that allow players to interact with NPCs in a romantic way. They can gain or lose friendship points by taking positive or negative actions, respectively.

At each level, the relationship with the NPC changes. At -5, the relationship is hostile; at -2, the NPC is indifferent; at 0 the NPC is neutral; at 10, the NPC is friendly and the NPC gains a new ability; and at 25, the NPC is a romantic partner and also gains either an upgrade for the previous ability or something new.

Each level of the relationship unlocks different abilities. At a friendship level of 10, the ability to ask the NPC out on a date or plan a special date night is unlocked. At a friendship level of 25, the ability to upgrade the previous ability is unlocked. Plus, at level 25, the option to find a Cleric who can cast the spell Ceremony, which allows the romantic partners to officially become either "Married" or have another variation of a "Loyal Commitment Ceremony". Said events will be held in a way that fits the personalities of both the player and the other NPC/Player.

Negative events at a friendship level of -2 and -5 should be unique, but within the NPC's values and morals.

Relationships in this sense can be platonic.

Just a quick update, we have a few participants. Thanks for those of you who have applied, thank you. We are still accepting applications until Monday Morning!