Hello! This is my first thread here in the new D&DB forums. Let me know what you think of this house rule I made up and introduced into my game recently.
Sacrifice & Overcharge (with Inspiration) - This is a loose rule meant to help invoke a more powerful and fluid story than is normally allowed by the game rules, during moments of great conflict. Where the D&D rules adjudicate balanced restrictions for a characters' functions, "sacrifice & overcharge" (S&O) can allow a character to go beyond what he/she can normally do, but with a price! To use S&O, the player must state that they wish to do this on their turn before any actions take place. The player must state a desired affect, and what they are willing to sacrifice to accomplish the affect, which will automatically include expending their point of inspiration. If you do not have a point of inspiration, you cannot invoke S&O. Once a desired affect and sacrifice are stated, the DM will either agree to let the player move forward with the stated affect and sacrifice (thereby burning the players inspiration), or the DM can simply deny it. Further negotiations can take place over appropriate affect/sacrifices, but it should not go on too long and hold up the game. A prompt decision must be made, and many times it may be that there is no sacrifice equal to the desired affect. The ultimate goal of this rule is to help enhance the story somehow, more likely during a conflicting scenario in the game. It should not be used as an easy way to gain success in just any situation. The DM is the judge of eligibility. The DM may also determine what the sacrifice should be for a desired affect. The idea is to make things interesting and not to allow a desired affect that is outside of the rules to occur with too much ease.
Examples of S&O Sacrifice: You destroy a legendary magic item to let loose catastrophic arcane energies. You must also roll your Dexterity to avoid taking some damage from this. Affect: You injure and temporarily blinding a powerful foe, who is absolutely going to kill a fellow party member on their next round of action. This allows your ally one round to get to safety!
Sacrifice: Expending two 5th level spell slots you are able to enhance the affects of Gentle Repose (the caster must also roll arcana to stave off a draining affect that if failed will cause 1 level of exhaustion or 20 hit points of damage). Affect: An ally who has suffered the final affects of exhaustion (death), is instead saved and is placed in an arcane stasis which protects them for any further exhaustion for the remainder of the day. The character is asleep during this time and must take a long rest after the day is finished.
Sacrifice: Expend all uses of channel divinity, and make a Religion check to avoid 1 level of exhaustion. Affect: An energy shield of pure divine light springs up, surrounding a sacred place amidst an intense wildfire, which protects the site until the fire is vanquished.
Sacrifice: You attack an enemy in full revenge, to the point that it alters your alignment one degree towards evil. Affect: You score an automatic critical success against the opponent.
So that's it. This rule is meant to make a more fluid and unexpected story and should only serve to make a story more interesting. If the DM senses that it is being used solely to take advantage and win, and NOT to make the story more interesting, then S&O should flatly be denied, without hesitation.
Id like to see other ways people think that S&O could be used in less severe situations. I would also like to see other rules people have that enhance the story and help it move past the restriction of rules in some governed way like this is.
Hello! This is my first thread here in the new D&DB forums. Let me know what you think of this house rule I made up and introduced into my game recently.
Sacrifice & Overcharge (with Inspiration) - This is a loose rule meant to help invoke a more powerful and fluid story than is normally allowed by the game rules, during moments of great conflict. Where the D&D rules adjudicate balanced restrictions for a characters' functions, "sacrifice & overcharge" (S&O) can allow a character to go beyond what he/she can normally do, but with a price!
To use S&O, the player must state that they wish to do this on their turn before any actions take place. The player must state a desired affect, and what they are willing to sacrifice to accomplish the affect, which will automatically include expending their point of inspiration. If you do not have a point of inspiration, you cannot invoke S&O. Once a desired affect and sacrifice are stated, the DM will either agree to let the player move forward with the stated affect and sacrifice (thereby burning the players inspiration), or the DM can simply deny it. Further negotiations can take place over appropriate affect/sacrifices, but it should not go on too long and hold up the game. A prompt decision must be made, and many times it may be that there is no sacrifice equal to the desired affect.
The ultimate goal of this rule is to help enhance the story somehow, more likely during a conflicting scenario in the game. It should not be used as an easy way to gain success in just any situation. The DM is the judge of eligibility. The DM may also determine what the sacrifice should be for a desired affect. The idea is to make things interesting and not to allow a desired affect that is outside of the rules to occur with too much ease.
Examples of S&O
Sacrifice: You destroy a legendary magic item to let loose catastrophic arcane energies. You must also roll your Dexterity to avoid taking some damage from this.
Affect: You injure and temporarily blinding a powerful foe, who is absolutely going to kill a fellow party member on their next round of action. This allows your ally one round to get to safety!
Sacrifice: Expending two 5th level spell slots you are able to enhance the affects of Gentle Repose (the caster must also roll arcana to stave off a draining affect that if failed will cause 1 level of exhaustion or 20 hit points of damage).
Affect: An ally who has suffered the final affects of exhaustion (death), is instead saved and is placed in an arcane stasis which protects them for any further exhaustion for the remainder of the day. The character is asleep during this time and must take a long rest after the day is finished.
Sacrifice: Expend all uses of channel divinity, and make a Religion check to avoid 1 level of exhaustion.
Affect: An energy shield of pure divine light springs up, surrounding a sacred place amidst an intense wildfire, which protects the site until the fire is vanquished.
Sacrifice: You attack an enemy in full revenge, to the point that it alters your alignment one degree towards evil.
Affect: You score an automatic critical success against the opponent.
So that's it. This rule is meant to make a more fluid and unexpected story and should only serve to make a story more interesting. If the DM senses that it is being used solely to take advantage and win, and NOT to make the story more interesting, then S&O should flatly be denied, without hesitation.
Id like to see other ways people think that S&O could be used in less severe situations. I would also like to see other rules people have that enhance the story and help it move past the restriction of rules in some governed way like this is.
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings