I'm going to post my House Rules for anyone seeking to create a more old school AD&D feel to their 5th edition game. I only recently became a 5th edition convert and I'm absolutely loving it! I don't think I could go back and play 1st edition AD&D again, even after having grown up playing it (I'm 52).
I know my House Rules are not for everyone, but like I said if you're looking for a more old school D&D feel, one that for me harkens back to the style of game AD&D delivered, here it is. Also it has some of my and my game group's (long term friends) preferences.
Campaign VI House Rules
1. The campaign is set in the Forgotten Realms. The AD&D 1992 2 edition boxed set will be the setting canon, except the Time of Troubles never happened! The beginning year is DR 1368.
2. The rules system used is Dungeons & Dragons 5 My house rules and setting style harkens back to an old school AD&D archetypical feel.
3. The stat generation method will be 4d6, discard the lowest, roll two sets, and choose the best one.
4. The Players Handbook is the source material & rules used for character creation & player character information.
5. The following races will be available for players to choose from: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Human, Gnome, Half elf, and Half Orc. Dragonborn (do not exist), Tieflings (beyond rare), and Drow elves are not available to play.
6. All classes are available to play except the Warlock.
7. Races
The following races can be the following classes.
Dwarf: Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, and Rogue.
Elf: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard.
Halfling: Cleric, Druid, Fighter, and Rogue.
Human: All.
Gnome: Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard.
Half-Elf: All except Barbarian.
Half-Orc: Cleric, Fighter, and Rogue.
8. Classes
Barbarian: Only available to humans.
Bard: Available to humans, elves, and half-elves
Cleric: Available to all races.
Druid: Available to humans, halflings, elves, and half-elves. Druids are limited in their alignment choice to neutral, neutral good, or neutral evil (npc only, “Dark Druids”).
Fighter: Available to all. The Eldritch Knight (Fighter/Magic-user) archetype is available only to elf, and half-elf characters, the latter being raised in elven society.
Monk: Available to humans and half-elves only, the latter being raised in a human society.
Paladin: Available to humans, elves, dwarves, and half-elves. The Oath of the Ancients archetype is available only to elves and half-elves, the latter being raised in elven society. Paladins must be lawful good (which of course speaks volumes about which deities have paladin followers). Elves and half-elves that take the Oath of the Ancients may be neutral, neutral good, or chaotic good in addition to lawful good.
Ranger: Available to humans, elves, and half-elves. Rangers must be good; lawful, neutral, or chaotic. Rangers get a damage bonus per attack against their preferred enemy. At level 1-4 it is 1d6, at level 5-10 it is 1d8, at level 10-15 it is 1d10, and at level 15-20 it is 1d12.
Rogue: Available to all. The Arcane Trickster archetype is limited to gnomes, elves, and half-elves, the latter having been raised in an elven society.
Sorcerer: Available to humans, elves, half-elves, and gnomes.
Warlock: NPC only.
Wizard: Available to humans, elves, half elves, and gnomes.
9. Player & Player Character Errata
No characters of evil alignment.
At 10th level players can attune to an additional magical item, making a total of four, five at level 15, and six at 20. I may change which magic items require attunement and which do not, for example as per the DMG a ring of feather falling requires attunement, whereas in my campaign it does not.
I give an XP Gift for having had filled out your character’s personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws!
I MAY ROLL FOR your character’s perception, any sort of searching, insight, to discourage/limit meta gaming, and make the game more thrilling.
10. Misc
No tech at the game table for game use. Please use a character sheet, dice, pen/pencil, and PHB.
You will keep two character record sheets up to date, one that is your own and one that is kept with the DM. Always keep your DM player character sheet updated because it’s what we use if you’re not able to attend.
We use miniatures in the game. Get one.
Players must keep track of treasure, items, and loot gained during the adventure. During a “moment of question”- The item(s) must be in the direct possession of a character or henchman/hireling (written down on their character sheet) if they are not then you don’t have it! There is no concept of “group loot” kept on some random piece of paper and floating about the players.
End of session procedure:
Experience awarded
Treasure and loot gained divided up between surviving characters
Update your DM player character sheet
If you cannot attend the sessionyour character will stay with the party unless there is a logical opportunity in game for him or her to leave temporarily. If he stays with the party, he will be put in a minimal situation within the party, basically “the guy in back who follows the party around”. There is a chance however your character could perish without you being present.
Considering that my D&D gaming group are all good friends of mine that have played together for years (we share similar play styles and preferences), if someone really wanted to play a halfling wizard for example, I'd probably let them and we'd come up with a good background that created such a fluke or rarity in the campaign.
I personally prefer Forgotten Realms or World of Greyhawk for my campaign settings, but for the former for the sheer massive volumes of books, lore, etc created over the last 30 years and the fact I don't own it, I stick to the the FR products I do own.
I'm going to post my House Rules for anyone seeking to create a more old school AD&D feel to their 5th edition game. I only recently became a 5th edition convert and I'm absolutely loving it! I don't think I could go back and play 1st edition AD&D again, even after having grown up playing it (I'm 52).
I know my House Rules are not for everyone, but like I said if you're looking for a more old school D&D feel, one that for me harkens back to the style of game AD&D delivered, here it is. Also it has some of my and my game group's (long term friends) preferences.
Campaign VI House Rules
1. The campaign is set in the Forgotten Realms. The AD&D 1992 2 edition boxed set will be the setting canon, except the Time of Troubles never happened! The beginning year is DR 1368.
2. The rules system used is Dungeons & Dragons 5 My house rules and setting style harkens back to an old school AD&D archetypical feel.
3. The stat generation method will be 4d6, discard the lowest, roll two sets, and choose the best one.
4. The Players Handbook is the source material & rules used for character creation & player character information.
5. The following races will be available for players to choose from: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Human, Gnome, Half elf, and Half Orc. Dragonborn (do not exist), Tieflings (beyond rare), and Drow elves are not available to play.
6. All classes are available to play except the Warlock.
7. Races
The following races can be the following classes.
8. Classes
Barbarian: Only available to humans.
Bard: Available to humans, elves, and half-elves
Cleric: Available to all races.
Druid: Available to humans, halflings, elves, and half-elves. Druids are limited in their alignment choice to neutral, neutral good, or neutral evil (npc only, “Dark Druids”).
Fighter: Available to all. The Eldritch Knight (Fighter/Magic-user) archetype is available only to elf, and half-elf characters, the latter being raised in elven society.
Monk: Available to humans and half-elves only, the latter being raised in a human society.
Paladin: Available to humans, elves, dwarves, and half-elves. The Oath of the Ancients archetype is available only to elves and half-elves, the latter being raised in elven society. Paladins must be lawful good (which of course speaks volumes about which deities have paladin followers). Elves and half-elves that take the Oath of the Ancients may be neutral, neutral good, or chaotic good in addition to lawful good.
Ranger: Available to humans, elves, and half-elves. Rangers must be good; lawful, neutral, or chaotic. Rangers get a damage bonus per attack against their preferred enemy. At level 1-4 it is 1d6, at level 5-10 it is 1d8, at level 10-15 it is 1d10, and at level 15-20 it is 1d12.
Rogue: Available to all. The Arcane Trickster archetype is limited to gnomes, elves, and half-elves, the latter having been raised in an elven society.
Sorcerer: Available to humans, elves, half-elves, and gnomes.
Warlock: NPC only.
Wizard: Available to humans, elves, half elves, and gnomes.
9. Player & Player Character Errata
10. Misc
Belegir, Wood Elf Ranger
Considering that my D&D gaming group are all good friends of mine that have played together for years (we share similar play styles and preferences), if someone really wanted to play a halfling wizard for example, I'd probably let them and we'd come up with a good background that created such a fluke or rarity in the campaign.
I personally prefer Forgotten Realms or World of Greyhawk for my campaign settings, but for the former for the sheer massive volumes of books, lore, etc created over the last 30 years and the fact I don't own it, I stick to the the FR products I do own.
Belegir, Wood Elf Ranger