Not sure if anyone said this but personally, I’m a fan of the crit rule I think Chris Perkins came up with. Instead of rolling twice as many damage dice on a crit, you roll your normal damage dice, add your modifiers as usual, then add the maximum possible value of those dice.
So if your attack normally does 2d6 + 3, on a crit you’d deal 2d6 + 3 + 12.
It keeps crits exciting and guarantees they always feel stronger than a regular hit, without the weirdness of rolling low and getting a “disappointing” crit.
This is how critical damage works in Daggerheart too. It definitely ensures a critical hit always feels powerful.
My favorite home rules for a "simple, straight-forward" game (ie, not custom to a campaign setting, etc):
Species choice at character creation includes a native language, eg, Dwarf starts with Dwarvish. So picking 2 languages means 2 additional language to that and Common. Humans are out of luck. This is for RP reasons.
New characters start with a Chest not equipped back at their home base (whatever that is) to stash extra gear that would otherwise overflow their backpack. Common examples include crafting tools (you craft at home, not in the field). 5e is lenient about gear, but not everyone should be a "Nodwick" carrying everything as they trudge along.
Tie tool proficiencies less to background. If a player wants to swap out tools "Y" for tools "X" and it fits the character, add the custom proficiency in DnDB and pretend they don't have the background tool proficiency.
Even when not using Legacy 2014 gear, include equipment choices like "Chalk" that have "just worked" but were missing in 2024.
I was trying to think of a new way to do initiative that kept my players engaged and combat dynamic.
Adaptive Initiative
The Adaptive Initiative system replaces the static turn order of standard combat with a flowing, round-by-round rhythm determined secretly by the Dungeon Master. This keeps every player engaged, heightens suspense, and mirrors the chaos of real battle.
Establishing Initiative
At the beginning of each adventuring day, each player rolls an Initiative Check as normal:
Roll: 1d20 + Dexterity modifier + any applicable bonuses.
These results determine the Initial Order for the first encounter of the day. Before combat begins, players may trade initiative positions among themselves to coordinate tactics or sequencing. Once the first round begins, the order is locked.
Evolving the Order
After the first round of combat, initiative becomes fluid. Each time a creature (player or enemy) finishes its turn, the Dungeon Master secretly rolls a d20 and adds that creature’s Dexterity modifier to the result.
These secret rolls establish the shifting rhythm of the fight — determining which combatant acts next. The DM reveals turn order only as it occurs, narrating the flow of combat moment by moment.
Summary of Flow
Round One: Use the Initial Order rolled by the players and enemies.
After Each Turn: The DM secretly rolls 1d20 + Dexterity modifier for that creature.
Next Turn: The DM compares all hidden rolls and reveals who acts next.
Continuing Rounds: This process continues until the encounter ends. The DM narrates turn progression dynamically, revealing only the next combatant each time.
Between Encounters
After each encounter ends, all initiative rolls are cleared and all players roll new initiative checks and may again trade positions before they continue.
Restrictions and Clarifications
Ready Action: Each player may Ready an Action only once per encounter.
Double Turns: No creature may take two turns before every other creature in combat has taken one.
Ties: If multiple creatures roll the same total, determine order by highest Dexterity score; if still tied, the DM decides the sequence narratively.
DM Guidance
The Adaptive Initiative system thrives on description and pacing. Because players do not know who acts next, every round becomes a moment of tension and awareness — each roll feels immediate, and no one’s attention drifts. Use vivid narration to describe shifting momentum: blades locking, spells flashing, and warriors scrambling for footing.
What I "heard" you say is "the Party's initiatives are set; the monsters' rolls are known only on Round 1.
For example: Grunil (fighter/rogue), Araylia (rogue/druid), Moon (warlock), Jacq (bard), and Fodin (sorcerer/paladin) are clearing some infested mines. When they woke up that morning - in addition to Jacq singing their "Theme Song" (Inspiring Leader) - they rolled initiative. Araylia 22, Grunil 19, Jacq 12, Moon 8.
They find some tracks in the mines, and come upon some zombified miners fighting some earth mephits. The three Zombies get 14, 9, and 6 for initiative; the four mephits are faster, getting 17, 15, 13, and 11. So the Initiative Order for Round 1 is "Araylia (22), Grunil (19), Mephit (17), Mephit (15), Zombie (14), Mephit (13), Jacq (12), Mephit (11), Zombie (9), Moon (8), Zombie (6)".
Araylia shoots zombie (9) from hiding with her hand crossbow (Sneak Attack), then finishes it off with a starlight wisp from an item as a BA. Grunil moves up to the fight with his argentium shortsword (bonus damage to undead) and his readied shield, and swings at a mephit (17), damaging the minor demon. The mephit claws at him, but Grunl deflects it with his shield and ripostes with his sword (BM maneuver), killing it; unfortunately, the mephit then explodes in a burst of mud, immobilizing him! The next mephit (15) zooms in to claw him, but misses. [DM secretly rolls, gets a "10".] The next Mephit and Zombie fight each other, both missing. [DM secretly rolls for the zombie, nat20! = 18, and the mephit, 15.] Jacq mocks the next mephit (11) with vicious mockery, then Bardic Inspires Moon. The mephit turns away from the zombie it was fighting and attacks Jacq - the zombie misses the Opportunity Attack - and misses horribly due to the mockery. [DM secretly rolls initiative for the mephit, getting a 9.] Moon then blasts the mephit with a pair of eldritch blasts; one misses, but Moon spend the Bardic Inspiration to get the hit, killing it. The last zombie lumbers up to Jacq, but it was a double-move, so it is done. [DM secretly rolls initiative, getting a 3.]
So Round 2's initiative chart looks like this: Araylia (22), Grunil (19), Zombie (18), Mephit (15), Jacq (12), Mephit (10), Moon (8), Zombie (3)... but all the party knows is Araylia is going first? After she moves... Grunil learns he goes next. After Grunil... a zombie moves! Then a Mephit! Then Jacq learns it's his turn. And so on.
Is this what you meant?
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This is how critical damage works in Daggerheart too. It definitely ensures a critical hit always feels powerful.
pronouns: he/she/they
My favorite home rules for a "simple, straight-forward" game (ie, not custom to a campaign setting, etc):
I was trying to think of a new way to do initiative that kept my players engaged and combat dynamic.
Adaptive Initiative
The Adaptive Initiative system replaces the static turn order of standard combat with a flowing, round-by-round rhythm determined secretly by the Dungeon Master.
This keeps every player engaged, heightens suspense, and mirrors the chaos of real battle.
Establishing Initiative
At the beginning of each adventuring day, each player rolls an Initiative Check as normal:
These results determine the Initial Order for the first encounter of the day.
Before combat begins, players may trade initiative positions among themselves to coordinate tactics or sequencing.
Once the first round begins, the order is locked.
Evolving the Order
After the first round of combat, initiative becomes fluid.
Each time a creature (player or enemy) finishes its turn, the Dungeon Master secretly rolls a d20 and adds that creature’s Dexterity modifier to the result.
These secret rolls establish the shifting rhythm of the fight — determining which combatant acts next.
The DM reveals turn order only as it occurs, narrating the flow of combat moment by moment.
Summary of Flow
Round One:
Use the Initial Order rolled by the players and enemies.
After Each Turn:
The DM secretly rolls 1d20 + Dexterity modifier for that creature.
Next Turn:
The DM compares all hidden rolls and reveals who acts next.
Continuing Rounds:
This process continues until the encounter ends.
The DM narrates turn progression dynamically, revealing only the next combatant each time.
Between Encounters
After each encounter ends, all initiative rolls are cleared and all players roll new initiative checks and may again trade positions before they continue.
Restrictions and Clarifications
Ready Action:
Each player may Ready an Action only once per encounter.
Double Turns:
No creature may take two turns before every other creature in combat has taken one.
Ties:
If multiple creatures roll the same total, determine order by highest Dexterity score; if still tied, the DM decides the sequence narratively.
DM Guidance
The Adaptive Initiative system thrives on description and pacing.
Because players do not know who acts next, every round becomes a moment of tension and awareness — each roll feels immediate, and no one’s attention drifts.
Use vivid narration to describe shifting momentum: blades locking, spells flashing, and warriors scrambling for footing.
What are your thoughts? Be kind, please.
@johne3000, give an example of this in combat?
What I "heard" you say is "the Party's initiatives are set; the monsters' rolls are known only on Round 1.
For example: Grunil (fighter/rogue), Araylia (rogue/druid), Moon (warlock), Jacq (bard), and Fodin (sorcerer/paladin) are clearing some infested mines. When they woke up that morning - in addition to Jacq singing their "Theme Song" (Inspiring Leader) - they rolled initiative. Araylia 22, Grunil 19, Jacq 12, Moon 8.
They find some tracks in the mines, and come upon some zombified miners fighting some earth mephits. The three Zombies get 14, 9, and 6 for initiative; the four mephits are faster, getting 17, 15, 13, and 11. So the Initiative Order for Round 1 is "Araylia (22), Grunil (19), Mephit (17), Mephit (15), Zombie (14), Mephit (13), Jacq (12), Mephit (11), Zombie (9), Moon (8), Zombie (6)".
Araylia shoots zombie (9) from hiding with her hand crossbow (Sneak Attack), then finishes it off with a starlight wisp from an item as a BA. Grunil moves up to the fight with his argentium shortsword (bonus damage to undead) and his readied shield, and swings at a mephit (17), damaging the minor demon. The mephit claws at him, but Grunl deflects it with his shield and ripostes with his sword (BM maneuver), killing it; unfortunately, the mephit then explodes in a burst of mud, immobilizing him! The next mephit (15) zooms in to claw him, but misses. [DM secretly rolls, gets a "10".] The next Mephit and Zombie fight each other, both missing. [DM secretly rolls for the zombie, nat20! = 18, and the mephit, 15.] Jacq mocks the next mephit (11) with vicious mockery, then Bardic Inspires Moon. The mephit turns away from the zombie it was fighting and attacks Jacq - the zombie misses the Opportunity Attack - and misses horribly due to the mockery. [DM secretly rolls initiative for the mephit, getting a 9.] Moon then blasts the mephit with a pair of eldritch blasts; one misses, but Moon spend the Bardic Inspiration to get the hit, killing it. The last zombie lumbers up to Jacq, but it was a double-move, so it is done. [DM secretly rolls initiative, getting a 3.]
So Round 2's initiative chart looks like this: Araylia (22), Grunil (19), Zombie (18), Mephit (15), Jacq (12), Mephit (10), Moon (8), Zombie (3)... but all the party knows is Araylia is going first? After she moves... Grunil learns he goes next. After Grunil... a zombie moves! Then a Mephit! Then Jacq learns it's his turn. And so on.
Is this what you meant?