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Variant Rules

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Variant Rules A shared campaign might use some variant rules to handle certain aspects of the game. The Adventurers League, for instance, has variant systems for gaining levels and acquiring treasure

. These “house rules,” presented below, serve as a sort of common language, ensuring that the rewards all characters receive are equivalent no matter what kind of adventure a character experienced.

Amnizu

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

have no personalities or memories; they’re driven only by the desire to commit evil. The amnizus that patrol here drill the rules of the Nine Hells into the new arrivals’ minds and marshal

them into legions. Amnizu (Summoner Variant);Variant: Devil Summoning Some amnizus have an action that allows them to summon other devils: Summon Devil (1/Day). The amnizu summons 2d4

Variant Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait.

Flail Snail

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, any creature within the bright light and able to see the snail when this power is activated must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the light ends. Shell Defense. The flail

about 250 pounds and has numerous uses. An intact shell can sell for 5,000 gp. Many hunters seek the shell for its antimagic properties. A skilled armorer can make three shields from one shell. For 1

Young Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8

Dragon Turtle Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

characters, and use the Dragon Turtle Spellcasting table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for

making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

You have served the community where you grew up, standing as its first line of defense against crime. You aren’t a soldier, directing your gaze outward at possible enemies. Instead, your

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

Armor Class Legacy

Rules

modifier. Not all characters wear armor or carry shields, however. Without armor or a shield, your character's AC equals 10 + his or her Dexterity modifier. If your character wears armor, carries a shield

, or both, calculate your AC using the rules in the Equipment section. Record your AC on your character sheet.

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

than most people to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society

; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you. Variant Criminal: Spy Although your capabilities are not much different

Snekkja

Equipment

. Creatures that fail the saving throw by 5 or more have their Speed reduced by 10 feet until the start of the snekkja’s next turn. Shield Wall. The rowers raise their shields in defense. This

Skeid

Equipment

on a success. Creatures that fail the saving throw by 5 or more have their Speed reduced by 10 feet until the start of the skeid's next turn. Shield Wall. The rowers raise their shields in defense

Artificer

classes Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

one type of Artisan’s Tools of your choice Armor Training Light and Medium armor and Shields Starting Equipment Choose A or B: (A) Studded Leather;Studded Leather Armor, Dagger

Point Die, proficiency with Tinker’s Tools, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Artificer’s skill list, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields. Gain the

Ranger

classes Player’s Handbook

Shields Starting Equipment Choose A or B: (A) Studded Leather;Studded Leather Armor, Scimitar, Shortsword, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Druidic Focus (sprig of mistletoe), Explorer's Pack, and 7 GP

Ranger Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Martial weapons, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Ranger’s skill list, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields

Stokkvari (‘Leaper') Longship, Variant

Equipment

. Stokkvari takes the Dash action. Shield Wall. Order the rowers to raise their shields in defense. This grants creatures in the ship a +5 bonus to their Armor Class and Dexterity saving throws, but the ship

Ancient Dragon Turtle

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

table to help select spells for a spellcasting dragon. (Though the Monster Manual doesn’t explicitly include dragon turtles in the variant rules for making a dragon a spellcaster, you can apply

those rules to these aquatic dragons.) Dragon Turtle Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I speak slowly and deliberately

Drakkar

Equipment

saving throw by 5 or more have their Speed reduced by 10 feet until the start of the drakkar's next turn. Shield Wall. The rowers raise their shields in defense. This grants creatures in the ship a +5

Paladin

classes Player’s Handbook

: Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, or Religion Weapon Proficiencies Simple and Martial weapons Armor Training Light, Medium, and Heavy armor and Shields Starting

Character Gain the following traits from the Core Paladin Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Martial weapons, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields. Gain the Paladin’s

Barbarian

classes Player’s Handbook

: Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, or Survival Weapon Proficiencies Simple and Martial weapons Armor Training Light and Medium armor and Shields Starting

Multiclass Character Gain the following traits from the Core Barbarian Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Martial weapons, and training with Shields. Gain the Barbarian’s level 1

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

always occur in shady venues. Variant Criminal: Spy Although your capabilities are not much different from those of a burglar or smuggler, you learned and practiced them in a very

Rewards

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Rewards Adventures in a shared campaign that uses variant rules for gaining levels and acquiring treasure (such as those described below) don’t include experience point awards or specific amounts and kinds of treasure.

Creating a Dragonmarked Character

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Creating a Dragonmarked Character Dragonmarks manifest on certain members of a few species, represented in the rules by variant race options: For humans and half-orcs, a dragonmark is a variant race

that replaces traits associated with those races. For half-elves, a dragonmark is a variant race that lets you keep some half-elf traits and replace others with the traits associated with your mark

As a Multiclass Character

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

skill list, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields. Gain the Artificer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Artificer Features table. See the multiclassing rules in the Player’s Handbook to determine your available spell slots, adding half your Artificer levels (round up).

Character Creation

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice Compendium

the armor you’re wearing (see PHB, "Armor and Shields"). For example, in leather armor, you calculate your AC as 11 + your Dexterity modifier, and in chain mail, your AC is simply 16. Unarmored

Defense (Barbarian): 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. Unarmored Defense (Monk): 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Draconic Resilience (Sorcerer): 13 + your

Class Features (p. 164)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

Class Features (p. 164) The second sentence has been changed to “You don’t, however, receive the class’s starting equipment, and a few features have additional rules when you’re multiclassing: Channel Divinity, Extra Attack, Unarmored Defense, and Spellcasting.”

Human Traits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

HUMAN TRAITS If your campaign uses the optional feat rules from chapter 6, your Dungeon Master might allow these variant traits, all of which replace the human’s Ability Score Increase trait

with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on. VARIANT

Class Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

Class Features When you gain a new level in a class, you get its features for that level. You don’t, however, receive the class’s starting equipment, and a few features have additional rules when you’re multiclassing: Channel Divinity, Extra Attack, Unarmored Defense, and Spellcasting.

Proficiencies

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Proficiencies Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons Tools: Thieves’ tools, tinker’s tools, one type of artisan’s tools of your choice Saving Throws: Constitution

multiverse. If your Dungeon Master uses the rules on firearms in the Dungeon Master’s Guide and your artificer has been exposed to the operation of such weapons, your artificer is proficient with them.

Monk

classes Basic Rules (2014)

important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to

Defense, Martial Arts 2nd +2 1d4 2 +10 ft. Ki, Unarmored Movement 3rd +2 1d4 3 +10 ft. Monastic Tradition, Deflect Missiles

Tying Knots

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Tying Knots The rules are purposely open-ended concerning mundane tasks like tying knots, but sometimes knowing how well a knot was fashioned is important in a dramatic scene when someone is trying

Sleight of Hand with Intelligence, rather than Dexterity. This is an example of how to apply the rule in the “Variant: Skills with Different Abilities” section in chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook.

Armor Class

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

a shield, or both, calculate your AC using the rules in chapter 5. Record your AC on your character sheet. Your character needs to be proficient with armor and shields to wear and use them

Dexterity modifier. Not all characters wear armor or carry shields, however. Without armor or a shield, your character’s AC equals 10 + his or her Dexterity modifier. If your character wears armor, carries

Draconic Races

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

section offers three variant dragonborn race options that can be used to create a character with clear connections to a specific draconic ancestry. When you’re making a new character using one of these races, use the rules under “Creating Your Character” to fill out the details.

Rest Variants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

Rest Variants The rules for short and long rests presented in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook work well for a heroic-style campaign. Characters can go toe-to-toe with deadly foes, take damage to

within an inch of their lives, yet still be ready to fight again the next day. If this approach doesn’t fit your campaign, consider the following variants. Epic Heroism This variant uses a short rest

Druid

classes Player’s Handbook

Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light armor and Shields. Gain the Druid’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Druid Features table. See the multiclassing rules in chapter 2

, Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, or Survival Weapon Proficiencies Simple weapons Tool Proficiencies Herbalism Kit Armor Training Light armor and Shields

Cleric

classes Player’s Handbook

, Medicine, Persuasion, or Religion Weapon Proficiencies Simple weapons Armor Training Light and Medium armor and Shields Starting Equipment Choose A or B: (A) Chain Shirt, Shield

following traits from the Core Cleric Traits table: Hit Point Die and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields. Gain the Cleric’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Cleric Features

Class Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

Class Features When you gain a new level in a class, you get its features for that level. You don't, however, receive the class's starting equipment, and a few features have additional rules when

you're multiclassing: Channel Divinity, Extra Attack, Unarmored Defense, and Spellcasting. Channel Divinity If you already have the Channel Divinity feature and gain a level in a class that also grants

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