======== 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons ========

This page details how I use the 5th edition rules.

==== Included Rules ====

In general, rules are only allowed from the following books:
  * Player's Handbook
  * Dungeon Master's Guide
  * Monster Manual
  * Xanathar's Guide to Everything
  * Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

Character creation can be done using any method outlined in the PHB.  However, if you choose to
roll dice for your characteristics, I expect it to be done in person -- primarily so we can laugh
when you roll low.  (The same rule exists for hit points at levels 2 and above)

==== Deviations ====

  * **Races**: Only races from the Player's Handbook are allowed with the following exceptions and notes:
    * Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Drow (Dark Elves) are //very unusual// and will be met with stares and/or discrimination everywhere they go.
    * Orcs are allowed as a player race -- though they will be met with some suspicion in certain "civilized" towns.
    * Goblins are allowed as a player race -- however they are //highly unusual// and generally hated by everyone.
  * **Variant Rules**: All variant rules in the Player's Handbook are allowed -- with the following comments:
    * Equipment Sizes (PHB, p.144): Using armor of a different size is allowed without modification.  However, a day of this will incur one level of Exhaustion (PHB, p.291).
    * Some variant rules from the DMG are also used.  //(Need a list)//
  * **Significant Injury Houserule**: When a character wakes up after being unconscious, they acquire one level of Exhaustion (PHB, p.291) if they failed at least one death saving throw while unconscious.
  * **Unconscious** condition: Ignore the last bullet point: "Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature."  Such an attack may or may not be a critical hit based on the normal rules for critical hits.
  * **Grid-based combat**: Combat is almost always done on a square-grid battlemat with miniatures or other tokens.
  * **Persistent Damage**: //(see below)//
  * **Wizard enhancements**:
    * Wizards can put spells in their spellbook even if they are of a level higher than they can prepare.
    * Wizards can use //Ritual Casting// to attempt casting spells of a level higher than they can prepare.  To do so, they must spend an additional 10 minutes and make a spellcasting ability check (just like for a spell scroll) //**for each level above their maximum**//.  Any failure results in //something bad// (TBD).
  * **Deities**: The preferred deities are from the "Fantasy-Historical Pantheons" (PHB, p.297-299) or the Non-Human Deities (PHB, p.296)
    * [[Celtic]] -- also worshipped in [[Spindrift]]
    * [[Greek]] -- also worshipped in [[Lowland]]
    * [[Egyptian]] -- also worshipped in [[Backbone]]
    * [[asgardian|Norse]] -- also worshipped in [[Rota]]
  * **Level Advancement**: Players can expect their characters to advance levels slowly.  Expect to be at first level for "a few" sessions -- and do not expect them to ever reach double-digit levels.  //(Unless I change my mind)//
  * **Economy**: A quick rule-of-thumb is that one gold piece is equivalent to $50 in real-world spending.  Thus, a Longsword costs $7500 equivalent (and is therefore considered an expensive accessory).
  * **Languages**: Not everyone speaks Common, but everyone has a native tongue.  //(Needs expansion)//
  * **Flanking**: Let's try using the DMG Optional Rule: Flanking (p.251)

=== Persistent Damage ===
  * //Sadly, playtesting determined this rule to be cumbersome and it has been jettisoned.//
  * <del>Any time a character takes damage, they incur one point of "Persistent Damage" for each die rolled against them.</del>
  * <del>This damage is part of (not in addition to) the normal hit point damage they take and needs to be kept track of separately.</del>
  * <del>Each point of Persistent Damage reduces the character's maximum hit point total by one.</del>
  * <del>Magical healing (except for Healing Word) restores one point of Persistent Damage for each die rolled.</del>
  * <del>Hit dice rolled after a Short Rest has no effect on Persistent Damage.</del>
  * <del>A Long Rest restores ONE point of Persistent Damage.</del>

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