DnD House Rules

Asmythe was not designed for Dungeons and Dragons, but with a few tweaks it works well enough. Review the Almanac before you continue reading. The changes here are based on D&D 5E but are the same for most versions of D&D and Pathfinder.

Races

In Anmythe there are only four major races: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and the Goblinoids. For the most part, these races can be considered the same as those described in the Players Handbook.

There are no half-elves, half-orcs, or any other half-race in Asmythe. Only the Ilthids had magic strong enough to make that happen and they don't exist anymore.

Goblinoids (Orcs, Goblins, and Hobgoblins) are not playable races.

Other races described in the Players Handbook _could_ exist as "lost" races, created by the Ilthids and forgotten. Isolated tribes of these races (Halfling, Dragonborn, Gnome, Tiefling, etc.) would exist as companion races to one of the four major races, relying on the language and trade of the major race. They might be integrated into the local civilization, or live apart from it in their own villages. These lost races may have their own customs but they do not have their own civilization, if they exist at all.

Personality and Background

Asmythe is a story driven world. Personality and backstory are more important than any statistic on the character sheet.

Alignments are just a vague guide, players should also consider inspirations, motivations, fears, and other personality traits.

There are only four widely spoken languages in Asmythe, read the Almanac for details. If the language isn't listed there then it is either lacks the structure and syntax to be a real language, or it is a supernatural language which would result in insane and death if anybody in Asmythe attempted to learn it.

Equipment

For the sake of simplicity, the equipment lists in the Players Handbook can be considered canon, especially within the Empire. Each of the four races will have their own variation on different types of equipment, Elven equipment will be made of plants for example, but the equipment given serves well enough for most campaigns.

Spellcasting

Magic in Asmythe is very different than magic in D&D. Read the chapter on the Supernatural for a complete description on how magic works in Asmythe. Attempting to fit D&D magic into Asmythe is challenging and many resources have been consulted. The system below favors low level spells and creative use of spells.

Spellcaster in Asmythe aren't bound by the spell lists given in the Players Handbook, instead they have access to any spell that fits within the scope of the type of magic they use. But they can only know a limited number of spells. When selecting spells for your character you may select from any of the spell lists, as long as the spell effect fits within the type of magic: Dragon Magic or Arcane Magic. Some spells don't fit either and may not be selected, such as mending and most transmutation type spells.

Dragon Magic casters know a limited number of spells and they can cast any of those spells without preparing them. A caster may "forget" a spell to learn a new one. Learning Dragon Magic usually involves a lot of meditation and practice, almost always with the help of a tutor already familiar with the spell. Bard is the D&D class most descriptive of a Dragon Magic priest.

Arcane magic casters know 6 spells at character creation and can learn any number of spells. Arcane magic can not be memorized; Arcane casters must keep a "spell book" to record the spells they know and an Arcane caster must always have access to their spell book to cast a spell, even cantrips. But the only limit to the number of spells they can have is the number of books they can carry around with them. Arcane magic can be learned from a tutor, which may be an outsider, or copied from a source such as a spell book.

Spellcasters use spell points instead of spell slots.

• Spell points equal 6 *Caster Level.
• Spells cost points equal to (2 *Spell Level -1): 1;1, 2;3, 3;5, 4;7, 5;9, etc.
• The highest spell level a character can cast is limited by caster level, as normal.
• Using an Arcane spell more than once per long rest double the spell point cost each time, including cantrips.

Normal spells have no material components. Rituals always have material components.

Classes

D&D 5e Classes

All characters need a good backstory and class selection requires an appropriate backstory. Barbarians don't come from cities and monks don't grow up on the streets. Consult the campaign setting to learn how each class fits and what backstory you want to play with.

Bard

Bards use Dragon Magic, with music as a focus. They do not usually pledge themselves to a specific cosmos but use whichever dream is convenient. Bards must always play music to cast a spell.

Bard can learn a number of spells equal to "spells known" are as described in the class description in the Players Handbook (3 +Character Level).

Cleric

Clerics are the ultimate Dragon Magic casters. They pledge themselves to a Cosmos and spend their lives spreading those beliefs throughout the world. Any spell with an effect opposed to their cosmos costs twice as many spell slots to cast.

Druid

Druids are also Dragon Magic casters with a focus on nature and wild things. As with all Dragon Magic it is important to remember that druids can not create something from nothing. A "summon plant" is actually a "locate plant" spell would not be able to find a cactus in a rainforest, for example.

Druids learn up to (2 +Character Level) spells which they can use any time by expending spell points, plus cantrips as listed in the class description.

Paladin

Paladins are Dragon Magic casters who also learn martial abilities. This style of Dragon Magic is similar to the cleric.

Paladins can learn (1 +Character Level) spells and have (3 *Character Level) spell points.

Ranger

Rangers are also Dragon Magic casters who learn martial abilities. Rangers learn Dragon Magic in the style of druids.

Rangers can learn (1 +Character Level) spells and have (3 *Character Level) spell points.

Sorcerer/Warlock

These class does not exist in Asmythe. A creature with innate arcane magic can only come from the outer planes. (Or be an Ilthid, which don't exist anymore.)

These two magic classes are excellent templates for character back story, but the mechanisms that make them work as described in the Players Handbook do not work in Asmythe.

Wizard

Wizard is the ultimate arcane magic user. Wizards must always cast spells from a spell book, or other written medium, containing the spell they are casting.

Wizards begin with access to 6 spells in their spell book and have ( 6 *Character Level) spell points.

Martial Classes

Monks, Barbarians, Fighters, and other non-spellcasting classes with super abilities rely on Dragon Magic for those abilities, although their magic comes from a mastery of self and is far more strictly defined than spell casters.

If a martial class would gain an ability that doesn't fit dragon magic, take a feat instead.