What kind of rule changes have you folks tried at your tables, and how have they worked out for your games? Good? Bad?
Two of the houserules I implement for every campaign I run:
-
No multiclassing until after 5th level, and no further multiclassing unless you have at least 5 levels in all your existing classes. I do this for two reasons, the first being to ensure that every character has access to extra attack/third level spells and slots/some other equivalent before they start dipping elsewhere, and to keep the munchkins at my table from taking multiple 1-3 level dips into classes just to set up a niche wombo combo. Even then, I’m pretty stringent on what I’ll allow from a storytelling perspective - I want to know what motivates your Paladin to dip into Warlock besides getting to use CHA for attack and damage modifiers.
-
Instead of an ASI or a Feat, every ASI level gives a +1 and a feat. My players and I like this rule because it allows them to pick something fun at those levels instead of feeling obligated to dump straight into the primary stat, and encourages grabbing those fun half-feats like Actor or Linguist that would otherwise go by the wayside.
I’ve got a few home rules I’ve used for years.
Healing Potions: Drinking is a bonus action, using an action player gets the max value. Potion can be thrown 15 ft to a downed target as a bonus action, DC 10 DEX check, brings target to 1 HP. Thrower can choose to spend an action to throw the potion, then they have to pass a DC 12+1 DEX for every 5 ft from target, but if they pass target can roll the healing.
Team inspiration: Group shares a pool of inspiration. Up to a max of 5 that can be used at anytime.
Inspired saving throws: Players can spend their reaction and a point of inspiration to gain a saving throw re-roll.
Initiative Swap: Allow the players to swap initiative rolls with one another before combat starts. Sometimes players have an idea that requires teamwork based on a specific order they’d like to act in, and this allows them to always get the order they want.
Additional smaller rules:
A) Anything you can do… can be done to you.
B) Roleplay can give modifiers to any roll, or can negate critical hits/success.
C) Every interaction is a chance to roleplay.
D) Once combat begins, diplomacy becomes much harder.
E) When leveling Up, Players can roll or take the average HP, whichever is larger.
F) At Player level 1, Player can take a feat.
G) Caster can spend 2+1 hit dice to recover 1 spell slot up to lvl 3 during a short rest. Can gain additional level for an added hit die per level up to 5th.
BA potions are another one I usually include as well, even the nonhealing ones. I had a gut reaction against a fighter PC using a potion that applied greater invisibility and then making six attacks at advantage using action surge, but I thought, “fuck it, they’re expending a valuable resource to have this moment, let them have it,” and it was good.
I’m the type of DM that loves for my players to feel like badasses, so I’m all for them pulling off stuff that may or may not be exactly RAW. I had a high level sorcerer want to sneak up behind a BBEG and put his hand over their mouth and cast fireball at 9th level. I allowed it and they had a great moment that the rest of the table loved. They felt super powerful and were able to save the day. The players still talk about that moment years later.