House Rules
House rules use a three-layer system: an account default, per-campaign overrides set by the DM, and per-character overrides for solo or campaignless play. All values default to RAW (Rules As Written) 2014 edition.
Three Layers
Account default — your master set, configured at /settings/house-rules (look for "My House Rules" in the nav). Defaults to all RAW. Used as the template when you create new campaigns or characters.
Campaign rules — snapshot-copied from your account default at the moment you create a campaign. The DM edits these on the campaign's House Rules tab, independently of your account default.
Character rules — snapshot-copied from your account default at the moment you create a character. Edit them at /characters/{id}/house-rules (linked from the Settings menu and the Campaign Rules sidebar card).
Effective Priority
When a character is in a campaign, the campaign rules apply. When the character is campaignless, the character's personal rules apply. RAW is the fallback if neither is set. The per-character editor still saves to the character's personal snapshot even while a campaign is overriding — so when the character later leaves the campaign, the personal rules are ready to take over. A banner on the editor explains when campaign rules are currently overriding.
Snapshot Semantics
High-Impact Rules (Tracked on Character Sheet)
These rules have mechanical effects enforced by the character sheet:
| Rule | Variants |
|---|---|
| Exhaustion | Standard 2014 (6 escalating levels) | Cumulative Penalty (-2 to d20, -5ft per level) |
| Long Rest | Standard (full HP) | Gritty (no auto HP) | Slow Natural Healing (spend HD) | Epic Heroism (1 hour) |
| Short Rest | Standard (1 hour) | Epic Heroism (5 minutes) | Gritty Realism (8 hours) |
| Healing Potions | Action + Roll (RAW) | Bonus Action + Roll | BA Roll / Action Max | Always Max |
| Death & Dying | Standard | Exhaustion on Drop (+1 exhaustion at 0 HP) | Lingering Injuries |
| Encumbrance | None | Simple Threshold (STR x 15) | Variant (3-tier with speed penalties) |
| Inspiration | Standard (binary) | Stackable (up to configurable cap) | Hero Points (d6 bonus) |
| Feats | Feat or ASI (RAW) | Feat and ASI (both) | No Feats (ASI only) |
| Starting Feat | None (RAW) | Free feat at level 1 |
| Leveling | Experience Points | Milestone | Session-Based (every N sessions) |
| Ammunition | Track All (RAW) | Ignore Mundane | Ignore All |
| Attunement Slots | Standard (3, RAW) | Custom (configurable number) |
| Wizard Spellbook Learning | Enabled (RAW — 2 free spells per Wizard level-up) | Disabled (DM-managed spellbooks) |
Low-Impact Rules (Reference Only)
These rules are displayed on the character sheet for reference but not mechanically enforced:
| Rule | Variants |
|---|---|
| Critical Hits | Double Dice (RAW) | Max + Roll | Double Result | Max Damage |
| Nat 1/20 on Checks | No Special Effect (RAW 2014) | Auto Success/Failure |
| Flanking | No Flanking (RAW) | Flanking Advantage | Flanking +2 |
| Multiclassing | Allowed (RAW) | Disabled | Narrative Only |
| Resurrection | Automatic (RAW) | Challenge Ritual | Increasing DC | No Resurrection |