Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Critical Role ’s DM , Matthew Mercer , works hard to reconstruct a balancedDungeons & Dragonsgame for his histrion and audience alike by making use of various home brew rule and content to better become the party . Alongside tweaking rules to better fit the specific characters in the party , Mercer also accommodate the game to operate swimmingly and at a faster pace suitable for cyclosis . Hence , Critical Role ’s house prescript have some passably substantial variations and additions compare to the Rules As Written ( RAW ) ofD&D5e .
All threeCritical Rolecampaigns so far take place in thegreatD&Dsetting of Exandria , a homebrew world created by Mercer himself . While constructing this world in the Material Plane , Mercer restructure some of the game organization to allow for enhanced tractableness of the plot line . This homebrew setting with its own house rules is tailored to well suit audiences watching via current or podcast .
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It is worth remember that Mercer ’s homebrew content has been cautiously concocted hypercritical Role ’s 7 - year twain for various reason personal to their radical . For instance , the Vox Machina company was too large and powerful for typicalD&D5e rules , which are tailored toward parties of three to five participant , not the six to eight that link for Liam O’Brien ’s natal day campaign back in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . Also , Mercer ’s world features a very high - magic campaign in terms of equipment , while 5e is balanced for wizardly items being quite rare .
Critical Role House Rules: Shorter Rests & Quicker Crafting
One of the ways Mercer has conform theCritical Rolecampaign for streamingis by muck about with time . D&Dcontains a portion of downtime for fiber retrieval and formulation , but Mercer recognized this may stagnate the menstruum of the secret plan for a watercourse interview . Hence , Critical Role ’s short balance only last 15 - 20 minutes , while in birthday suit they last for one 60 minutes of in - biz time to recover impinge on points and some ability .
likewise , Mercer accelerate up the unremarkably prolonged crafting process by simply lessen the amount of clock time necessary to create magical token or potion . Critical Role ’s craft takes on average a quarter of the time as stated in thePlayer ’s Handbook , varying according to character stratum and proficiency . Mercer himself excuse in aRedditcomment specifically how he adapted RAW crafting to better suitCritical Role ’s tempo .
Critical Role House Rules: Potions As A Bonus Action & Skill Check Criticals
Mercer has also tweakedD&Drules forCritical Roleby allowing players to take a potion within a fillip action . In the RAW , taking or administering a Potion of Healing to restore strike breaker point hold an action mechanism . Mercer has successfully accelerate up combat for the stream audience by withdraw this factor and construct potion an add - on to player ' turns .
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D&D5e RAW states that only attack rolls can critically succeed / critically fail . Mercer tweaked this withinCritical Roleso that instrumentalist can deliver the goods or break on power substantiation and saving throw with a vital curlicue . He adjust the event of Natural 20 on attainment checks to suit his cause and the individual character within .
Critical Role’s D&D House Rules: Critical Rolls Double Dice Value
Mercer’sCritical Rolecampaignincludes adaptations fromD&D5e ’s altogether to make math simpler and speed up gameplay . For example , the altogether states that when a player roam a critical flak , they roll twice the amount of damage die as common plus their modifier . InCritical Role , however , Mercer simplified the amount of mathematics necessary by making it so that players simply double the value shown on the normal amount of damage dice for a critical collision .
Critical Role House Rules: Two D&D Spells Per Turn
According to theD&D5e RAW , players are allowed to cast only one non - cantrip spell per turn of events . Mercer recognized that in such a big group there are not as many round of combat in eachCritical Roleepisode , so he accommodate the rules to provide players to cast two spells per crook , as long as one spell is 2nd level or lower . This tour is treated as a bonus action , and will still follow the normal action economic system of the casting time in the piece description .
Critical Role House Rules: Barbarian’s Intimidating Presence
Mercer smartly adapts the Barbarian ability , Intimidating Presence , within his homebrewCritical Rolerules . Beginning at tenth level , Barbarians have access to Intimidating Presence which can be used to attempt to Frighten a prey . In the RAW , this power uses the Barbarians ' Charisma modifier , while inCritical Roleit uses Strength as Barbarians typically have far eminent Strength stats than Charisma .
Critical Role House Rules: DM’s Inspiration Points
Mercer further adaptsD&Drules for theCritical Rolegamewith variety to DM Inspiration . Unlike Scanlan ’s Bardic Inspiration , these Inspiration decimal point are granted to instrumentalist at the good manners of the DM for model of exceptional role - play . In the RAW , players with Inspiration gain reward , but Mercer ’s rules allow for an supererogatory 1d6 to be added to a future gyre .
Critical Role House Rules: Resurrection Challenge
Back in 2017 , Mercer recognise in aTweetthat death and resurrection become nonaged inconveniences for higher - levelD&Dparties due to bang-up go , detail , and abilities . to elevate the gravity of type death , Mercer acquaint The Fading Spirit . In brief , if a actor snuff it and another player attempts to initiate a Resurrection turn that endure longer than one turn , a Resurrection Challenge is initiated . This challenge is not necessary when single - action go related to mortality are cast , such as Revivify .
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Critical Role ’s house ruler on resurrectionseem to makeD&Dbetter as it accept away the invincibility of high - level party . When the challenge is initiated , up to three party members can contribute to the rite in any mode they wish , wander a Contribution Skill Check . After the contribution is pile up , a final Christ’s Resurrection Success Check with no modifier is rolled by the DM , with the DC decaying by one for each previous successful resurrection , mirroring the mortal ’s eroding connection to the physical world . If this terminal stop fails , the theatrical role ’s someone is lost .
Critical Role House Rules: The Lingering Soul
Mercer ’s home brew post - death options keep with the slimly more complex Lingering Soul characteristic . Being one of thehighest - paid Twitch streams , Critical Role ’s lineament loss can be somewhat cataclysmic when abrupt . for combat narrative release of cardinal figures , Mercer introduced the Lingering Soul to be offer to players when characters die under mysterious or trigger-happy circumstance . If accepted , the character can go along as a ghostly soul that can jump off from consistency to body to fright , manipulate or hold in foe . This feature should only be offered sparingly when death situation accommodate , or upon character creation .
Critical Role House Rules: The Gunslinger D&D Subclass
Mercer also introduces varying new subclasses toCritical Roleto expand gameplay chance , include the Gunslinger martial archetype for the Fighter class . This pilot elaborate upon previouslyestablishedD&Dloreby introducing firearms to Exandria , expanding upon thePathfindersubclass . Gunslingers , likeVox Machina ’s own Percy , focus upon the power to design , craft , and employ powerful yet dangerous ranged artillery .
Critical Role House Rules: Bard’s College Of The Maestro
Additional specializations add by Mercer toCritical Role ’s ruleset include the College of the Maestro . This Bardic College is usable to players at 3rd level and introduces a more support - focused course option , grant extra public utility for Bardic Inspiration . This College introduces a masses of Conducting Techniques for players to choose from to customize their Bardic skillset , allow players to focalise upon enhance ally ability , controlling the battleground , or healing and United States Department of Defense .
Critical Role House Rules: Blood Hunter & Order Of The Lycan
Arguably the bestD&D5e homebrew family , Mercer created the Blood Hunter grade forCritical Rolewhich is essentially a warrior that utilizes blood magic . This class can sacrifice their own blood and vital force to enhance their weapons and powers , or learn to manipulate the lifeblood of others through blood condemnation . There are several specialization within descent Hunter , one of the most favour being the Order Of The Lycan , currently run into in Bells Hells ' Chetney Pock O’Pea . After being by choice smite by lycanthropy , Chetney can become a hybrid werewolf form for forgetful catamenia of clock time without losing genial control .
Overall , DM Mercer has introduced a peachy slew of homebrew content and rules that benefit theCritical Roleshow . These benefits let in quick scrap round and time - saving adjustments , as well as greater choice and depth for character exploration . A destiny of these home rules and adjustments can be easily implemented into home plot ofDungeons & Dragons , and Mercer ’s homebrew principle loosely seem to leave candour and depth for all involved .
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Sources : Matthew Mercer / Reddit , Matthew Mercer / Reddit , Matthew Mercer / Twitter .
