Dec 27, 2023 12:05 am
Character Creation Rules
27 Point buy or Roll 4d6l3. If you don't like your Roll you can switch to Point Buy.
Starting 3rd level
All WotC allow. No UA, No Homebrew.
Race - ERLW Marks, VRGR, AAG and MoT not allowed.
Background - SCC, AAG, DSotDQ, BGG not allowed.
Flaws
Your players can choose one or more flaws from the table below to add a dash of darkness to their characters' stories. Encourage them to embrace their inner struggles and let these complex traits drive their arcs forward.
Bonds
Your players can choose one or more bonds from the table below to weave a tapestry of connections between their characters and the ghosts of their pasts. Encourage them to reexamine and grow beyond these memories as they venture through Barovia, informing their interactions with the NPCs and narratives they encounter.
Homebrew Rules
Death Saves Rule
Each failed death save gains a level of exhaustion. It takes 6 failed saves to Die. 3 successful saves to be stable.
Nat 20 is 1 hp and awake.
Nat 1 is 2 failed death saves/ 2 levels of exhaustion.
1 level of exhaustion is lost via long rest.
Horror & Madness & Massive Damage.
Horror involves more than simple fright. It entails revulsion and anguish. Often it arises when adventurer see something completely contrary to the common understanding of what can and should occur in the world, or upon the realization of a dreadful truth.
In such a situation, you can call on characters to make a saving throw to resist the horror. Set the DC based on the magnitude of the horrific circumstances. On a failed save, a character gains a Level of Madness.
When a creature takes damage from a single source equal to or greater than half its hit point maximum, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a character gains a Level of Madness. For example, a creature that has a hit point maximum of 30 must make that Constitution save if it takes 15 damage or more from a single source.
A creature's madness level starts at 0. When the creature fails a madness saving throw, its madness level increases by 1, and the creature immediately suffers the level's effect (as determined by rolling on the Short-Term Madness, Long-Term Madness, or Indefinite Madness table in the Dungeon Master's Guide, as appropriate). When the effect ends, the creature's madness level doesn't change. Any time the creature's madness level increases, it suffers the effect of the new level.
If a creature with level 4 madness fails a madness saving throw, its madness level becomes 0. In this way, characters can potentially accumulate multiple forms of madness.
Madness Levels
Diagonals
Simple method for counting movement and measuring range on a grid: count every square as 5 feet, even if you're moving diagonally.
Remove Curse
Sometimes a curse is too strong for Remove Curse. You might have to Upcast Remove Curse, right the wrong, or find a Material Component to break the curse.Help Action.
You must be proficient in the skill you are trying to help someone with.
Possible Triggers in Campaign.
Child abuse and death,Torture and mutilation, Mind control, (Implied) incest, (Implied) necrophilia, Stalking and (symbolic) sexual assault, Suicide, Drug addiction, Body horror, & Racism/
27 Point buy or Roll 4d6l3. If you don't like your Roll you can switch to Point Buy.
Starting 3rd level
All WotC allow. No UA, No Homebrew.
Race - ERLW Marks, VRGR, AAG and MoT not allowed.
Background - SCC, AAG, DSotDQ, BGG not allowed.
Flaws
Your players can choose one or more flaws from the table below to add a dash of darkness to their characters' stories. Encourage them to embrace their inner struggles and let these complex traits drive their arcs forward.
| Flaw | Character Arc |
| Addiction | I must learn to conquer the addictions and demons that twist my better nature. |
| Ambition | I must learn to value things other than power and control. |
| Anger | I must learn to let go of my need for revenge. |
| Anxiety | I must learn to be confident in my ability to protect those I love. |
| Apathy | I must learn to hold hope again for the future. |
| Control | I must learn to let go of my need to control those around me. |
| Cynicism | I must learn to have faith in things greater than myself once again. |
| Denial | I must learn to allow myself to grieve for the things I have lost. |
| Doubt | I must learn to become the hero that I've been waiting for. |
| Greed | I must learn to let go of the things I believe I'm owed. |
| Grief | I must learn to move past the loved one that I lost. |
| Guilt | I must learn to let go of my guilt for my failure to protect my loved one. |
| Hesitation | I must learn to conquer my fear of the responsibilities that are expected of me. |
| Hubris | I must learn to accept that others have wisdom that I do not. |
| Impiety | I must learn to find my way back to the grace that I abandoned. |
| Insecurity | I must learn to define myself apart from the expectations of others. |
| Isolation | I must learn to open up and allow others to get close to me. |
| Naivete | I must learn to protect myself from those who would take advantage of me. |
| Narcissism | I must learn to value the lives and experiences of others. |
| Nostalgia | I must learn to leave the past behind and to look to the future instead. |
| Obsession | I must learn to confront the harms that my obsessions have caused to others. |
| Paranoia | I must learn to stop using my fears as an excuse to harm others. |
| Pride | I must learn to ask others for help, rather than shouldering responsibility alone. |
| Recklessness | I must learn to slow down—to stop, wait, and think before I act. |
| Resentment | I must learn to let go of the anger that was born from my grief. |
| Ruthlessness | I must learn the value of mercy and compassion. |
| Sanctimony | I must learn to let go of my need to feel righteous and pure. |
| Shame | I must learn to let go of my guilt for the mistakes that I have made. |
| Spite | I must learn to forgive those who have hurt those I love. |
| Stubbornness | I must learn to overcome my pride and make amends to those I have hurt. |
| Timidity | I must learn to stand up for myself, rather than letting others control me. |
Bonds
Your players can choose one or more bonds from the table below to weave a tapestry of connections between their characters and the ghosts of their pasts. Encourage them to reexamine and grow beyond these memories as they venture through Barovia, informing their interactions with the NPCs and narratives they encounter.
| Bond | Character History |
| Abuse | One of my siblings was cruel to me as a child. I've forgiven them, but never forgotten. |
| Bitterness | Two warring lords brought devastation to my community. I wish I could show them the cost of their war. |
| Boundaries | I was once pursued by an unrelenting suitor. No one should have to endure what I did. |
| Comparison | My older sibling was burdened by great expectations while I was not. I think they resented me for it. |
| Compassion | Someone tried to steal from me once. Rather than hurting them, I helped them instead. |
| Concern | One of my loved ones left home to seek their fortune. I hope they're staying safe. |
| Corruption | Everyone knows that power corrupts. I've seen how firsthand. |
| Determination | My mentor was one of the few people that believed in me. I'm determined to make them proud. |
| Devastation | Someone once destroyed everything I cared about. I can't understand what could drive someone to such evil. |
| Devotion | I love my family above all else. There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect them. |
| Dignity | People should never be used as a means to an end. I should know. |
| Division | My family was split by a bitter feud. I still hope that they'll reconcile someday. |
| Empathy | I'll never forget the sound my parents made when they learned that my sibling had died. |
| Faith | I know what it's like to be persecuted for what you believe in. I never let it shake my beliefs. |
| Forgiveness | Someone once did me great harm. It was only much later that I learned to forgive them. |
| Gratitude | Someone took me in when I had no one else to turn to. I'll always be grateful. |
| Hope | I lost someone close to me to addiction and vice. I still hope that they'll get better someday. |
| Humility | I've seen what happens when people think they have all the answers. It never turns out well. |
| Judgment | I've seen people cause great harm in the name of faith. They laughed when I called it a sin. |
| Loss | One of my loved ones was stolen away from me. I'm still searching for them. |
| Loyalty | Someone close to me fell onto a dark path. I'd do anything to redeem them. |
| Nostalgia | One of my parents loved to create things. Their work always brought me joy. |
| Oppression | A cruel lord once ruled my community. I'll never forgive the harms he caused to my people. |
| Regret | I once knew someone with grand, ambitious plans. I wish they'd heeded my advice. |
| Responsibility | I watched someone allow their family to come to ruin. I'll never do the same. |
| Romance | Love never dies. It might flicker, but I'll never let it burn out. |
| Secrecy | I once promised someone I'd keep their secrets safe. I intend to do so—no matter the cost. |
Homebrew Rules
Death Saves Rule
Each failed death save gains a level of exhaustion. It takes 6 failed saves to Die. 3 successful saves to be stable.
Nat 20 is 1 hp and awake.
Nat 1 is 2 failed death saves/ 2 levels of exhaustion.
1 level of exhaustion is lost via long rest.
Horror & Madness & Massive Damage.
Horror involves more than simple fright. It entails revulsion and anguish. Often it arises when adventurer see something completely contrary to the common understanding of what can and should occur in the world, or upon the realization of a dreadful truth.
In such a situation, you can call on characters to make a saving throw to resist the horror. Set the DC based on the magnitude of the horrific circumstances. On a failed save, a character gains a Level of Madness.
When a creature takes damage from a single source equal to or greater than half its hit point maximum, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a character gains a Level of Madness. For example, a creature that has a hit point maximum of 30 must make that Constitution save if it takes 15 damage or more from a single source.
A creature's madness level starts at 0. When the creature fails a madness saving throw, its madness level increases by 1, and the creature immediately suffers the level's effect (as determined by rolling on the Short-Term Madness, Long-Term Madness, or Indefinite Madness table in the Dungeon Master's Guide, as appropriate). When the effect ends, the creature's madness level doesn't change. Any time the creature's madness level increases, it suffers the effect of the new level.
If a creature with level 4 madness fails a madness saving throw, its madness level becomes 0. In this way, characters can potentially accumulate multiple forms of madness.
Madness Levels
| Level | Effect |
| 1 | Bout of short-term madness (Last until end of next turn) |
| 2 | Bout of medium-term madness (lasts 1d10 minutes) |
| 3 | Bout of long-term madness (lasts 1d10 × 10 hours) |
| 4 | Bout of indefinite madness (lasts until cured) |
Diagonals
Simple method for counting movement and measuring range on a grid: count every square as 5 feet, even if you're moving diagonally.
Remove Curse
Sometimes a curse is too strong for Remove Curse. You might have to Upcast Remove Curse, right the wrong, or find a Material Component to break the curse.
[ +- ] Remove Curse
You must be proficient in the skill you are trying to help someone with.
Possible Triggers in Campaign.
Child abuse and death,Torture and mutilation, Mind control, (Implied) incest, (Implied) necrophilia, Stalking and (symbolic) sexual assault, Suicide, Drug addiction, Body horror, & Racism/