Learning rules is half the battle of investing time into Dungeons & Dragons. Most of the rules can be found in the Player's Handbook, but the system has been expanded on by sourcebooks like Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, building up to a deluge of information to memorize before a campaign can begin. However, players and Dungeon Masters alike have come together to modify certain D&D rules to better optimize gameplay and to repair rules, spells, and requirements that seem unfair or broken.

House rules can replace canon requirements or add onto Dungeons & Dragons rules that already exist in order to better accommodate a specific campaign or party member. While some of these rules are made from party to party for specific needs, others have been shared online so DMs can integrate them into many different campaigns. The involvement of the D&D community in the creation of house rules is part of what makes playing the tabletop game so exciting, as it shows the flexibility of the base content and how it can be shaped by player creativity.

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Each Dungeons & Dragons campaign has specific challenges and may require different modifications compared to others. Searching forums for modifications can help improve or repair issues with canonical rules that would otherwise impair gameplay. While the use of house rules is at the discretion of the Dungeon Master and the party, sometimes integrating these changes can be just what a Dungeons & Dragons campaign needs to be enjoyable for the party and the adventure they are currently tackling.

Dungeons & Dragons' Best House Rules For Any Campaign

Ability Checks Can Critically Fail Or Naturally Succeed

Rolling ability checks is an important part of Dungeons & Dragons. Whether the player is rolling Strength or Acrobatics to scale a wall or rolling Perception to look around a room for interesting objects, a large part of gameplay is spent rolling to see if a character can actually do what they are hoping to accomplish. D&D does not officially include rules for critical failures (a roll of 1) or natural successes (a roll of 20) on ability checks, so players on the D&D Beyond forums have shared a popular workaround: Rolling a 1 results in being unable to complete the desired action and includes a negative consequence. If a player rolls a 1 while looking for an item in a room, they might be spotted by an unfriendly party. Rolling a natural 20 is rolled results in a success with a bonus. If a player is trying to pick someone's pocket for some coin, they could end up with an unexpected additional prize, like a rare item or a handy map.

Death Rolls Are Done Privately

Suspense is part of the fun during a tense or perilous Dungeons & Dragons encounter. To create more tension during a potentially fatal fight, players can adopt a house rule requiring Death Rolls to be done in secret. This could be achieved via a private chat or by rolling behind the DM screen, if playing in person. Only the unconscious player and the Dungeon Master can know how many rolls have been failed or succeeded. Meanwhile, the other party members must continue the battle, hoping their companion is able to pull through to see another fight.

Potions Use A Bonus Action

Dungeons & Dragons' fifth-edition rules state using a potion takes the player's entire action for the turn, which can feel like a waste during combat. To get around this, a house rule can be implemented that makes the use of potions a bonus action, instead. This saves precious attack time and helps prevent the endless loop that can arise from healing, only to be hit again when the enemy attacks. This house rule also incentivizes the team to purchase healing items and not to rely on healing spells.

Related: RPG Dice-Rolling Paradigms (& Their Pros And Cons)

Spells Don't Use Components 

Playing a Wizard can be a punishing experience in Dungeons & Dragons. It takes a while to learn spells that pack a punch, and the character is limited to a certain number of Spell Slots between Long Rests. Spells must also be prepared in advance to be used during the adventure and in combat. On top of all that, Wizards must have certain Spell Components available for spell preparations. These items can be found, purchased, or stolen, but when they run out, the spells requiring them can no longer be used. To make playing a Wizard less of a hassle, some campaigns implement a house rule omitting spell components. An example of this rule in action can be seen in The Adventure Zone: Balanc D&D podcast, where the Wizard Taako only needs to worry about Spell Slots and spell preparation to be useful to the party.

Artemis Entreri Dungeons & Dragons Cover

Roleplay Time Is Required

To help build party connections, Reddit user Vtolz created a house rule that requires players to spend at least one minute engaging in character conversation when traveling between locations. This rule can also be used to replace needless combat encounters for DMs running a more roleplay-centered campaign, and it could even be requested by players who'd like their characters to have more time getting to know the party. This rule could be modified to require one minute of character roleplay before Long Rests, as well, whether that rest be around a campfire, in a tavern, or shoved inside a crowded inn room.

Players Begin At Modified Starting Levels

Launching a Dungeons & Dragons campaign can be a grind when players begin at level 1. Most classes have few options for combat, and low modifiers can create frustrating challenges when trying to gain important information, which could cause new players to quickly lose interest in playing D&D. To help avoid these issues, some Dungeon Masters use a house rule to always start players between levels 3 and 5. This rule ensures players have a few tricks up their sleeves when getting started and allows them access to the more interesting perks of the class they chose to play. It can also create better early combat that is more enjoyable for the party and more interesting for the Dungeon Master, helping to ensure players become invested and stay interested in their Dungeons & Dragons characters and campaign.

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Source: D&D Beyond, Voltz/Reddit