WotC has stolen my imagination, and my money. I will be running a bastardized hexcrawl lore-smeared version of Rime of the Frostmaiden soon, starting off with my version of the Koden Crypt. I'll be sure to have campaign reports up when it happens, as well as some glimpses into my campaign prep and how I reworked the lore to fit my odd vision. Below is the home rules doc I'm giving my PCs. Tell me what you think! Would you use any of these in your own games? Would you tweak any of these? What do you think of Rime of the Frostmaiden, and how would you run it?
CAMPAIGN PREMISE
A small, huddled camp of grim-faced expeditioneers turn their frostbitten heads farther north. The icy expanse of the Karzan Empire, a declining dwarvish hold in the bitterly frigid north, meets their gaze with the intensity of nature’s fury. Somewhere out there is the Temple you must pay pilgrimage to. Will you brave the cold, and the things that lurk behind the ice?
When making your character, please answer the following question. “Why am I making this pilgrimage? What do I seek at the Temple?” If that’s too broad for your tastes, try “What did the winter take from me, or what am I afraid it will take?” Please ask me if you have any other questions about the world, but I’m more than happy to work with you to make something new.
STAT GENERATION
4d6 drop the lowest IN ORDER (STR, then DEX, then CON...). Then you can switch two, if you so desire. If your total bonus is less than +1, reroll.
CHARACTER OPTIONS
You can use any published ancestry or subclass option. You can use any class, save Artificer- I don’t like how it works in 5e, so if you want to make an Artificer, talk to me and we can work something out.
In addition, you can bring homebrew classes and subclasses to me, though don’t expect me to automatically say yes. No homebrew ancestries, please. In addition, you can take the Warrior class from DCC (a simplified, more flexible fighter) if you would like.
If you ever find yourself making decisions from a mechanical standpoint and not a character standpoint (i.e. maximizing damage output/AC), please step back and reconsider. I have random tables handy if you want to escape the min-maxing mindset, or if you need a burst of inspiration.
EQUIPMENT
Silver standard. Silver essentially replaces gold in this world. Any starting gold you get, you instead have the equivalent in silver, and prices are knocked down a coin type. One silver shilling is enough to buy one torch or two mugs of cheap ale. Also, electrum isn't a thing.
If you roll a 1 while using equipment, it breaks and becomes unusable. If you’re using a magic item, it instead breaks on a 1 on a d6.
Each character has a number of inventory slots equal to their STR score. If you carry more than that, you’re encumbered. Large things, like heavy weapons and massive objects, can occupy multiple slots.
Count torches. Don’t count ammo or rations. You can expend a HEX of supply to have a day’s worth of rations (if necessary) or a torch, perhaps more useful items with more HEXES of expense. The party starts with Haggard supplies. A bundle of supplies takes up 1 slot.
SPELLCASTING
This rule replaces the entire current spell system. No more spell lists, no more slots, no more preparing, instead increased flexibility and choice at the cost of more chaos.
You know a number of Spells equal to your casting stat, minimum of your PB (no minimum for half or third casters). Make up your own Spells! A Spell is a catchy name and a sentence description of what it does. When you want to cast one of your Spells, roll Arcana, Religion, or Nature, as appropriate to the Spell. If you succeed, the Spell happens. If you fail, it doesn’t. If you roll a 1, Spell Chaos is unleashed. Every Spell you attempt to cast in a day means a -1 to the d20 roll of the next attempt (thus increasing the chance of a fumble).
THE BITTER COLD
You have disadvantage on Death Saves if you’re outside and not camped out. In addition, if you don’t have a source of heat, you can’t take a rest.
ROOM DC
There will always be a room DC. Each city has one, the wilderness has one, each room in a dungeon has one. Every roll you make will be against that DC. A roll might also be EASY or HARD: an EASY roll subtracts 3 from the room DC, and a HARD roll adds 3.
EXPLORATION RULES
The map is divided into 6-mile chunks called HEXES. In a standard day of exploration, you can take 2 actions. Going into a new HEX takes an action, and investigating the HEX you’re in is an action. You can take more actions than this, but for every additional action, roll CON or take a level of exhaustion. Prices are listed for 15 HEXES worth of supplies.
STORM EFFECTS (d4): Knock supply down, only take 1 action, CON vs. exhaustion, get lost
WILDERNESS PROCEDURE (Break procedure when necessary)
1 Roll for weather
2 Decide first action
3 Resolve first action
4 Decide second action
5 Resolve second action
6 If more actions, roll CON vs. exhaustion
7 Camp for the night: expend supplies
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