Homebrew Rules

But I've not finished my beautiful story arch Nathan

So you rolled that Nat 1 on your skill check and find yourself at the bottom of the gorge bleeding out, while your vision blurs you watch as your party members frantically belay their way down the mountain you so swiftly just fell from.
You watch as they frantically huddle around you and the cleric begrudgingly takes off the engagement ring from their 3rd failed courtship just to attempt to bring your silly soul back to the world of the living.
This is not as easy as willing the soul back to the body from which it has recently expired, if the required resurrection has a casting time longer than 1 action then the party must come together in an bond of true friendship and the resurrection ritual begins.

Mechanics
Up to 3 members of the adventuring party can offer to contribute to the ritual via a Contribution Skill Check. The DM asks them each to make a skill check based on their form of contribution, with the DC of the check adjusting to how helpful/impactful the DM feels the contribution would be.
After all contributions are completed, the DM then rolls a single, final Resurrection success check with no modifier. The base DC for the final resurrection check is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone (signifying the slow erosion of the soul’s connection to this world). For each successful contribution skill check, this DC is decreased by 3, whereas each failed contribution skill check increases the DC by 1.
Thank you golden DM Matt Mercer for this beautiful rule.

 

Potions, potions everywhere but a bonus action I must take to drink

We love the D...4+4+ how great is healing, I mean seriously you can drop one of these mini elixirs of life and BAM you're back in the match, or as an action you can have your epic moment, where you gaze lovingly into the eyes of your downed PC or favourite NPC for that matter, as you pop the cork and tip back the bottle of "I'll remind you of this for the next 4 sessions" straight into their ever grateful gullet.

Mechanics
To drink a potion of your own takes a Bonus Action
To administer a potion to a willing creature takes an Action

 

Welcome to the Jungle, we've got sweat and flames

Overland travel can be the spark that sets the fire to that tavern you got drunk in two nights ago and you've had no choice but to flee. Sorry loveable NPC Barkeep...
Whether you're scaling the peaks of a frost covered tundra or drudging through the blistering heat of the desert. Biomes come with their own bountiful supply of problems and perils for adventurers.
If you're the hearty, hot headed dwarf that drinks their sorrows away while hiding their soft interior behind the latest dwarven forged full plate exterior. You best believe that trip across the sandy dunes will bring a sweaty stench and a constitution saving throw to remain stoic while your undercarriage begins to take shape as a grotto.
While your lithe sorcerer, skips across the desert dunes not a care in the world, their olive sun elf complexion almost welcoming the heat. Ahhh but how the tides of temperature turn as you scale that howling wastes and the skipping sun elf turns to a chattering mess as the winds of reality whip against their bare arms and scantly clad body.

Mechanics
While travelling across the different biomes of the world, if the weather turns from mild to menacing the DM may require any ill equip party member to make a saving throw or suffer a point of exhaustion.

 

These Snozberries, taste like wait... why is my tongue swelling

You laughed, you drank and you swindled the last of your silver pieces on that rigged game of liars dice in the broken tap tavern. Who needs rations anyway, the ranger stocked goodberries right... Right? Oh dear...
So you're out on the road and you're running low on resources, well it's high time you started searching for something to eat or as the brave adventurer Sir Winston the Pooh once said "I have a grumbly, rumbly in my tumbly"

Mechanics
If you do not have the required rations for the days travel you will need to make a survival or nature check with a varying DC to undertake an hours worth of foraging and hunting to gather enough food for the party to prevent hunger from setting in.
Failing this challenge may mean the party suffer a point of exhaustion, food poisoning or worse...

 

It's about time you shared your backstory... No seriously it's been 31 sessions and all we know is you woke up next to a tree

A player or the DM at the drawing of a day can call upon the following nightly rituals to aid in the party forming closer bonds. These bonds must be played out in character and you cannot cheat the experience by saying lines such as "My Character then explains X". These are designed to be fun role play challenges and don't need to be taken as your audition for Cats the Broadway musical, but hey if you want to take it as such, knock yourself out.

Mechanics?
The campfire creation - two characters go off to scavenge for wood and basic ingredients to get the fire started. Characters roll play journey of finding different materials and take the time to ask questions of each other and have open dialogue about the current and past events of the campaign and their life.
Once the fire is set and the evenings meal is prepared you may wish to play a game of tales by the campfire.
Taking it in turns you may pull a card from a standard deck and tell a story of your character based on the card you drew.
Hearts - a tale of love
Diamonds - a tale of wealth or gain
Clubs - a tale of pain
Spades - a tale of loss
Another option for a quiet moment of role play would be during a nights watch. After all you've got a few hours to kill before dawn and you naturally wouldn't sit there in silence stoically shooting daggers at the cows in the nearby fields would you? Try to open a conversation with your watch buddy and see where the discussion takes you.

 

I kick open the door, what's that string attached to....

The chance to alter your fate or seal it depends on your split second decision, the click of a trap sounds and you have a moment to decide what to do, before I start rolling dice and you complain about how many plastic polyhedral punishers clatter behind the DM screen.

Mechanics
You can elect to do nothing at all or you can tempt fate by calling a reaction to the trap triggering - common options include fall prone, jump, raise a shield, use a reactionary spell or get creative. Your actions may raise or lower the DC of the challenge.

 

I chug and I chug but what's in the jug? Is it coagulated blood!?

On your travels you will happen upon many a mysterious herb, fronded friend and prickled pear. But what can I do with them, I hear you cry as your arms begin to welt from the noxious vines you used as a blanket the night before. Well in the enhanced poisoners and potions kit you can make many a toxic tincture or tranquil tonic.

Mechanics
The potions you brew may cause adverse effects, or potentially uplifting ones - there will be a secret section to the potions you brew and when imbibed you may reveal it by rolling on a table to see what additional effects it may have from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Healer's Kit & Poisoners Kit - house a maximum of 5 vials each - which may be used to brew potions and poisons.
You can undergo advanced studies in healers and poisoners arts to become an alchemist
An Alchemists supplies can house up to 12 vials of either poison or potions
During travel as a poison or potion maker you can spend up to one hour out in nature searching for ingredients the DC of the check is determined by the DM dependant on the terrain you're in and the availability of potential ingredients.

Woah man that's some heavy heavy you're dropping on us

Okay weight, it's a touchy subject but if left unchecked can lead to many health problems, like irregular heart beat, diabetes and oh... wait I meant weight and encumbrances sorry wrong script. Okay almost equally important is the amount of stuff your character can carry, those goblins that had 12 short swords, 3 long bows and a partridge in a pear tree? Yeah you're not taking all of that back to town unless you have a horse and cart. Parking the weight of the oodles of coins you hold a side you will need to track and manage your inventory not to get over encumbered

Mechanics
When you're over encumbered your speed is halved and your attacks are made with disadvantage.
Coins have a maximum weight limit of 3lb (regardless of the amount of copper you pilfer from the peasants.
You will require to don and doff your armour before you rest and the mechanical time restraints for this apply.

 

There is a fly in my soup... Well I'd actually call it a swim

So you're going down the dreaded path of the party provider, you dare to face the toughest of critics?! Well among the ancient grimoires of the past there lies the fabled "Womans day cake book Vol XII".

Mechanics
Ingredients can be scavenged, purchased or magically produced, but the skill required with the chefs tools are necessary to create culinary excellence. Once you have spent a reasonable amount of time determined by the DM you may gain proficiency with your chefs tools. The DC of creating a meal may vary depending on the difficulty of the dish, but as you gain experience in cooking you will be able to add your proficiency modifier + your Wisdom Modifier to your rolls. This path also accounts for those wishing to become a brewer.

Whose a good boy, whose the bestest best boy in the world!?

Pets! You love em and they're here to stay. Pets are boons for those attentive heroes that spend time lovingly tending to their furry, scaly, feathery okay the list goes on friends that act as their emotional support animals they can dear diary to when you learn speak with animals.

Mechanics
A pet is invulnerable from damage, yes you can scorch under the intense rays of a 7th level fireball but Scaly-McPuffins your pseudo-dragon will be a okay.
Each pet has a set of stages within it's relationship.
Phase 1 - begrudging - will be around you but may not want to, may leave if mistreated slightly, will actively not listen to your commands
Phase 2 - friendly - will actively stay around you and want your guide and attention, may or may not listen to your commands DC 17 animal handling check - mistreatment will drop to begrudging
Phase 3 - loyal - will actively follow you and listen to your commands
Phase 4 - Guardian - Will not leave your side and will actively follow you, unlocking their hidden assistant ability. Will take substantial mistreatment but if mistreated for an extended period of time will trigger a broken heart and they will immediately leave and may even turn on their owner.

 

Say it ain't so, I will not go, turn the lights off... Who was Esmeralda again?

Sessions are fun and so is note taking! You'll have a brief recap from me at the start of each session, but you're also able to Umm actually me at the end of the recap to put any points of flavour you wish to voice from the session previous.