House Rules

CAMPAIGN PRIMER: ADVENTURER, YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE AND WE SALUTE YOU!

The World of Ohr is a very different setting from what you're used to. This world is bleak and unrelenting and it undoubtedly doesn’t take much to end up dead. In fact, it’s painfully easy, specifically if you seek to construct characters you would ordinarily play in standard fantasy frameworks, where you’re a mighty hero who’s prepared to handle any challenge and smite evildoers by the dozens. In this game conflict is ever perilous. Know that many individuals will not pause to deceive you, take from you, or murder you, should they see fit. Use your head, be wary of what you say, and always look out for yourself, because no one else will. One final thought to keep in mind is that you are not supposed to beat every challenge you’re presented. There is no ridicule in running away if it means you live to fight another day. Optional conflicts are frequently the hardest, so don’t dive at the first chance to be viciously murdered.

If you choose to be a magic user you are going to have a much more difficult and possibly a less enjoyable experience versus playing a martial class or a class that uses magic sparingly. This is a warning that magic users in our games should want to focus on role-playing and figuring out exciting ways to use the characters in the world. Magic is ridiculed, mistrusted, and sometimes, outright dangerous. Some spells have been changed to have more lengthy casting times, more expensive components and reducing the utility that some spells offer. Player characters are not meant to practice high-level magics on a regular basis, or cast spells as their only means of combat.

This is your last chance. If you're expecting a caster to play in the same way they do in most other D&D 5th Edition games, you will be very disappointed. This setting is not for everyone and we aren't going to apologize for that. Plenty of games will allow you to live out your fantasy as an endlessly powerful arch mage. This is not one of them.

Adventurers are rare. Adventuring is not an occupation, rather it is a side effect of fulfilling a more pressing need - saving the town, completing a quest from a lord, or finding a lost princess. Ohr is a dangerous location and player's start off as a level one. Chances are you don't have the experience to claim that you have traveled too far from the village you were born in.

Magic is uncommon. Magic is well, magical. Cantrips are fairly common, but anything above that becomes rare very quickly. Magic is seen as a source of darkness and mystery in the world.

Magic items are very rare. There is no such thing as a "magic shop" in this setting. Sometimes it is possible to find someone who sells some potions, or other magic-like concoctions but even those are limited and somewhat rare.

Class levels are uncommon. There are NPCs with Class levels, but these are rather uncommon, and are usually the leaders of the world who have the experience to do so.

Levels 1-3 are fairly common. Lots of folks across the land can level up from training or defending their homes and cities from time to time.
Levels 4-6 are uncommon. Many leaders from the Captain of the Guard to Guild Leaders, or Temple Priests, as well as the local feudal lords are all in this category. Extremely skilled guardsman or soldiers. Trained warriors.
Levels 7-8 are rare. This consists of the greatest heroes, generals, high priests, and feudal leaders. The most elite soldiers, mercenaries and warriors.
Levels 9-10 are very rare. Only the most powerful kings and greatest heroes attain this level.
Levels 10+ are only known in legends.

UNIQUE MAGIC RULES & SYSTEMS:

PLEASE VISIT THIS LINK IF YOU INTEND ON PLAYING A CASTER CLASS: MAGIC IN THE WORLD OF OHR

THE WORLD & EPIC 10+

A town militia would consist of a bunch of peasants run by a 1st or 2nd level Fighter. City guards are generally 3rd level, with the most skilled or trained guardsman being level 4-5. A captain of the guard is usually 3rd to 5th level. Renowned heroes, a king's Champion, or feudal lords would be 8th level, some might be as high as 10th level but that would be fairly unique. The great and powerful wizard studying in his tower would be 8th to 10th level.

OOC Examples: Achilles, Aragon and Legolas, Conan, and Drizzt are examples of legendary characters that might be 10th level as they are powerful, competent, and heroic, but not invincible. None of this prevents players from reaching 20th level, it just becomes far more difficult once they reach 10th. Experience gains slow, epic quests must be completed, and characters will strive for legendary status.

WORLD SETTING & THEMES:

Individualism - Rebellion against the natural order of the world. If someone has to rule, why shouldn’t it be you? Characters are adventurers, heroes, larger than life. At least they think they are. They should want to throw out the rules of society to make an ideal life for themselves.
Grimness and Realism - A grim, realistic setting, but with fantastic elements like monsters, magic, and gods. Monsters, truly dangerous foes, should be limited in their uses. There should be a focus on the darkness of humanity. A man can be just as deadly and cruel as any monster.
Hate & Violence - This is the nature of the world. Violence is a way of life in many places of the world and one should often apply dark anthropomorphism when dealing with monsters and obstacles that impede the character’s lives. These enemies should be enemies who hate, but must be hated in return.
Helplessness & Hopelessness - When facing the cosmic horrors and star-demons that have flooded into the world, every victory is always only ever going to be a minor setback to the enemy. Victories are temporary, and they will almost always pay a price for it.
Unanswered Questions & Sanity’s fragility - The reality of the world bends at the will of the King. Those who try to understand it will often go insane.

Setting Inspirations

Books & RPG Settings: Conan the Barbarian, Lovecraft's Mythos, Greyhawk, Middle Earth, Princess of Mars, The Witcher, The Black Company, Primeval Thule.

Ohr is a low magic, sword and sorcery setting. The world is filled with terrible monsters, star-demons of Mythos origins, and other dangers. Oppressive Dwarves, and human nations war with one another despite the encroaching evils of the world. This is not a kind setting. Prepare to die.

GENERAL HOUSE RULES & FEATURE CHANGES:

Flee: Fleeing is a party action. On any PC’s turn, any player can propose that all the characters flee the fight. If all players agree, they successfully retreat, carrying any fallen heroes away with them. The party suffers a campaign loss. The point of this rule is to encourage daring attacks and to make retreating interesting on the level of story rather than tactics.

Critical Hits & Fumbles: On a roll of 20, you reference the critical hit chart found in Roll20. On a natural 1, you reference the critical fumble table found in Roll20. On a critical hit below 20 (if you have an ability that allows you to critical on a 19-20 or beyond that range), you deal maximum damage plus roll one additional damage die. (I.E. A greatsword that does 2D6 damage, would deal 12 damage (6x2) + your strength modifier + an extra D6.) It is impossible for more than 1 of these to happen on a single attack.

Ready Action: You cannot use the 'Ready Action' feature. Instead you choose to delay your turn. Instead of taking your turn on your initiative count, you simply act on a later initiative count, before or after other creatures as you choose.

Horror: The World of Ohr is a land regularly saturated with despair, misery, disorder and unfairness. Your characters will act as the few persisting lights in an otherwise blackened world. We will visit terrors the likes of which few can grasp upon you, alone your determination and perseverance will insure that your mind won’t crack under the stress. You must have a reliable sword hand and a strong mind to endure the perils of Ohrros. When you come across dreadful visions of gruesome gore, observe a familiar comrade fall on the front line, or much worse than that, watch a comrade perish you will be called for to perform a Horror Roll. DC 15 Wisdom Saving Throw. Your horror threshold is equal to 10+Wisdom Modifier, and if you arrive at that Threshold you turn into one of the ‘Lightless’.

Drinking Potions: Potions are small and can be quaffed as a Bonus Action. But administering a potion to another character is an action.

CLASS CHANGES:

Druid Class Changes
- Natural Form: To transform into a new wild shape form, you must be in your natural form.
- 0 Hit Points: If you are reduced to 0 hit points while wild-shaped, you gain one level of exhaustion.
- Multi-attack: You cannot use multi-attack in your new form unless you are a 5th-level druid (or higher).
- Attack Bonus: When in beast form, use your own proficiency bonus to determine your attack bonus.
Paladin Class Changes
- Divine Smite: You must spend a bonus action to activate your Divine Smite ability.
Ranger Class Changes
- Command: You can use your bonus action to verbally command your companion to act. If you fall unconscious, command the companion as if you were conscious.
- Hit Points: Your companion's hit points are equal to the hit point number of its stat block or six times your ranger level, whichever is higher.
Warlock Class Changes
- Eldritch Blast: You may apply only one Eldritch Invocation to your eldritch blast per attack roll. You may choose the invocation after you know the result of the roll.
- Repelling Blast: You can trigger Repelling Blast only once during your turn.
All Caster/Spell Based Classes
- Spell Points: All classes capable of casting spells now use spell points.

Heroic Moments & Horror PDF - Please make sure you download this file! This provides PDF provides information on the casting and horror rules for the World of Ohr, in addition you will use this guide to build your heroic moment.

world_of_ohr_-_horror___heroic_moments.pdf
File Size:	6454 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

BOSS BATTLES - DANGERS OF OHR
“Boss Monsters” represent the pinnacle of challenge in the World of Ohr. They are the truly dangerous foes that rule over dungeons, masters of armies, or dread knights who have risen from the dead to cause chaos and march armies of undead across kingdoms. Boss monsters have special rules when facing off against these monstrous foes.

Staggered: When you are reduced to half your maximum hit points or fewer, you become staggered. Once you become staggered you can only use basic attack actions and movement actions for 1D4 rounds. (PCs can only become staggered once per battle.)

Escalation: The escalation die represents a bonus to attacks as the fight goes on. At the start of the second round of combat, the escalation die goes up to 1. Each PC and Boss NPC (Optional) gains a bonus to their attack roll equal to the Escalation Die. Boss monsters can also gain varying effects and new abilities based on the escalation die or augment the escalation die in different ways. The Escalation die is a D6.

Rally: Rally is a party action. On any PC’s turn, the party must unanimously agree to Rally. Rally can be used ONCE per battle. When Rally is used every PC who has unspent Hit Die available can spend up to a maximum of THREE (3) Hit Die to regain lost hit points. Players who are unconscious can expend hit die to regain lost hit points as well to rejoin the battle with renewed vigor. Players who are already at maximum health can spend Hit Die to gain temporary hit points. Spending one Hit Die provides a bonus of 5 Temporary Hit Points. Spending two Hit Die provides a bonus of 8 Temporary Hit Points. Spending three Hit Die provides a bonus of 10 Temporary Hit Points. Once the Escalation Die reaches 6, Rally can no longer be used.

Lingering Wounds: When you fall to 0 hit points, you gain a lingering wound. Each lingering wound reduces your maximum HP by an amount equal to 2+your current level. Lasting wounds are cumulative and if at anytime your maximum HP is reduced to zero, you instantaneously die. Lingering wounds are removed at the end of the encounter.

LEVELING IN OHR - PERCENTAGE EXPERIENCE | 0-100%
Leveling in the World of Ohr game is a little different in comparison to what you're probably familiar with from most other 5E games you've played in before. We use a percentage based experience system. What does this mean? That means that each level is represented by a percentage bar, or simply "100%". As you explore the world, complete skill tests, fight monsters, or even bring back special treasures to civilization you are granted experience in the form of a percentage. Once you reach 100% you increase in level. At that point your experience resets to 0% and you must earn enough experience to reach the next level.
*NOTE - Players must complete skill tests with DCs already set at that number. IE: If a test's DC is 22 and the player rolls a 16 and has a +4 modifier that is 20. Not a 22. They get no experience.

Survive and complete a standard combat encounter - 5%
Survive and complete a BOSS FIGHT combat encounter - 10%
Successfully pass a skill test with a DC* of at least 16 - 2% (Only the player who completes the skill test obtains the experience.)
Successfully pass a skill test with a DC* of at least 18 - 5% (Only the player who completes the skill test obtains the experience.)
Successfully pass a skill test with a DC* of at least 20 - 8% (Only the player who completes the skill test obtains the experience.)
Successfully pass a skill test with a DC* of at least 22 - 10% (Only the player who completes the skill test obtains the experience.)
Complete a Minor Task or Quest given to you by an NPC - 5%
Complete a Major Task or Quest given to you by an NPC - 15%
Clear a Dungeon & Defeat the Dungeon Boss - 25%
Bring back a unique treasure worth at least 250 Golm - 5%
Bring back a unique treasure worth at least 500 Golm - 10%
Bring back a unique treasure worth at least 1000 Golm - 15%
Bring back a unique treasure worth at least 5 Silver - 20%
Bring back a unique treasure worth at least 1 Gold - 25%
Complete a Bounty or World Event - 10%

EXAMPLE: The Crusader Ludwitz has been adventuring for some time, currently he's at 40% experience. He's gotten into a few fights and believes that he's ready for the challenges awaiting him in a dungeon near the town he's staying in. He heads off into the dungeon unaware of just how horribly dangerous it is and finds himself in a battle with skeletons. Ne narrowly avoids being murdered and manages to defeat the undead. It was a standard combat, so he nets 10% experience. He is now at 50% of a level.

Experience:

30%