Welcome to the Dungeon, a boundless tapestry shaped by the imaginations of adventurers, where twisting corridors of magic connect infinite, ever-changing worlds. While realms like Midgard and Hades exist, the heart of the Dungeon lies in its homebrew creations, worlds born from personal vision and crafted by brave storytellers. Each unique realm reflects its creator’s touch, and within this vast web of personal narratives, it’s the heroes who bring these worlds to life, weaving their stories into the very essence of the story.
Hello! My name is Jeferson ‘Shin’ Leite Borges, but you may know me by other… colorful nicknames ranging from “That stupid Bitch” to “A beloved GM”, depending on the state of our gaming campaign. As a multi-talented individual with experience in design, engineering, coding, and of course, gaming, I’ve always been passionate about creating new things. Ended with a whole lot of house rules that have accumulated over time, so I decided to compile them into one book to guide and share it on my page for easy reference.
That’s me in a nutshell – or rather, a rulebook! I hope you’ll find this collection of game-changes and homebrew creations useful and enjoyable.
A keen eye would notice that this book draws from a multitude of influences, drawing heavily from Wizards of the Coast’s 5e D&D, as well as Tales of the Valiant from Kobold Press.
However, its inspirations don’t stop there - it also pays homage to the classic AD&D and incorporates elements from the 3.5 edition in significant ways. In essence, none of these ideas are entirely original, but rather a carefully choosen to compile these concepts that I’ve organized for my own enjoyment and the benefit of my fellow players.
ADnD refers to this book, but it could also mean Alcoholic Dwarves and Drinks, Another Dragons and Dungeons, or Anti-Delving and Dorks. The letters themselves carry no specific information, they mean what you want them to mean. Ultimately, this is a personal book, with rules that I’ve created to keep myself and the groups I play with interested in the game. They are, at some level, a love letter to the tabletop RPG and Gary Gygax, as well as all the loving people I’ve had the pleasure of gaming with over the past 30+ years.
Hitpoins changed: Instead of die + constitution modifier, it’s constitution score + die per level.
Specieis, Culture and Background: Instead of background and races with sub races, each race (spiece in this book) can have varied cultures.
Skill Points: No flat value for proficiency, instead each level gives a skill point.
Talents: A single feat (now called Talents), on the first level, also talents always provide a +1 on a ability.
Mana Points: No spell slots, use mana points for any spell casting.
No Cantrips: There is no cantrips, most of the cantrips become part of the class features.
Magic Sources: Instead of each class have it’s own list, it’s sources, each source fits a specific type of magic (Arcane, Divine, Nature and Wyrd).
Rest Doens’t Recover HP: Instead of recoverying HP from rest, it recovers all hit dice and needs to roll to recover.
Playing Rules: Rules for traveling the world, resting, recovery.
Attack Options: Attacks can be more than just attacks. See the special attack options.
As the mastermind behind the game, the Game Master crafts the fundamental structure and narrative arc. They paint a vivid picture of the world, weaving in challenges and obstacles for the player characters to conquer, as well as fleshing out non-playable entities that engage with the players’ progress.
In doing so, the GM may either devise an entirely original setting and storyline from scratch (or not), to create a rich tapestry of events for the players to experience each time they take on the game.
As an actor in the game, your goal is to bring your PC to life. Try to see the world from their perspective and respond naturally to the challenges and opportunities presented by the GM. When communicating with the GM or other player’s characters, your words should be their words, conveying their thoughts and intentions.
This comprehensive guidebook is your one-stop source for navigating the world of ADnD tabletop gaming. It equips you with essential knowledge on crafting player characters, overcoming obstacles, and immersing yourself in fantastical realms. Divided into sections tailored to both Game Masters and players, this book offers a unified framework for collaborative gameplay. As a GM, it’s your responsibility to become well-versed in the rules, character classes, and spell, providing valuable guidance and support for your players as their trusted referee and rules authority.
In ADnD, the focus is on crafting a compelling narrative through collaborative storytelling rather than competition. The Game Master sets the stage with a basic story and rules, then invites the players to interact with these elements by making choices that shape the tale.
As the game unfolds, the GM responds to the players’ decisions by introducing new plot twists, characters, and settings. This process continues in a dynamic, back-and-forth manner, with the players influencing the direction of the story and the GM adapting to their actions.
To illustrate this approach, consider a scenario where the GM establishes a fantasy tavern as the starting point. The players are then asked to describe their characters’ actions within this setting. The GM responds by providing details about the environment, other patrons, and any pertinent information.
As an example, a player might decide that their character engages with the innkeeper, who offers a reward for eliminating a mysterious creature lurking in the basement. In response, the GM describes the new scene, including the details of the basement and the monster within it. Alternatively, the players might choose to socialize among themselves over ale, engaging in role-playing until they decide to take action or the GM introduces an external element, such as a commotion outside, to disrupt their conversation. These scenarios demonstrate the iterative, collaborative process that underlies a roleplaying game like Tales of the Valiant.
Most gameplay unfolds through conversation and collective imagination, but when outcomes become unclear, the game employs chance to resolve conflicts and high-risk actions.
This system utilizes a variety of polyhedral dice: four-sided cubes (d4), six-sided cubes (d6), eight-sided cubes (d8), ten-sided cubes (d10), twelve-sided dice (d12), and twenty-sided dice (d20). Ideally, each player should have a set of dice that includes at least one of each type. Or at least each player should have a D20 die, since this is the most used die in the whole collection. Dice serve as a representation of uncertainty. A single die roll is typically combined with a creature’s abilities, blending chance and skill.
In many situations, you’ll only need to roll one die. Occasionally, you may encounter an instruction like “roll 2d4 + 2.” In that case, roll two four-sided dice, add their values together, and then add 2 more to obtain your final result.
On rare occasions, you might need to roll what’s known as “percentile dice.” To do so, take two ten-sided dice (d10). Designate one die to represent the tens digit and the other to represent the ones digit. Then, roll both dice simultaneously. For instance, if you roll a 5 on the tens-digit die and a 2 on the ones-digit die, your rolled number would be 52. If you roll zero (0) on both dice, read it as 100.
The core of most mechanical challenges in the game revolves around a straightforward sequence:
If you succeed in reaching or exceeding this threshold, you’re successful! If not, unfortunately, failure is the outcome.
For more information you can look at how to make a check or the expanded rules for checks.
In addition to this guide and a set of dice, each player requires a printed or digital character sheet. This is all that’s needed to get started. Optional items like maps, miniatures, tokens, or digital note-taking tools can enhance gameplay, but they’re not required for the basics.
Before diving into the world of role-playing games (RPGs), it’s essential to establish safety tools that ensure all players feel comfortable and safe, even when their characters don’t. These tools are crucial for creating a fun and inclusive experience for everyone involved.
The first step in setting up safety tools is to have an open discussion among players about what they’re not comfortable with in the game. This conversation should take place before gameplay starts, and the Game Master can facilitate this discussion. It’s essential to create a safe space where players feel free to share their concerns without fear of judgment.
“I never saw you doing this, Shin!”
Yeah, I know. I never did it openly, but I very often did this before, in the middle, or after the session with a question: “Is this okay with you?”
Sometimes when I saw some gesture that seemed strange, I would openly ask: “Are you okay talking about this topic?”
Most commonly, I would reduce the amount of time spent on the topic to reduce friction with the specific person. In other cases, I use this approach to create an even more profound scene, touching on the topic only when needed to maximize its impact.
Life isn’t just about the stuff that pleases you, but also the stuff that you need to face. RPG games offer (mostly) safe environments where you can see how you would face these challenges and prepare yourself for them.
As you begin your gaming session or when the group of player is formed, it’s crucial to have an open conversation about “boundaries” - what topics are strictly off-limits in-game? These might be specific subjects, such as arachnids or medical conditions, or broader themes like physical aggression or mental well-being. Additionally, consider discussing what players are comfortable with mentioning outside of the game, but don’t want to see dramatized within it - we’ll call these “maybe-goes”. This discussion should take into account the diverse perspectives and experiences within your group.
For instance, a group comprised of veterans might be sensitive to depictions of firearms or military themes, while a family with young children may prefer limited levels of on-screen violence. As a GM, use your discretion and communicate openly with your players to determine what elements are acceptable for inclusion in the game.
Remember, if you’re interested in exploring certain themes despite potential discomfort among your fellow players, express your enthusiasm and be open to compromise. By respecting each other’s boundaries, the same way that you respect your friends in the table, they also respect you to keep the topics inside the boundaries agreed.
Once players have established their “boundaries” and “maybe-goes”, it’s time to create a plan for what happens when these boundaries are approached or crossed. This agreement should be clear and communicated among all players, ensuring everyone knows how to indicate concerns or stop gameplay if necessary. Options might include using verbal cues, color-coded cards, or silent hand signals, but have some level of agreement if the topic could hurt or harm the players envolved.
Establishing safety tools is an ongoing process that requires continuous communication and collaboration among all players. If someone crosses a line or veil, the game should be stopped for a minute to check in with the group and see what they need. This might involve talking about the incident, fading to black and moving on, or even ending the session.
By setting up safety tools and maintaining open communication, RPGs can become a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Remember, looking out for each other is essential, and taking these discussions seriously will help ensure that all players have a good time.
This was a very big introduction, and I don’t want to read it!
No problem. This is the most important message to keep in your mind throughout the whole book: