TSAT1

Chapter 1-7 Chapter 1-7 House Rule Options / Character Buffs

Usually in Dungeons & Dragons, a group Usually in Dungeons & Dragons, a group ofof players bands together to face the players bands together to face the challenges challenges that the DM throws at them. In solo D&D,

however, there is sometimes only a single PC to face these perils. to face these perils. The combat encounter The combat encounter tables given in TSAT1 & 2 take this into account and follow the small party account and follow the small party encounter encounter rules given in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Sometimes, however, even this is Sometimes, however, even this is not enough not enough and since our characters don’t always have allies to fall back on, it can be useful to allies to fall back on, it can be useful to give give them a buff or two to make t them a buff or two to make t hem not so hem not so

squishy. Have a look at the options below and

choose 1 or 2 ( choose 1 or 2 (maximum) that you think would maximum) that you think wouldsuit your character.

Max Hit points Max Hit points

One option that I introduced with my solo adventure Death Knight’s Squire (although I probably wasn’t the first to do it) was probably wasn’t the first to do it) was the rule the rule of granting your PCs maximum hit points. of granting your PCs maximum hit points. This This means that, for every level of your PC, you t means that, for every level of your PC, you t ake ake the maximum possible hit points as well as your Constitution modifier. It’s an easy to remember buff and makes your character significantly less squishy. For example, a Level 3 barbarian with a

Constitution of 16 (+3) would have 45 hp. 3 x 12 (a barbarian’s hit die is a d12) = 36. 3 (Con mod) x 3 = 9. 36+9=45 hp.

Healing Surges & Healing Surges & Potions

A healing surge (see Dungeon Master’s Guide ,, p.266) is an optional rule that allows you to p.266) is an optional rule that allows you to use use an action, at any time (including in combat) to roll up to half your hit dice roll up to half your hit dice and regain hit and regain hit points to that points to that value, (including your value, (including your Constitution modifier per hit die Constitution modifier per hit die rolled). rolled). From Dungeon Master’s Guide (p.267):

Under this optional rule, a character regains all spent Hit Dice at the end of a long rest. With a short rest, a character regains Hit Dice equal to his or herlevel divided by four (minimum of one die). For a more super heroic feel, you can let a character use a healing surge as a bonus action, rather than as an action.

Another similar option in this regard would be to allow the drinking of healing potions as a bonus action. This would be another way of replenishing hit points during replenishing hit points during combat. combat.

Bennies Bennies

The Savage Worlds RPG, which many solo

RPG-ists enjoy, has a RPG-ists enjoy, has a system called bennies system called bennies which some players have said they transfer to D&D. It seems to me that a sound D&D. It seems to me that a sound approach approach would be to award yourself 1d4 bennies per major quest. These can be used in much the same way as inspiration, but must be discarded at the end of the quest. Combining a house rule this powerful with something like the Max Hit points rule given above might be a bit gamebreaking, but some people like an easy game and are more interested in the story. In the case of bennies, perhaps a of bennies, perhaps a roleplay-invested player roleplay-invested player might use one to reroll a Charisma (Performance) check to have their bard pull off

a fantastic performance to an adoring crowd. A paladin might use a benny to reroll a lay on hands roll that turned out a bit low.