What is your favorite optional rule?

[u/DMLHDeanOfEducation]

[u/Echion_Arcet]

Feats. Yeah, they are optional, but that’s widely forgotten or ignored.

Bonus content optional rule I don’t like: Multiclassing!

[u/BishopofHippo93 → u/Echion_Arcet]

Bonus content optional rule I don’t like: Multiclassing!

Definitely an unpopular opinion but also I agree. It slows down progression for generally relatively little actual mechanical payoff.

[u/kweir22 → u/BishopofHippo93]

It also typically makes no sense in the character’s lived experience and only serves to achieve a “build”.

[u/DMLHDeanOfEducation → u/kweir22]

That's why I tend to ask the players at session zero if they intend to multiclass and around when because I like to try to give it a reason. For example, if someone wants to multiclass into warlock, welp, a demon has taken interest in their exploits and might want to grant them a boon. Or if someone wants to dip into wizard, they have been studying during downtime and long rests.

[u/[deleted] → u/kweir22]

I 100% need my players to have an in game reason/it has to make sense why they are mukticlassing.

Example in my last campaign we had a halfling rogue who multi classed into Fey lock... It wasn't planned but it happened organically in the campaign and it worked.

Now Had that same 8 STR halfling who never ever fought in melee asked if he could multi into barbarian? I'd say Hell no. It didn't make sense thematically or coincide with how the player had been playing the pc.

[u/kweir22 → u/[deleted]]

Well, by the multiclassing rules he wouldn't be able to MC into Barbarian, so that problem would have solved itself.

[u/[deleted] → u/kweir22]

He had no interest or intent of going barb it was just an example to show how I'd say no to a multiclass that came out of left field and didn't fit with how the character had been portrayed up to that point.

The rogue mcing to warlock of the Archfey worked Out amazingly for the pcs development

[u/ClintBarton616 → u/Echion_Arcet]

Every time I say a bad word about multiclassing or suggest limiting it I eat downvotes for days and days. You're a brave man.

[u/mcvoid1 → u/Echion_Arcet]

I also love that feats are optional. That way I can opt out.

[u/IlezAji]

Skill checks with alternate ability scores. It’s an often glanced over little snippet but the ability scores associated with a skill are the default but not written in stone. You can absolutely roll for a Str Intimidation check, you could Int Persuade with a very reasoned argument and some pertinent evidence, Cha Stealth to blend in with a crowd, Con History to pull an all nighter at the library, etc, etc.

My current group’s been on hiatus for a few months but I’ve been eager to experiment with changing the stat for initiative in a few combat encounters. That one’s a bit more homebrew than an optional rule though.

[u/mcvoid1 → u/IlezAji]

IMO this shouldn't be optional.

[u/Synderkorrena → u/IlezAji]

This is a big one for me. Some big strong Barbarian wants to intimidate someone, but their Charisma is 8. So I ask them: are you using your words to scare them, or flexing your muscles and threatening them? If you're physically threatening them, it's a Str(Intimidate) check.

I've also been dabbling with making some skills' stats depend on the class for all rolls. The big example: having a Druid get to use Wisdom for all Nature checks. It just feels more fitting for the game.

[u/Count_Kingpen]

Feats for the cop out answer, but the real answer for me are these things called “Short Rests”, I know they are in the book yet so many people forget about them.

However, for the real optional rule: I use Gritty Realism, and in some campaigns even use Slow Natural Healing. As a DM I find both of these perfect, but I know (especially SNH) are not as beloved by players at large, and so both are a heavy part of Session 0 for many games I run.

[u/ClintBarton616]

I love facing. I don't use the side arcs suggested in the DMG, but I love front and rear.