Here’s a list of the homebrew rules we use for our Enelis Expeditions campaign.
Also, the use of Pathfinding in the Dark rules for Heists.
And the use of Pathfinder: Delve rules for narrative dungeons.
Playing a World, not a Story
There is no adventure path, no pre-determined story path for this campaign. Story will be an emergent property of player choices and how the world reacts to them. Characters are free to come and go within the story as the player decides, based on the character’s motives and goals. New characters can be brought in at any time to fit the storyline, albeit at 3 Levels lower than the highest level active character (or Level 1). The players will ultimately decide the course of the campaign and which plots and story threads are important.
High Encounter Variance: Though the focus of the story is upon the characters, the world does not revolve around them. The relative difficulty and challenge of encounters may be randomly determined. Some things may seem trivial, while other threats will be beyond the characters’ collective ability. Discretion will be required (along with judicious use of Recall Knowledge).
Treasure & Rewards: Logic and randomness will determine the prevalence of any treasure and magical items found within the story. Players cannot count on a specific hand-out of monetary rewards over their character’s career. By using Automatic Bonus Progression, characters are not dependent on specific item rewards for mathematical balance.
Quests, Encounters, and XP: Characters will earn most of their XP by following story threads and completing them. Story threads themselves will come up organically, but it is up to the players to choose to follow them and see them to completion.
Story XP follows typical guidelines (based on goal accomplishment). Combat XP will lessened (using a modified formula from the GM Core). Characters of higher or lower level will receive less or more XP respectively. Combat XP = (Encounter XP) * 2 / (Number of Participants)
Experience and Levels: Characters will require 1000 XP to reach each level as normal. XP received from encounters is based on the level of the character, with higher level participants receiving less XP than lower level participants.
Downtime and Strongholds: Players are encouraged to take Downtime for retraining and income earning activities. Additionally, they can spend coin on building strongholds and player-owned businesses, to cement their characters into the world of the setting.
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Proficiency Without Level
We are using the Proficiency Without Level variant of the PF2e rules. This variant removes the inclusion of character level in all statistical calculations. We are also using the variant where Untrained proficiency is -2. These rule changes flatten the math of the game and take away the linear separation of character levels. This is to allow characters of all levels to better mesh together and allow for more options for encounters.
Changes to Simple DCs
| Simple DC’s | DC | PWL DC | Treat Wounds DC |
| Untrained | 10 | 10 | – |
| Trained | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Expert | 20 | 18 | 16 |
| Master | 30 | 22 | 18 |
| Legendary | 40 | 25 | 22 |
Aid action has a typical DC of 16.
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DC By Level Chart
| Level | DC | PWL DC | Level | DC | PWL DC |
| -1 | 13 | 13 | |||
| 0 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 31 | 18 |
| 1 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 32 | 18 |
| 2 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 34 | 19 |
| 3 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 35 | 19 |
| 4 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 36 | 19 |
| 5 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 38 | 20 |
| 6 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 39 | 20 |
| 7 | 23 | 16 | 20 | 40 | 20 |
| 8 | 24 | 16 | 21 | 42 | 21 |
| 9 | 26 | 17 | 22 | 44 | 22 |
| 10 | 27 | 17 | 23 | 46 | 23 |
| 11 | 28 | 17 | 24 | 48 | 24 |
| 12 | 30 | 18 | 25 | 50 | 25 |
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Automatic Bonus Progression
We are using the Automatic Bonus Progression variant of the PF2e rules. This variant takes away the requirement for specific magical item bonuses to maintain the power curve of the game. This allows players to pursue any choices they want concerning item acquirement and allows the GM to provide more interesting, lore-centered items. It also helps to balance the lower expectation of magic in the Enelis Campaign Setting compared to the default high-fantasy Lost Omens Pathfinder setting.
Note: Alchemical bombs use the Potency bonus as normal for melee weapons, but other Alchemical item bonuses may be treated as an equivalent Potency bonus for the sake of bonus stacking and balance.
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Gradual Ability Boosts
We are using the Gradual Ability Boosts system to make each level have a more direct mechanical benefit, since levelling up will be generally slower and more pronounced. This makes each level-up provide not just new character options, but immediate measurable benefits to chosen statistics.
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Recall Knowledge
A successful Recall Knowledge against a creature immediately grants a character knowledge of the name of the creature, its level, and any creature traits (e.g. Undead, Aberration, Incorporeal, Water, etc.). Along with a brief description of what the character has heard about the nature of these creatures (why they exist, habits, general knowledge about them).
Additionally, the character may then ask for one piece of mechanical information, such as:
- The lowest or highest saving throw.
- All immunities, resistances, and weaknesses (IWR).
- Details of one of its special abilities.
- Details about its spellcasting capabilities (spontaneous or prepared, spell list, max spell rank, theme).
- A numerical detail (such as AC, HP, Fort, Ref, Will, Attack Bonus, Spell Attack and DC, etc.).
A critical success grants two of these pieces of information. Subsequent Recall Knowledge attempts increase the DC by 1 for each success, but this may allow additional questions to be asked if successful.
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Hero Points
Hero points work mostly as normal, with a few changes.
- Each player receives one Hero Point at the beginning of each session, they can grant that point to any of their characters.
- Hero Points carry over into the next session, but characters can have no more than 2 at the start of a session (any excess are lost).
- Apply Grit: A player may spend a character’s Hero Point BEFORE any roll to take the better of both rolls. (e.g. a Fortune effect, or Advantage).
- Hero Points will be rewarded during the session for story-centric roleplaying and out-of-the-box thinking. Such as in-character exposition or sub-optimal choices or self-imposed negative conditions for the sake of the narrative. Characters can have up to 3 hero points during the session.
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Injuries
Whenever a character receives the Dying 2 condition they must ENDURE WOUNDS. I encourage the use of Hero Points here.
ENDURE WOUNDS: DC 10 Fortitude save.
Critical Success: No injury.
Success: Temporary Injury. You can make a DC 15 Fortitude save after each rest, a success removes the Injury. If the character rested for a full day, they gain a +2 bonus on this roll.
Failure: Chronic Injury. Roll 2d6 to get the Recovery Days for the injury. After this time elapses, the injury becomes temporary and can be removed normally (see above).
Critical Failure: Immediate death.
If a character has three ongoing Injuries and receives a fourth injury, they immediately die, regardless of whether their injuries are temporary or chronic.
Injury Table [Roll 2d6]
| Roll | Location | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 2: | Unmentionables | -1 to all checks and DCs (like Sickened or Frightened). |
| 3 – 4: | Sprained / Broken Arm | Cannot use one arm for any actions. |
| 4 – 9: | Body Injury | [Roll 1d6] |
| . 1 – 2: | . . . Bruised / Broken Bone | -1 to all Dex based checks and DCs (like Clumsy). |
| . 3 – 4: | . . . Bruised / Battered Organs | -1 to all Con based checks and DCs, -level max HP (like Drained). |
| . 5 – 6: | . . . Strained / Torn Muscles | -1 to all Str based checks and DCs (like Enfeebled). |
| 10 – 11: | Sprained / Broken Leg | -10 land-based Speed. |
| 12: | Head Injury | [Roll 1d6] |
| . 1 – 2: | . . . Hideous Wound / Scar | -1 to all Cha based checks and DCs. |
| . 3 – 4: | . . . Bruised / Blinded Eye | -2 to all Perception checks and Initiative. |
| . 5 – 6: | . . . Concussion / Brain Injury | -1 to all Int and Wis-based checks and DCs (like Stupefied). |
TREATING INJURIES (Exploration): A character can attend to the injury of an injured character for one hour. The tending character then makes a DC 18 Medicine check to treat the injury. A character can only benefit from treatment once per day.
Critical Success: A character with a temporary injury receives a +4 circumstance bonus on their next Fortitude save to remove the injury. A character with a chronic injury reduces their Recover Days by 2.
Success: A character with a temporary injury receives a +2 circumstance bonus on their next Fortitude save to remove the injury. A character with a chronic injury reduces their Recover Days by 1.
Failure: No changes in condition.
Critical Failure: A character with a temporary injury receives a -1 circumstance penalty on their next Fortitude save to remove the injury. A character with a chronic injury increases their Recover Days by 1.
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Traumas
Witnessing some events or actions are traumatizing to characters. This might be the death of an ally, some drastic story-related event related to a character’s backstory, suffering from extreme stress, ghastly horrors, or witnessing unworldly phenomenon that cannot be easily explained. The character must then CONFRONT FEAR.
CONFRONT FEAR: DC 15 Will save.
Critical Success: You confront your fear and gain a surge of heroism. Gain +1 Hero Point (only if one wasn’t used on this roll).
Success: You confront your fear and remain strong.
Failure: You receive a Trauma and are now Frightened 2.
Critical Failure: As failure, but you are Frightened 3 and Fleeing.
Trauma Table [Roll 2d6]
| Roll | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1: | Absentminded | You have trouble focusing your attention. -1 to all Intelligence-based checks and DCs (like Stupefied). |
| 2: | Anxious | You suffer from intrusive thoughts, especially when trying to sleep. Whenever you rest for the night, you must succeed at a DC 10 flat check or gain no benefits from having rested and become Fatigued. You may still make your daily preparations as normal. |
| 3: | Dreadful | You are filled with latent fear and uncertainty. When you roll initiative, You are affected by the effects of a Fear spell. DC 15 Will save (S: Frightened 1, F: Frightened 2, CF: Frightened 3, fleeing). |
| 4: | Irritated | You are filled with anger and resentment. Gain +1 melee damage, but suffer -1 AC, and you must succeed on a DC 5 Flat check to use a Concentrate action in combat. |
| 5: | Jaded | You are having trouble connecting with yourself and others. -1 to all Charisma-based checks and DCs (like Stupefied). |
| 6: | Oblivious | Dark thoughts make it hard to focus on the present surroundings. -1 to all Wisdom-based checks and DCs (like Stupefied). |
TREATING TRAUMAS (Downtime): A character can talk with a traumatized character for one day to help them work through their fears and insecurities. The tending character then makes a DC 18 Diplomacy check to treat the trauma.
Critical Success: A character with a Trauma may immediately roll a DC 15 Will save with a +2 circumstance bonus to remove the trauma.
Success: A character with a Trauma may immediately roll a DC 15 Will save to remove the Trauma .
Failure: No changes in condition.
Critical Failure: The DC to remove the Trauma increases by +1.
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Falling Damage
Damage from a fall has never been very realistic in the fantasy genre of games. This rule restores the natural fatality of falls. Characters take 1d6 damage for each 10′ fallen, increased by 1d6 for each additional 10′ fallen, with a maximum of 45d6 at 90+ feet falls. This makes falling damage exponential owing to the acceleration of gravity. If the character is knocked below 0 and becomes Dying, they automatically must Endure Wounds at DC 15 Fortitude save [see Injuries above] despite not becoming Dying 2. This increases the probability of death by falling by 20%. This also makes the cinematic effect of knocking someone off a cliff far more dramatic and dangerous.
| Height | (d6s) | Min | Avg | Max |
| 10 | 1d6 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 20 | 3d6 | 3 | 11 | 18 |
| 30 | 6d6 | 6 | 21 | 36 |
| 40 | 10d6 | 10 | 35 | 60 |
| 50 | 15d6 | 15 | 53 | 90 |
| 60 | 21d6 | 21 | 74 | 126 |
| 70 | 28d6 | 28 | 98 | 168 |
| 80 | 36d6 | 36 | 126 | 216 |
| 90 | 45d6 | 45 | 158 | 270 |