Attunement: Montporte Dungeon Campaign House Rule

Some Other House Rules

Here is the house rule we will use for magic item attunement in the current Montporte Dungeon campaign.

Overview
When magic items are created, the creator of the item melds the elements contained in the item to the energies coursing through the universe. This involves magical skill and the force of will by the creator. Generally, magic items are attuned to the creator, unless the creator specifically creates a magic item otherwise. When someone other than the creator seeks to use the magic item, the prospective user must first be attuned to item through a short simple ritual that also involves the force of personality (Charisma).

Provisions of House Rule
All magic items require attunement. The two general exceptions are alchemy items (potions, powders, oils, etc) and scrolls. Many gnome devices, clockwork or otherwise, do not require attunement (e.g. finder's lens). Some other items may be created with instant attunement, but these items are rare.

There is no limit to the number of items to which a character can be attuned.

Some items, particularly intelligent items, may have the power to unattune other items in the character's possession. Once such an item is unattuned by another item, the character can no longer attune to it.

Some items may only be attuned by a particular class or race. Or there may be limitations placed on its use when a particular class is using it.

Attunement to one item can be done during one short or one long rest. A few items may be created with the feature that it instantly attunes on contact or some other specific predetermined condition, as noted above.

Most items require a die roll for attunement. The Difficulty Class for low power common items is 10 (easy). Characters add their Charisma modifier, plus their proficiency bonus, to the die roll. If the die roll succeeds, the character is attuned to the item. If the die roll fails, then the attunement fails...and, more importantly, the character can never attune to that item (short of a wish spell or divine intervention).

Characters may opt to attempt an "instant attunement" as a free action. The die roll is done at disadvantage. If the item is otherwise unattuned, then the DC is 12, with a critical failure on a roll of 1. If the item is attuned to another living (or undead) creature, then the DC is 15, with a critical failure on a roll of 1 or 2.

Limitations on Magic Item Use
We will follow the AD&D 1e rules regarding limitations on number of items used at any one time: 2 rings, 1 set of armor, 1 magic cloak, 1 pair of boots, 1 pair of gloves, etc. This is not part of the attunement rule per se, but it is related to it as it applies to magic item use (thanks to Peter D for the reminder on this set of AD&D 1e guidelines).

Implementation of House Rule
We will assume that the player characters have successfully attuned to all of the items that they currently possess.

We won't worry about the current bags of holding and portable holes for now. I don't want to waste precious game session time on figuring this out. We will just hand wave it for now.

I can think of two items, the Chalice of Doluth and the Lens of Melnar, that we need to identify an owner for attunement. Attunement will be automatic, once the owner is selected for each item.

D&D 5e Attunement: But Wait, There's More!

So Peter D (Dungeon Fantastic) had a thoughtful post on attunement. I read it and then reconsidered my thinking on attunement in my own Montporte Dungeon campaign, which we switched to D&D 5e five sessions ago. I read Peter D's post and thought, "Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't ditch this rule" (see my earlier post about attunement).

So here is what I am thinking...and mind you, this could change by time we play on Monday night (or it could change by time I am writing the post)

Provisions of House Rule
All magic items require attunement. The two general exceptions are alchemy items (potions, powders, oils, bubble bath, body lotion, etc) and scrolls. Many gnome devices, clockwork or otherwise, do not require attunement. The finder's lens (purchased by the player characters in Session 9, it is actually an alchemy item) does not require attunement, nor does the transportation vehicle control amulet (found in Session 41, attunement is instant and automatic). However, the Chalice of Doluth (creates healing potions) does require attunement.

There is no limit to the number of items to which a character can be attuned.

Some items, particularly intelligent items, may have the power to unattune (detune?) other items in the character's possession (cue evil DM laugh). This would suck, but it makes it interesting for the DM. This is what matters to me.

Some items may only be attuned by a particular class or race. Or there may be limitations placed on its use when a particular class is using it.

Attunement to one item can be done during one short or one long rest. A few items may be created with the feature that it instantly attunes on contact or another condition.

Most items require a dice roll for attunement. The Difficulty Class for low power common items is 10 (easy). Characters add their Charisma modifier, plus their proficiency bonus, to the die roll. If the die roll succeeds, the character is attuned to the item. If the die roll fails, then the attunement fails...and, more importantly, the character can never attune to that item (short of a wish spell, divine intervention or DM whim).

Limitations on Magic Item Use
We will follow the AD&D 1e rules regarding limitations on number of items used at any one time: 2 rings, 1 set of armor, 1 magic cloak, 1 pair of boots, 1 pair of gloves, etc. This is not part of the attunement rule per se, but it is related to it as it applies to magic item use (thanks to Peter D for the reminder on this set of AD&D 1e guidelines).

Implementation of House Rule
We will assume that the player characters have successfully attuned to all of the items that they currently possess.

We won't worry about the current bags of holding and portable holes for now. I don't want to waste precious game session time on figuring this out. We will just hand wave it for now.

I can think of two items, the Chalice of Doluth and the Lens of Melnar, that we need to identify an owner for attunement.

D&D 5e Attunement After Further Review: Nevermind

After spending some time reading more about attunement in D&D 5e, I decided that I like it in the abstract but not in practice, at least not for our current campaign in Montporte. I already feel like we are challenged to make progress during our sessions, which generally last about 3 to 3 1/2 hours (with about 2 1/2 hours of gaming). I don't want to slow us up any more.

I also would want to completely rewrite the attunement rules so that they would be to my liking and, after taking a few stabs at it, I realized that it would take more work and thought than I currently want to invest.

So the house rule for Montporte on attunement is that we will skip it, at least for now.

Sanity Rules!

Yes, it does. But not in the dungeon.

Keep this under your hat, as I don't want the rest of my gaming group knowing this: I have been using a rudimentary sanity rule in my Montporte Dungeon Campaign. Basically, there are certain circumstances where the players (and NPCs) are forced to make a saving throw and, if they fail, they lose a point of wisdom. Eventually, their wisdom points return and all is well. Unless the wisdom score drops below 3, then all bets are off. The player characters recently witnessed an NPC, Ansarkhan the mushroom man, go permanently insane. He is now in a catatonic state that is occasionally interrupted by quiet mumblings of gibberish.

I have used this simple sanity mechanic twice: In Session 1 and, more recently, in Session 24. In the first instance, there was no permanent damage done, but the second episode resulted in permanent insanity.

I like the idea of having a simple sanity mechanic in our current dungeon campaign, but I didn't want to spill the beans with the players or on my blog until I was able to use it to its full effect and the players learned that the victim (an NPC in this case) went insane.

I think adding sanity/insanity into the mix makes the dungeon a scarier place, but I think it only works when used sparingly. D20 rules do not really support a sanity-focused game and there are better rule systems if insanity is the focus. As an occasional threat, however, it could make the game more interesting.

I would like to fine-tune my sanity rule a bit but I am not sure if I should bother creating an actual house rule. I am also a bit undecided what it would look like. Here are a couple of options:

• Wisdom + Charisma + Level = Sanity: I like bringing wisdom and/or charisma into the mix and also sort of modification for level. Under this scenario, characters would have a considerable amount of sanity and it would only slightly as characters progress (assuming a D20 rule system with level advancement).
• (Wisdom + Charisma)/2 + Level = Sanity: This version takes an average of Wisdom and Charisma and then adds a bonus for level. Sanity is lower, but still influenced by both attributes. Level bonus has more influence, proportionally. I like this particular approach a lot, except that it looks like real math.
• Wisdom Score + Charisma Modifier + Level = Sanity: My first reaction was "meh" but the more I look at it, the more I like it. Wisdom is the primary attribute here--being grounded, having deep insight, and common sense seems like it should be the buffer against insanity (playing fast and loose with the medical understanding of mental illness here). It is modified by "force of personality" (charisma) but charisma is not the primary determinant. After all, there are plenty of insane people with strong personalities.
• Charisma Score + Wisdom Modifier + Level = Sanity: I really liked this, at first blush, as it makes charisma very important. However, I like the logic of having wisdom as the primary attribute.

There are a number of variations on these approaches but it seems a bit much to do an exhaustive list.

There are other ways that sanity scores could be modified: Race and Class come to mind. But that is a topic for another post.

I have read a number of blog posts on this, as well as various rule sets (I really like Crypts & Things). I am curious to know what you think.

Awarding Experience in My Montporte Dungeon Campaign

My Montporte Dungeon campaign started out as a one-shot, using a dungeon that I had started creating a few years ago with something different in mind. The groovy thing is that the repurposing of the dungeon worked and we are now adding some Montporte sessions in between Rob's (Bat in the Attic) Majestic Wilderland's GURPS campaign. However, I still playing catch up with things like basic house rules and a lot of setting creation stuff. I actually think the campaign is going well because I didn't prepare much in advance. Even so, I have to catch up on a few things, including how I award experience points.

We started with AD&D 1e and then switched to Blood & Treasure, but I have continued to use a simplified version of the AD&D 1e experience award rules (such as they are). I want to modify that approach a bit, using the following thoughts:

• Experience points awards will be given equally to each party member who is part of that session, although I will prorate things if people come in late or cut out early.
• Experience points will be based solely on what happens in play and not on the experience level of the character. In other words, first level characters and third level characters will get the same x.p. in a given session.
• The number and involvement of NPCs will not affect the amount of experience awarded to player characters.
• Dungeon play is based on exploration, encounters, and extraction. Therefore experience points will be awarded in all three areas.

I want to expand on that last point. Experience points will be awarded in three different categories:

• Exploration: X.p. for finding new rooms, new areas, and new levels. X.p. will also be awarded for finding hidden objects, compartments, secret doors, etc.
• Encounters: X.p. awarded for killing opponents, overcoming opponents, wooing or gaining info from important NPCs, solving puzzles, opening locks, removing or avoiding traps, etc.
• Extraction: X.p. for currency, items with tangible value (including livestock, pets, etc), profit from trade and transactions, magic items, etc.

Even as I wanted to expand things for which I am awarding experience, I wanted to avoid some things as well:

• Awarding experience based on individual player role-playing and other things that put me in the position of making excessively subjective judgments. 
• Giving out individualized experience awards, based on what individual characters do. This seems like a lot of bookkeeping for me and possibly punitive for guys in our group, depending on their character classes and ability.
• Too slow or too speedy of a pace for level advancement.
• Rewarding only killing and taking. Not that it isn't rewarded, but it is not the only thing rewarded.

I will post more details after I test this out. There is nothing radical here. I mainly wanted to ensure that player characters get experience for all aspects of dungeon play.