Hyrulean Guidelines
All content within this compendium can be used interchangeably with the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. To make the game feel more Zelda-like, use the following rules. Everything within this compendium assumes these rules are used, but their use is optional.
Magic points
| Spell Level |
Magic Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 2 |
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 5 |
| 4th | 6 |
| 5th | 7 |
| 6th | 9 |
| 7th | 10 |
| 8th | 11 |
| 9th | 12 |
- See spells.
Spellcasting classes available to player-characters use a version of the Spell Points variant rule described on page 288 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, referred to here as "magic points." Magic points are used primarily to cast spells and they replace spell slots and spell levels in Hyrule. Casting a spell requires the expenditure of a specific number of magic points. The adjacent table lists equivalents if using spell points to cast leveled spells, or if using spell slots to cast point spells.
A player-character's total number of magic points, if any, are determined primarily by their class and their current level in that class. Other effects can increase a character's magic points. Casting spells and sometimes other features requires you to spend some of these magic points. You cannot cast spells or use features which require spending magic points you lack.
Any spent magic points are fully restored after a long rest. Some class features and magic items can restore a limited amount of magic points.
Spell levels
Hyrulean spells have levels, but are predominately listed by their number of magic points. For example, a D&D spell of 3rd level is listed here as a "5-point" spell. The most magic points you can expend on a single spell is limited by your class(es) and level.
Spells which cost 10 magic points or more (7th level spells or higher) are particularly taxing to cast. Normally you can only cast one such spell even if you have magic points to spare, and regain the ability to cast such a powerful spell when you finish a long rest. Some features can let you cast more of these powerful spells between rests.
Overpowering spells
Like normal D&D spells, some Hyrulean spells can be cast "At Higher Levels." To "overpower" a spell, you must spend extra magic points as the spell describes. For example, casting life normally costs 2 magic points. You can improve the amount of heart points it recovers by expending extra magic points when you cast it.
The maximum magic points you can spend overpowering a spell is the same maximum magic points you can expend on a single spell when casting it normally. The limit is explained in your class(es) and level.
If you cast a spell from a special feature or a magic item instead of a class, you can only overpower the spell if your class(es) and levels enable it.
Stamina points
Stamina points are expended mainly to make called shots, for certain class features, and for a few magic items. Only characters of certain classes gain stamina points.
Normally, your stamina points are fully replenished upon completing a short rest.
Spellcasting with stamina points
Any character with stamina points can expend them in place of magic points. Doing so simply requires expending 1 stamina point for every 1 magic point that would need to be expended. Any stamina points used in this way do not replenish until the character completes a long rest.
Called shots
Just before making a weapon attack roll, a player-character can make a called shot either by expending 2 stamina points, or by taking disadvantage on the attack roll. One cannot make a called shot if the attack roll would have disadvantage anyway.
A called shot generally aims for wherever the target is most vulnerable, such as gaps in a warrior's armor, or the large and exposed eye of a monster. This kind of called shot maximizes the damage dice rolled on a hit (e.g., treating 1d8 as simply 8), including any extra dice rolled as part of a critical hit or from other features.
Some creatures in Hyrule have specific weaknesses to called shots made against a part of its body, referred to as a "weak point." Generally, a player-character should be able to identify a weak point fairly easily unless it is specifically concealed. Making a called shot targeting a specific weak point (e.g., "I aim for its tail") induces a particularly debilitating condition or extra damage, as described under the Weak Point trait of a relevant creature.
Wisdom-based initiative
When determining initiative order in combat, every participant makes a Wisdom check instead of a Dexterity check. In Hyrule, initiative mostly represents the character’s ability to perceive enemies, detect threats, and jump to the mental conclusion to fight before others. It is much less considered a measure of physical agility. Hyrulean classes are balanced assuming this rule is used.
To help quicken the pace of combat, it is suggested that the DM have initiative scores for monsters rolled in advance.
Rupees replace coins
The primary currency in Hyrule is rupees. These appear as small, uniformly shaped crystal gems. Different colors of rupees are of proportionally different value. Just as a modern 10-dollar bill is worth 10 dollars, a Yellow Rupee is worth 10 “rupees.”
Conversions from gold pieces are listed below.
| Green Rupee | 1 r | 1 sp |
| Blue Rupee | 5 r | 5 sp |
| Yellow Rupee | 10 r | 1 gp |
| Red Rupee | 20 r | 2 gp |
| Purple Rupee | 50 r | 5 gp |
| Silver Rupee | 100 r | 10 gp |
| Gold Rupee | 300 r | 30 gp |
*Any item which would cost less than 1 sp effectively has a selling price of 1 rupee.
For the sake of simplicity, the DM could elect to use only green rupees (1 sp each) and yellow rupees (1 gp each) for all transactions.
Heavier armor
- See armor.
If you do not meet the Strength score requirement of the armor you are wearing, you are restricted as though you lack proficiency with that armor. This means you would have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity. You would also be unable to cast spells.
Bonus Die
Some game effects can grant you a "Bonus Die" for certain ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or damage rolls. For example, the Yogi feat grants you a d4 Bonus Die on saving throws to maintain concentration.
If you have several Bonus Dice which apply to the same roll, they do not combine. Use only the largest Bonus Die that applies.
Ability score maximum
Normally, the maximum score a player-character can have for any ability score is 20. This can be considered the "soft cap."
The Paragon feat, magic items, blessings, and other features can permanently increase a character's ability score maximum above 20. For particularly powerful high-level characters, these effects can combine to push it even higher. For example, a high-level fighter can use the Champion feature to increase her Dexterity score maximum by 2, and also use the Paragon feat to increase her Dexterity score by an additional 2. This fighter would thus have a maximum Dexterity score of 24.
Even in cases of these extremely powerful characters, an ability score can never—ever—be pushed above 30. This can be considered the "hard cap."
Other considerations
What follows are not global transformative rule changes, but veteran D&D players may wish to note these differences:
- "Hit points" are instead referred to as "heart points."
- Hyrulean classes grant extra proficiencies for higher Intelligence scores.
- Hyrulean classes are balanced assuming stamina and called shots are used. Consequently, some classes may be much weaker than official classes if these rules are omitted or ignored.
- For a player-character, using a formal "background" is optional. The compendium encourages any player to create their own background.
- Downtime is structured differently but still serves the same purpose.
- Magic items are more abundant and available than they are assumed to be in official D&D material. It's assumed player-characters can be any common or uncommon magic items with relative ease.
- The blowgun, lance, and whip weapons each have an additional special property unique to each of them. The trident is classified as a simple weapon (instead of martial) considering it shares its statistics with the spear. Several weapons' costs have been adjusted to be more balanced based on each weapon's usefulness.
