Hyrulean Guidelines
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Player's Guide |
System Reference |
Compendium
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All content within this compendium can be used interchangeably with the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. In a Hyrulean campaign, consider using the following rules to make your game feel more Zelda-like. Everything within this compendium assumes these rules are used, but their use is entirely optional.
Contents
Magic points
| Although the compendium assumes magic points will be used, most applicable content will feature a sidebar such as this one. This sidebar will describe how the content can be used with traditional spell slots, if that is the DM's preference. |
| Spell Level |
Magic Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 2 |
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 5 |
| 4th | 6 |
| 5th | 7 |
| 6th | 9 |
| 7th | 10 |
| 8th | 11 |
| 9th | 13 |
- See spellcasting.
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 otherwise.
Point values
Hyrulean spells have levels, but are predominately listed by the number of magic points needed to cast them. For example, a D&D spell of 3rd-level would be listed here as a "5-point" spell.
The most magic points you can expend on a single spell when you cast it is your "magic limit." Your magic limit is determined by your class(es) and level.
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.
When overpowering a spell, the number of magic points you expend at once still cannot exceed your magic limit.
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
- See fighter and opportunist.
Only characters of certain classes gain stamina points. Stamina points are expended mainly to make target strike, for techniques or some other class features, and for a few magic items.
Normally, your stamina points are fully replenished upon completing a short rest.
Target strikes
- See combat.
Just before making a weapon attack roll, a player-character can make a target strike either by expending 1 stamina point, or by taking disadvantage on the attack roll. One cannot make a target strike if the attack roll would have disadvantage anyway.
A target strike generally aims for wherever the target is most vulnerable, such as gaps in a warrior's armor, or a monster's eye. This kind of target strike 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 target strike 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 target strike that targets 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.
Quick rest
| If content may be starkly underpowered if using 1-hour short rests, a sidebar such as this one will feature a suggestion for empowering the content to be useful in a campaign that uses 1-hour short rests. |
- See rest.
Hyrule employs a variant of rest like one found on page 267 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
To gain the benefits of a short rest, you need only rest 5 minutes, but at the end of the rest you must expend one of your Heart Containers (or "Hit Dice"). If you merely rest for 5 minutes without expending Heart Containers, you do not gain any benefits of a short rest. Since NPCs usually don't have Heart Containers, they usually don't benefit from short rests.
This changed rule is closer to Zelda games in which combat is routine and healing is quick. Quick rest can make combat easier, but a concerned DM can compensate for this by increasing the Challenge Rating of encounters.
Hyrulean classes are balanced assuming this rule is used. This is particularly noticeable with fighter, which is expected to burn through short rest reserves in every combat encounter.
Rupees replace coins
- See equipment.
The primary currency in Hyrule is rupees. All items in this compendium have their value listed in rupees. One rupee is equal in value to one silver piece.
Rupees appear as small, uniformly-shaped gems of various bright colors. 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 silver and 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 cost of 1 rupee.
For the sake of simplicity, the DM could elect to use only green rupees (1 sp each) for all transactions. If converting from gold pieces, simply times the amount by ten—add a zero on to the end.
No backgrounds
For a player-character using a Hyrulean class, using a formal "background" is optional. The compendium encourages any player to create their own backstory independent of a background.
Each class gains Proficiency Points which replace most of the practical benefits of a D&D-style background. Nonetheless, a player-character can forgo some of their Proficiency Points to gain any traditional D&D background if that is desired. This option is detailed under each class's description of Proficiency Points.
Bonus die
- See Using Ability Scores.
Some game effects can grant you a "bonus die" for certain ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or damage rolls. For example, the Ambusher feat grants you a d4 bonus die to your initiative checks.
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
- See Using Ability Scores.
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."
This rule is summarized alongside every game effect which can permanently increase a character's ability score(s).
Wisdom-based initiative
- See combat.
Hyrulean races and classes are balanced assuming Wisdom is used for initiative checks instead of Dexterity. In Hyrule, initiative mostly represents the character’s ability to perceive enemies, detect threats, notice vulnerabilities, and make decisions. It is much less considered a measure of physical agility, this is partially why so Wisdom is used in place of Dexterity.
Also consider using the Group Initiative variant rule. While not for everyone, it can accelerate combat to give a more Zelda-like feel, and is particularly suitable for smaller groups of three or fewer players.
To help speed up combat, it is suggested that the DM have initiative scores for monsters rolled in advance.
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.
While this rule is meant to better portray how armor is used in Hyrule, forgetting or omitting this rule should have very little effect on gameplay.
Other considerations
What follows are not transformative rule changes, but veteran D&D players may wish to note these differences:
- "Hit points" and "Hit Dice" are instead referred to as "heart points" and "Heart Containers," respectively. This is a purely aesthetic change.
- Hyrulean classes are balanced assuming stamina points and target strikes are used. Consequently, some classes may be much weaker than official classes if these rules are omitted or ignored.
- Some weapons are a little different. The blowgun, lance, and whip weapons each have an additional special property unique to each of them. The blowgun and trident are classified as simple weapons instead of martial. Several weapons' costs are adjusted to be more balanced based on each weapon's usefulness.
- If all transitions from Zelda monsters to D&D creatures were literal, almost all creatures would barely be any challenge to a party full of adventurers. Many creatures, especially "boss monsters," are empowered to be more of a threat to a party than they are in their canonical appearances. In-world this can help emphasize just how unbelievably capable the 'legendary hero' actually is.
- Every creature page has a list of "gear" that can be looted if the creature is defeated. This is meant to replace the Treasure tables from the Dungeon Master's Guide. Over the course of a campaign, this method on average gives a party a larger number of total magic items, but fewer magic items of high rarity.
- For a DM that prefers to use the traditional table method from DMG, this compendium features tables meant to replicate Magic Item Tables A through I found on page 144 of the DMG. On these tables, D&D items are replaced with Zelda items of comparable power level and usefulness. See Magic Item Overview.
- Many creature pages have a cost or wage listed. These prices are based on the creature's capabilities, and not the creature's disposition, the market's supply-and-demand, or Hyrulean culture. As with all prices these should be adjudicated by your DM.
- Magic items are implied to be more abundant and available than they are in official D&D material. It's assumed player-characters can buy any common or uncommon magic items with relative ease.
- A few magic items are of even greater rarity than "legendary," which are referred to as "epic." This sixth tier of magic item exists primarily to cater to canonical Zelda items with effects too powerful for normal D&D standards, such as the clock or red ring.
- Races of Light are suitable races for player-characters, and are meant to replace or augment races found in the Player's Handbook. However, this compendium also includes race traits creatures as bizarre as octoroks and rare as horseheads. These unusual races cannot be used for player-characters under default rules. Unusual races should only be allowed by the DM on an individual basis. See races.
- While not a hard rule, typical Hyrulean content which grants a bonus to AC includes the following line: "This bonus cannot increase AC above 25, before adding cover or a shield bonus."
