General details about how I plan to run the campaign.
Note: Everything on this page so far is basically just my opinion. If you see anything on here you disagree with, LET ME KNOW.
The central conceit of the campaign is that we're running Ghosts of Saltmarsh. We'll be using milestone leveling so the PCs don't get out of sync with the adventures, and also so you don't feel compelled to go hunt down a banshee that could easily TPK you, just for XP.
So, while I don't like the idea of per-se railroading you, your characters do need to take on each of the major campaign modules at the appropriate time. Fortunately, after the first dungeon of Module 1, the adventures will mostly come looking to hire you.
As a result, the way I plan to run things is that when you finish a given module, I'll say something like "Alright, that concludes Module 1: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. You all reach level 3, and it will be 21 days before the next module." This means that you each gain a level immediately, and get 21 days of downtime to spend. We'll resolve how that downtime goes, and then move on to an NPC approaching you to hire you for the next module's job.
While resolving downtime, there might sometimes be other side jobs available as well, separate from the actual modules in GoS. These will be optional, shorter jobs your characters can go on for loot, fame, reputation, etc. Feel free to accept these, turn them down, or even be proactive and come up with specific jobs you guys want to do between modules. The point of these, after all, is for me to take the rails off a bit and let you guys have some choice as to what you want to do.
Just some general guidance on how this stuff should work.
In general, describe what your character is doing. Instead of "I make an Insight Check.", or "Can I make an Insight Check?", ask "Can I tell if this NPC is (lying/scared/part of the evil cult/etc.)?". I might ask for a check, but I may just answer "Yes, she's obviously lying." instead.
Also, I 100% agree with the idea that they're Ability Checks, not Skill Checks. There's no such thing as an Insight check or a Perception check, just Wisdom checks. Skills let you add your proficiency bonus to related checks, and have a listed ability they're typically used for, but not every ability check has a valid skill (e.g., Initiative is a plain Dex check), and some checks may allow proficiency from multiple sources (though having multiple doesn't stack). Similarly, any activity that involves using tools that you have and are proficient with, you will probably be able to add your proficiency bonus to any check that's required.
I may very well ask for things like a Wisdom(Insight or Religion) check if you're trying to understand a ritual you're observing, or an Intelligence(Medicine) check to recall information about a disease an NPC mentions, or even something like an Intelligence(Smith's Tools) check to see if your character knows some semi-obscure fact about smithing/weaponry/etc.
We're not using the weird PHB variant encumbrance, just the basic Lifting and Carrying rules from Chapter 7 of the PHB. In short, you can carry an amount equal to 15 times your raw Strength score, and you can carry/lift/push/drag up to twice that, but with a speed of 5ft. Also, because I have no intentions of tracking (or having you track) how many coins you have of each type, just the overall amount, we're not bothering with the weight of actual money.
I won't be bothering to police this all that closely, nor will I ever really bother to call you out on things like how/where you're carrying everything, unless it gets a bit silly. If do something like buy twelve spears for throwing, I'll probably stop you and ask how the hell you're managing that. Mostly because the answer will probably be good funny roleplaying. Basically, I trust you guys enough that you're on the honour system. If you do want to track things precisely, just keep the Equipment section on D&D Beyond up to date after each session. It'll list the total weight at the top, and whether or not you're encumbered.
My opinion, and how I plan to run things, is that Combat and Initiative are related, but not the same thing. Also, there's no such thing as a combat encounter. Just encounters. Combat is an option you have for solving things, but it is never the only option. Even if I ask for initiative rolls, you're under no obligation to fight. Feel free to negotiate, flee, search the room for the Plot Coupon, whatever. Hell, even just standing there and waiting to see if the 'enemies' actually attack you is valid.
Similarly, I may not even bother with initiative all the time. If one of you says something like "I draw my sword, and move to attack the goblin", and you're level ten and this is a normal goblin, I'll probably check to make sure that you're trying to kill it, then let it resolve without even rolling any dice. Die rolls, after all, are only needed when the outcome isn't obvious.
Diagonal Movement - The DMG's rule for diagonal movement on a grid (I.E. "Just count it as 5ft") is damn simple and handy, and technically optional, since grids are optional. Any time we have combat going with a grid down, it's the rule we'll be using.
Feats - Yes. Go for it.
General - Chapter 2 of Xanathar's has a bunch of 'optional rules' that are more like suggested, semi-official rulings on how to handle stuff that's not explicitly covered in the base books. The rules there for Simultaneous Effects, Falling, Sleep, Adamantine Weapons, Tying Knots, and Tool Proficiencies are all in.
Spellcasting - The Spellcasting rule for Identifying a Spell is in, with one minor addendum:
If you use your reaction to identify a spell as it's being cast, you can use the same reaction to cast a reaction-casting-time spell you could have also cast.In other words, if you use your reaction to identify a spell as it's being cast, you can also Counterspell that spell. You can use Counterspell in this way whether or not you identified the spell correctly. This is added because I think it's silly to give players the option to identify the spell, but make that cost them the chance at Counterspell.
The rule for Invalid Spell Targets is exactly how I'd rule things anyway, so that's also in. The methods for handling Areas of Effect on a Grid, on the other hand, just seem like more work than eyeballing/counting squares, so they're out.
GoS has its own rules for handling ships, if-and-when their statblocks/actions become relevant. In short, ships have statblocks, and those list most of the details of how that ship works. Those statblocks do not include AC or HP for the ship. Instead, each ship component has an AC/HP. One component is always the hull, and if that one loses all its HP, the ship sinks.
All ships are immune to Poison and Psychic damage, as well as the Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Stunned, and Unconscious conditions.
A ship rolls initiative and acts on its turn during combat, as normal. Ships can't take any of the normal actions available to creatures, and can't even move without taking an action. Instead, they have some number of actions available per turn, and a list of possible actions. Each action can only be taken once per turn, and many actions require a specific ship component to be installed, functioning (I.E. HP>0), and crewed. Officers aboard the ship may have actions that impact the ship's actions.
Ammunition - Because players rarely track ammunition well enough to recover half correctly after combat, and/or just don't bother recovering, the following effect is in play:
All standard ammunition you receive, whether at character creation, purchasing, or loot, is doubled. Ammunition that you fire is always just lost. For the purpose of this rule, ammunition is arrows, crossbow bolts, blowgun needles, or sling bullets, as found in the Ammunition table in the Adventuring Gear section in the Equipment chapter of the PHB.
The above rule does not change magical ammunition or thrown weapons in any way. Magic ammunition typically lists its own rules for recovery, and thrown weapons are sturdy, and can always be recovered after the battle.
Identifying A Spell - As mentioned above, I think it's monumentally stupid that the XGtE spell-identifying rules, as written, mean you can't try to Counterspell a spell being cast, since your reaction for the round is used up. So, I've amended it up there, and am reiterating it here:
If you use your reaction to identify a spell as it's being cast, you can use the same reaction to cast a reaction-casting-time spell you could have also cast.
Alchemy - Because Reese's whole character is built around using the Thief Fast Hands feature to toss things like Alchemist's Fire, and because D&D 5e is a bit light on such items, I grabbed a supplement off the DM's guild, and have added extra rules. Click here for details.