Last updated: Nov 1, 2020

COMBAT

Action/Bonus Action Spells

• Rules as written for casting spells/cantrips, but the Spelldriver feat is a future option for those interested.
  

Crit Successes & Failures

• Critical hits are max damage plus roll (of standard attack dice). 
• Critical failures are subject to a d20 roll of additional outcomes. 

Diagonals & Flanking

• Diagonals use the optional rule for 5-10-5 movement (Foundry accounts for this).
• Flanking optional rules apply.

Heal Me Up, Scotty

• Drinking a healing potion currently in your possession is a bonus action. Administering a potion to someone else is an action. 

ENVIRONMENTAL MECHANICS

Cold Resistance

Extreme Cold: Whenever the temperature is at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (factoring in windchill), characters exposed to the cold must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. Characters with resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do those wearing cold weather gear and creatures naturally adapted to cold climates.

Exception: Whenever the temperature is at or below -30 degrees Fahrenheit (factoring in windchill), characters with resistance or immunity to cold damage have advantage on the saving throw, as do those wearing cold weather gear and creatures naturally adapted to cold climates.

Characters who fail multiple Constitution saving throws suffer from Frostbite (see below). 

Darkness

The presence or absence of light in an environment creates three categories of illumination: bright light, dim light, and darkness. So long as the Everlasting Rime lasts, natural light in Icewind Dale is never brighter than dim.

• Bright light lets most creatures see normally. This includes torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius.
• Dim light (such as twilight, a full moon, or bright aurora) creates a lightly obscured area. Characters have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
• Darkness creates a heavily obscured area. Characters face darkness outdoors at night (even most moonlit nights), within the confines of an unlit dungeon or a subterranean vault, or in an area of magical darkness. Characters effectively suffer from the blinded condition (unless they have darkvision) when trying to see something in that area.

Within a specified range, a character with darkvision can see in darkness as if the darkness were dim light. However, the creature can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

See Vision and Light for full 5e mechanics.

Exhaustion

The long-term effects of freezing temperatures can lead to exhaustion, which is measured in six levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect's description.

See Exhaution for full 5e mechanics.

• Level One exhaustion, rather than granting disadvantage on all skill checks, grants disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity based skill checks. At Level Two, disadvantage applies to all skill checks (and speed is halved). The other levels are as they appear in PHB.
• Whenever a creature who falls unconscious outdoors in Extreme Cold (below 0F) regains Hit Points and returns to consciousness, they must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer a level of exhaustion. The DC increases by 2 for every subsequent time that the character returns from unconsciousness before the end of the encounter. A character cannot gain more than one level of exhaustion in this way per encounter.

Frigid Water

A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a number of minutes equal to its Constitution modifier before suffering any ill effects. Each additional minute spent in frigid water counts as one hour exposed in extreme cold weather. Even after the creature gets out of the frigid water, the effects persist until the wet clothing is dried out or replaced with warm, dry clothing: each five minutes a creature spends in wet clothes counts as one hour exposed in extreme cold.

Frostbite

A creature that fails multiple consecutive Constitution saving throws against cold or extreme cold weather becomes Frostbitten.

• Two failures: Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and checks; speed reduces by 10
• Three failures: In addition to the above, attack rolls against the creature have advantage

Frostbite can be resolved by proximity to sufficient heat for 1d4 hours (a fire, time inside a shelter, etc).

Madness

Situations that go beyond basic fear may impose short-term (minutes), long-term (hours), or potentially indefinite madness. This mechanic will be used sparingly and can be rid of through certain spells or other magic. Indefinite madness will differ from the standard table in PHB to something more appropriate for the setting.

See Madness for full 5e mechanics. 

Wilderness Survival

The Dale is a hazardous place... Mechanics pertaining to Frostmaiden include:

• Avalanches
• Blizzards
• Frigid Water
• Overland and Mountain Travel

Mechanics for each will be explained as they arise.

INVENTORY

Supply Die

A group "Supply Die," of a D6 tracks general non-magical adventuring gear and supplies like lanterns, rations, and the like.

Reduce the die by 1 to:

• Collectively use supplies over a long rest, representing food/water/fuel expended;
• Collectively/individually choose a non-magical item (valued up to 10GP) that you really wish you had in that moment;
• Individually succeed on a failed skill check by sacrificing supplies

Increase the die by 1 (or more) by:

• Completing favors or quests
• Bartering with NPCs
• Purchasing supplies (price may vary based on location)

OTHER

Critical Fails

There are no critical failures for ability checks. Flavor is encouraged, though!

Leveling

When leveling up, hitpoints can be rolled in #dice-bot (reroll 1s) or take the average.

X-Card

At any time and for any reason, use the X-Card to pause gameplay for a situation that is bringing you discomfort.

And above all... Be excellent to each other!