D&D campaigns as homebrew rules, for the groups that want to add something new to their experience.
There have been lots of D&D video games released over the years, yet they have adapted the rules in different ways, with the developers making some changes, in order to enhance the gameplay. Most D&D games don't let the players have divine powers, but the original Baldur's Gate games turned the protagonist into a child of the deceased God of Murder, giving them abilities that the average character wouldn't possess. This idea perfectly fit the video game format, as it gave the main character some exciting abilities to use in combat, while also tying them into the events of an epic story. The same concept might not work as well in a standard D&D game, as having one character be far stronger than the others would cause lots of issues, especially if the player lets their drop of divinity go their head.
There are lots of video games that have unique mechanics, which would fit well into the fantasy world of a D&D campaign. They require a little work on the part of the DM and the players to use correctly, but they can add an interesting twist to the game. This is especially helpful for spicing up a homebrew campaign in a new way.
D&D Homebrew Rules Could Use Limit Breaks From Final Fantasy
The Final Fantasy series technically introduced the concept of Limit Breaks in FF6, but the system that fans are familiar with properly debuted in FF7. Limit Breaks are incredibly powerful attacks, which are usually tied to a character taking lots of damage, and unleashing their strongest moves in a fit of anger or desperation. These attacks are usually cinematic, with Cloud's Omnislash, Squall's Lion Heart, and Lightning's Army of One being some of the most visually impressive and memorable moves in the series.
In a D&D homebrew adventure, Limit Breaks should similarly be rare, only appearing once a campaign or character level, as a regular appearance would diminish their effect, and essentially turn them into a normal character ability. A Limit Break is something that would trigger once a character drops below 20% hit points, similar to how the Bloodied status worked in fourth edition, representing how they're performing an all or nothing attack. The effect can be something as simple as a guaranteed critical hit, a long rest ability recharging, a spell dealing maximum damage, the ability to cast two full spells in a single action, a group-wide healing power, or summoning a powerful outsider in D&D to the party's side. The players who truly want to emulate the Final Fantasy series could come up with an elaborate attack for their Limit Break, so long as the DM approves it.
D&D Homebrew Rules Can Add Monado Vision From Xenoblade Chronicles
In Xenoblade Chronicles, a young man named Shulk becomes the chosen wielder of the Monado, which is a sword that grants a number of different abilities to its . One Monado ability that is tied into a gameplay mechanic is its Vision power, which lets Shulk see into the future. In mechanical , this warns Shulk when an enemy is about to perform a powerful attack against the party. The player can then warn the individual party about the attack, allowing them to prepare for it, so that they evade damage, or at least mitigate it during combat in Xenoblade Chronicles. This power was later adapted into the Super Smash Bros. series, as Shulk uses his Monado Vision to perform a counter, so long as the player correctly times the move.
The official D&D campaign worlds have their fair share of prophecies and omes, with some divination spells even allowing casters a glimpse at things to come. In the case of using Monado Vision, the player is given a direct sensory warning about something that is going to happen. This power doesn't need to be tied to an item and could be the effect of a blessing (or a curse) that one party member possesses. Their future sight will let them know if the party is about to be hit by something powerful, allowing them to use their reaction to counter the attack or warn the party.
This can be used as a homebrew tool for DMs who are running a group that is new to D&D, giving them a little extra help in combat. The player should also be given the details of the vision via a note or DM, with restrictions about how they can relay the info to their allies. The group might have the benefit of a prophetic party member, but are they smart enough to decipher their warnings in the heat of battle?
D&D Homebrew Rules Could Add Destroying Body Parts From Monster Hunter
The Monster Hunter series pits groups of four hunters against massive monsters, many of which wouldn't look out of place in a D&D homebrew campaign. These monsters have a number of natural weapons at their disposal, including massive claws, horns, tails, wings, and breath attacks. The hunters have one advantage that D&D players do not, as they can break or cut pieces of the enemy's body, in order to remove these advantages. There are a number of weapons in the Monster Hunter series, and some of them are better suited to this task than others. A hunter who wants to remove a monster's tail is going to need a blade, while one who wants to smash a monster's horns will need a hammer.
It would be possible to adapt the part-destroying system from Monster Hunter into D&D. This can be incorporated by splitting a large monster's hit points and special attacks across its limbs. This gives the players the opportunity to disable a monster's attacks, so long as they are able to strike the body part in question. The body parts will need to have a higher AC to accommodate for the extra precision that is needed to strike them, as players usually just hack at whatever bit is nearest.
The players would also need to use specific D&D weapons to deal the correct type of damage for the body part in question, with bludgeoning used to break horns and plates, slashing used to sever limbs, and piercing used for disabling breath weapons. The dragons that inhabit the Dungeons & Dragons universe would fit this rule perfectly, as they are bulky enough to survive lots of attacks from party , and have enough natural weapons to make using this particular homebrew rule worthwhile.
