Kyme Player Materials
Player Reference and Guides
The following are links to materials this campaign uses for reference or will be utilizing or to inspire setting elements, but not limited to.
Kyme Missive: a brief guide to the world
A link to a summary for the core elements of the setting for easy reference.
A link to the officially published basic rules to help with character creation. You might also utilize DND Beyond
UA requires DM approval, so long as there is no officially published version and fits within the setting.
This class is included with the slight changes to Order of the Lycan.
Materials and Options Included
Your DM attempts to include most every officially published class, background, spell, and feat for player use. Yet any usage of resources beyond the PHB is best to discuss with the DM, particularly the class options from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
Campaign Style, Themes, and Setting
Races of Kyme - The choice of what races player can utilize is set to those on this site in order to reflect the deep history of conflict between peoples on the prime and powers across the planes.
Classes of Kyme - The classes one might choose are not limited, but some do require the retooling and reskinning to better fit within the themes of the setting. The Artificer in particular requires much alteration to fit into the setting.
Backgrounds of Kyme - When choosing a background for your character please select an option that matches the mechanics found in the Player's Handbook (i.e. no feats, bonus spells, or equipment beyond what would be normally be gained).
Thematic Setting - A heroic campaign with dark fantasy motifs and themes. The world dominated by eldritch horrors and undeath with a deep and strife filled history.
Scale and Size - The entirety of the world is ready to explore and travel by foot can mean a months long journey to pass from one region to another. The world and the conflicts within are on an epic scale.
High Magic - The campaign setting would be classified as high magic relating primarily to the presence of magic use and planar conflict in the world. The world has little use for technology as magic provides answers when needed.
Game Economy - The people of Kyme have little spare coin and there is much competition for adventurers' work, so there will be measured rewards in currency. Trade and exchange is more viable an option for most merchants with large transactions.
Player Agency - Players and their characters drive the story, mainlining the overarching narrative is an option, but the world is open to exploration.
Player Feedback - Each session will invite discussion and comment about what you liked or didn't like. You are spending the hours playing the game, let me know what can be better.
Character Types - All character types are viable, each skill feature, and play style will receive its due and chance to shine. The "ribbon" abilities and skill/tool proficiencies will be just as useful as getting that +1 to damage rolls, rewards await for both.
Rule Variants and Gameplay Notes
Leveling - The party will begin at the level given by the DM and the advancement will be based on the progression through the story.
Inspiration - Players can award inspiration at the DM's discretion.
Starting Equipment - Magical equipment will be based on the PC backstory, everything else will be based on the equipment from the Player's Handbook
Starting Wealth - Gold is based on background and might be altered based on starting level.
Healing Surges - The following feature from the Dungeon Master's Guide is included so every character has a way to heal and feel more heroic.
As an action, a character can use a healing surge and spend up to half of their Hit Dice. For each Hit Die spent in this way, the player rolls the die and adds the character's Constitution modifier. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll.
A character who uses a healing surge can't do so again until he or she finishes a short or long rest.
Resting - Will follow the rules in the PHB. A Short Rest will be a 1 hour allowing for Hit Dice to be spent at the end of the rest. A Long rest is a period of 8 hours that will restore hit points as well as restore half of spent Hit Dice.
Death Matters - When death takes a character it is not the casting of a spell that will return them, but it is their connection to their life and those around them that will once again bind their soul to the material plane as well as returning to life can have long term effects.
Death Saving Throws - When falling unconscious and have failed death saving throws, you retain any failed death saving throws until you complete a long rest.
Looting Mechanics - Looting a creature or container will be governed by 3 different skill checks which can yield different results when necessary. Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks will allow for the quickness of hand to find loot. Intelligence (Investigation) checks will take the patterns of encumbrance and storage in order to attain loot. Wisdom (Perception) checks utilize a broader range of senses to indicate what loot is to be had.
Looting Outcomes - Loot will be assigned by the individual who finds the loot. If your character is next to the body, you can say you are going to loot the body or if someone else speaks up and indicates they are looting, you still have first call if you are closer. If equal distance a contested check will be called for. But if an item is contested an opposed d20 will be had, the high roll getting the item.
Identifying Objects - Common or Uncommon magic items will have their properties revealed with the casting of the identify spell. Rare, Very Rare, Legendary, and Artifacts require that the identify spell be upcast using a 5th level spell slot.
Potions - Magical potions in Kyme are rare and costly as they are viewed as a powerful and dangerous magic. Giving anyone with the ability to quaff a potion the benefits of magic. For this reason a common healing potion costs 500 gp and each level of rarity above four times that amount.
Item Rarity
Magical Items in Kyme are far more out of reach comparatively to other D&D worlds. A +1 weapon is regarded as the peak of mortal craft. Where a +2 weapon would be seen as an item of legendary status. A +3, such a weapon is of divine essence. Any item that increases ability scores, attack rolls, AC or saving throw are far more rare in the setting. The customary range of item prices is listed below.
-Common - 500-1,000 gp
-Uncommon - 1,001-10,000 gp
-Rare - 10,001-50,000 gp
Combat Rules
Longswords have the finesse property.
Drinking a potion is a bonus action, giving another a potion is an action.
You can use a bonus action or reaction to make a Intelligence, Wisdom, of Charisma based check, though the DC is higher due to the circumstances.
You can utilize Combat Stunts as outlined here.
The campaign also allows players to utilize the following from the Dungeon Master's Guide:
Cleave. When a melee weapon attack reduces a target creature to 0 hit points any excess damage from the attack might carry over to another creature within range, as a reaction make an additional attack roll to transfer the remaining damage to other creature.
Climb onto Bigger Creature. A Small or Medium creature can grapple onto a Huge or Gargantuan creature. Getting into position as an Action the smaller creature makes a contested Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) against the creature's Dexterity (Acrobatics). If the smaller creature wins the contest they move into the target creature’s space. While in the targets space the smaller creature moves with the target and has advantage on attack rolls against it. The smaller creature can move around within the larger creature’s space as if it were difficult terrain. The larger creature can dislodge the smaller creature as an action making a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the smaller creatures Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
Disarm. A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or other item from their target’s grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item.
The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands. The target has advantage on the ability check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller
Flanking. When a creature and at least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy and on opposite sides or corners of the enemy’s space, they flank the enemy, and each of them has advantage on melee attacks against the enemy.
Overrun and Tumble. When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature’s space, the mover can try to force or maneuver its way through by overrunning or tumbling through the hostile creature’s space. As an action or bonus action, the mover makes a contested Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the mover wins the contest it moves through the hostile creature’s space once this turn. The creature attempting the overrun has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller.
Power Attack. When you make an weapon attack you can decide to make a power attack instead, if you do so, you add your proficiency modifier to your damage roll instead of your attack roll.
Retreat. When you disengage you can spend your bonus action to add +5 feet to your movement speed.
Spell Rules
Your DM encourages you to reskin (add elements to spells and changing description) to fit best your character. Even collaborating about changing damage types or customizing spells to work with your character concept.
Spells that create extradimensional spaces can be hazardous based on proximity to planar borders, or magical rifts. A spellcasting ability check can be called for, the DC set by the DM.
For Spells that conjure spirits/creatures Elemental is an added spirit type. For example a hawk familiar can be an air elemental spirit.
Below are specific changes to spells mechanics, but not an exhaustive list:
Astral Projection. As there is no Astral Plane, the spell is altered for the Ethereal Plane.
Conjure Woodland Beings/Conjure Fey. The DM can call for spellcasting ability check in order to have player choose creatures, or DM choose/roll.
Goodberry. The material component for the spell is consumed.
Healing Spells. These spells heal humanoid (undead) the same as humanoid targets.
Healing Spirit. The spell can heal one creature per round.
Identify. Will reveal info based on item rarity and can require casting at a higher level.
Plane Shift. The material component for the spell is consumed.
Reincarnate. The table rolled upon will be based on character level, allowing for a return to a body not wholly unlike the one they once had.
Remove Curse. Like Dispel Magic, will requiring a spellcasting ability check in order to remove a curse inflicted using higher spells.
Summon Lesser/Greater Demon. The creature is not compelled to give its name, but with a Charisma Check, can be convinced to be more of service.
Creature Types and their Lore
Aberrations. These beings from realms beyond the planes pervade the world and once ruled it in the Age of Water eons ago. Known as The Eldritch Realms, countless horrors and warped creatures arose from this time in the world's history. The evidence of their maddening corruption is ever present and spread by the most abominable of servitors to alien gods. The Eldritch race are humanoid thralls so warped by otherworldly power that they very nearly can be considered aberrations.
Beasts. The creatures that are a part of the natural cycles of the world. Many share qualities of numerous animal forms and others having adapted to the harsh environments of the world. Many creatures have been shaped by the lack of day and night cycles in the Southern Hemisphere as well as others growing to massive proportions.
Celestials. Many orders of these creatures beyond just that of angels exist in the Upper Planes. Each of the Lighted Path having many beings that typify their essence. Achonus' Promethi, which are warriors of divine flame, or Domuq's Gaeapha that bring forth nature's fury. These creatures act ultimately in service to their nature and viewed as innately good, but the readiness of celestial to slay a vampiric peasant for no more than their existence raise many to question even these beings of ultimate good.
Constructs. Created through magic, in binding some power or soul to a material to animate it. This is an act of a creator, forming the creature for a set purpose or task, or even a semblance of sentience. Arkyme created a construct race known as the Chattel in order to bring peace at the end of the War of Extinction. (There are no clockwork constructs or modrons, all constructs are those formed by magic not mechanism.)
Dragons. Being of ancient and incredible power, but the tyranny of the dragon's greed in the Age of Fire led to their downfall. Creatures of the greatest of intellect and most powerful of magics, dragons rose from the elemental planes to combat the aberrant power of the Eldritch Realms in the Age of Water. With victory they came to rule over the world with all manner of dragonkin prospering, even the humanoid draconic. Yet under their power and dominance the rest of the humanoid races fell. Millennia passed and the dragons grew vain and paranoid of their kin, and in this weakness the other races ultimately rose up to hunt all the dragons and their kin to extinction. Only a small population of the humanoid draconic survived.
Elementals. These creature are those formed from the immutable base matter and energy of the elemental planes. They can be shaped and summoned to create a great variety of creatures in appearance, though most are animate forms of the elements themselves. The eleman race are elemental souls within a humanoid form, brought to sentience by their god the Lasting One. (There are no genies or other sentient elementals in the setting. The Elemental Planes are nigh intractable places of pure elemental energy.)
Fae/Fey. These are creatures of emotion and thought made manifest in a surreal realm, the echo of the Prime known as the Faeweald. Fae are of a magical nature and are often manifestations of interactions between humanoids and aspects of nature or the turmoil of those interactions. The fae of Kyme often are defined by a vile trickery or deadly allure. The elves as they came to be in the Age of Air are fae spirits that sprung from their own will to dwell on the Prime. Fleeing the dragons at the beginning of the Age of Fire, most of the elves were forced to return to the Faeweald, and their brethren they left behind, their hearts were turned ashen, now known as Dark Elves.
Fiends. The most vile of denizens of Lower Planes that serve the evil ends of the deities that rule over their plane. Malceth rules over devils, her servants that sow all manner of misdeed in the hearts of mortals, damning their souls to her realm. Xzana prevails over demons, her servants that are chaos incarnate and seek only to plunge the Prime into a gaping maw of destruction. Sakorith reigns over daeva, the fiends that deceive utterly in that they appear and act as other beings, even being indistinguishable so they might take souls otherwise promised to other deities. (Yugoloths are not a type of fiend in the setting.)
Giants. Appearing as massive humanoids, though wholly different from other races of beings. Giants of Kyme arose when the world was free from the corruption of the Far Realms in the Age of Air. Formed by the will of the world, the most primeval of magics bringing forth beings of incredible power and wisdom. Many legends are told about their nature as those who first fought against the Eldritch horrors and fostered the other races so they might survive the deluge of madness in the Age of Water. Though ultimately the giants and their kingdoms fell to the power of the Eldritch Realms. They now live secluded from the rest of the world, surviving in obscurity save those that invite turmoil with the humanoid races or have been corrupted by other forces. Giants are defined by the environs in which they dwell and exhibit power and a nature as primal beings.
Humanoids. The central beings that dwell upon the prime, the focus of much of the cosmic balance in the multiverse. Sharing aspects of language and culture there are many humanoids that are tied directly to extraplanar power, like the celehim, the divifiend, and the eleman. Those whose nature is that shared of otherworldly spirit like the elves or draconic. Those descended from other beings after falling to a curse like the dwarves. Or those descended from another due to outside influence, as like the lycan, coming from the beasts of the land coming to sentience. Then finally the humans who were driven to forget their true nature, once being lycan, in the Age of Water.
(There are no humanoids in Kyme apart from the player character races. There can be half elves and half dwarves born from a human parent and another, either dwarf or elf.)
Celehim are Humanoid (Celestial)
Dark Elves are Humanoid (Fae)
Divifiends are Humanoid (Fiend)
Draconic are Humanoid (Dragon)
Dwarves are Humanoid (Giant)
Eldritch are Humanoid (Aberration)
Eleman are Humanoid (Elemental)
Geist are Humanoid (Undead)
Humans are Humanoid
Lycan are Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Revenant are Humanoid (Undead)
Vampires are Humanoid (Undead)
Monstrosities. Those creatures that are outside of planar influence or not corrupted by the Far Realms, though not wholly natural. Creatures that exhibit extraordinary power or shaped by magic, they are beings outside of the natural order.
Oozes. Creatures that exist as a base form of life, showing little to no sentience these creatures can be shaped by a great number of forces. Whether fiendish, elemental, or undeath, oozes take on many characteristics.
Plants. The alien environments and deadly nature of the world of Kyme has formed an abundance of deadly plants. Warped by eldritch power, suffused with the necrotic energy of undeath, or even charged with elemental aspects. Plant creatures take on a great variety of forms.
Undead. Undeath is a powerful force in the world as its forms take that what was once living, and grant it a new unlife. The forms of undeath are many, corporeal or incorporeal with their undead nature defined in how they consume life to sustain their form or that their form exists only to destroy life. (Undeath has for humanoids a scaling effect. Those taken by undeath can retain many humanoid qualities.)