New characters can use the standard array or point buy, and begin with 1 extra feat.
All official 5E classes and subclasses are allowed.
The variant Feat rules are allowable, including all officially published feats and the (unofficial 3rd party) Tal’Dorei Campaign Reborn feats.
The variant Multiclassing rule is allowed on a case-by-case basis: you must get DM approval before multiclassing, and there must be an in-game justification for taking another class.
No optional rules are used (in particular, no general flanking rule is in effect).
Ability checks will often include success with consequences (when a DC was missed by 1-2 points on the die), and a successful natural 20 or unsuccessful natural 1 may have additional consequences.
Use of environmental/situational features to gain advantage is encouraged: swinging down from the chandaliers, gaining high ground, etc. Get cinematic with what you’re trying to do.
Critical hit damage may be done either by rolling double the dice (the standard rule) or by rolling the normal dice and doubling the total. As long as you’re consistent, I don’t care which method you use, just don’t switch it up based on the first roll.
The monks’ Stunning Strike ability may only be attempted once per turn (you may attempt it multiple times per round, e.g. on your own turn and during an attack of opportunity on an enemy’s turn).
Death saving throws are rolled in secret by the DM, so the party does not know how many successes or failures have happened.
Races
The most common are: Human, Iswari (mechanically halflings), Mahksi (custom aquatic race), Elf, Dwarf, Half-Elf, Orc, Half-Orc, Goliath
Also exist in Aardia: Tiefling, Aasimar, Gith, Genasi, Bugbear, Goblin, Shifter. Note that tieflings, genasi, and aasimar in Aardia are essentially human in appearance (until such time as they manifest their wings or other abilities), and are not separate races. They are bloodlines that have been touched by celestial, elemental, or fiendish sources. Sometimes they are unique individuals, sometimes a family has sporadic appearances of one or the other. Shifters and gith have a special back-story; talk to me if you’re interested.
Do not exist in Aardia: Tabaxi, Dragonborn, Kenku, Aarakocra, Leonin, Lizardfolk, Changeling, Loxodon, Minotaur, Tortle, Simic, Warforged, Verdan, Vedalken, Yuan-Ti
In general, life-spans are much more compressed than in standard D&D: elves live to about 200–250 years at the most, dwarves to about 150.