Your players have beaten the local hag coven. They’ve picked up a pile of gems and a couple of weird art-looking items. You know the items don’t do anything. They know they don’t do anything. They might as well sell them. But what if there were a better option?

This is our series on custom rules! Here you can find different options to use at your table to fill out scenes, adjust balance, and even overhaul your game. This week, we’re talking about home bases and art items.

Trinkets

“Trinkets” are a new way of classifying items for inventory management and to use with Home Base mechanics. Trinkets are any item that isn’t a weapon or armour, or anything that stacks, like arrows or money.

Home Base

The home base is a place to store Trinkets outside of the party’s satchel/bags. Storing Trinkets in this way has positive effects the more decorated the party’s home is, but a home can only be decorated to a certain extent at one time, depending on the size of it.

This means that while your players might start off by taking over an empty cave, later on they might want to update to a tower, or even a city mansion, once they’ve got the gold.

Trinket Types

Trinkets that aren’t useful in combat or in day-to-day use (e.g. art items) are classed into 5 grades, with Grade 1 being the lowest, and Grade 5 being the highest. There are also Special Grade items. Each has a different value.

• Grade 1: 100gp
• Grade 2: 200gp
• Grade 3: 300gp
• Grade 4: 400gp
• Grade 5: 500gp
• Special Grade: No set value; these Trinkets will have specific effects on the Home Base.

Home Quality

Homes can store as many Trinkets as desired, but only a certain number can be on display at any one time.

• Hovel: 2 Trinkets (up to 1000gp)
• Rooms: 3 Trinkets (up to 1500gp)
• Homestead: 4 Trinkets (up to 2000gp)
• Townhouse: 5 Trinkets (up to 2500gp)
• Mansion: 10 Trinkets (up to 5000gp)

For every 100gp displayed in the home base, PCs receive 1 temporary hitpoint when they long rest in their home base. This lasts until lost or until their next long rest.

This is a simple way to give art items like paintings, gems, and unusual souvenirs a purpose in the game while also reinforcing the benefits of having a home base.

Special Grade Items

As well as temporary hitpoints, you can include an entire new class of magical item that only works when displayed in a home. Here are a couple of examples you could use to help your 5e group complete their fortress:

Dreamcatcher

While displayed in a house, those who take a long rest within are immune to the effects of the dream spell.

They additionally gain advantage on their first Wisdom saving throw of the following day.

Enchanted Armour

All PCs gain the effects of Mage Armour on long resting at the base, which lasts until their next long rest.

Cursed Painting

When displayed at the home base, no other Trinkets can be displayed.

All those who sleep within gain a death ward on long resting at the base, which lasts until their next long rest. They are also immune to effects that would magically age them.