Hiraeth Experimental Rules - Heroic Experiences
This playtest document presents a new optional rule: Heroic Experiences. This system is designed to give characters a distinct narrative identity beyond their class and background, allowing players to define unique facets of their hero’s story and bring them to bear in moments of need.
These rules are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not yet refined by full game development and public feedback. They are not legal in D&D Adventurers League events.
A character is more than a collection of statistics and abilities. They are the sum of their triumphs, their failures, their training, and their deepest beliefs. The Heroic Experiences system provides a framework for defining these core truths and giving them a tangible, yet flexible, impact on the game.
This system is an addition, not a replacement. It sits alongside your character’s background, feats, and class features to add a unique layer of narrative depth and mechanical expression.
Creating Your Experiences
During character creation, you choose two Experiences for your character. An Experience is a short, descriptive phrase that embodies something specific about who your character is or what they can do.
Work with your Dungeon Master (DM) to ensure your Experiences fit the tone of the campaign. Once chosen, designate one as your Primary Experience and the other as your Secondary Experience. Your Primary Experience should represent the most defining aspect of your character’s story.
Guidelines for Experiences
When creating your Experiences, follow these three principles:
- Be Specific, Not Broad. An Experience like “Brave” or “Skilled” is too general. Instead, choose something that points to a specific area of expertise or a distinct personality trait. Consider “Battle-Hardened Veteran of the Dragon Wars” or “Unflinching Courage.”
- Be Narrative, Not Mechanical. Your Experience should not grant a specific game ability. “Cast Fireball” or “Extra Attack” are not valid Experiences. Instead, focus on the narrative truth behind such an ability, like “Unleashed Evocation Prodigy” or “Master of the Whirling Blades.”
- Add Flavor. Adding a specific detail, like a faction, location, or motto, makes an Experience more versatile and gives your DM story hooks to weave into the campaign. Instead of “Thief,” consider “Thief of the Onyx Hand.” Instead of “I’ve Got Your Back,” try “No One Left Behind.”
| Category | Experience | Example Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Bodyguard to a Fallen King | Protect VIPs, recognize court protocols, spot assassins |
| Background | Con Artist of the Silk Markets | Forge identities, read marks, spot scams |
| Background | Noble Scion of a Ruined House | Leverage pedigree, navigate noble etiquette |
| Background | Pirate of the Serpent Isles | Seamanship, pirate codes, hidden coves |
| Background | Scholar of the Forbidden Vaults | Obscure lore, research shortcuts, restricted archives |
| Background | Assassin of the Crimson Veil | Silent takedowns, poisons, assassin hand-signs |
| Background | Sellsword of the Red Banner | Mercenary contacts, battlefield tactics, camp etiquette |
| Background | Blacksmith of Thornhelm | Appraise metalwork, quick repairs, craftsmen’s guilds |
| Background | World Traveler of the Old Roads | Local customs, travel routes, border smuggling |
| Background | Bounty Hunter of the Iron Writ | Track fugitives, legal warrants, bounty networks |
| Characteristic | Intimidating Presence | Coerce compliance, break morale, stare down threats |
| Characteristic | Stubborn to a Fault | Resist persuasion, persist in grueling tasks |
| Characteristic | Silver Tongue | Smooth talk, fast bargains, calm tempers |
| Characteristic | Battle Hardened | Keep cool under fire, read a melee, shrug off fear |
| Characteristic | Friend to the Downtrodden | Earn trust in slums, navigate underclass networks |
| Characteristic | Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing | Conceal intentions, blend as harmless |
| Characteristic | Observant to a Fault | Spot patterns, notice tells, catch inconsistencies |
| Characteristic | Loyal to the Last | Hold formation, refuse bribes, protect allies |
| Characteristic | Lone Wolf | Operate solo, avoid detection, minimize noise |
| Characteristic | Prankster with a Purpose | Disarm tension, create distractions, sleight-of-hand gags |
| Specialty | Magical Historian | Identify arcane traditions, decipher rituals |
| Specialty | Master of Disguise | Create personas, mimic mannerisms, stage makeup |
| Specialty | Navigator of the Sunless Sea | Chart subterranean routes, read echoes |
| Specialty | Survivalist of the Frozen Wastes | Shelter, forage, whiteout navigation |
| Specialty | Tactician of the Iron Legion | Battle plans, unit drills, flanking schemes |
| Specialty | Sharpshooter of the Ember Range | Long shots, wind calls, ambush prep |
| Specialty | Healer of the Field | Triage, stabilize under fire, improvised splints |
| Specialty | Inventor of Clockwork Oddities | Jury-rig devices, diagnose mechanisms |
| Specialty | Acrobat of the Sapphire Circus | Tumbling, tightropes, crowd movement |
| Specialty | Mapmaker of the Old Empire | Secret paths, landmarks, map forgeries |
| Skill/Knack | Barter Savant | Spot value, haggle hard, trade networks |
| Skill/Knack | Repair on the Fly | Field-fix weapons/armor, improvise parts |
| Skill/Knack | Tracker of Cold Trails | Read old signs, urban tracking, scent masking |
| Skill/Knack | Quick Hands | Palm items, fast draws, swift knots |
| Skill/Knack | Incredible Strength (Showman) | Feats of might, lift obstacles, bend bars |
| Skill/Knack | Deadly Aim (Patient) | Take time to line the perfect shot |
| Skill/Knack | Silvered Liar | Maintain lies under scrutiny, layered cover stories |
| Skill/Knack | Steel-Nerved Negotiator | High-stakes deals, hold firm on terms |
| Skill/Knack | Light Feet | Silent movement, balance, pressure plates |
| Skill/Knack | Animal Whisperer | Calm beasts, simple commands, read behavior |
| Phrase/Motto | I Won’t Let You Down | Rally allies, push through when someone’s counting on you |
| Phrase/Motto | This Is Not a Negotiation | Project finality, shut down haggling |
| Phrase/Motto | Knowledge Is Power | Recall key facts, leverage research, cite precedent |
| Phrase/Motto | The Show Must Go On | Perform under pressure, cover mistakes publicly |
| Phrase/Motto | Fake It Till You Make It | Bluff competence, operate unfamiliar tools |
| Phrase/Motto | No One Left Behind | Risk to extract allies, carry someone out |
| Phrase/Motto | Hold the Line | Defensive stands, anchor chokepoints, orderly retreats |
| Phrase/Motto | Pick on Someone Your Own Size | Draw aggro, protect the weak, duel challenges |
| Phrase/Motto | Catch Me If You Can | Escapes, chase scenes, misdirection routes |
| Phrase/Motto | First Time’s the Charm | Bold first attempts, cold reads, untested tactics |
Using Your Experiences
Your Experiences allow you to dig deep in a crucial moment, drawing on your history and identity to influence the outcome. This is represented by a pool of **Focus points** for each Experience.
- Primary Experience: You have a number of Focus points equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Secondary Experience: You have a number of Focus points equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down, minimum of 1).
You regain all expended Focus points when you finish a long rest.
Invoking an Experience
When you face a challenge where one of your Experiences is directly relevant, you can expend one of its Focus points to invoke it. To do so, you must take these two steps:
- Describe Your Method. Explain to the DM how your Experience informs the way you are attempting the action. This is the most important step. A Fighter with “Hold the Line” doesn’t just make an attack; they plant their feet, set their shield, and create a bastion for their allies to rally behind.
- Choose an Effect. If the DM agrees that your Experience applies, you expend one Focus point from its pool and choose one of the following effects:
- Gain Advantage. You gain advantage on one d20 test (an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw) that directly uses your Experience.
- Introduce a Story Detail. You establish a minor narrative fact related to your Experience. You might declare that your “Assassin of the Crimson Veil” training included recognizing the secret hand-signs of a rival guild, or that as a “Pirate of the Serpent Isles,” you know a hidden cove on this coastline perfect for hiding your ship. The DM has final say on the detail and can adjust it to fit the established world.
- Offer Aid. When an ally within 30 feet of you makes a d20 test, you can use your reaction to expend a Focus point. Describe how your Experience helps them, and grant them advantage on that roll.
The Dungeon Master's Role
This system thrives on collaboration. As the DM, your role is to facilitate creative applications and use the players’ chosen Experiences to enrich the campaign.
Adjudicating Experiences. The key to deciding if an Experience applies is the player’s description. If they can articulate a clear and compelling link between their Experience and their action, it should be rewarded. An Experience is not a passive bonus; it requires active roleplaying.
Story Hooks. A player’s Experiences are a gift to the DM. They are built-in plot hooks, factions, rivals, and allies. If a player is a “Bodyguard to a Fallen King,” perhaps loyalists (or enemies) of that king appear. If another is a “Scholar of the Forbidden Vaults,” they might be hunted by an order that protects those secrets. Weave these truths into your world to make the characters feel truly a part of it.