Variant Rules - Stress System
Stress Threshold
All creatures have a stress threshold, which represents
their willpower and capacity to withstand the mental
hardships of combat, such as grevious injury, mind-
damaging magic or a terrifying foe. Creatures with a higher
stress threshold are more resilient the the horrors for
prolonged combat, whereas those with a low stress
threshold will easily break.
A creature's Stress Threshold at first level is equal to the
starting hit points for their class, plus their Wisdom. When
a creature gains a level, they roll one hit die and add their
Wisdom modifier, then raise their stress threshold by that
amount.
For example, a Cleric with a Wisdom modifer of
+3 would start with a stress threshold of 11 (as
the starting hit point value for a cleric is 8). At
2nd level, they roll 1d8 and roll a 4, adding their
wisdom modifier of +3 for a total of 7, increasing
their stress threshold to 18.
Creatures start with zero stress points. When a character
gains stress points, they become closer to reaching their
stress threshold. When a creature has enough stress points
to reach their stress threshold, they must roll for an
affliction or virtue.
Gaining stress
A creature starts on zero stress points, but stress can be
gained in the following ways:
When a a creature suffers Psychic damage, that
creature gains stress points equal to the amount of
damage they suffer.
Whenever a creature suffers damage from a critical hit,
they also gain stress points equal to the amount of
damage dealt by that attack.
When a creature is in an environment where they
cannot sense their surroundings, such as a creature
who lacks the Darkvision trait being underground with
no light, they gain 1d4 stress points every ten minutes
that they spend in that environment.
When a creature becomes afraid of another creature, or
is attacked by a creature they are afraid of, the afraid
creature gains stress points equal to one of the other
creature’s hit dice.
When a creature is reduced to zero hit points, they
immediately gain stress points equal to half their stress
threshold.
When a creature becomes aware that an ally is killed,
that creature immediately rolls a number of dice equal
to half that ally's hit dice, of the same type, then gains a
number of stress points equal to the result.
Additionally, the dungeon master may choose for other
events to trigger characters gaining stress, such as a failed
attack at a critical time, encountering a particularly
dreaded foe, or the sight of some horror that would leave
their characters to pause in terror.
VARIANT RULES | STRESS
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 Affliction and Virtue
"Injury and despondence set the stage for heroism, or cowardice."
When a character has gained enough stress points to reach their stress threshold, roll a d100 and consult the Affliction and
Virtue table. An Affliction remains until a character is reduced to zero stress points, a Virtue remains until a character
completes a long rest. While a character has an Affliction or Virtue they cannot gain another one of either kind.
Affliction Virtue
"Reeling, grasping. Taken over the edge into madness". "Many fall in the face of chaos. But not this one. Not today."
A character that gains an affliction uses the rules that are If a character rolls on the Affliction and Virtue table and
presented here during their turn in combat. Afflictions that gains a virtue, immediately reduce their stress points by
have an affect that triggers at the start of a character's turn one third. A character that gains a Virtue uses the rules that
instead trigger once every ten munutes when outside of are presented here during their turn in combat. Virtues that
combat. have an affect that triggers at the start of your turn instead
trigger once every ten munutes when outside of combat.

Affliction and Virtue

1d100
result Affliction/Virtue Description
01-15 Irrational At the start of your turn, roll on the Affliction table and use that result for this turn. If the result
(Affliction) is Irrational or a virtue, you instead must move as far as possible towards your nearest ally, then
make a melee weapon attack against them.
16-25 Paranoid You cannot be the target of your allies’ spells, actions or abilities, such as those which would
(Affliction) result in you regaining hit points or losing stress points.
26-35 Selfish You cannot cast spells targeting allies other than offensive spells, you may not make help
(Affliction) actions, and you cannot give items or administer potions to your allies.
36-45 Abusive At the start of your turn, all allies within 50 feet of you gain 1d6 stress points. If a character
(Affliction) gains 6 stress points this way, they suffer disadvantage on their next attack roll or ability check.
46-55 Fearful At the start of your turn, randomly select one enemy creature. For the duration of your turn,
(Affliction) you are afraid of that creature.
56-65 Hopeless You cannot gain advantage on any rolls. When you gain stress points, you gain an additional d6.
(Affliction) When you lose stress points, reduce the amount lost by 1d4.
66-75 Masochistic You may not attempt to disengage from combat. Attacks made against you may reroll one
(Affliction) damage die.
76-80 Powerful You may reroll one damage die on each of your turns. At the start of your turn, roll a d4. On a 4,
(Virtue) all allies within 20 feet of you may reroll one damage die during each of their turns until the
start of your next turn.
81-85 Courageous You and allies within 20 feet of you do reduce all stress points gained by 1/4. At the start of
(Virtue) your turn, roll 1d4. On a 4, you and all allies within 20 feet of you immediately reduce their
stress points by a number equal to your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.
86-90 Stalwart (Virtue) When you gain this virtue, immediately reduce your stress points by half. Reduce all stress
points you gain by half. At the start of your turn, roll 1d4. On a 4, reduce your stress points by
a number equal to your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.
91-95 Vigourous At the start of your turn, heal 1d8 hit points. You add your proficiency bonus to your initiative
(Virtue) score in combat. You do not gain stress from afflicted allies.
96-00 Focused You may double your proficiency bonus on attack rolls. If the d20 roll you make for an attack is
(Virtue) an 18, 19 or 20, it is considered a critical hit. At the start of your turn, roll 1d4. On a 4, all
allies within 20 feet of you treat a d20 roll for an attack of an 18, 19 or 20 to be condidered a
critical hit.

VARIANT RULES | STRESS

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Further Stress and Heart Attacks
When a creature reaches their stress threshold and gains
either an Affliction or Virtue, they can still continue to gain
stress points. When a creature's total stress points reach
double their stress threshold, they must make a DC 18
Constitution saving throw at the start of each of their turns
while at double their stress threshold. On a failed save, a
character suffers a heart attack and is killed instantly.
Stress Relief
During a short rest, a creature may expend their hit dice to
reduce stress points instead of heal hit points. To do so, a
creature rolls one hit die, adds their Wisdom modifier, then
reduces their stress points by that amount.
When a creature takes a long rest, they reduce their
stress points to zero.
New Feats
Soothing Presence
Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or higher
When a character within 20 feet of you would reduce
their stress points, they may add your charisma bonus to
the amount they reduce them by.
Steady
Prerequisite: Wisdom 13 or higher
You've become accustomed to stressful situations.
Reduce all stress points gained by a number equal to your
proficiency bonus, to a minumum of 1.
Stress and Class abilities
Using these variant rules, some class abilites can have
effects on creature's stress points, listed as follows:
Barbarian
Rage. While raging, you gain 1d4 stress points at the
start of each of your turns. When you end your rage, you
reduce your stress points by a number equal to your
proficiency bonus plus your barbarian level.
Bard
Bardic Inspiration. A creature may roll its Bardic
Inspiration die to remove a number of stress points
equal to the number rolled plus the creature's Wisdom
modifier.
Cleric
Divine Intervention. On a successful divine
intervention, immediately reduce your stress points to
zero.
Druid
Wild Shape. When you use your Wild Shape ability, all
creatures within 20 feet of you must make a Wisdom
saving throw equal to your spell save DC. On a failed
save, a creature gains 1d4 stress points. You retain any
stress points gained while outside of wild shape when
you take on your wild shape, and any stress points you
have in Wild Shape form are retained when you return
to your normal form.
Fighter
Second Wind. When you use your Second Wind ability,
you lose stress points equal to the amount of damage
healed.
Monk
Stillness of Mind. As part of this ability you may use an
action to reduce your stress points by 1d8 plus your
Wisdom modifier.
Paladin
Lay on Hands. You may use this ability to reduce a
creature’s stress points instead of heal a creature’s hit
points.
Aura of Courage. All creatures within range of this
ability reduce the amount of stress points gained by
your Charisma modifier.
Ranger
Favoured Enemy. You reduce the amount of stress
points gained from enemy attacks and abilities by half
when fighting your Favoured Enemy.
Natural Explorer. When gaining stress points in your
Favoured Terrain, reduce the amount of stress points
you gain by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.
Rogue
Uncanny Dodge. When halving damage suffered, also
halve the amount of stress points you would gain from
that attack.
Warlock
Eldritch Invocation. When an Eldritch Invocation
would affect a creature other than yourself, that creature
also gains stress points equal to your proficiency bonus.
Wizard
Spellcasting. When you copy a necromancy spell into
your spellbook, you gain 1d6 stress points if
necromancy is not your arcane tradition.
Credits
Created by kor-artificer, using The Homebrewery
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons, D&D, Wizards of the Coast
and all other Wizards of the Coast products are
trademarks of Wizard of the Coast.
Darkest Dungeon
Images used , and the stress/affliction/virtue system are
either originally from, or based on content from
Darkest Dungeon (2016), which is property of Red
Hook Studios.
VARIANT RULES | STRESS
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