9 Smart Guidelines for Creating Balanced Homebrew and House Rules in D

By Luke Hart

Today in the Lair, we’re talking about nine general guidelines for creating homebrew and house rules in your D&D or tabletop RPG games. This topic is close to my heart because whenever I browse homebrew content online—whether on D&D Beyond, D&D Wiki, or wherever else—I’m struck by how often it’s completely broken and wildly overpowered. It’s not that people lack creativity. Quite the opposite. The problem is that creativity without guardrails often leads to mechanics that unintentionally destabilize the game.

The same goes for certain house rules I hear about at tables. A popular example is giving everyone a free feat at level one. On the surface, that sounds fun and generous. But it can easily create a cascade of balance issues that the dungeon master then has to manage for the rest of the campaign. Homebrew isn’t inherently bad. In fact, it can enhance a game tremendously. But if you’re going to modify a system, you should do it carefully and deliberately.

Here are nine guidelines to help you do exactly that.

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Watch or listen to the video version here:

1. The Value Added Must Outweigh the Complexity Introduced

Any time you introduce a new rule, you are increasing complexity. That’s unavoidable. The real question is whether the value added to the game experience justifies that additional burden. If the new mechanic significantly enhances immersion, tension, or fun, then it may be worth it. If it merely changes things according to your personal tastes without meaningfully improving the experience for your players, it probably isn’t.

Let’s exaggerate to make the point clear. Imagine a dungeon master who decides to “fix” 5e by adding sixty pages of additional rules. He prints binders and expects his players to read and internalize everything. The players, who previously enjoyed unmodified 5e just fine, now have to slog through poorly organized additions that change many mechanics but don’t actually improve their enjoyment. From their perspective, the game has become more complicated without becoming better. That’s the danger. If you’re going to add something, the improvement should be substantial—at least double or triple the cost in complexity.

2. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

Homebrew should supplement the game, not replace it. Once you start rewriting core systems or creating entirely new rulebooks, you’re no longer homebrewing—you’re designing a new game. And there’s a massive difference between playing games and designing them. Most of us are creative dungeon masters, not professional system designers.

If your players signed up to play Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, or Call of Cthulhu, they may not appreciate being handed “Luke’s Totally Original RPG System” without warning. Creativity is a strength, but it needs boundaries. Add what feels missing. Reinforce themes. Tweak small elements. But resist the temptation to rebuild the engine. Designing a coherent, balanced system is far more difficult than it appears.

3. Get Player Buy-In

One of the smartest things you can do with homebrew is involve your players in the process. When I launched a Curse of Strahd campaign, I wanted to introduce a custom Insanity system. Instead of forcing it on my players, I pitched the idea to them and made it clear that I wanted it to be collaborative. We would test it together, tweak it together, and refine it together.

When players are part of the design process, they develop ownership over the system. They’re not enduring the DM’s pet rule; they’re helping shape something that belongs to the whole table. Additionally, more minds working on a problem increases the likelihood that the final result will be balanced and functional. Setting the expectation early that homebrew is iterative—essentially an “alpha version”—also helps prevent frustration later when adjustments inevitably become necessary.

4. Stop Using Homebrew Your Players Don’t Like

No matter how much effort you put into a homebrew rule, if your players collectively don’t enjoy it, you should seriously consider removing it. This can be painful. It feels like cutting off a limb you carefully crafted. But the goal of the game is shared enjoyment, not protecting your creative pride.

I once experimented with a homebrew initiative system. After several sessions, one of my groups didn’t feel it improved their experience compared to the standard 5e rules. So we discussed it and returned to rules as written. Normally I don’t advocate for voting on rules—since the DM adjudicates the game—but in the case of optional homebrew, collaboration made sense. If a mechanic isn’t adding fun, it’s adding friction. And friction erodes enjoyment over time.

5. Homebrew Should Add Something Truly New

Sometimes people create homebrew simply because they enjoy making new things, not because the game actually needs them. If an existing race or class can accomplish most of a character concept, there may be no reason to invent an entirely new class. The official rulebooks already contain an enormous variety of options.

Homebrew should fill genuine gaps, not duplicate existing material with minor cosmetic differences. Before you create something from scratch, ask whether the official content already provides a solution. If it does, you may be better off adapting flavor rather than mechanics.

6. Make It Balanced

Balance is where most homebrew fails. I would estimate that nearly every random homebrew class, feat, or spell I encounter online is noticeably overpowered. It’s rarely intentional. It’s just difficult to design mechanics that fit seamlessly into an existing system.

Take, for example, a healing cantrip I’ve seen floating around that restores 1d4+1 hit points. On paper, it might seem harmless. In practice, unlimited healing between encounters undermines the resource management foundation of 5e’s design. There’s a reason official 5e has no healing cantrips. When designing homebrew, compare your creation directly to similar official features. If it’s stronger than its counterparts, tone it down. Balance doesn’t need to be perfect, but it must be comparable.

7. Label It Alpha and Expect Changes

Even with careful comparisons, real gameplay will reveal flaws. A mechanic that seemed balanced in theory may prove too strong or too weak at the table. That’s why I label my homebrew as “alpha” from the outset. I tell players it will be adjusted as needed, and I reinforce that expectation in writing when I hand out custom items.

This transparency matters. When players understand that iteration is part of the process, they’re less likely to feel blindsided if you later tweak or nerf something. Setting expectations early protects trust and makes balance corrections feel collaborative rather than punitive.

8. Be Cautious With Internet Homebrew

I generally avoid allowing random internet homebrew at my table. The majority of it is poorly balanced, and vetting every mechanic takes time I simply don’t have. If a player has a unique concept, I prefer to work with them directly to craft something tailored to the campaign. That approach ensures thematic consistency and better balance.

Likewise, if I have a cool idea for a rule or feature, I build it myself and test it carefully against official material. This doesn’t mean third-party content is inherently bad, but it does mean that caution and scrutiny are necessary before introducing it to your campaign.

9. Homebrew Monsters Get More Freedom

Monsters are the one area where I encourage dungeon masters to go wild. You still want reasonable balance, but monsters exist to challenge players and create memorable encounters. They’re not long-term player options that risk destabilizing campaign progression.

Creating custom monsters—or tweaking existing ones with new abilities—adds freshness and unpredictability to your game. In many cases, the first encounter with a homebrew monster is the playtest. That’s acceptable. The risk is contained within a single encounter rather than an entire character progression path. For creative DMs, monsters are the safest and most rewarding outlet for homebrew energy.

My Personal Approach to Homebrew

My approach is fairly conservative. Outside of monsters and occasional thematic subsystems—like Insanity or lingering injuries—I avoid homebrew as much as possible. I don’t allow player-created homebrew classes, races, spells, or feats, nor do I permit third-party or internet-sourced content at my table. Players can use anything from the official published rules, but that’s the boundary.

This approach isn’t about stifling creativity. It’s about practicality. Balancing custom mechanics requires time and attention I simply don’t have. Keeping things within official parameters protects the game’s stability and keeps my workload manageable.

That said, homebrew absolutely can enhance a campaign when done thoughtfully. It can reinforce themes, deepen immersion, and create unforgettable moments. The key is discipline. Add value. Respect complexity. Balance carefully. Collaborate openly.

And for the love of all that is holy—please stop making healing cantrips.