rules that expand
Froward Friend just posted about that thing where you can fall into the trap of making explorers skip right over exploration, and how to go about doing the opposite. I have some additional ideas.
Maybe if you see a mechanic like the ones I'm referring to, you can pick something off this list to replace it with!
FIGHTING MOVES
Loch is on the record as no longer desiring a mechanic like Surpassing Skill on his inimitable and honestly sick as hell Hedge Knight class. Here! Some alternatives!
When someone misses you with an attack, choose how to escalate: 1) Convince them that their approach won't work no matter how many times they try; force a change of tactics. 2) Make a display of it; get in some words you otherwise wouldn't have time for. 3) Exploit the opening; make a free attack on them.
At the start of combat, choose your demeanor.
- Merciful: Your opponents check morale each time they're hit, but attacks that hit YOU deal double damage.
- Merciless: Excess damage from your attacks transfers to other enemies within reach, but if anyone escapes, they become a Worthy Foe!.
When you are struck down, you will get a free attack against whoever did it. If this attack lands, it will take them down with you. Anyone who sees you fight knows this to be true.
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
You can always choose to pick a lock smartwise: The GM chooses in secret whether the lock will yield to finesse, force, or fuckery. Ask all the questions you like, but they can't outright tell you which one. Choose correctly and it opens. Choose incorrectly and you trigger the trap if there is one. If there isn't one, finesse failures get in your head, force failures ruin your tools, and fuckery failures waste your time.
FORAGING AND SUCH
As beautiful as deus ex parabola's 5e Ranger conversions are, they nevertheless incorporate that damn thing where you automatically find what you're looking for, never get lost, don't gotta deal with the elements, etc. I rather like Froward Friend's take, but let's do another just for fun.
You can push yourself extra hard to get there in one piece. Choose any one from the following list; spend HP (minimum 1) for a +[HP spent] bonus to a d20 roll; roll 10+ and you find it; get the HP back at the end of the trip. The list: Shelter from the elements, shelter from creatures that aren't following you already, shelter from the detection of watchers, local edible matter, firewood, the way someone or something went. You can repeat your roll each day of the trip, and you can change what you're looking for each time.