Unearthed Manual

Unearthed Manual is a living compendium of refined rules and rediscovered techniques; an evolving effort to restore the depth, balance, and mechanical identity of tabletop D&D within Baldur’s Gate 3. Many core elements of the TTRPG were simplified, weakened, or removed entirely in BG3’s adaptation. Unearthed Manual aims to revalue specific mechanics, reintroduce missing systems, and strengthen the purpose of each ability score, action, and resource.

This project draws from official sourcebooks, the 5. 5e rules updates, and long‑standing tabletop house rules. The goal is to improve combat flow, expand player agency, and give characters more meaningful ways to express their build choices.

Several mechanics in BG3 lost their original importance; Dexterity no longer affects initiative, Hit Dice were removed as a resource, spell ranges were shortened, and many actions (like Dodge) were omitted entirely. Unearthed Manual restores these systems to their rightful place:

• []Initiate Feat: grants every character a free feat early on, stacking cleanly with racial feat bonuses. Unlike the 5. 5e PHB’s restrictions, you aren’t limited to 1st‑level feats; once you hit class level 2, you can choose any feat you qualify for. Due to BG3’s internal limitations, this applies to multiclassing as well: your second level in any class awards a feat. In addition, this benefit triggers at level 2 instead of level 1, but the flexibility and build expression remain fully intact.[/]

  []Dexterous Initiative: brings back the d20 + Dexterity modifier roll, making turn order dynamic and rewarding high‑Dex builds again.[/]

  []Hit Point Dice: return as a core resource, supporting future systems like Sangromancy, short‑rest overhauls, and feat interactions.[/]

  []Corrected Spells: correct nerfed cantrips like Eldritch Blast and Fire Bolt, reducing unnecessary repositioning and speeding up combat.[/]

  []Movement and action improvements: such as Lightness Skill and the restored Dodge action; give players more tactical options when they can’t attack or cast.[/]

  []Pinnacle Health: replaces BG3’s averaged HP gains with full Hit Die values on level‑up, giving every class a sturdier, more faithful D&D progression. Barbarians gain a full 12 HP per level, d10 martial classes gain 10, d8 casters and rogues gain 8, and d6 scholars gain 6; creating clearer class durability tiers and a more satisfying sense of growth.[/]

  Every feature in Unearthed Manual is built to bring BG3 closer to the feel of tabletop play. As the project expands, it will continue to introduce new mechanics, optional modules, and cross‑mod synergies; designed alongside several of my other mod projects to create a cohesive, modernized D&D experience.

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