Unearthed Arcana has some of the best alternate rules that are worth taking a look at.

"Unearthed Arcana" is a Dungeons and Dragons supplemental book that's been around for a few editions. After its initial disaster in AD&D, where it was full of overpowered builds and ridiculous concepts, it quickly became the granddaddy of all supplemental guides after it reemerged in 3e and 3.5e.

RELATED: D&D: 10 Homebrew House Rules That Can Really Change The Game

Unearthed Arcana is like having an alternate "Player's Handbook" and "Dungeon Master's Guide" molded into one. Not every rule found within their tomes is meant to be used, and Unearthed Arcana is no different. The point is to pick and choose what aspects fit group playstyles and individual preferences. As a result, Unearthed Arcana has some of the best alternate rules that are worth taking a look at.

Bloodlines offer an option to augment characters with specific heritages. Some are no more useful than others but still make some truly unique combinations. Instead of being a base race or halfsie, characters can gain traits from older heritages.

For example, perhaps a character had a dragon grandparent or orc uncle somewhere in their line? Consequently, they might have abilities the pure-blooded people of their race do not. Bloodlines are a fun alternate to use, especially if a campaign has gone on long enough to start sliding generations.

Combat has always been clunky in Dungeons and Dragons. 5e did wonders by revamping the whole mechanic, but armor class is a continuing finicky subject. For example, it makes little sense as to why the paladin in full-plate has a lower armor score than the rogue in basic leathers, nor how a kobold can maul a high-level character.

RELATED: 10 Questions About D&D Rules That Don't Have A Clear Answer

However, Unearthed Arcana has an alternate rule that allows players to convert AC into damage reduction instead. It's often used in conjunction with a hit/miss roll and really helps streamline combat.

D&D is well known for its alignment chart. There are two axes, one for good/evil and one for lawful/chaotic. For some, that is far too vague, which is where custom alignments come in.

Unearthed Arcana doesn't offer much information on what to do. However, it does urge players and Dungeon Masters to try and keep it balanced and consider what the terms might actually mean. Perhaps a lawful good character doesn't necessarily care for the rules put forth by the state, but instead holds themself to a strict moral code. Another option is to add the phrasing "with good/evil/lawful/chaotic tendencies" after the alignment in order to add another layer of depth.

Dungeon Masters need to be careful when allowing players to pick flaws and traits. Some of these can munchkin a character beyond all comprehension, while others are basically useless.

A flaw is meant to be a character-altering flaw, like someone having kleptomania or an inability to lie. Selecting flaws grants extra feats or offers extra perks down the line for those that don't come with feats. A trait gives them specific perks based on the trait selected and should be limited to only a few in order to create a balanced character.

Some classes are exceptionally weak but show their use down the line. Others are overpowered and become tiresome after using them over and over again. However, class variants rebuild the various features of different classes, making them a little more balanced.

It also gives character classes that were otherwise really strict some options, such as the paladin. In that instance, it allows for alignment variations and customization, making for richer characters in the long run.

There's no getting around how much number-crunching is needed within Dungeons and Dragons. The good news is that some of these crunchfests can be skirted in favor of alternate methods. Thankfully, Unearthed Arcana offers a few good options for doing so.

However, one of the best is to nix experience points entirely and reward levels based on the deeds of the players. It makes for a lot more role-playing opportunities and gets people thinking more cleverly as they try to earn that level up. Otherwise, making it so characters level up after specific plot points is another way to go. It's interesting because it means fighting isn't the only way to gain experience. Players need to let the character's experiences help make them stronger.

At their default level, skills are overwhelming. Consequently, "Unearthed Arcana" poses the concept of alternative skill systems that shape the way skill checks are done and how they're chosen.

RELATED: D&D: 10 Tips For Making Unique Character Backstories

Some options include making the maximum level possible but only for a handful of skills based on the character's intelligence level. There are also level-based skills that take into account class skills, simplifying the whole check system. However, it depends on how much people like rolling the dice and customizing their characters, as this takes away both of those options.

Sanity is a hard stat to incorporate into games. It's even harder in tabletops when there's already a ton of numbers to manually keep track of. Unearthed Arcana offers a suggestion for tracking sanity for a player, helping to keep their alignment in check while giving the DM some interesting wiggle room.

A character can still act "good," but if their sanity is low, they might be perceiving the world incorrectly. It's hard to handle, but a skilled DM can make it shine with some imagination.

Unearthed Arcana puts forward the idea of variants from each race – from elemental to regional. Sometimes, some are just different. However, it injects more life (literally and figuratively) into the world of DnD by allowing more than the base races.

For example, perhaps there are different elves in different regions or planes, or maybe humans gain different traits based on their environment? Also, are Dwarves who live on the surface different from those who live strictly underground?

One thing that's often overlooked is the NPCs. With how the game works, a shopkeeper can be killed by a domestic cat within five seconds. And no matter how much life a character had before adventuring, they start off with a very small pool of skills.

Unearthed Arcana suggests that NPCs can gain levels too, but slightly differently. They won't be gaining a ton of class bonuses, but they will be gaining skills and abilities based on their professions and experiences. For example, no two blacksmiths are going to have exactly the same skills. Utilizing some of these can help add serious depth to characters throughout the game.

NEXT: D&D: 10 Creative Ways To Use NPCs In Your Next Campaign

Viktor is an avid ftm gamer fond of a wide range of games, from popular titles such as Pokémon, Dungeons and Dragons, and Minecraft to more niche games such as survival games, farming simulators, RTS, indie, and old games. He lives at home with his wife, two cats, and two ferrets and loves various forms of art. He loves to draw, write, stitch, sculpt, and experiment with various media. Find him on his blog for a better look.