DnD fix [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

DnD fix [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Heresy488
03-24-08, 03:25 AM Ok gang, here we go. I am redesigning DnD from the ground up, and I mean that. The goal of the project is to strip out everything my group doesn't like, which essentially is anything that was written down. Anytime one of my players says "I want to do THIS!" and then I need to fish for the rules, that's a bad rule.

Bullet points for my big changes:
-simply done away with the class mechanic
The way I see it, a lot of what a character can do, should depend more on the actual character and not the class they chose. So there are no classes, simply characters who learn and pick up skills/abilities along the way. A lot of what a character can physically do is predetermined by attribute scores. Everything else, the player purchases with "character points", things like sneak attack dice, spell casting, favored enemy, divine power, etc.

-allowing casters to go into fun directions without punitive cross-classing/prestige-classing
Dread Necromancer, Blood Mage, Truenamer.. there are a ton of flavored classes out there that, in order to buy into the gimmik, the character must compromise too much effectiveness in order to participate. Instead, the mage simply gains a number of these "spell casting options" based on their int modifier.
Astralmancy
Blood Magic
Divine
Metamagic
Potions
Ritual
Spellbook
Symbol
Truename
Vestiges

-reworked the attribute scores
Only have 4 now, Agility (Str+Dex), Stamina, Intelligence, and Charisma (Chr + Wis).
10 : +1
14 : +2
18 : +3
24 : +4
30 : +5
The Agi bonus determines run speed, # attacks per round, dodge, and # special attacks (cleave, sunder, disarm, etc) per round. Stam provides (a lot, but I'll summarize as best I can) hit points, injury resilience, and endurance during the fight. Even heroes get tired, and being tired creates Agi penalties. Int bonus gives a # knowledges, skill points, and # spell casting options. Chr provides character points, social effectiveness, underlings, and mind-affecting resistances.

-damage and healing
Characters, all of them, start with 8 hit points +stamina bonus. Every level up, they gain only their stamina bonus. Any damage of 2 hit points or more creates an Injury. A character can support a number of injuries equal to their stamina bonus, beyond that the character suffers -1 hp per excessive injury per hour. Injuries are repaired by Skill: Surgery. Magical healing (there's no distinction between arcane and divine) can repair hit point damage, but not injuries, until much later on.
The reason for all this is by level 5, some characters will have 40+ hp. While that's not a big number, I figure the players would cut down the number of war atrocities they commit if they can count their max hp on two hands.

*** *** *** ***

If any of this sounds appealing, I would be happy to evolve this post into the more detailed version. Feedback requested :)
Escef
03-24-08, 03:44 AM Ok gang, here we go. I am redesigning DnD from the ground up, and I mean that...

And the crazy part is, I've seen people make such incredible changes to the rules and still call the game D&D, but these same folk will say that 2e, 3e, 3.5e, 4e, etc. "aren't D&D".

Anyhue, firstly, I think you've made Agility way too important. An ability score determining number of attacks is just too much.

Four points between ability score mods? Why the big open space? Tighten it up unless you intend characters to take ability damage on a regular basis.

Also, how do you expect characters to have 40 hps by level 5? If all they get is 8 + Stam bonus times level? That's assuming your PCs will have Stam scores well in excess of 30.

What are you using for stat generation? Answering that question might make a couple of my observations moot.

Also, if PCs build their characters with character points, and Chr provides character points, don't you think everyone will have huge Chr scores? Unless you are having the term pull double duty, which I suggest against.

Honestly, I think you might want to look into a system already designed for classlessness. White Wolf's StoryTeller system might be a good place to start. Or if you want to stay d20 system, try d20 Big Eyes, Small Mouth or Mutants & Masterminds. Once you strip out the flavor, BESM and M&M will probably do a lot of what you are looking for.
Etarnon
03-26-08, 05:09 PM Yeah, good luck.

A lot of work, I'd go for a simple skill based game like WEG d6 System.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Heresy488 03-24-08, 03:25 AM	Ok gang, here we go. I am redesigning DnD from the ground up, and I mean that. The goal of the project is to strip out everything my group doesn't like, which essentially is anything that was written down. Anytime one of my players says "I want to do THIS!" and then I need to fish for the rules, that's a bad rule. Bullet points for my big changes: -simply done away with the class mechanic The way I see it, a lot of what a character can do, should depend more on the actual character and not the class they chose. So there are no classes, simply characters who learn and pick up skills/abilities along the way. A lot of what a character can physically do is predetermined by attribute scores. Everything else, the player purchases with "character points", things like sneak attack dice, spell casting, favored enemy, divine power, etc. -allowing casters to go into fun directions without punitive cross-classing/prestige-classing Dread Necromancer, Blood Mage, Truenamer.. there are a ton of flavored classes out there that, in order to buy into the gimmik, the character must compromise too much effectiveness in order to participate. Instead, the mage simply gains a number of these "spell casting options" based on their int modifier. Astralmancy Blood Magic Divine Metamagic Potions Ritual Spellbook Symbol Truename Vestiges -reworked the attribute scores Only have 4 now, Agility (Str+Dex), Stamina, Intelligence, and Charisma (Chr + Wis). 10 : +1 14 : +2 18 : +3 24 : +4 30 : +5 The Agi bonus determines run speed, # attacks per round, dodge, and # special attacks (cleave, sunder, disarm, etc) per round. Stam provides (a lot, but I'll summarize as best I can) hit points, injury resilience, and endurance during the fight. Even heroes get tired, and being tired creates Agi penalties. Int bonus gives a # knowledges, skill points, and # spell casting options. Chr provides character points, social effectiveness, underlings, and mind-affecting resistances. -damage and healing Characters, all of them, start with 8 hit points +stamina bonus. Every level up, they gain only their stamina bonus. Any damage of 2 hit points or more creates an Injury. A character can support a number of injuries equal to their stamina bonus, beyond that the character suffers -1 hp per excessive injury per hour. Injuries are repaired by Skill: Surgery. Magical healing (there's no distinction between arcane and divine) can repair hit point damage, but not injuries, until much later on. The reason for all this is by level 5, some characters will have 40+ hp. While that's not a big number, I figure the players would cut down the number of war atrocities they commit if they can count their max hp on two hands. * * * * If any of this sounds appealing, I would be happy to evolve this post into the more detailed version. Feedback requested :)
Escef 03-24-08, 03:44 AM	Ok gang, here we go. I am redesigning DnD from the ground up, and I mean that... And the crazy part is, I've seen people make such incredible changes to the rules and still call the game D&D, but these same folk will say that 2e, 3e, 3.5e, 4e, etc. "aren't D&D". Anyhue, firstly, I think you've made Agility way too important. An ability score determining number of attacks is just too much. Four points between ability score mods? Why the big open space? Tighten it up unless you intend characters to take ability damage on a regular basis. Also, how do you expect characters to have 40 hps by level 5? If all they get is 8 + Stam bonus times level? That's assuming your PCs will have Stam scores well in excess of 30. What are you using for stat generation? Answering that question might make a couple of my observations moot. Also, if PCs build their characters with character points, and Chr provides character points, don't you think everyone will have huge Chr scores? Unless you are having the term pull double duty, which I suggest against. Honestly, I think you might want to look into a system already designed for classlessness. White Wolf's StoryTeller system might be a good place to start. Or if you want to stay d20 system, try d20 Big Eyes, Small Mouth or Mutants & Masterminds. Once you strip out the flavor, BESM and M&M will probably do a lot of what you are looking for.
Etarnon 03-26-08, 05:09 PM	Yeah, good luck. A lot of work, I'd go for a simple skill based game like WEG d6 System.