What are the main "Simplified D20" rules out there?

[Gavinfoxx]

I'm looking for various versions of D20 / SRD based rules that are 3rd party simplified versions of D&D style games. What are the major variants on this theme? Where can I find the major versions of this?


In an unrelated question, where can I also find the major houserules versions of "point buy everything / classless" D&D variants? Are there any versions of that variant that tend to be more popular than others?

[Khatoblepas]

In terms of classless point buy d20, I like Mutants and Masterminds 2e by Green Ronin. You get to build the mechanics of your character yourself, so playing monsters next to mages next to fighters is no big deal (and no power discrepancies unless you cheese the system, which is utterly transparent and most broken combinations are pointed out to the GM). Unfortunately, it's not very good for kick in the door lootfests. Perfect for superhero games and low-wealth epic fantasy. You have characters with their signature weapon that they keep all through the game.

[Gavinfoxx]

I was more looking for "available online for free, as someone's take on houserules that they put together" things.

And what about the other one? I remember some kind of Pocket PHB, MM, and DMG that was just a few pages long? And there's true20? What else took out the weirdness and simplified Fantasy D20 greatly?

[Knaight]

I'm looking for various versions of D20 / SRD based rules that are 3rd party simplified versions of D&D style games. What are the major variants on this theme? Where can I find the major versions of this?
How simplified do you want? There are some extremely simple systems based on d20 (I think Minimus is for instance), but if that is overkill, I don't know.

[Gavinfoxx]

I'm looking for the range of "True20" to "As simple as it can be and recognizably based on the SRD and fantasy rules".

In other words, can you link me to a variety of them?

[The-Mage-King]

Point buy d20?

Anime d20 (http://www.faterpg.com/dl/animed20srd.pdf).

Yeah. Free, quick point buy, and compatable with the SRD.

[The Big Dice]

I was more looking for "available online for free, as someone's take on houserules that they put together" things.

And what about the other one? I remember some kind of Pocket PHB, MM, and DMG that was just a few pages long? And there's true20? What else took out the weirdness and simplified Fantasy D20 greatly?

There's a whole bunch of so-called retro clones out there. I wouldn't say all of them are simplified, but certainly things like Swords and Wizardry and Labyrinth Lord aren't particularly complicated. Though they are "full size" game, rather than cut down things.

The whole existence of them is apparently because a pecualiar twist of the OGL, which means that the rules of a game can't be coyrighted, though the "artistic presentation" of those rules can be.

The legalese of it all is beyond me, but it does mean that there's a selection of free and legal RPGs out there on pdf.

[Gavinfoxx]

I'm not particularly interested in the "Make it more 1e flavored or AD&D flavored" ones, just ones that take the SRD and simplify the rules in a more generic sense. I'm specifically thinking of this one self contained SRD, which had a pdf version that you could fit in a pocket, which let you come up with characters of any level in 5 minutes or so, which was recognizably like D&D 3.5e. I'm mostly looking for that, as well as anything in the range of "two page D&D" to "True20", with a focus on finding free online stuff that is self contained games (OGL?).

[The Big Dice]

True20 is a commercial product by Green Ronin games. I don't think that's free. Though they did give away the PDF on Free RPG Day a couple years back. That was a happy find.

It sounds like Microlite 20 (http://www.microlite20.net/) is just what you're looking for, though.

[Knaight]

Minimus is probably one of the better options then. I can guarantee the existence of a better one, remembering its name is the hard part.