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View Full Version : [Microlite 20] A True20/D&D4e/SWSE-inspired hack



Kiero
2012-08-26, 05:46 AM
I've had rumblings in the back of my head about a simple, D&D-styled fantasy system that actually addresses all the things I want out of such a thing. However, I am under no illusions that any such thing exists. Rather what I've been searching for is a base from which to start mucking about.

Fortuitously, I re-discovered Microlite 20. While the Kobold Enterprises site seems to be down, I did find a simple version on 1d4chan (http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Microlite20), which is sufficient for my purposes.

What I'd appreciate some assistance on is three things: the maths (because ensuring things are actually balanced/functional is not my strong suit), the magic (I don't want to just port across 3.x spells if I can help it) and the monsters (I'm intending really simple, short stat blocks but they'll be dependent on the maths). Obviously general critique is welcome.

Just to explain some of the influences behind this. I like the three class structure of True20 and the intentional modularity of it. There should be lots of interesting combinations possible by mixing and matching the three (or not if you like focused) and none of the trap/exploit potential or pointless incremental bloat of having lots of classes. There's intentionally no meaningful mage/cleric split in terms of classes, casters are casters.

I like True20's modifiers instead of ability scores. I like D&D4e/SWSE's defenses in place of saving throws, but particularly like the latter's removal of AC altogether. What I'd like to add is a damage reduction element for Fort, but more on that later. I like D&D4e's Skills and more durable 1st level (ie more hit points).

I like E6's approach to restricting things to the heroic tier for the entire world (ie cap at 3rd level spells), so at most there'll be 10 levels. But each one will feature something so that gaining one is a big deal. I'd like to do something like the Bonus Feats from the Generic Classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm), but you get one every level.

Broadly the aim is simple, streamlined, generic while retaining a few features of D&D that I like. I also want much quicker and simpler combats than 4th edition.



Right intros out of the way, on to the meat of the thing. Some of this will be work in progress, edited as long as I'm able to, then reposted if that runs out. I haven't yet checked out any of the existing versions; to be honest I'd rather have some ideas on specific areas from those than using them to alter my relatively simple starting position.

As a general rule, I'd like to take out level-based escalation/inflation of numbers (or at least remove 4th edition's +1/2 level). Or do I? Does adding half a level as a bonus do wonky things to the maths?

I don't like randomness in chargen, but I've included some token randomness for those who do.


Stats

There are six stats as usual in D&D, but they are not ability scores. Instead we have modifiers, in other words the impact they have on any die roll or other stat.

You get 8 or 1d6+5 points to spend. Every stat starts at 0 and you apply a straight 1-for-1 point buy on them. You can also lower them to get more points to spend elsewhere. Maximum and minimum are -4 to +4 at chargen.


Saves

There are three saves which are target numbers as per 4th edition. As per SWSE, Reflex doubles up as AC. At the moment I'm thinking of not having a level-related modifier so they don't escalate much.

Reflex: 10 + (any class modifier) + Dex/Int modifier + (any equipment modifier)
Fortitude: 10 + (any class modifier) + Str/Con modifier + (any equipment modifier)
Will: 10 + (any class modifier) + Wis/Cha modifier + (any equipment modifier)


Races

The game I have in mind only features humans, +1 to a stat of your choice, +1 to all saving throws and an extra trained skill.

Other races would probably feature a 4th edition style +1 to one specified ability and +1 to one of two specified others. Along with whatever appropriate special abilities, which I don't need to concern myself with here. Anyone who wants to have a go for completeness is welcome to.


Classes

There are three: Warrior, Expert and Adept. Each is intended to be an extremely broad, modular block that you can combine with the others at will. They are not distinct and discrete separate thematic niches that entirely define a character.

Because of that intentional combination, there's the usual Character Level/Class Level split. The former is the total of all those of the latter you have. Again I want to try to avoid a great deal of escalation/inflation of values where possible. The idea is that more levels makes you tougher (ie more hit points) and gives you a wider range of choices (ie more Bonus Abilities).

Not sure if we need some Character Level-based bonuses to hit and saves. Also undecided if I want attribute modifiers to go up with levels (maybe +1 to two at 4th and 8th level?).

Bonus Abilities

Everyone gets two of these at 1st level (only your starting class), and one each every time you level up. The idea is there'll be a general list of no more than 20, and each class will have it's own special list of about 10. They're like broad Feats.

Note: I haven't written most of these yet!

Melee Training - use an ability other than Strength for melee attacks.
Skill Focus - one of your trained skills gets an additional +3 bonus.
Skill Training - add a new trained skill.



Special Abilities

I'm thinking each class should have some sort of static/fixed property that you get for starting as that class. So you only get it if your first level is in that class, not if you multiclass into it. That should hopefully prevent there being an automatic "best" starting class and make each one equally attractive (depending on your concept). Additionally, there'll be a level-based special too, so it's not all about starting there. In other words, the level-based one everyone taking levels in that class gets.

Anyway, on to the classes. These are very similar to True20 or the Generic Classes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm), which is intentional.


Adept

Hit Dice: d4. Starting hitpoints 8 (or 2d4) + (2x Con bonus). 2 (or 1d4) hit points per level thereafter.

Save Bonus: +2 Will (starting). +1 Will (multiclass).

Skills: History and either Arcana or Religion plus 3 other trained skills (starting). History, Arcana or Religion or one bonus skill if already have all three (multiclass).

Weapons and armour: Light weapons and either staff or spear. No armour or shields.

Spellcasting: Get new spell levels at 1st, 4th and 6th level. Get some other type of bonus at 9th (magic specialisation?). Note you can choose them from any list (cleric, druid, mage). They function like sorcerors, not wizards. As long as you haven't used all your memorised slots, you can cast any of the spells you have memorised.

Spells known caps at n-spell level x Int bonus (or 1). You choose which you memorise from this list.

Spells memorised is 1/2 your level +1 in 1st level spells, 1/2 your level in 2nd level spells and 1/2 level -1 in 3rd level spells. 1st level spells can be cast at-will (ie you can keep casting those you have memorised). 2nd level spells can be cast per encounter (ie you have as many slots per encounter as memorised). 3rd level spells can only be cast daily/every other encounter (whichever is sooner).

Special Abilities: Starting: +2 to saving throws against ongoing spell effects. +1 to all defenses against spells known.

Level-based: You get higher level spells.

Bonus Abilities:


Expert

Hit Dice: d6. Starting hitpoints 12 (or 2d6) + (2x Con bonus). 3 (or 1d6) hit points per level thereafter.

Save Bonus: +2 Ref, or +1 Ref +1 Will (starting). +1 Ref or +1 Will (multiclass).

Skills: 7 trained skills (starting). One bonus skill (multiclass).

Weapons and armour: Light and medium weapons, plus staff and spear. Light armour.

Special Abilities: Starting: When wielding a light weapon, you can use Dex instead of Str to hit in melee. Favoured skill - pick one skill you are trained in; whenever you make a check on that skill you may roll 2d20 and take the better of the two.

Level-based: An additional trained skill or skill focus at 4th level. A second additional trained skill or skill focus at 8th level.

Bonus Abilities:


Warrior

Hit Dice: d10. Starting hitpoints 20 (or 2d10) + (2x Con bonus). 5 (or 1d10) hit points per level thereafter.

Save Bonus: +2 Fort, or +1 Ref +1 Fort (starting). +1 Ref or +1 Fort (multiclass).

Skills: Athletics and either Endurance or Might, plus 3 other skills (starting). Athletics, Endurance or Might, or one bonus skill if all three trained (multiclass).

Weapons and armour: Light, medium, versatile and heavy weapons. Light and medium armour. Light shields.

Special Abilities: Starting: +1 to hit and damage with all weapons. An additional +1 to hit and damage at 4th and 8th level.

Level-based: An additional attack at -2 at 4th level. A third additional attack at -4 at 8th level.

Bonus Abilities:

Guardian - you can use heavy armour and heavy shields. When you use a total defense, you get an additional +1 to Reflex.


Skills

Skill rolls are d20 + Trained/Focus bonus + appropriate Attribute bonus + situational modifiers

There are no "class skills", anyone can learn anything they choose. Obviously those choices might be influenced by their ability mods. Training in a skill gives a +3 bonus. Focus (above in Bonus Abilities) gives +6. Again unsure whether I really want a level-based component to skills (though if there's only 10 levels, that's not a huge range of variance if I added 1/2 level).

The list is: Acrobatics (Dex), Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Wis), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Might (Str), Nature (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dex).


Combat

Initiative is d20 + Dex + Wis. Everyone can perform two actions - a move and a main (attack, cast a spell, an additional move, whatever).

Melee attacks and heavy thrown are d20 + Str bonus
Ranged attacks are d20 + Dex bonus
Magic attacks are d20 + Wis/Cha bonus

Beat opponent's Reflex (or other defense in the case of magic and special attacks) and you hit. Natural 20 does maximum damage.

Damage is weapon + Str bonus, and Str bonus +1 for Versatile used two-handed and Str bonus x2 for Heavy.

Soak is equal to half your Con modifier plus any armour bonuses - you deduct this from incoming damage.

Anyone can wield a light weapon in their off hand (Warriors count their bare hands as a light weapon). You can use this for an extra attack at -2 to all attacks for the round, or receive +1 Reflex against melee attacks.


Healing/Recovery

Instead of a normal main action, you may take your Second Wind once per encounter. This restores 25% of your hit points and gives you +2 to all defenses until the start of your next turn.

All hit points return with a full night's rest (8 hours or so). A short rest (5 minutes) restores 25% of your hit points.


Weapons

Melee:
Light - d4 - baton, dagger
Medium - d6 - club, flail, hand axe, shortsword
Versatile - d8 - mace, spear, staff, sword
Heavy - d10 - greataxe, polearm, two-handed sword

Thrown:
Light - d4 - dagger, dart, shuriken
Heavy - d6 - hand axe, javelin, throwing hammer

Ranged:
Light - d6 - shortbow, sling
Medium - d8 - light crossbow
Heavy - composite bow/longbow, heavy crossbow

Note: the spear and staff give a +1 to Reflex against melee attacks if used two-handed.


Armour

Light: +1 Fort and soak - leather, hide
Medium: +2 Fort and soak, -1 physical skill checks - mail, scale
Heavy: -1 Ref, +4 Fort and soak, -2 physical skill checks - plate
Light shield: +2 Ref
Heavy Shield: +2 Ref, +1 Fort and soak, -1 physical skill checks

Note: light shields count as light melee weapons and heavy shields as medium melee weapons if used to attack. However, they lose their Reflex bonus in any round they've been used to attack.


Magic

To follow.


Monsters

To follow.


Hazards

To follow.

Kiero
2012-08-26, 05:47 AM
Now I've set my basics out, I've had a quick browse of some of the other Microlites.

I'm wondering if the maths on attack/damage is skewed too low, given there's soak. Should attack and damage both get +1/2 level since there's no automatic, scaling attack/damage bonuses for most classes?

Similarly should skills get a +1/2 level bonus? As before, generally I want to be using smaller numbers, but it does mean it wouldn't be possible to use the existing DCs and such. Not that it's particularly onerous to come up with my own.

Also wondering if I've massively overcomplicating magic by attempting to copy the 3.x Sorceror, but with some 4e-style at-will/encounter/daily in. They may be nerfed by only getting up to 3rd level spells, but they do have access to everything. Forcing them to use two stats (Int and Wis/Cha) is intentional.

Healing spells are going to work sort of like 4e healing; Cure Light Wounds heals 25% of hit points, Cure Moderate Wounds heals 50% of hit points and Cure Serious Wounds cures 75% of hit points.

The absence of anything relating to movement is intentional; I want this to be a game where quick, gridless combats are possible. I might add a relative movement system (melee, short, medium, long). So you can take two actions in a turn, move and a main one, or move two zones. Reach weapons allow you to fight at short.

Anyway, just some more thoughts as I work through this in my head.

Stubbazubba
2012-08-26, 10:08 AM
As a general rule, I'd like to take out level-based escalation/inflation of numbers (or at least remove 4th edition's +1/2 level). Or do I? Does adding half a level as a bonus do wonky things to the maths?

Depends. If it's added symmetrically - meaning it's added both to attacks and AC/defense - then no, it does nothing to the maths given that both parties are the same level. It gives higher-level characters an advantage over lower-level ones, but not much at a max of +5. If it's only added to offense, then defense becomes less important at higher levels and the ability to soak takes more prominence. If it's only added to defense then cranking up your accuracy as much as possible is a good idea. Actually, at a max of +5, there's really nothing too wonky going to happen. An extra 1 in 4 odds between starting characters and max level just is only going to matter, well, 1 in 4 times.

Question: Armor says it gives you a penalty to physical checks. Does that include melee attack rolls or not?

Kiero
2012-08-26, 10:34 AM
Depends. If it's added symmetrically - meaning it's added both to attacks and AC/defense - then no, it does nothing to the maths given that both parties are the same level. It gives higher-level characters an advantage over lower-level ones, but not much at a max of +5. If it's only added to offense, then defense becomes less important at higher levels and the ability to soak takes more prominence. If it's only added to defense then cranking up your accuracy as much as possible is a good idea. Actually, at a max of +5, there's really nothing too wonky going to happen. An extra 1 in 4 odds between starting characters and max level just is only going to matter, well, 1 in 4 times.

Hmmm, sounds like it might be worth including for the sake of giving something to higher level characters.


Question: Armor says it gives you a penalty to physical checks. Does that include melee attack rolls or not?

No, just skill checks using Str/Dex/Con.

Kiero
2012-08-27, 07:51 AM
I think I'm going to have to put in the +1/2 level treadmill to give higher-level characters some distinction beyond Bonus Abilities. Particularly when I'm aiming to not have any Bonus Ability give bonuses to hit (ie no equivalent to Expertise Feats).

Wondering if ability modifiers should increase at all; maybe at 4th and 8th level as per core, but +1 to one modifier each time.

I'm not assuming bonuses from magic items at all (because in this hack there are none).

Stubbazubba
2012-08-27, 08:43 AM
I think I'm going to have to put in the +1/2 level treadmill to give higher-level characters some distinction beyond Bonus Abilities. Particularly when I'm aiming to not have any Bonus Ability give bonuses to hit (ie no equivalent to Expertise Feats).

Wondering if ability modifiers should increase at all; maybe at 4th and 8th level as per core, but +1 to one modifier each time.

I would say yes; players like to get little bumps in statistics at regular intervals, and so far I don't know how those will work outside of Adepts getting more spells. Empty levels aren't OK, even for a Microlite game.


I'm not assuming bonuses from magic items at all (because in this hack there are none).

I like this idea, but implementing it well usually gets tricky. How much do you want the best of the best of the best and the worst of the worst of the worst to differ by? What kind of spread in a single skill area do you want to have in a given party?

Kiero
2012-08-27, 10:05 AM
I would say yes; players like to get little bumps in statistics at regular intervals, and so far I don't know how those will work outside of Adepts getting more spells. Empty levels aren't OK, even for a Microlite game.

Everyone, at every level, will get a Bonus Ability, which are like broad Feats. As in the original post, there's going to be a list of general ones anyone can take, and some class-specific ones only someone with levels in that class can take.

There's also some Special Abilities that come with a given class, one set for starting in a class, and another for advancing levels in a class. For the latter, Adepts get more spells; Warriors get more attacks; Experts get more skills.


I like this idea, but implementing it well usually gets tricky. How much do you want the best of the best of the best and the worst of the worst of the worst to differ by? What kind of spread in a single skill area do you want to have in a given party?

I don't think it is tricky; look at the simple maths of Inherent Bonuses in 4e. In this instance, we simply don't build monsters to assume +n magic items.