Kane0
2013-04-04, 04:20 AM
Hello all.
In the wake of my homebrew system 3.U I thought it may be cool to throw together a d20 that takes the core elements and ideas of 3rd edition D&D and makes them applicable in the broadest sense.
Some groundwork:
Golden Rule #1
The game is run by the DM co-operating with the players. Both must put in the work to make a game enjoyable and engaging.
Golden rule #2
On any d20 roll a 20 is some kind of success and a 1 is some kind of failure. The higher you roll the better the result is likely to be.
Building a character:
Start with 10 in each stat. You have 14 points to add or take on a one for one basis and are unable to reduce scores below 8 or raise above 18
The actual attributes stay more or less the same, you gain a bonus of +1 for every 2 points above 10 and a penalty of -1 for every 2 points below 10. The six stats remain as is.
Before we go on, these are the progressions, mentioned frequently below:
Good progression: +1 per level
Average progression: +0.75 per level (+2/3 levels)
Poor progression: 0.5 per level (+1/2 levels)
All these are rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Pick a save to have the 'good' progression in, one to have the 'average' progression in and one to have the 'poor' progression in. Apart form the progression speeds saves remain the same, fort, ref and will.
Allocate progressions to base attack, skills and magic. One must be good, one average and one poor.
At each level you gain a 'minor ability', something flavorful and mechanicaly weak.
Every two levels starting at 1 you gain a 'major ability', which is something more mechanically powerful or opens up new mechanics.
Every three levels you gain 2 points to add to ant attribute(s) you choose.
Attacking
Attack = d20 + Base Attack (determined above) + Attribute bonus (Str for melee or thrown weapons, Dex for ranged or light weapons (weapons usable only in one hand such as daggers), casting stat for spells) + other bonuses
Maneuvers
A subset of attacking, this is an attack that deals no damage but instead does some other kind of effect such as tripping, bullrushing, feinting, etc
The roll for a maneuver is d20 + base attack + str bonus + dex bonus + other bonuses
Damage
If you hit you deal damage equal to base weapon damage + attribute bonus + other bonuses + 1 for every 2 points of base attack bonus
HP
Every level you gain 2d4 HP, and every level you add your con bonus to HP gained. At level one you add your con score instead of your con bonus.
Many DMs allow you to take the average (5) or take the maximum (8) at certain levels.
When you reach 0 or less HP you fall unconscious, and you die when you fall below -(con score + level) HP.
Any healing you receive adds to your HP total (but doesn't go over your normal maximum). If being healed while below 0 HP your HP is brought to 0 and then healing is added normally.
Defences
Your Defence (formerly AC) is 10 + half base attack (rounded down) + dex bonus + other bonuses
Your fortitude save is d20 + fort bonus + con bonus + other bonuses
Your reflex save is d20 + ref bonus + dex bonus + other bonuses
Your will save is d20 + will bonus + wis bonus + other bonuses
DCs
DCs are what you aim to match or beat when you roll. For attacks, the DC is the target's defense score. For skills, the DC is determined by the DM and changes according to the challenge of the act. Saves (Fort, Ref & Will) are made in response to effects that deal with things other than HP damage, commonly environmental effects or spells.
The DC of spells is 10 + half base magic + casting ability bonus + other bonuses)
Spellcasting
Choose a casting stat from Int, Wis or Cha. This cannot be changed
Choose a type of casting, this determines your 'theme'
- Arcane. Learned or internal magic, arcane magic has an affinity for debuffs
- Divine. Acquired or given magic, Divine has an affinity for buffs
Choose a casting method
1. The per day. Simplest method, you can cast any spell you have access to up to casting stat bonus times per day. You need to rest 8 hours to recover them and can only recover them once per 24 hours.
2. The cooldown. The best long term method, each time you cast a spell you have access to you have to wait 1d4 +1 rounds before you can cast any other spell, including the same spell again.
3. The check. The risky method, each time you attempt to cast a spell you must succeed on a 'casting check' (d20 + casting attribute + base magic + other bonuses) vs the DC of your spell (10 + base magic + casting attribute + other bonuses) in order to successfully cast it.
You gain access to one spell per +1 in base magic.
Skills
Most things you do won't require rolls, but many others do. These are skill checks, and if you are permitted to attempt them at all are usually attribute checks (d20 + attribute bonus).
However, if you put a skill point that you gain from your skill progression into a certain skill you gain a +2 bonus to it for each skill point you invest, as well as the ability to attempt harder and more broad uses of that skill. The actual skill itself is determined by you, and can be as broad or specific as you want (and your DM permits). Generally speaking, the more specific the skill the better you will do at it where the more broad the skill the more applicable it will be to you (though you wont actually be much better at it)
In Game
Combat & Actions
The order of combat is determined by the DM, commonly clockwise starting from the first character to act/react or in order of the fastest to respond.
Combat is split into rounds (6 seconds) that each participant receives one of.
In combat you gain a set of actions on your turn. You get a standard action, a move action, a minor action and a reaction.
A standard action is an attack, casting a spell or some other action that takes a significant amount of time and effort to do (apart from moving)
A move action is the ability to move your full speed once (usually 30', or 6 spaces). You can perform other actions during and around your move action. Moving through tough terrain or moving while hindered (getting up form prone, crawling, etc) costs you twice the amount of movement to move a distance.
A minor action is a small, easily accompished action such as retrieving an item from a pocket, activating a magic item or maintaining an ongoing spell.
A reaction is a special action made outside of your turn as a response to something else, such as attacking a fleeing enemy, casting a spell to slow your fall after being pushed off a cliff or shouting a warning as enemies round a corner.
Specifics for spellcasting and equipment to follow.
What do you guys think? Is this simple enough for a younger player to be able to jump in and have a go?
In the wake of my homebrew system 3.U I thought it may be cool to throw together a d20 that takes the core elements and ideas of 3rd edition D&D and makes them applicable in the broadest sense.
Some groundwork:
Golden Rule #1
The game is run by the DM co-operating with the players. Both must put in the work to make a game enjoyable and engaging.
Golden rule #2
On any d20 roll a 20 is some kind of success and a 1 is some kind of failure. The higher you roll the better the result is likely to be.
Building a character:
Start with 10 in each stat. You have 14 points to add or take on a one for one basis and are unable to reduce scores below 8 or raise above 18
The actual attributes stay more or less the same, you gain a bonus of +1 for every 2 points above 10 and a penalty of -1 for every 2 points below 10. The six stats remain as is.
Before we go on, these are the progressions, mentioned frequently below:
Good progression: +1 per level
Average progression: +0.75 per level (+2/3 levels)
Poor progression: 0.5 per level (+1/2 levels)
All these are rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Pick a save to have the 'good' progression in, one to have the 'average' progression in and one to have the 'poor' progression in. Apart form the progression speeds saves remain the same, fort, ref and will.
Allocate progressions to base attack, skills and magic. One must be good, one average and one poor.
At each level you gain a 'minor ability', something flavorful and mechanicaly weak.
Every two levels starting at 1 you gain a 'major ability', which is something more mechanically powerful or opens up new mechanics.
Every three levels you gain 2 points to add to ant attribute(s) you choose.
Attacking
Attack = d20 + Base Attack (determined above) + Attribute bonus (Str for melee or thrown weapons, Dex for ranged or light weapons (weapons usable only in one hand such as daggers), casting stat for spells) + other bonuses
Maneuvers
A subset of attacking, this is an attack that deals no damage but instead does some other kind of effect such as tripping, bullrushing, feinting, etc
The roll for a maneuver is d20 + base attack + str bonus + dex bonus + other bonuses
Damage
If you hit you deal damage equal to base weapon damage + attribute bonus + other bonuses + 1 for every 2 points of base attack bonus
HP
Every level you gain 2d4 HP, and every level you add your con bonus to HP gained. At level one you add your con score instead of your con bonus.
Many DMs allow you to take the average (5) or take the maximum (8) at certain levels.
When you reach 0 or less HP you fall unconscious, and you die when you fall below -(con score + level) HP.
Any healing you receive adds to your HP total (but doesn't go over your normal maximum). If being healed while below 0 HP your HP is brought to 0 and then healing is added normally.
Defences
Your Defence (formerly AC) is 10 + half base attack (rounded down) + dex bonus + other bonuses
Your fortitude save is d20 + fort bonus + con bonus + other bonuses
Your reflex save is d20 + ref bonus + dex bonus + other bonuses
Your will save is d20 + will bonus + wis bonus + other bonuses
DCs
DCs are what you aim to match or beat when you roll. For attacks, the DC is the target's defense score. For skills, the DC is determined by the DM and changes according to the challenge of the act. Saves (Fort, Ref & Will) are made in response to effects that deal with things other than HP damage, commonly environmental effects or spells.
The DC of spells is 10 + half base magic + casting ability bonus + other bonuses)
Spellcasting
Choose a casting stat from Int, Wis or Cha. This cannot be changed
Choose a type of casting, this determines your 'theme'
- Arcane. Learned or internal magic, arcane magic has an affinity for debuffs
- Divine. Acquired or given magic, Divine has an affinity for buffs
Choose a casting method
1. The per day. Simplest method, you can cast any spell you have access to up to casting stat bonus times per day. You need to rest 8 hours to recover them and can only recover them once per 24 hours.
2. The cooldown. The best long term method, each time you cast a spell you have access to you have to wait 1d4 +1 rounds before you can cast any other spell, including the same spell again.
3. The check. The risky method, each time you attempt to cast a spell you must succeed on a 'casting check' (d20 + casting attribute + base magic + other bonuses) vs the DC of your spell (10 + base magic + casting attribute + other bonuses) in order to successfully cast it.
You gain access to one spell per +1 in base magic.
Skills
Most things you do won't require rolls, but many others do. These are skill checks, and if you are permitted to attempt them at all are usually attribute checks (d20 + attribute bonus).
However, if you put a skill point that you gain from your skill progression into a certain skill you gain a +2 bonus to it for each skill point you invest, as well as the ability to attempt harder and more broad uses of that skill. The actual skill itself is determined by you, and can be as broad or specific as you want (and your DM permits). Generally speaking, the more specific the skill the better you will do at it where the more broad the skill the more applicable it will be to you (though you wont actually be much better at it)
In Game
Combat & Actions
The order of combat is determined by the DM, commonly clockwise starting from the first character to act/react or in order of the fastest to respond.
Combat is split into rounds (6 seconds) that each participant receives one of.
In combat you gain a set of actions on your turn. You get a standard action, a move action, a minor action and a reaction.
A standard action is an attack, casting a spell or some other action that takes a significant amount of time and effort to do (apart from moving)
A move action is the ability to move your full speed once (usually 30', or 6 spaces). You can perform other actions during and around your move action. Moving through tough terrain or moving while hindered (getting up form prone, crawling, etc) costs you twice the amount of movement to move a distance.
A minor action is a small, easily accompished action such as retrieving an item from a pocket, activating a magic item or maintaining an ongoing spell.
A reaction is a special action made outside of your turn as a response to something else, such as attacking a fleeing enemy, casting a spell to slow your fall after being pushed off a cliff or shouting a warning as enemies round a corner.
Specifics for spellcasting and equipment to follow.
What do you guys think? Is this simple enough for a younger player to be able to jump in and have a go?