Thomar_of_Uointer
2014-09-30, 01:21 PM
This is cross-posted from an article I wrote on Reddit. 5e D&D seems to support E6 pretty well, so this document lays out some guidelines for using it.
For those new to the idea, the whole point of E6, or "Epic 6", or "6th-level characters are epic mortals", is to declare that certain magical abilities are beyond mortal ken in a setting. This also cuts of a good chunk of the "linear warriors, quadratic wizards" problem, which is still around in 5e (although considerably nerfed by spells per day). Here's one of the original articles from 3e: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?206323-E6-The-Game-Inside-D-amp-D
Setting level 6 as the barrier is traditional because of the limitations it places on 4th-level and higher spells. Teleportation and bringing the dead back to life are the two greatest offenders because they address some of the GM's major plot tools (character death and travel).
Anlysis of different cutoff levels follows. Which one you use is ultimately up to you as a GM and you should discuss the ramifications of it with your players. Here's how E6 (and similar level restrictions) looks like with the new 5e spell list from the PHB:
E10: Spellcasters can exercise true mind control, shapechange, cure petrification, break curses, spy globally, raise the dead back to life, disguise armies with illusions, set up teleport networks, have conversations with gods, summon outsiders to carry out complex tasks, gift animals and trees with sentience, and erect stone fortifications.
E8: Spellcasters can spy nearby, teleport hundreds of feet, fight invisibly, disguise buildings with illusions, shapechange, hold armies at bay, sink ships, and ask the very gods questions.
E6: Spellcasters can curse their enemies, scry nearby but with an obvious telltale, hold small groups at bay, send messages long distances, see into the past about a day, speak any language, raise undead servants, bring the terminally injured back to life, disobey natural laws like gravity, travel through the air and water, and rapidly travel over land.
E4: Spellcasters can create perfect disguises, hold strong warriors at bay, make warriors significantly stronger, turn invisible, levitate, exercise limited mind control, climb walls, send messages in a limited fashion, survive deadly poison, use magic to make hidden things obvious, and hide their tracks.
E2: Spellcasters can exercise fragile mind control, weave superficial illusions, communicate with animals, use telekinesis, heal moderate injuries, inconvenience warriors, use magic to replace tools and moderately expensive equipment, and partially understand unknown languages.
So, here's how E6 works in D&D 5th edition.
E6 Character Level Variant: In an E6 setting, a character with 6,500 XP has reached level 6, the highest possible power level for a mortal. Level advancement stops at 6th level, but characters still progress by improving their ability scores and gaining feats. Every 4,000 XP after attaining 6th level, a level 6 character can raise one ability score by +1 (to the normal maximum of 20). Learning a feat takes the place two +1 ability score increases (or 8,000 XP), so a character who wants to learn a feat should skip the ability score increase when they earn 4,000 XP and wait untill they earn their next 4,000 XP to gain the feat.
It goes without saying that spells of 4th level and higher are not available as scrolls, but if the GM allows it they might be available as rituals.
Here are the XP values used for level caps besides 6th:
Maximum Level XP Per +1 XP Per Feat
10 11,000 22,000
8 6,000 12,000
6 4,000 8,000
4 900 1,800
2 200 400
Drawbacks: The absence of high-level spells can sometimes detrimentally affect gameplay. The plot might call for the players to teleport to the moon, travel to another plane of existence, commune with the spirit of a deceased sage, or maybe one of the players got bitten by a cockatrice and they don't want to roll up a new character. Fortunately, the D&D 5e ritual rules work well in this regard. Many 4th- and 5th-level spells can be converted into rare rituals that the GM can use as rewards for major quests, giving the PCs access to spells they would otherwise be unable to acquire.
To further limit these rituals, they can be given special rare material components which are difficult to obtain and might require additional sidequests. Rituals can also be limited by making them only work at certain ley lines or manifest zones, or only under certain planetary/lunar alignments.
Good candidates for rituals include divination, polymorph, awaken, greater restoration, raise dead, scrying, teleportation circle, reincarnate, wall of stone, etc. Of course, a GM who doesn't want those effects to be possible in their campaign may opt out of using some or all of them.
Note: Anybody have any good ideas for level 6 feats? The original E6 assumed weak feats, but that's not the case now. Being able to pick up minor multiclassing abilities and 7th and 8th level class abilities as feats would allow for some interesting homebrew feats. Maybe, if the GM allows it, some feats for inching your ability scores up to 22 (in lieu of raising your proficiency bonus by another +1).
For those new to the idea, the whole point of E6, or "Epic 6", or "6th-level characters are epic mortals", is to declare that certain magical abilities are beyond mortal ken in a setting. This also cuts of a good chunk of the "linear warriors, quadratic wizards" problem, which is still around in 5e (although considerably nerfed by spells per day). Here's one of the original articles from 3e: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?206323-E6-The-Game-Inside-D-amp-D
Setting level 6 as the barrier is traditional because of the limitations it places on 4th-level and higher spells. Teleportation and bringing the dead back to life are the two greatest offenders because they address some of the GM's major plot tools (character death and travel).
Anlysis of different cutoff levels follows. Which one you use is ultimately up to you as a GM and you should discuss the ramifications of it with your players. Here's how E6 (and similar level restrictions) looks like with the new 5e spell list from the PHB:
E10: Spellcasters can exercise true mind control, shapechange, cure petrification, break curses, spy globally, raise the dead back to life, disguise armies with illusions, set up teleport networks, have conversations with gods, summon outsiders to carry out complex tasks, gift animals and trees with sentience, and erect stone fortifications.
E8: Spellcasters can spy nearby, teleport hundreds of feet, fight invisibly, disguise buildings with illusions, shapechange, hold armies at bay, sink ships, and ask the very gods questions.
E6: Spellcasters can curse their enemies, scry nearby but with an obvious telltale, hold small groups at bay, send messages long distances, see into the past about a day, speak any language, raise undead servants, bring the terminally injured back to life, disobey natural laws like gravity, travel through the air and water, and rapidly travel over land.
E4: Spellcasters can create perfect disguises, hold strong warriors at bay, make warriors significantly stronger, turn invisible, levitate, exercise limited mind control, climb walls, send messages in a limited fashion, survive deadly poison, use magic to make hidden things obvious, and hide their tracks.
E2: Spellcasters can exercise fragile mind control, weave superficial illusions, communicate with animals, use telekinesis, heal moderate injuries, inconvenience warriors, use magic to replace tools and moderately expensive equipment, and partially understand unknown languages.
So, here's how E6 works in D&D 5th edition.
E6 Character Level Variant: In an E6 setting, a character with 6,500 XP has reached level 6, the highest possible power level for a mortal. Level advancement stops at 6th level, but characters still progress by improving their ability scores and gaining feats. Every 4,000 XP after attaining 6th level, a level 6 character can raise one ability score by +1 (to the normal maximum of 20). Learning a feat takes the place two +1 ability score increases (or 8,000 XP), so a character who wants to learn a feat should skip the ability score increase when they earn 4,000 XP and wait untill they earn their next 4,000 XP to gain the feat.
It goes without saying that spells of 4th level and higher are not available as scrolls, but if the GM allows it they might be available as rituals.
Here are the XP values used for level caps besides 6th:
Maximum Level XP Per +1 XP Per Feat
10 11,000 22,000
8 6,000 12,000
6 4,000 8,000
4 900 1,800
2 200 400
Drawbacks: The absence of high-level spells can sometimes detrimentally affect gameplay. The plot might call for the players to teleport to the moon, travel to another plane of existence, commune with the spirit of a deceased sage, or maybe one of the players got bitten by a cockatrice and they don't want to roll up a new character. Fortunately, the D&D 5e ritual rules work well in this regard. Many 4th- and 5th-level spells can be converted into rare rituals that the GM can use as rewards for major quests, giving the PCs access to spells they would otherwise be unable to acquire.
To further limit these rituals, they can be given special rare material components which are difficult to obtain and might require additional sidequests. Rituals can also be limited by making them only work at certain ley lines or manifest zones, or only under certain planetary/lunar alignments.
Good candidates for rituals include divination, polymorph, awaken, greater restoration, raise dead, scrying, teleportation circle, reincarnate, wall of stone, etc. Of course, a GM who doesn't want those effects to be possible in their campaign may opt out of using some or all of them.
Note: Anybody have any good ideas for level 6 feats? The original E6 assumed weak feats, but that's not the case now. Being able to pick up minor multiclassing abilities and 7th and 8th level class abilities as feats would allow for some interesting homebrew feats. Maybe, if the GM allows it, some feats for inching your ability scores up to 22 (in lieu of raising your proficiency bonus by another +1).