5e Ruleset Rework [Current Version 0.0.1 Incomplete Early Release]

[META_mahn]

http://i.imgur.com/PjHlypNl.jpg


It all started with just one little notion that something about 5e was offsetting. I maybe have mistakenly pinned it on "Lack of a Tiefling Counterpart" but really that didn't explain it all. After that, it evolved to "game is too simple and casual" to "what's this BS all doing here it doesn't make sense" to "Screw it, I'm doing the divine duty of all theorycrafters and pretty much changing everything."

Now before you guys burn me at the stake, I'll continue on.
I kept going and read through stuff. It just seemed 5e was too...simple. It was really uninteractive now. All casting classes had some interaction, but my experience as a Rogue in 5e was literally like this (this session never existed, but all were pretty much like that)

DM: Four goblins come out of a cave to fight you. Barbarian, you got the highest initiative somehow. Go first.
BarbarianBro: I run up to them and bash their faces in. (rolls his 2d6 Greatsword: Hits for like oneshot kill Goblin)
DM: Okay, Meta. Now it's your turn.
Me: I stab a goblin.
DM: The goblin dies.
*skip to boss*
DM: It's your turn, Meta.
Me: I stab the boss.
*other turns with crazy spellcasting*
DM: It's your turn again, Meta.
Me: I stab the boss. The boss is dead.
DM: It is. (Sneak attack, please)
Me: I would like to fall asleep because of how boring Rogue is.

Which arguably could be solved by multiclassing...
But you know, that wasn't enough for me.
So as I looked deeper (originally with a biased view, later on not so much) I found out the tons of flaws 5e had. Especially how useless the Drow race looked to me.

I decided to give it a change. Instead of making "5e Homebrew" I decided to make "D&D 5.5e" in the form of a list of revisions. You had to have the PHB, and maybe the DMG, so WotC still gets their money. But I rebalanced (Rebalanced? More like stack d4's of damage) the races.

I started writing and saw how radical the ideas could be. Not wanting to back down (I should have been a Barbarian instead of a Rogue; that may have fit me a bit better for this) I instead kept going, raising up how insane the ideas were until...
It changed into something that looks like WotC published as a full changelog. It looked like some massive DOTA/LOL/WoW Changelog that just got published (in my head; the entire thing isn't done yet.)

I realized what I just made, and instead of killing it, decided to show it off to the world. Hopefully I won't have to be the one to kill it.

I am also a fan of small dice stacking up together to form big numbers rather than one really big dice. I prefer Attack Stability over Attack Power, as a d100 has a chance of giving you a 1 while the least you can get from 20d4 is a 20. 20>1.

Copyrights: All of this is non-profit. I do not plan on making any money off of this.

[WIP] Cover Art
http://i.imgur.com/VfekRdZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xFwibScl.png
<INCOMPLETE> 0.0.1 Early Release: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7f2q14p96m96t7j/D%26D%205.5e%20Alpha%20Build%200.0.1%20%28Races%2C %20HP%2C%20Attack%20and%20Damage%29.pdf?dl=0

https://imgur.com/g4PHbUH.png

Version 0.0.1: Very early release.

[META_mahn]

Even if you don't want to play the system as it is right now, at least give me some feedback please. :smallbiggrin:
I don't expect anyone to want to play a half-finished system. As you can see in the ToC...
...I've got a ton planned.

[RATHSQUATCH]

Even if you don't want to play the system as it is right now, at least give me some feedback please. :smallbiggrin:
I don't expect anyone to want to play a half-finished system. As you can see in the ToC...
...I've got a ton planned.

The main issue I have is that you have taken something that is so simple and are making it not simple again. There are a few issues with PC power level vs monsters I will give you that, but what you can do is alter the monsters instead of changing all the main rules. Also, there's a lot of different things that you have to remember...this doesn't really resemble the system that much. Also, changing HP means you have to change damage for spells and such.

[META_mahn]

I'll be toning down the HP, it was more or less just so the players could survive past 1st Level.
Most games I've seen, an almost TPK happens at 1st level. One guy survives and drags everyone else out.
I'm also trying to make the changelog a bit more humorous, so you don't fall asleep while reading it unlike the first time I played Pathfinder.

*It's in next patch now. Along with a new Monster HP revamp so the players can be semi-on par with the monsters. I did a test with my Wood Elf Rogue against a Specter, the specter hit me once, but once it hit me, it took off nearly half my HP at 2nd level.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

I'll be toning down the HP, it was more or less just so the players could survive past 1st Level.
Most games I've seen, an almost TPK happens at 1st level. One guy survives and drags everyone else out.
I'm also trying to make the changelog a bit more humorous, so you don't fall asleep while reading it unlike the first time I played Pathfinder.

*It's in next patch now. Along with a new Monster HP revamp so the players can be semi-on par with the monsters. I did a test with my Wood Elf Rogue against a Specter, the specter hit me once, but once it hit me, it took off nearly half my HP at 2nd level.

You realize that was the point, right? Level 1 characters dying? 5E is meant to be 2E with better math.

I'll read the materials you got once I've had some sleep, but I wanted to point that out. I also vehemently disagree with your assertions of major flaws in 5E. There are some, to be sure, but nothing that requires an overhaul just yet, especially not one that would basically make it more like 3E.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Hm. Not sure I'm liking what I'm seeing, honestly. Can't really tell though, as what I'd consider the most important changes to see early (new core mechanics, new class design) are currently missing.

That said, I dislike that races have variable hit points in addition to Constitution variables. One or the other is fine -- I did a design myself where races gave hit points, but the number should (in my mind) be static and of small variance: I believe my version was 5-7 bonus hit points, with very exceptional races at either 8 -- but both is problematic. Also, your variance runs from 1 (on a bad roll) to 8 (on a good roll with a good race), making the level 1-4 difference between a Halfling Fighter and a Dwarf Fighter much too large: you'd never see Halfling Fighters at level 1-3, since Dwarf is just simply that much better.

I'm also not sure I approve of critical hit chance being so dramatically tied to base attack bonus. As written, it's much harder for Rogues / Monks / desperate dagger-attacking Wizards to score critical hits, and that sort of takes some of the excitement out of the mechanic.

Reserving judgement until I see your core mechanical changes, but I'm not really seeing much to excite me so far.

[META_mahn]

Well, seeing my core mechanical changes will take a while. I'm just one guy, and I'm trying to spread this thread across as many non-WotC Tabletop Forums as I can to get as much feedback I can get.
I think by the time it hits 1.0.0 Alpha I'll have a group who can test this system well.

About the monsters issue, I'm throwing in sort of a "palette swapped monsters" type idea, and will give them stock attributes DMs can add onto monsters if they want them to be stronger.

[META_mahn]

Almost ready for 0.1.1 release. Just need to give monsters more cool stuff and players more cool stuff. It's gonna be a big DM side thing, and the more creative and good at homebrew a DM is, the better the campaign will turn out. Though, if you're a DM and you're running this campaign, you're probably homebrewing yourself already. :smallwink:

[CantigThimble]

So, based on the sparse description you've given you want more options in combat, especially for martial classes. Are you sure you wouldn't just be happier with 4th edition?

[META_mahn]

So, based on the sparse description you've given you want more options in combat, especially for martial classes. Are you sure you wouldn't just be happier with 4th edition?

It started out like that, yeah. It then evolved into some form of convoluted monster that I can't deal with now. Another part of what I want to do is to strike a balance between 3.5e and 5e. Give options but not a mess like 3.5e or Pathfinder (that system took me about three days to understand; 5e took an hour). I want an organized mess basically. I want a completely new player to be able to pick up what I guess I'll dub 5.1e from now on, and understand it to the extent they only need to look at it for about a day and they'll understand it, and for a experienced player to be able to pick it up and feel it's mechanical enough for them to play.

[CantigThimble]

What you seem to be saying is you WANT it to be so convoluted that it takes you longer to understand it. Personally I have no idea why, I've seen RPGs with rules you need a math degree to use and beyond a passing fascination with trying to see how they were intended to work I've never wanted to actually play them. Maybe people who's groups are much more experienced than mine might want that but I never considered that as a selling point. Point is I have no constructive opinions to offer on this project, so best of luck to you!

[PotatoGolem]

I want an organized mess basically. I want a completely new player to be able to pick up what I guess I'll dub 5.1e from now on, and understand it to the extent they only need to look at it for about a day and they'll understand it, and for a experienced player to be able to pick it up and feel it's mechanical enough for them to play.

I think this is a real problem. One issue with 3.5 is that it turned a lot of new players off- felt like you had to do a lot of boring work and reading to have fun. Most new players, from my experience, just decided that it wasn't for them and that D&D is boring. One of the best features of 5e, IMO, is how easy it is to teach and learn; you get to the fun stuff quickly, and that makes it exciting for newbies. They don't want to crunch a bunch of numbers and do lots of optimization, they want an adventure. Most new players, especially those who haven't played any tabletop RPGs, aren't going to do a full day's worth of research and reading to play a game.

On a slightly more constructive note, have you tried playing book-limited 3.5? Like 1 splat per character, or just the "Complete" series. I found it a great way to cut down on the bloat and complexity while still having lots of options. It seems like an easier way to do what you want without writing a whole new system.

[META_mahn]

Most of what I'm doing will be mostly for the DM, so more competent DMs are needed for my changes. There will be just absolute messes of characters everywhere but I'll pack it all into the very back in a easy to print out handbook that summarizes basically anything a player should be concerned about (i.e. movement, attacking, character information, gear, proficiency, all that stuff people make reference to all the time but can't access instantly.) A separate DM handbook will be made that has more information in it (i.e. Loot tables, Vision rules, things a DM would use very frequently)

Just saying, don't expect that mini handbook to come out any time soon. At least probably around 1.0.0 Full Alpha.

[Steampunkette]

Anyone here play Hackmaster?

Give the players at level 1 a kicker. 20 temporary hp that last until they're gone and stack with all other temp hp. Low level mortality rate solved.