Kami2awa
2007-07-20, 09:24 AM
Many rpg systems such as BRP and GURPS have a (often free download) condensed version of their rules. I personally think that such an edition should exist for D&D; one of the things that will not attract new players (or old 2nd ed players like myself) is the complexity of the rules. Players could use the condensed set for a while and then move the more complex rules (this saves buying 3 expensive books as well).
One such method would be to have a rules set that covers low levels, like 1-5. Most of the complexity seems to arise at higher levels. This approach was taken with the 'blue box' edition in 2nd ed, which only went from level 1 to 3 (though it included stats for much tougher monsters, which led me always to wonder how on Earth you were supposed to fight them).
Stuff I'd take out:
- Anything above 5th level; rules for higher level abilities just won't be there so each character class entry and the spell list will be a lot shorter.
- Feats that shouldn't be available to lvl 1-5 characters because of high prerequisites and long feat trees. I know its possible to get certain feats by using complex prestige classes, and that's fine for 'expert' players, but reducing the number of feats speeds up play and character creation.
- Simplify the attacks of opportunity rules.
- Remove the more powerful magic items that are outside of lvl 1-5 WBL, except for 'iconic' ones like the Holy Avenger sword.
- Have a condensed monster list which includes fewer monsters, with higher CR ones again limited to 'iconic' monsters like the beholder, mind flayer, dragons, mythical beasts etc.
The new list should be compatible with the full rules; so if the DM wants to use a creature from the MM VI or feats from Oriental Adventures they can, but new players will not be drowning in new rules. The magic items and monster stats only really need to be available to the DM for the vast majority of the time, so if only the DM has read the full rules that should work ok provided he is fair on the 'rules lite' players (e.g. by not using feats against them that they don't know about).
I may write this up using the SRD. As I wrote this I realised that this is really a modernised way to do 2nd Ed; but one reason to do such a condensed rule set for d20 is to attract 2nd Ed players by making the number of new rules to learn much smaller.
One such method would be to have a rules set that covers low levels, like 1-5. Most of the complexity seems to arise at higher levels. This approach was taken with the 'blue box' edition in 2nd ed, which only went from level 1 to 3 (though it included stats for much tougher monsters, which led me always to wonder how on Earth you were supposed to fight them).
Stuff I'd take out:
- Anything above 5th level; rules for higher level abilities just won't be there so each character class entry and the spell list will be a lot shorter.
- Feats that shouldn't be available to lvl 1-5 characters because of high prerequisites and long feat trees. I know its possible to get certain feats by using complex prestige classes, and that's fine for 'expert' players, but reducing the number of feats speeds up play and character creation.
- Simplify the attacks of opportunity rules.
- Remove the more powerful magic items that are outside of lvl 1-5 WBL, except for 'iconic' ones like the Holy Avenger sword.
- Have a condensed monster list which includes fewer monsters, with higher CR ones again limited to 'iconic' monsters like the beholder, mind flayer, dragons, mythical beasts etc.
The new list should be compatible with the full rules; so if the DM wants to use a creature from the MM VI or feats from Oriental Adventures they can, but new players will not be drowning in new rules. The magic items and monster stats only really need to be available to the DM for the vast majority of the time, so if only the DM has read the full rules that should work ok provided he is fair on the 'rules lite' players (e.g. by not using feats against them that they don't know about).
I may write this up using the SRD. As I wrote this I realised that this is really a modernised way to do 2nd Ed; but one reason to do such a condensed rule set for d20 is to attract 2nd Ed players by making the number of new rules to learn much smaller.