Accelerated 5e (compressing 1-20 class features into 1-10)

[dmhelp]

There is an interesting thread on enworld about compressing all of the class features from level 1-20 down into 1-10 so that player's actually get to play with all of the cool stuff they eventually get before they retire. The thread is at: https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-faster-features-variant.675734/ .

Here is my take on it. Levels 1-5 are kept the same since you usually level pretty quickly in that range. Features (but not spell slots) from levels 6-20 are compressed into 6-10 using:
6 -> 6, 7
7 -> (8), 9, 10
8 -> 11, (12), 13
9 -> 14, 15, (16)
10 -> 17, 18, 20

So at level 10 you have all of your class features, but only 5th level spells if you are a caster. Proficiency bonus, cantrips, spells known/prepared, and spell slots (or mystic arcanum for warlocks) would continue to scale normally from 11-20. Multiclassing is limited to 10 levels of features.

I'd be tempted to reduce hit points gained per level after 10, like in 1e/2e D&D.

Barbarian
1 - rage, unarmored, 2 rages, +2 rage damage
2 - reckless attack, danger sense
3 - subclass, 3 rages
4 - ASI
5 - extra attack, fast movement
6 - subclass (2), feral instinct, 4 rages
7 - brutal crit (1), subclass (3), +3 rage damage
8 - relentless rage, brutal crit (2), 5 rages, ASI
9 - subclass (4), persistent rage, +4 rage damage
10 - brutal crit (3), indomitable might, primal champion, unlimited rages

Bard
1 - bardic inspiration (d6)
2 - jack of all trades, song of rest (d6)
3 - subclass, expertise
4 - ASI
5 - bardic inspiration (d8), font of inspiration
6 - countercharm, subclass (2)
7 - song of rest (d8), bardic inspiration (d10), expertise, magical secrets
8 - song of rest (d10), ASI
9 - magical secrets, subclass (3), bardic inspiration (d12)
10 - song of rest (d12), magical secrets, superior inspiration

Cleric
1 - subclass
2 - channel divinity, subclass (2)
3 - 2nd level spells
4 - ASI
5 - destroy undead (CR 1/2)
6 - channel divinity (2/rest), subclass (3)
7 - destroy undead (CR 1), subclass (4), divine intervention
8 - destroy undead (CR 2), ASI
9 - destroy undead (CR 3)
10 - destroy undead (CR 4), subclass (5), channel divinity (3/rest), divine intervention improvement

Druid
1 - druidic
2 - wild shape, subclass
3 - 2nd level spells
4 - ASI, wild shape improvement
5 - 3rd level spells
6 - subclass (2)
7 - wild shape improvement, subclass (3)
8 - ASI
9 - subclass (4)
10 - timeless body, beast spells, archdruid
Elemental Wild Shape CR is level divided by 3 rounded down
Archdruid wild shaping when out of uses takes 1 minute to change forms

Fighter
1 - fighting style, second wind
2 - action surge
3 - subclass
4 - ASI
5 - extra attack
6 - ASI, subclass (2)
7 - indomitable, subclass (3)
8 - extra attack (2), indomitable (2), ASI
9 - ASI, subclass (4)
10 - action surge (2), indomitable (3), subclass (5), extra attack (3)

Monk
1 - unarmored defense, martial arts (d4)
2 - 2 ki, +10 unarmored movement
3 - 3 ki, subclass, deflect missiles
4 - 4 ki, ASI, slow fall
5 - 5 ki, martial arts (d6), extra attack, stunning strike
6 - 7 ki, +15 movement, ki-empowered strikes, subclass (2), evasion, stillness of mind
7 - 10 ki, +20 unarmored movement with improvement, purity of body
8 - 13 ki, martial arts (d8), subclass (3), tongue of the sun and moon, ASI
9 - 16 ki, +25 movement, diamond soul, timeless body
10 - 20 ki, martial arts (d10), +30 movement, subclass (4), empty body, perfect self
No Way of the Four Elements

Paladin
1 - divine sense, lay on hands
2 - fighting style, divine smite
3 - divine health, subclass
4 - ASI
5 - extra attack
6 - aura of protection, subclass (2)
7 - aura of courage
8 - improved divine smite, ASI
9 - cleansing touch, subclass (3)
10 - aura improvement, subclass (4)

Ranger
1 - favored enemy, natural explorer
2 - fighting style
3 - subclass, primeval awareness
4 - ASI
5 - extra attack
6 - favored enemy, natural explorer, subclass (2)
7 - land's stride, natural explorer, hide in plain sight
8 - subclass (3), ASI
9 - favored enemy, vanish, subclass (4)
10 - feral senses, foe slayer

Rogue
1 - expertise, sneak attack (1d6), thieves' cant
2 - cunning action
3 - sneak attack (2d6), subclass
4 - ASI
5 - sneak attack (3d6), uncanny dodge
6 - sneak attack (4d6), expertise, evasion
7 - sneak attack (5d6), subclass (2), ASI
8 - sneak attack (7d6), reliable talent, subclass (3), ASI
9 - sneak attack (8d6), blindsense, slippery mind
10 - sneak attack (10d6), subclass (4), elusive, stroke of luck
Arcane Tricksters prepare level/3 + int mod spells with a spellbook, as a Wizard instead of having spells known

Sorcerer
1 - subclass
2 - 2 sp, font of magic
3 - 3 sp, metamagic
4 - 4 sp, ASI
5 - 5 sp, 3rd level spells
6 - 7 sp, subclass (2)
7 - 10 sp, metamagic
8 - 13 sp, ASI
9 - 16 sp, subclass (3)
10 - 20 sp, metamagic, subclass (4), sorcerous restoration

Warlock
1 - subclass
2 - 2 invocations
3 - pact boon
4 - ASI
5 - 3 invocations
6 - 4 invocations, subclass (2)
7 - 5 invocations, subclass (3)
8 - 6 invocations, ASI
9 - 7 invocations, subclass (4)
10 - 8 invocations, eldritch master
Life Drinker only requires level 8 instead of level 12.

Wizard
1 - arcane recovery
2 - subclass
3 - 2nd level spells
4 - ASI
5 - 3rd level spells
6 - subclass (2)
7 - subclass (3)
8 - ASI
9 - subclass (4)
10 - spell mastery, signature spell

[JackPhoenix]

Sooo.... anyone who's not a spellcaster doesn't get anything at 11-20?

[Tanarii]

Sooo.... anyone who's not a spellcaster doesn't get anything at 11-20?
That seems like he backwards way of looking at it.

Anyone who isn't a spell caster gets supercharged leveling.

[JackPhoenix]

That seems like he backwards way of looking at it.

Anyone who isn't a spell caster gets supercharged leveling.

It's still expected the game will go to 20... except if you aren't a caster, you'll have nothing to look forward for the last 10 levels.

It, of course, also break any resemblance of balance, both between the characters, and between the PCs and monsters.

[Pex]

It's still expected the game will go to 20... except if you aren't a caster, you'll have nothing to look forward for the last 10 levels.

It, of course, also break any resemblance of balance, both between the characters, and between the PCs and monsters.

Perhaps it's best for a campaign using this only go to Level 10. Spells 6th level and above don't exist. The iconic BBEG monsters also aren't in the campaign or at least are not the ultimate villain to be defeated - no lich, beholder, great wyrm dragon, etc. Cantrips should get their 3rd die at level 8 and 4th at level 10 commensurate with the warriors getting their attack boosts.

[OldTrees1]

How about instead:

1) Take all features in 11-20 except casting and move them to 1-10.
2) For Full Casters give them a new feature at every even level.
3) For non full casters give them a new feature each level from 11-20.
4) Don't stop the campaign at level 20. Start an Epic 20 system where xp after level 20 gets converted into hp and proficiency instead of levels. (This is to address the other forum's original problem of the campaign ending at level 20)



Perhaps it's best for a campaign using this only go to Level 10. Spells 6th level and above don't exist. The iconic BBEG monsters also aren't in the campaign or at least are not the ultimate villain to be defeated - no lich, beholder, great wyrm dragon, etc. Cantrips should get their 3rd die at level 8 and 4th at level 10 commensurate with the warriors getting their attack boosts.

That could defeat the original OP's goal (cross quoted below). They don't want the adventure to end at the capstone. Of course, a solution would be to do E10 with this system.



Have you played a PC to level 20, to obtain your capstone feature and rejoice in newly found power and ability, only to have the adventure... end?
https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-faster-features-variant.675734/#post-8110980

[Tanarii]

It, of course, also break any resemblance of balance, both between the characters, and between the PCs and monsters.
Oh of course. Better to just double XP, so you're leveling about every 1-1.5 sessions instead of every 2-2.5.

[AdAstra]

Yeah, I don't see how this in any way improves on just leveling people faster.

I played a game like that. We leveled every session more or less. The campaign had many flaws, but the fast leveling didn't really cause any problems.

[Pex]

Alternatively, give Blessings and Boons from the DMG to the warriors at levels 11-20. Perhaps Blessings at levels 11-16 and Boons 17-20. Spellcasters only get Blessings at levels 12, 14, 16 since they get a higher level spell at 11, 13, 15. At levels 17-20 they also get Boons, maybe 18-20 since they get their 9th level spell at 17 if you think that's equal to a warrior getting a Boon.

It's fine for the warriors to get Nice Things, but spellcasters are allowed to have them too accepting not as many because of new powerful spells.

Do not gimp on the hit points at levels 11-20. Keep them as normal. The monsters aren't changing. The PCs need them.

[sithlordnergal]

Ehhh, this could be an issue for certain classes and could break the game...Paladins and Druids are the most gameplay breaking examples, but Rogues, certain Monks, and Wizards could be very dangerous. Are you compressing their ASI's as well?

[DarknessEternal]

What a hilarious waste of time. If you want people to level twice as quickly, double exp.

No convoluted compression strategies needed.

[Composer99]

There are a few features that some classes and subclasses get after level 10 that could be moved ahead.

But I wouldn't compress too much. Better to move a few things and add some new features after 10th level for folks like barbarians or fighters. At least IMO.

[Dienekes]

There are a few features that some classes and subclasses get after level 10 that could be moved ahead.

But I wouldn't compress too much. Better to move a few things and add some new features after 10th level for folks like barbarians or fighters. At least IMO.

Honestly, I kind of think most abilities that don’t directly break the action/damage calculus could be moved up with little to no problem.

Take the base Rogue for example: Blind Sense, Slippery Mind, Elusive none really break the game getting them after 5. Same can be said for Brutal Critical, or Persistent Rage. Or multiple uses of Indomitable.

While I don’t think what’s detailed by the OP is perfect, I’d be willing to see a game played that way done just to see what breaks the system, what doesn’t and what feels better or worse for the players.

[Xervous]

Good intent but bad implementation?

5e wanted to stretch the same gameplay across so many levels. Were it not for sacred cows we might have seen a more compact offering.

[KorvinStarmast]

I'll be slightly OT and say: if you want to play a game to level 10, play 13th Age. :smallbiggrin: That's what it's built for.

No need to cast sixth level spells, or higher, without a scroll or item. Just play to level 10. And any spell above level 5 requires an ability check to cast it from a scroll. (Which means making scrolls occur as magic items might be handy, or a need to bias your magic item distribution for)

If you want to, port a few of the high level martial abilities into lower levels if youd like to. (Eg: third attack for Fitghter at level 9 ...)

There you go. Almost no work done.

[Willie the Duck]

What a hilarious waste of time. If you want people to level twice as quickly,

That brings up an good point, what is the actual goal here? I know the OP stated:


There is an interesting thread on enworld about compressing all of the class features from level 1-20 down into 1-10 so that player's actually get to play with all of the cool stuff they eventually get before they retire.

but does this (either double speed leveling or the OP's suggestion) even accomplish the goal?
My take on why games always end at or before the upper echelon levels (whatever they may be for a given edition) isn't that leveling takes too long (goodness knows 3e and 5e have increased the speed of leveling compared to the TSR era, yet still often peter out in the 10-12 range), but that what you get at those levels makes the game less engaging in some way.

Looking at the OP's suggestion, it would make sense if the campaign was to go to level ~12, and the OP thought it was the upper level spells that were the issue. While I agree that non-full-casters fall behind in tier 4, a lot of their high level features were at least attempts to keep their classes relevant at that level. I'm guessing quite a few of them would also contribute to people deciding they wanted to start over or switch games or the like.

I don't think there is a simple solution. D&D will not have high level play be common until it does a systematic review of the high level game and perhaps be rebuilt from the ground up. Yes, they tried all this already with 4e and the edition is controversial. I'm not saying this is easy (or even clearly a something that should be attempted).


I'll be slightly OT and say: if you want to play a game to level 10, play 13th Age. :smallbiggrin: That's what it's built for.

Or Into the Unknown, if you want a 5e-alike with the same framework.

[DwarfFighter]

Do characters retire when they reach level 20?

You earn new features at that level that are pointless if you don't keep playing and get to use them. And if you keep playing, there is no upcoming level 21 milestone that arbitrarily cuts your adventuring career short.

Is the problem that you don't like character features based on the stuff that is excluded from the compressed list? If you want a level 20 campaign with max level 5 spells, then there is a simple way to achieve that goal: Make that the rule. Spellcasters can instead use their level 6+ slots to cast available spells at higher levels. It's not ideal for them, but it's something.

If you want to reach level 20 faster, hand out more xp or tweak the character level advancement table, or award milestone levels more frequently, or even multiple levels at the same time.

This compression thing is is only going to skew the internal game balance, such as it is.

-DF