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Composer99
2021-12-22, 01:02 AM
I'm toying with the idea of crafting a 5e/OSR-inspired hybrid game.

One of the ideas I'm toying with is replacing classic ability scores with ability traits.
- Each ability score is what in regular 5e would be the ability modifier.
- All PCs start with ability scores of +0.
- You have a number of traits you can pick. Each ability is associated with three traits.
- Some traits have prerequisites.
- You can get an extra trait by picking a flaw (roughly equivalent to reducing your ability score to 8). You can't pick a flaw in an ability and a trait in the same ability.
- Characters of particular ancestries/heritages/races don't get automatic traits, à la 5e's ability score adjustments. Instead they get special benefits when they pick certain traits that other characters don't.
- I don't have any plans to allow removing flaws or adding traits as you gain levels, but that could be a good variant rule.

(One benefit of this approach is that I can dispense with distinguishing between scores and modifiers in the rules. So instead of having to say "add your Strength modifier" to melee weapon damage, for instance, it's "add your Strength".)

Alternately, this could be used as a variant for ability scores in a regular 5e game, although it would need some serious tweaking. Enterprising homebrewers could also adapt this to alternate sets of abilities.


Ability Traits

- When you create a new character, you have six (6) ability traits, which you can choose from the following options.
- If a trait has a prerequisite, you must meet that prerequisite to choose that trait.
- If you haven't chosen a trait for a given ability, you can instead choose the ability's corresponding flaw and gain one other trait. You can have up to one flaw at a time.

GMs who want even lower-power games could reduce the number of traits to four or maybe three. I wouldn't go any lower. That opens up the possibility of picking up more flaws, but I wouldn't recommend allowing more than two.

Strength

I'd like to avoid having players count up weights by the pound, so I'm adopting an encumbrance score mechanic. Each PC can carry a number of items equal to their encumbrance score. A few items count as 2 or more items for this purpose, and items properly stowed in or on a container or worn by the PC often don't count towards this limit. For a Medium-sized PC with a Strength of +0, that score is 6. A PC can be encumbered (moving more slowly and penalised on certain rolls) and carry up to twice their encumbrance score. This score is to answer the question "what can you carry around on the regular?" Small PCs have an encumbrance score of 4.

PCs will still have a lift capacity to determine how much they can lift - or push/drag - when they have to temporarily heave or haul a very heavy object for a short time - lifting a portcullis for a minute or so, for instance. I've not yet decided whether to attempt to work out a score for this, or just use pounds. Probably just use pounds. For a Medium-sized PC with a Strength of +0, their lift capacity is 120 lb. Small PCs have an encumbrance score of 90 lb.

Strong
- Increase your Strength by 1
- Increase your encumbrance score by 2 and your lift capacity by 30 pounds.

Brawny
Prerequisite: Strong trait
- Increase your Strength by 1
- A creature applies 1 misfortune to attempts to escape when it is grappled by you
- Increase your encumbrance score by 2 and your lift capacity by 30 pounds.
- You apply 1 fortune to Strength checks

Mighty
Prerequisite: Brawny trait
- Increase your Strength by 1
- Creatures one size larger than you don't have advantage when contesting a Strength check you make
- Increase your encumbrance score by 2 and your lift capacity by 30 pounds.
- You apply 1 fortune to Strength attacks and saves

Weak (Flaw)
You can't choose this flaw and the Strong trait at the same time
- Reduce your Strength by 1
- Reduce your encumbrance score by 2 and your lift capacity by 30 pounds.
- You apply 1 misfortune to Strength checks

Fortune and misfortune are like smaller versions of advantage/disadvantage, and are adapted from Shadow of the Demon Lord's boon and bane mechanic. I want to replace most "roll a die of some kind and modify the d20 roll" abilities - especially among spells - with this mechanic.

If you apply 1 or more fortune to a d20 roll, you roll a number of d6s equal to the total amount of fortune you apply; same with misfortune. You take the highest number rolled and add it to the roll if you have fortune, or subtract it from the roll if you have misfortune. Fortune and misfortune cancel each other out on a one-to-one basis - you can't apply both to the same roll.

These wouldn't replace advantage/disadvantage, though.

Dexterity

Dexterous
- Increase your Dexterity by 1
- If you are a halfling, you can move through the space of a Small or Medium creature without paying a movement penalty, and when you move through a hostile creature's space, you don't pay any extra cost to move through that space if you succeed on a Dexterity check against that creature's Perception.

Dexterity is a strong enough stat that it doesn't need any additional benefits, really.

Agile
Prerequisite: Dexterous trait
- Increase your Dexterity by 1
- You apply 1 fortune to Dexterity checks

Sprightly
Prerequisite: Agile trait
- Increase your Dexterity by 1
- You apply 1 fortune to Dexterity attacks and saves

Ungainly (Flaw)
You can't choose this flaw and the Dexterous trait at the same time
- Reduce your your Dexterity by 1
- You apply 1 misfortune to Dexterity checks


Constitution

Hardy
- Increase your Constitution by 1
- If you are a dwarf, you resist poison damage and have advantage on saving throws against becoming poisoned.

Tough
Prerequisite: Hardy trait
- Increase your Constitution by 1
- You apply 1 fortune to Constitution checks

Durable
Prerequisite: Tough trait
- Increase your Constitution by 1
- You apply 1 fortune to Constitution saves

Frail (Flaw)
You can't choose this flaw and the Hardy trait at the same time
- Reduce your your Constitution by 1
- You apply 1 misfortune to Constitution checks


Intelligence

Astute
- Increase your Intelligence by 1
- You know one additional common or exotic language of your choice
- You are proficient with one additional skill of your choice

Canny
Prerequisite: Astute trait
- Increase your Intelligence by 1
- You know one additional common or exotic language of your choice
- You have advantage on any Intelligence (Search) check you make to discern the true nature of an illusion effect
- You apply 1 fortune to Intelligence checks

Brilliant
Prerequisite: Canny trait
- Increase your Intelligence by 1
- You can't have disadvantage on Intelligence checks
- You are proficient with one additional skill of your choice
- You apply 1 fortune to Intelligence attacks and saves

Sloppy (Flaw)
You can't choose this flaw and the Astute trait at the same time
- Reduce your your Intelligence by 1
- You apply 1 misfortune to Intelligence checks


Wisdom

Discerning
- Increase your Wisdom by 1
- Increase your Perception and Insight by 2 each
- If you are an elf, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed

I'm planning on Perception and Insight being always-passive scores that creatures possess, instead of skill proficiencies. This goes along with a simplified skill list.

Wise
Prerequisite: Discerning trait
- Increase your Wisdom by 1
- Add your proficiency bonus to either your Perception or your Insight (your choice)
- You apply 1 fortune to Wisdom checks

Strong-Willed
Prerequisite: Wise trait
- Increase your Wisdom by 1
- Add your proficiency bonus to whichever of your Perception or Insight you didn't choose when you became Wise
- You apply 1 fortune to Wisdom attacks and saves

Oblivious (Flaw)
You can't choose this flaw and the Discerning trait at the same time
- Reduce your your Wisdom by 1
- You apply 1 misfortune to Wisdom checks


Charisma

Personable
- Increase your Charisma by 1
- If you are plane-touched, you resist fire damage if you are a tiefling and radiant damage if you are an aasimar.

Poised
Prerequisite: Personable trait
- Increase your Charisma by 1
- A creature applies 1 misfortune to its saving throw when you use distract or feint against it
- You apply 1 fortune to Charisma checks

I'm planning on using a stripped-down version of the combat manoeuvres in my homebrew signature.

Larger than Life
Prerequisite: Poised trait
- Increase your Charisma by 1
- A creature applies 1 misfortune to its saving throw against spells you cast or abilities you use with the charm keyword
- You apply 1 fortune to Charisma attacks and saves

I'd like to expand the use of keywords - probably about a half-dozen or so - to make some abilities interact more easily with spells and similar effects. For instance, a creature with the mindless trait is never affected by spells with the mental keyword.

Off-Putting (Flaw)
You can't choose this flaw and the Personable trait at the same time
- Reduce your your Charisma by 1
- You apply 1 misfortune to Charisma checks


Discovering a Character

To discover a character, roll a d6 for each of that character's traits and choose an ability for that trait based on the roll: 1 - Strength; 2 - Dexterity; 3 - Constitution; 4 - Intelligence; 5 - Wisdom; 6 - Charisma.

If you have any abilities with no traits assigned to them after this, you can choose to gain a flaw in one such ability, allowing you to gain one trait which you can apply to an ability of your choice.

JNAProductions
2021-12-26, 12:52 PM
I'm honestly more interested in the (Mis)Fortune mechanic than the main thrust of this thread.

To address the main bit, though, being able to blanket add +1d6 to every attack roll you make... That's really strong. This is a SIGNIFICANT power boost over normal 5E PCs.

I also dislike how you need to select some traits to get what's normally just ordinary racial traits.

Overall, this is a neat idea-but I'd be hesitant to allow it baseline, due to the overall increase in power.

Composer99
2021-12-26, 06:06 PM
I'm honestly more interested in the (Mis)Fortune mechanic than the main thrust of this thread.

[...]

Overall, this is a neat idea-but I'd be hesitant to allow it baseline, due to the overall increase in power.

Haha! Fair enough. It's a cool mechanic, and (IMO) a great way to incorporate situational modifiers without them becoming overwhelming.

I also see your point, and if this is meant to be a 5e-style hack, an increase in power is not what I want to go with.


To address the main bit, though, being able to blanket add +1d6 to every attack roll you make... That's really strong. This is a SIGNIFICANT power boost over normal 5E PCs.

Yes, in retrospect I agree. I want each trait to have something other than "+1 to attack rolls, ability checks, saving throws, or damage rolls", but yes, that's going too far.

Maybe each ability should have:
- Trait 1 - +1 bonus, perk (ideally a noncombat/utility perk)
- Trait 2 - +1 bonus, perk (ideally a combat perk)
- Trait 3 - +1 bonus, reroll failed ability checks made using that ability

The last trait is still pretty potent, but doesn't change the possible range of results a PC can get.


I also dislike how you need to select some traits to get what's normally just ordinary racial traits.

Good point. And I should probably arrange for any such perk not to be so good that everyone who plays a character of a race will pick that trait - or, for that matter, for that race to predominate among player choices. Needs some rethinking.