E6: The Game Inside D&D (with PDFs!)

[Ry]

Hi Will.

For magic items, I think the key is how you present the world's demographics. If there's a 6th level wizard in every major town, then yeah, there's a lot of low-power magic items, but I don't think they unbalance the game at all because they can't be pooled together to buy massively powerful items for cash.

But if 6th level characters are rare, so are weapons that require a 6th level character to make. They aren't made lightly, and they aren't made factory-style.

So it depends on the approach.

 

[joela]

How low is 'low fantasy' in E6?

Over at rpg.net, a reader submitted a post asking for a low fantasy setting. I was about to reply from him to use E6 in any DnD campaign when it dawned on me that an E6 campaign may be too high.

Think about it. Fly is a 3rd level spell; same with Water Walk and Call Lightning, none of which are exactly found in traditional fantasy literature. A PC, depending on how s/he handles 0 to 1st level commoners, could convince them they're a demigod. And an E6 fighter with 3 feats would be a near-wuxia figure of death depending on her/his choices. Would it be better to use E4 or even lower for a "low fantasy" campaign?

 

[Will]

I've been thinking of running an E6 low fantasy game, and what I'm contemplaying is removing spellcasters altogether.

Instead, I may add a 'touch of the healer' feat that stabilizes damage and increases natural healing, and possibly an elemental power feat that gives people damage similar to regular weapons, just conjured by hand.

Also, some way for scholars to create magic items, in particular scrolls, so that someone can Fly if they manage to create a scroll of Fly or ring of Flight.

Another possibility is only allow Adepts and others with lower spell levels (Bards, paladins...)

 

[joela]

spellcasters

I've been thinking of running an E6 low fantasy game, and what I'm contemplaying is removing spellcasters altogether.

ouch. what have your players said about such a ruling?

 

[Will]

Haven't told them, yet. More seriously, I'm still considering options (like my other thread about Injuries).

 

[Ry]

I'd say E4 would be a pretty rough game even for the martial classes. I'd suggest as an alternative to say that full-caster classes (Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Wizards) are off-limits (except for NPCs that made a deal with the devil or something).

The Bard then becomes the best caster, and I think that can be a great vibe for a campaign.

Also, for a great way to do martial emphasis, check out Reserve Points from Unearthed Arcana (part of the Sovelier-Sage SRD as well).

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

E4?

Would it be better to use E4 or even lower for a "low fantasy" campaign?

I'm running a campaign, right now, where the characters have just gotten to 4th level. There are eight PC's:[sblock]4th level Ranger
4th level Cleric
4th level Rogue
4th level Fighter
4th level Champion (AE)
4th level Mageblade (AE)
4th level Swashbuckler
3nd level Warlock (joined the party late)[/sblock]The group is fairly tough. Each character started with a 32 point buy (which is where I put the top end of a point buy without crossing over into a level adjustment). And, yes, they're pretty tough. Encounters of the appropriate challenge for their level just don't seem to be tough enough.

I think E4 could work, but I'd imagine there might be a limited amount of feats that characters could qualify for at 4th level. Even more so than E6.

I'd trim the spell list and play E6, myself. However, flying, water walking, and calling lightning are part of real world legends, myths, fables, etc...

What source literature are you referring to for your ideal low fantasy setting?

 

[Grimstaff]

E6 High Magic Variant

I'm intrigued by E6, but my campaigns often feature higher-level magic, at least into the range of Raising dead, Teleportation, summoning elementals, etc, so I would add this feat to my game (for the standard 5k exp buy):

Advanced Magic -
Prereq - 6 total class levels
Benefit - Each time you take this feat (to a maximum of 5 times) you add one caster level to current spell-casting class you posess. You gain the appropriate spells per day.

With this feat, a 6th level Wizard could eventually cast 6th lvl spells, and a Sorcerer up to 5th level. Additionally, multi-class casters wouldn't be stunted for the rest of the campaign. On paper, a Wiz6 with 10 feats (5 devoted to Advanced Magic) does not come out substantially more powerful than a Fig6 with 10 feats, especially when you figure in save buffs like Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, etc, but the slight edge the wizard may gain over time is nicely in keeping with the old-school ethic of wizardry being the hardest profession to survive early on, but having the most powerful payoff if you survive into higher "levels". A Rog3/Wiz3 with 10 feats (say, 2 devoted to Advanced Magic) may lag behind a little, but would still be versatile enough to stand alongside his fellows.

Obviously, this variant would mainly be of use to DMs who want to include the stereotypical mighty archmages and diabolical high priests in their E6 campaigns, but even heroic-style campaigns need their Merlins and Medeas.

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

Advanced Magic - Am I Reading This Right?

Am I reading your post right?

A Fighter5/Wizard1 can gain the equivalent of the casting ability of a 6th level Wizard (with 5th level Fighter abilities) through taking this feat 5 times?

A Wizard6 can gain the equivalent of the casting ability of a 11th level Wizard through taking this feat 5 times?

Am I reading this right?

 

[Will]

Does E6 require control of the feat Toughness? It hit me that 'I take 5 Toughness feats' is a bit out of balance (+30 hit points for +1 LA, effectively?)