E6: The Game Inside D&D

[Pat]

I'll help.

 

[der_kluge]

What do you mean, an "E6/E8 Bible"?

A PDF detailing all the nuances of running an E6/E8 game.

For example, I've already revised all the dragons to make them a little more approachable in terms of power levels. I've also got a massive document in the works covering all the gotchas with regards to magic item creation.

Some of the other areas I want to cover include:
What magic items simply can't exist in an E6/E8 game because of magic constraints.
What monsters should be available - what monsters represent extremely difficult (epic) fights?
Any modifications to spells - for example, detect magic should work slightly differently because 5th level spells would be considered "overpowering" in an E8 game.
All the epic feats.
Player build ideas
House rule options
mods to prestige classes

Anything else I think of along the way.

My goal is to basically allow GMs to toss their PHB/DMG/MM in favor of the E6/E8 bible since it will only have all the relevant stuff in it that they, or their players, would care about. - Well, ok, maybe not the MM, that's a lot of duplicated work right there, but at least the DMG, and chunks of the PHB.


Having ran an E8 game for the last year, I think there are some unique situations that arise that having a "bible" will make a lot easier to resolve.

 

[Nimloth]

E# "bible"

So did you want to start a new thread, or just continue in this one?

 

[der_kluge]

Those who would like to help -

email me @gmail.com

curtis.bennett is the name.

I'll set up a yahoogroup for this.

Unless you guys prefer a thread on here. I'm not sure I prefer that option, though.

 

[El Mahdi]

I'll set up a yahoogroup for this.

Unless you guys prefer a thread on here. I'm not sure I prefer that option, though.

Just as long as you make a link or attachment here on ENWorld when it's done (either in this thread or in the downloads section).

 

[SPECTRE666]

Great thread btw. In the PDF it doesn't show page 4 and 8 for me.

I just discovered this idea from another forum, and I love it. Its the D&D I would like to play. My game group, well I will find out.

Great thread again

 

[Guest 4770]

I have a dumb question: it may already be answered in the 24 pages, but i am too lazy to read them all.

Why not just monkey with the xp tables so that progression is slower and progression above level X (6,8, or whatever) is really slow?

 

[Aus_Snow]

I have a dumb question: it may already be answered in the 24 pages, but i am too lazy to read them all.

Why not just monkey with the xp tables so that progression is slower and progression above level X (6,8, or whatever) is really slow?

You could do that, of course. It wouldn't be E6, E8 or the like. But sure, you could do it.

Basically, E6 caters to a different style of play, which some believe (or indeed, have found) higher levels in D&D disrupt/detract from/destroy/otherwise mess with. A division of the 20 levels into four sections of five levels each is referred to in the original text of E6: 1-5 = sword & sorcery [?]; 6-10 = heroic; 11-15 = wuxia; 16-20 = superheroes. Something like that. So, it's fairly easy to see there what E6 is focusing on, and/or what it might be avoiding.

For a somewhat more 'sword & sorcery-like' (grittier, lower magic, etc.) feel, E6 works better than your suggestion would. Your suggestion, on the other hand, would do a better job of somewhat emulating AD&D-style play (or at least, rates of leveling). Or a hybrid thingy. Anyway, around that area.

It works well, I've found, but I know there are many gamers who would recoil in horror. In fact, I did at first. Then, eventually, I warmed to it. The rest is history.

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

I have a dumb question: it may already be answered in the 24 pages, but i am too lazy to read them all.

Why not just monkey with the xp tables so that progression is slower and progression above level X (6,8, or whatever) is really slow?

Because it's not just a matter of "characters progress too fast". It's a matter of "I don't like that the world (characters, NPCs, and monsters) continue to simply get bigger and bigger".

It's kinda like some of those rpg games I played back in the day on consoles. At "first level" you'd start out inflicting 150 points of damage with each attack. By the time you finish out the game, you're doing thousands and thousands of points of damage.

Of course, the monsters have thousands and thousands of hit points.

All that's happened is the numbers got inflated.

Running an E6/E8 game stops the number inflation. Hit points, skills, saves...all of it. There's a finite limit and it doesn't take more than a year of play to reach it.

One problem with slowly down XP gain, is it leads (or has the potential) to a feeling of "stagnation". You keep showing up session after session, and your character just doesn't change or do anything. People _like_ to level. They want new bits for their character. That's why E6/E8 goes with the feats after you hit the level cap. That way the character can continue to "grow" without having a massive inflation everywhere.

Your suggestion, on the other hand, would do a better job of somewhat emulating AD&D-style play (or at least, rates of leveling). Or a hybrid thingy. Anyway, around that area.

Sort of.

See, the thing I noticed? AD&D had "slow" leveling because most of the DMs saw the rules for giving XP for treasure and said, "Screw THAT!!! They got the gold, they're lucky to be alive. No way they're going to double dip and get XP for getting the gold too. The gold is its own damn reward."

Hand out XP for gold like you were _supposed_ to do, and the leveling rates aren't really _that_ different. It's just that 3rd ed rolled around and the XP became all focused on killing things, instead of killing things and taking their stuff.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Sort of.

See, the thing I noticed? AD&D had "slow" leveling because most of the DMs saw the rules for giving XP for treasure and said, "Screw THAT!!! They got the gold, they're lucky to be alive. No way they're going to double dip and get XP for getting the gold too. The gold is its own damn reward."

Hand out XP for gold like you were _supposed_ to do, and the leveling rates aren't really _that_ different. It's just that 3rd ed rolled around and the XP became all focused on killing things, instead of killing things and taking their stuff.

Good point.

Heh, and I forgot to mention the other huge reason for E6's appeal, which you pretty much covered: the numbers, buffs, etc.