What third-party books do the most interesting stuff with the 5e engine?

[vivsavage]

There's a ton of third-party 5e based stuff out there. Of the ones you have read, which do the most interesting things with the 5e engine? For example, the way that Adventures in Middle Earth uses backgrounds more as themes than as prior careers ("World Weary," "Hunted By the Shadow," etc.), and replaces feats with cultural virtues.

One question in particular: have any of the games you have seen use a different set of abilities (rather than the customary STR, DEX, CON, etc)? And have you seen any variants on the proficiency grade (+2 to +6)?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Probably not exactly what you are asking but the Kobold Press Tome of Beasts is fantastic. I’m expecting great things from their follow up. Creature Codex. I suppose monsters are a realtively simple 3rd party plug-in, but Kobold has done a particularly solid job with the task.

 

[Ath-kethin]

The new Talislanta: The Savage Land book has an alternate magic system, revisions to classes, and mass action and mass combat systems, some new takes on diseases, tribe mechanics, changes to skills, new skills, a completely different trade/monetary system, and some new types of proficiencies. Oh, and several new lithe, pointy-eared, soft-spoken and vaguely effeminate races that are definitely NOT ELVES, OK?

The new 5e Dragon Kings supplement has new spellcasting mechanics, a bunch of new classes/subclasses, psionics rules, psionic variant subclasses, variant backgrounds, new feats, and new spells.

Both also have new monsters.

Both of these books are great if you're looking to run low-magic and/or definitely not everything-and-the-kitchen-sink style campaigns. Though the Talislanta book is far more "out there" in this regard.

 

[Blue]

There's a ton of third-party 5e based stuff out there. Of the ones you have read, which do the most interesting things with the 5e engine? For example, the way that Adventures in Middle Earth uses backgrounds more as themes than as prior careers ("World Weary," "Hunted By the Shadow," etc.), and replaces feats with cultural virtues.

Since you brought up AiME, I really like how they handle rests during Journey's to capture Tolkien's writings. For those unfamiliar, they break up an adventure into different phases, and durign the Journey phase (used for exactly what it says on the tin), you can only take short rests until the journey is complete. This is mitigated that you make allies and friends and get access to Sanctuaries where you can get a long rest.

This has a strong narrative connection to the stories set in Middle Earth, as well as making resources something to be planned for the entire journey. Evocative of feel and a useful tool - which is how I like my mechanics.

 

[Morrus]

We're finding the AiME doesn't translate well to D&D. Taking most of the magic out of D&D, turns out D&D's not much fun.

My players are bored by the idea of levelling up because it doesn't give them anything interesting. I think ToR probably works much better than D&D for that setting, though I’ve not had the opportunity to play ToR so I couldn’t say.

D&D was basically the 1970s version of WoW-ifiying Lord of the Rings. I'm not sure un-WoW-ifing it works in that particular setting.

That said, we're only 5 sessions in, and level 3. We'll see how it goes. We're playing through an entire hardcover of semi-linked wilderness adventures.

 

[MarkB]

Not an actual book as yet, as it's still being developed, but I'm enjoying Code::2050 by Legendary Pants, a cyberpunk D&D setting. It's an interesting take, in that it leaves all the existing D&D rules in place, and just layers the modern/futuristic elements on top, in the form of new equipment and subclasses. It makes it a very easy system to pick up and build a new adventure and characters onto.

 

[Blue]

We're finding the AiME doesn't translate well to D&D. Taking most of the magic out of D&D, turns out D&D's not much fun.

My players are bored by the idea of levelling up because it doesn't give them anything interesting. I think ToR probably works much better than D&D for that setting, though I’ve not had the opportunity to play ToR so I couldn’t say.

D&D was basically the 1970s version of WoW-ifiying Lord of the Rings. I'm not sure un-WoW-ifing it works in that particular setting.

That said, we're only 5 sessions in, and level 3. We'll see how it goes. We're playing through an entire hardcover of semi-linked wilderness adventures.

Thanks for the feedback. But flaws in the lack of oomph while leveling doesn't invalidate that it has some clever takes on 5e rules. I'm a bit surprise that feel is at 3rd since AiME standardized that as when they gave out subclasses, I would have expected that to be an interesting level. And 4th is their first ASI/virtue, then 5th for Extra Attack or other power bump like Warden's Gift recharging on short rests (and going to d8s).

But lack of interesting draws for leveling may make the game as a whole unplayable if it's true. Every version of D&D has been a Zero to Hero type of game, unlike other systems where you started complete and maybe had minor upgrades over time (many superhero, early Shadowrun, etc.)

 

[Morrus]

Thanks for the feedback. But flaws in the lack of oomph while leveling doesn't invalidate that it has some clever takes on 5e rules. I'm a bit surprise that feel is at 3rd since AiME standardized that as when they gave out subclasses, I would have expected that to be an interesting level. And 4th is their first ASI/virtue, then 5th for Extra Attack or other power bump like Warden's Gift recharging on short rests (and going to d8s).

But lack of interesting draws for leveling may make the game as a whole unplayable if it's true. Every version of D&D has been a Zero to Hero type of game, unlike other systems where you started complete and maybe had minor upgrades over time (many superhero, early Shadowrun, etc.)

For me, I feel like The One Ring is probably a better fit for Middle Earth than D&D.

 

[dave2008]

We're finding the AiME doesn't translate well to D&D. Taking most of the magic out of D&D, turns out D&D's not much fun.

Morrus, what do you mean by this? Is there something about the AiME setting the makes lack of magic a drag? I ask because one of my groups plays a low magic 5e campaign and we have no issues. FYI, by low magic I mean: magic items as very rare and only ritual casting is allowed. In fact, my players have really enjoyed the back to basics approach.

 

[SkidAce]

The new 5e Dragon Kings supplement has new spellcasting mechanics, a bunch of new classes/subclasses, psionics rules, psionic variant subclasses, variant backgrounds, new feats, and new spells.

Both also have new monsters.

Is 5e Dragon Kings available for non-backers yet?