Level Up (A5E) Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition Is Coming!

Level Up is the working title for a standalone 'advanced 5E' backwards compatible tabletop RPG coming to Kickstarter in 2021 from EN Publishing.

A crunchier, more flexible version of the 5E ruleset which you know and love. If you love 5E but would like a little more depth to the ruleset, Level Up is the game for you!

Level Up is the working codename for a standalone hardcover roleplaying game brought to you by the team which brought you EN5ider Magazine and Mythological Figures & Maleficent Monsters!

Sign up for news about Level Up! This mailing list is for news, surveys, feedback, and playtests. Or simply register your interest in the Kickstarter.

Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)

The standalone 'advanced 5E' backwards compatible tabletop RPG!

www.levelup5e.com

This is an ‘advanced’ version of the 5E ruleset, presented as a hardcover standalone game. It adds more customization and depth to the game. Basically, it’s a ‘crunchier’ version of 5th Edition. It's still the game you know and love. We love it too! All your 5E books will be compatible with this new game.

We already have a list of what we want to include in Level Up, although this list is not yet final We’ll be using surveys to adjust that list. We hope to include a fully developed exploration pillar, flexible character choices at each level, a new approach to heritage, martial maneuvers, a ‘cinematic/gritty’ toggle, spell-less ranger and warlord, and followers and strongholds, and more. Keep an eye out for the surveys!

We are also recruiting a diverse team of expert 5th Edition writers. We’ll have more news on that soon.

 

[Ravenbrook]

I don't really care that much about new classes and races. What I want is the ability to flexibly customize my character so that I'm not tied to rigid sub-classes. This rigidity is probably my biggest gripe with 5e.

 

[ThatGuySteve]

This is fair, though technically (at least for a pure Fighter 13) Proficiency bonus also goes up. My main issue with the Warlock "just an Invocation" thing is...well, it's sort of like getting a single extra maneuver as a Battlemaster after you already have a bunch. High-level invocations are mostly crap, and when you already have 7 previous invocations, an 8th is in that "well I can't call it bad but are there really 8 invocations that I was really hoping to get?" Even a Blade Pact warlock is going to be scraping the barrel at that point. By comparison, two daily uses of Indomitable per day...I mean, you had no choices, you just got saddled with that thing, but it's a thing you'll almost certainly like having.

Proficiency bonus isn't a class feature, it is determined by total character level, assuming you use multiclassing. If you had a dip level or two, you would already have the higher bonus. I like Indomitable, but I'm not going to be as excited as the wizard who picked up 7th level spells, for example.

I think the answer to your problem is more, better high level invocations.

 

[Garthanos]

Garth and I have gone back and forth with ideas for a fighter warlord quite a bit.

We disagree on how many widgets it needs, but I like his ideas in general.

The main thing to me is to take each major fighter feature and make it soemthing they can use to boost an ally. Extra attack becomes Heroic Action, and gains the ability to let an ally attack as a reaction at the cost of the fighter’s attack.

Action Surge becomes “let someone else take an extra action on their next turn”.

Second Wind becomes Inspiring Word, and an ally gets HP equal to 1d10+your fighter level.

Indomitable becomes Bulwark and applies to an ally.

etc.

Then the crunch maeisters like me and Garth take Battlemaster or a new leader focused subclass.

I don't know if I have mentioned that I am fully on board with the paradigm of just making most fighter abilities work much like that where you can aid an ally to do the things you are doing or inspire them to that end, it can be played much as it is now or you can play as a tactically valuable sidekick type of Warlord without too much tricky figuring. It has precedence but needn't be sequestered in a subclass. A battlemasters parry should parry an attack against an ally perhaps with wisdom involved -> Because I want to wedge in the mental attributes on those inspired or aiding actions.

It makes for a better starting point and a team player fighter based on active choice.

 

[Catolias]

I wish the venture well. My only worry with greater customisation or options in an A5E is the antithesis of 5e. It is about simplicity in rules, options and in its play. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like and want these things but I worry that A5E would break that philosophy. Still, worth a try.

 

[dave2008]

I don't really care that much about new classes and races. What I want is the ability to flexibly customize my character so that I'm not tied to rigid sub-classes. This rigidity is probably my biggest gripe with 5e.

I think that is their goal - we will see.

 

[Micah Sweet]

For the new classes, I would like to see all of them get a capstone that makes it worth it to stick all the way up with one class. Some of the existing capstone are decent, but others (like the bard) are just awful.

 

[Tallifer]

For the new classes, I would like to see all of them get a capstone that makes it worth it to stick all the way up with one class. Some of the existing capstone are decent, but others (like the bard) are just awful.

Not just capstones. My most unrealistic wish is for someone to go through all the broken or underwhelming features, spells, feats and abilities with a fine-toothed comb and fix them.

 

[Garthanos]

There are no levels that get nothing in 5e.

but a lot that get no choices

 

[Eric V]

They can't really do that and stay compatible with 5e. Having the equivalent of a feat (if by feat you mean a 5e feat) every level would create characters significantly more power than "basic" 5e.

If they plan on a bestiary as well though, then maybe that's ok.

 

[Eric V]

I wish the venture well. My only worry with greater customisation or options in an A5E is the antithesis of 5e. It is about simplicity in rules, options and in its play. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like and want these things but I worry that A5E would break that philosophy. Still, worth a try.

I can understand that, but...a project like an Advanced 5e is bound to be more complex, no?