D&D 5E Free 60+ page Guide to Sword & Sorcery for 5E D&D

[CapnZapp]

An alternative would be to have a category of spells which are less risky but less powerful (some sort of white magic, for instance) and have a category of spells which are more risky but more powerful (typical black magic). So, in that case, the player get to choose between a sword, a bic lighter and a flamethrower.

"Yes, your spells kinda suck, but if you could summon a demon to teach you something more, but there's a price."

If you can imagine white safe benevolent magic in a Sword & Sorcery setting, go for it.

 

[CapnZapp]

More generally, the spells (and their reliability) in D&D are balanced against fighters and barbarians and what not. Just reducing the spells efficiency (or placing great cost on using them) might be thematically appropriate, but it doesn't work if you still want fighters and sorcerers to retain their PHB balance.

The easy option then is to do nothing. The more interesting (and frankly, rewarding) option is to add both power and cost. And just to keep your life simple as a balancing designer, you would do well in removing the "old" spellcasting (i.e. you can't choose between the regular way and the powerful-and-costly way; you can only choose between powerful-and-costly spells and no spells at all, which of course means having the strength or dexterity necessary to use swords and knives)

 

[Paid a bod yn dwp]

Regarding Inspiration:

After reading the excellent Beowulf age of hero’s for 5e there’s brilliant use of the inspiration mechanic which draws out the theme of the game.
There’s a few more ways to acquire Inspiration.


1. At the beginning of the game through the portents a pool of inspiration is established for players, followers (think henchman, it’s a game designed around solo play), and monsters. If players can establish an in game link to the portents, they can take one of the inspiration tokens. Apart from that It works the same as 5e granting advantage.
There’s also other in game ways of gaining inspiration. When you roll with Advantage you choose one die as your alignment die, representing gods favour, fate etc. If it’s the higher result you gain inspiration, whether or not you succeed.

Beowulf does a really great job of contextualising Inspiration in the game, and has a nifty way extra way to allow hero’s to accrue more with alignment die mechanic.

I think Xoth could really do something similar, to represent fated hero’s. With potential rare hits that could take you to zero hit points, inspiration could be expanded to allow it to be spent to avoid a hit they may take you out of the game. It’d still be limited (doesn’t stack) but just gives the hero that extra bit of luck.
Perhaps also rename inspiration to something more Xoth appropriate?

To start the ball rolling how about calling inspiration Fate for the players, and Doom for the antagonist?

 

[Paid a bod yn dwp]

By the way I should mention that I really like the classes in this game. It’s not simply a rehash of 5e classes. Cultist, slaver, conquerer, and courtesan are inspired. Think the magic, and game advice is really good.
Warlock works for me, but I’d also like an option with some form of corruption connected with spell use. Could be specific to a particular Demonic Patron ?

All in all I’m very impressed with design choices. Many Ideas already springing to mind. Lots of rich S&S flavour. This is great stuff. Well done,

 

[Paid a bod yn dwp]

One other 5e book using the OGL I admire is Into The Unknown a 5e take on b/x. What I like most about that book is the advice on playing an open game, playing what’s in front of you, rather then just playing the rules. Advice that’s applicable to any 5e game.
It’s on drivethru and consists of 5 small books. The 4th book Running the Game has a short section on “Improvised Stunts”, which is all about encouraging players to play creatively and imaginatively, not necessarily just using their class abilities. It gives a good frame work of advice on how to adjudicate rulings when players wish to attempt something creative, and how that may be done without stepping on the toes of existing class abilities.
Lots of gamers do this naturally after a while, but the advice is really sound, and encourages a fast and loose style of 5e play. Following the b/x ethos of rulings not rules, it succeeds in finding the balance between 5e’s structured rule set, and a very open creative improvisational game. It’s the sort of gm advice and style of play I envision emphasising in a 5e S&S game.

 

[FXR]

If you can imagine white safe benevolent magic in a Sword & Sorcery setting, go for it.

Some divination and abjuration magic could work. We can look for inspiration in dubious movies such as The Warrior and The Sorceress, Conan the destroyer or in books such as Bradley's Sword and Sorceress anthology.

 

[CapnZapp]

Some divination and abjuration magic could work. We can look for inspiration in dubious movies such as The Warrior and The Sorceress, Conan the destroyer or in books such as Bradley's Sword and Sorceress anthology.

Absolutely. Passive, defensive abilities is one thing.

What was discussed here (at least by me) was offensive unproblematic magics.

 

[Paid a bod yn dwp]

I think this is the right approach, but just to exhaust other avenues using a second roll, here’s a few alternative approaches for a Deadly Critical:

1. On a critical hit, the attacking player makes a Str or Dex roll (players choice), with the DC being the targets Constitution score. If successful target falls to zero hit points.

2. On a critical hit, the target makes a Con save. The DC equals 10 or half damage, whichever is highest.

My first suggestion above puts the roll in the hands of the attacker, which feels more Conanesque, the second roll is for the defender.
Of the two I prefer number 1. Both of these options will likely result in a higher chance of a Deadly Critical. However overall I think Xoth’s suggestion won’t dominate the standard DnD attritional combat in the way my two suggestions will, but at the same time still remaining a possibility. The low base chance for Xoths suggestion is also already increased by certain class abilities, so on reflection it feels about right.

Taking Xoths excellent suggestion of rolling a second d20 after getting a critical hit, you could additionally allow the player to choose a number on the d20 (call it fated or something), if that number, or their critical chance comes up, then the target drops to zero hit-points. This could be used if it’s felt that achieving a second critical is too low a probability on the critical alone.

Edit : Perhaps spending inspiration allows the player to chose one or two extra numbers on the d20 for the second roll?

 

[CapnZapp]

I really wouldn't bother with rules that happen only once every 400 rolls...

 

[Paid a bod yn dwp]

I really wouldn't bother with rules that happen only once every 400 rolls...

Another thought for rolling a deadly critical as Xoth has proposed. You could allow the proficiency bonus to be used on the second critical attempt to increase the critical range.
So a level 1 character with a proficiency bonus of +2 would have a deadly critical range of 18-20 instead of 20.

The hard work of the initial critical has already been done in the attack, so perhaps it’s only fair that the second critical attempt has this modified chance?

Then again there’s always the other methods I suggested where the DC is more easily modified to hit the sweet spot

• The Con save against 10 or half damage whichever is higher, or just make it challenging DC15
• Str/Dex roll to beat the targets constitution score.
• Or go the other way and really mix up the odds by making it an opposed roll of attackers Str or Dex vs the targets Dex or Constitution.