What I Like About Nimble 2e (So Far) — A Partial Review

[Velocitree]

Full disclosure, I run a weekly 5e 2014 game and am searching for a next system. I have been on the fence about doing a Nimble one-shot with them (@HatWearingFool your 3-action endorsement convinced me to do it, thank you). Mostly I hesitate because I am afraid they will like it a ton, while I want them to try an even simpler system (e.g. Shadowdark) to lower my cognitive load.

Y’all may not agree with my take below on what I would change about Nimble 2e after a read-through, but I would be very interested to hear what you would change, if anything?

Nimbler: Reviewing Nimble 2e, part 2

This is a continuation of a review. In part 1 , I described what I like about Nimble 2e. In this Part 2, I outline some things this homebr...

dreamshrike.blogspot.com

I agree Nimble 2e really is a fresh, nicely designed take on a 5e-alike game (solo monsters, Safe Rests, tactical, speedy combat, many things to like), and I wish they had gone even further from 5e into wondrous utility spells and simplified skills, etc. I am looking forward to playing it, and to hacking elements of it into every homebrew rpg I make!

 

[HatWearingFool]

Full disclosure, I run a weekly 5e 2014 game and am searching for a next system. I have been on the fence about doing a Nimble one-shot with them (@HatWearingFool your 3-action endorsement convinced me to do it, thank you). Mostly I hesitate because I am afraid they will like it a ton, while I want them to try an even simpler system (e.g. Shadowdark) to lower my cognitive load.

Y’all may not agree with my take below on what I would change about Nimble 2e after a read-through, but I would be very interested to hear what you would change, if anything?

Nimbler: Reviewing Nimble 2e, part 2

This is a continuation of a review. In part 1 , I described what I like about Nimble 2e. In this Part 2, I outline some things this homebr...

dreamshrike.blogspot.com

I agree Nimble 2e really is a fresh, nicely designed take on a 5e-alike game (solo monsters, Safe Rests, tactical, speedy combat, many things to like), and I wish they had gone even further from 5e into wondrous utility spells and simplified skills, etc. I am looking forward to playing it, and to hacking elements of it into every homebrew rpg I make!

Regarding point 1 you can defend more than once you just have to be good at fighting. Like a champion of bulwark with shield expert (and a shield). It’s one of the things I like about nimble. You can actually build a “tank” someone who draws attacks and is noticeably better at absorbing hits than other non-specialized classes.

But limited defences also forces tactical choices. In nimble it’s almost never a good idea to just wade into the enemies and get out numbered/surrounded unless you are just way better than your opponents.

And 2… well that’s part of the tactics mentioned in part one, if you can only defend a limited number of times it’s a good idea to move out of range and not get surrounded. But I like movement and tactics.

And yes more content is coming, including way more subclasses (22):

“There will be more previews in the coming weeks, but expect at LEAST 200+ new monsters, dozens of new Legendary monsters, an entire new spell school, well over 100 thematic loot items, ADVENTURING COMPANIONS (for solo/duet play, or just when the party wants to adopt a kobold/other NPC as part of the group), as well as over 22 new subclasses and at least 3 new classes!”

I just hope we get cards for everything. I really like handing out cards

Edit: The fact that the hex binder class comes with cards gives me hope that the new material will come with cards as well.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Full disclosure, I run a weekly 5e 2014 game and am searching for a next system. I have been on the fence about doing a Nimble one-shot with them (@HatWearingFool your 3-action endorsement convinced me to do it, thank you). Mostly I hesitate because I am afraid they will like it a ton, while I want them to try an even simpler system (e.g. Shadowdark) to lower my cognitive load.

Y’all may not agree with my take below on what I would change about Nimble 2e after a read-through, but I would be very interested to hear what you would change, if anything?

Nimbler: Reviewing Nimble 2e, part 2

This is a continuation of a review. In part 1 , I described what I like about Nimble 2e. In this Part 2, I outline some things this homebr...

dreamshrike.blogspot.com

I agree Nimble 2e really is a fresh, nicely designed take on a 5e-alike game (solo monsters, Safe Rests, tactical, speedy combat, many things to like), and I wish they had gone even further from 5e into wondrous utility spells and simplified skills, etc. I am looking forward to playing it, and to hacking elements of it into every homebrew rpg I make!

your no. 1 is the reason Nimble won't be my next system. I have seen no "fix" to it. Only statements like "but it's great!". But for people that don't share my opinion on this, there's a lot to love in Nimble

 

[HatWearingFool]

your no. 1 is the reason Nimble won't be my next system. I have seen no "fix" to it. Only statements like "but it's great!". But for people that don't share my opinion on this, there's a lot to love in Nimble

Most characters only being able to only defend once per round is the reason you won't run it? I mean you could always say you can defend for more actions, you'd just have to compensate players that chose a class for that ability.

But I would caution that I think lack of defense uses is supposed to spur people to use interpose and other tatics such as movement. I think you would get a lot less use of interpose if people can just defend themselves. So, in general I guess adding multiple Defenses for everyone would make it play a lot more like D&D 2024 and take away a lot of the need for tactics.

But I get wanting to run RAW. It's my preference as well and I almost always choose RAW rather than small mods.

 

[Zaukrie]

your no. 1 is the reason Nimble won't be my next system. I have seen no "fix" to it. Only statements like "but it's great!". But for people that don't share my opinion on this, there's a lot to love in Nimble

What needs fixing about it?

 

[R_J_K75]

So far, great game. Looking forward to more class's and monsters which have been coming.

I know some people would really like more monsters

they have a backerkit or something planned in Feb - maybe then?

Yep a new monster books is coming
Nimble Monsters & More

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Most characters only being able to only defend once per round is the reason you won't run it?

Yes, because I'm sure it would annoy me in the back of my mind, as it feels (to me) like the ultimate shafting of non-casters

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

What needs fixing about it?

If you read the review linked to, it explains it better, but basically, unless you spend an action on using your armor, it doesn't exist. And if you do, the second goblin chops away at you, completely ignoring your full plate. It really rubs me the wrong way

 

[stormwriter]

If you read the review linked to, it explains it better, but basically, unless you spend an action on using your armor, it doesn't exist. And if you do, the second goblin chops away at you, completely ignoring your full plate. It really rubs me the wrong way

I also found that rule super strange and it kinda breaks immersion for me. It would make sense if it was just for the shield (similar to what Pathfinder does), but for your whole full plate armor to be counted is a bit strange.

 

[zakael19]

So given that there's two different defense Actions, and the notapaladin gets to Interpose for free at level 4 and a berserker can use their Fury dice to reduce armor, I'm going to guess some of the melee focused classes/subclasses have abilities that interact with armor and actions to up their defense capacity.

So the baseline Spend an Action to Defend is the design space to then do exception based abilities off of to differentiate characters from each other and fit roles around.