D&D General 6E But A + Thread

[Lanefan]

Okay maybe not traps

• Players Handbook
  • Species
  • Classes
  • Feats
  • Necessary Core Spells (Fireball, Magic Missile, Read Magic, Hunter's Mark)
• Dungeon Monsters Guide
  • Traps
  • Planes and Environments
  • Hazards
  • Bastions
  • "Necessary" Core Magic Items (+1 sword, Flame tongue, Dragon Scale Armor)
• Monster Manual
  • Monsters
  • Humaniods NPC statblocks
  • Monster Spells
• Tome of Magic
  • Bulk of Spells
  • Bulk of Magic Items
  • Psionics
  • Runes
  • Infusions
  • Anime Fightin' Magic Attacks

This way a DM does not technically have to buy four books. Old core spells that a DM or Players needs are in the PHB.

But if you want those legacy spells like Aganazzar's Scorcher or book fillers like Flame Arrows or theme spells like "Acid spell #4", you buy the magic book.

OK, I'll play. Note this isn't necessarily how I'd actually sequence the books' contents, it's just what ought to be in each one.

Players' Handbook
--- Species
--- Classes
--- --- Spells (they are, after all, class abilities; the bulk of 'em should be here)
--- --- Pantheons and Deities (Clerics need these in order to function)
--- Feats, Skills, Backgrounds (whichever of those still exist in 6e)
--- Roll-Up Guide (step by step)
--- Equipment Guide
--- How to Play
--- --- Combat Rules (player-side)
--- Example of Play (a la 1e DMG page 97-ish)

DMG
--- Traps and Hazards
--- Planes, Worlds, and Environments (brief overview)
--- Magic Item Prices and Write-ups (yes, all of 'em)
--- Combat Rules (DM-side)
--- Game Management (time, recordkeeping, playstyles discussion, etc.)
--- Options and Dials (to make the game harder, easier, or otherwise different than the default)
--- Short-Form Char-gen (easy NPC construction while still keeping them 100% compatible and comparable with PCs)
--- Downtime Guide
--- --- Bastions and Strongholds
--- --- Spell Research and Item Creation rules
--- --- Training to Level

Monster Manual
--- Monsters, Monsters, and more Monsters (but NO rewrites of PC species as those are already in the PH)
--- --- Monster Abilities, listed under the relevant monster
--- More Monsters

Expansions Book (target audience: DMs)
--- Worldbuilding Guide
--- --- Planes, Worlds, and Environments (deeper dive)
--- Optional Spells
--- Optional Classes (psionics go here)
--- Conversion Guides (to 6e from each other edition)
--- High-Level Play options and suggestions
--- More Options and Dials

Notice anything missing there? That's right, there's no "encounter-building" piece in the DMG. That's intentional; as such things have never really been great in any edition, a simple few paragraphs explaining some basics and encouraging some trial and error is all this needs - and all it'll get.

 

[payn]

Notice anything missing there? That's right, there's no "encounter-building" piece in the DMG. That's intentional; as such things have never really been great in any edition, a simple few paragraphs explaining some basics and encouraging some trial and error is all this needs - and all it'll get.

Folks, we have ourselves the eff around and find out manual.

 

[Minigiant]

OK, I'll play. Note this isn't necessarily how I'd actually sequence the books' contents, it's just what ought to be in each one.

Players' Handbook
--- Species
--- Classes
--- --- Spells (they are, after all, class abilities; the bulk of 'em should be here)
--- --- Pantheons and Deities (Clerics need these in order to function)
--- Feats, Skills, Backgrounds (whichever of those still exist in 6e)
--- Roll-Up Guide (step by step)
--- Equipment Guide
--- How to Play
--- --- Combat Rules (player-side)
--- Example of Play (a la 1e DMG page 97-ish)

DMG
--- Traps and Hazards
--- Planes, Worlds, and Environments (brief overview)
--- Magic Item Prices and Write-ups (yes, all of 'em)
--- Combat Rules (DM-side)
--- Game Management (time, recordkeeping, playstyles discussion, etc.)
--- Options and Dials (to make the game harder, easier, or otherwise different than the default)
--- Short-Form Char-gen (easy NPC construction while still keeping them 100% compatible and comparable with PCs)
--- Downtime Guide
--- --- Bastions and Strongholds
--- --- Spell Research and Item Creation rules
--- --- Training to Level

Monster Manual
--- Monsters, Monsters, and more Monsters (but NO rewrites of PC species as those are already in the PH)
--- --- Monster Abilities, listed under the relevant monster
--- More Monsters

Expansions Book (target audience: DMs)
--- Worldbuilding Guide
--- --- Planes, Worlds, and Environments (deeper dive)
--- Optional Spells
--- Optional Classes (psionics go here)
--- Conversion Guides (to 6e from each other edition)
--- High-Level Play options and suggestions
--- More Options and Dials

Notice anything missing there? That's right, there's no "encounter-building" piece in the DMG. That's intentional; as such things have never really been great in any edition, a simple few paragraphs explaining some basics and encouraging some trial and error is all this needs - and all it'll get.

I still think the PHB has too many spells and the DMG has too many items hogging up pages.

Like the PHB wizard spell list should go old school.

8 spells per level except 0th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. 1 spell for each school past 3rd. That's it.

Everyone else gets only ~5-6 spells per level.

Cut it down. Cut it down. Shove those extra items spells in its own book.

 

[Lanefan]

Folks, we have ourselves the eff around and find out manual.

Encounter design has been eff-around-and-find-out all along, even with guides in each edition that supposedly help you do it.

My idea merely bows to that reality and skips the guide part this time.

 

[Lanefan]

8 spells per level except 0th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. 1 spell for each school past 3rd. That's it.

Which raises another question: are spell schools within a class even worth keeping as a concept?

With two exceptions, I say no they're not. The exceptions are Illusion and Necromancy, which should each have their own separate class distinct from the standard Wizard.

 

[Micah Sweet]

and I agree with them on that, you first need advice on how to DM before you need advice on how to be an advanced DM


if you are already experienced and do not care about the other things in it, by all means do that.

Personally I have all three and they complement each other nicely, esp 5e and ToV have little overlap as the latter has no magic items

Just seems like a waste of money to me. Not sure what the D&D DMG provides that the other two don't (or at least T&T for A5e; I don't have TotV's DM book yet.

 

[payn]

Encounter design has been eff-around-and-find-out all along, even with guides in each edition that supposedly help you do it.

My idea merely bows to that reality and skips the guide part this time.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Nah.

Just cut the magic spells and items and traps to its own book.

Create space in the PHB and DMG for more stuff.

All that does is force people to buy another book.

Good for WotC's treasure room, I guess.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I still think the PHB has too many spells and the DMG has too many items hogging up pages.

Like the PHB wizard spell list should go old school.

8 spells per level except 0th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. 1 spell for each school past 3rd. That's it.

Everyone else gets only ~5-6 spells per level.

Cut it down. Cut it down. Shove those extra items spells in its own book.

Why? Where's the value in cutting stuff from the books? Other than to WotC of course.

 

[Minigiant]

All that does is force people to buy another book.

Good for WotC's treasure room, I guess.

The old way does already because it shoves bigger more important content in supplements

My way, you get 6-8 subclasses per class, more backgrounds and more feats in the PHB and monster creation rules in the DMG.