a new basic game

[GMforPowergamers]

in another thread Lokira pointed out we need a basic game in Walmart stores to bring new blood into the hobby. I wonder how easy it is to do.

I would start with the very basic 4e frame... 1/2 level to attacks and defenses/saves but use a mix of 4e and pathfinder skills... (pathfinder skill rank system but half way between the two for number of skills)

We want 4 classes
Magic user
Healer
Up front warrior
Skill guy

I will call them
Mage
Cleric
Fighter
Rogue

all classes start with Con Score+1hd hit points and a few skill points (+3 to class skills)
Mage 1d4 2+Int mod skills (extra +1 arcana or spellcraft)
Cleric 1d8 2+ int mod skills (extra +1 religion)
Fighter 1d10 4+ Int mod skills
Rogue 1d6 6+ Int mod skills

I can throw out iconic abilities to make the game run smoother

mages
I like the warlock idea so attack spell chosen from: Magic missile (auto hit 1 missle per 2 levels 1d4+1 force damage) Acid orb (ranged attack 1d8+Int mod acid damge and ongoing equal to level save ends) SHocking grasp (touch attack 1d6 electric damage and can be delivered with melee weapon attack) Burnning hands (ref save half 1d4 per 2 levels of fire)
use the pathfinder cantrips, just take out damage causeing ones... prep and at will...
then follow the 3.5 warlock progression of at will spells give them some options but not too many, but add in 4e ritual caster abilities... make Identfy, knock, scrying, scribe scroll, comprehend lang, all rituels

Cleric
I like the idea of the healing word from 4e, but you need to limit it, so I would mix it with the burst heal of pathfinder... minor action heal a ally within range 1HD (so fighters heal a d10 and mages a D4) can be used a number of times per day equal to cha mod+ 1/2 level at level 3 cleric adds there cha mod to healing and at level 5 they can reroll 1's...
give them a very limited list of spells I would use the idea of spheres from 2e, make like 10 spheres each with 2-3 spells per level, you start with access to 3 spheres cast on the fly
give them rituals as mage above...

Fighters
I would take the Bo9S approach but with you picking (like cleric spheres) from 5-6 styles you can start with 2 and learn stances and manuvers... each style will have both at will and encounter manuvers but you choose what you want...
Give them a +1 to hit with weapon attacks at 1st level

Rogue
I would take the 4e essential move action abilities, but the 3e sneak attack progression. I would then take the skill trick idea and expand on it with 4e utilitie powers... give them a bunch of little choices that make them theif, con man, swashbuckler ect...

 

[GMforPowergamers]

take the bloodied condition from 4e, but have it mean more...

every level gain a HD (d4-d10) and let them be used to heal over night... every night with no magic healing you just roll your hd and heal... so a 3rd level mage has conscore+3d4+2x con mod hp (lets say 12 con so 22 hp) and every night heals 3d4hp (average 7.5 hp) so most of the time it takes 2-3 days of rest to refill

a fighter with a 16 con on the other hand at level 3 has 16+3d10+6hp sp about 40hp and heals 3d10 on average 16.5 hp...

 

[GX.Sigma]

Have you heard of D&D Next? It's a whole new edition of D&D coming out this summer. One of the major design goals is to create a simple basic set that can be marketed to new gamers, and is fully compatible with the more advanced options.

 

[Sadras]

Have you heard of D&D Next? It's a whole new edition of D&D coming out this summer. One of the major design goals is to create a simple basic set that can be marketed to new gamers, and is fully compatible with the more advanced options.

Uh well-a well-a well-a huh

Tell me more, tell me more
But you don't gotta brag

Tell me more, tell me more
Is it in the bag?

Uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh

 

[GMMichael]

in another thread Lokira pointed out we need a basic game in Walmart stores to bring new blood into the hobby. I wonder how easy it is to do.

Basic game for new blood.
Getting a game into Walmart: not the easiest thing to do.

Have you heard of D&D Next? . . . One of the major design goals is to create a simple basic set that can be marketed to new gamers, and is fully compatible with the more advanced options.

Also not likely to show up at Walmart. But the game I mentioned above is a "simple basic set" that is "fully compatible with the more advanced options."

Tell me more, tell me more

Well, okay. Modos RPG is easier for the new blood than D&D because things like saving throws, action types, grid rules, and the Polymorph sub-school don't pollute the waters. You can make a character in five minutes. You can spend days perfecting a character. It's an open-source game, so anyone who wants to expand on it, or write his own adventures, is welcome and encouraged to do so.

But it has one feature that will be VERY appealing to Walmart customers:

it's free.

 

[Lanefan]

Well, okay. Modos RPG is easier for the new blood than D&D because things like saving throws, action types, grid rules, and the Polymorph sub-school don't pollute the waters. You can make a character in five minutes. You can spend days perfecting a character. It's an open-source game, so anyone who wants to expand on it, or write his own adventures, is welcome and encouraged to do so.

Use 1e's polymorph rules:

- polymorph self can only be cast on self with restrictions on what you can become
- polymorph other is an offensive action that no creature (even your friend) will willingly undergo; in other words you cannot voluntarily waive your saving throw
- polymorph other requires the victim to make a system shock roll or keel over dead

and that particular problem solves itself.

But it has one feature that will be VERY appealing to Walmart customers:

it's free.

Except Walmart customers will never see it, as being free ensures it will never be seen in any such store.

Lanefan

 

[GX.Sigma]

Also not likely to show up at Walmart.

I got both 4e starter sets (the first blue one, and the essentials red one) at a Toys R Us, and I'm sure I saw one of them in Target too. I've never been inside a Walmart, but isn't that the same sort of place?

 

[StoneKobold]

Almost every WalMart I've ever been in carries Pokemon, YuGiOh and more importantly Magic: The Gathering, as well as many of Hasbro's more traditional board and card games. If Hasbro pushed a new D&D set hard enough, I'm sure they'd pick it up.

And for the record, Target is simply a more upscale WalMart, slightly higher prices and at least the illusion of slightly better quality. WalMarts tend to be bigger and have a better variety, but they're essentially the same concept. KMart too, where those still exist.

 

[Halivar]

Walmart won't put books the gaming section. A boxed set, however, would fit nicely in with the board games, where interested kids and parents would be more likely to see it.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Funny, I thought Micro Lite D20 already did this...
https://sites.google.com/site/microlited20/