OSR Any Demand For a Simplified/OSR 5E?

[Zardnaar]

Many many moons ago (think 2007) I started a document to fix 3.5.

Over the years that has evolved into a homebrew D&D incorporating things from Pathfinder, 4E, Clones, and lately 5E.

Generally I like 5E a lot but miss a few tings on occasion form older editions. So my effort to fix 3.5 has more or less resulted in an OSR inspired 5E hack that uses the 5E spells and rules combined with various things from other editions and efforts to fix things I do not like about 5E (such as saves and the -5/+10 feats).

Now this is mostly for homebrew but its getting close to where I could make somethig like the D&DN playtest documents and put it up somewhere. The main differences between my D&D and 5E.

1. Simplified saves- I use Fort/Rex, Will the difference between a good and bad save is 3 points.
2. Microfeats. You get ferats at the same rate as 4E/Pathfinder. Several 5E feats have been broken down into their component parts. Some have been ported over as is, there are no -5/+10 feats.
3. 4 classes and races (more can be added its a lot of work), Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard + Human, Elf, Halfling,
4. Classes are heavily based on 5E. Some fighter abilities for example have been shifted. FOr example a the 4th attack is no longer a keystone ability and you get it around level 15 or 16. My cleric is similar to the life domain.
5. AD&D type outclassing with a unified hit dice and level A fighter/mage (Eldritch Knight) for example has a d8 hit dice and has the full abilities of both classes.
6. Racial feats resembling 4E ones/ lost AD&D abilities (Elves used to be good with long/short swords and bows, halflings with slings and thrown weapons).
7. Gritty rates of healing, overnight healing is a single hit dice. Non magical healing for the most part has gone.
8. XP for gold default rulew (can be removed)
9. BECMI xp rates. This is to enable AD&D type multiclassing, xp for gold, and to avoid the AD&D situation where wizards leveld up faster than other classes.
10. Overhauled armor. You now have more options as the best armor is no longer automatically studded leather and plate. Medium armor should be better.
11. Monsters hit for a lot less damage than 5E ones due to healing rates being changed.
12. 5E skill system.

The main changes are to the classes, feats and saves and I am redoing monsters.

Here is an example of the fighter, note it is getting a new capstone ability.



And a couple of monsters.

Hobgoblin CR 1/4
Medium Humanoid
Initiative +0 Senses Perception +4; darkvision 60'
HD 1d8+1 hp 6
AC 15
Saves Fortitude +3, Reflex +3 Will +2
Speed 30'
Attack: Melee +3 Dmg 1d8+1 (longsword) or
+3 ranged damage 1d8+1 (longbow)
Str 13 Dex 12 Con 12 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 13
Alignment LE Languages Common, Goblin
Skills: Perception +2, Stealth +3
Equipment: longsword, large wooden shield, studded leather, longbow

Phalanx: Hobgoblins gain +2 AC when fighting adjacent to another creature with this ability.

Disciplined: The hobgoblin chooses a creature within its reach. The next attack roll made against that target by a friendly creature that also has this trait has advantage.


Ogre CR 1

Large Giant
Initiative -1 Senses darkvision 60'
HD 4d10+8 hp 38
AC 12
Saves: Fortitude +8 Reflex +2 Will +-1
Speed 40'
Alignment CE Languages Giant
Skills Perception +3 Stealth +10,
Str 18 Dex 8 Con 18 Int 5 Wis 7 Cha 7
Skills: Athletics +6
Equipment: hide armor, club, 3 javelins
Actions
Attack: Melee +6 Dmg 2d8+4 (club)) or
+6 ranged damage 2d8+4 (javelin)

 

[Blue]

Looks interesting. I'm always for more ideas in the design space, good things come from it, even if it's just better understanding of why certain choices were made and what works better for you.

Personally, if I wanted "like 5e but streamlined" I'd play 13th Age - which I do. Which is not putting this down, just saying that I have a similar itch but scratched it differently.

 

[Mallus]

For me, 5e hits the sweet spot between the older editions I learned on and the complexity/char builder options presented by 3e (and to a lesser extend, 4e). And I was pretty skeptical 5e could manage it, but it did. So no thanks.

 

[Jester David]

Why keep the standard 1-18(ish) ability scores if simplifying things? D&D can't drop them, but an OSR game could.

 

[Ashkelon]

I don't want an OSR 5e, but simplifying and streamlining the rules would be nice. There is a fair amount of club lines in the rules that is caused by an insistence on sticking with outdated mechanics for tradition. Furthermore the use of "natural" language instead of clear mechanical keywords causes a number of rules interactions to be highly ambiguous. There is also no simple spellcaster for those who want to just blast things without thinking too much about their character.

 

[Zardnaar]

I don't want an OSR 5e, but simplifying and streamlining the rules would be nice. There is a fair amount of club lines in the rules that is caused by an insistence on sticking with outdated mechanics for tradition. Furthermore the use of "natural" language instead of clear mechanical keywords causes a number of rules interactions to be highly ambiguous. There is also no simple spellcaster for those who want to just blast things without thinking too much about their character.

Design a Warlock with fixed class abilities?

I have not got around to designing the other classes yet. For my game I have thought about adding things like Hunters Quarry/Hex as class features instead of spells.


If anyone wants this or is willing to do a class put your hand up.

 

[Ashkelon]

Design a Warlock with fixed class abilities?

I have not got around to designing the other classes yet. For my game I have thought about adding things like Hunters Quarry/Hex as class features instead of spells.


If anyone wants this or is willing to do a class put your hand up.

I don't think a simple caster would look anything like the warlock. Warlock is already one of the most complicated classes in 5e. The amount of questions people have asked regarding Mystic arcanum is astounding. Combine that with subclass features, pact features, invocations, cantrips, and regular spell slots, and you have a class with more complexity than your typical vancian wizard (which is also unnecessarily complex).

It seems like when people ask for a simple D&D, what they are really asking for is a simple D&D for martial classes.

 

[Ath-kethin]

The Dungeonesque Kickstarter was very much an OSR 5e system. If such an idea is up your alley, I strongly recommend it - IMO it was exceedingly well done. I've even adapted bits of it to my Primeval Thule campaign.

 

[Parmandur]

If two things describe 5E, it's "simple" and "OSR"...?

Most of the 3Eisms described seem more complicated, like the fiddly three saves versus six saves.

If I wanted something drastically simpler, already have DCC.

 

[Zardnaar]

If two things describe 5E, it's "simple" and "OSR"...?

Most of the 3Eisms described seem more complicated, like the fiddly three saves versus six saves.

If I wanted something drastically simpler, already have DCC.

3 saves is easier than 6 IMHO and the gaps between them are narrower than 5E. My saves scale for example.