Basic20: Same System, Simpler High-Level Play

[WayneLigon]

Hmm. I can't see how most of those actually simplify the game, save for spells not changing size categories and the skill points change. Simplification doesn't nessesarily come from removing options (Honestly, how does restricting elves in level actually make things simpler?), but from clearing up confusion and reducing things that require 'system mastery'.

Removing most temporary alterations to stats is a big step towards simplification. The dodge feat is a good example. Most 'Buff' spells abd abilities even beyond the size category ones are another: Bless, Inspire Courage, Bull's Strength, etc, are good candidates for removal. Conditions, especially combat conditions, are an excellent example of something to minimize.

Things that require you knowing A and B and C and D are good candidates for simplification. Saving throws, for instance, require you to know the level and the class and the appropriate ability modifier and sometimes the race. Making them more static would simplify things. Maybe change them so that you just need to know the level; all tenth level characters have a +10 to all saves, for instance. Or use the 4E idea of saves as a type of AC and make that AC a relevant characteristic. All poisons, for instance, might have to roll over the characters CON to succeed.

Removing or changing things that require repeated reference is a good thing. Racial traits are a good example of this: you should only need to look at the racial data once at character creation and then never again.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Umm, that's even worse. I use the stealth style sheet here and messages have a light grey background.

You can't read it 'cause your icon cat has funky goggles on. The goggles do nothing.

Just "highlight" the text. It should stand out more 'cause the background will be dark blue (default) and the letters will be white.

 

[Epic Meepo]

My advice if you want to continue with this project would be to make sure that you do something to distinguish it from the other simplified systems out there.

Very good advice. To separate Basic20 from other alternate systems, I'll start by clarifying that it isn't really an alternate system at all; it is really just a template that can be added to the normal third edition rules. And I'll clarify that it isn't intended to simply the entire system; just high-level play. The appropriate changes have been made to the OP.

Could you give us the background of your campaign that led to these rules? Specifically, what did your players think about them and the advantages/disadvantages during play? Stoughton has discussed on numerous occasions the impact E6 has had on his game.

Playtesting is currently underway and my group rotates GMs weekly, so it'll be slow going, but I'll try my best to point out my reasons for what I'm doing as I'm doing it. I can start by saying I wanted to put limits on high-level characters based on complaints I've heard from my players. Specifically...

Due to their high-number of attack per round, characters with high base attack bonuses often take a disproportionate amount of time to resolve their turns in combat. This is especially true with characters whose every melee attack ends up activating multiple feats that modify their rolls or, worse, require even more rolls to resolve.

Due to the power of many high-level spells, even after characters with high base attack bonuses spend long minutes resolving their actions, the pivotal factor in many fights is a single high-level spell that gets resolved in about ten seconds. Often, that spell overshadows everything that happened earlier in the fight, rendering actions in prior rounds meaningless.

Furthermore, the disparity in base attack bonuses, spellcasting, and other class abilities often means that each high-level encounter turns into a showcase for a single character. Everyone else gets to stand around being ineffectual while the one character best min-maxed for the specific situation has all the fun.

Thus, I strove to create a fix that puts a cap on base attack bonuses, spell level, and class abilities. By holding everyone under that cap at higher-levels, the intention is to keep characters from becoming overspecialized or overpowered. No one gets to eat up more game time by specializing in huge full attacks, for example, and no one gets to bypass every challenge with high level spells.

Hmm. I can't see how most of those actually simplify the game, save for spells not changing size categories and the skill points change. Simplification doesn't nessesarily come from removing options (Honestly, how does restricting elves in level actually make things simpler?), but from clearing up confusion and reducing things that require 'system mastery'.

Good point; I've fix the OP to clarify that the basic rules I propose merely simplifying high-level play (small fuller attacks, less high-level magic); they aren't supposed to make the entire system simpler. Also, I've dropped some of the less-relevant optional rules. (Honestly, I don't know how that elf level-limit thing got in there; I must have been cutting and pasting from somewhere I shouldn't have been.)

You can't read it 'cause your icon cat has funky goggles on. The goggles do nothing.

An inability to read is a small price to pay for the inherent coolness of an icon cat with funky goggles!