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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stormonu" data-source="post: 8079647" data-attributes="member: 52734">Let's be honest - a LOT of D&D was built and revolves around combat.  But what if we were to slim down the combat options so that there could be a more equal focus between the so-called three pillars of play.This is an optional system, just off the top of my head.  To actually get use, it's going to need more tweaking and a whole lot of playtesting.1) Remove HP from the game- Characters have four Health states:  Healthy, Wounded, Incapacitated, Dead.  You can add more levels if you want to shift the difficulty (perhaps adding Bruised and Injured, for example)2) All character options become resources<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Leveled abilities, such as Action Surge, Extra Attack, Stunning Attack and the like become a Resource.  They gain a tag according to the pillar they can be used for - Combat, Exploration, Interaction</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Skills become a Resource.  Proficiency grants you 1 experience point.  Expertise grants 2.  Tools count as 1 resource point.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spell slots become a Resource</li> </ul>-- A spell has one 1 Resource point per spell level- Gear becomes a Resource.-- On weapons, Simple weapons are 1 Resource Point, Martial weapons are 2 Resource points.  Weapons gain the Combat tag.  Weapons refresh their Resource points after a Short rest. [could be changed to encounter if feeling generous].-- On armor, Unarmored Defense is 1 Resource point, Light Armor is 1 Resource point, Medium Armor is 2 Resource points, Heavy Armor is 3 Resource points and a Shield is 1 Resource point.  Armor gains the Combat and Exploration tag.  Armor refreshes it resource points after a Short rest.-- Other equipment counts as 1 Resource point, with the Exploration tag.  The DM may add the Combat or Interaction tag to certain items on a case-by-case basis.  Equipment refreshes their resource points after a Short rest.3) To defeat a foe in an encounter, the party has to expend a number of Resource points equal to the CR of the opponent.  If an opponent is less than CR 1, the party can use-- This is a fail-forward system, so if a party can't (or chooses not to) expend enough resources to defeat the encounter, they can still complete it, but suffer a Setback (Usually decreasing their Health states, but possibly inflicting other conditions ranging from Captured, Exhausted, Paralyzed, Petrified or the like).-- Normally, there is no dice rolling associated with this system, but the DM could institute a die roll to further increase the tension of successfully completing the task (suggested: 1d20 roll per Resource point expended, make a skill-based checked with a DC of 12.  So, for example, if a fighter expended one use of a Long Sword resource, he would roll a d20, adding Strength modifier + proficiency modifier, with a DC 12 to succeed).An extended example.Four party members, Killi the Dwarfen Rogue, Rhila the Elf Eldritch Knight, Morgan the Human Fighter and Aleena the Human Cleric are exploring a nearby cave.  They are level 5, and start the adventure unharmed, or at Healthy status.The party enters the cave and is immediately beset by the choice of three passages.  Aleena casts Augury to help the party discern which path to take, and the spell indicates they should take the right branch.  The party does so, with Killi scouting ahead in the dark, beyond Aleena's hand-held Light spell.Part way down the passage, the DM announces that Killi has come across a CR 2 trap (though he doesn't reveal what it actual is yet).  Killi decides to expend one Resource point from his Perception skill (he has Expertise in it) and the Resource point from his Thieve's Tools, allowing him to spot and disarm the trap - which the DM reveals was a spiked pit trap.  Marking it for the others, the group continues forward until they reach a lit, open room.  Killi expends his other Resource point from Perception to keep from being surprised by the room's occupants, and expends one of his Stealth Resource points (again, having Expertise in the skill) to keep from being detected by the room's occupants.  As his ally's approach, he waves them down and they dowse the magical light to approach Killi's position.Beyond the open portal, surrounding a fire pit are five nasty goblins (CR 1/2 each) trying to steal scraps of food from a powerful ogre (CR 2) who is enjoying a mutton dinner. [This is a Hard~Deadly encounter according the DMG].  While Morgan mumbles wonderment about what was down the other passages if this is the best route, the group prepares for combat.Aleena bursts into the room first, unshrouding her light and using her Persuasion Resource to momentarily baffle and confuse the group (she decides to apply the Resource point to the Ogre).  Killi then springs from the darkness in the confusion, drawing his knife and springing on two hapless goblins, killing them before they can react (and expending the one Resource point from his Dagger).  From the doorway, Rhila nocks one arrow after another, dropping the three other goblins quickly (expending both Resource points from the two available from her Longbow).  Finally, Morgan enters the room with a lusty charge and duels the ogre.  However, while the ogre swings at her in surprise with the hefty haunch of mutton in its hand, it proves no match for Morgan's blade, and she kills it (using one of her two Resource points from her Long Sword).Victorious, the party examines the remains of their fallen victims, and Rilli locates a locked chest near the back of the room.  While the party counts the few meager coppers found on their victims, Killi expends his Sleight of Hand Resource point to pick the lock.  However, before he can fling the lid open, the DM informs him he may have sprung a trap - though this one is a CR 1 poison needle.  Killi decides to expend his Dwarven Resilence Resource to foil the trap.  With the lid now open, his cry of delight at the content draws the rest of the party over to investigate what he has found...</blockquote>

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