E6: The Game Inside D&D (new revision)

[Shazman]

One thing that should work in E6 is quick 5-feat "templates" that add +1 CR based around particular themes, i.e.

Biter
Ability Training (Strength), Ability Advancement (Strength), Weapon Focus (Bite), Power Attack, Improved Disarm

Wouldn't Improved Natural Attack (Bite) fit the biter theme better than Improved Disarm?

 

[Ry]

Oi, yeah, good idea. I forgot about that feat; I thought of improved disarm because I think of the best animal-vs-human fights as ones that temporarily even the tool-use odds.

 

[Shazman]

Well if you go strictly by the book, there aren't too many things that have a bite attack that can pull off the 13 int to qualify for improved disarm. If it's a racial thing like the wolf's trip attack, that's a different story. Usually grappling is the tactic used by monsters to neutralize weapon use.

Here are some more feat templates:

Tough: Ability Training (constitution), Ability Advancement (constitution), Improved Toughness, Endurance, Diehard

Brute: Ability Training (strength), Ability Advancement (strength), Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Improved Sunder

Thick-skinned: Improved Natural Armor x3, Toughness x2

Quick: Abiltity Training (dexterity), Ability Advancement (dexterity), Combat Reflexes, Dash, Improved Initiative

 

[Ry]

Nice!

If only I had a legion of Shazmen; then my plans for world domination would be complete.

 

[joela]

Selling E6

I'm not going to be able to do that until September, when I move to Davis and find a new group. I may see about running a few playtests of E6, where I make 6th level PCs with 10-12 feats and see how they play versions a range of CRs.

When you do, could you share how you're "selling" E6 to potential players? That's been one of my biggest obstacles so far with the variant. While some of my fellow DMs have found it intriguing, they've pointed out that DnD players, both within our group and in general, are going to see all those nifty high-level abilities in the PH and other books suddenly out of reach.

What have y'all done to sell E6? Personally, I'm thinking moving my offer to E9.

 

[joela]

Section

One thing that should work in E6 is quick 5-feat "templates" that add +1 CR based around particular themes, i.e.

Biter
Ability Training (Strength), Ability Advancement (Strength), Weapon Focus (Bite), Power Attack, Improved Natural Attack (bite)

Does this go into the E6 Feat thread as well?

 

[tvar]

Q: With only 6 levels, how do races with a level adjustment work?
If you use races with a level adjustment, the 6th level cap is a big issue. Use the point buy rules in the DMG as follows:
LA Point buy
+0 32
+1 25
+2 18
+3 10
+4 00

I was looking for this rule in the DMG and couldn't find it. Does anyone have a page number?

I mean, I think I can figure it out. These are the same points as used to buy attributes, right? So if you are LA0 you get 32, if you have LA1 you only get 25, etc. Is that how this variant works?

EDIT: Based on my interpretation, it seems like you would probably have a lot of players opting to be half-dragons (and maybe half-celestials/fiends too). As a half-dragon who buys the LA3 with points you could have these stats: str 18, dex 12, con 14, int 10, wis 8, cha 10, which would normally cost you 30 points (so you're only really losing 2 points) and you gain all the other benefits of half-dragon, like +4 natural armor, immunities, breath weapon, natural weapons, etc. Am I misinterpreting these rules?

 

[joela]

Another E6 sighting

Over at Sutekh .

 

[Ry]

Oh, BTW, session 1 of the new campaign went great, but it was really about Raising the Stakes more than E6 (as the characters were all first level).

 

[Ry]

I was looking for this rule in the DMG and couldn't find it. Does anyone have a page number?

I mean, I think I can figure it out. These are the same points as used to buy attributes, right? So if you are LA0 you get 32, if you have LA1 you only get 25, etc. Is that how this variant works?

EDIT: Based on my interpretation, it seems like you would probably have a lot of players opting to be half-dragons (and maybe half-celestials/fiends too). As a half-dragon who buys the LA3 with points you could have these stats: str 18, dex 12, con 14, int 10, wis 8, cha 10, which would normally cost you 30 points (so you're only really losing 2 points) and you gain all the other benefits of half-dragon, like +4 natural armor, immunities, breath weapon, natural weapons, etc. Am I misinterpreting these rules?

No, that's a correct interpretation. When I say "by the DMG" all I mean is to use the DMG's point buy rules (like page 2 or something, don't have the book with me). The rule I put here is not a DMG rule. This isn't a perfect fix; just the closest I could get with what I had to work with. Feel free to suggest another, but this is the one that comes up on top when alternatives to LAs are tossed about in the rules forums.