E6: The Game Inside D&D (with PDFs!)

[GlassEye]

A few Quick Templates that will likely see use in my next campaign...

Sage
Ability Training (Intelligence)
Ability Advancement (Intelligence)
Skilled Researcher (1)
Open Minded x2

Leader
Leadership
Ability Training (Charisma)
Ability Advancement (Charisma)
Inspired Leader (1)
Commanding Voice (1)

Spymaster
Ability Training (Charisma)
Ability Advancement (Charisma)
Investigator
Skill Focus (Gather Information)
Information Network (1)

(1) feats from Dynasties and Demogogues

 

[Cheiromancer]

Personally, I think I'll use Incantations from UA to recreate those select higher level spells that I want to include in my campaign.

I would make it so the cost/difficulty the same as buying a scroll or hiring an NPC to do it. In game terms you don't actually do this, but the time, gp and "special" (quest) components would be the same.

e.g. suppose in a standard game the high priest will raise a dead party member of a 6th level party if the party pays 5,000 gp and fetches a McGuffin from a nearby dungeon. Then in E6 the "ritual" requires 5,000 gp and a McGuffin from a nearby dungeon. And only the high priest (a 6th level expert, say) knows the ritual.

You don't actually have to mess around with the rules for designing and performing incantations - you just do something mechanically equivalent to what a standard 6th level party would do.

 

[GlassEye]

I would make it so the cost/difficulty the same as buying a scroll or hiring an NPC to do it. In game terms you don't actually do this, but the time, gp and "special" (quest) components would be the same.

e.g. suppose in a standard game the high priest will raise a dead party member of a 6th level party if the party pays 5,000 gp and fetches a McGuffin from a nearby dungeon. Then in E6 the "ritual" requires 5,000 gp and a McGuffin from a nearby dungeon. And only the high priest (a 6th level expert, say) knows the ritual.

You don't actually have to mess around with the rules for designing and performing incantations - you just do something mechanically equivalent to what a standard 6th level party would do.

Good point. Here I was thinking that I'd have to create actual incantations (or steal incantations from someone else) when it only really needs to be simulated.

 

[zag01]

Hi, so I stumbled upon this E6 thing a few days ago (may have been yesterday actually).

Anyway, I'm really liking what I'm seeing as I can definately relate to the 'sweet spot', though for my group that spot seems to be around 7th-8th level, ie 4th level spells. I understand that part of the draw of E6 is that it makes things simple to run as a DM but my group and I know 4th level spells as well as we know 0-3rd.

With all the martial boosts for getting the prereqs of BAB 8 meet, how much would playing E8 wreck this system? Would it be that damaging?

 

[Kunimatyu]

E8's okay, but the presence of 4th level spells has started to skew things in favor of the casters, thanks to Evard's, Solid Fog, Greater Invis, Divine Power, and the like.

I would recommend tweaking things so that casters cannot gain additional spell slots or spells known of 4th level. That should be enough to preserve most of the flavor of E6 without letting things get too out of hand.

 

[Dragonblade275]

RE: E6 Martial Prowess Feat Chain

[sblock]

Heh - still not convinced. What you're doing now is rewarding characters with good ability scores, giving them access to a overpowered feat other characters with lesser ability scores (and thus already at a disadvantage) can't take. In a way, the new requirements will make the feat even more unbalancing, since those who already have (high stats), gain more.

If there weren't feats for raising ability scores in E6 and if there were not a precedent for making high ability scores pre-req's for feat chains, I might agree with you.

Consider the Two-Weapon Fighting chain.
[sblock]From the SRD
TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Dex 15.

IMPROVED TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 17, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6.

GREATER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 19, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11.[/sblock]
The only difference is that the BAB requirements in the E6 Martial Prowess chain were designed with the 6th level cap in mind. The BAB requirements are definitely too low for 20 level DnD and I would have written it differently if I were writing it for use in normal 3.5 rules.

I'm fine with the feat being available to other than fighters. I just think that splitting it up in to hit and damage and setting a limit on the number of times the feat can be taken is the way to go.

Splitting it up into separate feats for attack and damage bonuses would still be too powerful without the additional ability score requirements (or some other requirements). And, it would step on the toes of the Weapon Focus/Specialization chain.

Anyway, I think we may have threadjacked enough

Fair enough. I'm currently of the opinion that the Martial Prowess chain is too powerful without the ability score requirements, unless some other pre-req's could be devised (perhaps some sort of skill ranks requirements?).

Also, there's Melee Weapon Mastery in the Player's Handbook II which has pretty incredible benefits. See this thread.
[/sblock]
</threadjack>

 

[knight_isa]

E8's okay, but the presence of 4th level spells has started to skew things in favor of the casters, thanks to Evard's, Solid Fog, Greater Invis, Divine Power, and the like.

I would recommend tweaking things so that casters cannot gain additional spell slots or spells known of 4th level. That should be enough to preserve most of the flavor of E6 without letting things get too out of hand.

One positive thing about E8, though, is that it requires fewer changed/new feats to allow the higher level stuff that people seem to want (Improved Crit, Greater Weapon Focus, Large wildshaping). If you don't want more 4th level spells, then you can use the Extra Spell Slot/Known feats from the Complete books instead of the ones here.

The only thing I'm not sure about with E8 is that it gives 3/4 BAB classes their second attack. That may not be bad, though. I wish I had a full group to test it with (I only have two players at the moment).

 

[Kunimatyu]

Random thought -- there should be a way for Monks to take feats that they can pick up as bonus 6th level feats.

Perhaps....

Martial Arts Master [General]
Prereq: Monk 6th
Benefit: You are considered to meet the prerequisites for any feat you could take as a 2nd or 6th-level Monk bonus feat. In addition, you gain the Stunning Fist feat if you do not have it, or 2 additional uses of your stunning fist if you do.

 

[zag01]

One positive thing about E8, though, is that it requires fewer changed/new feats to allow the higher level stuff that people seem to want (Improved Crit, Greater Weapon Focus, Large wildshaping). If you don't want more 4th level spells, then you can use the Extra Spell Slot/Known feats from the Complete books instead of the ones here.

The only thing I'm not sure about with E8 is that it gives 3/4 BAB classes their second attack. That may not be bad, though. I wish I had a full group to test it with (I only have two players at the moment).

I think it would indeed lower the amount/need for the modified/new feats. Yea the 3/4 BAB classes get another attack. Big deal, with all the extra feats anyone could take the 2-weapon feats to get it with E6. I don't find the extra attack to be too excessive.

I do like the idea of using the extra slot/known feats as published. Sure, you can have 20 3rd level slots, but the real meat and potatoes (4th level) you've got at most, what 3?

 

[Ry]

I would be very, very interested in hearing playtest feedback about E8, if someone runs it.