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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 1760016" data-attributes="member: 63">I'm bored, and I don't have access to any of my files to write on existing projects, so I'm going to brainstorm Dungeons or Dragons, 4th edition.DoD keeps the necessary sacred cows in the form of archetypes.  The rules themselves are very flexible, but examples are presented in each chapter to help you make classic archetypes.Basic Characters: 0th level is the starting point for everyone.  When you're 0th level, all you have are basic ability scores, Wound Points equal to your Constitution score, and skill points equal to your Intelligence score (max ranks per skill is 3).  You have one feat.  Races:  You have four 'traits' that you use to purchase racial abilities and character backstory abilities.Sample race packages include:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human.  Medium size (1 trait), bonus feat (1 trait), +1 skill point per level (1 trait), and any one other trait.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf.  Medium size (1 trait), low-light vision (1 trait), bonus feat - Alertness (1 trait), +6 skill points from starting off as a 90-year-old (1 trait).  The +2 Dex/-2 Str is a freebie.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Halfling.  Small size (free), bonus feat - +1 to all saves (1 trait), bonus feat - weapon focus (hurled weapons) (1 trait), bonus feat - +2 Climb and Jump (1 trait), bonus feat (something else).  The +2 Dex/-2 Str is a freebie.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Orc.  Medium size (1 trait), darkvision (2 traits), +2 Str (1 trait).  The extra +2 Str/-2 Int/-2 Cha is a freebie.</li> </ul>Automatic Abilities:  Regardless of class, every two levels you get to increase your saves by a total of +3, divided as you choose among Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.  No base save can be higher than half your character level +2 (the same as a normal 'good save' advancement in 3rd edition).It goes 1st level = +2, 2nd level = +3, 3rd = +5, 4th = +6.So an 8th level character would have a total of +12, so he might have +6/+3/+3, or +11/+1/+0, but he couldn't have +12/+0/+0.Also regardless of class, every even level you get +1 to your base attack bonus, and instead of iterative attacks, you just add your attack bonus to your damage.  Every third level you get a feat that can be spent on anything.Classes: There are three classes - Expert, Fighter, and Mage.  Experts get 10 skill points per level.  At every fourth level they get a bonus feat, which is mostly used for skill abilities.Fighters get an extra +1 to base attack bonus every odd level (so you end up having a full BAB progression).  They also add this bonus to damage with their attacks, so a 20th level Fighter automatically gets +20 damage.  Fighters get a second attack at 11th level, at the full bonus.  At every even level they get a bonus feat, which can be used for combat and such.  They get 2 skill points/level.Mages get to learn spells.  There are eleven different spells.  Attack, Charm, Compel, Create, Defend, Enhance, Heal, Illusion, Move, Summon, and Transform.  Each level the mage gets to apply +2 to the spells, so he basically improves his casting ability.  They don't get bonus feats.  They get 2 skill points/level.Skills:  <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Acrobatics (compresses Balance, Jump, and Tumble)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Climb</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Craft (includes Forgery)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Deception (combines Bluff and Disguise)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Disable Device (also includes Open Locks)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Handle Animal</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Influence (compresses Diplomacy and Intimidate, and also covers Gather Information)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Knowledge (culture)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Knowledge (history)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Knowledge (magic)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Knowledge (nature)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Language</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perception (Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Profession (includes Appraise and things like Knowledge engineering)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sneak (Hide and Move Silently)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spellcraft</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Survival</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swim.</li> </ul>Efforts that were once Epic are now simply tough.  You get synergy bonuses at 5 ranks, and a lot of skills have a feat associated with them, with a prerequisite of 15 ranks, that gives you some cool ability.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Acrobatics feat lets you walk on air with 15 ranks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Climb feat lets you fight while climbing on things without losing your Dex bonus.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Deception feat lets you feint as a free action.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Influence feat lets you create emotions in people, with tangible effects.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perception feat gives you blindsense.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sneak feat lets you hide in plain sight.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swim feat lets you hold your breath for minutes at a time, and fight with no penalties underwater.</li> </ul>Feats:There aren't as many feats as before.Armor Proficiency comes in light (up to studded leather, includes shields) and heavy (from chain shirts to full plate, includes tower shields).Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning ReflexesSkill Focus. Either choose one skill to get a +3 bonus, or choose two skills that either share an associated ability score, or that provide each other a synergy bonus, and both get +2.  You can select this feat multiple times, but you can only select a given skill once.Spell Focus.  Pick a spell.  You get a +2 bonus to it.Weapon Proficiencies have the following categories.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Simple.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Axes, Picks, and Scythes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Clubs, Maces, and Flails.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Swords (shortswords, rapiers, scimitars, longswords).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hurled Weapons (spears, rocks, thrown hand-axes, etc.; just because you're proficient in using hand-axes in melee doesn't mean you know how to throw them).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Reach Weapons (longspears, glaives).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bows.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Double Weapons (you must have the appropriate other feat too).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Whip Weapons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Chain Weapons.</li> </ul>Weapon Focus lets you pick a weapon group of the above types, and you get +1 to attacks with those weapons.There is a feat chain for each primary ability score.Strength - Power Attack.  Cleave.  Great Cleave.  Awesome Blow.Dexterity - Lightning Reflexes.  Dodge (+1 to AC).  Mobility (You don't incur attacks of opportunity from movement).  Whirlwind Attack (Strike everyone within reach).Constitution - Great Fortitude.  Endurance (Resist exhaustion and fatigue).  Diehard (Take no penalties from Wound damage, never pass out).   Damage Reduction (You get DR 5).Intelligence - Combat Expertise.Wisdom - ?Charisma - ? Spells:  The eleven different types of spells all have no more than three basic effects, all of which scale based on the 'level' of the spell.  Spell level goes from 1 to 20.  You do not have spell slots or MP, but rather a casting bonus based on how many points you put into the appropriate spell.Whenever you cast a spell, you make a check against DC 10 + the spell's level.  If you succeed, the spell goes off.  If you fail, the spell fails and you take a cumulative -1 penalty to spellcaster for the rest of the day.  If you fail with a natural 1, the spell fails, you get the penalty, and you make a DC 15 Will save.  If you fail that, some sort of magical mishap occurs, typically causing damage.Typically you'll stick to easier spells, going for a lot of weak powers in combat instead of risking a failure by trying to pull out the big guns.  Even high-level Mages will prefer to blast a little at a time, thoug they'll still have the option to blow a lot of <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> up at once, if they roll well enough.</blockquote>

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