Help me make D&D easier to DM

[Vicar In A Tutu]

I've been the DM in the group for as long as the group has gamed. This, in itself, is not a problem. I love to be the DM. However, during this time I have grown frustrated with the game (D&D 3E). There are so many numbers to remember and keep track of. Some rules are extremely complex (none of my players even bother trying to grapple since they know the game will be grind to a halt). This grows even worse at high levels (around tenth level, give or take a few levels). Yet I still want to play D&D.

I have tried Castles & Crusades, but my players weren't interested due to lack of custimization (no feats, etc), and I can't say I blame them. So I'm not interested in playing another game, I want to play D&D. What I want is to tweak D&D so that the game becomes less demanding, less burdensome. Note that we don't use any supplements, we stick with the core books (PHB, MM, DMG).

I don't want this to devolve into edition wars or general negativity. I love D&D and harbour no ill will towards the game or the community.

I specifically want to adress the following things:

- Magic (buffs, some overly complicated spells, polymorph spells are a nightmare)
- Skills (creating a high level NPC takes an insane amount of time)
- Grappling rules
- High level characters becoming demigods (it feels like I'm playing a different game at higher levels)

Has anyone else experimented with tweaking the rules for such a purpose?

 

[Aus_Snow]

I'd suggest trying some of these things, and see if they help at all:

- Buff Cards, from EN Publishing (or something like them, even if you DIY). And hey, their Status Cards are very handy, in the same kind of way.
- Only record the relevant details of NPCs. They generally don't need anywhere near the same level of complexity as a PC of equivalent level, and therefore don't take nearly as long to make.
- I believe EN Publishing (again) has a PDF that might help with that. Otherwise, it's probably just a matter of getting used to it, again and again, over time.
- You could slow down XP acquisition, or require more for levelling, or both. Ideally (IMO), replace the linear progression with something er, non-linear (as I believe Unearthed Arcana contains as a rules variant, somewhere near the back).

 

[DM_Jeff]

I don't want this to devolve into edition wars or general negativity. I love D&D and harbour no ill will towards the game or the community.

Well put. Me too.

- Magic (buffs, some overly complicated spells, polymorph spells are a nightmare) .

Polymorph I don't have any immediate soloution, unless you take some advice to allow only monsters the PCs have seen allow to take the forms of, limiting the stats they can play with. As for buffs, at my table I have 5x7 index cards and a magnetic whiteboard. When a PC casts a buff spell on his buddies, I make them CLEARLY write the benefit summed up on the card and we attach it to the white board to remind everyone. If someone can't be bothered to study a complicated spell they want to cast in real life and have any idea of its usefullness or effects in the current situation, I have them pick something else!

- Skills (creating a high level NPC takes an insane amount of time).

Go to www.rpgattitude.com and get that insanely cheap but utterly useful NPC generator. I use it constantly. Hand-made NPCs are now very far and few between indeed.

- Grappling rules.

Run a few practices combats with grappling and take notes. I have Fiery Dragon productions BattleBox, which has little hand-sized cards of all the basic attack options in the game summing up the rules in just a few quick words. Practice takes a lot out of it. My Shackled City game ran to 19th level with a masterfully-grappling Monk, and by the end of that game we're all masters now!

- High level characters becoming demigods (it feels like I'm playing a different game at higher levels).

Hmm. Not sure abotu thsi one! It does require a lot more work to be aware of the bigger opponent's capabilities and spells and magic that counter the PC's great tricks. Time investment and homework are in order for this, for that I am sure.

Hope some of this helped!

-DM Jeff

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

I second the suggestion of index cards or something like that to use for buffs, etc. As for the rest, I have run across the same problem and would also like to hear suggestions.

As for grappling, I'm considering using the following in any games I run:

1. Make a touch attack.
2. If the touch attack succeeds, make an opposed grapple check.
3. If the opposed check fails, the action is wasted. If it succeeds, you are now grappling.
4. Once grappled, either party can make an opposed grapple check to deal unarmed damage or escape (can choose to make Escape artist check to escape instead).

That's it. Pretty much dropping all the other rules for pinning an opponent, etc.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

- Magic (buffs, some overly complicated spells, polymorph spells are a nightmare)

Cut what you don't like. I guess you could also change the buffs so they're not attribute based. That is, instead of adding to Strength (requiring recalculations), just add a flat bonus to "to hit" and "damage." That's not as flexible (doesn't help with skill checks, carrying capacity, etc), but it's a little simpler.

Skills (creating a high level NPC takes an insane amount of time)

Don't bother statting them by the rules. Just fudge it.

- Grappling rules

I didn't mind the grappling rules so much. I guess you could replace them with something simpler.

High level characters becoming demigods (it feels like I'm playing a different game at higher levels)

High level 3E feels like a different game to me, too. If you don't like it, don't play at those levels. You could slow level progression, or cap it, or take an approach like OAD&D, where you can keep rising in level, but once you hit a certain point, you don't get additional hit dice, et cetera.

Has anyone else experimented with tweaking the rules for such a purpose?

Yeah. I cut down/simplified my 3E game, but I eventually decided it was too much of a bother, so I moved on to other systems for ongoing/campaign games. I don't mind running 3E one-shots, though.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Along the lines of the NPC Generator, only quicker (but more limited, obviously) there is the oft overlooked and undercontributed-to (?!) d20 NPC wiki, and other collections online, here and there.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

The NPC generator suggestions reminded me that there are also Excel PC spreadsheets out there that will auto-calculate all your numbers when buffs are applied, et cetera.

 

[bento]

I specifically want to adress the following things:

- Magic (buffs, some overly complicated spells, polymorph spells are a nightmare)
- Skills (creating a high level NPC takes an insane amount of time)
- Grappling rules
- High level characters becoming demigods (it feels like I'm playing a different game at higher levels)

Has anyone else experimented with tweaking the rules for such a purpose?

You might check out True20, as its an attempt to simplify D20 rules. Here's some examples:
- A magic user (referred to as an adept) can choose one new spell at once per level. No long spell lists to track, but a manageable number of general spells.
- No AoO rules
- Multiple-attacks are no longer assumed; a player takes it as a feat
- Mook rules make it easier for the DM to adjudicate combat with low level characters more quickly

I've asked about the higher level play on the site's forum board, and frankly it doesn't have that much play-testing to know whether the demi-god problem exists.

Here's a link to the quick rules document.

 

[Aus_Snow]

You might check out True20 (. . .)

Hey, I've been likin' a bit of the ol' True20 myself, but. . .

I'm not interested in playing another game, I want to play D&D. What I want is to tweak D&D so that the game becomes less demanding, less burdensome.

 

[Voadam]

Polymorph, ditch polymorph and alter self, only allow the newer ones that give just one form.

Wildshape, go with the PHII shifting option, shifting from level 1 on but only one set of stats to think about, and it ditches the animal companion.

Pets, familiars, and cohorts add more individuals to track, avoid them if you can. As the DM you can kill them.

Buffs, simplify where you can, i.e. dodge only applies to one foe and must be designated verbally. I house rule it to just a +1 dodge bonus and be done with it.