Playtest (A5E) Level Up Playtest Document #1: Origins

Welcome to the first Level Up playtest document. This playtest contains a candidate for the game’s Origins system—the initial building blocks of your character.

Are you ready to level up your 5E game? Welcome to Level Up, the standalone 'advanced 5E' backwards compatible tabletop RPG coming in 2021!

A crunchier, more flexible version of the 5E ruleset which you know and love. If you love 5E but would like a little more depth to the ruleset, Level Up is the game for you!

Level Up is a standalone hardcover roleplaying game brought to you by EN Publishing, the company which brought you EN5ider Magazine and Mythological Figures & Maleficent Monsters!

Download the playtest document

What this is
This is a playtest document. We’d love you to try out the rules presented here, and then answer the follow-up survey in a few days.

What this is not
This is NOT the final game. It’s OK if you don’t like elements of these rules; that’s the purpose of a playtest document. Be sure to participate in the follow-up survey in a few days. All data, positive or negative is useful.

What we use this for
Your survey responses help form the direction of the game as it goes through the development process.

Don’t forget!
Sign up for the mailing list for notifications of playtests, surveys, and news. And make sure you get notified on Kickstarter when the project launches in 2021.

 

[ThatGuySteve]

Eladrin feature Twilight Step says it can be used "once between tests". I assume this means refresh after either short or long rest?

Halling gift Tuft Feet feature about difficult terrain could be written in a clearer manner. Difficult terrain doesn't 'half your speed' it costs 2ft of speed for every 1ft travelled. I'm interpreting the feature as only the first 5ft travelled per turn has the higher cost, after that it is 1 to 1? This would allow a 25ft speed halfling to move-Dash through 45ft of difficult terrain.

Finished reading through and very happy with the range of options. Loads to choose from and nothing looks like a bad choice.

I particularly like the backgrounds having suggestions of rewards of followers. Looking forward to leading a mini orc tribe in cobbled together wagons.

 

[Bacon Bits]

I feel like I can't fully evaluate this without knowing a little about the class changes.

Will there be any changes to classes that include abilities which traditionally are located in origins (i.e., are there going to be attribute bonuses on classes)?

 

[Moon_Goddess]

If 5E use Thunder so should this.

The fact that we can't even change small things is why I'm really worried about the "Backward compatible"

 

[ART!]

I plan to Zoom my group together within the next few days, have everyone make characters using this playtest's replacements for race et al, and run a one-shot adventure. Looking forward to the survey to give my feedback.

 

[Weiley31]

I do like the idea of a "Paragon" feature/upgrade. I remember 3.0/3.5 had some paragon ideas as well.


Also: Heritage for The Future

 

[Weiley31]

Interesting.
My only gripe is that the word 'Thunder' is still used for damage made by sound, 3.5's 'Sonic' name made much more sense.

When it comes to Primal/Sonic damage in my 5E games, it's just refluffed Thunder damage.

Just like how Despair/Misery/Midsummer/Flickering Damage is just refluffed Psychic damage.

Or Moonlight is refluffed Radiant damage.

Asgardian/Magic/Arcane type damage is Force damaged refluffed.


Etc, Etc, Etc.

 

[Weiley31]

You double your Constitution score for the sake

I read that as being related to when consuming the drink.

 

[glass]

The fact that we can't even change small things is why I'm really worried about the "Backward compatible"

It's not that they cannot even change small things IMNSHO, it is that they should especially not be changing small things.

_
glass.

 

[Zaukrie]

After reading more, and reading more comments, I believe more than ever there should be three separate things:

Race/heritage/whatever you want to call the humanoid type you are (claws, breath weapon, darkvision, whatever)
Where you grew up/live (city, mining colony, forest, nomadic tribe, nature worshippers, village, farming area, magic school, etc)
What you did while you were there before you became what you are now (farmer, begger, blacksmith, religious family, etc).....

Because a lot of the things under the heritages are either TOO close to the heritage, or pretty general.

 

[Zaukrie]

I also think we should consider getting rid of ASI and moving only to point buy or an array (with the +1, +2 built in)