D&D 5E Massive overhaul, looking for some help and tips

[Lanliss]

I plan to try to overhaul the whole 5E system, but want to see if it has already been done before I start.

My goal is a free form classless system, where you can pick the things you want from a class, without needing to take things that make no sense for your character. For example, one of my players has a Knight character, with a dash of showy duelist. On the character sheet, this will be either a Knight or Champion fighter/Swashbuckler Rogue. The downside to this is the extra stuff that simply does not fit her character, like Thieves cant. Are there simpler solutions than a complete overhaul of the system? Yes, but this sounds fun.

Basically, I am going to have to establish a Growth Point system, and decide what each ability costs. The end result will hopefully work. Before I get started though, has this been done already, or maybe a lite version that is free form within the classes, which I could work off of?

 

[darjr]

If you do consider a way to make some options unmixable with other options or somehow making certian types of mixes more expensive.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

How many times will this type of customisation actually come up in play? Calculate the investment of your time vs. the payoff... ROI is poor.

Here's a simpler solution: design a new class specifically for this player. Mix elements of fighter and rogue, and maybe even add a couple of new abilities you or your player come up with.

 

[Greg K]

With regards to Fighter, you could allow Khaalis's Light Armored Fighter variant as an option in addition to the standard Fighter from the PHB. It offers several archetypes.

 

[GCooper]

I found that 'most' superhero systems did this fairly well... buying superpowers for hero points or something.

I do this with my players when they generate them for the first time. I have a long list of advantages and disadvantages. They each have a point cost, and I allow them to buy and abilities/advantages in lieu of drawbacks.

One player was able to buy a +2 Battle Axe for free due to a curse which made him go blind if the axe was more than 10ft away from him.

Another player bought Lightening Relflexes (+2 initiative) for a Major Fear of Wolves. He then gave his character a big scar on his face (from a wolf) and tied it into his background.

Finally one player bought the devotion of a wealthy widow in Neverwinter (who has lots of resources) in lieu of a 'Guilt' drawback which meant that once he described his guilt episode to me, if a scene was similar to his guilt flashbacks, he become inconsolable and useless unless he pass a Charisma check.

Happy to share.. but the rule may be broken a bit....

 

[Lanliss]

How many times will this type of customisation actually come up in play? Calculate the investment of your time vs. the payoff... ROI is poor.

Here's a simpler solution: design a new class specifically for this player. Mix elements of fighter and rogue, and maybe even add a couple of new abilities you or your player come up with.

I have hopes to use this for other players, and more in the future. Luckily, my player isn't the only reason for this. I am also interested in doing it, as I am more of a mechanics type anyway. I know that I can do this anyway, mixing and matching things for her to help build what she wants, but I like the idea of having more flexibility with character creation. I also plan to "story lock" these skills, basically requiring the players to actually have a reason for their chosen abilities, since it is just for home games anyway.

But in the end, this is mostly because I wanna.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I have hopes to use this for other players, and more in the future. Luckily, my player isn't the only reason for this. I am also interested in doing it, as I am more of a mechanics type anyway. I know that I can do this anyway, mixing and matching things for her to help build what she wants, but I like the idea of having more flexibility with character creation. I also plan to "story lock" these skills, basically requiring the players to actually have a reason for their chosen abilities, since it is just for home games anyway.

But in the end, this is mostly because I wanna.

I'd gathered from the tone of your first post that you were doing it for the fun of it. I've done the same too! Consider my suggestion a Plan B if you change your mind later . Or even a stopgap for your player to get going right away while you work on your system.

 

[Horwath]

I plan to try to overhaul the whole 5E system, but want to see if it has already been done before I start.

My goal is a free form classless system, where you can pick the things you want from a class, without needing to take things that make no sense for your character. For example, one of my players has a Knight character, with a dash of showy duelist. On the character sheet, this will be either a Knight or Champion fighter/Swashbuckler Rogue. The downside to this is the extra stuff that simply does not fit her character, like Thieves cant. Are there simpler solutions than a complete overhaul of the system? Yes, but this sounds fun.

Basically, I am going to have to establish a Growth Point system, and decide what each ability costs. The end result will hopefully work. Before I get started though, has this been done already, or maybe a lite version that is free form within the classes, which I could work off of?

I'm currently working on it but it's hard time to rewrite entire PHB and gouge out every ability by it self and then compare it to others in relative power.

But I started with training points(TP), lets say that a single ASI(+1 to any ability, max 20) would be worth 2 TPs, that would leave half feats at 2 TPs and full feats at 4 TPs. This way leave it to play with feats relative power, from 1 to lets say even 6.

You can limit ability points so they can be only raised 14 times, current fighters 7 ASIs.

You would get 5 TPs per level and lets say 10 at 1st level.

But you would have to buy HPs, weapon and armor proficiencies, skills, tools, spellcasting, everything except base proficiency bonus progression and some base line HPs(like d4 hit die, 4 HP at 1st level and 3 HP per level),

all prices to be determined at a later date

 

[Lanliss]

I'm currently working on it but it's hard time to rewrite entire PHB and gouge out every ability by it self and then compare it to others in relative power.

But I started with training points(TP), lets say that a single ASI(+1 to any ability, max 20) would be worth 2 TPs, that would leave half feats at 2 TPs and full feats at 4 TPs. This way leave it to play with feats relative power, from 1 to lets say even 6.

You can limit ability points so they can be only raised 14 times, current fighters 7 ASIs.

You would get 5 TPs per level and lets say 10 at 1st level.

But you would have to buy HPs, weapon and armor proficiencies, skills, tools, spellcasting, everything except base proficiency bonus progression and some base line HPs(like d4 hit die, 4 HP at 1st level and 3 HP per level),

all prices to be determined at a later date

That's pretty similar to what I was thinking. Here was my train of thought.

1. Race: stays as is, with unique abilities and stay changes.

2. Stats: everyone starts with 10 across the board. You can lower stats to gain points, or spend points to raise stats. I think I would start at a d6 hit die, unless I wanted it grittier.

3. buying stage: the tricky part. It will take a lot of work, especially since I don't do a whole lot of number crunching. I will probably just wind up eyeballing most things. I think I will make the higher level things more expensive, or not, depending on what they actually do, and maybe give progressively bigger bonuses as the player levels (10, 15, 20, etc.). A good number of things will still have prerequisites, since you can't get 2nd level wizard spells without having 1st level before it. At the end, I might compare my pricing to normal classes, taking into account whether I upped the price of an ability for balance reasons, and will hopefully be able to build the current classes with my system.

Lastly, there is the ambiguous Story Stage. It might have happened before stage 1, it might not happen until after stage 3, but I will be wanting my players to have actual explanations for their abilities.

All of this is the quick and dirty sketch phase, but I like how it is looking to start with.

 

[aco175]

You could also create packages so someone could make an easy 'fighter' or 'thief'. These can be based on you point system and have some good points and bad points to make it easy and balanced.