I realized I posted this in the wrong forum. I'd like to get some feedback on my attempt a 'minimalistic' form of D&D. I've done my best to distill it down to what I think is the core of D&D, and that is ability check. I've tried to get rid of even the ability bonuses and saving throws (like those in 3e/4e) but have borrowed some concepts from some more recent games for some additional flavor. I haven't shared the details of how I'm running combat yet, but you can get an idea from the examples.
I am most interested in feedback on:
Ability Scores
These are the sacred cows of D&D that just won't die. And maybe that's ok. I find it hard to imagine playing something called D&D without looking down and seeing my six stats in a neat row. So I've retained Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha and they represent basically the same thing, just more. The Ability Scores themselves are your character's key to interacting with the world. This minimalist D&D requires no derived stats when used in its simplest form.
Scores for player characters generally range from 3-18 (some GM's might have races, backgrounds, or classes that modify starting scores) and can be generated however the group wishes. I'm partial to 3d6 myself. The higher the score, the better your character is when taking actions related to that ability.
Ability Checks
Ability checks are how your character interacts with the world. Whether your character is attempting to hide from an orc war party, evade a dragon’s fiery breath, or is delivering the final blow to an Assassin of the Dark Blade—it will be done via an ability check. When your character attempts to do something, the GM will tell you make an ability check against one of your six abilities.
Declan is exploring an ancient dungeon and has come to a door that is locked shut. Declan reasons that there just might be something of value behind that door so he sits down, pulls out his trusty lock picks and gets to work. The GM asks Declan to make a Dexterity check.
To make an ability check, pick up your best 20-sided die and give it a toss. The higher the rolled result, the better—as the number rolled represents the amount of effort that your character was able to apply to the challenge at hand. Don’t roll too high though, as a roll that is greater than your ability score means that your character failed at the task. Maybe he underestimated the difficulty, overestimated his own ability, or forgot to tie his boots—the reason is up to you and the GM to decided (make up).
Sometimes, you will be fortunate enough to have a special class ability, proficiency in a skill, or some other effect that will grant you a bonus to your effort on ability checks. Bonuses such as these don’t affect the die roll itself; instead, they modify the resulting effort. This means that you shouldn’t apply the bonuses until after you have checked to see if you rolled under your ability score.
Declan has a Dexterity of 14. He also has a set of thieves tools that were blessed by Horang, the god of thieves and burglary. This gives him a 1d4 bonus to any ability checks made to pick locks using the tools. His player rolls a d20 and gets a 13 result. This is lower than his Dexterity score of 16. He rolls the bonus d4 from his blessed tools and gets a 2. Declan's player announces his final effort of 15 to the GM. Not bad at all.
Difficulty
Some actions are harder to complete than others. For example, a locked iron door is harder to kick in than a rotted wooden door is. Most actions will be given a difficulty score by the GM. The higher the difficulty score, the harder the action is to complete. When making an ability check against a difficult action, a player must roll higher than the action difficulty in addition to rolling under his character's ability score.
The GM’s adventure notes show that the lock that Declan is trying to open is of fine craftsmanship, giving the lock a difficulty of 16. Declan’s earlier Dexterity check of 15 is just shy of the effort he needs to successfully pick the lock.
Failed Ability Checks
When a player rolls above his ability score on a check, it means that his character failed to gain any progress towards his goal. This can bring some unexpected, and often dangerous, consequences. A failed ability check made to avoid falling off of a narrow cliff could mean a long fall with a sudden stop at the bottom. Even a failed ability check for something as mundane as forcing open a stuck door could bring unwanted visitors that are attracted to the noise.
Declan just failed his Dexterity check to pick the lock on an old door. The GM checks her notes for this lock and it shows that a failed attempt to pick the lock triggers a poison dart trap that is intended to prick unsuspecting thieves. The GM calls for Declan’s player to make another Dexterity check to dodge the dart. Maybe Declan should have checked for traps first before attempting to pick that lock.
Legendary Success
Some deeds cannot be measured by mere success. When the rolled result of an ability check is exactly equal to the ability score being rolled against, it means that a legendary success was achieved. A legendary success is a deed that will be remembered in the annals of history and lore forever more.
A legendary success is worthy of transcription in the group’s Book of Legends. If you get a legendary success during the game, tell the other players to get their grubby hands off of the book. Grab your fanciest quill pen and begin scribing in the most fanciful of words your legendary success.
The legendary success is so special, so monumental, that even the GM doesn’t have full control of the results—the player does. This is the player’s chance to contribute to the game story and to narrate what happens as a result of his character’s legendary deed! Of course, don’t get too carried away. The GM could still overrule you if you come up with something too far afield (“And then, raptors!”).
Declan makes a Dexterity check to avoid being pierced by a flying, poisonous dart. His player picks up his luckiest 20-sided die and gives it a roll—14. That is exactly his Dexterity score which means Declan has just achieved a legendary success! Declan’s player takes a moment to consider how avoiding the dart could memorable; legendary even! Finally, it comes to him. Declan’s player explains to the GM and his fellow players at the table that his character catches the flying the dart just inches away from his hooded face. Whew! Now not only is Declan safe from the poison dart, he now has a fine weapon to save for some nasty creature that he might encounter further in his adventures. Declan’s player picks up the hard bound journal that the group is using for their Book of Legends and begins scrawling Declan’s feat while the other players take their turn.
Opposed Ability Checks
There will be times that you will want to do something that someone else doesn’t like. When this happens your ability checks will be opposed by your opponent’s ability check. Opposed ability checks are the results of things like swinging your dwarven battle-axe into the fray of marauding goblins, sneaking unseen past the observant castle guards, and convincing a lynch mob that you aren’t the one that snuck away with the governor’s daughter.
To resolve an opposed ability check, the involved players or GM make a check against the appropriate ability score. The character with highest successful ability check is the winner. If none of the involved characters are successful in their attempt, then the character that rolled the highest still wins. In the case of a tie, the GM can either narrate a situation where no progress is made by either side or can ask for a re-roll. A character that achieves a legendary success will always be victorious over a regular successful ability check. If more than one combatant achieves a legendary success, then whomever rolled highest among the legendary results still wins.
Declan hears the heavy press of footsteps behind him. He spins around and sees a pair of large orcs approaching threateningly. They carry primitive short spears and splintered shields, likely stolen from some other poor adventurer. Without a second thought, Declan throws his recently acquired poison dart at one of the orcs. Declan makes a Dexterity check to see how great of a throw he makes. He rolls a 12, which is below his Dexterity score. A success! He also adds the result of a 1d4 (the dart’s damage die), getting a 3. This gives his final dart toss an effort 15. The GM decides that the Orc will attempt to use his shield to block the dart. He makes a Dexterity check for the Orc and rolls a 10. He checks his notes which show that the Orc has a Dexterity of 11. The medium shield adds a defense bonus of 1d6 as well. Rolling the extra die, the GM gets a 5, for a total of 16. The orc gets his shield up in time
Fortune and Misfortune
The tides of circumstances ebb and flow through the world at the whim of the Fates. In the games, these forces manifest themselves as Fortune and Misfortune. When your character has garnered a particular advantage for an ability check, he is said to have Fortune. This means that when you make an ability check you roll two 20-sided dice instead of one. After both are rolled, you get to choose the best of the two results and announce it to the GM. A character that has misfortune must roll two 20-sided dice on an ability check and then select the worst of the two rolls.
Some class abilities and spells in the game can bestow Fortune or Misfortune. Other times, your actions in the game will garner Fortune or Misfortune. For example, using a weapon that your character is not proficient in will give you Misfortune. Finally, there may be times that the GM will give you Fortune or Misfortune based on a particularly great (or poor) idea. The GM can even grant Fortune to a player that colorfully describes his character’s actions in the game.
The orc lowers his shield and snarls at the scrawny coward that just attempted to throw a puny dart at him. The GM checks his notes which show that orcs gain Fortune on their first melee attack in a combat encounter. The GM picks up two twenty-sided dice as well as a d8 (eight-sided die) for the spear that the orc is wielding. He rolls a 9 and 16. The 16 is higher than the orc’s strength so he certainly isn’t going to pick that one. The GM goes with the 9, to which he will add the d8 to in order to get final result of the spear attack.
I am most interested in feedback on:
- The Ability check mechanic (blackjack-style roll under, but higher is better). Is it confusing? The goal is to not have to reference the character sheet very often, especially not having to look up various modifiers.
- The Legendary success (adds an element of player narration)
- Weapon/Skill dice (weapon damage really has the same mechanic that skill dice do. They just add to the final result of the ability score check).
Ability Scores
These are the sacred cows of D&D that just won't die. And maybe that's ok. I find it hard to imagine playing something called D&D without looking down and seeing my six stats in a neat row. So I've retained Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha and they represent basically the same thing, just more. The Ability Scores themselves are your character's key to interacting with the world. This minimalist D&D requires no derived stats when used in its simplest form.
Scores for player characters generally range from 3-18 (some GM's might have races, backgrounds, or classes that modify starting scores) and can be generated however the group wishes. I'm partial to 3d6 myself. The higher the score, the better your character is when taking actions related to that ability.
Ability Checks
Ability checks are how your character interacts with the world. Whether your character is attempting to hide from an orc war party, evade a dragon’s fiery breath, or is delivering the final blow to an Assassin of the Dark Blade—it will be done via an ability check. When your character attempts to do something, the GM will tell you make an ability check against one of your six abilities.
Declan is exploring an ancient dungeon and has come to a door that is locked shut. Declan reasons that there just might be something of value behind that door so he sits down, pulls out his trusty lock picks and gets to work. The GM asks Declan to make a Dexterity check.
To make an ability check, pick up your best 20-sided die and give it a toss. The higher the rolled result, the better—as the number rolled represents the amount of effort that your character was able to apply to the challenge at hand. Don’t roll too high though, as a roll that is greater than your ability score means that your character failed at the task. Maybe he underestimated the difficulty, overestimated his own ability, or forgot to tie his boots—the reason is up to you and the GM to decided (make up).
Sometimes, you will be fortunate enough to have a special class ability, proficiency in a skill, or some other effect that will grant you a bonus to your effort on ability checks. Bonuses such as these don’t affect the die roll itself; instead, they modify the resulting effort. This means that you shouldn’t apply the bonuses until after you have checked to see if you rolled under your ability score.
Declan has a Dexterity of 14. He also has a set of thieves tools that were blessed by Horang, the god of thieves and burglary. This gives him a 1d4 bonus to any ability checks made to pick locks using the tools. His player rolls a d20 and gets a 13 result. This is lower than his Dexterity score of 16. He rolls the bonus d4 from his blessed tools and gets a 2. Declan's player announces his final effort of 15 to the GM. Not bad at all.
Difficulty
Some actions are harder to complete than others. For example, a locked iron door is harder to kick in than a rotted wooden door is. Most actions will be given a difficulty score by the GM. The higher the difficulty score, the harder the action is to complete. When making an ability check against a difficult action, a player must roll higher than the action difficulty in addition to rolling under his character's ability score.
The GM’s adventure notes show that the lock that Declan is trying to open is of fine craftsmanship, giving the lock a difficulty of 16. Declan’s earlier Dexterity check of 15 is just shy of the effort he needs to successfully pick the lock.
Failed Ability Checks
When a player rolls above his ability score on a check, it means that his character failed to gain any progress towards his goal. This can bring some unexpected, and often dangerous, consequences. A failed ability check made to avoid falling off of a narrow cliff could mean a long fall with a sudden stop at the bottom. Even a failed ability check for something as mundane as forcing open a stuck door could bring unwanted visitors that are attracted to the noise.
Declan just failed his Dexterity check to pick the lock on an old door. The GM checks her notes for this lock and it shows that a failed attempt to pick the lock triggers a poison dart trap that is intended to prick unsuspecting thieves. The GM calls for Declan’s player to make another Dexterity check to dodge the dart. Maybe Declan should have checked for traps first before attempting to pick that lock.
Legendary Success
Some deeds cannot be measured by mere success. When the rolled result of an ability check is exactly equal to the ability score being rolled against, it means that a legendary success was achieved. A legendary success is a deed that will be remembered in the annals of history and lore forever more.
A legendary success is worthy of transcription in the group’s Book of Legends. If you get a legendary success during the game, tell the other players to get their grubby hands off of the book. Grab your fanciest quill pen and begin scribing in the most fanciful of words your legendary success.
The legendary success is so special, so monumental, that even the GM doesn’t have full control of the results—the player does. This is the player’s chance to contribute to the game story and to narrate what happens as a result of his character’s legendary deed! Of course, don’t get too carried away. The GM could still overrule you if you come up with something too far afield (“And then, raptors!”).
Declan makes a Dexterity check to avoid being pierced by a flying, poisonous dart. His player picks up his luckiest 20-sided die and gives it a roll—14. That is exactly his Dexterity score which means Declan has just achieved a legendary success! Declan’s player takes a moment to consider how avoiding the dart could memorable; legendary even! Finally, it comes to him. Declan’s player explains to the GM and his fellow players at the table that his character catches the flying the dart just inches away from his hooded face. Whew! Now not only is Declan safe from the poison dart, he now has a fine weapon to save for some nasty creature that he might encounter further in his adventures. Declan’s player picks up the hard bound journal that the group is using for their Book of Legends and begins scrawling Declan’s feat while the other players take their turn.
Opposed Ability Checks
There will be times that you will want to do something that someone else doesn’t like. When this happens your ability checks will be opposed by your opponent’s ability check. Opposed ability checks are the results of things like swinging your dwarven battle-axe into the fray of marauding goblins, sneaking unseen past the observant castle guards, and convincing a lynch mob that you aren’t the one that snuck away with the governor’s daughter.
To resolve an opposed ability check, the involved players or GM make a check against the appropriate ability score. The character with highest successful ability check is the winner. If none of the involved characters are successful in their attempt, then the character that rolled the highest still wins. In the case of a tie, the GM can either narrate a situation where no progress is made by either side or can ask for a re-roll. A character that achieves a legendary success will always be victorious over a regular successful ability check. If more than one combatant achieves a legendary success, then whomever rolled highest among the legendary results still wins.
Declan hears the heavy press of footsteps behind him. He spins around and sees a pair of large orcs approaching threateningly. They carry primitive short spears and splintered shields, likely stolen from some other poor adventurer. Without a second thought, Declan throws his recently acquired poison dart at one of the orcs. Declan makes a Dexterity check to see how great of a throw he makes. He rolls a 12, which is below his Dexterity score. A success! He also adds the result of a 1d4 (the dart’s damage die), getting a 3. This gives his final dart toss an effort 15. The GM decides that the Orc will attempt to use his shield to block the dart. He makes a Dexterity check for the Orc and rolls a 10. He checks his notes which show that the Orc has a Dexterity of 11. The medium shield adds a defense bonus of 1d6 as well. Rolling the extra die, the GM gets a 5, for a total of 16. The orc gets his shield up in time
Fortune and Misfortune
The tides of circumstances ebb and flow through the world at the whim of the Fates. In the games, these forces manifest themselves as Fortune and Misfortune. When your character has garnered a particular advantage for an ability check, he is said to have Fortune. This means that when you make an ability check you roll two 20-sided dice instead of one. After both are rolled, you get to choose the best of the two results and announce it to the GM. A character that has misfortune must roll two 20-sided dice on an ability check and then select the worst of the two rolls.
Some class abilities and spells in the game can bestow Fortune or Misfortune. Other times, your actions in the game will garner Fortune or Misfortune. For example, using a weapon that your character is not proficient in will give you Misfortune. Finally, there may be times that the GM will give you Fortune or Misfortune based on a particularly great (or poor) idea. The GM can even grant Fortune to a player that colorfully describes his character’s actions in the game.
The orc lowers his shield and snarls at the scrawny coward that just attempted to throw a puny dart at him. The GM checks his notes which show that orcs gain Fortune on their first melee attack in a combat encounter. The GM picks up two twenty-sided dice as well as a d8 (eight-sided die) for the spear that the orc is wielding. He rolls a 9 and 16. The 16 is higher than the orc’s strength so he certainly isn’t going to pick that one. The GM goes with the 9, to which he will add the d8 to in order to get final result of the spear attack.
