Nimble 5e

[The Soloist]

Agreed.

At some point, I should really make my own fantasy heartbreaker instead of keep hoping that someone else the magic one that scratches that itch. Games like Shadowdark, Nimble 5e, Dragonbane, ICRPG, Cairn/Mausritter, Black Hack all seem to be scratching around that area, but not quite hitting the spot for the sort of casual fantasy adventure that I would potentially want. I think that one problem is that some feel "a little too D&D" for my tastes when it comes to their choice of classes and ancestries, and I am not a fan of D&D's six attributes either. It's admittedly a bit trivial but it is what it is.

You should. I got tired of trying to find the perfect game for me about a year ago and have been working on an RPG. At first, it was very D&D minus a few things but as my design intentions crystallized I started exploring new avenues. Just this week I did a solo play test using three characters. I was very pleased with the result. Almost had a TPK!

 

[aramis erak]

I don't think groups with these sorts of trust issues play "rulings, not rules" systems for very long, if they're even willing to play them to begin with.

It definitely requires a level of trust that some folks here at ENWorld say isn't their personal experience.

It's amazing how many do because they have no exposure to other playstyles and game systems.
Essentially, a lot of us learned to GM by osmosis in play. Those with trust issues wound up making notebooks of rulings, converting them to an additional rulebook.

 

[Nightfly]

After running Shadowdark for a year, I really like the implicit skill system there. Does it make sense you know how to do a thing, based on your class, ancestry or background? OK, treat that like a skill. If not, you don't.

My favorite implicit skill system is 13th Age's. Instead of taking points in skills, you take points in backgrounds. So you might have five points in "former city watchman." Any check you make, if you can convince your DM that the background applies, you get the bonus. So if your city watch person wants to intimidate a petty criminal, you'd get +5 on your Charisma roll. But if you want to intimidate the Archduke? Probably not. Likewise, I'd assume your character has lots of experience running and jumping, but not climbing a mountain. So you'd get the bonus on some "athletics" checks but not others.

I like that much better than 5e's way of doing it.

 

[The Soloist]

After running Shadowdark for a year, I really like the implicit skill system there. Does it make sense you know how to do a thing, based on your class, ancestry or background? OK, treat that like a skill. If not, you don't.

The bookkeeping is really unnecessary, it turns out.

Numenera and Cypher systems do that too. With the added twists, you don't have to declare them all at the start of the campaign. You can declare some of them during play and then write them on your sheet.

 

[Distracted DM]

My favorite implicit skill system is 13th Age's. Instead of taking points in skills, you take points in backgrounds. So you might have five points in "former city watchman." Any check you make, if you can convince your DM that the background applies, you get the bonus. So if your city watch person wants to intimidate a petty criminal, you'd get +5 on your Charisma roll. But if you want to intimidate the Archduke? Probably not. Likewise, I'd assume your character has lots of experience running and jumping, but not climbing a mountain. So you'd get the bonus on some "athletics" checks but not others.

I like that much better than 5e's way of doing it.

Yeah I loved 13A's. IIRC you got 8 points, no more no less, and the max you could put in a single background was 4 or 5. I still think about hacking it into DnD or DCC or whatever ttrpg I'm running.

I wonder if they changed it in the 2e playtest, or left it the same

 

[overgeeked]

I'm really surprised this isn't getting more discussion here....

Likely because this is almost exclusively a 5E fan site. Most people here want additions to 5E, expansions, more crunch. If they wanted lighter games they’d be elsewhere talking about them.

What I’ve read of Nimble it looks good but doesn’t go far enough.

 

[overgeeked]

After running Shadowdark for a year, I really like the implicit skill system there. Does it make sense you know how to do a thing, based on your class, ancestry or background? OK, treat that like a skill. If not, you don't.

The bookkeeping is really unnecessary, it turns out.

Right there with you. It’s why I love Dungeon Crawl Classics’ skill system. Would it follow from your occupation, race, or class? then you’re better at it than other people. Simple as.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Yeah I loved 13A's.
I wonder if they changed it in the 2e playtest, or left it the same

I'm sure I would've seen someone mention it by now if they'd changed it. Let me see...

• All of the classes have been changed to one degree or another.
• Higher-tier feats now don't require the lower-tier feats in their chain (generally)
• The method for rolling icon benefit dice has changed
• New standard array (it's the one from 13th Age Glorantha, higher powered than the one in 1e)
• New kin powers, and a system for half-kin that aren't just half-elves
• A new "Omega" tier of feats, which you can take as an incremental when you're at 10th level
• Damage dice progression is steeper at higher tiers now
• Many spells now have even levels
• The vulnerable condition has changed, and "hampered" is now called "hindered"
• Battle-building math has been changed, it's now easier to do and works better
• Monsters have been updated, and the custom monster section is beefed up
• Lots of tweaks to magic items

Not a comprehensive list, but something as big as a change to how backgrounds works would surely get mentioned.

 

[Distracted DM]

I'm sure I would've seen someone mention it by now if they'd changed it. Let me see...

• All of the classes have been changed to one degree or another.
• Higher-tier feats now don't require the lower-tier feats in their chain (generally)
• The method for rolling icon benefit dice has changed
• New standard array (it's the one from 13th Age Glorantha, higher powered than the one in 1e)
• New kin powers, and a system for half-kin that aren't just half-elves
• A new "Omega" tier of feats, which you can take as an incremental when you're at 10th level
• Damage dice progression is steeper at higher tiers now
• Many spells now have even levels
• The vulnerable condition has changed, and "hampered" is now called "hindered"
• Battle-building math has been changed, it's now easier to do and works better
• Monsters have been updated, and the custom monster section is beefed up
• Lots of tweaks to magic items

Not a comprehensive list, but something as big as a change to how backgrounds works would surely get mentioned.

Out of curiosity I checked the latest playtest packet, looks the same. 8 points, max of 5 in any one.

 

[Aldarc]

I'd probably buy your game. Not a total heartbreaker.

I'm not sure about that. What makes each of these games "sing" individually do not necessarily harmonize well together.

I mentioned the rated dice mechanic in Ryuutama and Fabula Ultima. I like that because it then your attributes have to work together. However, a rated-dice mechanic would not work if one wanted a more d20-esque fantasy adventure game. If I used a d20 resolution mechanic, would it be roll over (e.g., Shadowdark, ICRPG, Nimble, etc.) or roll under (e.g., Dragonbane, Black Hack, Cairn/Mausritter, etc.)? Some people absolutely despise roll-under systems even though I personally appreciate how they can speed things up for old school play: i.e., players know as soon as they roll.

Would I utilize classes? How many? Or would I go more classless but maybe with starter Professions (e.g., Dragonbane)? Would there be levels or would I just go level-less?

Would I use Shadowdark or Shadow of the Weird Wizard-style Backgrounds? Or maybe 13th Age Backgrounds? Or would I go with more Fate-like Aspects and Fabula Ultima-like Traits? Dragonbane-like roll under skills also work.

How would I do magic? Because I definitely do not want the usual Wizards (Arcane) and Priests/Clerics (Divine). Would it be roll to cast? Mana points? Would I use ranked spells or just all spells have the same basic level and then have magic rituals with levels (see Beyond the Wall)?

Plus while I generally like OSR, I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of OSR's love of the old school aesthetic. I'm more of a "new school" aesthetic guy, who also enjoys things like warforged, changelings, dragonborn, tieflings, etc.

I'm genuinely not sure if I could make a good product game, as it likely would be trying to do too much while achieving too little success. It may be better if this was not one game but several.