D&D 5E Proficiency Die Variant

[Viking Bastard]

Yup. We use it and we like it a lot. We've been using it since the start (before the DMG).

 

[PnPgamer]

Its a rule to DIE for!
*zoidberg wubwubwubwubwubwub*

 

[fjw70]

K

I (DM) enjoy the use of proficiency dice, as did some of my players, back when we were using the beta play test rules. It was novel.

However, I have a couple players who always roll one die... at... a... time... Slows down the action enough that I didn't bother reintroducing proficiency dice after the DMG was published. YMMV.

That would be annoying.

 

[Evenglare]

Anyone using the proficiency die variant from the DMG? I switched to it and I like it a lot. I am thinking about switching ability and other mods to dice rolls as well. 5e started that transition by replace many circumstantial bonuses with advantage. I am still mulling over replacing the other mods with dice but really like the prof die.

What about you?

Proficiency die works pretty well with 13th age's escalation die. But Prof die as is, is pretty good on its own.

 

[The Human Target]

I don't have a DMG, what's the gist of this rule?

 

[Sunseeker]

However, I have a couple players who always roll one die... at... a... time... Slows down the action enough that I didn't bother reintroducing proficiency dice after the DMG was published. YMMV.

I understand this, but I also understand that rolling 8d6(fireball, breath weapons) can be just as time consuming for some people. Some people work better with 1 die at a time than several die all at once. I roll one die at a time (except in certain situations) but just make an effort to be quick about it.

 

[Evenglare]

I don't have a DMG, what's the gist of this rule?

Instead of having the standard +2, +3 etc. You essentially have +d4, +d6 etc. It's a bit more swingy but more fun IMO. It's also strictly better mathematically averaging out at a .5 increase overall compared to flat bonuses..

 

[Daern]

I haven't used it yet, but I wrote of a "Dungeon Crawl Classics Warrior" class that is basically Fighter that uses a proficiency die and gets their choice of battlemaster maneuvers when the die is 4 or higher.

Fighter Archetype: Warrior
At 3rd Level the Deed Die replaces Proficiency
3rd = d4
5th = d6
9th = d8
13th = d10
17th = d12

Deed Die always adds to Attack, Damage and Strength and Constitution checks.
Mighty Deeds of Arms are same as Battle Master Maneuvers; all are available, but without extra damage dice.
DC= 8+Prof+Str/Dex
Mighty Deed of Arms is successful on a Hit and a Deed Die roll of 4+
A Mighty Deed uses both Attack and Bonus actions, so one Deed per turn

This is just another mechanical iteration of the same old Fighter. The Warrior class is lifted straight from DCCRPG. It offers variety of maneuvers limited only by the vagaries of the dice.

 

[Fralex]

I don't have a DMG, what's the gist of this rule?

At any point where you would normally add your proficiency bonus to a roll, you instead add a roll from a die with twice as many sides as the bonus (start off with a d4, increase it by one size each time your proficiency bonus goes up).

Actually, earlier today I was thinking about how this could be used as a basis for a skill point system. If the system can handle adding varied amounts of bonus to your rolls, it shouldn't be much trouble to make those varying amounts set rather than random. Proficient skills can have a max number of skill points added to them equal to twice your prof. bonus, non-proficient skills can get an amount equal to that bonus. Start the player off with enough skill points to mimic having regular proficiency in all the skills their class is proficient in. Give them extra points whenever their prof. bonus goes up, to likewise mimic the standard layout of those levels. Hm. Would I still need to do that "cross-class skill points count as half" thing? That was always kinda tedious.

 

[The Human Target]

Huh I really like that.

Thanks for the info!