D&D 5E (Quarantine project) Tales from the Borderlands: 5e essential PHB

[Tales and Chronicles]

So I did a thing since my games are canceled. I made a small gazetteer of classes and rules for my table, using WotC published features from all class and UA and moving them around, using a generous dose of refluff. What it contains:

• Variable/vague rest times ala AiME; Adventuring phase (can short rest 2 times, 10 minutes), Fellowship (longer time off, needs safe place and calm, can long rest) and Audience (social encounters),
• Simple Journey and exploration rules based on Dungeon World and AiME.
• Harsher rules for healing: Death save against DC 10 or half taken damage. Stabilize use Healer's kit and is made against the same death DC.
• Simple equipment rules shamelessly lifted from 5TD
• Simple use of Loyalty and morale from DMG, mixed with the new ways to handle pets from more recent UAs for Companions and Retainers.
• Psionic awakening using the recent feats
• Simplified races

12 classes:

• High power, low magic: Characters can take and deal a reasonable amount of punishment but benefit from working in team. Magic isnt a ressource-bound ''I succeed at a task'' button. EDIT: forgot to add, since its a little hidden in the rules: Characters are proficient in all saves.
• 1st to 10th level only.
• All gain archetypes (and their feature) at level 1-3-7
• No spells: all classes have abilities, many of them are magic by definition, but none use spells and slots from regular 5e.

Barbarian: use reckless attack to replace rage bonus. More passive effects, but less powerful.
Bard: use the special help action from Expert sidekicks. Create powerful links between the party.
Champion: A mix of heroism paladin and 4e avenger.
Cleric: Healing powers ala Celestial warlock, domain of Creation (life, civilisation, good, order etc) and Fury (war, storm, destruction etc), more channel divinity uses.
Druid: create herbal remedies, speak with beast, shift into nature's aspect depending on archetype.
Fighter: Usual fighter, the only one with fighting styles, gains the PDK's warlor-y features at higher level.
Mage: Wandering ritualist and scholar, inspired from GoT maester.
Monk: Sacred warriors bound to a aspect of the world.
Ranger: Aragorn-ing specialist, learned in the history and knowledge of creatures.
Rogue: Your usual dex-based skill specialist.
Sorcerer: spell-eaters and spellcasters destroyers.
Warlock: fight with an hexed weapon to infuse their attack with eldritch essence (refluffed maneuvers!) while using their familiar to interact with their patron.

This is the english version, so its probably full of errors and inconsistencies. Still, I hope it may inspired some of you or, at least, be an agreeable read while waiting for the world to get back to normal.

Stay safe.

 

[Fenris-77]

I'll give it a read. At first glance it looks pretty cool.

 

[TwoSix]

Damn. This is really impressive. Still digging into this, just a couple small typos and other things I noticed.

Exploration turn: Instead of > 20 -Danger level on a d20, why not just do <= Danger level on a d20? Same odds and scale, just less math.

Heavy armor: Personally, I'd make heavy armor AC 17, just so it's as good as light armor on a full Dex character. But that's just my own preferred aesthetic.

Dual wielding under martial mentions a d10 despite being best of 2d8.

Barbarian HP: Says "12" instead of "1d12".

Mage's order: Says Transmuter and Beguiler as choices in the table, doesn't match the options presented. (Alchemist and Magus).

 

[Lem23]

No Cleric?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Damn. This is really impressive. Still digging into this, just a couple small typos and other things I noticed.

Exploration turn: Instead of > 20 -Danger level on a d20, why not just do <= Danger level on a d20? Same odds and scale, just less math.

Heavy armor: Personally, I'd make heavy armor AC 17, just so it's as good as light armor on a full Dex character. But that's just my own preferred aesthetic.

Dual wielding under martial mentions a d10 despite being best of 2d8.

Barbarian HP: Says "12" instead of "1d12".

Mage's order: Says Transmuter and Beguiler as choices in the table, doesn't match the options presented. (Alchemist and Magus).

oh boy, thanks a lot for that. Like I said, I typed quickly based on my french written notes, so I'll probably die before anyone spots all my mistakes

Exploration turn: you're right, I noticed that last week while taking a shower and forgot to change it.

Heavy armor: right, changed!

I'll wait a little and re-upload the file once people catch another pile of errors.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

No Cleric?

Yes, they are there, just forgot their existence in my list

 

[Fenris-77]

Yes, they are there, just forgot their existence in my list

Much like my character creation process.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Much like my character creation process.

To be honnest, I dont think you'll like these ones much more. In normal 5e, I love the clerical spells, but I'm really not a fan of the class theme and abilities. Fortunately, in thos document, almost all classes have healing capabilities, damage mitigation or rest enhancements, so a cleric isnt required. Still, I tried to go more for an 4e Invoker vibe when refluffing the class.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

EDIT: I just noticed that I copied the races that still had spells. I'll edit and re-upload later.

 

[Fenris-77]

To be honnest, I dont think you'll like these ones much more. In normal 5e, I love the clerical spells, but I'm really not a fan of the class theme and abilities. Fortunately, in thos document, almost all classes have healing capabilities, damage mitigation or rest enhancements, so a cleric isnt required. Still, I tried to go more for an 4e Invoker vibe when refluffing the class.

It's weird, I don't dislike Clerics particularly, and there is a bunch of cool stuff in the fluff and mechanics. The class just never seems to make my under serious consideration list for character gen. I haven't had the chance to play much 5E though, mostly DMing, so it's not a huge sample size. In previous editions it was all about my personal distaste for the Heal Bot thing. I'm still reading your rules too, I'll post some thoughts when I'm done.