D&D General The Jester's Perfect D&D

[the Jester]

I'm sure many of us have spent time working on our own perfect version of D&D- perfect, in this case, being perfect for the person doing the thinking. I know that I have done so for, well, decades now, with my design evolving alongside the published versions of the game and my own sensibilities. So this thread is for me to post about MY perfect D&D. I've long called this "D&D Jazz", since, like jazz, it synthesizes a bunch of existing styles and elements while riffing on them and exploring a lot of things that aren't necessarily from any specific version.

Anyhow, let me start with this disclaimer: D&D Jazz discards many of modern D&D's innovations, and does away with many traditional elements of the game.

To give a couple of examples- there are no bonuses derived from your ability scores, per se. Your Strength of 18 doesn't give you a +4 bonus- it doesn't give you any bonus at all, except in bespoke cases.

Also, there is no unified "Roll 1d20, higher is better" mechanic.

There are also things that modern D&D handwaves that D&D Jazz emphasizes- for instance:

• Cantrip Use. Cantrips are limited; you need to expend a cantrip slot to use one. Most cantrips don't heal or deal damage, and those that do heal or deal only a minor amount. Spellcasters can run out of magic fairly easily.
  
• Food and Drink. There is no easy way to bypass the need for food and drink. The cost for magically creating food and drink is high; the third level cleric spell Create Food and Water will feed two creatures for one day.
  
• Light. Very few pcs can see in the dark, and creating magical light requires using a spell slot.
  
• Recovering Hit Points. Your hit points don't bottom out at 0, and recovering them through rest can take significant time.

 

[the Jester]

Now then, as to how the game works on the most basic level- there are three basic types of "Did I succeed?" rolls, known in the 2024 rule set as D20 tests. These are:

• Attacks. Roll 1d20, add any applicable bonuses. Higher is better.
• Saves. Roll 1d20. You are trying to roll equal to or below the appropriate stat (e.g. a Dex save is roll equal to or less than your Dex). Within the limits of your stat, higher is better.
• Checks. Like saves, you are trying to roll equal to or below the appropriate stat. However, these are rolled on a number of d6s. A typical check is rolled on 3d6. Again, within the limitations of your stats, higher is better.

So- why is higher better? Because some saves or checks also have a DC. When this occurs, you have to roll your stat or lower but also have to roll the DC or higher. To give a concrete example, here is my version of the 5e zombie's Undead Fortitude trait:

When reduced to 0 hit points, if the zombie makes a Con save with a DC equal to the damage it took, it instead has 1 hp. This doesn't apply against critical hits or radiant damage.

A typical zombie has a Con of 14. Let's say Gutboy Barrelhouse hits an already-wounded zombie for 6 points of damage and reduces its Hit Points to 0 or fewer. The zombie gets to roll a Con save to stay at 1 hp instead.

• If it rolls a 1 to 5, it fails its save, because the DC is 6.
• If it rolls a 6 to 14, it succeeds on its save, because it equal or exceeded the DC, and it rolled equal to or less than its Con save.
• If it rolls a 15 or higher, it fails, because it rolled higher than its Con score .

What about bonuses and penalties?

These come in two forms- static bonuses (or penalties) and bonus (or penalty) dice.

Static bonuses or penalties are simple modifiers like +1 or +2. These always stack and work as follows.

• On an attack, they add to or subtract from your roll.
• On a check or save, they add to or subtract from the controlling ability score. So if you have a +2 bonus to Con saves and your Con is 12, you treat your Con like it's 14 when you make a Con save.

Bonus or Penalty dice generally start as d6s. When you make a roll with bonus dice, you roll all the appropriate dice and add ONLY the highest roll to your attack or to the controlling ability of your check or save. There are several complications to this.

• If you have both bonus and penalty dice, they cancel each other out, assuming they are the same die type. For instance, if you have two d6 bonus dice and one d6 penalty die, you roll ONLY one d6 bonus die, as the other bonus die and penalty die cancel. This cancellation happens first, before combining dice (see the following bullet points).
• When you have multiple bonus dice, you have the option of combining them. Two d6 bonus dice combine to form a d8; two d8 bonus dice combine to form a d10; and two d10 bonus dice combine to form a d12. Bonus dice never go above a d12. This lowers your average result but increases your potential maximum.
• When you have multiple penalty dice of the same type (e.g. two d6s), they automatically combine as above.

As an example, if Blastum the mage is making a Wis save against an umber hulk's confusing gaze, and he has a d6 bonus die from a magic ring, another d6 bonus die from a feat, and a third d6 bonus die from a spell effect, plus a d6 penalty die from a magical mist permeating the area, here's what happens.

1. First, the penalty die and one bonus die cancel, leaving him with two d6 bonus dice.
2. Blastum then decides whether to roll the 2d6 and take the better one or to combine them and roll 1d8 bonus die instead.

 

[the Jester]

So, what can you do on your turn? You can:

• Take an action.
• Move your speed.

There are no bonus actions or free interacts. However, there are things you can do by spending some of your movement. For example:

• Draw a weapon: 5', or 10' if the weapon requires two hands.
• Drop a weapon: 5'.
• Open a door: 5'.
• Pass through a curtain: 10'.
• Open a heavy door or a window: 10'.
• Sheathe a weapon: 10'.
• Try to open a stuck door: 15'.
• Retrieve something from a backpack: 20'.
• Shift 5' (shifting is moving without provoking opportunity attacks): 20'.

If you can do something by spending movement, you can ALSO use your action to do it.

There is no list of actions per se. Your action can be any one thing that can be accomplished in a single turn. You can attack, cast a spell, dodge, use an item, ready to do something when a specific trigger occurs, etc. But you might also use your action for something creative that I haven't thought of. Go ahead!

 

[GMMichael]

Anyhow, let me start with this disclaimer: D&D Jazz discards many of modern D&D's innovations, and does away with many traditional elements of the game.

Hear, hear!

To give a couple of examples- there are no bonuses derived from your ability scores, per se. Your Strength of 18 doesn't give you a +4 bonus- it doesn't give you any bonus at all, except in bespoke cases.

So, ability scores do what, roll-under checks?

Also, there is no unified "Roll 1d20, higher is better" mechanic.

I'd be surprised if D&D had any "mechanics" before 3rd edition.

There are also things that modern D&D handwaves that D&D Jazz emphasizes- for instance:

• Cantrip Use. Cantrips are limited; you need to expend a cantrip slot to use one. Most cantrips don't heal or deal damage, and those that do heal or deal only a minor amount. Spellcasters can run out of magic fairly easily.
  
• Food and Drink. There is no easy way to bypass the need for food and drink. The cost for magically creating food and drink is high; the third level cleric spell Create Food and Water will feed two creatures for one day.
  
• Light. Very few pcs can see in the dark, and creating magical light requires using a spell slot.
  
• Recovering Hit Points. Your hit points don't bottom out at 0, and recovering them through rest can take significant time.

So, it's Alt-Shadowdark?

 

[the Jester]

Here are a few miscellaneous rules.


INITIATIVE

Roll 1d6 + Dex score. Attacks against a creature that hasn't taken its first turn yet get a 1d6 bonus die.

A creature is surprised if it is unaware of at least one combatant when initiative is rolled. A surprised creature can't do anything, attacks against it get a 1d6 bonus die, and it takes a 1d6 penalty die to saves. (This stacks with the bonus die on attacks if they haven't had a turn.) Surprise ends at the end of its first turn.

DEATH AND DYING

You are unconscious if you fall to 0 or fewer hps. You die if you reach a negative hp total equal to your Con + your level + your maximum HD. For example, a 3rd level fighter/1st level wizard with a Con of 12 dies at a negative total of 12 (Con score) + 4 (level) + 10 (max HD) = -26. This makes pcs durable but not invincible.

When you are at 0 or below and aren't stable, at the start of your turn, you lose 1d4 hps. Then make a Con check on a number of d6s equal to that roll. If you succeed three times, you stabilize; if you fail three times, you die. For instance, if you bleed for 2 hps, you make this check on 2d6.

You also stabilize if you regain any hit points.

FIRING INTO MELEE

When you make a ranged attack into melee, you must choose to either take a 1d6 penalty die or target a random creature in the melee, weighted by size.

RESTING

Many features recharge after a certain amount of rest. A long rest is 8 hours of uninterrupted rest. After such a rest, a creature regains 1 hp per HD. This can be increased in several ways.

• If the creature extends the rest to 24 hours with no activity more strenuous than fixing a meal, gathering firewood, or the like, it regains an extra 1 hp per HD.
• A creature can tend the wounds of up to four other creatures by making a Wisdom check. If successful, the targets each regain an extra 1 hp per HD, or 2 hp per HD if the check hits a DC 15.

CHARGING: If you move at least half your speed in a straight line, you can charge.

• Defender Has a Spear or Pole Arm: If the defender has a spear or pole arm, they can use a reaction to set it against your charge. They make an attack against you; if they hit, they deal double damage.
• Bonus Die: You gain a 1d6 bonus die on your attack.
• Knockback: If you hit, you can force the defender to make a Str save or be knocked back 5'.

CONCENTRATION
Concentration is rare in D&D Jazz. You can only concentrateon one thing at a time. Concentration breaks under the following circumstances:

• You take any damage.
• You fail a saving throw.
• If something in the environment is significantly distracting, the DM may call for a Wis save to maintain concentration; for instance, being on a ship tossing in heavy waves, having very bright lights and loud sounds flashed at you, etc. (The general din of battle is insufficient to break concentration.)

NTERRUPTING SPELLCASTING
You can ready an action to disrupt enemy spellcasting. If you hit a creature when it casts its spell, you spoil the spell, which doesn't take effect, and nospell slot is expended by the caster.

The Mage Slayer feat removes the need to ready an action for this option.

OPPOSED CHECKS
When two or more creatures make opposed checks, any of them can choose to make its check on 4d6 instead of 3d6, increasing the odds of a higher result.

 

[the Jester]

So, ability scores do what, roll-under checks?

And saves! And there are a lot of bespoke elements that are tied to stats. You'll see more as I post more of the stuff for (f'rex) classes and gear.

So, it's Alt-Shadowdark?

I have neither read nor played Shadowdark, but if there are similarities to my D&D, perhaps I should check it out!

 

[mellored]

And saves! And there are a lot of bespoke elements that are tied to stats. You'll see more as I post more of the stuff for (f'rex) classes and gear.

If all checks are roll under 18 then how can breaking open wooden door be easier than breaking open an iron one? All doors are equal hard to open.

IMO., I would remove ability scores, and just have a flat bonus.

Fighters simply have +2 to hit, that scales to +6.
Wizards have +0 to hit that scales to +3. But +2 to +6 for spells.

Or something like that.

 

[the Jester]

If all checks are roll under 18 then how can breaking open wooden door be easier than breaking open an iron one? All doors are equal hard to open.

Some checks are made on 4d6 or 5d6 (or 2d6), and some have DCs.

IMO., I would remove ability scores, and just have a flat bonus.

Ah, but my perfect D&D uses ability damage- all of the problems with which are removed by removing ability bonuses.

Fighters simply have +2 to hit, that scales to +6.
Wizards have +0 to hit that scales to +3. But +2 to +6 for spells.

Or something like that.

You'll see some static bonuses like that when I post the classes (and feats).

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'm sure many of us have spent time working on our own perfect version of D&D- perfect, in this case, being perfect for the person doing the thinking. I know that I have done so for, well, decades now, with my design evolving alongside the published versions of the game and my own sensibilities. So this thread is for me to post about MY perfect D&D. I've long called this "D&D Jazz", since, like jazz, it synthesizes a bunch of existing styles and elements while riffing on them and exploring a lot of things that aren't necessarily from any specific version.

Anyhow, let me start with this disclaimer: D&D Jazz discards many of modern D&D's innovations, and does away with many traditional elements of the game.

To give a couple of examples- there are no bonuses derived from your ability scores, per se. Your Strength of 18 doesn't give you a +4 bonus- it doesn't give you any bonus at all, except in bespoke cases.

Also, there is no unified "Roll 1d20, higher is better" mechanic.

There are also things that modern D&D handwaves that D&D Jazz emphasizes- for instance:

• Cantrip Use. Cantrips are limited; you need to expend a cantrip slot to use one. Most cantrips don't heal or deal damage, and those that do heal or deal only a minor amount. Spellcasters can run out of magic fairly easily.
  
• Food and Drink. There is no easy way to bypass the need for food and drink. The cost for magically creating food and drink is high; the third level cleric spell Create Food and Water will feed two creatures for one day.
  
• Light. Very few pcs can see in the dark, and creating magical light requires using a spell slot.
  
• Recovering Hit Points. Your hit points don't bottom out at 0, and recovering them through rest can take significant time.

Liking it so far...

 

[Micah Sweet]

Some checks are made on 4d6 or 5d6 (or 2d6), and some have DCs.


Ah, but my perfect D&D uses ability damage- all of the problems with which are removed by removing ability bonuses.


You'll see some static bonuses like that when I post the classes (and feats).

Hear, hear! I miss ability damage.