D&D 5E What else to I need to consider for a 5e realism hard mode?

[Dausuul]

Wow, I was unaware of E6, sounds like just the kind of thing I was looking for. Thanks!!!!

Glad to help. I've been thinking of giving it a try myself next time I run a game. My PCs are 10th level and I feel like the system is starting to creak. It's not nearly as bad as 3E, but it's still out of the sweet spot.

 

[Krachek]

Use point buy : 23 points.
Or use 8,9,10,11,12,13 as starting stats.
ASI can only increase two different stats by one.
Otherwsie you are building a bran new game.

 

[snickersnax]

[*]Rocket tag: Results from "save-or-lose" effects and ultra-powerful damage spells.

melee, rogue, and archer damage seems much larger than most spells other than meteor swarm. Initiative wins fights whenever the damage per round > total hit points.

 

[snickersnax]

Why be anything but a rogue? It's the only class you haven't screwed over.

Thanks, I'll have to fix that

 

[snickersnax]

I'm not sure how BM maneuvers would work if you don't use dice.

most of the maneuvers work fine without a superiority die, there are a few that don't, and you can just give them a flat bonus or proficiency bonus to make the mechanic work.

Its nice when the fighter isn't saying," I'd like to trip this guy, but I'm too tired out to do that, I've already tripped four guys today and I just don't think i could manage to do that again until I sit down and rest.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I feel like I need to do something. Right now high level seems impossibly easy.

High level has almost always been problematic.

I've never used the RAW HD system for hit point recovery, there are so many opportunities for healing by class features that party rarely has any problems with this. I can't imagine playing RAW for hit point recovery.

"RAW" HD are the slowest-recovering of all resources, so you might actually consider going the other way: using only HD for hp recovery. Or, perhaps having all types of healing use the target's HD. For instance, if a healing spell heals 2d8+n, instead have it allow the target to roll 2 HD (+ n).

Then, also eliminate overnight healing of hps.

Now you have a situation where it takes two days of rest to recover your HD, plus spells/potions/whatever or a short rest to use them to get your hps back. Complete recovery could take about 4 days, to go from tapped out (virtually no hps or HD), to recovered all HD, to spent all HD to recover all hps, to re-recovered all HD and 'full strength' again.

The advantage of this instead of just nerfing non-magical healing into the ground is that it actually slows healing down, while just nerfing non-magical healing leaves magical healing "video-game" fast. FWIW.

most of the maneuvers work fine without a superiority die, there are a few that don't, and you can just give them a flat bonus or proficiency bonus to make the mechanic work.

They all use the die for /something/. Substituting proficiency bonus would make sense, though.

 

[snickersnax]

Got it. That's a nice, clear list. Let's break it down and look at the causes of each:

I did also forget to mention that also was hoping to solve 1st and 2nd level character frailness

 

[snickersnax]

They all use the die for /something/. Substituting proficiency bonus would make sense, though.

If you make maneuvers one per round with no limit instead of 4 per short/long rest, then you could eliminate the die roll (it is usually just added to hit or damage) and just keep the special effect and in those cases like evasive footwork where the special effect requires a numbers adjustment, just use proficiency bonus.

 

[Ancalagon]

Honestly? Use warhammer frpg 2nd ed.

Very easy to get right now too!

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/warhammer-rpg-books

I ran games with this system for years. Much grittier and realistic, easier to run as a GM too.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using EN World mobile app

 

[Mephista]

Hmmm... E6 is new idea to me. I do like it. I might have to look into it more, I think. It is firmly established in the idea of 1-5, 6-10, etc as tiers, which 5e is built around, so its actually very applicable to the game as written. I might need to adapt this for my next game as well. You'll need to cap the proficency bonus growing, of course. And I'll have to look into spells. Capping at third level spells isn't as big of a deal in 5e when fifth level spells often work as well as fireball and lightning, and some of those spells would be a shame to remove from the game. Maybe readapt things a bit?

And it could be something interesting to do with gold. 5e definitely lacks things to invest money into, so having a kind of training structure for learning things past level... Hmmm.... now I just need to adapt crafting and building rules. Anyone have any good idea for those?


Anyways, to the OP? I must say, I find your list to be rather scary. You'r egiving some classes some rather powerful benefits (cleric with their divine strike, rogue, etc), but others are being nerfed into unplayability. Like, half-caster bard. You've destroyed the lore bard in its entirety, making them all valor bards (or sword bards, if you use UA). It feels like you're creating a list of things that are "too much" for you, then you're just going to keep on building as your players switch to other things that are still effective, meaning you'll have to nerf other things to the ground... you're shutting down options, it feels like, but twisting things and making them crazy.

For instance, you took away battlemaster dice... but you've left them the ability to use things like trips and commander strikes EVERY TURN. That's pretty crazy.