Low DnD - Class Changes

 So, we have some general rules in place. I need to finalize armor and the death table, but the rest is ok. 

That brings us to the classes. Remember that we're only going to 6th level, so anything beyond 6th is assumed deleted. The main thrust of these changes is to put magic in a less powerful place in terms of raw damage output and to limit the overly simple and boring problem-solving ability of certain spells or the overabundance of spells available to certain classes all the time.

That may sound overly harsh, or that I'm picking on magic users. Maybe I am, but I don't think so. Here's why. Almost every class has access to spells of some sort. Even fighters can gain spells if they like. If your game includes multiclassing, then any PC can have spells. That reminds me, no multiclassing in LowDnD (TM). Because of the ubiquity of magic across classes, every class is receiving some new limitations and it should balance out.

The second reason why limiting magic is ok is that the style of game I plan to run from the GM side when using LowDnD rules is an OSR style gold for xp, orthogonal problem solving based game. Magic becomes extremely useful in such a game and creative uses for niche spells become the main use for magic. When an entire encouter/room can be completed by pulling a lever on the far side of a spike pit, mage hand can't just be a cantrip, but it also feels really cool and empowering and useful when you have mage hand prepared. In base DnD, magic is only useful for shooting fireballs. One could convincingly make the case that having access to magic in an old-school style problem solving based game is a much greater benefit than having access to magic in base DnD where damage is the primary purpose. That's why I'm nerfing it into the abyss.

A final point while I'm thinking about it, magic in base DnD just comes out of nowhere. You survive long enough to level? Gain some spells. You swear an oath? Gain some spells. blah blah blah. Gain some spells. They are learned out of nowhere. This is a huge missed opportunity. I want spells to be tied into the world somehow. They come from a being which grants power, or are the result of some effort like appeasing a patron or taking a journey to a confluence of lay lines, etc. That said, there is utility in just getting a little magic on leveling up as you learn from your experiences, so I won't totally take it away.

Get on with it:

Barbarian: Fine as is. How interesting.

Cleric:

• Requires good standing with church to cast. This tangles them up with all worts of people which is great DM material. Likely this is a local representative of the deity which has their own aims and can bring them into conflict. Can be a faithful representative or corrupt. Both are interesting. I'd lean toward the opposite of the cleric. If they are murdohobos, then the representative if faithful, etc.
• Start with domain spells and 1 additional spell chosen from cleric spell list
• Only learn domain spells upon leveling
• Return relics to church to roll for more cleric spells
• Complete quest to be granted specific spell from church leaders/god

Druid

• Gain 1 spell per level for which you have slots
• Learn more spells by appeasing spirits in new lands. This similarly tangles the druid up with the spirits of the wilderness which may make demands and bring their troubles to the druid at any time. They might take magic back if provoked as well.
• Circle of Land doesn't exist
• Can attune to the landscape you are in to gain the circle spells for that location which you have the level to acquire. Retain these spells until you attune to a new land. This lets the druid fly off to the nearby mountains to commune with the wind to gain specific spells which they need to overcome specific challenges they are facing now in the desert, etc. 

Fighter

• Plate is crazy expensive. Probably shouldn't get till 5th or 6th level. This obviously affects other classes as well.

Paladin

• At lvl2 gain one spell from paladin spell list, afterward gain oath spells only
• Can take aura of warding at 7th level instead of feat.

Rogue

• Option 1 is no arcane trickster
• Option 2 is arcane trickster learns Mage Hand and 2 cantrips at level 3 and Mage Hand is a level 1 spell.

Ranger

• Non-magic version from Unearthed Arcana is pretty ok

Warlock

• No Devil's Sight, or maybe 1/rest for 10 minutes
• Learning a new spell requires fulfilling wish from patron or other otherworldly being. If you are a warlock, these entities will make themselves known to you similar to nature spirits for druids. Maybe an exorcism or... reverse exorcism(?) grants you a favor from the spirit which manifests in the form of a warlock ability or spell.

Wizard

• Only learn spells from specialty school when leveling
• Any spell can be added to book if found in written form.

Sorceror

• No

Monk

• No

Bard

• Nope

That'll do it! Remove the lame classes and nerf the rest. Ah. Satisfied at last. It goes without saying that the above is the objectively best way to play DnD and all other opinions will be dismissed out of hand. Having fun playing correctly from now on.

Low DnD

So I've been on a journey the last few years. Prior to this period, I played in a DnD campaign that lasted something like a year or hear and a half. Not a record by any stretch, but my first real long term game. I learned a lot. Mostly, that I'm a problem player and that I prefer to DM, except when I want someone to DM the game I would've DM'ed. Maybe more on that later.

The game was fairly by the book DnD. That is it was high magic, high power, save the universe stuff. Really a good game, but at the same time I would read about these gritty, realistic games that were about player skill and problem-solving where your PC could lose an eye and there was no cleric around to instantly zap it back into place. These games reminded me of what I thought Warhammer was when I was younger and touched a nostalgic spot.

So in the last few years I've tried to get a more gritty OSR-y game a couple times. They all fell apart after a few sessions, mostly due to my own lack of consistency. The last attempt may have had legs, but it caught the covid and all of a sudden my players couldn't meet without potentially killing each other.

But in each of those games, it seemed like I had to make a jump for my players from DnD to something else. Like "Hey, come play DnD, but it'll be a little different." or let's play "old DnD" or something. This was a little odd since my players were mostly new and hadn't had the year + of playing DnD to get used to it and learn what they liked and didn't. They would almost always be on board for DnD and then I'd present something off DnD and just seemed like I was being a bit selfish about it.

So I'm going to continue being selfish, but maybe a little less so, ha! GMs are players too, right?

So the question is, how can I play 5e DnD and make it less about superheroes saving the world and more about resources, OSR puzzles, treasure hunting, and horrible/inevitable death? If you know much about 5e DnD, a few things are going to need to be fiddled with. I've identified the following:

1. final power level
2. "the answer is on your character sheet"
3. magic for all
4. easy healing

Well, here are some rules for Low DnD that supposedly address the things that make DnD about superheroes.

General Power Level Changes:

• lvl 6 is the max level you can attain. This is basically straight elite 6. Looking at the abilities each class gets by here, it's really a good place to stop. Fireballs for spell casters and multiple attacks for fighters. These are truly powerful beings.
• For levels beyond 6, you may get a feat. These don't change power too dramatically and can allow you to learn a few interesting tricks befitting a seasoned adventurer.
• Along those lines, no feats prior to lvl 7. This makes getting to lvl 7 more rewarding for some players who focus on their character's abilities and "build" them a certain way. It also keeps low level power down.
• Stats are rolled 3d6 in order. Swap one. Redo if you don't have at least a 14 somewhere.
• High level monsters are unique. The dragon lives under that mountain.
• I might limit races. Humans only and also gnomes. Gnomes are belligerent. This is mostly to avoid the abundance of special rules and abilities those other races have that can easily circumvent OSR challenges. I'm looking mostly at dark vision. Actually, if the races don't have a big mechanical effect, then you can be a yeti for all I care.

Healing and Rests:

• Lunch: Requires food and drink, can spend one hit dice per lunch per day
• Short rest: Requires food and drink and sleep, Can spend hit dice with uses of healing kit
• Long Rest: Require 1 week in "town", regain all hit dice. slow healing occurs and can save against some long-lasting conditions
• Zero hp = roll on death and dismemberment table

Armor:

This version is mostly taken from Skerples at Coinsandscrolls.blogspot) or just use armor from previous posts

• Light
• +2 AC +DEX
• 2 equipment slots
• Medium
• +4 AC
• 4 slots
• expensive
• Heavy
• +6 AC
• 6 slots
• extremely expensive
• Shield
• must be held in 1 hand
• reduce slashing, bludgeoning, piercing by 2
• Can sunder to reduce one blow by d12
• No AC when prone

For "Magic for all" and "the answer is on your character sheet" some specific things need to change. There are a few abilities that just solve problems endlessly. First, consider tracking magic components. this puts a bit of work on spellcasters for their endless shenanigans. After that:

• Goodberry doesn't exist
• Light doesn't exist or is level 3
• Mage hand is level 1

Next we'll get into some class-specific stuff and dig deeper into the magic problem.