My RPG design
I designed a version of Dungeons and Dragons, including rules and eight professions players could be. My intent was to make a version that didn’t have a long pre-game phase. Instead, players pick their names, whatever they want to look like, and play. I did this because I wanted to bring some of the current ideas (heavy on roleplay) of the game into the vintage 1970’s and 1980’s (heavy on adventure). There’s maybe spells/abilities plucked from D&D but it’s mostly all original and any similarities are coincidental.
Below are my eight character designs, and after them are the rules.
☁️Airdancer☁️
You hang in the balance.
Passive Skills:
Free Fall: You always take half of any falling damage.
Mind Over Matter: Do +1 extra damage for any physical attack you do (weapon, hand to hand).
Weapons:
The Edge: you wear gloves whose fingertips are lined with magic blades. You swipe for melee. When you use a melee weapon (sword, dagger) you can also extend this power to the edge of a weapon and it will cut for +1.
Dmg: 5
Powers:
Level 1:
Better Luck This Time:
Add +2 to any dice roll.
Level 2:
Just Trust (Instant): 1 uses/day -0
Give an ally or yourself +2 what you roll on any one roll. This can be combat or non-combat.
Mirror: 1 uses/day -0
Create duplicates of yourself or a partner. An opponent will not be able to tell the difference when attacking (DM will roll dice to determine which is attacked). If one of these illusions is hit it disappears. Get 1 clone for each 2 levels you are at: i.e., 2 illusions at level 4, 3 at level 6, etc. Lasts 2 turns.
Level 3:
Trip Traps: 1 uses/day -0
Break a trap, rendering it harmless. Succeed by rolling 2x your level or less. For instance at level 6 you roll 12 or less. Failure will trigger the trap.
Breath Life Into: 1 uses/day -0
Summon the elements of life from around you to restore 5hp to you or a PC or anyone.
Level 4:
Furthermore: 1 use/day -0
Get an additional attack.
Dodge Ram (Instant, use on opponents attack): 1 use/day -0
If an non-range attack will hit you, roll higher than a 5 on a d20. If you succeed you avoid the attack and instead topple your opponent, who will hit at d10 or higher the next turn.
Long Touch: 1 use/day -0
Your fingers project magic damage seeming separating any distance and making contact. Imagine like a project lazer, it makes cutting contact at a distance. Lasts for two rounds of combat.
Dmg: 8
Level 5:
New Passive: Get a second dice any constitution or dexterity save.
Graceful Saving (Instant): 1 use/day -0
Intervene to help a player (including yourself) making a saving throw. If they to full damage it’s reduced to half. If they took half damage it’s reduced to 5. Have to be within 5 ft and have to be able to avoid it yourself.
Return Fire (Instant): 1 use/day -0
Roll d20 higher than 6 and you catch a non-magical missile attack and redirect (at its firer or a different enemy, or another target). Roll d20 higher than 5 for it to hit.
Furthermore For Friend: 1 use/day -0
Give a party member an additional attack.
Level 6:
New Passive: Take no damage on saved throws.
At One with Everything: 1 use/day -0
Choose yourself or a team member. Instead of hitting over 5, for the rest of the day you or they hit anything over 2. You an only have one use of this spell.
A Thousand Cuts: 1 use/day -0
In the blink of an eye bombard your foe with a barrage of hits. Roll 2 d20. You do that much damage (no roll for hitting, this always hits). You also cannot be targeted the next turn.
Level 7:
New Passive: Windwalk. You can move up to 100ft in any direction, if not already touching ground by 100ft you will fall but you can windwalk as many times as you want.
Level 8:
Winged Glory: 1 use/day
You get wings. Note that if you go to 7 hp or less you are considered too damaged to fly and will start fallinh.
Level 9:
Crystal Clear 1 use /3 days
You can ask the DM any question and you will get a true answer.
Level 10:
Reverse Engineer Mastercraft: 1 use/day -0
Create a copy of any weapon, including sentient weapons. It will last until a rest period.
Deep Vision: 1 use/day
Player gets to study the map of your current area for one minute and ask DM what any room’s purpose is.
🌀Realmwalker🌀
Splitting the difference between space and time.
Passive Skills:
Thrilling Armor: Their base armor is actually part of body. It’s illuminated, constantly changing color, and protect player by reducing all damage they sustain by 1.
Antenna: Can light up and act as a torch.
Weapons:
Beam Bow: A crossbow that shoots bolts of lights 5 dmg
Powers:
Level 1:
Teleport self: 1 uses/day -0
Relocate to anywhere you were this day, or any place you can visually see
Turbow: 1 uses/day -1
You bow sprouts four extra mini lasers and fires at +4 for three round
Level 2:
Cipher Scan: 1 uses/day -0
Antenna translate foreign/unknown writing. Takes 1 turn of processing.
Scan for Traps: 1 uses/day -0
They have the ability to detect traps. Their odds of trap detection are base 20% plus half of their level x10%. So a level 5 would have 20%+2.5x10 = 45% chance.
Diffuse Trap: 1 uses/day -0
They have the ability to diffuse traps. Their odds are base 40% plus half of their level x10%. So a level 5 would have 40 +2.5x10= 65% chance.
Thoughtspeak: 1 use/day -0
You can send a message to anyone far-off who you can “find” which is done by being able to know what they look like and the general area they are located. You can say up to 25 words, the person can respond with as many.
Level 3:
Realmjump: 1 uses/day -0
Create a standing one-use portal in a set location by carefully laying out a set of dimension crystals. This will be the exit side. The exit portal will hold for days, weeks, anything and can go any distance, as long as the area and crystal arrangement has not been disturbed it will still function (you won’t know until you try) when you open the corresponding entrance. As soon as you open the entrance the two sides will remain open for a turn, then permnantly close (the crystals will shatter). Setting up either an the entrance and exit will take a turn. Note that unlike most other spells, this spell will not reset with rest or any other means until that particular portal is closed by use.
Tuning In: : 1 uses/day -0
Can converse with non-sentient creatures (roll, above 7 succeeds in linking with their psyche). A “use” will be considered one conversation.
Scan for Secrets: 1 uses/day -0
Detect secret doors (Roll: anything over 5 on a d20).
Unexistence (Instant): 1 Use/day -0
You, a party member, or an opponent can phase out of existence for two rounds. If targeting an unwilling opponent they save: low level - d20 higher than 10, mid level - higher than 5, high level - higher than 1. Their particles separate and they disappear and return. Nothing can effect them, they can effect nothing. They can still move during their turn. They will be invisible to enemies and party members.
Level 4:
Uncanny Resemblance: 1 use/day -0
For 4 rounds team will appear to low and mid-level NPC’s as someone familiar to them. Be super careful talking though, unusual dialogue can spoil the ruse!
Telekenesis: 1 use/day -0
Can move an item of small medium of large weight. if medium, must roll higher than 10, if large, must roll larger than 15. To determine distance you can move it, roll a d20. Take the number and add a 0. For instance, you roll a 6, it becomes 60. That’s how many feet you can move the item. This could work for enemies for instance: lift an enemy, throw them, etc. This will last one turn. So if kept in the air, say, they will hover for a turn, then fall.
Me Again: 1 use/day -1
Create a copy of yourself with 5hp. It can do everything you can and has 1 of each spell you control.
Level 5:
Psionic Flight: 1 use/day -0
Your mind technology gives you the ability to fly through the air for 2 rounds (at your normal speed of travel)
Mindblown: 1 use/day -0
Target creature does absolutely nothing but drool, effect depends on level:
-low level: 3 rounds (no roll)
-middle level: 2 rounds (over 5)
-high level: 1 round or possibly no effect (roll higher than 10)
Deep Feeling: 1 use/day -0
Get a “feeling” of the right direction the party should go.
Missiles of Dimension: 1 use/day -0
Throw a small portal to another dimension lazer fast that causes all matter in it to be sucked into a another dimension. Basically like a portal bullet. The size and therefore damage are determined by a d20 roll. Roll a 12 and it’s roughly 12 inches big and does 12 damages. Because of the shaky nature of dimension, your odds to hit an object at any distance are dependent on the size of the ball, and you must roll 1d20 attempt to matching or less it. For instance, if you rolled a portal size of 16, you need to roll a 16 or less to hit. so the bigger the better your odds). Your target will have no saving throw. Note: that this might be useful in more cases than just in combat. Note: the range is 60 ft.
Level 6:
You Again: 1 use/day -1
Create a copy of a willing creature (presumably your party) with 5hp. It can do everything they can and has 1 of each spell they control.
Reverse Engineering: 1 use/day -0
Create a your own dimensional outlined copy of most nonsentient weapons, including those of your friends, foes, or something you see in a shop. It has to have been one you saw the day you are casting your spell (you have to be able vividly recall its features). It has all the same stats. For a highly magical or highly complex technology, roll higher than 15. Use it twice will let you dual wield. You can also give copied weapons to other PC’s. Last until end of day, however if you want to keep one weapon the next day you can immediately use every use of reverse engineering you have to keep it.
Psionic Flight Friendship: 1 use/day -0
Your mind technology gives you and your team the ability to fly through the air for 2 rounds, you control where they go, they do not (at your normal speed of travel)
Teleport Team: 1 use/day -0
Relocate to anywhere you were this day, or any place you can visually see
Level 7:
Power Grab: 1 use/day -1
You may use any power of one of your companions. It has to be a spell equal to or below your spell level. It does not count against them as a “use” of their power.
Psionic Flight Adv -1 use/day -0
You can now use the above spell for 4 rounds instead of 2
Level 8:
Reverse Engineer Mastercraft: 1 use/day -0
Create a copy of any weapon, including sentient weapons. It will last until a rest period.
Level 9:
Crystal Clear 1 use /3 days
You can ask the DM any question and you will get a true answer.
Level 10:
Deep Vision: 1 use/day
Player gets to study the map of your current area for one minute and ask DM what any room’s purpose is.
🌕Shadowborn🧟
Rogue Necromancer
Passive Skills:
Nightsight - can see perfectly in the dark.
Necrotic blood - Complete immunity from poison.
Lightabsorbtion - You cast no shadow.
Blackbone Armor - Critical hits (12 or more) stand a 1 in 4 chance of diffusing to the rest of your team. For instance, a hit of 20 with a party of 4 would give each player 5dmg instead of you 20dmg. A critical hit is damage 10 or higher. It’s up to the player to remember this and can’t be done if remembered after action has moved on.
Weapons:
Diamond Dagger: Your dagger’s made is made out of pinpoint sharpened diamonds with a hilt of black bone.
DMG: 6
Level 1:
Necrolinguality: 1 uses/day -0
Talk to the (willing) dead.
Pick Pockets: 1 use/day -0
Success based on your level minus 11. So for example, you are lvl 3 so 11-3 you need to roll higher than 8 to suceed. Lvl 1 roll higher than 10. Etc. Only works on low level creatures or persons.
Level 2:
Soul Food: 1 use/day -0
Eat the soul of a dead creature to regain 5hp.
Sneak Peak: 1 use/day -0
Gain the ability to traverse silently. Lasts until you speak or cast a spell. Note that certain creatures and magical entities will be able to detect your presence. Note that speaking psychically will not break your spell.
Mental Message: 1 use/day -0
You send a short message of twenty-five words or less to a creature with you are familiar. The creature hears the Message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner immediately.
Level 3:
Backstab: 1 uses/day -0
Sink into shadows, reemerge behind NPC. Roll over 7 hits. Causes your normal damage then roll d20 to see how much additional damage. Counts as your attack.
Raise Dead: 1 use/day -0
Read dead. They have half hp and do half the damage they originally had. The spell wears off at the end of any combat sequence. (Not one turn of fight, but the end of a battle).
Minor Illusion: 1 use/day -0
You create a sound or an image of an object within range that lasts for one minute. The illusion also ends if you dismiss it as an action or cast this spell again. Note that any monster or foe who sees you cast the spell will not fall for the ruse. Subject to deception checks.
Level 4:
Insulting Injury (instant): 1 uses/day -0
When you or a friendly roll a critical you may cast this spell (even if you cast your spell for turn). Doing so gives that player a 2nd bonus d6 of critical damage.
Cutpurse: 1 use/day -0
Roll for success. Lowlevel NPC needs higher than 5, midlevel 12, high level 18. If you miss, then roll for if failure means detected, below 3 means you are.
Step Inside Shadows: 1 use/day -0
Slink into the shadows for up to 2 rounds during combat. Note that you can still makes sounds. Note that your party will also not know where you are. If you attack out of the shadows, you hit on rolls over 2 and anything over 15 is a critical hit.
Level 5:
Blood for Blood: 1 use/day -0
Take the life force of a fallen foe and turn it into life for your allies. Roll a d20 for each party member to see how much life they gain.
Level 6:
Call to Arms: 1 use/day -0
Attach the limb of a fallen enemy to you. Your skin will latch onto and make it you own. Each limb you add that has a weapon gains a d6 more of damage. Limbs equipped with special weapons will be further modified by those weapons abilities. You can also attach wings 2 wings will be a use, 2 fins, etc. Note these fall off at the end of day. If an enemy does 12 or more damage you do an “arm-saving roll” and must roll higher than a 10 or you lose one of your arms and cannot reattach it. Limb limit 4 (note that you can have 6 copies of the spell in case one gets knocked off say).
Major Lightfoot: 1 use/day -0
The steps, movement, and conversation of your entire party is inaudible for 3 rounds.
Level 7:
Chariot of Shadows: 1 use/day -0
A team of shadow winged pesasi appear with a black chariot. They can ferry the party for a round. You will also get a look at the regional map.
Level 8:
Skeleton Collection: 1 use/day -0
Create a super golem. The bones of the fallen will pull out from their bodiesall combine to form one giant monster. Requires at least 7 dead NPCs nearby to cast. You can (ongoing) add more. For each added it gets +1 HP +1 DMG. Limit 20 (HP 27, DMG 27).
Base HP: 7
Base DMG: 7
Level 9:
Call to Hell: 1 use/day -0
The earth parts and from its depths crawl an army of skeletons and undead who pull down any number of lowlevel NPC’s with them. Only works on nonundead/demon creatures.
Level 10:
666 Beast Mode: 1 use/day -0
Cost: All HP but 1. 666 gold.
Become a physical Emissary of Satan on the material plane. All sunlight disappears. All torches blow out. You become a 30ft tall wingedbeast of black fire. Your touch causes death to any low or mid-level PC. You can sustain no damage. To behold upon you causes blindness, including from your allies. This lasts 5 turns. Roll a dice, if you roll greater than 15 it means Satan has deigned to rewarded your fealty with a magic item.
🌲Forestborn🌲
Anthropomorphic Tree
Passive Skills:
Extra Life
During level up, you gain the normal roll of a d6, but also +2, for a total possible of 8.
Protection against Disease and Poison
Like it says.
Resting Place
At night during sleep periods you span your branches out that automatically casts a lowlevel spell of healing. Any player that sleeps under your branches, and sleeps through the night, wakes up with +2 over their total life. For instance, a 40hp character will wake up with 42hp.
Wetbreath
You can last an entire day underneath freshwater before needing to respire.
Arm Lute
You can create a lute (with vines for strings) and play songs youve made up on your travels. This serves no practical advantage purpose, it’s just cool.
Weaponry:
Arrow: Your arms are crossbows, the arrows are wood from within you, and the bowstring is vines.
6 dmg
Too Fine a Point: your long arms can sharpen to a point and stab.
5 dmg
Powers:
Level 1:
Ivy: 1 uses/day -0
Snare up to two foes of low or mid level. They cannot move and their hits roll at 11-20 rather than 6-20. Lasts 2 rounds.
Branching out: 1 use/day -0
Produce thickly vined branches. Extend 50ft, can be up to 3ft in width. Can be used in multiple ways: for instance, extended out to reach out to something at a distance. To make a bridge. Or to pull people out of situations. Additionally you can produces vines that can be used as ropes. If you come up with another possible use, ask your DM.
Overgrowth : 1 use/day -0
Focus nearby plant life to burst and sprawl in an area. For instance, to be a barrier in a path, or a wall of vines to climb, or a bridge. Choose the focal point. Lasts 3 rounds.
Prickthorn Wall: 1 use/day -0
Summon a wall of thorns 3ft thick that does 5 damage to anyone who makes contact with it. Lasts 3 rounds. Initially 5’x5’ it will be an additional 5’ for each level you are. So for instance, at level 4 it could be 20’x20’. Consider uses like temporary barring a door, or at higher levels encircling your party. Subject to damage and magical effects determined by DM.
Level 2:
Mushroom Herbalism: 1 use/day -0
You can sprout a mushroom remedy that will cure poison for yourself or a team mate.
Harvest: 1 use/day -0
Sprout 6 fruits from your branches. Each gives 5hp.
If These Walls Could Talk: 1 use/day -0
Speak to anything wood or plant. Plant talk can’t be heard by other species.
Unknotting: 1 use/day -0
Try to unlock a lock using the ivy that grows out of your hand. Roll a dice and add your your experience level to your roll. DM will determine success based on difficulty of the lock.
Level 3:
Shipshape: 1 use/day -0
Grow a giant lily leaf that functions as a boat that seats five. It produces offshoots to be used as paddles. Lasts until end of day.
Deepbreath: 1 uses/day
You can give up to 10 willing creatures the ability to go without breathing for 3 rounds.
Fern Herbalism: 1 use/day -0
You can sprout a mushroom remedy that will cure disease for yourself or a team mate.
Spike Strike: 1 use/day -0
Release pointy barbs all long your exterior. Whenever an enemy melee hits you for damage they take 3 damage. Lasts 3 rounds.
Level 4:
Poison Ivy: 1 uses/day
Snare up to two foes of low or mid level. They cannot move and their hits roll at 11-20 rather than 6-20. At the start of their turn they lose 4hp. Lasts 2 rounds.
Bark Bestow: 1 use/day -0
Produce a armor plate of solid wood on yourself or a teammate. Prevents half of damage that would be taken on next hit. It remains until that player is struck.
Blink at the Brink (Instant): 1 use/day
If you or a fellow player are incapacitated, revive them.
Moss Herbalism: 1 use/day -0
You can sprout a mushroom remedy that will cure curses for yourself or a team mate.
Level 5:
Sprouts: 1 use/day -0
Place a call to nature for assistance and summon of plant or fungal minions. Roll d6 to determine quantity, d10 to determine hp, d8 to determine how much damage they do.
Circle of Life: 1 uses/day -0
You shoot a poisonous seed from your mouth that instantly fells a monster. From the corpse of one of your fallen enemy sprout a harvest of mushrooms and vegetables. You can target a low (hits over 5) or midlevel PC (hits over 10). Determine harvest by rolling a d6. Each edible will heal 5hp.
Control Weather: 1 uses/day -0
Turn conditions into a state of your preference. Wether it be torrential downpour, thunderstorm, wind tunnel, snowstorm, heat wave, etc. In combat terms, takes 1 turn to begin, another to be in full effect, and lasts thereafter for 4 turns.
Level 6:
Vine Whip: 1 use/day -0
Create a whip covered in barbs, has a range of 30 ft. It enraps opponents in a trap of bars Hits for 10, lasts 3 rounds. A roll of 18 or higher means that you “pulled back” and in effect your whip unwound pulling against the body of your opponent, serrating them. This hits for 16. You cannot use the whip and attack, it counts as your attack.
Family Roots: 1 use/day -0
Turn a nonsenient, tree, plant or fungus into a minion. Its stats wil be determined by DM.
Level 7:
Anthropomorphism 1 use/day
Give life to an otherwise inanimate object it can fight in your defense. Stats to be determined in collaboration with your DM.
Level 8:
Razor Leaf Storm: 1 use/day
Shaking your branches if you’re a tree or summoning nature, causes a gust of wind to rise, all your leaves to sharpen and fly out engulfing your opponents. You roll for each on a d20, each takes that much damage. This counts as your attack.
Level 9:
Lifegift: 1 use/day -0
Restore all party members to full health. Because of the amount of magic required can only be done out of combat.
Resurrection: 1 use/day -0
Restore a dead creature or party member to live and with full health. You may cast no more spells for the remainder of the day.
Level 10:
Act of Creation: 1 use
Revive an entire room of people to full health. The dead return to full health, the living go to full health. This inclues monsters, if undead happen to be in the room, the are returned to normal life. Can only reload this spell at a shrine, it does not daily reload.
🧙Warcerer (War Sorcerer)🧙
Timebender Battle Mage
Passive Skills:
Two Spells in Combat
Instead of one spell in a combat turn, a warcerer can choose to have two, replacing their attack with a spell.
Weaponry:
Dual staff: Collapsable wooden staff studded with lightly glowing stones, you can flick it open, both ends are charged with magic energy. You can decide what color they are.
ranged: roll d8
melee: roll d6
Powers:
Level 1:
Cure Light Wounds: 1 uses/day -0
Cure 2+d8 of health on you or a party member. You can spread this to as many members as you want.
Enemies for Friends: 1 uses/day -0
Turn one low level creature to hate and attack its fellow being 1 turns. They have to roll higher than a 15 to save the spell.
Level 2:
Dispel Magic: 1 uses/day -0
Break down a magical creature, trap or illusion. If the magic is at your level or lower, it instantly dispels. For each level higher than your current level, add 2x the difference in your levels plus 10 and make a roll higher than the resulting number. You must roller higher than that. (Ex: You’re a level 5 against 7 illusory wall, that means you need to roll 2x2+10 = higher than 14.)
Magic Missle: 1 uses/day -0
You create a glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage to its target. However many uses you have is how many darts are fired. For instance, if you level it to 5, for one use you fire five darts. Max eight. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
Confusion: 1 uses/day -0
Creatures who become confused will act as dictated on the roll of 2d6: they'll attack the magic-user's party (2-5), stand around doing nothing (6-8), or attack their own party (9-12). Re-roll this each turn. They have a roll off with you. Last 2 turns.
Orb of Minor Restoration: 1 uses/day -0
Your produce a glowing orb or energy that hovers around your party, healing each member +2hp at the start of their turn in combat. Can only be used during combat as it feeds off the kinetic energy of battle.
Level 3:
Counterspell (Instant): 1 uses/day -0
Counter a spell at the 3rd level or equal to the level you’re at. If the magic is at your level or lower, it instantly dispels. For each level higher than your current level, add 2x the difference in your levels plus 10 and make a roll higher than the resulting number. You must roller higher than that. (Ex: You’re a level 5 against 7 fireball spell, that means you need to roll 2x2+10 = higher than 14.)
Uncurse: 1 uses/day -0
Remove a curse that is level 4 or less. For each level higher than your current level, add 2x the difference in your levels plus 10 and make a roll higher than the resulting number. You must roller higher than that. (Ex: You’re a level 5 against 7 fireball spell, that means you need to roll 2x2+10 = higher than 14.)
Hold: 1 uses/day -0
Freeze a creature in its place. Low level must roll higher than 10, mid level higher than 5, high level higher than 1. This creature can no longer do melee attacks.
Mage Hand: 1 uses/day -0
A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The hand vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this spell again. If in combat can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate objects. You can move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it. The hand can’t attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10 pounds.
Level 4:
Minor illusion: 1 uses/day -0
Create distraction, created hidding place (create a wall with murder arrow slit, then cast firbolt with advantage for being hidden) mimic a voice, create illusion light that still illuminate the room, create a black box target on the head of your ennemies to make them blind, even if they know it's an illusion, it's still darken there views. These are just options, describe to the DM what you are creating. It will last for 3 rounds. You can use multiple casts to keep it longer without breaking its continuance.
Get Even with the Odds (Instant): 1 uses/day -0
On an attack roll, saving roll, or any kind using a d20, you can roll a second time and choose the better of the two. You are free to elect this spell after you’ve already rolled the first dice.
Get Even with the Enemy (Instant): 1 uses/day -0
Make your enemy reroll a roll, with disadvantage (they have to choose the lower roll).
Orb of Impact: 1 uses/day -0
Create an orb that hovers over the party, and attracts incoming kinetic energy. For the next round it absorb half of all damage done to party members. Then you can throw the orb and if it hits will do the accumulated damage to your opponent. Note that a mid-high or high level opponent may understand what’s happening and know this kind of magic and not engage.
Level 5:
Channel Arcanium: 1 uses/day -0
Instead of rolling a d8 for your attacks you roll a d20. Lasts 5 rounds of combat.
Creation: 1 uses/day -0
Ceate a nonliving object of your choice: soft goods, rope, wood, or something similar. The object created must be no larger than a 5-foot cube, and the object must be of a form and material that you have seen before. The duration depends on the object’s material. It starts a 12 hours and is halved for each material in it. For instance a ring of gold and silver will last 6 hours.
Dimension Door: 1 uses/day -0
You teleport yourself from your current location to any other spot within range. You arrive at exactly the spot desired. It can be a place you can see, one you can visualize, or one you can describe by stating distance and direction, such as “200 feet straight downward” or “upward to the northwest at a 45-degree angle, 300 feet.” So you can imagine a space beyond a door and place it there. You may also bring along objects as long as their weight doesn’t exceed what you can carry. You can also bring one willing creature of your size or smaller who is carrying gear up to its carrying capacity. The creature must be within 5 feet of you when you cast this spell. If you would arrive in a place already occupied by an object or a creature, you and any creature traveling with you each take 4d6 force damage, and the spell fails to teleport you.
Fighting Fist: 1 uses/day -0
A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand strikes with 5+d20 damage. It can take two strikes before dissipating. It’s combat will be after yours. Like Mage Hand, it can also move and manipulate objects.
Level 6:
Spell Swindle (Instant): 1 uses/day -0
Break time to capture an opponents spell (that has been directed towards you or cast near you) and duplicate it. Roll a d20 to see if you catch it higher than 11 suceeds. Then roll again, higher than d20 duplicates the spell. Can only seize the spells of mages at or below your level.
Team Rockets: 1 uses/day -0
Everyone in your party is empowered with a burst of magic energy they can lob at an opponent. Each is a d20 roll.
Destination Door: 1 uses/day -0
Create a temporary portal to the Arcane Realms. You can use it to send an object through or an enemy. For instance, if you open the portal underneath them they can fall into it. They make two throw: first their level against your magic: If they’re level 7, the have to roll a 7 or under to succeed. If they fail the can make a dexterity saving throw against the hole, signifying if they jumped out of the way. For this they must roll higher than a five.
Level 7:
Major Illusion: 1 uses/day -0
You gain control
Time Thief: 1 uses/day -0
Steal a creature’s turn and, on a d20 roll of 11 or higher, give it to yourself or one of your compatriots. For low level roll d20 higher than 8 for mid-level higher than 14.
Power Word Kill: 1 uses/day -0
Kill creatures totally up to 60hp. For instance, 5 creatures that are 10 hp each; 1 that is 60hp, etc. Each gets a saving throw, must roll higher than your level +2.
Level 8:
Dazzling Display: 1 uses/day -0
You gain control of every creature in a room who fails against you. This includes your fellow party members. All entities roll a constitution check and must roll higher than 18. Magic users and high level must roll higher than 15. You control everyone for an entire round (10 minutes of game time).
Level 9:
United Front: 1 uses/day -0
Create a rift in timespace that allows your entire party an additional attack instance all at once. This does not take away from anyones turn. Only attacks can be done, no spells.
Level 10:
New Magic: 1 uses/day -0
Create a new spell of your own wizardly design. DM has discretion/may guide or balance. The level it’s slotted at will depend on its potency.
🦅Beastmaster🐊
You animal you.
Passive Skills:
Keen Sense
You have an automatic +4 to all perception checks.
Weaponry:
Tooth and Nail: Your use a brute club serrated with the teeth and claws of beasts.
Dmg: d8+2
Powers:
Level 1:
New Passive: Mouse form. Turn into a mouse at will. No limit. Same HP.
Furious Charge: 1 uses/day -0
Launch into a hasted attack battering against an enemy. Roll a d6 for damage. Does not count as your attack for turn.
Freezer: 1 use/day -0
Roll over 5 on a d20. If you do, target mid or low level creature is frozen out of its next turn. It can roll a strength check d20 over 10 to free itself (counting as its action for turn).
Level 2:
Replace: 1 uses/day -0
Relocate to anywhere you were previously this day.
Shield of Stone (instant): 1 uses/day -0
Summon a shield of stone that aborbs half of any amount. Can cast on self of friend. Can cast in response to an opponents attack.
Bolt: 1 uses/day -0
Send a bolt of crackling electricity to a foe Roll 2d6 of damage.
Level 3:
New Passive: Fish form. Turn into a fish at will. No limit. Same HP.
Panlinguality: 1 use/day, (a use will count as one conversation) -1
Can converse with sentient creatures that speak noncommon. A “use” will be considered one conversation.
Camoflaging: 1 use/day -0
You and your companions become harder to smell, see, and hear. All stealth rolls are +10. Lasts until detected.
New Pet: 1 use/day -0
You tame and gain control of a beast or creature. The creature saves: by rolling over a 10 for low level, or over a 5 for mid-level. Does not work on fully sentient beings.
Level 4:
New Passive: Horse form. Turn into a horse at will. No time limit. Same HP.
Friends in the Fields: 1 use/day -0
Summon d6 of horses (6hp, 3 charging damage) your party can ride. The horses will stick around until you rest. It will take a turn for them to answer the call. They will not enter caves/dungeons.
Wildcall: 1 use/day -0
Place a call to nature for assistance. The species at DM’s discretion but feel free to offer suggestions. Roll a D20 to determine the number of creatures summoned, each will do 1 damage to your target. So, summoning 20 birds who swarm and will deal damage. You can direct the damage to multiple targets as you chose.
Friends in the Water: 1 use/day -0
Summon d6 of dolphins or river otters depending on salt water or fresh (6hp, 3 biting damage) your party can ride.
Lightning Chain: 1 use/day -0
Pick a target, roll d6 of damage. Then pick another target. Roll another d6, if you get 4 or higher you hit the second target and add another d6 of damage to the total you do to each. Repeat this process until you fail to hit the first chance roll.
Level 5:
New Passive: Falcon form. Turn into a bird at will. No time limit. Same HP.
Speciation: 1 use/day -0
Learn any ability you witness a creature, beast, or animal use that you are physically capable of, and you can perform it until end of day. You will have 2 uses of the ability.
Higher Detect Magic: 1 use/day -0
Detect both the presence of and specific location of magic objects in a 30 foot range.
Vortex: 1 use/day -0
If you are near a water source you can draw from it to summon that water to create an impervious cyclone of water. This will shield your group from all physical non-magic assaults. If in combat, initiatives will still happen. This cyclone last 30 seconds, or half a round.
Fireball: 1 use/day -0
Fireball does d6x your level (i.e. level 5 would be 5 d6) damage to a specific 10x10 area. Enemies that save will take half damage.
Level 6:
Seamless Stealth: 1 use/day -0
You and up to one other player are completely undetectable for 3 rounds (3 minutes). No stealth rolls are necessary.
Friends in the Air: 1 use/day -0
Summon d6 of eagles or owls depending on salt water or fresh (6hp, 3 biting damage) your party can ride (2 per). It will take a turn for them to answer the call. They will not enter caves/dungeons or buildings.
Shield of Steel (instant): 1 use/day -0
Summon from the earth and surroundings a wall of barrier that blocks all of one instance damage. Can cast on self of friend. Can cast in response to an opponents attack.
Level 7:
Form of the Beast: For three turns become a 100 hp beast (minus however much damage you’ve already taken, so if you’ve lost 20 your max health, you’ll be 80 HP). You roll 2 d20’s of damage. When you return to normal form, you are restored to full health. Options include: Giant Ape, Giant Falcon, Giant Shark. Or feel free to make suggestions.
🔥Flameborn🔥
Hit points: 20
Passive Skills:
Quarterstaff as Lantern:
Your quarterstaff acts as a torch in dark places, in fact is magical and illuminates +5 feet more than a normal torch. It also does not run out.
Fire Resistance:
Against fire enemies and fire traps a save throw higher than 6 means you take no damage.
Weaponry:
Torch Quarterstaff: it’s magical, ever-on fire and yo it looks fucking dope, you carved it yourself out of a tree’s reminents that burned down in a forest fire.
6 dmg
Powers
Level 1:
Fireblessed: 2 uses/day -2
Enchant weapon, it deals double damage for 3 rounds of combat
Friendly Fire: 1 uses/day -1
Give party member of your choice +2 damage and hits are more than 4 on a d20 until the next day, rather than more than 5.
Level 2:
Fire Cure: 1 uses/day-
If poisoned or made ill, cure yourself of it but you lose 5hp to do so. Works on disease, poisoning.
Fireeater: 1 uses/day-1
Remove all of the light from a medium or small room. A large room will cost both uses. A Vast room cannot be subject to fireeater. Lasts 2 rounds.
Fireballer: 1 uses/day-1
Turn your Staff into a ranged weapon that shoots fireballs. These do +2 damage. Lasts for two combat engagements.
Level 3:
Emberborn Companion: 1 use/day -0
Create a fire familiar (12 hp) of the animal of your choice that hits for 4 or 8 on rolls of 10 or 20. You roll for him.
Enlightenment: 1 use/day
If a party member and extra use of a spell. Can only be given if they have no more uses level. Can only be applied to spells level 5 or less.
Level 4:
Flamelicked: 1 uses/day -0
You attack twice this combat. Roll 2 attack dice instead of 1. Instead of rolling over 5 on a d2 to hit, you only need to roll over 2.
Flamewalker: 1 use/day -0
Eldwryn can pass through a substance that would otherwise kill, poison, or cause disease. The efficacy of this will be at DM’s discretion.
From The Ashes: 1 use/day -0
Burn the corpse of a fallen foe (or friend) to create from its essence a fire elemental that can do 10 damage but has 1hp. It has normal odds of hitting an attack.
Level 5:
Infernality: 1 uses/day -0
Hits are any roll over 1. Lasts 2 rounds.
Firepower: 1 use/day -0
Eldrywyn can add 1 additional to one of their own spells
Level 6:
Kindred Kindle: 1 uses/day -0
Give a fellow PC an additional use of one of their spells.
Level 7:
Firewhip: 1 use/day
Create a whip that can reach ranged targets 30 feet in distance for 12 damage. Hits of 20 and 10 on the dice do 20 damage. 2 rounds of combat. You cannot use the whip and attack, it counts as your attack. Its damage can be enchanced by fire attack enhancements.
Cremation: 3 use/day
Instantly turn a lowlevel NPC into ashes. Level to be determined by DM. Does no harm to characters that are Mid or High level.
Level 8:
Torchbearers: 1 uses/day -0
Double entire teams damage for one round.
Firewall:
Create a Protective Bubble which non low or mid-level attack can penetrate. Any PC or NPC creature that touches the wall takes 8HP. An attack from a higher leveling being will be rolled and will hit 11-20 (as opposed to usual 6-20). Non-melee attacks (bows, spell blasts) from PC’s can pass through as Eldwryn is able to pinpoint control the wall and create specific fast openings in the wall to let them through. Due to harder visibility though these only hit on 11-20. 3 rounds
Level 9:
Form of the Phoenix:
Become the form of fire and turn into a phoenix. You gain ability to fly and shoot fire missiles of 10 damage out of your mouth. You gain 30hp as long as in this form. If returning to normal form would below 5hp, you go to 5 hp. Lasts 4 rounds. While in this form you are unable to communicate with fellow PC’s, even any who can speak to creatures as you are an elemental, not a creature.
Level 10:
The Tempest:
Create from the ground a bath of fire. Anything in it takes 30 damage including any PC’s who happen to be in it. If done in a room it will fill any room in a 50 by 50 area (most rooms) turning them into incinerators. Eldryn is not affected by this damage.
Form of the Dragon
Become the form of fire and turn into a dragon. You gain ability to fly and shoot fire missiles of 40 damage out of your mouth. You gain 80hp as long as in dragon form. If returning to normal form would below 5hp, you go to 5 hp. Lasts 4 rounds. While in this form you are unable to communicate with fellow PC’s, even any who can speak to creatures as you are an elemental, not a creature.
👹Remorphant 👹
Passive Skills:
Baller
Can turn into a ball that others throw 50” feet.
Darkvision
See in the dark up to 50 feet.
Excess Health
You are able to exceed your total HP by any magical means. Note that on a new day you will lose that HP and return to your normal total. Cannot exceed twice your normal HP.
Weaponry:
Boomerazer: Throw’’s a razor sharp boomerang carved out of obsidian, covered in strange symbology
6 dmg
Bite: Chomp.
4 dmg
Powers:
Level 1:
Me First: 1 uses/day -1
In combat Gripper gets first priority if successfully rolls 6 or higher on a D20
Toy Box: 1 uses/day -0
Create a lowlevel foot trap that will snare foe for d6 + d8 damage. This can be used for instance to protect ones inn at night, or however player can conceive.
Level 2:
Scare tactics: 1 uses/day -0
Gripper scares up to 3 low-level opponent so greatly they will flee. Roll a d20 3 times. Each roll over 10 causes one enemy to flee.
Eye Spy 1 uses/day -0
Has 50% chance of seeing invisible things or seeing illusions for what they are. Roll d20 higher than 10.
Level 3:
Speed Freak: 1 uses/day -0
Move so fast that low and mid-level opponents must roll higher than a 12 to hit you. Last 3 rounds.
Hunger Strike: 1 uses/day -0
You gain in life however much damage you distribute. Works with biting only. Lasts 1 round of combat. Can allow you to exceed your normal total.
Charm: 1 uses/day -0
The creature will regard the being who cast the spell as a trusted friend and ally to be heeded and protected. The spell does not enable the druid to control the charmed creature as if it were an automaton, but any word or action of the druid will be viewed in its most favorable way. A charmed creature would not obey a suicide command. To save, low-level has to roll higher than your level+5. Mid-level has to roll
Level 4:
Gripper Ball: 1 uses/day -0
Puff up into a giant Turn into a “bowling ball” of sorts and attempt to knock over up to 4 opponents. They must roll an 11 or higher or fail their attack, move, or use an action for one turn. Does not affect upple middle or high level characters.
Insignificantation: 1 uses/day -0
Shrink to the size of a thumb. Sneak into another room ahead to recon and you will be almost undetectable (unless you’re too obvious or run into a particularly savvy opponent).
Scale Up: 1 uses/day -0
Double the size of yourself, a party member, or enemy creature (they will have a saving through, must roll higher than 2x your lvl). Their melee damage doubles. Lasts 2 turns.
Scale Down: 1 uses/day -0
Shrink to half size yourself, a party member, or enemy creature (they will have a saving through, must roll higher than 2x your lvl). They will do half damage. Lasts 2 turns.
Level 5:
Control Freak: 1 uses/day -0
Climb onto an opponent and latch and bite onto their head. Until it dies has mindslaved that creature and Gripper controls everything its done. Including speech. Especially dumb creatures may not detect gripper allowing you to infiltrate spaces. Needs to roll higher than a 6 for low level. Higher than a 12 for mid-level. You can’t do any other of your powers while under its control.
Indigestion: 1 uses/day -0
Gripper can shrink down and dive down the gullet of a monster then balloon to incredible size, killing the monster. Lowlevel enemy roll over 5. Midlevel over 10. Uppermidlevel over 15 and Highlevel this power won’t function.
Level 6:
Master of Surprises: 1 uses/day -0
Create a high level trap that will snare foe for 2xd20 of damage. This can be used for instance to protect ones inn at night, or however player can conceive. Remember that if you try to do it in combat and an opponent sees it set (which will take 1 turn) it will know it’s there. Remember that like players, enemies can detect traps too.
Level 7:
7500 Gold Per Spell
Here We Go Again: 1 Uses/Day
Give yourself a whole entire second round of combat
Eat Whole: 1 Uses/Day
Devour an entire low or mid-level creature. You gain however much HP they have left, and as usual you are able to go over. Mid level creature will have a saving roll by having to roll more than 2x your level. I.e., higher than 14 if you are 7.
Level 8:
Friends in Low Places: 1 uses/day -0
Roll a d20 5 times. Each time over 10 a gremlin will journey from the underdeep and join your cause. Each time they do damage they do double the next round. They start at 5hp and 5 damage. They return to the depths at the end of combat.
Simplified Dungeons and Dragons
The Goal
The goal is to create a ultra simplified version of Dungeons and Dragons that allows for immediate accessibility.
The Reason
The game is just too toploaded with education. The barrier threshold to entry is just absolutely overwhelming, whether for DMing or PCing. And, to be honest, despite being relatively smart, I couldn’t wrap my head around the systems, even after a lot of playing and tons of reading, I felt like I was nowhere close to understanding the game. I wanted to be able to play without having to find a group and play for a year. Additionally I had been reading tons of old modules and wanted a way to play them. This system has made it absolutely easy. Rather than having to “convert” old modules, I’m able to throw my character right into the fray. Sure there’s minor balancing details here and there but overall nothing has every slowed me down at all as a DM and I say that as someone who again, has had trouble wrapping my head around the game mechanics/rules.
Simplifying the Game Structure:
Scrap the Stats:
Scrapping stats made it so, so much easier to work with. In cases where a character should absolutely been more or less skilled, I assign + or -’s on a specific roll. This can start to seem arbitrary but just ground it in the characters nature, i.e. “Being a brute barbarian you get +2 on this strength check.” It’s that simple. Having the stats may seem like an important thing, but by omitting it it saves an unimaginable amount of time. Furthermore, stats have always been nebulous as rolls are nebulous. This is just being honest about it. We always knew 15-19 was very good, 10-14 decent, etc. This is just being honest that bonuses actually change very little about what result happens, they’re so frequently just rounding in many circumstances. That is, the same result would happen in 29/30 circumstances even without the +2 bonus because of the regional spread of any action’s results.
Gold Buys Spells:
This drives adventure. I kept running into the problem is making gold valuable. Players kept amassing all this treasure... and for what? Sure they could buy a horse or house but… who cares. But when you use the gold as a means of buying new spells. There can be in game logic to this, for instance one approach is placing “Shrines” on the maps the players run into where they make an offering to their deity and in exchange “purchase” or “are bestowed” spells. Note that spells can be purchased multiple times. Loving Magic Missile? Buy 50 of them. But the trade off is you won’t level.
Experience Leveling By Spells Purchasing:
Spells can only be purchased at the level you’re at, and you can only level by purchasing all the spells of a level. So for instance, say at Level 2 your character can purchase the spells Fireball, Haste, and Magic Missile at the cost of 500g.p./per. Once they have bought all 3 they level up and are now Level 3 and in addition to gaining 2hp, can buy Level 3 spells.
Leveling Up Gains HP:
As just mentioned, whenever a character levels they permanently gain 2hp.
Gold Standard:
Just only use gold. If a currency is anything else I just convert it into what I think is a fair gold value. This saves from conversion time and general confusion.
The Dice Have The Answers:
Use dice rolls wherever possible. Anytime you can bring the dice into play, do it.
Two Versions of Dice Rolls:
Success/Fail: You determine what the threshold for success is. In this rules one of your primary tasks is arbiter of fair odds in success/fail rolls. Say the player is making a leap across a chasm. It feels pretty far? They need to roll higher than a d20. It’s a bit far? They have to roll higher than a 5. It’s a foot across, no roll. In this system, this is really your core situation is fair honest and balance success/fail rolls.
Open: This is more of a spectrum of situations without a a definitive yes/no situation. So for instance, something is thrown to a player and you say “roll to see if you catch it.” They roll a 20 it’s a beautiful leaping perfectly acrobatic catch. They a 15, a solid catch right in the breadbasket. They roll a 10 they reach a little but snag it, they roll a 5 they doof it. They roll 1 they make an epic leap for it and faceplant. There’s no rigid hit or miss, just a spectrum of results.
Combat: Simplified
Hits are anything over 5 unless some environmental, spell, or otherwise circumstance is changing the odds. A roll of 20 does 2 extra damage.
Surprise: Roll off between DM and players. If a creature have the chance to surprise and wins the roll
Roll initiative each round. It’s the DM versus PC who had the highest roll the first time.
Rolling 20: gets a critical hit, the playser rolls a D6 to determine extra damage.
Rolling 1: no action this round, it is a failed round for you. This includes monsters.