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Author Topic: Modifying 5e: Swashbuckling Action  (Read 825 times)

Battle Mad Ronin
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Modifying 5e: Swashbuckling Action
« on: August 27, 2015, 09:33:05 AM »
I'm mastering a campaign set in 1600s pseudo-France, and while I enjoy the setting the rules we use have started to bother me somewhat. Therefore I got thinking about how to modify D&D for the csmpaign.

I have had some initial thoughts on backgrounds, classes and the like, wanting to cut down from a huge number of classes to a few 'core' ones.

Before I go off a atangent however, I would love to know if someones has done this before? If anyone has some good inspiration, either your own material or aomething you have seen somewhere, I would appreciate any input.

My own (limited) thoughts so far:
Limit classes to fighter, rogue, ranger, and wizard. The fighter and rogue are pretty self-expalnatory, the ranger can be used to model outdoorsmen and pioneers, or 'savages'. The wizard will be modified to have fewer flashy spells, more focus on summoning, maybe a mix of warlock/wizard.
Priests, bards and everything else can be represented through baclgrounds, like Aramis is both a priest and a musketeer.
(Any input on classes is welcome)

Reduce availability of armor and introduce guns. Dark Albion and LotFP's gun rules should do. Reload is several rounds, they reduce AC by 5 and damage dice can explode, ie. when a maximum is rolled the dice are rolled again and added to damage total.

Social status as an important factor: 'Caliphate Nights', a sadly underdeveloped True20 setting, had a cool rule where being low status gave you penalties to persuade or intimidate higer status people, but a bonus to bluffing them - the fops would not believe you were trying to cheat your betters. The inverse being true for high status people, you are better at intimidating and persuading people below you, but can't bluff as well because you are not as streetwise.

Thanks in advance for any help or thoughts in general!

Eric Diaz

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Modifying 5e: Swashbuckling Action
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2015, 08:56:24 PM »
Sounds like a fun  challenge!

My first thought it that you must avoid making DEX the uber-stat. Unless you want to, of course.

- Rapiers and small blades mean DEX is often used as the "combat" stat. If you use DEX for guns too, it is even worse. There are many solutions to this, but depends on your tastes.
My favorite: STR adds to damage, Combat is a separate stat. Or just add proficiency to attacks, double if proficient in a given weapon.

- No armor means AC = DEX could be a good idea. Want armor? It REDUCES AC, but give you one point of DR per tier (and -2 to AC, -1 if proficient). To do "guns reduce AC", I would just give them good damage.

- Let people do stunts to get advantage. Chandeliers, etc. And they can use their Charisma for that (taunt, trick, etc). I like the idea of giving people extra actions, specailly fighters (since they will probably be hindered by lack of armor, etc) although it messes with the balance of 5e.

- Make bucklers and dual wielding better than twohanders.
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