Microlite d20

[JSpektr]

I just found out about MicroLite d20. I think I may be in love.

It's an extremely stripped down free version of 3xe D&D. The core rules are 2 pages long. But it covers most of the core of what D&D is, and it is very compatible with existing 3xe material. In other words, you can use it to run regular 3xe modules.

My impression is that it hits that sweet spot of a simple game like the original red boxed set, while still using familiar 3e ideas and rules.

It also has some nice tweaks to the central D&D rules. Wizards and Clerics don't memorize spells. Instead spells cost 1+levelx2 hitpoints. Cast too many and you kill yourself. Everyone gets 1d6 hp per level, so it's not so bad for the Wizard, though the Cleric will have to be careful.

There are a few places were it feels like they could have added just a little more crunch, but overall I'm really impressed with how they've covered so much with so little.

Add in Aspects from Spirit of the Century, and it could be the perfect light fantasy game...

I'm already mentally putting together a Microlite 4e.

[grey.spiral]

I just discovered this last night, but I am already frothing at the mouth. It honestly does everything that I would want out of D&D. I want to actually try out a campaign before I slug off my 3.x/C&C stuff, but just how enthused I was from reading the few couple pages I saw made me really impressed.

[JSpektr]

Don't miss the "Expert Rules", they add in most of the missing classes and some options that make it match a little better with 3e game balance. I especially like the Heroism rule.

There are a bunch of extras and fan submissions worth looking at too.

[JSpektr]

Here's a quick stab at some 4e Microlite conversions, based on what we already know:

Stats and races stay the same.

Classes mostly stay the same.

Fighters: add Defense abilty: they may mark an opponent, that opponent has -1 to rolls to hit anyone else. This increase by 1 at 5th level and every 5 levels after.

Once per encounter Fighters may add their level to one attack roll and the damage if it hits. Once per day they may add twice their level. (this simulates attack abilities)

Rogues: Sneak attack also activates when enemies are flanked, disabled, attacked from behind or otherwise disadvantaged.

Once per encounter Rogues may add their level to one attack roll and the damage if it hits. Once per day they may add twice their level. (this simulates attack abilities)

Magi, Clerics: stay the same

Saves: effects that would require saves now require an attack roll against the target's level plus an appropriate stat bonus (ie: fireball targets level plus Dex bonus). Humans get +1 to all effects.

Magic: any caster using an implement pays 1hp less for each spell cast.

The caster's signature spells cost spell level -1 in hit points. (note that in microlite all spells are already at will, and don't require memorization).

Advancement:

Each level adds 5 hitpoints, instead of a 1d6 roll. 1st level characters start with 20 hit points.

The spell list would require some work, along with rituals and the like.

Anyone want to try statting up Microlite Dragonborn, Teiflings, Warlords or Warlocks?

[Nomad4life]

Microlight20 is quite simply the best thing that ever happened to D&D- It's all the awesome minus all the suck. (I am, of course, a rabid fanboy.)

We've played through all of the downloadable adventures from the homepage at least once or twice, and we've played through a few 3.X modules as well without any trouble… Scratch that. We played through them with far less trouble than we ever did with 3.X!

I really can't dance & sing about M20 enough, so I'll shut up before I become aggravating.

But damn. It just really is that awesome. It feels like the "first time" all over again, which I honestly thought was an impossible goal until recently.

[smathis]

Originally Posted by JSpektr

Here's a quick stab at some 4e Microlite conversions, based on what we already know...

Thanks, JSpektr. Those look great.

A couple of questions though...

Originally Posted by JSpektr

Saves: effects that would require saves now require an attack roll against the target's level plus an appropriate stat bonus (ie: fireball targets level plus Dex bonus). Humans get +1 to all effects.

Is level plus stat bonus too low for Saves? That would put first level characters in the 2-5 range.

Originally Posted by JSpektr

Each level adds 5 hitpoints, instead of a 1d6 roll. 1st level characters start with 20 hit points.

1st level characters starting with 20 hit points? How would that affect spellcasting? Do you think the hit point changes will give the spellcasters way too much firepower?

What about the Races and Classes in the Expert edition? Will those work as is or do you think they need some adjustments?

Last question...

What's your take on the Skill Challenges rules in 4e?

P.S. Microlite20 looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[JSpektr]

Originally Posted by smathis

Thanks, JSpektr. Those look great.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by smathis

Is level plus stat bonus too low for Saves? That would put first level characters in the 2-5 range.

I would think so too, but combat works the same, it's level+stat bonus, so even an 18 STR Fighter has an attack roll of 6 at first level. I kept saves the same to balance things, you wouldn't want magic to be way better than regular attacks.

Originally Posted by smathis

1st level characters starting with 20 hit points? How would that affect spellcasting? Do you think the hit point changes will give the spellcasters way too much firepower?

Well, the intent *is* to mimic 4e. I figure for spellcasters it would help simulate their at will and per encounter spells. More hitpoints means they can cast a lot more spells, just like in 4e.

There probably need to be ritual rules, and a separate spell list for rituals, vs. combat spells. But we don't know for sure how rituals work yet.

Originally Posted by smathis

What about the Races and Classes in the Expert edition? Will those work as is or do you think they need some adjustments?

They'll probably need tweaking, but we don't know anything about the 4e Barbarian, Bard, Druid, etc. yet, so it would be guesswork.

Originally Posted by smathis

Last question...

What's your take on the Skill Challenges rules in 4e?

Kind of interesting. They could probably be ported over mostly intact, though it might not make sense with the very limited skill system.

Originally Posted by smathis

P.S. Microlite20 looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Happy to help! I love it to bits, it's gotten me way more excited than 4e has. I'm already building mods on top of it to flesh out some areas I think are too simple. Right now I'm working on secondary skills (just two for each stat) and a very simple Feat system.

I am so running Microlite soon, once we get our next release into gold at work.

[Drohem]

Originally Posted by Nomad4life

Microlight20 is quite simply the best thing that ever happened to D&D- It's all the awesome minus all the suck. (I am, of course, a rabid fanboy.)

We've played through all of the downloadable adventures from the homepage at least once or twice, and we've played through a few 3.X modules as well without any trouble… Scratch that. We played through them with far less trouble than we ever did with 3.X!

I really can't dance & sing about M20 enough, so I'll shut up before I become aggravating.

But damn. It just really is that awesome. It feels like the "first time" all over again, which I honestly thought was an impossible goal until recently.

I discovered it with your link in the fanboy thread. This is so simple and awsome. Thanks for the links and spreading good information!

[JSpektr]

Here's a more detailed attempt at "Microlite d20 4e":



Classes

The classes are Fighter, Rogue, Mage, and Cleric. Characters begin at level 1.

Fighters wear any kind of armor and use shields. They have a +3 bonus to the Physical skill, and +1 to all attack and damage rolls. Their attack and damage bonus increases by +1 at 5th level, and every 5 levels after.

A Fighter can mark an opponent they are in combat with. That opponent gets -1 to their attack rolls against anyone except that Fighter until they or the Fighter are no longer fighting. The penalty increases by 1 at 5th level, and by another 1 every 5 levels after.

Once per encounter Fighters may add their level to one attack roll, and the damage from that roll if it hits. Once per day they may add twice their level.

Rogues can use light armor. They have a +3 bonus on Thieving. If they have Combat Advantage they can add their level to their damage when they attack with a light melee weapon. A Rogue automatically gains Combat Advantage if they successfully roll Subterfuge.

Once per encounter Rogues may add their level to one attack roll, and the damage from that roll if it hits. Once per day they may add twice their level.

Skills

There are 5 Skills: Physical, Thieving, Knowledge, Communication and Survival. All characters start with all skills at 1, plus any bonus from their race or class.

Heroism

Once per encounter, each character may add a bonus equal to their level to one of the following rolls:

Attack, Damage, Magic, Skill, Saving Throw


Hit Points

1st level characters start with 20 hit points plus their STR bonus.

Each level a character gains 5 more hit points.

Healing Surge: Once per encounter, all characters can recover 5 + STR bonus + Level hit points.

After a 6 hour rest, all characters regain all hitpoints.

A character with less than 0 hitpoints is Unconscious. If their wounds are not bound, they lose 1 more hp each turn. If they lose 3 hitpoints this way, they die. A character with negative hitpoints equal to half their normal hitpoints is dead.


Combat

Roll d20 + DEX bonus for initiative order. Each character can move 10 feet, and attack or cast a spell each turn.

Melee: STR bonus + Level
Ranged: DEX bonus + Level
Magic: MIND bonus + Level

If your roll plus bonus is higher than the target's AC (10+Armor+Dex), you hit. If using magic you must beat the target's level+the appropriate bonus (DEX for rays or bolts, MIND for illusions, charms, or mental effects, STR for alterations like flesh to stone). A natural 20 automatically does maximum damage and hits regardless of the opponent's defenses.

Fighters and Rogues using a light weapon can use their DEX bonus instead of STR when attacking. They can also wield 2 light weapons and attack twice in a round (at the same time in combat order), but with a -2 to all attack rolls that round. If only one attack is made, the second weapon can be used to parry, granting +1 AC. Rapiers count as a light weapon, but two rapiers cannot be used at the same time.

A character has Combat Advantage if their target is incapacitated, confused, blinded, unable to see them, or the character is behind them. That character gets +2 to hit that target.

Add STR bonus to melee weapon damage, x2 STR bonus for two-handed weapons. Add DEX bonus to ranged damage.

Armor Class is 10 plus DEX bonus, plus Armor bonus. Shields or cover add 2 to AC.

Saving Throws

If you are affected by a Condition, you get -2 to all rolls for each Condition. Roll d20 at the end of your turn, if you get 11 or more, you are no longer affected by any Condition (including Unconscious).

Magic

Wizards can cast any Arcane spell and Clerics can cast any Divine spell equal to 1/2 their level, rounded down. They do not memorize or know spells.

Casting a spell drains the caster of Hit Points equal to 1 + double the level of the spell being cast.

This hp drain can only be healed after a 6 hour rest.

If the caster uses an implement to cast a spell they pay 1hp less.

For each spell level the caster has access to, they may pick one spell as a Signature Spell. Signature Spells drain hps equal to their level when cast (cantrips are free, 1st level cost 1hp, etc.).


Everything else, like advancement and equipment, stays the same.

[Akrasia]

Looks very interesting.

Question: how well does Microlite d20 stand up for long-term play? That is, could one run a 1+ year campaign with Microlite d20?

Thanks!