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Things to Research

===== Dice Systems ===== The default seems obvious, use the d20 Test system as described in the 2024 D&D player's handbook. It is fairly simple and most people are used to it. However, it is very random - swingy is the word a lot of people use. Your ability to do stuff is based more on chance than on chosen skills. Perhaps a system that places more emphasis on skills than luck is worth a look.

D4 Pool

Because of this I have been thinking about using d4s as a sort of pool. You would roll a number of d4s equal to your attribute modifier plus your proficiency bonus (if proficient), and add the results to see if you succeed. That works OK for skills, where not being proficient means you won't have a lot of dice so your chances are a lot lower. This makes your choice of skills to be proficient in more important.

But we could even apply this to singular attack plus damage rolls. Say you are using a longsword or battleaxe (both using a d8 for damage). If you have a strength modifier of +3 and a proficiency bonus of +2, then you would roll 5d4 to see if you meet or beat their armor class. But what if we also added the damage die to the same roll? Then you would roll 5d4+1d8, subtract the AC of the target, and any remainder is the damage done.

Similarly, a spellcaster using Fire Bolt would use their spell attack modifier as the number of d4s to roll, plus the d10 for the damage, totaling 5d4+1d10.

=== Making a miss a hit === For leveled spells that under normal rules have lots of damage (e.g. Guiding Bolt - 4d6) the caster might be allowed to use one of their rolled damage die to make sure they hit, but then that die would not be included in the damage result. In the case of Guiding Bolt, they could add their highest roll, but that would mean their damage would be that much less. If instead they used a low roll die, their chance of hitting would be lower but the damage would be greater.

That might be OK, but also the idea that spellcasters are just more powerful but limited by their spell slots is also a fine idea.

=== Advantage/Disadvantage === Advantage and Disadvantage would be affected by this. We likely wouldn't reroll the entire batch of dice, but maybe we would instead add another d4 and remove the lowest/highest for advantage/disadvantage. This could even stack advantage & disadvantage, where we would add a d4 for each stacking, and remove a number of high and low rolls accordingly.

Example of that last, what if they have advantage twice and disadvantage once? Assuming a standard 1st level character with a +3 modifier and +2 proficiency, they would be rolling 5d4. But with 2xadvantage and 1xdisadvantage they would add 3 more d4s, but remove the two lowest dice and the highest die.

=== Savings Throws === For savings throw based spells, there would be opposed rolls. The spellcaster would roll just like in an attack roll, including the option of using one of the damage die to increase their DC. The targets would need to meet or beat the rolled DC.

This extra die, removed from the damage, would be called a Risk Die. It is not included in the damage done, but it helps make sure that the spell is successful.

=== Zero or Negative? === But what if the calculation for the number of dice totals zero or less? If it is an Action (see below) that the character is attempting, they just can't do it. But if the roll is something called for by the game master, they can always roll at least one D4.

=== Modifying the Action Economy === One thought is that we can get rid of Action/Bonus Action tracking by reducing the D4s used instead. The idea is that your first/primary action on your turn would use a number of D4s as calculated above, but then each subsequent action in the round would use one less D4. When the number of D4s is down to zero, the player can take no more actions.

To clarify, on the beginning of a player's turn, they would set the number of D4s used counter to zero. Each action they take in the round they would add one D4 to the number used counter. They would not be limited to the number of actions taken, including reactions, other than this D4 limit.

Example: A character takes an action using their sword rolling a total of 5 D4s. On their turn they attack, rolling 5D4+1D8 and incrementing the used counter. They then make a second attack where they roll 4D4+1d8 (i.e. 5-used counter D4s + 1d8) and then increment the used counter again. After that they say their turn is over, but on an enemy's turn they get an attack of opportunity (Reaction) so they can then roll 3D4+1d8.

This would also work for when characters get more attacks at higher levels, and it would happen automatically. As characters level up they would be getting more D4s for their rolls depending on the source, so it would naturally allow for more attacks/actions.

Spells or other powerful abilities could be limited to when a character is rolling a minimum number of D4s. When reducing the number of available D4s, this minimum number would be subtracted and the same number would be added to the used counter. An example: Fireball could require a minimum of 6 D4s, but when cast it would reduce the number of D4s available for subsequent actions by 6.

Thinking further on this, spell “levels” could simply be the minimum number of D4s required. Perhaps this could be names something like “Action Points”, “Action Cost”, or the like.

=== Attacks and Info === When a player makes an attack roll, they would simply add up all their dice and state the total. The game master would then subtract the evasion score (or DC) of the target and apply damage. They wouldn't necessarily need to let the players know exactly what thresholds were beaten or how many hit points the target actually took. They would need to describe what happened though, which would give some indication of effectiveness.

=== Etc. === See 3c172 for die results for rolling stats.

===== Damage Systems ===== We might want to use a different system than simple hit points. See watch for some good reasons why.

If we do, some sort of system like they use in Daggerheart or Tales From Elsewhere damage might work.

I'm thinking we still roll for the amount of damage, but use thresholds (like in Daggerheart) to determine if they are strain/stress, serious, or critical. I also like how TFE's resistance and vulnerability work, reducing or increasing the severity class.

This would also affect healing spells, requiring them to be rewritten. Perhaps a cantrip might eliminate one stress/strain, but can't help with serious or critical wounds. Healing Word or Cure Wounds might eliminate one serious or two strains. A second level spell would be required to eliminate critical wounds.

Glass cannons would have fewer slots, while fighters and barbarians might have a bunch.

It might help to have a way to record the effects, like TFE shows in their video, but that might get cumbersome unless there is a known set of conditions that get applied. But then without doing that this system just basically reverts back to a simplified HP attrition.

===== The Attribute Aspect Web ===== The Aspect Web replaces traditional Saving Throws and Skills with 15 Attribute Pairings, each representing a core capability of the character. From “Agility” (STR+DEX) to “Willpower” (WIS+CHA), every challenge in the world can be approached through a thread in this interconnected web.

==== Concentration ==== Replacing Savings Throws means we'd need to use Aspect checks for Concentration. It could remain the same except that an Aspect would be used instead of a Wisdom Savings Throw. But also, we could have different Aspects used depending on the type of feature or spell being concentrated on. ^ Aspect ^ Why It's Relevant ^ | Discipline | Mental endurance and studied will. Ideal for wizards, monks, etc. | | Resilience | Toughness + perception = resisting distraction or fear. | | Willpower | Emotional and spiritual control; holding on against overwhelming effects. |

==== Further research ==== https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSoc2qFrRKE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nltDDXguhpE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqvcgSeYL-k

https://jfacegames.substack.com/p/health-systems-in-tabletop-rpgs-beyond

Further investigation

Daggerheart has a lot of cool ideas.

Look into Spheres of Power and Crown and Skull (already downloaded the player's guide).

Read Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) book

GURPS

Knave 2

Look into Monte Cook’s Cypher System

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_systems_in_games

===== Random Thoughts to Investigate and Integrate ===== Telegraphed actions: The idea is that a player, NPC, or monster can gain advantage by telegraphing their intended action for the next turn. They state it on a turn, but don't actually do it until the next turn. If they perform that action they will get advantage on the D20 Test. If they do something else instead maybe they should have disadvantage?

Maybe this is how you do “called shots”?

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Things to Research

D4 Pool

Further investigation

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Things to Research

D4 Pool

Further investigation

This is an old revision of the document!