Microlite5E - A slim hack of fifth edition that's backwards compatible (Jan 2016: now with 2-page class sheets)

[Sanglorian]

Character Sheets

These character sheets have all the rules for playing as a particular class on the character sheet - including 20 levels of class features!

Here's the barbarian character sheet as two images if you want to check it out quickly without downloading a whole PDF:

Barbarian (page 1)
Barbarian (page 2)

And here's the whole PDFs:

Barbarian to Paladin (PDF)
Ranger to Wizard (PDF)

Let me know what you think!

---

Microlite20 was written by Robin V Stacey in 2006 with the goal of being:

… a trimmed-down, subminiature version of [Dungeons & Dragons third edition] that has been designed to be quick and easy to play. The goal was to create a simpler game, but one where all of the resources of [D&D] (monsters, spells, adventures and equipment) could be used without conversion.​

Microlite5E is my attempt to do the same for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition. It should make character creation very quick and reduce the number of fiddly bits that a player has to keep track of. Characters should be balanced with existing fifth edition characters and be able to complete normal fifth edition adventures.

Read it online (or download it) here.

I've also adapted the monster creation rules, so instead of selecting a provisional challenge rating and then going through the creation process and determining the actual challenge rating, you just choose the challenge rating from the start.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts. I wrote Microlite5E as a reaction to a long character creation process with people who'd mostly never played D&D before, where the meaningful decisions about background, race and character were made very quickly - but time was taken up quibbling over minor bonuses or adding and subtracting small numbers of gold pieces.

 

[Xeviat]

It's a lot to take in. I do like the notion of choosing class first; generally, that's the most important aspect of your character by the rules. I can see more roleplay focused groups thinking about race first, and I understand the reasoning behind presenting it that way, but it's definitely better for the game to present class first.

Additionally, I love how you tied ability scores to class. The simplification of weapons and armor is good, though I don't agree how you made Dex +5 the highest AC in the game. Otherwise, there's a lot to take in here and I'll need to digest it to comment further.

 

[Sanglorian]

Thanks for the feedback, Xeviat. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think when you digest it further.

Having Dex +5 and light armour be the (equal) highest AC in the game is a small departure from the core rules, where characters can buy plate armour for 1,500gp to get an AC of 18, whereas only an AC of 17 is possible with Dex +5 and studded leather.

I'm happy to be convinced that the Player's Handbook way is better - why do you prefer it?

 

[EditorBFG]

Having loved Microlite20, I think this is an awesome project!

Some thoughts:
-A system where dual-wielding is always better is weird to me. No reason to build a fencing/duelist type character?
-Human trait pretty much makes that character not care about Inspiration.
-Flurry of blows is an unattractive option.
-Modules should be called out as optional.
-If you are going to have feats as an option, why not do some simplified ones?
-Reserve points should be a core rule. (Reserve points are from the 3.5e Unearthed Arcana, originally, FYI.)
-In the name of simplicity, I would leave out background features. Skill is enough.
-Inspiration should still involve role-playing in some way, otherwise just leave it out.
-AC issue, above, still feels counter-intuitive. Heavy armor deserves its due. Why not just max out light armor at AC 17 as in the PHB?
-Overall, if you are keeping all class features, this system is not that much simpler than 5E character gen, which is already pretty simple.

Just my 2cp, feel free to discount or ignore any or all of it?

 

[CapnZapp]

First Impression: Your PDF is 13 pages, his was 3.



I'm sure there are good reasons to add stuff, but... Rename your pdf to "complete rules" or something and then shorten the default pdf (the one called "Microlite5E.pdf") to four pages, tops.

Either that or it isn't microlite.

 

[Saeviomagy]

If you're reining in heavy armor for balance, why have you made medium armor plainly inferior?
Why is there a dex based fighter, but no dex based paladin?
Why is a paladin worse with one-handed weapons than a fighter, but just as good with a bow?

 

[meomwt]

I took the monster creation rules from this document for a spin last night. I chucked 4-off CR1 undead wyvern broodlings (undead) plus their undead wyvern mother (CR5) at the party of 4 (all 4th level). The broodlings came out first, Mummy a round or two later.

The fight was quite tough: Mummy had a breath weapon which took the Battlemaster right down, and made the Moon Circle Druid have to shift back to human form. The Cleric's main impact was Spiritual Weapon, but the Assassin was the key player: he was able to Sneak Attack the undead wyvern (hiding behind rubble of a destroyed Lord's manor), using the Sharp-shooter feat to good advantage.

The players loved the fight, it was a challenge and good team-work pulled them through after a rocky start (the broodlings got a couple of Critical Hits!).

All in all, I'd say that the Microlite Monster Generator did a bang-up job and provided a great session's combat.

Thanks for the great tool!

 

[Sanglorian]

Thanks for your feedback, everyone. I must have missed the last alert that there'd been replies, so some of these are responses to comments from a couple of months ago.

I took the monster creation rules from this document for a spin last night. I chucked 4-off CR1 undead wyvern broodlings (undead) plus their undead wyvern mother (CR5) at the party of 4 (all 4th level). The broodlings came out first, Mummy a round or two later.


The fight was quite tough: Mummy had a breath weapon which took the Battlemaster right down, and made the Moon Circle Druid have to shift back to human form. The Cleric's main impact was Spiritual Weapon, but the Assassin was the key player: he was able to Sneak Attack the undead wyvern (hiding behind rubble of a destroyed Lord's manor), using the Sharp-shooter feat to good advantage.


The players loved the fight, it was a challenge and good team-work pulled them through after a rocky start (the broodlings got a couple of Critical Hits!).


All in all, I'd say that the Microlite Monster Generator did a bang-up job and provided a great session's combat.


Thanks for the great tool!

That does sound like a tough fight! Thanks for the feedback, meomwt. Are there things that you'd change about the monster generation rules for next time?

Having loved Microlite20, I think this is an awesome project!


Some thoughts:
(a) A system where dual-wielding is always better is weird to me. No reason to build a fencing/duelist type character?
(b) Human trait pretty much makes that character not care about Inspiration.
(c) Flurry of blows is an unattractive option.
(d) Modules should be called out as optional.
(e) If you are going to have feats as an option, why not do some simplified ones?
(f) Reserve points should be a core rule. (Reserve points are from the 3.5e Unearthed Arcana, originally, FYI.)
(g) In the name of simplicity, I would leave out background features. Skill is enough.
(h) Inspiration should still involve role-playing in some way, otherwise just leave it out.
(i) AC issue, above, still feels counter-intuitive. Heavy armor deserves its due. Why not just max out light armor at AC 17 as in the PHB?
(j) Overall, if you are keeping all class features, this system is not that much simpler than 5E character gen, which is already pretty simple.


Just my 2cp, feel free to discount or ignore any or all of it?

Thanks EditorBFG.

(a) I've chosen the damage based on what would be available to a full 5E character - and so the einhander approach is strictly worse than dual-wielding/double-handed weapon. However, a feat that rewards fighting one-handed sounds like a good feat - I'll see what I can come up with.

(b) Hmm, this would be an interesting hypothesis to playtest. The feature is similar to the Lucky feat, so we could see if having the Lucky feat affects how a player sees Inspiration.

(c) Flurry of blows is usually an unattractive option, but it is useful where a monster has low hit points - either because they've been beaten down or because they're naturally weak. In those cases, flurry of blows potentially lets you strike down two enemies instead of one.

(d) Good idea - in future versions I'll change the title to "Optional Modules".

(e) Also a good idea. I'll see what I can come up with.

(f) and (g) I'm reluctant to change the rules to be very different from regular 5e ... but I do find reserve points very elegant. Hmm, another one for me to think about.

(h) In the next version, I'll add a way of getting Inspiration through role-playing - but I'll also keep the encounter-based Inspiration method (it's based on milestones in 4E).

(i) Light armour does max out at 17 (+2 for a shield, as in the PHB). However, I think people are right that heavy armour should match plate armour in the PHB - in the next version I'll change it to AC 18.

(j) A key motivation for Microlite5E is to remove trap choices, meaningless distinctions and pissant bonuses, while keeping substantial and meaningful choices. Ideally, Microlite5E characters will be almost as robust as 5E characters, but with many fewer decision points for character creation and with fewer moving parts.

The inspiration for Microlite5E was watching new players struggle with character creation. Experienced players can blaze through 5E character generation, but newbies will stumble.

Thanks for the detailed thoughts!

First Impression: Your PDF is 13 pages, his was 3.


I'm sure there are good reasons to add stuff, but... Rename your pdf to "complete rules" or something and then shorten the default pdf (the one called "Microlite5E.pdf") to four pages, tops.


Either that or it isn't microlite.

Hi CapnZapp. I've never thought of microlite as being defined by the number of pages. I think of it as the game experience as a whole. I've tried to put in clear language and a number of examples, which might increase the page count but will - hopefully! - make playing the game simpler.

If you're reining in heavy armor for balance, why have you made medium armor plainly inferior?
Why is there a dex based fighter, but no dex based paladin?
Why is a paladin worse with one-handed weapons than a fighter, but just as good with a bow?

Hi Saeviomagy, I haven't made medium armour plainly inferior to heavy armour. It's superior for anyone with a STR below +2, or for people who don't want disadvantage on Stealth rolls. That's how it is in 5E as well - I've gone with 5E values for all armours (I based heavy armour on the second-most expensive armour, splint, whereas medium and light armour are based on the most expensive armour in the category - but I think I will revise that).

The primary abilities are based on 5E's primary abilities. STR and DEX are listed as primary abilities for fighters, but STR and CHA are listed for paladins. However, there's a module called Ability Score Flexibility that allows you to mix it up: a DEX-based paladin is perfectly appropriate.

From memory I gave the fighter a bit of a melee boost to account for it being so focused on fighting. It shouldn't be a problem to boost the paladin's one-handed damage up, however.

Thanks all for the responses.

 

[CapnZapp]

Hi CapnZapp. I've never thought of microlite as being defined by the number of pages.

Hello

What I meant was I sincerely believe you would be better served with another name for a 13-page project, and leave "microlite" for those efforts that duplicate the original's incredible brevity.

Thank you

 

[Sanglorian]

Hi folks,

I've put together character sheets for Microlite5E as a proof of concept. They're not pretty, but I think they're functional.

Each class is 2 pages, or 3 pages if it casts spells, including 20 levels of class features.

As per Microlite5e, the class features are (basically) unchanged from regular 5E, but the maths is simplified, standardised and laid out for you.

I reckon you could create a character in a couple of minutes and be confident that you had followed the rules correctly, which would be good support for a "first-level funnel" where not everyone makes it out of the dungeon - or for a story-focused game where you all create your characters together instead of doing it separately before the game.

Here's the barbarian character sheet as two images if you want to check it out quickly without downloading a whole PDF:

Barbarian (page 1)
Barbarian (page 2)

And here's the whole PDFs:

Barbarian to Paladin (PDF)
Ranger to Wizard (PDF)

Let me know what you think!