Forumites,
I'm desperate to try a specific rule set for a Dark Sun game, but am challenged to recruit enough players on discord. This is the rule set I want to use: Kryxrpg. This is basically a revision of 5e that combines elements of PF1e, 4e, Tome of Battle, and Spheres of Power. All the classes are designed like 4e/Spheres with domains of ability like dark energy and 'talents' you buy from those domains, along with some kind of resource pool to fire off, charge, and maximize the Warlock 'blasts'.
These would be the build rules:
*You should start by following the process outlined: here.
*Start at 5th level.
*For ability scores, use the option for rolling, and you can roll 6 sets or, if you're dissatisfied with any of those, use one of the other two options (array or pt. buy). This system reduces ability scores to just the modifier.
*Pick races appropriate to Athas (i.e, gnomes don't exist, so you can't be that).
*My additional modifications are going to be things on top of this -- you'll get some points to add to subskills within each skill - but that's a separate subsystem that sits on top of the skill system and doesn't change what you need to do as the first step to make a character.
*You can pick an additional subclass from any 5e source to customize your character and account for some build concepts. Pick something that's not hard to integrate with this rule set, I'm not interested in agonizing about conversions.
*I'm throwing out the entire critical hits system for combat. I'm replacing it with the critical hits system from Rolemaster Classic. Don't make builds based around some concept of using the DnD crits system, it's not going to function once I've added the Rolemaster material. Any feat or other ability that conflicts with it is getting thrown out. In these rules, you make a critical hit 16-20 and roll on a bunch of tables depending on what armor type and weapon are interacting. Its all totally random. Any of the other rules about criticals are being overwritten to accommodate this material.
*I'm going to have a simultaneous combat round system. Don't make builds that focus on getting initiative to win rocket tag and control combat by killing the monsters before they even get a chance to act. That's going to be an irrelevant model for this game. I'm going to throw out all feats or abilities that conflict with the simultaneous combat round system.
These are the subskills:
In the core rules, a character is either proficient or not proficient in a skill category like Alchemy, Athletics, Brawn, etc. The core system does not allow a player to expand and become good in skills like Pick Locks or Tracking. This skill system makes it possible to specialize in subskills from level 1, but still retain the simplicity of the original system.
When choosing a class, a player can choose a certain number of proficient skills. Choose these as normal. At level 1 you are now Proficient in the skills you choose as per the default rules.
Skill Progression
Proficient (stat bonus + proficiency)
Rank 1 (stat bonus + proficiency) +1
Rank 2 (stat bonus + proficiency) +2
Rank 3 (stat bonus + proficiency) +3
Rank 4 (stat bonus + proficiency) +4
Rank 5 (stat bonus + proficiency) +5
Gaining subskill points
At level every you will receive 2 subskill points. These subskills points can be used to further create and rank up subskills within the default skill categories. Subskill points cannot be spent on the categories themselves. The maximum rank in a subskill is the character’s level.
Each subskill point you spend on a proficient subskill gets you 1 rank in that subskill. Each subskill point you spend on a non proficient subskill gets your character ½ rank in that subskill. (Half ranks do not improve your skill check, but two ½ ranks make 1 rank.) You can’t save subskill points to spend later.
Becoming an expert
You can choose to spend one Ability Score Improvement to become an expert in a subskill. This doubles the effect of the skill ranks for that skill (+2 instead of +1, +4 instead of +2, etc.). You must be proficient in the category and rank 1 in the skill before specializing. You can only become expert once in a skill.
Combat skills
Weapons (str)
• Attack (Axe)
• Attack (Bows)
• Attack (Brawling)
• Attack (Clubs)
• Attack (Crossbows)
• Attack (Darts)
• Attack (Hammers)
• Attack (Knives)
• Attack (Picks)
• Attack (Slings)
• Attack (Spears)
• Attack (Swords)
• Use a maneuver
General skills
Alchemy (int)
• Recall knowledge (alchemical symbols)
• Recall knowledge (alchemical theories)
• Recall knowledge (alchemical reactions)
• Recall knowledge (concoctions)
• Recall knowledge (alchemical items)
• Create a concoction
• Identify a concoction (capable, secret)
• Craft alchemical item, poison, or antivenom (capable)
• Identify a herb, poison, or potion (secret)
Athletics (str)
• Boost (capable, psi or stamina dice)
• Climb
• Jump
• Distance jumping
• Run
• Distance running
• Swim
Brawn (str)
• Boost (capable, psi or stamina dice)
• Break free
• Forcibly open a door
• Grapple
• Hang on
• Hold back
• Overrun (capable)
• Push through
• Shove
• Trip
• Lifting
• Throwing
Engineering (int)
• Recall knowledge (structural engineering)
• Recall knowledge (mechanical engineering)
• Recall knowledge (electrical engineering)
• Craft (capable)
• Identify a technological item (capable)
• Repair (capable)
• Sabotage
• Architecture
• Chemistry
• Explosives
• Gadgetry
• Mathematics
• Mechanical traps
• Siegecraft
Lore (int)
• Recall knowledge (lore of an ancient civilization (arts, empires, genealogy, legends, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, historical events, disputes, and major wars))
• Recall knowledge (civilization of a region such as a country or city-state (inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, historical events, disputes, recent wars, etiquette, linguistics, regional goods, streetwise, courtly manners, trade))
• Recall knowledge (creature (choose 2 specific creatures [angels, vampires, lycanthropes, etc.] or a creature type such as aberrations, animals, celestials, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends [choose demons, devils, or other fiends], giants, humanoids [choose 2 species], monstrosities, oozes, plants, undead, etc.))
• Recall knowledge (deity (one specific deity))
• Recall knowledge (legends (legends, legendary people, and famous personalities of a region such as a country or city-state))
• Recall knowledge (planar (a specific plane other than the Material Plane, or the plane in which the game is set if not the Material Plane))
• Recall knowledge (faction (one faction))
• Recall knowledge (genealogy)
• Recall knowledge (guild (one guild))
• Recall knowledge (heraldry)
• Recall knowledge (lore of a type of food or drink (Alcohol, Baking, Butchering, Cooking, Tea, etc.))
• Recall knowledge (lore of a specific profession (Accounting, Architecture, Art, Circus, Farming, Fishing, Fortune-telling, Gladiators, Herbalism, Hunting, Legal, Library, Mercantile, Midwifery, Milling, Mining, Sailing, Scouting, Scribing, Stabling, Tanning, Theater, etc.))
• Recall knowledge (warfare)
• Recall knowledge (alignment)
• Recall knowledge (cults)
• Recall knowledge (secret cults)
• Recall knowledge (holy symbols)
• Recall knowledge (morality)
• Recall knowledge (prophecy)
• Recall knowledge (Spell lore)
• Recall knowledge (Magic item lore)
• Recall knowledge (Eldritch symbols)
• Recall knowledge (Runes)
• Recall knowledge (Heraldry)
• Recall knowledge (Artifact lore)
• Recall knowledge (Religious hierarchies)
• Recall knowledge (Prayers)
Medicine (wis)
• Recall knowledge (diseases)
• Recall knowledge (poisons)
• Recall knowledge (wounds)
• Recall knowledge (forensics)
• Diagnose illness (capable, secret)
• Diagnose poison (capable, secret)
• Stabilize
• Staunch bleeding (capable)
• Treat disease (capable)
• Treat poison (capable)
• Treat wounds (capable)
• Animals
• Autopsy
• Diseases
• Herbalism
• Poisons
Nimbleness (dex)
• Boost (capable, psi or stamina dice)
• Balance
• Escape
• Grab edge (capable)
• Smother flame
• Soften fall (capable)
• Squeeze
• Tumble (capable)
• Vehicles
• Swinging
• Tightrope walking
• Contortions
• Diving
• Rappeling
• Juggling
Perception (wis)
• Notice creatures or details
• Search (secret)
• Detect traps
• Detect poison
• Farsight
• Invisible objects
• Listening
• Scent
• Locate hidden
• Surveillance
• Observation
Sleight of hand (dex)
• Boost (capable, psi or stamina dice)
• Arm a trap or device
• Create a forgery (capable, secret)
• Disable a trap or device
• Open a lock
• Pilfer or plant an object
• Secure a prisoner
• Smother flame
• Distraction
• Pickpocketing
• Legerdemain
• Trickery
Stealth (dex)
• Boost (capable, psi or stamina dice)
• Avoid notice (secret)
• Conceal an object (secret)
• Anonymity
• Camouflage
• Casing
• Sneak
• Disguise
Streetwise (cha)
• Gather information (secret)
• Locate a fence
• Track and hunt
Wilderness (wis)
• Recall knowledge (fauna)
• Recall knowledge (flora)
• Recall knowledge (geography)
• Recall knowledge (weather)
• Recall knowledge (environment)
• Determine cardinal direction (secret)
• Estimate the time of day or season of the year (secret)
• Avoid natural hazards
• Handle animal (calming)
• Handle animal (driving)
• Handle animal (farming)
• Handle animal (riding)
• Handle animal (training)
• Identify a plant or herb (secret)
• Predict the water (secret)
• Forage for food and water
• Track and hunt
• Astronomy
• Beast lore
• Farming
• Fey
• Plant lore
• Weather
• Dungeoneering
• Wayfinding
• Caving
• Survival (desert, jungle/arctic)
• Traps
Magic skills
Arcana (int)
• Recall knowledge (arcane symbols)
• Recall knowledge (arcane theories)
• Recall knowledge (magical traditions)
• Recall knowledge (arcane spells)
• Recall knowledge (magic items)
• Recall knowledge (planes of existence and the inhabitants of those planes)
• Cast an Arcane spell (capable)
• Identify an arcane magic item (capable)
• Identify an arcane spell (capable, secret)
• Disable magical trap (capable)
Divinity (wis)
• Recall knowledge (divine symbols)
• Recall knowledge (deities)
• Recall knowledge (rites and prayers)
• Recall knowledge (religious hierarchies)
• Recall knowledge (divine spells)
• Recall knowledge (divine magic items)
• Recall knowledge (the practices of secret cults)
• Cast a Divine spell (capable)
• Identify a divine magic item (capable)
• Identify a divine spell (capable, secret)
Occult (int)
• Recall knowledge (ancient philosophies)
• Recall knowledge (esoteric lore)
• Recall knowledge (obscure mysticism)
• Recall knowledge (eldritch symbols)
• Recall knowledge (cursed items)
• Cast an Occult spell (capable)
• Identify an occult magic item (capable)
• Identify an occult spell (capable, secret)
Primal (wis)
• Recall knowledge (ancient symbols)
• Recall knowledge (primal spells)
• Recall knowledge (primal magic items)
• Cast a Primal spell (capable)
• Identify a primal magic item (capable)
• Identify a primal spell (capable, secret)
Psionics (wis)
• Recall knowledge (psychic symbols)
• Recall knowledge (ancient mysteries)
• Recall knowledge (psionic traditions)
• Recall knowledge (psionic spells)
• Recall knowledge (psionic magic items)
• Cast a Psionic spell (capable)
• Identify a psionic magic item (capable)
• Identify a psionic spell (capable, secret)
Social skills
Deception (cha)
• Diversion
• Impersonate (capable, secret)
• Lie
• Boasting
• Ciphers
• Concealing emotions
• Mimicry
• Duping
• Cheating
• Gambling
Insight (wis)
• Discern intent (secret)
• Intuition
• Detecting lies
• Reading emotions
• Sensing motives
• Appraisal
• Deciphering
• Forensics
• Research
• Trapfinding
• Direction sense
• Sense motive
Intimidation (cha)
• Coerce
• Interrogate (secret)
• Authority
• Ferocity
• Interrogation
• Subtle threats
• Weapon displays
• Threaten with violence
• Subdue
Linguistics (int)
• Understand the gist (capable, secret)
• Communicate in a language (proficient)
Persuasion (cha)
• Acting
• Composing
• Dancing
• Fine art
• Singing
• Speaking
• Writing
• Bribery
• Flattery
• Leadership
• Negotiation
• Peacemaking
• Tale telling
• Diplomacy
• Etiquette
• Inspire people
• Haggling