Kid-Friendly 5e

[Yakk]

I have been thinking about a kid friendly 5e inspired D&D.

1. 3 levels. Corresponding very roughly to level 2, 4 and 6 in 5e (very, very roughly).

2. A check is d20+level vs 10 by default. Tweaked, but often with dice.

3. You always add your level to damage. If your weapon does 1d6 damage, you add your level. Ditto for spells.

4. One kind of rest, the long rest. So abilities are per-day.

5. No multiclassing. Armor is just light/medium/heavy, but AC is class based. Weapons are just one handed, two handed, bows or crossbows, thrown. Weapon damage is class based. Ranged and thrown is always 1d4.

6. Checks are Attacks, Saves and Skill. Skill is loosy goosey.

Class sketch:

Fire Mage
AC: 10+Level
HP: 5+1d6 per level
Combat Training: Daggers and Staffs, 1d4 damage
Booklearning: +1d8 knowedge skills and saves vs spells

Bonfire Spell: Create a 5' cube bonfire. Creatures within 5' must make a save or take 1d12 damage. Lasts until you use it again.

Special Abilities by level:
1. Flame Whip Spell (does 2d6+2d6 per level, minus 1d6 per use)
2. Shield of Fire Spell (immine fire/cold, half other, deals damage back)
3. Fireball Spell (8d6)

Fighters get d8/2d6 weapon damage, 14+L AC, d10 HD.
Cleave: If you hit, attack a different target (once per turn)
Second Wind: Regain all HP. Get +1d6 to all checks next turn.
Action Surge: Two actions!
Extra Attack: Attack an extra time

Paladins get d6/1d10 weapon damage, 13 base AC, d10 HD
Holy Sword: +1d8 damage on melee
Lay On Hands: Touched creature fully heals. You heal the same amount.
Smite: +5d8 damage on a hit
Aegis: +1d6 on saves for you and allies

Rogues get d4 weapon damage, 11 base AC, d8 HD
Sneak Attack: +2d6 per level conditional damage
Vanish: Go invisible for 1 round, at-will (no chaining)
Expertise: +1d4 on all checks and damage rolls, always.
Cunning: Each turn roll 1d20. Can swap it with any roll once per turn

Rangers get d6 one handed weapons, 12 base AC, d10 HD
Twin Strike: Attack a target twice (two weapon or ranged)
Beast Companion: Spirit. Approx 5*L HP/12+L AC/d6 damage, summon ally (wolf, bear, raven) 1/day, lasts all day. Each creature is different.
Hunter's Mark: +1d6 damage for you and beast, and you always knows where target is. Refresh when foe defeated.
Whirlwind Attack: 20' radius attack everything 1/day

Druids get d4 weapons, 11 base AC, d8 HD
Thorn Whip Spell: Restrain target
Beast Shape: Become a Bear/Wolf/Raven. Similar to Ranger companion.
Goodberry: Eat to heal/cure
Call Lightning Spell: Create a storm or harnesss, call down lightning strikes

Barbarians get d8/d12 weapon damage, 12 base AC naked, d12 HD
Might: +1d4 melee weapon attacks and damage. Also saves and strength/toughness skills (increases to d6/d8 at L 2 and 3)
Rage: Requires half max HP or less. Heal to full, take double damage but deal double damage.
Totem: Bear, Wolf or Raven. Gains features 1/day
Hurl: Throw something really hard. Optionally follow it.

Ice Mage
Cleric
Bard
Monk
Stone Mage
Warlock


Everything is an action or not. Everything is at will or once per day.

A goal is that everything is simplified.

Also, I tried to be psychological. LoH healing the paladin for the same amount is tactically interesting, and rewards the player for helping the ally who is worst off.

Definitely needs a balance pass. I figure a 10 round day based damage budgeting.

[Biggus]

What kind of age are you aiming for? I was under the impression quite a lot of kids already play 5e, so I guess you're thinking fairly young?

[sktarq]

try looking up Pugmire
It is very much aimed at children. And I have played with 8-9 year olds, so will confirm it checks out.
It is a mildly variant 5e so should give you a pretty good frame of reference.

[Yakk]

Damage budget over 10 rounds attempt. I'll use the Fighter and Rogue as my baseline.

HD can be rolled out of combat to heal.

Classes are assume to be wearing the heaviest armor they are allowed to. Heavy is +3, Medium +2, Light is +1. If you wear lighter armor, your AC is lowered by the difference. Shields add +2 AC, and are not included.

Some classes get extra AC on top of armor.

Fighter
AC:: 14+Level (heavy armor) (+2 with shield)
HP:: 5 + 10 per Level
HD:: 1d10 per Level
Combat Training: Heavy Armor, Shields, melee weapons deal 1d8 damage (2d6 if two handed). Can use all weapons.

Cleave: Once per turn, get an extra attack if you hit. You can't attack the same creature with a Cleave.

Level 1:
Second Wind: One per day you can regain all of your HP. You and your allies all gain +1d6 to all Checks until the end of your next turn.

Level 2:
Action Surge: Once per day at the end of your turn, you can take another turn.

Level 3:
Extra Attack: You can attack twice on your turn.

I'll assume we second wind at 1/3 max HP, and we get a chance to spend HD. We get 10 rounds of combat. Also using a 1 handed weapon and shield (16+level AC).

Level 1:
30.5 HP
5.5 damage per hit, 50% of hits get a cleave, 1 round is second wind - 74.25 damage per day.
Level 2:
52.7 HP
6.5 damage per hit, 50% of hits get a cleave, 1 action surge and 1 second wind - 97.5 damage per day
Level 3:
74.8 HP
7.5x2 damage per hit, 50% of hits get a cleave, 1 action surge and 1 second wind - 225 damage per day

Rogue
AC:: 12+Level (light armor)
HP:: 5 + 8 per Level
HD:: 1d8 per Level
Combat Training: Light Armor, weapons deal 1d4.

Sneaky Attack: Your waepon attacks deal 1d6 extra damage per level. If you have an ally next to the target, or they can't see you when you attack, instead deal an extra 2d6 extra damage per level.

Level 1:
Vanish: As an action you can go invisible until the end of your next turn. You become visible after you attack. You cannot use Vanish while invisible. You can do this once per day without using an action.

Level 2:
Expertise: You gain a +1d4 bonus to all Checks and Damage rolls. In addition, when attacked you can boost your AC by 1d4 against the attack.

Level 3:
Cunning: At the start of your turn, roll 1d20. Once per turn you can swap it for any d20 you can see the result of.

Level 1:
17.5 HP
Assume 75% of the time you get 2d6 damage bonus.
9.6 damage per hit, 96 damage per day

Level 2:
30 HP
19.25 damage per hit, 192.5 damage per day

Level 3:
42.5 HP
26.4 damage per hit, 264 damage per day

This doesn't account for +1d4 to hit, or Cunning (which is crazy powerful).

Fire Mage
AC: 10+Level
HP: 5 + 6 per Level
HD: 1d6 (per Level)
Combat Training: No armor, Daggers and Staffs, 1d4 damage
Educated: +1d8 Knowledge Skill rolls and Saves vs Spells

Bonfire (Spell): You create a 5' tall and 5'x5' fire. This fire lasts until you cast this spell again, you choose to end it, or someone puts it out. Creatures within 5' of the Bonfire must make a save or take 1d12 damage when it is created, or if they end their turn there.

Level 1:
Flame Whip (Spell):: You gain a Flame Whip. It is 15' long and can be used to attack. It deals 2d6 plus 2d6 per level damage the first time you use it. Each time you use it, it loses 1d6 damage.

Level 2:
Shield of Fire (Spell): Once per day you can shield yourself in flames. You become immune to fire and cold damage, and take half damage from other sources. You start with 10 points of fire shield, and it is reduced by 1 every time it reduces damage and each turn. If a creature hits you with a melee attack, it takes fire damage equal to the strength of the shield remaining.

Level 3:
Fireball (Spell): Once per day you can create a ball of fire and throw it. It lands at a spot you can see within 100', and explodes in a 20' radius. Creatures in that area take 8d6 fire damage. They can make a save against it if they could possibly flee the radius or have a shield or cover to hide behind; if they pass the save, they flee or take cover, and take half damage.

Level 1:
14.5 HP
Bonfire hits 1-3 foes for 7.5 damage.
Flame Whip does 14, 10.5, 7, 3.5 damage; it is better for 2 rounds than a single Bonfire target. So we'll use Flamewhip for 2 rounds and Bonfire for 8, hitting an average of 2 targets with Bonfire.

144.5 damage over 10 rounds

Level 2:
Fire Shield halves damage, but only lasts for 1/3 of incoming damage.
32 HP
Fire Shield does 40 damage
Flame Whip does 21, 17.5, 14, 10.5
Bonfire does 8.5 on 2.5 targets (we get to be more choosy, as Flame Whip lasts longer), and we use it 5 rounds.

209.3 damage over 10 rounds

Level 3:
44.7 HP
Fireball hits 3 targets 28*3=84 (1 round)
Fire Shield does 40 damage (1 round)
Flame Whip does 28, 24.5, 21, 17.5, 14 damage (5 rounds)
Bonfire does 9.5 on 2.5 targets for 3 rounds (replace 1 high target use with fireball, 1 low target use with flame whip)

300.3 damage over 10 rounds

Paladin
AC: 13+Level (+2 with shield)
HP: 5+10 per Level
HD: 1d10 per Level
Combat Training: Heavy Armor, Shields. Melee weapons deal 1d6 damage (1d10 if two handed). Trained with throwing weapons.

Holy Sword: Your weapons glow with holy power. When you hit a creature in melee, you deal an extra 1d8 damage.

Level 1:
Lay on Hands: As an action you can touch a creature and fully restore their HP. You heal the same amount.

Level 2:
Smite: Deal an extra 2d8 damage per Level when you hit a creature. You can use this a number of times per day equal to your level.

Level 3:
Aegis: You and allies within 10' of you get a +1d6 bonus on saving throws.

Level 1:
20.5 HP plus LoH for another ~20 (40 HP)
9 damage per hit for 90 damage per day

Level 2:
36 HP plus LoH for another ~35 (71 HP)
10 damage per hit for 100 damage per day, plus a 2x smite of 18; smite is auto-hit, so 1.5x for 154

Level 3:
51.5 HP plus LoH for another ~60 (111.5 HP)
11 damage per hit for 110 damage per day, plus 3x smites for 27 (x1.5 as cannot miss), so 231.5 damage credit per day

Ranger
AC: 12+Level (medium armor)
HP: 5+10 per Level
HD: 1d10
Combat Training: Light and Medium armor, all ranged weapons. Melee weapons deal 1d6 damage. Can dual-wield.

Twin Strike (Ranged): Attack twice with a ranged or thrown weapon
Twin Strike (Melee): Attack twice, once with each weapon in each hand. You gain a +2 bonus to AC.

Level 1:
Beast Friend: You have befriended an animal spirit; either a wolf, bear or raven. Once per day you can summon them (Spell) into an animal form. They prefer to stay near you, and last until reduced to 0 HP or you use this ability again. If you spend HD to heal, they also heal. If reduced to 0 HP, it becomes a transparent spirit and returns the next time you use this ability.

Your Beast Friend moves and attacks on your turn.

Raven
AC: 15+Level
HP: 4 per Level
Special: Ravens can fly
Attack: 1d4 damage

Bear
AC: 11+Level
HP: 8 per Level
Attack: 1d10 damage

Wolf
AC: 13+Level
HP: 6 per Level
Attack: 1d6 damage, and next attack on creature adds +1d6 to its check.

Level 2:
Hunter's Mark (Spell): As an action you can mark a creature as your prey. This lasts until they are defeated, or you use this ability again. Your attacks and your Beast's attacks deal an extra 1d6 damage on your prey. If a prey is reduced to 0 HP, you can pick another prey you can see as your prey immediately.

Level 3:
Whirlwind Attack (Spell): Once per day you can attack everything in a 20' radius once. Every creature gets bonus damage from your Hunter's Mark even if not marked. If you are using a ranged weapon it can be anywhere within range; if a melee weapon, you have to be at the center of the whirlwind.

Using the Bear beast companion and melee weapons:
Level 1:
35 HP
4.5 *2 + 6.5 = 14.5 damage per round, 145 damage per day

Level 2:
25+16+22=63 HP
Use HM as an action twice per day, so you only get 8 rounds of attacks. The bear gets 10.
Bear does 11 * 10 = 110 damage
You do 9 * 2 * 8 = 144
Total is 254 damage per day

Level 3:
You have 35 HP
Bear has 24 HP
HD heal 5.5*3*2 33 HP
92 total HP

2 HM, 1 whirlwind, 7 rounds of attacks from you, 10 from bear
bear does 12 damage * 10 = 120
You do 10 per attack * 2 * 7 = 140
Whirlwind goes after 4 targets for 10 damage = 40
300 total damage

Ranger might be over-tuned.

[TheHalfAasimar]

What kind of age are you aiming for? I was under the impression quite a lot of kids already play 5e, so I guess you're thinking fairly young?

I occasionally play with a first-grader and a fifth grader. The first grader plays a Feylock, too. But, it is 5e, so it's not that complicated. So you don't need to dumb it down even more.

[Vogie]

I wouldn't actually do this - it'll be essentially jumping through a lot of hoops to simplify something that is already pretty simple. I would instead look at one of the simpler D&D-likes or OSR games that are based on D&D, without the extra steps.

For really young kids, go after some of the systems that are already less complicated, then give them a D&D flair.

If you're worried about math- and writing-issues, FitD games like Blades in the Dark are probably a better fit. No math - just a dice pool, with the level of success equal to the highest number rolled. No adding or subtracting, no flipping through pages of customization or the like. The bulk of character creation is right there on the on the character sheet - just fill in the bubble, or circle the option. BitD can get really deep and there are a lot of abstract concepts that they can grow into, but the actual "sit down and start" time is significantly faster than just about any other setup. While it'll be a bit different than the Blades in the Dark game that would be played by anyone on this forum (because children), it's a roleplay focused system that can get more complicated at the speed of the kids' understanding.

If the kids have any sort of media literacy or play video games, the Index Card RPG is probably the thing to use. It'll introduce them to the 6 stats and the d20+mod resolution system, while actively pointing out which dice is used for which thing - The weapons and tools dice is a d6, for example, and on the character sheet has a picture of a d6 on it, no memorization required - while also using the terms and iconography they'll already be familiar with. There are basic attacks, guns in the core setup, and each character gets ultimate abilities. Health and the like are represented by hearts, just like they'd see in a game like the Zelda franchise or mobile games. The newest edition also comes with 5 different settings using the system, so if the kiddos are bouncing off the typical D&D fantasy setting, you can quickly switch them over to superheroes or a science fiction setting using the exact same mechanics and setup style.