Character Generation in Nimble 5e

Posted: 2023-12-19
Word Count: 865
Tags: d20 nimble5e rpg

Table of Contents

Below is an example character using “Nimble”, a set of rules meant to streamline and simplify D&D 5e.

Fargrim Fireforge (Nimble)

Ancestry1 Background Class Subclass Level HD Max HP* AC Mod
Hill Dwarf Acolyte Cleric Light Domain 3 d8 28 +6

* Including Dwarven Toughness, below

Because Nimble removes to-hit rolls (see video and below), the Armor Class Modifier absorbs damage from a hit if the character uses the “Block/Dodge” reaction.

Characteristics & Skills

Str Dex Int Wis Cha
Base Scores 12 8 10 15 14
Ancestry1 +2 +1
— – – – – –
Final Scores 14 8 10 16 14
Modifiers +2 -1 +0 +3 +2

Nimble removes the Constitution ability. To quote the book:

Constitution is not used to derive any skills and overlaps so much with Strength that it has been removed to reduce needless complexity on the character sheet.

Other abilities and mechanics take its role, including Strength and the Proficiency Bonus. Players roll Hit Points with advantage, i.e. roll two dice and choose the higher; First level characters get their maximum hit points and a die rolled with advantage. This improves survivability at low levels, but reduces hit points for high level characters … intentionally, so that combats do not devolve into a slow war of attrition.

Attacks

Weapon Dice
Warhammer 1d8+2 bludgeoning
Hand Axe 1d6+2 slashing

Attacks omit the to-hit bonus because in the full Nimble rules all creatures simply roll damage: if the “primary die” comes up 0 they hit, but if it comes up the maximum value they crit. This cuts out both an extra die roll and most of the turns where the PCs or NPCs (or both) hit nothing.

Skills

Skill Base Points Total
Arcana (Int) +0 +0
Examination (Int) +0 2 +2
Influence (Cha) +2 2 +4
Insight (Cha) +2 2 +4
Intimidation (Str) +2 +2
Lore (Int) +0 2 +2
Naturecraft (Wis) +3 +3
Perception (Wis) +3 +3
Sleight/Hand (Dex) -1 -1
Stealth (Dex) -1 1 +0
— –
Total 9

Nimble consolidates the skill list and replaces proficiency bonuses with skill points, which I allocated as above. Consolidating skills makes each skill more useful; using skill points gained at each level allows characters to adjust their skill bonuses rather than being trapped with the proficiencies they picked at level 1.

Proficiencies

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Saves

Save Base Prof Total
Str +2 +2
Dex +1 +1
Will +3 +2 +5

Nimble consolidates saving throws into Str, Dex, and Will. Str includes (now absent) Con, and Will includes Int, Wis, and Cha.

Languages

Common, Dwarvish, Celestial

Tools

Blacksmithing Tools, Mason’s Tools

Weapons & Armor

All simple weapons, plus Battle Axe, Hand Axe, Throwing Hammer, Warhammer from Dwarven Combat Training;

Light & Medium Armor, Shields

Abilities

Ancestry1

Background

Class

Spells

Mana Ability Mod Attack Save DC
9 Wis +3 +5 13

Nimble replaces spell slots with “mana points”. Each spell costs its level in mana points to cast. Mana points for full casters like Clerics simply add the total number of spell slots and the caster’s level.

Cantrips

Always Prepared

Prepared

Max: 6 (Level + Wis Mod)

Equipment

Note: Just a chain shirt costs 50 gp, the average amount of gold a 1st level character has. I’m going to assume that as a 3rd-level character, FARGRIM has more stuff than a 1st level character would have.

  1. Chain Shirt (AC + 5 + Dex)
  2. Shield (AC +2)
  3. Warhammer (1d8/1d10 bludgeoning)
  4. Hand Axe (1d6 slashing)
  5. Holy Symbol
  6. Pouch with 15 gp
  7. Backpack
    • Common Clothes
    • Vestments
    • Blanket
    • Candle
    • Tinderbox
    • Waterskin
    • Rations (1 day)

  1. In this document I will use the term Ancestry rather than the older term “race”, just because. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎