Hives and torches
Hives and torches is a custom DnD ruleset made by a few mates.
It draws from a varity of inspriations, including:
- DnD 5e
- Pathfinder
- Warmachine
- Five torches deep
- Darkest dungeon
Markdown
We have implemented this in markdown so these documents are as easy to traverse as possible. Testing is implemented to ensure that links are valid.
Design intent
Combat feel
Combat should be fast, even when 6 or more players are present and there are several enemies. To this end, your attacks consist of a single roll against a flat defence value. Skill tests will be performed with only the instigator rolling hits stats, and the defender (if applicable) using his average roll.
Combat is cantered around a stacking advantage system, which grants additional 1d4 for gaining tactical advantages. Stacking these advantages grants very high chances for critical effects. This encourages tactical play - where making decisions to take advantage of your skills and the battlefield can turn a difficult fight into a reliable victory.
Less power growth
The power growth is significantly reduced from 5e. Multiple attacks are no longer granted at 5th level. This is intended to also represent a less heroic party - your characters may be toughened and experienced, but they are still humans - and should not be expected to fight a dragon single handed. This reduce in power creep is also intended to make fights easier to balance for DM's, and shorter in duration.
Mood
This ruleset is intended to invoke a more serious tone. Winning a fight is not the only goal - but winning it well, without taking on mortal wounds. This is intended to make the outcomes of combat more serious, and encourage more role playing about the aftermath of combat. Pushing into a dungeon should leave the characters fatigued, and turning back may be the only rational option.
Roleplay and diplomacy
In other systems, charisma is the primary attribute for diplomacy: leading to the party having a "face" character. Instead, the other attributes are now responsible for the different types of diplomacy. This leads to better variety in party interractions. A high strength fighter will be more suited to impressing a barbiarian, wheras a high intellegence character would be able to logically convince a scholar of the correct action.