D&D Simplex

D&D Simplex is a simplified version of Dungeons and Dragons 4e that incorporates elements of Gamma World and other lighter rules games to make the game run smoother and faster. Instead of the traditional ability scores, characters are Strong, Quick, Smart, or a combination thereof.

Building a Character

Building a character in D&D Simplex consists of 4 simple steps:

1. Choose class: Choose one class from the race list. You gain its traits up to your starting level.

2. Choose archetype: Choose one archetype from the archetype list. You gain its traits up to your starting level.

3. Choose skills: You gain 12 points to spend on your six skills (each point increases a skill by 1, up to a maximum of 6). Choose a skill to train (in addition to the skills your race and class train; these skills must be different). Trained skills gain a +4 bonus.

4. Choose equipment: You gain one armor, one weapon, and one artifact of your level or lower.

Character Statistics

Each character has all of the following:

Health	The representation of how much punishment your character can take before they collapse, measured in hit points. You gain the base health determined by your class and archetype, plus a bonus determined by your class, archetype, and level.
	Health = Class Health + Archetype Health + Level x (Class Health Bonus + Archetype Health Bonus)
Bloodied Value	Half your health. Some traits and powers are triggered when you are bloodied, and your second wind heals you your bloodied value.
	Bloodied Value = Health / 2 (rounded down)
Defense	Represented by Fortitude, Reflex, and Will, these show how hard you are to hit effectively.
	Defense = Class Defense + Archetype Defense + Level + Bonus
Initiative	How quick your character is ready to act in a fight.
	Initiative = Level + Bonus
Speed	How quickly you move in battle.
	Speed = 6 + Bonus
Skill	How proficient you are at certain tasks. The base rank in a skill is bought by the player out of a pool of 12 points with a max rank of 6 in any skill. The six available skills are listed in the Skills section.
	Skill = Bought Ranks + Level + Bonus

Classes

You may choose one of the following classes:

	Controller	Defender	Leader	Striker
Strong	Druid	Fighter	Warlord	Barbarian
Quick	Psion	Monk	Bard	Rogue
Smart	Wizard	Paladin	Cleric	Sorcerer

Archetypes

You may choose one of the following archetypes:

Strong	Caustic	Ironhearted	Stalwart	Stout
Quick	Acrobatic	Artful	Crafty	Nimble
Smart	Commanding	Deceptive	Mystic	Spiteful

Powers

Each character has a selection of powers that they gain from their class and archetype, as shown on the table below. In addition, all players gain the Second Wind power.

Second Wind			Utility
Breathing deep, you summon your strength and fight despite your wounds.
Encounter
Minor Action		Personal
Effect: You regain hit points equal to your bloodied value (one-half your maximum value) and gain a +2 bonus to all defenses until the beginning of your next turn.
Special: If you are unable to take actions, an adjacent ally can use a standard action to trigger this power.

Skills

There are six skills in the game, broken down into pairs in each of the major qualities Strong, Quick, and Smart.

Strong	Athletics	The skill of Strength, which represents your physical prowess and power. Possible uses of Athletics are Running, Climbing, and Swimming.
	Endurance	The skill of Constitution, which represents how hardy you are. Possible uses of Endurance are Resisting Disease, Resisting Starvation, and Foraging.
Quick	Finesse	The skill of Dexterity, which represents how accurate you can be. Possible uses of Finesse are Stealth, Lockpicking, and Jumping.
	Perception	The skill of Wisdom, which represents how much of your surroundings you notice. Possible uses of Perception are Spot, Listen, and Search.
Smart	Knowledge	The skill of Intelligence, which represents how much information you know. Possible uses of Knowledge are History, Arcana, and Religion.
	Interaction	The skill of Charisma, which represents how good you are at talking and getting people to understand you. Possible uses of Interaction are Diplomacy, Bluff, and Insight.

Equipment

Armor
Chainmail	Gain a +1 armor bonus to Fortitude.
Bracers	Gain a +1 armor bonus to Reflex.
Amulet	Gain a +1 armor bonus to Will.
Plate	Gain a +1 armor bonus to all defenses, and take a -2 penalty to speed.

DM Tools

Skill checks:

Easy DC	8 + Level
Medium DC	12 + Level
Hard DC	16 + Level