I have a son who is almost 5 that is obsessed with DND and clamoring to join our games and play. He is a clever kid, but the full DND details would be a bit much for him still so I am working on coming up with a simplified set of rules to do an adventure with him. I'm going to scale down the race and class options to just the basics to simplify his choices. I'm also going to streamline skill checks to just use the core stats instead of having all 16 individual abilities to track. I'm looking for suggestions anyone might have on other ways to simplify but keep the core facets intact, has anyone done anything similar?
(I already know about Starport and we are actually playing it this weekend, but he really wants to fight monsters and play the game Mommy and Daddy play)
I have a son who is almost 5 that is obsessed with DND and clamoring to join our games and play. He is a clever kid, but the full DND details would be a bit much for him still so I am working on coming up with a simplified set of rules to do an adventure with him. I'm going to scale down the race and class options to just the basics to simplify his choices. I'm also going to streamline skill checks to just use the core stats instead of having all 16 individual abilities to track. I'm looking for suggestions anyone might have on other ways to simplify but keep the core facets intact, has anyone done anything similar?
(I already know about Starport and we are actually playing it this weekend, but he really wants to fight monsters and play the game Mommy and Daddy play)
I have but have not played Little but Fierce. It's based on the 5e SRD so it's D&D adjacent. It has simplified the rules a lot, with fewer classes, fewer species (called Kin in the rules), and fewer stats. It looks like it could be fun for younger kids and says it's suitable for kids as young as six, so you might want to check it out.
One option is Dungeon Crawl Classics. It's more similar to older versions of D&D than it is to 5e, but you could easily tweak some of the wordings/rules in DCC to make it D&D-lite.
Yep, Little but Fiercetakes the core 5E rules and streamlines them a bit. I’ve also simplified language, both in terms of names for things and the language used for explaining everything (but I’ve made a point to ensure it’s never baby-ish).
So you now have four abilities with nine skills:
- Strength: Fitness, Toughness
- Speed: Hiding, Stealing
- Smarts: Finding, Knowing, Understanding
- Smiles: Performing, Talking
I’ve also removed the legacy problematic tropes where I’ve seen them, as well as removing explicit reference to some scarier topics like death (for example, you now get “badly hurt” if you fail three “recovery rolls” rather than dying).
There’s a load of previews on the link that was shared above (and it’s currently on sale through itch). Hope you enjoy it!
I have a son who is almost 5 that is obsessed with DND and clamoring to join our games and play. He is a clever kid, but the full DND details would be a bit much for him still so I am working on coming up with a simplified set of rules to do an adventure with him.
As long as he's enthusiastic about wanting to play, it doesn't seem like teaching the rules would be too hard. My big concern with a 5 year old would be the attention span to sit still and listen for long periods of time, but that's where the enthusiasm would come in
One of the great things about D&D is that you don't REALLY need to actually know the rules unless you're the DM. For evidence, see the many videos where celebrity who has never played D&D in their life shows up and has a great time. As long as they have a general idea of what their character's abilities are (particularly their options in combat), everything else can be handled pretty easily with a "can I do x,y,z..." and then the DM adjudicating the result. Some of the easier classes to play fairly effectively with limited game knowledge are beastmaster/drakewarden ranger (shoot arrows and tell your pet to bite them), zealot barbarian (rage, attack reckless, and hit them in the face), draconic sorcerer (limited spell list to learn but so limited to be restrictive like warlocks), probably many others as well but those came to mind first.
Yep, Little but Fiercetakes the core 5E rules and streamlines them a bit. I’ve also simplified language, both in terms of names for things and the language used for explaining everything (but I’ve made a point to ensure it’s never baby-ish).
So you now have four abilities with nine skills:
- Strength: Fitness, Toughness
- Speed: Hiding, Stealing
- Smarts: Finding, Knowing, Understanding
- Smiles: Performing, Talking
I’ve also removed the legacy problematic tropes where I’ve seen them, as well as removing explicit reference to some scarier topics like death (for example, you now get “badly hurt” if you fail three “recovery rolls” rather than dying).
There’s a load of previews on the link that was shared above (and it’s currently on sale through itch). Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you! I just bought this, this is perfect, exactly what I was trying to get to! Excellent work, you've made a little boy (and his dad's!) month!
That's fantastic to hear that your son is showing such interest in DND! It's great that you're taking the initiative to create a simplified version for him to enjoy. Scaling down the race and class options and streamlining skill checks are excellent ways to simplify the game while still retaining its core elements.
To further simplify the game for your son, you could consider using pre-generated characters that have basic abilities and straightforward mechanics. This way, he can jump right into the action without getting overwhelmed by character creation.
Additionally, you could introduce a simplified combat system where you focus on basic attack and defense rolls, without delving into more complex mechanics like spellcasting or intricate combat maneuvers. This way, he can enjoy fighting monsters and engaging in exciting adventures.
Remember to keep the storytelling aspect alive, as that's one of the most captivating elements of DND. Encourage his imagination and let him make choices that impact the narrative, even if the mechanics are simplified.
Hi Guys,
I have a son who is almost 5 that is obsessed with DND and clamoring to join our games and play. He is a clever kid, but the full DND details would be a bit much for him still so I am working on coming up with a simplified set of rules to do an adventure with him. I'm going to scale down the race and class options to just the basics to simplify his choices. I'm also going to streamline skill checks to just use the core stats instead of having all 16 individual abilities to track. I'm looking for suggestions anyone might have on other ways to simplify but keep the core facets intact, has anyone done anything similar?
(I already know about Starport and we are actually playing it this weekend, but he really wants to fight monsters and play the game Mommy and Daddy play)
I played this with my boys. its DnD flavored more than anything but it has a very nice set of simplified rules that you might take inspiration from.
https://dnd.wizards.com/products/dnd-adventure-begins
Per aspera ad astra
I have that and was thinking about trying it with him, but it says ages 10+ so wasn't too sure, how old were your boys?
I have but have not played Little but Fierce. It's based on the 5e SRD so it's D&D adjacent. It has simplified the rules a lot, with fewer classes, fewer species (called Kin in the rules), and fewer stats. It looks like it could be fun for younger kids and says it's suitable for kids as young as six, so you might want to check it out.
Lee
At the time they were 9 and 12. It's not too hard to follow. Only need the one d20 and follow the card instructions.
Per aspera ad astra
Thank you!
One option is Dungeon Crawl Classics. It's more similar to older versions of D&D than it is to 5e, but you could easily tweak some of the wordings/rules in DCC to make it D&D-lite.
Thanks for the signal boost!
Yep, Little but Fierce takes the core 5E rules and streamlines them a bit. I’ve also simplified language, both in terms of names for things and the language used for explaining everything (but I’ve made a point to ensure it’s never baby-ish).
So you now have four abilities with nine skills:
- Strength: Fitness, Toughness
- Speed: Hiding, Stealing
- Smarts: Finding, Knowing, Understanding
- Smiles: Performing, Talking
I’ve also removed the legacy problematic tropes where I’ve seen them, as well as removing explicit reference to some scarier topics like death (for example, you now get “badly hurt” if you fail three “recovery rolls” rather than dying).
There’s a load of previews on the link that was shared above (and it’s currently on sale through itch). Hope you enjoy it!
As long as he's enthusiastic about wanting to play, it doesn't seem like teaching the rules would be too hard. My big concern with a 5 year old would be the attention span to sit still and listen for long periods of time, but that's where the enthusiasm would come in
One of the great things about D&D is that you don't REALLY need to actually know the rules unless you're the DM. For evidence, see the many videos where celebrity who has never played D&D in their life shows up and has a great time. As long as they have a general idea of what their character's abilities are (particularly their options in combat), everything else can be handled pretty easily with a "can I do x,y,z..." and then the DM adjudicating the result. Some of the easier classes to play fairly effectively with limited game knowledge are beastmaster/drakewarden ranger (shoot arrows and tell your pet to bite them), zealot barbarian (rage, attack reckless, and hit them in the face), draconic sorcerer (limited spell list to learn but so limited to be restrictive like warlocks), probably many others as well but those came to mind first.
Thank you! I just bought this, this is perfect, exactly what I was trying to get to! Excellent work, you've made a little boy (and his dad's!) month!
And that makes this dad even happier. Hope you have a wonderful time!
That's fantastic to hear that your son is showing such interest in DND! It's great that you're taking the initiative to create a simplified version for him to enjoy. Scaling down the race and class options and streamlining skill checks are excellent ways to simplify the game while still retaining its core elements.
To further simplify the game for your son, you could consider using pre-generated characters that have basic abilities and straightforward mechanics. This way, he can jump right into the action without getting overwhelmed by character creation.
Additionally, you could introduce a simplified combat system where you focus on basic attack and defense rolls, without delving into more complex mechanics like spellcasting or intricate combat maneuvers. This way, he can enjoy fighting monsters and engaging in exciting adventures.
Remember to keep the storytelling aspect alive, as that's one of the most captivating elements of DND. Encourage his imagination and let him make choices that impact the narrative, even if the mechanics are simplified.