ADVANCER Rules - An Introduction

ADVANCER is my attempt to rewrite the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules in a way that is accessible. I plan to completely rewrite the rules contained in the three core books: the Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual. 

Most of the rules in the PHB will be included, while I am only selectively taking rules from the DMG. I haven't decided yet whether I will rewrite the entire Monster Manual, but there are rules buried in there and I plan to extract them for this compilation. 

Rewriting the spell descriptions, I believe, is essential and what cut short an earlier attempt of mine. It is quite a bit of work, but those lengthy spell description are another source of impenetrability for players. 

ADVANCER will remove the systems that I don't use in play and streamline those that I do. Here is some of what I intend:

Dice rolls

• d20. To be used for attack rolls and saving throws
• d6. To be used for surprise and initiative determination
• 2d6. To replace all* other rolls, especially percentile rolls
• *Spell descriptions include certain one-off dice rolls

Streamlined systems

• XP progression regularized (not fully unified)
• XP awards for monsters and magic items
• Ascending armour class adopted
• Attack bonus and saving throw advancement regularized
• Saving throw categories reduced to four and clarified
• Ability score bonuses (and penalties) harmonized 
• Level limits regularized and alternatives provided

New or fully revised systems

• Combat and initiative (three-phase system of fast, regular and slow actions)
• Weaponless combat (touch attacks, pummeling, grappling, overbearing)
• Encumbrance (simplification of armour types and carry capacity)
• Recharging magic items
• Illusionist magic (regularized) 

Removed systems 

• Weapon speed
• Weapon vs AC 
• Combat round segments (translated to initiative penalties)

In upcoming posts, I will set out these systems and try to explain some of my thinking in how I reconfigured them.