Creator's Kit

Creator's Kit

W
elcome to creating for Nimble! The guidelines in this document are here to help you craft
content that plays fast, fun, and in tune with the spirit of the game. Think of them as a
launchpad—not a rulebook carved in stone. Once you’ve got a handle on what makes Nimble
tick, feel free to bend, twist, or toss these suggestions aside to suit your vision.

Understandingtheframeworkisjusttherststephbreakingthesegu
the magic happens. So dive in, experiment, and start creating!

— Evan @ Nimble co.

Questions or Feedback? Visit NimbleRPG.com , Artist Credits: Justin Gerard, Ashot Avetisyan,
or you can join the Nimble Discord server at Evan Diaz.
NimbleRPG.com/discord or email Evan personally
at evan@nimblerpg.com d’I( love to hear from you!.) Copyright © 205 Nimble Co. All rights reserved.
Writing: Evan Diaz. www.nimbleRPG.com

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2
 AVOID
FIDDLINESS
Fiddliness: clunky, overly complex, or tedious mechanical overhead that
slows down play and distracts from the core fun.

Can I do this in fewer steps? plest, quickest, calculations that can be done in
A single in-game action should typically take only one's head. Even very simple calculations, when
one single real-world action to resolve. Fight the there are a lot of them can grind play down to a halt
urge to add steps (saves, extra dice, etc.) wherever and kill momentum. So we should avoid rolling
possible! Ask if the effect can simply happen auto- and summing too many dice at a time. Summing
matically, or when something else does. at most 3–4 smaller dice or 2-3 larger dice is a good
How long an action takes to resolve isn't about rule of thumb. More than that, and players will often
being in a hurry, it's about concentrating on the have to hunt for extra dice, roll them (increasing
fun. Fiddly mechanics dilute the fun, spreading the odds that one lands cocked, rolls off the table,
the same amount of fun out over a longer period of etc. eating up more time), and adding them all up
time. Take, for example, monster armor. Initially in takes longer as well.
developmentitreduceddamagebyatat Rollingamount.
LOTS of dice is fun—sometimes. It can
Mathematically this worked, but mechanically it quickly turn into a chore and add slog to the game
added an additional step to resolve. It didn't take when required too often. Lots of dice eliminates
very long, but multiplied over the dozens of attacks variability as well, the more dice that are rolled the
in an encounter, or thousands of attacks in a cam- more likely you'll end up with an average result. A
paign, it was a suboptimal solution since it took up stfulofdiceshouldbespecialandrare
asignicantamountoftime. Where possible think of creative solutions to
Asking the question, "Can I do this in fewer more quickly generate high numbers. In the core
steps?" is how Nimble landed on how monster rulesweuseLVL,d20s,d10s,dXX,ortatdamage
armor currently works. Same end result, but with (e.g.Condemndealsatat30damage,thiscoul
fewer mechanics getting in the way. This means have been 12d4, or 9d6. That would have dealt the
more time for additional combat, story, roleplaying, same amount of damage, but would have taken
andgoongoff! much, much longer to accomplish).
Find a way to eliminate as many steps as pos-
sible. Think this way with all of your design: Rec- Exceptions. Iconic or very large spells (e.g., tier 8 or 9
spells) or abilities that happen rarely (1/Safe Rest) can
ognize how many steps are needed to resolve an bend or break this rule of thumb. Cantrips or abilities
action and eliminate as many as possible. Think of that could happen multiple times in an encounter or
how it will be physically be resolved at the table. even multiple times each turn should be especially
quick to resolve.
Can I make the calculation easier?
Math is inextricably tied to TTRPGs, it's part of the • Build mechanics where players can immedi-
fun! But we should avoid anything but the sim- ately see the result rather than find the result

3
 (adding dice). Rolling 1d12 with advantage is slowing play down.
easier than rolling and adding 2d8. Both have With this in mind, damage over time should be
a similar average result—one requires no math, avoided completely. All damage should be resolved
the other does. as the attack resolves. Conditions that have a visual
component like Prone are easier to remember since
• Avoid dividing by anything other than 1/2 (and
you can physically knock the miniature over to rep-
even that shouldn't happen too often). resent it. Other conditions that cannot be repre-
• Avoid multiplying difcult numbers (×2 isshould be minimized.
sented visually
easy,is ×13 not). Monsters (or heroes) that can apply 1 condi-
• Avoid adding multi-digit numbers (2+2 is easy, tion, or temporary conditions that last only a single
7+16 is a bit harder). Again, it isn't that players round,arene.Whentherearemultipled
can't perform these operations, it's that they conditions to track simultaneously the fun doesn't
take longer than necessary and add small bits increase—with more to track,generally the fun
of friction to the game. Those bits add up, steal- decreases. If something MUST be tracked, make it
ing valuable brain space, killing momentum, as easy as possible. For instance see the Hexbinder
and creating SLOG. class,alloftheiraftictions singleapplyonl
monster, and other players need not remember any
• Design around easy increments such as 2, 5,
of them!
andas 10 tatmodierswherepossible.
• Avoid adding multiple large dice. For instance
rolling 4d6 and summing a result of 3, 4, 1, 5
is easy. Rolling 4d12 and a result of 7, 5, 9, 11
is a bit harder. Rolling 4d20 and a result of 7,
16, 19, & 14 is more challenging still.

Much easier would be something like 2d6+5,

1d12+20, and 1d20+30 respectively. They have a
similar average result but resolve much more quickly.

For instance, looks at how the Cheat's Sneak Attack

began in development (as much as 10d6 at high
levels), to where it ended up in the nal version
(1d20+20). Much better!

CONDITIONS
Tracking Game States. Be very careful with
conditions and other game states that need
to be tracked. Mechanics like this are really
great for video games where the computer
canhandletheddliness,-butforamanu
ally resolved TTRPG it can become a big
headache. These frequently result in
interrupting the Flow as players
remind others about the ongo-
ing state, adding friction and

4
 MAINTAIN

THE FLOW!
Play proceeds most quickly when each player can Dice, and the Berserker's “That all you got?!” Those
take their turn without interruption and without dice are rolled or expended when it’s not their
waiting on anyone else. This is Flow. Actions that turn. No one else needs to wait for those actions
interrupt the Flow should ideally be both import- to resolve.
ant and rare. Failing that, they should at least
happen asynchronously. THE WORST OFFENDER
Important & Rare. A great example of this is
The worst offender for breaking the Flow is any
Interposing for a Dying ally. This is both very import-
mechanic that requires information from
ant, and likely happens only on occasion.
another player before proceeding (e.g., in
Asynchronous. Defend does technically inter- older d20 fantasy games: rolling to hit vs AC, roll-
rupt the Flow, AND can happen rather commonly ing initiative, or saving throws). These are common
(each turn), AND is relatively low impact—the saving (they happen for EVERY attack), are often low
grace is that this happens asynchronously, or off impact (it would not be game breaking if they just
turn. A hero choosing to Defend can privately cal- happened), and they completely halt play for every-
culate their HP without slowing anyone else down. one until the multiple steps and back-and-forth is
The GM doesn't care (or even need to know) when resolved. Avoid these mechanics like the plague if
a Hero Defends. That’s between them and their you want the game to run smoothly.
character sheet. This is why saves should be quite rare and mean-
Any ddliness,especiallyifingful. itdisrupts
If a save MUST take place, consider if you
the Flow, should happen off-turn can have it not tied to damage but an additional
whenever possible. See the secondary effect. This way, if 3 of the 4 targets die
Oathsworn’s Judgment rst,youonlyneedtorollsave 1 insteado
should be… saved for very meaningful (e.g., ones

5
that can apply powerful conditions) or uncom- Note that this initial version breaks many of the
monly used abilities (e.g., 1/encounter). guidelines. It is a low impact cantrip that requires
Cantrips and low level spells should NOT require a save. Lacks clarity (if I land this twice, are their next
a save or any other feedback from other players. 2 attacks with Disadvantage, or their next single
Take a look at how these spells changed over the attack made with Disadvantage 2?), and the spell
course of playtesting: adds dice as one levels up (up to a maximum of
5d6 at level 20). Too ddly, too slow. Here's the
OLD VERSION
updatednalversion:
EnticeCantrip, 1 Action, Single Target FINAL VERSION

WIL Save. The target takes 1d6 damage and moves 2

spaces closer to you. Repeat until they save. Vicious MockeryCantrip, 1 Action
Damage: 1d4+INT psychic (ignoring armor). On hit:
the target is Taunted during their next turn. +2 damage
Note that this initial version potentially required every 5 levels.
numerous save rolls AND damage rolls; combine
that with this being a low impact cantrip, it could
conceivably be cast 3 or more times EVERY ROUND. Thenalversionofthespelldoesesse
It took far too long to resolve this single spell. So it same thing (a small amount of damage and a
wassimpliedtoresolveveryquickly debuff), butadoes
and smallit in a more streamlined, clear,
bonus was added to compensate. fun, and intuitive way.
Special attention must go toward ensuring that
FINAL VERSION each action is simple and quick to resolve. Each step
doesn’t take long, but when multiplied across every
EnticeCantrip, 1 Action, Single Target attack of every round, it adds up to slog. People
Damage: 1d4 (ignoring armor). On hit: target moves
2 spaces closer to you. start checking their phones, losing interest, and
you can’t do as much cool stuff.
Flow should be maximized and interruptions
The nal version uses a single-roll to both
minimized. If theredeter
is an interruption it should be
mine damage and movement. Instead of a save, minimal (in terms of how long it takes to resolve),
a d4 was used as the damage die to put a reason- big (in terms of the result it has on the game state),
able limit on how often this can take place (the d4 heroic (or conniving—for the bad guys), and rare.
is most likely to miss when cast multiple times).
Similarly, let's take a look at the initial version of
THE SOURCE OF FUN
Vicious Mockery:
The fun comes from how all of these simple
OLD VERSION pieces interact with each other and how the heroes
and monsters shape the story. Complex rules ele-
Vicious MockeryCantrip, 1 Action ments that time a long time to physically perform
WIL Save.1d6 psychic damage. The target’s next attack
is made with disadvantage. +1d6 damage every 5th don't add to the fun, they detract from it.
level.

6
 DESIGNING

CLASSES
Front-load the fun (but don't overwhelm). It’s direction: more offensive, more defensive, better
not very fun to have to wait until level 14+ to see atrange,betteratbufngallies, - bett
a hero's build fully come online. Try hard to “front ing enemies, etc.
load” the really cool things by levels 3–7 (without
making the very early levels overly complicated or Utility! Around levels 2-4 a class will typically get
busy). A class should feel quite complete by then, some fun out of combat utility ability as well.
with additional levels simply giving more
options and power, but the Level 4. Bynowyouarenearlyafullytedge
class fantasy should already hero. Typically introduces a big choice from among
be essentially fully unlocked. a list of class options (e.g. Savage Arsenal or Under-
Level 1. Should give a small handed Abilities). Classes with a lot going on
taste of the unique mechanics already may have their options at later levels. Sim-
of the class. Think simple and pler classes may have class options more frequently.
flavorful. Level 1 should Aim to have enough options so that by level 20 a
NOT include any addi- hero would have chosen roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of them.
tional choices. There Level 5 & 10. Typically a big damage increase
are enough choices or other large jump in power level.
being made at level Levels 7, 11, & 15. Additional subclass boons.
1 already: class, Do something you can already do, but better/more
ancestry, stats, often. Gain a new iconic ability. Fill in a weakness.
background, etc. Overcome a common constraint other classes have.
no need to slow Levels 4,8,12, & 16. Key Stat Increase. And
things down fur- a optionally another small boost (e.g., unlock an
ther. additional tier of spells).
Level 2. You Levels 5, 9, 13, & 17. Secondary Stat increase
can introduce and a larger boost.
1 or 2 pieces Levels 18, 19, & 20. Big feature (LVL 18), Epic
of additional Boon (LVL 19), Capstone (LVL 20). Very few people
mechanical com- will ever reach levels 10-12, even fewer will reach
plexity (e.g., mana, beyond these levels—but don’t let this stop you
more options to use from really putting in the work to make sure the
their resource), just higher levels remain interesting! Level 20 in partic-
not too much. ular should be a BIG DREAM type of ability. Some-
Level 3. Sub- thing players can think about, theorycraft with, and
class choice. Each imagine being awesome using it. It should serve
subclass should as a motivation to play the class, even if they never
push the class reach level 20, it’s fun to dream of “how awesome
in one particular it would be if…”

7
LEV L ER U T A E F play patterns if allowed. Don't create mechanics
that incentivize playing unheroically or annoyingly.
1 Simple aT ste of the Class GMs can disallow frequent rests at their own table
2 More Fully Fledged, Utility Ability by forcing "random encounters" upon the party,
but that just further slows the story down and is a
3 Subclass: u
P sh 1 Direction
band-aid. Or they can homebrew a rule, but then
4 Key Stat Increase, Cool Choice risk becoming "the bad guy" not letting their play-
5 Secondary Stat Increase, Damage Increase ers play how they want. Best to have the rules as
6 Cool Choice written be the bad guy.
Don't incentivize sitting around and doing noth-
7 Subclass
ing. The optimal thing should also be the most fun,
8 Key Stat Increase, New Core Ability most heroic thing.
9 Secondary Stat Increase, Cool Choice
10 Improve level 5 Feature HOARDING & GOING NOVA
11 Subclass
Intelligently saving and using resources can be very
fun, but their extremes: hoarding (NEVER spending
12 Key Stat Increase, Cool Choice resources) and going nova (immediately spending
13 aP ssive u
B ff, Secondary Stat Increase ALL of your resources) are both generally unfun play
14 Cool Choice patterns. Since it can trivialize challenging encoun-
ters, or characters can feel underpowered or bored
15 Subclass Capstone
if they have spent all of their resources and have
16 Key Stat Increase, Cool Choice no way to regain it (or are afraid to spend them).
17 Secondary Stat Increase, Ability oB ost Also frequently players will guess incorrectly when
18 iB g Iconic Improvement to hoard (going back to town with plenty of mana
remaining) and when to spend their resources
19 Epic oB on
(there is another big monster right around the
20 Dream iB g Capstone corner).
Lean toward "per encounter" and similar abil-
ities, and you can encourage the wise spending
Note. These framework features are only a starting
point. If a class has other core abilities (e.g., spellcast- of resources by allowing heroes to regain a small
ing, sneak attack) the cadence may vary slightly. Full amount of spent resources temporarily.
spellcasters gain a new spell tier every other level. Half
casters may gain new spells slightly slower.
LANE PROTECTION
Be careful not to step on the toes of other classes,
maintaintheuniquemechanicsandtav
RESTING class. No two classes should deal damage the same
There are NO abilities that recharge on Field way, avoid damage the same way, move around
Rests. Field Rests should be identical for every class, thesameway,etc.Theyshouldallllauniq
they are only to regain lost gain HP. Otherwise the and feel different to play. No class other than the
party can be divided, some wanting to continue Mage should have access to 3 spell schools and
adventuring, others wanting to rest after every deal damage primarily through spending mana
encounter. See the 5e Warlock and Monk as some- casting spells. No other class should get their
what infamous examples of this dynamic. damage increased when they are attacked or be
Players will often adopt "optimal" but unfun able to freely Interpose—that is the domain of the
Oathsworn.

8
 RETRAINING wielding. The rules do not go into deep detail about
In Nimble, heroes can retrain chosen abilities attacking with different sized weapons and multiple
during a Safe Rest, think of a fun/thematic task the instances of disadvantage and other edge cases. A
hero can perform to engage with the world and role simple example is given, and the GM can adjudi-
play the means by which they choose new skills. cate any edge cases with the rules given.
Think of ways to get heroes to look for new NPCs,
new areas, and ask questions of the GM to retrain. Additional Clarity. If such is needed, can be sup-
This allows the GM to introduce important new plied in sidebars or FAQ! Simple rules followed by an
allies, environs, or even new problems and quests example or FAQ in a callout box is often better than
overly wordy core mechanics. Making it bite-sized
(the local wizard/soldier who retrains the mage/ helps with information transmission.
commander can ask for a favor afterward).
We should aim for brevity, even when clarity isn't
MULTICLASSING
an issue. For example, here is a comparison of how
Don’t worry about building or balancing classes &
one feature was initially worded VS how it ended
subclasses with multi-classing in mind. That will
exponentially complicate your work and also dilute upinthenalbooks:
the fun of the base class. It's okay for multiclassing OLD VERSION
to be overpowered, easy to break, and a bit silly. Let
it happen, and leave it to local GMs to adjudicate or Key Attribute Increase. You may increase one of your
even to allow it or not. key attributes (STR or DEX ) by +1.

CLEAR & CONCISE WRITING FINAL VERSION

Avoid overly wordy explanations designed to block
Key Stat Increase. +1 STR or DEX.
"rules lawyers"—those who might exploit technical-
ities—since this can make the rules harder to read
and less enjoyable for most players. Write in a way "Stat" is more clear (and shorter) than "Attribute,"
that’s clear and concise, instead of exhaustive detail and we can cut an entire sentence, communicating
that tries to cover every possible loophole. Trust the the same idea in much fewer words. It may take a
heroes and GM to interpret the rules sensibly, and few rounds of revisions to hone your wording, but
don’t let the fear of rules lawyers bog down your it’s worth it!
writing with complexity. If you can also prevent
rules exploitation without making the text longer NAMING CLASSES
or harder to read, thatjs nehbut never
Use class namessacrice
that do not have lots of built-in
readability for it. preconceptions. This will free you from explaining
Take for example, the Birdfolk ancestry boon
why your warlock or your sorcerer works this way
was initially worded: "Youhaveatyspeedaslong
as you are wearing Leather or lighter armor." Com- instead of “how it’s supposed to work”.
paredtohowitendedupinthe "Younalversion:
haveatySpeedaslongasyouarewearing STATS,armor SKILLS, & EQUIPMENT
no heavier than Leather." Both are brief and easy PROFICIENCIES
to read, but the second also prevents the GM from Be VERY careful handing out shield and wand pro-
having to deal with unfun technicalities ("but I'm ciency.TheyareVERYgood.Likewisewithpl
wearing Plate AND Leather armor so…"). andmailarmorprociency,buttoalesse
For an example of a change that was overly
wordy and technical, look at the rules for dual

9
 AVERAGE HERO STATS
OREH OREH OREH EVI T C E F E E G AM D Armor. This takes into account equipment
LEV L PH ROMA HP NR U T R E P and other defensive abilities (e.g., Ice Shield).
1 15 5 32 10 Effective HP. The base combat math
2 21 7 45 12 assumes Heroes, on average, spend 1 action
defensively per turn. This number includes the
3 28 9 60 14
hero'sArmorthe × averagenumberofrou
4 34 10 70 16 in an encounter (see below).
5 41 11 80 18 Damage/Turn. This assumes 2 actions
6 47 12 90 21 per turn spent offensively. Some classes will
7 54 13 100 24
output less damage (but they can aid combat
in other useful ways), others could output
8 60 14 110 27
more if the situation is ideal (AoE abilities,
9 67 15 120 30 assistance & setup from allies). This need not
10 73 16 130 33 be a target per se, but if your numbers are very
11 79 17 140 36 far off you should have a good reason for it.
Average Combat Length. Typical
12 86 18 150 39
encounter math assumes 3–4 rounds of
13 92 19 160 42 combat (or, for Legendary encounters, 15
14 99 20 170 45 hero turns). If an encounter lasts much longer
15 105 22 182 48 than that it may start to feel like a slog; much
shorter, and players may not have time to see
16 112 24 196 51
the payoff to their setup and be disappointed.
17 118 26 209 54 Again, these are not hard rules! Some of
18 125 28 223 57 the most fun is when we deviate from the aver-
19 131 30 236 60 age, just make sure you're doing it on purpose
20 137 34 256 64
and for a good reason.

10
 DESIGNING
MONSTERS
Monsters should not simply be differently shaped ety in their encounters with a monster group (and to
bags of Hit Points. Each different kind monster be able to encounter them at varying levels), each
(even with identical stats) should FEEL different monster group should have a fairly wide band of
toght(theirtactics,howtheydeal monster
damage,
levels, how
for example:
they avoid it, etc.). Monster groups (e.g., Kobolds,
• Kobolds: LVL 1/3 to LVL 1
Goblins, Bandits) should have a share ability that all
monsters of that type have. It should be simple but • Goblins: LVL 1/3 to LVL 2
giveabigsenseoftavorforthatmonster. • Bandits: LVL 1/3 to LVL 4
Goblins
laugh at you when you miss, kobolds get stabby • Snakemen: LVL 1 to LVL 8
when you kill their friends, bandits are crafty and
particularly don’t want to die! Each of these will Don't feel the need to cover every level, especially
make players engage with them differently and if a monster's nature doesn't allow them to reason-
use different tactics. ably scale up or down to very high or low levels.
In order for a heroic party to be able to have vari- Giants, for instance, their lowest level may be in

11
the double digits, and that's okay. d6s, kobolds all use d4s). This helps prevent the
GM from needing to search for lots of different dice
MONSTER ROLES at the table. It’s a very little thing, but every way we
Monster groups should also have creatures that can make the GM's job easier, and remove mental
canfulll avarietyofroles:Melee, - overhead
Ranged, forCon
them, means they have more capac-
troller, AoE, Summoner, Striker, Ambusher, etc. A ity for strategy, role playing, lobbing insults, jokes,
GM need not even be aware of these, the design of and telling an interesting story.
each monster should make the optimal play pattern
obvious.Somecreaturescanllmultiple MONSTER roles ATTACK
for EFFECTS
texibility(e.g.,goblinsareequallygoodatrange Causing effects other than damage is a great way
and in melee). to distinguish between different kinds of monsters,
even when they have the same HP and their attacks
• Melee: Most effective when toe-to-toe. deal the same amount of average damage. These
• Ranged. Most effective at Range. are by no means exhaustive, but for starters:
• Controller. Hampers the heroes, low damage. • Automatic. Hit or miss, some effect happens.
• Support. Primarily boosts the damage or abil- Think, a shockwave from a Giant's strike. Even
ities of their allies. if it misses or a hero Defends, you might still
• AoE. Deals damage to multiple heroes at a get pushed back or knocked Prone.
time (cleaving strikes, shouts, auras, etc.)
• On Hit. An effect even if all of the damage is
• Summoner. Summons additional monsters
reduced to 0. Grappled or restrained by a huge
tothebattleeld(usuallyminions).
bug, snakeman, or plant creature.
• Striker. High damage, low survivability. • On Damage. What could uniquely happen
• Ambusher. Not immediately visible when when blood is drawn, even 1 single point of
combat begins. damage. Think poisoned blades from an assas-
• Defender. High survivability, low damage. sin, a deathly touch from a wraith.
• On Crit/Miss. What could happen what an
DON’T LEAVE THE GM monster's attack succeeds wildly? They could
WONDERING WHAT TO DO knock Prone, Daze, they could even swallow
the hero entirely. You could have some other
Give the GM a hand, make it as easy as possible powerful effect, even in place of rolling addi-
to run the monster! Monster should always either tional damage.
have 1 action to perform, or 1 clear BEST action to
• On Death. Care must be taken HOW these
perform. For instance a Troll can use either Claws
creatures are taken down. Plant creatures full of
or Bite. Bite deals far more damage, but it requires
acid,explosivereelementals,etc.Th
a creature to be Prone. Claws can knock Prone. The
could get free movement or attacks.
order of operations is immediately clear, use Claw
until someone falls down, then Bite.
Note also that the Troll's 2 attacks use the same WHAT TO AVOID
die size to make running it easier and smoother for Avoid monsters that heal. Subtracting and
the GM, and one attack's damage is clearly much addingHPisddly.Monsterscanbegivena
better than the other (Claw: 1d4+10, Bite 1d4+20). more HP, or other defensive abilities instead,
If Claw instead was 6d4 and Bite was 1d4+20, it'd givingthesametavorbutwithreducedm
be much less obvious which is stronger. Avoid "kiting" monsters. Monsters that
Monstersthatwillcommonlyght constantly
together run awaywill
from heroes and permanently
ideally all use the same dice (e.g. goblins all use stay just out of range can be more frustrating than

12
 fun. Flying monsters are notorious for this kind of to execute. Monster groups as a whole should feel
mechanictying ( alsoaddsard 3 dimension tactically
that unique
can and complex without any of the
be hard to physically portray at the table). Monsters parts actually being complex. Consider how these
should at least spend some time in the "danger different monsters will be mixed together (yes, an
zone," getting close to heroes or landing in order individual goblin or kobold isn’t particularly inter-
toattack.Skirmishersandtyingmonsters esting to areght,less
but that will never ha
frustrating at higher levels as heroes gain more only exist in a context of other kobolds and goblins.
tools to deal with it. For wall/ceiling-crawling mon- Avoid being too detailed or too brief. Each
sters like spiders, ensure ways to knock them down statblock should contain enough information to run
(e.g., damage, critical hits, or destroying webs). it easily, but not so much that the important bits get
Avoid complex individual monsters. Each lots in a sea of text.
monster should be very simple to run with a crystal Let's take a look at a goblin boss stat block in a
clear “this is what I will do on my turn” for the GM few different TTRPGs:

Goblin Boss Goblin Boss

Small Fey (Goblinoid), Chaotic Neutral
AC 11, HP 5, ATK 1 club +0 (1d4) or
AC 17 Initiative +2 (12)
1 shortbow (far) +1 (1d4), MV near,
HP 21 (6d6) Speed 30 ft.
S +0, D +1, C +1, I –1, W –1, Ch –2,
MOD SAVE MOD SAVE MOD SAVE AL C, LV 1
STR 10 +0 +0 DEX 10 +2 +2 CON 10 +0 +0 Keen Senses. Can't be surprised.
INT 10 +0 +0 WIS 10 –1 –1 CHA 10 +0 +0
Skills Stealth +6 The rst statblock (left) - is a bit t
Gear Chain Shirt, Scimitar, Shield, Shortbow bose, it would take a new GM a long time
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 9 to sort through all of that information,
and even experienced GMs risk miss-
Languages Common, Goblin ing something important the longer a
CR 1 (XP 200; PB +2) statblock is. The other (above) is MUCH
more concise, but perhaps a tad too brief.
A›¢¤§‹ A newcomer looking at it may nd all
Multiattack. The goblin makes two attacks, using Scimitar or the abbreviations too cryptic. We should
Shortbow in any combination. strive for a statblock that is both concise
AND easy to read. See the Nimble equiv-
Scimitar. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) alent statblock (below).
Slashing damage, plus 2 (1d4) Slashing damage if the attack
roll had Advantage.
Shortbow. Ranged Attack Roll: +4, range 80/320 ft. Hit: 5
(1d6 + 2) Piercing damage, plus 2 (1d4) Piercing damage if Goblin Taskmaster
the attack roll had Advantage. Lfl¥‹ƒ¥¥
, M 30
B¤§fi‹A›¢¤§‹
Nimble Escape. The goblin takes the Disengage or Hide action. Meat Shield. Can force other goblins
to Interpose for him.
R›¢¤§‹
Redirect Attack. Trigger: A creature the goblin can see makes • Stab. 1d6+2 (or Shoot,
Range 8). Then:
an attack roll against it. Response: The goblin chooses a Small or
Medium ally within 5 feet of itself. The goblin and that ally swap • Get in here! Call a goblin
miniontotheght.
places, and the ally becomes the target of the attack instead.

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E C NA D I U G M G LUF P L EH

16
 S R E T S N O M Y RA D N E G L

E LT A B F O N O I SNET
H T AM E H T

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! T P I R C S A EV I G

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 MAGICAL
ITEMS
Unlike in other TTRPG systems, magical items (e.g., weapons)
are not needed for classes to output the expected amount of
damage across the level curve. Magical items instead should
be thought of as a way to add interest to the story by giving the
heroes more options to make choices that matter.
Magical items should always inspire choices, deepen the
story, or enhance the fun, never justintatepower.Magical
items could:

• Shore up a weakness. These items are best given to allow

heroes to make the choices that are most fun for them. For
instance a group of friends who all want to play the same
class—it's not the most tactically wise decision, but it's what
theyndtobefun.Theseitemsmakethatmorepossible,or
at least less punishing. Some party compositions may need
help healing, or doing other magical things that a more bal-
ancedpartycouldalreadynaturallydo:givetighttoaparty
without access to wind spells, disguises, or the ability to speak
a language they otherwise couldn't, etc.
• Improve a strength. The cheat's magical dagger could
grant a shadow-step ability to teleport short distances, or a
mage's staff could enhance their favorite spell (both ideally,
at a cost).
• Cause a wrinkle. A cloak that grants invisibility might whis-
per temptations to the wearer, or a sword could enrage its
wielder, risking collateral damage.
• Hook into the story. An item that starts a new quest: A
mysterious locket might spark a quest to uncover its origins,
or a cursed ring could require a ritual to remove it.
• Decoration. A Dwarven axe carved with runes and silver inlay,
or Scholar’s Robes that shimmer with arcane threads.
• Prestige (Titles). Grant titles or symbols of renown, like
“Knight of the Crimson Order” or a medallion of a secret soci-
ety. Earned through heroic deeds, these carry social weight,
opening doors to elite circles or swaying NPCs.
• Get out of jail free. Items that bypass obstacles or grant
favor, such as a duke’s signet ring, the secret handshake of a
thieves’ guild, or a tattoo respected by the city guard.
• Push your luck. A weapon that can deal extra damage or
giveyouanability,butcanbackreif ( usedtoofrequently,on
a miss, if something else happens).

19
• Add silliness: Include lighthearted items for • Consumables. Are great whether bought or
funandtavor,likearingthatinstantly found. They can grows
permita a party to adventure away
magnicent beard or boots that leave from homeglowing
for much longer, and have built in
footprints. limitations and choices—they go away when used.
• Temporary/Consumable. A legendary artifact
that must later be given back, spell scrolls, wands, "STRICTLY BETTER"
potions. Consumables in particular make for great
items but Some heroes are very hesitant to actu- IS STRICTLY WORSE
ally use them. If they are available enough and No item should be strictly better than all others in
affordable enough this can be greatly ameliorated. all situations. A Dagger is sometimes better than a
But the adventure can add some expiration date Shortsword (e.g., when you value crits above miss-
(an healing ice crystal that's melting), or some ing), and vice-versa. Even for equipment that is
other catch (it only works in this dungeon) to clearly better, like the Tower Shield is better than a
encourage use and discourage hoarding.
Wooden Buckler. One costs far more than the other,
• Grant unique power: Provide abilities that and has a strength requirement to compensate.
feel special but arenjt tat power boosts.These
If you design a new shield, it should have some
can unlock new hero builds, or inspire creativity
or teamwork not otherwise possible. A sword benetsANDdrawbackstheexistingshie
that uses INT instead of STR, armor that ignores have. Take for instance the Tower Shield (Req. 3 STR,
prociencyrequirements,orastaff +6 Armor),
that how
cancould
cast we modify this base item?
a spell with a chance of failure. It should be some • Ethereal Tower Shield. We could reduce the
ability that is either limited, comes at a cost, has STR requirement, but only if we also make it cost
a chance of not working, etc. So that it is a choice, more, block for less, or have some other reason it
rather than brainless and automatic. is not strictly better than the regular Tower Shield.
• Junky Tower Shield. We could make this one
FIND IT OR BUY IT? block for the same amount, but instead cost much
You should have loot heroes can both purchase and less, or maybe it breaks when crit?
nd.Whenwouldyougiveeither? • Flying Tower Shield. While worn, perhaps this
towershieldallowstheherototy,but
• Buy. Flat bonus items (e.g., armor upgrades, a
mana, or saps HP, or causes wounds, or they can't
bigger sword) can give heroes a sense of progres-
Defendorinterposewhiletying.
sion. They're a good reward for heroes who save up
their gold and can upgrade a piece of equipment.
A lot of the fun for these is not so much having WHY IT MATTERS
them, as much as looking forward to buying them. Items can be better in certain situations—but never
So they are most rewarding when saved up for and
strictly better. Otherwise we rob the heroes of
BOUGHT, not found. Even moreso if the vendor
can customize it for them! meaningful choices, both when selecting gear and
during combat. Do they prioritize durability, cost,
• Find (or Given). Other magical equipment is
most rewarding when FOUND or rewarded, not or a unique ability? These choices enhance player
bought. Prestige rewards are likewise best when agency and keep the game interesting.
given as a reward for heroism. A purchased title By designing items with clear trade-offs, we can
is worthless, a title bestowed due to bravery is allow for meaningful decisions rather than auto-
priceless and can be game-changing. matic ones.

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 SPELL
FRAMEWORK
Spell Range. The typical spell Range is 8. This AVERAGE SPELL DAMAGE
is because it is just beyond how far a creature can Cantrip 6 damage Tier 5 56 damage
move in a single turn (6 spaces). Spells with less
Range should have some benet, spells Tier 1 14 damage a
with Tier 6 69 damage
longer Range should have some drawback. Tier 2 23 damage Tier 7 83 damage
Actions. Cantrips cost 1 action. Tiered spells Tier 3 33 damage Tier 8 98 damage
typically cost 2 actions. Reaction, or non-damaging
Tier 4 44 damage Tier 9 114 damage
spells can be reduced to 1 action instead. Ranged
AoE spells, should cost 3 actions. Remember! Damage is often NOT the most
Spell Schools. Each spell school should have important aspect of a spell or ability. No single spell
its own tavorandmechanics.Radiant should bespells, for
so good that it is the “go-to” spell in every
instance, have Reach (not Range), aid allies and situation. A spell's secondary effects are frequently
punish evildoers. Wind spells use the d4, are the most important, fun, and memorable aspects as
Vicious, and interact a lot with movement. Ice spells they allow for more creativity. Having a toolbox of
are very defensive and controlling, etc. different spells that are each best in their own situ-
Spell damage scaling. The average damage ation is far more interesting than hyper-consistent
of a spell per tier is listed below. If a spell does more (boring) spells that always hit exactly on the aver-
than the average it should have a drawback (lim- age damage curve, have no restrictions, or other
ited Range, status requirement, etc.), if it does less benets,drawbacks,orweirdnesses.
thanthisitshouldhavesomeother utility
Add wrinkles.or benet
Spells that only deal damage
(ignores armor, doesn't miss, etc.). in a straightforward way are boring.
Avoid legalese. Spells, more than other abil-
Note.Thesenumbersassumenoadditional benet
ities can fall prey to Legalese: the language that
or drawbacks, spells can and should deviate from lawyers speak in when writing contracts. Legalese is
the average once other benets or drawbacks are
considered. long-winded and not fun to read. Take for instance
this iconic 5e spell:

21
Wish quences for a whole community, region, or world,
Level 9 conjuration, 1 Action, Range: Self, you are likely to attract powerful foes. If your wish
Components: V, Duration: Instantaneous would affect a god, the god's divine servants might
instantly intervene to prevent it or to encourage you
Wish is the mightiest spell a mortal can cast. By simply to craft the wish in a particular way. If your wish would
speaking aloud, you can alter reality itself. The basic undo the multiverse itself, threaten the City of Sigil, or
use of this spell is to duplicate any other spell of level 8 affect the Lady of Pain in any way, you see an image of
or lower. If you use it this way, you don't need to meet her in your mind for a moment; she shakes her head,
any requirements to cast that spell, including costly and your wish fails.
components. The spell simply takes effect.
The stress of casting Wish to produce any effect other
Alternatively, you can create one of the following than duplicating another spell weakens you. After
effects of your choice: Object Creation. You create one enduring that stress, each time you cast a spell until
object of up to 25,000 GP in value that isn't a magic younishaLongRest,youtaked1 1 Necrotic
0 damage
item. The object can be no more than 300 feet in any per level of that spell. This damage can't be reduced
dimension, and it appears in an unoccupied space that or prevented in any way. In addition, your Strength
you can see on the ground. score becomes 3 for 2d4 days. For each of those days
Instant Health. You allow yourself and up to twenty that you spend resting and doing nothing more than
creatures that you can see to regain all Hit Points, and light activity, your remaining recovery time decreases
you end all effects on them listed in the Greater Resto- by 2 days.
ration spell. Resistance. You grant up to ten creatures Finally, there is a 33 percent chance that you are
that you can see Resistance to one damage type that unable to cast Wish ever again if you suffer this stress.
you choose. This Resistance is permanent.
Spell Immunity. You grant up to ten creatures you Long-winded specicity can also kill c
can see immunity to a single spell or other magical
Even worse than its length, however, is how this
effect for 8 hours. Sudden Learning. You replace one of
your feats with another feat for which you are eligible. kind of legalese can set up an adversarial expecta-
Youloseallthebenetsoftheoldfeat tions between
and the heroes and the GM. The game
gainthe
benetsofthenewone.Youcan'treplace shouldn't
afeatthat expect players to word things "as pre-
is a prerequisite for any of your other feats or features. cisely as possible" nor should it expect the GM try
Roll Redo. You undo a single recent event by forcing and foil the hero's request. A similar spell in Nimble
a reroll of any die roll made within the last round it might look something like this:
(including your last turn). Reality reshapes itself to
accommodate the new result. For example, a Wish
spell could undo an ally's failed saving throw or a foe's Manifest Reality Tier 9 (1/Safe Rest)
Critical Hit. You can force the reroll to be made with Reshape reality in a single, decisive way (e.g., you
Advantage or Disadvantage, and you choose whether could gain forbidden knowledge, conjure wealth, undo
to use the reroll or the original roll. death, rewind time, or grant an extraordinary boon
Reshape Reality. You may wish for something not to yourself or allies). However, such immense power
included in any of the other effects. To do so, state your can be volatile—if your wish strains the fabric of reality
wish to the DM as precisely as possible. The DM has too much, it may unravel in unpredictable ways. After
great latitude in ruling what occurs in such an instance; casting, make a DC 10 STR save or permanently lose
the greater the wish, the greater the likelihood that the ability to cast this spell. This DC increases by 1
something goes wrong. This spell might simply fail, each time you cast Manifest Reality.
the effect you desire might be achieved only in part,
or you might suffer an unforeseen consequence as Some examples are provided to help seed some
a result of how you worded the wish. For example, possible ways this spell could be used, but beyond
wishing that a villain were dead might propel you
forward in time to a period when that villain is no that, room is left for creativity. Since this is a col-
longer alive, effectively removing you from the game. laborative game (and not adversarial contract law)
Similarly, wishing for a Legendary magic item or an with a GM who can fairly adjudicate anything that
Artifact might instantly transport you to the presence is unclear, we don't need that much detail. The play-
of the item's current owner.
ers and the GM all want the most fun possible, we
If your wish is granted and its effects have conse- shouldleavethespecicstothem.

22
 ADVENTURE
FRAMEWORK
Emphasize tight writing, no extra stuff. Full sen- mirages? Lack of water? Sandstorms? Anything
tences are neither necessary nor recommended. else to make it FEEL like the desert?
Prioritize brevity so the text can quickly be scanned • In a forest. Do they get lost in the dense under-
growth? Are they hunted by beasts? Are they
at a glance and repeated in the GM’s own words caught in goblin traps? Are they tricked by a
rather than read like a script. faerie? Can they ask the forest animals for aid?
• In the sewers. How bad does it smell, what effect
COMPONENTS OF does that have? Anything else unique about these
A TIGHT ADVENTURE: particular sewers? Do the rats talk? Does the water
contain magical runoff?
Total Adventure Length. (1200–2000 words)
• Cool, Evocative Name. Should get the GM
excited to run it, and the Heroes excited to play it. DUNGEON LOCATIONS
• What Really Happened/Adventure Back- 6-10 “rooms” (Doesn't have to be a literal dun-
ground. This is for the GM to read beforehand. geon. It could be a grove, palace, ruins, ravine, cave,
It should contain secrets the heroes can discover sewers, hideout, airship, etc). This is the meat of
as they play. Think of adventures as a mystery that the adventure (600-1200 words, 50-100 words per
is solved as the heroes delve further into it. What room). Each room must have a name and:
is the mystery/problem? How is it solved as we • Description. A few words of descriptive text (max
play? (100 words). 1 sentence). The idea is that the GM can quickly
scan this description and use it as the prompt
• 2–3 Adventure Hooks. Different factions who for the heroes to begin interacting with the area,
ask, different rewards promised. This makes it asking questions, etc. What do they immediately
easier to slot into widely varying campaigns (100 see, hear, etc. Give enough information for the
words). heroes to start playing with, but no more.
• 2-4 treasures. Not all will be given/found. Not • Additional Bullets. 2-4 additional things to
necessarily powerful magical items. Interesting interact with, accomplish, learn, etc. These con-
things to be used creatively. Some simple, maybe tain the answers to questions players will ask, the
1 powerful one (100 words). challenge present, the bits of interest. What can
they DO here?

EXPLORATION EVENTS
ROOM CONTENTS
2–4 traveling events (200-300 words) Compli-
• A trap/obstacle/problem. The point of these
cations/interesting things that happen along the
rooms is to allow space for CREATIVITY and second-
way the players can respond to: foreshadowing arily to expend resources. Traps/obstacles should
a monster, getting lost, overcoming an obstacle, almost always be obvious. Failing to successfully
learn some backstory, motivate the heroes (these navigate it can result in damage, Wounds, condi-
bad guys are really BAD because…), etc. These “set tions, alert others, make an enemy, loss of treasure
the stage” for the adventuring environment, how is (ONLY as of yet unobtained treasure—be VERY cau-
this place different from other places? For example: tious with taking away treasure the heroes have
• In a desert. How can we make the heroes feel/ already earned). These rooms can be designed
struggle with the heat? Can we do anything with with no particular solution, let the heroes come

23
 up with a solution. geon should maximize player agency. Rather than
• Information. Foreshadowing/information being strictly linear, there should be some oppor-
about the theme or direction of the adventure. tunity to meaningfully choose "this way or that way."
These rooms can raise questions or provide Multiple ways to solve traps and puzzles, optional
answers to already existing questions. rooms, multiple entrances, secret passages, etc.
Ending. The end of a dungeon should have a
Avoid Info Dumps. Unloading of a large amount of satisfying climax, typically this means it culminates
exposition all at once, often automatically and without
the request of the heroes. MAKE SURE the heroes ini- in a boss battle of some sort (not always, but usu-
tiate any information you give them, and spread the ally). Any cool loot the boss has, expect the heroes
information throughout a dungeon. to want to take. Adventures could end with negoti-
ation, a plot twist, a revelation that “this thing goes
• A Combat Encounter. Each encounter should way deep than any of us thought”, a cliffhanger.
be scaled per hero so the GM doesn’t need to Aftermath. What happens (good or bad) after
adjust any numbers. What are the baddies doing they return to town?
when the heroes come? (NOT simply standing Maps. Ideally an adventure will include a
around). Combat can be the obvious answer, but maporsimpletowchartofrooms.Makeits
not necessarily the only answer.
enough that the layout can be drawn on the spot on
• NPCs. To ght (see above), to rescue, - anegoti
dry erase mat. Many players have trouble visualiz-
ate with, buy from, ally with, bamboozle, from
ing things in their minds, help them out!
another region/quest, to kidnap & ransom, etc.
Extra Notes. Think of any notes you'd create as
• Dilemmas. If you take this path, you can’t take
you were reading through the adventure to prep for
the other path. If you ally with this faction, you
cannot ally with the other, etc. running it (e.g., simple role-playing ideas, monster
statblocks, special rules reminders). If it's helpful
• WEIRD things. Crystals that produce “anti-light”,
Mind controlling fungus, Walls made of for you, consider adding that to the adventure or
hands, Paintings with eyes that follow, clarifying whatever needed it. Do as
room with no sound, feel smells, much of the prep for the GM as
reversed gravity… possible!
Agency. Each dun-

24
 NIMBLE
TRADE DRESS
You are certainly encouraged to develop your own Body text uses Avenir Next Condensed at
trade dress (the look & feel of your own products) a size of 9.5 pt. Condensed fonts are - great
rather than mimic Nimble’s. The following is infor- ting more content on a page when it matters, with-
mation on why certain design choices were made outsacricinglegibility.Especiallywh
so you can have insight on how to develop your 2-column layout, the width of the font matters far
own style. more than anything else. More words per line is
important to reduce the needless usage of page
A5 BOOK SIZE space,enablesmoretexibilityofjusti
The A5 size (148 x 210 mm, or 5.83 x 8.27 inches) is well as fewer hyphens and ragged ends.
common for printing and easily “handleable” at half
the size of other common d20 books. They are com- IMAGERY & ART
pactandtbehindtheGMscreeneasily, Theare
amount
notand too quality of imagery greatly
large & heavy to take with you, or share at the table. depends on your budget, but aim for having a piece
The size constraints of the A5 page encourages of spot art on each spread, and a big splash of art
economy of words rather than writing too much every 2–3 spreads. Art helps "mark" pages like a
tollthepage.Much(most?)ofmytimeguidepost writing when looking for it later, helps set the
was spent editing down and removing words so vibes, and ease the burden of reading giant walls
that they would actually FIT on the page or spread oftextforrsttimereadersbybreakin
without wrapping to a new one! more bite-sized chunks.
It’s a much more approachable format for read- Assuming you are not an artist, the cost of art can
ers new and old, less intimidating due to its dimin- vary dramatically. See the chart below for common
utive size. The constraints of this smaller form factor ranges for pieces of art (in USD):
is a huge creative blessing.
Licensed stock art (from a large company): 1$ – 2$ 0
LAYOUT
License existing art (directly from an artist): 5$ 0 – 2$ 50
A 2 column layout this saves page space from new
paragraphsnotllinginanentire - Exclusive
line(you license existing art (directly from an artist):
cantyp
1$ 50 – 4$ 50
icallytroughlymore 25% contentperA5pageby
using 2 columns), and allows for easier scanning. Commission New Small Piece (items, spot art; experienced,
smaller artist): 5$ 0 – 1$ 00
Justicationhyphenation & providesforaneater
layout with the small, tight layout. Instead of extra Commission New Medium Piece (character, no back -
space between paragraphs, secondary paragraphs ground; experienced, smaller artist): 3$ 00 – 5$ 00
are indented. Sometimes you just need to squeeze Commission New Big Piece (character w/ background;
one more line on a page and these choices allow experienced, smaller artist): 4$ 00 – 8$ 00
for that as well. Commission New Piece from a “Big” Artist (character w/
background): 1$ ,000 – 2$ ,000
FONTS
Commission New Big Piece from a “Big” Artist (Complex
Headlines use Beaufort Pro Heavy. This big, bold, Scene): 3$ ,000 – 7$ ,000+
chunky font has fantasy vibes and makes for easy
scanning.

25
 FINAL
THOUGHTS
You made it to the end—well done! You've got the or even sell it and make a lot of money! You could
keystowhatmakesNimbletick:fast, also
fun,
submit
tuiditplay.
to a Nimble design jam context, for
But knowing isn’t the goal. Creating is. So don’t feedback and the chance to be included in a future
wait for the perfect idea or the right moment. Make ofcialNimblerelease.Whateveryoudo,we
something today. to see what you come up with. Join the Nimble Dis-
Start small, start weird, just start. Whether it's a cord and show it off. Ask questions. Get feedback.
scrappy subclass, a wild adventure, or a rad monster. Inspire and be inspired.
What to do with your creation. Enjoy it with
your friends at your own table, give it away to others, nimblerpg.com/discord

26