Hello all! I figured I would start up a thread for this system (shortened to APPLE) here in the gaming forum!
https://devteam-drifter.itch.io/apple-system-5e
What is APPLE?
APPLE is a Pay What You Want modular expansion system for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition created by Devteam Drifter. It focuses primarily on Inflation and Weight Gain, but also contains official systems for Muscle and Blueberry.
APPLE focuses on short-term, unnatural (often magical) size increases rather than long-term character growth or changes, but is also easy to work in alongside any long-term changes you want to make during a campaign. All expansion effects work on a Percentage system, rather than using hard numbers, so they automatically adapt to whatever a given character or NPC's natural capacities and size are.
How's it work?
APPLE works by using a system of APPLE CORE and STEMs. APPLE CORE is the base ruleset that governs effects of all size changes, and STEMs are the unique effects inflicted and provided by any specific form of expansion.
APPLE works on a percentage system ranging from 0%-Technically Infinity% (realistically you won't see higher than 200-250% without extensive magical assistance). 0% is a character's natural state, with 100% being the most their body can naturally indefinitely sustain of that particular form of expansion with no complications.
Going over 100% in a given STEM causes debilitating "Strain Saves" that get worse the higher a character is above 100% and can deal very large amounts of damage. Note that having over 100% of total CORE is fine, it's over 100% of a specific STEM that causes Strain Saves to be needed. In settings with many STEMs active, characters can theoretically get very large without needing a save!
STEMs are composed of three parts: Drawbacks that occur and potentially stack every 50% of that stem incurred, a special effect that occurs when a character has Majority of that STEM (50% or more of that STEM above any other), and at least one special Standard Action characters can take when they have some amount of that STEM. This simple construction makes it easy to make your own.
APPLE is inherently divorced from standard character death, with hitting 0HP from Strain Saves or STEM Damage Vulnerability instead causing an incapacitation of player/DM choice that a player can be brought back from magically.
And a lot, lot more! While I've covered the basics in this post, the rulebook linked above goes into much more detail about the system and provides plenty of examples, as well as examples for potential magical items and an alternative Wild Magic table.
Custom Classes
In addition to the core APPLE module linked above, there are two custom classes available! These are separate purchases from the PWYW main module.
Arcanophage
A powerful, mana-engorged caster that manipulates and leverages size to heal, harm, and fill!
Pneumonist
A cunning inventor that uses brews, customized weapons, and projectiles to dole out pain and bloat in equal measure!
See Also: Extra Content For Pneumonist
And more!
Devteam Drifter offers a variety of additional content for this system, such as packs of pre-made NPC/Creature tokens, an official campaign module, and a sound pack! This can all be found on their itch.io page.
Feel free to use this thread to post shenanigans from any APPLE campaigns you've run, organize campaigns, discuss the system itself and homebrew for it, or whatever else you care to!
Also let us know if the thread needs any corrections or changes.
https://devteam-drifter.itch.io/apple-system-5e
What is APPLE?
APPLE is a Pay What You Want modular expansion system for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition created by Devteam Drifter. It focuses primarily on Inflation and Weight Gain, but also contains official systems for Muscle and Blueberry.
APPLE focuses on short-term, unnatural (often magical) size increases rather than long-term character growth or changes, but is also easy to work in alongside any long-term changes you want to make during a campaign. All expansion effects work on a Percentage system, rather than using hard numbers, so they automatically adapt to whatever a given character or NPC's natural capacities and size are.
How's it work?
APPLE works by using a system of APPLE CORE and STEMs. APPLE CORE is the base ruleset that governs effects of all size changes, and STEMs are the unique effects inflicted and provided by any specific form of expansion.
APPLE works on a percentage system ranging from 0%-Technically Infinity% (realistically you won't see higher than 200-250% without extensive magical assistance). 0% is a character's natural state, with 100% being the most their body can naturally indefinitely sustain of that particular form of expansion with no complications.
Going over 100% in a given STEM causes debilitating "Strain Saves" that get worse the higher a character is above 100% and can deal very large amounts of damage. Note that having over 100% of total CORE is fine, it's over 100% of a specific STEM that causes Strain Saves to be needed. In settings with many STEMs active, characters can theoretically get very large without needing a save!
STEMs are composed of three parts: Drawbacks that occur and potentially stack every 50% of that stem incurred, a special effect that occurs when a character has Majority of that STEM (50% or more of that STEM above any other), and at least one special Standard Action characters can take when they have some amount of that STEM. This simple construction makes it easy to make your own.
APPLE is inherently divorced from standard character death, with hitting 0HP from Strain Saves or STEM Damage Vulnerability instead causing an incapacitation of player/DM choice that a player can be brought back from magically.
And a lot, lot more! While I've covered the basics in this post, the rulebook linked above goes into much more detail about the system and provides plenty of examples, as well as examples for potential magical items and an alternative Wild Magic table.
Custom Classes
In addition to the core APPLE module linked above, there are two custom classes available! These are separate purchases from the PWYW main module.
Arcanophage
A powerful, mana-engorged caster that manipulates and leverages size to heal, harm, and fill!
Pneumonist
A cunning inventor that uses brews, customized weapons, and projectiles to dole out pain and bloat in equal measure!
See Also: Extra Content For Pneumonist
And more!
Devteam Drifter offers a variety of additional content for this system, such as packs of pre-made NPC/Creature tokens, an official campaign module, and a sound pack! This can all be found on their itch.io page.
Feel free to use this thread to post shenanigans from any APPLE campaigns you've run, organize campaigns, discuss the system itself and homebrew for it, or whatever else you care to!
Also let us know if the thread needs any corrections or changes.
Teacyn (they/them/balloon), 
Materia (they/them/balloon), 
Rhalani (they/them/balloon), 
Chlori (she/her/balloon), 
Cynthia (she/her/balloon), and 
Rex (it/him/balloon).
Insert fancy signature here.
Materia (they/them/balloon), 
Rhalani (they/them/balloon), 
Chlori (she/her/balloon), 
Cynthia (she/her/balloon), and 
Rex (it/him/balloon).Insert fancy signature here.
