How to modify D&D 5E to play just about anything
Go to a game store
Navigate to the dungeons and dragons section
Turn your head approximately five degrees either to the left or to the right
The books on these shelves are also tabletop roleplaying games. Many of them already have exactly what you're not getting from D&D 5E
In online stores, simply uncheck the "Brand: Dungeons and Dragons" box instead of turning your head approximately five degrees
You may find that some of these games don't have rules for hitting things with swords.
This is because rules for hitting things with swords actually aren't mandatory if the game is about something else. The game system for your "courtly intrigue in space" campaign might actually have no need for melee combat at all.
You may find that some
of these games don’t have rules for
hitting things with swords.
Beep boop! I look for accidental haiku posts. Sometimes I mess up.
