...the kids prefer Pathfinder, while my wife prefers Swords & Wizardry.
I probably shouldn't be surprised, and it may be as simple as the fact that the Pathfinder campaign is about 5th Level right now, whereas the S&W campaign is on the tail end of 1st Level. And really, who doesn't like playing more powerful characters?
S&W of course follows the OSG convention that characters start off being n00bs, and are barely less inept than peasants. They frequently have to hire people (meat shields and torch bearers) to accompany them, and those hirelings often run afoul of the "Save or Die" traps that most OSG dungeons seem to have. But my players (also not surprisingly, given their ages) think that's "mean" and (more thoughfully) that getting too many hirelings killed will anger the people in the town(s) from which they're hiring people. Kinda hard to argue with either point, except that the hirelings knew the dangers when they signed on, and if you give their cut of the reward to their families, you'll at least get the reputation of an honorable party. Though that may come at the price of a reputation for being the kind of party you really don't want to be invited to join...
Pathfinder characters start off pretty tough though, even at first level. Not as tough as 4e characters, but certainly not the sort of people an average peasant or even city guard would want to mess with. And with all those feats and skills, you can make some pretty spectacular themed characters, as long as you don't mind ignoring the whole "min/max" aspect of 3e gaming, and just choose powers to fit your concept.
For fun, I rolled up an Air/Storm Elemental bloodline Sorceress (loosely based on a miniature I have), whose statblock I've included below for illustrative purposes. Her stats are fairly average, and only the racial +2 for any stat pushes her over into heroic territory. I don't remember, but I suspect I used the "Roll 4d6, drop lowest" method, and arranged my results in order of preference. I'm intending to introduce her as a friendly rival and sometimes ally to my party, but like many characters I make, I find that I'm now anxious to play her in a campaign. :) Maybe someone I know will start a Pathfinder game I can get in on sometime later in the year.
It must also be said that HeroLab makes creating new Pathfinder characters exceptionally easy and fun. If only they supported all the games I play. I don't think I'd enjoy making characters for d20-based games very much without software support. (Which, of course, is why I like S&W. Sigh.)
Jala Stormborn
Female Human (Ulfen) Sorceress 1
CG Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
Defense
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 7 (1d6+1)
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee Dagger +2 (1d4/19-20/x2) and
Spear +0 (1d8/x3)
Special Attacks elemental ray (6/day)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1):
1 (4/day) Color Spray (DC 14), Shocking Grasp
0 (at will) Mage Hand, Open/Close (DC 13), Breeze, Jolt
Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Arcane Strike, Eschew Materials, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics -1 (-5 jump), Bluff +7, Climb -3, Diplomacy +4, Escape Artist -1, Fly -1, Intimidate +7, Perception +1, Ride -1, Stealth -1, Swim -3, Use Magic Device +7
Languages Common, Auran, Skald
SQ bloodlines (elemental [air])
Other Gear Dagger, Spear, Backpack (21 @ 27.1 lbs), Bedroll, Candle (5), Chalk (5), Explorer's outfit, Mirror, Rope, Trail rations (5), Waterskin, 120 GP, 3 SP, 7 CP
Special Abilities
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Elemental (Air) You may change any energy spell to use [Electricity] energy.
Elemental Ray (6/day) (Sp) Ranged touch attack deals 1d6 Electricity damage
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Jala is the daughter of an Ulfen merchant, born at sea during a particularly violent thunderstorm. Always slight person and pale even by Ulfen standards, Jala has always known that she is different from her friends.
Jala channels her elemental power into a quick temper, and she is not without the legendary Ulfen forceful will. In combat, she fights with a spear, and always has a dagger on hand to handle dangerous situations in her down time.
Though many find her sense of humor odd, Jala is an accomplished diplomat, able to bluff and intimidate her way through many situations, and her fascination with magic has lead her to an understanding of magical constructs and their proper operation.
As a novice sorceror, Jala has mastered a handful of electrical and air disciplines, as well as Color Spray and Unlock - to talents she has found useful when adventuring for gold.
Showing posts with label D20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label D20. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Pearl of Portal
I had an idea for a magic item over the weekend. I can not in any way claim much creativity for it, as you'll see. The flavor of this item should be different between OSR and D20, so I'm providing both versions. Needless to say, if you like one version over the other, don't let my arbitrary preconceptions get in your way of your game.
Pearls of Portal, Swords&Wizardry/OSG Edition
The Pearls of Portal are a matched set of flawless but otherwise unremarkable pearls, often stored together in a small felt pouch. To use the pearls, first touch them together, then place (or throw) one of them to another location no more than 360 feet away. While touching the pearl you still have, speak the command phrase ("the cake is a lie") and you will instantly be transported to the other pearl. Transportation works in both directions, and includes any items you are carrying and up to two friends with whom you are holding hands. The pearl does not teleport with you, and if you were holding it, drops to the ground where you were standing.
You may use the pearls to teleport 3 times per day, after which the pearls must be reunited and exposed to moonlight for at least an hour before they can be used again.
Pearls of Portal, D20 "High Magic" Edition
Pearls of Portal are a matched pair of flawless pearls with a limited dweomer placed on them. To use the pearls, touch them together, then leave (or throw, etc.) one pearl wherever you wish. To activate the pearls, hold the pearl in one hand and speak the command phrase ("the cake is a lie"), and you and anyone else holding onto the hand with the pearl will be instantly teleported to the other pearl. Both pearls are consumed by this action. The pearls have a maximum range of 100 feet, and cost 1000gp.
Essentially these are a Dimension Door spell (Wiz4) crafted into a wonderous item that uses one of a pair of pearls as the destination. The S&W version is a permanent item that needs a "ritual" to recharge, the d20 version is more like a scroll or potion, and is priced accordingly. Players will hopefully come up with clever ways to place the target pearl (slings, henchmen, monsters who believe they found a treasure, etc.) and in the case of the S&W version, will hopefully be equally inventive about how they plan to retrieve the pearl(s) once they have used them. (Remember, the pearls do not transport themselves - someone has to go get them.)
Pearls of Portal, Swords&Wizardry/OSG Edition
The Pearls of Portal are a matched set of flawless but otherwise unremarkable pearls, often stored together in a small felt pouch. To use the pearls, first touch them together, then place (or throw) one of them to another location no more than 360 feet away. While touching the pearl you still have, speak the command phrase ("the cake is a lie") and you will instantly be transported to the other pearl. Transportation works in both directions, and includes any items you are carrying and up to two friends with whom you are holding hands. The pearl does not teleport with you, and if you were holding it, drops to the ground where you were standing.
You may use the pearls to teleport 3 times per day, after which the pearls must be reunited and exposed to moonlight for at least an hour before they can be used again.
Pearls of Portal, D20 "High Magic" Edition
Pearls of Portal are a matched pair of flawless pearls with a limited dweomer placed on them. To use the pearls, touch them together, then leave (or throw, etc.) one pearl wherever you wish. To activate the pearls, hold the pearl in one hand and speak the command phrase ("the cake is a lie"), and you and anyone else holding onto the hand with the pearl will be instantly teleported to the other pearl. Both pearls are consumed by this action. The pearls have a maximum range of 100 feet, and cost 1000gp.
Essentially these are a Dimension Door spell (Wiz4) crafted into a wonderous item that uses one of a pair of pearls as the destination. The S&W version is a permanent item that needs a "ritual" to recharge, the d20 version is more like a scroll or potion, and is priced accordingly. Players will hopefully come up with clever ways to place the target pearl (slings, henchmen, monsters who believe they found a treasure, etc.) and in the case of the S&W version, will hopefully be equally inventive about how they plan to retrieve the pearl(s) once they have used them. (Remember, the pearls do not transport themselves - someone has to go get them.)
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Just a quick shout out to "Standard Action"
I just wanted to make a quick shout-out to "Standard Action", a fun web-series that chronicles the events of some adventurers in a D&D 3E/Pathfinder-inspired game world. They're going for funding to make more episodes, and they've already reached their first goal, so the only question now is how far will they make it?
The episodes are admittedly "low budget" level productions, though to be honest the video quality and makeup is surprisingly good for the shoestring budget they must have, and the writing is entertaining if you're a D20 geek. (And if you're not, why are you reading a gaming blog?) If you've seen "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising", (and if you haven't, you should) that's a similar level of production, though I think Standard Action's costuming and effects are a touch better.
Search for them on YouTube and watch the first two seasons. As you might expect, the second season is more polished than the first, but the first season has some fun moments in it. The cast and crew has a lot of heart and clearly loves what they're doing. It's no Raimey production (alas), but I like to throw a few extra bucks and projects like this, especially ones that make me smile, which this one did.
So check 'em out and see if you feel compelled to drop a few bucks in their tip jar as thanks for the laughs and funds for the next installment.
The episodes are admittedly "low budget" level productions, though to be honest the video quality and makeup is surprisingly good for the shoestring budget they must have, and the writing is entertaining if you're a D20 geek. (And if you're not, why are you reading a gaming blog?) If you've seen "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising", (and if you haven't, you should) that's a similar level of production, though I think Standard Action's costuming and effects are a touch better.
Search for them on YouTube and watch the first two seasons. As you might expect, the second season is more polished than the first, but the first season has some fun moments in it. The cast and crew has a lot of heart and clearly loves what they're doing. It's no Raimey production (alas), but I like to throw a few extra bucks and projects like this, especially ones that make me smile, which this one did.
So check 'em out and see if you feel compelled to drop a few bucks in their tip jar as thanks for the laughs and funds for the next installment.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Vancian Magic and some Old School D&D
I'm a fan of "Vancian" casting. In my rationalization for it, the wizard creates magical "constructs" that exist only in a metamagical plane. The wizard carries these around with him and essentially throws them at the enemy like a grenade. If the wizard has a focus object, that object tethers the constructs. The casting ritual is the way to bring these constructs forth from the void and into reality. Metamagic Feats (as in 3e) involve the caster deriving new "designs" for these constructs, scrolls bind the constructs to paper with special inks, etc. Cantrips are spells so simple to construct that you can make them and release them in almost a single gesture (or word). Spell limits represent the wizard's ability to "multitask" and keep track of these constructs. When you sleep, your spells can "wander off", so it's best to dismantle them. If you go unconscious, you can probably keep your spells; I have the wizard make concentration checks for each spell left.
Sorcerers in this model can perceive the metamagic realm, and therefore can make whatever constructs they understand. There is still a limit on their stamina, though I'm coming around to the idea that it's more of a personally set limit, and the sorcerer realizes that to push beyond that limit most likely means losing control.
That's all fine and dandy for 3e or Pathfinder, but what about Old School D&D versions, like AD&D or my current brainworm, Swords and Wizardry?
S&W is a relatively faithful clone of the Original D&D (OD&D), which I never played. I started with Basic and then Advanced, which were a bit more detailed. S&W, like many old school games, doesn't really lay out a lot of rules. For example, though it says a Wizard can prepare X spells "per day", it does not define how long it takes to prepare them, how long you need to rest, or what happens if you go unconscious. Given the brutality of old school games, I have little doubt that an unconscious wizard should lose their spells, but that's a DM's judgement call.
So, since it's the DM's call, here are some ideas I'm thinking about for spell preparation in S&W:
First, it takes (Spell Level) divided by (Caster Level) hours to prepare each spell, plus one turn to set up/take down your preparation materials.
Second, each hour of rest will reset one spell level of slots. One hour resets your 1st level slots, 2 hours resets 1st and 2nd level, etc.
In other words, a 1st level wizard can re-prepare his spell after a 1 hour lunch, but it will take him an extra hour to do so. A second level wizard still only takes 1 hour to reset his 1st level slots, and can prepare twice as many spells per hour.
The upshot of this is that low level wizards can often have two "15 minute work days", and high level wizards may not bother preparing low level spells, since if the need arises, they can prepare such spells in a turn or two. A smart high level wizard will leave a slot or two empty so if, for example, the party really needs that Knock spell, he can spend some time preparing it.
Of course if the wizard is high level enough, he will prepare scrolls for these contingencies.
Sorcerers in this model can perceive the metamagic realm, and therefore can make whatever constructs they understand. There is still a limit on their stamina, though I'm coming around to the idea that it's more of a personally set limit, and the sorcerer realizes that to push beyond that limit most likely means losing control.
That's all fine and dandy for 3e or Pathfinder, but what about Old School D&D versions, like AD&D or my current brainworm, Swords and Wizardry?
S&W is a relatively faithful clone of the Original D&D (OD&D), which I never played. I started with Basic and then Advanced, which were a bit more detailed. S&W, like many old school games, doesn't really lay out a lot of rules. For example, though it says a Wizard can prepare X spells "per day", it does not define how long it takes to prepare them, how long you need to rest, or what happens if you go unconscious. Given the brutality of old school games, I have little doubt that an unconscious wizard should lose their spells, but that's a DM's judgement call.
So, since it's the DM's call, here are some ideas I'm thinking about for spell preparation in S&W:
First, it takes (Spell Level) divided by (Caster Level) hours to prepare each spell, plus one turn to set up/take down your preparation materials.
Second, each hour of rest will reset one spell level of slots. One hour resets your 1st level slots, 2 hours resets 1st and 2nd level, etc.
In other words, a 1st level wizard can re-prepare his spell after a 1 hour lunch, but it will take him an extra hour to do so. A second level wizard still only takes 1 hour to reset his 1st level slots, and can prepare twice as many spells per hour.
The upshot of this is that low level wizards can often have two "15 minute work days", and high level wizards may not bother preparing low level spells, since if the need arises, they can prepare such spells in a turn or two. A smart high level wizard will leave a slot or two empty so if, for example, the party really needs that Knock spell, he can spend some time preparing it.
Of course if the wizard is high level enough, he will prepare scrolls for these contingencies.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
My Top RPGs from 2012
Taking up a meme from Bravo Zulu, I'm listing my top played (and even just fooled around with) RPGs of 2012.
- Dungeons and Dragons, 4th EditionThis is the game system we use in the in-office RPG group, and it's probably the game I play the most. While I'm not entirely enamored with the 4e system, it definitely works, and the "at-will/encounter/daily" system is easy enough to handle. The on-line character builder, though not free, is quite simple to use, and you certainly can't claim Wizards doesn't support their players. I'm on the D&DNext playtest list, and what I see is intriguing. It will be interesting to see how that develops, and if it will cause me to abandon both 4e and Pathfinder. Maybe.
- PathfinderI use Pathfinder in my home campaign, and it's the game I probably spend the most time being involved with. Though I was never a huge fan of D&D 3e, which seemed too much like a game for professional roleplayers and not a game for just having some adventures, Pathfinder feels good to me. I realize my acceptance of Pathfinder was probably made easier by the fact that I'd been playing 4e for a while when I got it. That's an easier transition than from AD&D 2e to D&D 3e. I do have to admit though, I'm still drawn to more old-school D&Ds, like Swords and Wizardry. Maybe I'll give that game a proper shake in the future.
- Classic TravellerI actually had the good fortune to be able to run a CT game with some friends - that's the "Death Station entries I've made here. CT holds a special place in my heart, since (alongside AD&D 1e), that's what I grew up playing. The game is brutally minimalistic in some ways (combat sequence), and equally hyper-detailed in others (weapon and armor data), but with a little preparation work (which would be helped by a decent character sheet design - hmm, a topic for another entry...) and a group willing to abandon or handwave through the more precise grid-based combat systems of D&D, you can have a fast-paced adventure that matches up pretty well with harder SciFi movies for tone.
- Mongoose Traveller
The first of the "RPGs I didn't play, but still spent a non-trivial amount of time playing with" in this list, MgT is very much like CT on the surface, and has the advantage of having a huge library of stuff to buy for it and easy conversions for the older material. Some of the new stuff is awesome, some not so much, but Mongoose has done a respectable job trying to make a Traveller experience for today's gamers that mirrors what we had back in the day. Not all improvements are for the better IMHO, specifically the "Level 0" skill concept. This idea looks great on paper, and matches well with how people view skills these days ("your skill list is your playbook"), but Traveller has classically been more of a "skills are what you put on your resume, but you can try anything" system. That's what the Education stat was for. But I digress. - Mekton II and to a lesser extent, Mekton Zeta
I love mecha anime. I used to be a inveterate BattleTech player, and though I flirted with Heavy Gear back when it first came out, I hadn't found an RPG/Combat system that felt right to me until I recently discovered Mekton II. (I bought Zeta a few years ago, but I suppose it was a "D&D 3e" thing - it just didn't capture my attention at the time.) I watch Robotech (and Starblazers) with the kids, and when they're a little older, we'll pick up some less "America Friendly" series. Mekton is almost a direct fit for Robotech or Gundam gaming, and the Interlok game system looks like a strange fusion between D20 (with its flat probability curves) and Traveller (with its skill focus, random character "life path" and more crunchy rules), though of course it predates D20, so I don't mean that comparison literally. Mekton brings in a lot of Anime tropes. My son and I worked up many of the Robotech characters (including MinMei) with very little trouble. With the right group, this game would be a blast. I'm not sure I have the right group though. - Traveller D20 (T20)
Having said all that, D20 has to my mind a better "skills" system than MgT, and T20 has done some clever things adapting D20 to a harder SciFi setting. My at-home crew is more accepting of a game that has very strong ties to the game they're already familiar with (Pathfinder), and given that I have more recent experience GM-ing D20 games, I suspect that T20 is going to get a lot more play.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
A T20 game on the horizon for me?
My at-home RPG group (really just my wife and kids) has expressed an interest in doing a short T20 campaign once we hit a break point in our current Pathfinder campaign. For some reason, I've had very little luck getting any traction at home for either CT or MgT flavors of Traveller, but at least two of the three are actively willing to try out T20. (That's not entirely fair - my wife enjoys the MgT character generation sequence.)
So now, not only do I need to make a few T20 characters (who I will post here, of course) to make sure I understand the chargen procedure, but I also need to pick a campaign setting. My players would rather have a mission than an opportunity, if you know what I mean. So a charted space sandbox (the default Traveller campaign) is probably not the best plan.
At the moment, I have two top contenders:
First up, we have The Kursis Charter from the Linkworlds Cluster campaign setting, released as a freebee when T20 was first published. The players' ship, badly in need of refitting (aren't they always?) is given a charter to do a mail run through the Linkworlds cluster. The usual mail ship has skipped, and mail is starting to pile up. As long as they follow their appointed route and leave enough room for the mail (a few tons per world), they're free to engage in other lucrative opportunities as they present themselves. Along they way, they find a trail of clues to one such opportunity. Needless to say, not everyone on the mail route is going to be cooperative, nor are the clues going to be easy to follow up on.
Second is "Epic Adventure 5, Scout Cruiser", also by QLI for the T20 system. In this one, the players sign on with a scout crew in a rather large Scout Cruiser (1000 tons - 5x the size of the usual tramp merchant ship - and a crew of 21 instead of 3-5.), which is going on a deep-space mission into a stellar rift to discover the fate of another delinquent scout cruiser.
So the Kursis Charter has uplifted bears, strange alien life forms, daring rescues and fetch quests. EA5 has a mystery and hostile forces, along with some grim situations. I think the answer, especially given the group I'm playing with, is clear.
In to the Link Worlds we go.
So now, not only do I need to make a few T20 characters (who I will post here, of course) to make sure I understand the chargen procedure, but I also need to pick a campaign setting. My players would rather have a mission than an opportunity, if you know what I mean. So a charted space sandbox (the default Traveller campaign) is probably not the best plan.
At the moment, I have two top contenders:
First up, we have The Kursis Charter from the Linkworlds Cluster campaign setting, released as a freebee when T20 was first published. The players' ship, badly in need of refitting (aren't they always?) is given a charter to do a mail run through the Linkworlds cluster. The usual mail ship has skipped, and mail is starting to pile up. As long as they follow their appointed route and leave enough room for the mail (a few tons per world), they're free to engage in other lucrative opportunities as they present themselves. Along they way, they find a trail of clues to one such opportunity. Needless to say, not everyone on the mail route is going to be cooperative, nor are the clues going to be easy to follow up on.
Second is "Epic Adventure 5, Scout Cruiser", also by QLI for the T20 system. In this one, the players sign on with a scout crew in a rather large Scout Cruiser (1000 tons - 5x the size of the usual tramp merchant ship - and a crew of 21 instead of 3-5.), which is going on a deep-space mission into a stellar rift to discover the fate of another delinquent scout cruiser.
So the Kursis Charter has uplifted bears, strange alien life forms, daring rescues and fetch quests. EA5 has a mystery and hostile forces, along with some grim situations. I think the answer, especially given the group I'm playing with, is clear.
In to the Link Worlds we go.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Traveller T20
My son, who knows all too well of my affections for things Traveller, bought me a copy of QuikLink Interactive's "Traveller T20", which is a D20 Modern take on Traveller. While T20 itself is out of production due to an expired Traveller license, the game engine lives on in SciFi20.
Others have reviewed the game in detail, so I won't review the product. Instead, I'm going to point out some things that interested me in the first partial read through.
I'm familiar with D20, especially in its 3.5/Pathfinder incarnation, though I'm not what you would call a professional D20 player, so a lot of power building special interactions are probably lost on me.
Having said that, I think they way T20 handles certain skills and feats is very clever. The best example is Piloting, which is a skill. You can rank up your piloting skill as a general stat, but in order to actually pilot something, you need to take a Feat, such as "Spacecraft" or "Aircraft". So you can have your insanely great spaceship pilot who has no idea how to fly a helicopter, but can pick it up pretty easily (on a level up) and still be a great pilot. This meshes nicely with Base Attack Bonus and the various Weapons feats.
Combat is pretty standard D20 (d20+bonus against AC, roll damage if you hit) but T20 separates your "hit points" into "Stamina" (which are equal to D20 hitpoints) and "Lifeblood" (which is your Constitution score). Any time you take damage, it comes off your Stamina, and at zero Stamina, you're out cold. In addition, any damage you take comes off your Lifeblood, but only AFTER armor has had a chance to stop it. Armor is very important in T20. It not only increases your AC, but it reduces damage to Lifeblood, keeping you alive longer. The way the AR rules work is a bit convoluted, but probably not too hard to handle in practice - each point of AR removes the lowest rolled dice of damage until there is only one dice left. Then, any remaining AR removes points of damage. So a 2d10 attack (3, 8) against an AR 5 armor would first cancel the 3 with one point of AR, then use the remaining 4 AR to reduce the 8 to a 4. So in the end, you'd take 11 Stamina and 4 Lifeblood from that hit. Two other points: nonlethal damage just comes off of stamina, and once you're out cold, additional damage goes straight to Lifeblood, bypassing any armor.
I also like the approach they've taken to building space ships. The math works out to be very much like Classic Traveller in the end, but the approach is totally different. Each hull size requires a number of "units" to power it. Say for example, a 100 ton ship needs two power plant units installed, two maneuver drive modules, etc. Each module is rated for performance. So if you want 4G acceleration, you'd need to buy two 4G gravitic maneuver modules, and a powerful enough power plant to run them. This opens up a lot of RP chrome. "That last hit took out your #3 maneuver drive." instead of "Your m-drive just dropped from a D to a C rating," which is how it would have worked under Classic Traveller.
In addition, you now can choose your avionics, sensors and computer separately, and they all require a certain level of power and control rating (provided by the power plant and computer, respectively). Again, more detail than CT, and in a way that would help bring the setting to life during play.
Character creation has an interesting concept. Traveller characters do not classically start of as 18 year old newbies, they are for the most part ex-service personnel who are already skilled. But D20 games have levels and XP. How do you reconcile those two things? Well, T20 allows you to have a prior career in which you gain a somewhat random amount of XP which you can use to level up your character. The skills and feats available to you depend on the career you have chosen, and it's possible at higher levels that you will not get enough XP to level up during a term.
Another character building rule T20 has added is the idea that your homeworld's statistics grant you certain skills and feats. CT does not care about your homeworld, and Mongoose Traveller handles things with their "level 0 skill" system, which I don't really care for, since it implies that all skills are trained-only skills. D20 in general and T20 in specific of course allow untrained use of certain skills for anyone.
Any way, since pretty much everyone I play RPGs with is familiar with D20 rules to some extent, I may wind up switching to T20, even though CT still holds a special place in my heart. Fortunately, T20 went through some trouble to remain compatible with CT adventures and such, so it doesn't have to be just one or the other.
That's enough rambling for now.
Others have reviewed the game in detail, so I won't review the product. Instead, I'm going to point out some things that interested me in the first partial read through.
I'm familiar with D20, especially in its 3.5/Pathfinder incarnation, though I'm not what you would call a professional D20 player, so a lot of power building special interactions are probably lost on me.
Having said that, I think they way T20 handles certain skills and feats is very clever. The best example is Piloting, which is a skill. You can rank up your piloting skill as a general stat, but in order to actually pilot something, you need to take a Feat, such as "Spacecraft" or "Aircraft". So you can have your insanely great spaceship pilot who has no idea how to fly a helicopter, but can pick it up pretty easily (on a level up) and still be a great pilot. This meshes nicely with Base Attack Bonus and the various Weapons feats.
Combat is pretty standard D20 (d20+bonus against AC, roll damage if you hit) but T20 separates your "hit points" into "Stamina" (which are equal to D20 hitpoints) and "Lifeblood" (which is your Constitution score). Any time you take damage, it comes off your Stamina, and at zero Stamina, you're out cold. In addition, any damage you take comes off your Lifeblood, but only AFTER armor has had a chance to stop it. Armor is very important in T20. It not only increases your AC, but it reduces damage to Lifeblood, keeping you alive longer. The way the AR rules work is a bit convoluted, but probably not too hard to handle in practice - each point of AR removes the lowest rolled dice of damage until there is only one dice left. Then, any remaining AR removes points of damage. So a 2d10 attack (3, 8) against an AR 5 armor would first cancel the 3 with one point of AR, then use the remaining 4 AR to reduce the 8 to a 4. So in the end, you'd take 11 Stamina and 4 Lifeblood from that hit. Two other points: nonlethal damage just comes off of stamina, and once you're out cold, additional damage goes straight to Lifeblood, bypassing any armor.
I also like the approach they've taken to building space ships. The math works out to be very much like Classic Traveller in the end, but the approach is totally different. Each hull size requires a number of "units" to power it. Say for example, a 100 ton ship needs two power plant units installed, two maneuver drive modules, etc. Each module is rated for performance. So if you want 4G acceleration, you'd need to buy two 4G gravitic maneuver modules, and a powerful enough power plant to run them. This opens up a lot of RP chrome. "That last hit took out your #3 maneuver drive." instead of "Your m-drive just dropped from a D to a C rating," which is how it would have worked under Classic Traveller.
In addition, you now can choose your avionics, sensors and computer separately, and they all require a certain level of power and control rating (provided by the power plant and computer, respectively). Again, more detail than CT, and in a way that would help bring the setting to life during play.
Character creation has an interesting concept. Traveller characters do not classically start of as 18 year old newbies, they are for the most part ex-service personnel who are already skilled. But D20 games have levels and XP. How do you reconcile those two things? Well, T20 allows you to have a prior career in which you gain a somewhat random amount of XP which you can use to level up your character. The skills and feats available to you depend on the career you have chosen, and it's possible at higher levels that you will not get enough XP to level up during a term.
Another character building rule T20 has added is the idea that your homeworld's statistics grant you certain skills and feats. CT does not care about your homeworld, and Mongoose Traveller handles things with their "level 0 skill" system, which I don't really care for, since it implies that all skills are trained-only skills. D20 in general and T20 in specific of course allow untrained use of certain skills for anyone.
Any way, since pretty much everyone I play RPGs with is familiar with D20 rules to some extent, I may wind up switching to T20, even though CT still holds a special place in my heart. Fortunately, T20 went through some trouble to remain compatible with CT adventures and such, so it doesn't have to be just one or the other.
That's enough rambling for now.
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