| | You are not authorized to post a reply. |
| | Author | Messages | |
Sean-Khan
Commander
2717 Posts
    
 | | 03/06/2007 3:27 AM |
| Has anyone here been using True20? I bought pdf a week ago, and while it's not perfect (I've come into conclusion that nothing is!), it looks really promising to me. Some people seem to refer to it as 'D20 done right'. I haven't played it yet, but am planning lots of different things... it feels to fit in better into different genres than D20.
What's different in it then? Shortly - it has lots in common with D20; Biggest difference is that there's no hitpoints, but damage saves. Only 3 character classes (or few more in sourcebooks I've heard), you use feats to make different character types. No iterative attacks, no AoO's. Conviction points allow improved rerolls, extra actions etc.
Using D&D -material needs some converting but there's guidelines for that. Main book has few ready basic monsters, and I think that npc's are generally easier to create than in DnD.
People have been doing their own conversions for the game, and there's Star Wars conversion is pretty complete and popular conversion.
If anyone's intersted, I may post about my play experiences when I get some...
You can find quick-start rules for the game at http://true20.com/support/ | |
Vindicated AtG Called shot: 2nd Huge Red Dragon
My collected trade reference links
Star Wars tactical combat -project
My modelling/terrain pages
Suomen miniatyyrikeräilijät / Miniature collectors of Finland | |
| The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
11498 Posts
In ur house, stealin' yur minis
| | 03/06/2007 6:21 AM |
| I've heard about it and I'm intrigued. However, based on what you said, it doesn't seem like D&D.
I hear many people over at ENworld say they wish certain things in D&D were changed and it's those things that would turn D&D into something unrecognizable to me. Not my cup of tea.
However, having said all that, I am intrigued by what I've heard about True20. I'll have to read it if nothing else. | |
Ghendar - Now snark free!
Champion of the Spider Eater with rider.
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
How many times in life do you get to eat your own Cthulhu - Posted By Pedro on 03/31/2008 2:29 | |
| 
Avatar of the Irrelevant
Diomedes
Commander
3173 Posts
| | 03/06/2007 6:36 AM |
| Biggest difference is that there's no hitpoints, but damage saves.
Sounds interesting, but I'm with ghender, it doesn't seem like D&D. That and I love hit points... I sit around factoring them when someone else can't make up their darn mind on their round of combat. | |
| |
|
Sean-Khan
Commander
2717 Posts
| | 03/06/2007 7:22 AM |
| One thing that made me into other systems was the epic campaign I'm in right now - as my turn takes quarter of an hour, and it's that fast only as I made a javascript -form that calculates most of my attack & damage -values. With True20, there shoudn't be such problems. Of course you can insert as much magic items as you wish, but personally I prefer less. What I don't always like in DnD is it's magic inflation - there's nothing mystical about it anymore.
Btw, I found this play example taken from True20 Age of Worms (may have spoilers): http://true20.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=876 | |
Vindicated AtG Called shot: 2nd Huge Red Dragon
My collected trade reference links
Star Wars tactical combat -project
My modelling/terrain pages
Suomen miniatyyrikeräilijät / Miniature collectors of Finland | |
| Master of the
Awesome Sauce
Teflon Jeff
Warlord
7507 Posts
Sector 2814
| | 03/06/2007 7:22 AM |
| Hit Points are a very vital part of D&D to me. I'll read it, if only to glean some cool new house rules, but I doubt I'll be switching.
| |
Official Delegate, Wizards of the Coast
Against The Giants Called Shot: Huge Green Dragon
Icons Called Shot: Gargantuan Prismatic Dragon
"Rejoice, for bad things are about to happen." | |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 03/06/2007 1:52 PM |
| I'm playing in a Mutants and Mastermind's game right now that uses this system. It is very good at capturing a comic book flavor. I do think that damage saves can be a little tricky. Because the DC (based on damage dealt) ramps up faster than the save it can be really frustrating. Also it has the reverse problem of D&D: ACs (called defense) usually get higher than attack values unless you focus on it.
Now much of this might be because of Mutants and Masterminds and not the True d20 system itself. Using it is not D&D, but then if you want a different feel and different metagame, then it might be for you. Downward spirals, the result of damage saves over long combat periods, representing the accumulation of many hits can be fun (I love L5R which has this). However, you are playing a different game and doesn't represent heroic fantasy adventure as well as D&D with its d20 system and hit points. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
| Thoth, Gatherer of Knowledge
MerricB
Underboss
2350 Posts
Australia
| | 03/06/2007 6:54 PM |
| | I'm really not a fan of the damage mechanic in M&M. You *have* to min/max. | |
Merric Blackman
| |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 03/06/2007 7:47 PM |
| | In my eperience you don't have to min/max. In fact, I think it relies on people not doing that specifically. When people overly min/max, then the system breaks down. While it's easy to make pure combat characters, combats are a lot less frequent and deadly than your typical D&D game so just being good in cobat is as detrimental as just being good outside of combat. You have to go into the game with a different mindset when making a character than you do in D&D. But Merric does have a point. I'll grant that if you don't min/max your saves or your ability to take damage you will spend some time loosing your turns because you are stunned or worse, but then there are mechanics to overcome this. Again, different game to simulate something different. I think it's the best supers game system on the market, but it is a poor system for heroic fantasy. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
|
Sean-Khan
Commander
2717 Posts
| | 03/06/2007 11:53 PM |
| In true20, there's conviction points that allow a reroll, that's essentially 10+D10. Those make combats a lot less deadly. They can also help you recover from being stunned etc.
Min-maxing is never one-sided; If players min-max, GM will have put stronger opponents against them, which makes min-maxing players want to min-max more... And players really can and do min-max in D&D too! 
I think it's a good thing that you'll have sometimes to talk yourself away from combat; Social skills become more important and players will have to use more imagination. Besides, if attacks can stun or daze opponents, that means that combat more likely flows around; It's not neccessary to concentrate on single opponent until all his hitpoints have been drained. | |
Vindicated AtG Called shot: 2nd Huge Red Dragon
My collected trade reference links
Star Wars tactical combat -project
My modelling/terrain pages
Suomen miniatyyrikeräilijät / Miniature collectors of Finland | |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 03/07/2007 8:35 AM |
| Let me clarify. I love min/maxing in D&D. I think it gets a bad rap a lot of times. However, my experience wit trued20 systems show that it is not as tolerant of it as D&D, which can deal with it much better. I have to restrain myself in order to make a character reasonable.
While Sean-Khan does bring out good points (combats are less deadly, the flow of them is different), there are some problems that a GM should take into consideration (which he also started this thread alluding to). Combats are a lot longer. For each attack role, you are adding one or two others (damage save and then possible reroll), which both players and GM have. This deemphaszes combats in games because you probably only want one or two a session and can make time between individual player's turn drag on. What I found with Mutants and Masterminds, anyways, so may be different for the other systems, with DCs and AC (defense) much lower than in your standard D&D game, social skills are not as important and costlier than combat or special abilities (it is a point buy system with a 1 point for 1 skill point, 2 points for a feat, 1 point for an ability bump max 20, 1-3 points for a special ability, etc). They are used more often since out of combat time is longer, but a few at character generation can do you fr the entire campaign. Again, this is my experience with Mutants and Masterminds.
Now, I'll repeat it again, it's different from your typical D&D game. It may be better or worse suited to your campaign style depending on what you want. I'd be interested to hear how it ends up with your campaign.
I will say this, it does an absolutely fabulous job of making you think what each feat and ability means to your character. While you can take anything since there are few prereqs (usually ability and one other feat), you have to justify it thematically to your character. So while everyone at the table has the ability of flight. One might be mechanical, another because of wings, another from mystic power, another from levatating a chunk of earth, etc. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
| Thoth, Gatherer of Knowledge
MerricB
Underboss
2350 Posts
Australia
| | 03/07/2007 5:07 PM |
| Note that M&M 2e changed a lot of stuff. Skills: 1 PP = 4 skill points, 1 PP = 1 feat. I'm still not fond of the damage system. Cheers! | |
Merric Blackman
| |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 03/07/2007 6:05 PM |
| | Thanks for the update. I'm playing 1st ed. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
|
| | You are not authorized to post a reply. |
|
| |
ActiveForums 3.7 | You must be signed in to participate in the
games. |