[FFD20] Let's Mass our Forces, and Rebuild our Power

Creamsteak · Jul 29, 2003

XERO HOUR said:
I think you need too fold the classes into 5 base classes and then make a sieres of templates for example
warrior (base class)
dragoon(template)
dark knight(template)
berzeker (template)
monk (template)

mage/wizard(base class)
geomancer(template)
red mage (template)
blue mage (template)
white mage(template)

and so on and so forth. Using this system you can change a pc by adding a template (or lose one to strengthen another ) as you or the dm wishes. there is also the benifit of plot points (ex.a knights family is killed he becoms a dark knight )

What?

I'm not sure what you mean, but if it's what it appears to be... then how would you handle multi-classing, and how would progression work?

Creamsteak · Jul 29, 2003

Ako Mainyu said:
Are you attempting to emulate Final Fantasy with a d20 enviroment, or using the FF-concept with the d20 game system to generate your own worlds?

Alright, assuming you don't want to backtrack and look over the last two versions of my work... the goal is first to write a book that allows someone to run a DnD style D20 game using Final Fantasy character classes. Just for fun. Then we 'might' consider trying to adopt an existing Final Fantasy world as our campaign setting (probably an earlier FF, but one that's well developed... or one entirely of our own concoction. I once even pondered how you would merge the first 6 final fantasy games into one world... but that's not my current concern...)

I see that the classes are already posted, so let me ask a few questions about those: how many of those classes are just extensions of other classes, or purely culturally or socially identified?

First off, those classes are not final. I'm trying to get things going by throwing out ideas to be speculated over...

The first thing that I'm focusing on is the mechanics. I'd like to establish that the Knight/Black Mage/White Mage/Thief seem to be basic classes. They would be your fighter/wizard/cleric/rogue of classic DnD. They should be versitile. The Dragoon, Paladin, Dark Knight, Red Mage, etc... would all be much more specific, like your Barbarian, Monk, Paladin, etc. However, information like the 'Dragoon' example you gave would have to be a little more campaign setting specific. If we adopt a 'default setting' then I'd be more concerned with what status the Dragoon or even Black Mage would have...

Ako Mainyu · Jul 29, 2003

It's a deeper question than I asked it as, excuse me =P Well, it's obvious that if it were to emulate any previous FF, it would be definitely 1-6 (and Tactics). And I realise the classes aren't final, and a lot of them are prestige versions of previous classes. However, my question was going to this (I should be more to the point, aye?): will you be including any classes, concepts rather, that weren't featured in any previous FF but are fitting enough for the FF-world (Chocovier, &c. &c.) I think classes will be a hot point for discussion. Anyways...

And for class advancement, could be done either by tiers. Though in two seperate areas. You can either go from Fighter to Knight, and then from Knight to Paladin, or to Dark Knight, or to even Dragoon. But progression is always in 1 dimension; you can never go back and be something else (linear progression). Which really limits the character and forces them to make decisions on whether advancement is worth it. Or you can go from Fighter to Knight, hop back and go to Mage, the onto Mystic Knight (multiclassing), which is defaultingly standard. The latter's dealt with easily in d20, but the former?

Drake Masters · Jul 29, 2003

The Draft

Posted

The Draft
Chapter 1: Basics (Creamsteak)
Chapter 2: Races (Slot 1) (Slot 2)
Chapter 3: Core Classes (Creamsteak) (Slot 2) (Slot 3)
Chapter 4: Prestige Classes (Creamsteak) (Slot 2) (Slot 3)
Chapter 5: Skills (Creamsteak)
Chapter 6: Feats (Creamsteak) (Slot 2) (Slot 3) (Slot 4)

How the Draft will work: Well, basically I just want to know where people think they can be most helpful. The number of slots I listed is not an arbitrary maximum, but rather, how many people I thought would be needed for each area. The SRD (System Reference Document) for the D20 system will handle most of our needs with skills, basic rules, ability scores, and other mechanics. The D20 Modern SRD is also open gaming content, so we can borrow bits and pieces from that.

Basically, just tell me what you think you want to do, and how much effort your willing to put into the project. I'm already listing myself for all the parts of the work that I expect to be involved in. I'm not too interested in races for instance, but I'm still going to review whatever is happening in that area.

I'm going to submit some charts for classes here in a minute, you can all review those then... that will give us a starting point.

I volunteer to help with feats. In your previous version, you had most of the classes having Bonus Feats. I would be happy to volunteer for feat placement and creation. Second, what kind of spell list are we gonna use, I mean are we gonna make our own up, or are we just gonna adapt from the DnD books?

Ako Mainyu · Jul 29, 2003

I would suggest a tailor-made casting system. Something more open-ended than the DnD system (I mean, all spells in FF seem to hint at more than one simple usage: Fire 1 is as versatile as, say, Control Flames, Burning Hands, Fireball, &c.) Whether it should be MP-fueled is a story on its own.

Xiryc · Jul 29, 2003

Dark Knight and Paladin should be prestige classes. The Paladin especially. Cecil had to do a whole lot more than level to become one.

That template idea sounds interesting, but could be difficult to set up in an easily understandible manner.

I would be more than happy to help with races and feats. A few Prestige Classes have popped up in my mind as well.

Xiryc · Jul 29, 2003

As for spells, we could start with DnD spells, then add any we need to fill in gaps, and remove any that make no sense in this.

We should probably modify the Psionics Handbook's power point system to make a Magic Point system.

Jeff_M_Stone · Jul 29, 2003

I'd like to volunteer for helping with the core classes, I'll definetly be able to handle making core classes that make sense

Drake Masters · Jul 29, 2003

Magic System

Another question is this: every Final Fantasy has a unique Magic system. For example, in FF1 the magic system is almost identical to the Sorcerer in 3ed. In FF6, you learned magic from Espers, and in FF7 you equipped Materia to learn spells, and when you unequipped them, you lost those spells. The question is, how or which magic system would we use, or could we find a way to use any of them. Maybe make rules for them and have the dungeon master choose the magic system. Further more, for example, we could have a Prc called the "Materia Knight", and another called the "Mako Sorcerer". Oh, and jeff, great quote, (about the butterfly and the spider,) That trigun was on last night.

Drake Masters · Jul 29, 2003

Classes, pt 2

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the only reason I suggested the D20 modern classes, and the advanced pathway, was this. Cecil did'nt start off as a Dark Knight, he had to undergo training, and Cloud didn't start off that powerful.