Bendris Noulg
First Post
I'm game for that...Joshua Dyal said:Rather than saying "low magic sucks just because" I think a more useful discussion would be how to make low magic, grim and gritty d20 games work.
- Most encounters are with Class-Level creatures. This includes Humanoids, Monstrous Humanoids, etc. Creatures that require lots of magic to defeat are extremely rare, held in reserve for when the PCs can handle it and never used if they can't. And, especially, allow most encounters (not all, but most) to have a non-combat resolution or means of bypassing. Most non-avoidable combats are usually integral to the plotline/story, but may also then be much tougher than usual (90%-99% resource depletion with ever-present risk of death rather than 20% with slim-but-increasing risk of death) since it is likely the only combat occuring during that time period.
- Legendary Weapons (ala Swords of Our Fathers, UA, etc.). These are handy for giving uber-weapons and items to PCs at low-levels without them becoming uber-characters (ala Arthur the squire drawing Excalibur from the stone).
- Spell Points. Likely doesn't sound low magic, but can be applied in various ways. For instance, spells have a Minimum Casting Level (ex: fireball is 5th), and when cast they are cast at that level (ex: 20th Level Wizard casts fireball for 5d6 damage). The mage can then expend extra points to increase the Casting Level (ex: +5 points = Casting Level 10, or 10d6 damage). This presents spellcasters with a choice: Many low-level low-powered spells or a few major boom-booms.
- No RP-assumptions in the Rules: No free spells per level based on non-existat research, no spontaneously sprouting magic spells, no laboratory/library without obtaining it through gameplay, religious obligations for divine casters are never overlooked, etc.
- Enemy/Villainous spellcasters are an extreme rarity. This allows parties without any spellcasters (particularly solo-games or solo-side-treks, both of which I do a lot of) to function without any hindrance. PCs are also more likely to run into cultists (ala Freeport) than Clerics.
- Superspells like Resurrection, True Resurrection, Wish, etc., rewritten as True Rituals (ala Relics & Rituals), allowing them to remain in play while increasing their cost and risk and adding a chance of failure (Ritual Casting check). Some spells (mostly 3rd Party spells, but some Core spells as well) are also relegated to the Spell Lists for specific Prestige Classes, increasing their rarity and occurance in-game.
- 3E Psionics re-defined as Arcane Mysticism with BC/Malhavoc alterations generally ignored and psi att/def removed completely; Psionics system from Fading Suns d20 retooled to scale differently than written.
- Removing the presumption of needing magic to succeed as a character/group. A lack of magic can only be viewed as "screwing" the players if that lack translates as an inability to face the challenges presented. If the magic is both non-existant and non-required, than anyone whining about getting screwed is doing just that... Whining.
- Wounds/Vitality, Defense Bonus, Defense Rolls (opposed by Attack Rolls, Armor Penalty Applies), DR for Armor, Facing, etc.
- Remove 20% Exp penalty from uneven multiclassing and instead reward +1 Skill Point per Favored Class level. This, I have found, permits players to combine combative prowess with decent skill selections without "giving away the farm".
- Most important: Inform the players that the game is harsh and will reflect certain real world conditions. A character jumping from a 100' window will not get up and walk away like nothing happened, a 10th Level Fighter can die at the hands of a mob, equipment needs to be repaired or replaced regularly or penalties will be applied, etc. Players looking for this sort of game are invited; Those not interested have their names/numbers passed on to other GMs in the area that are more intune with his wants. (This I don't really have to do too often as my own players are by far more likely to scrutinize a new member than I am as they don't want the game to change or be disrupted by a new member complaining constantly... Seriously, you should have seen the hoops they made me jump through just to convert to the d20 engine.)