Excalibur d20

[Vigilance]

Excalibur now has its very own subsite within the RPGObjects family of fine quality entertainment offerings.

You can learn a little more about the game, especially the upcoming Campaign Guide which I am slaving over even as we speak, as well as look at a full color map of Britain with some key Arthurian locations detailed.

Check back here and you'll get some other previews for the game, possibly to include a class preview as well as some sample NPCs from the campaign guide.

Chuck

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

How easy would this be to switch to another time period, say the early Dark Ages (thinking a Cornwell's Warlord type game)?

 

[Vigilance]

I'm not familiar with the genre/time period you're mentioning so I can't say with certainty.

However, I will say this: The bedrock of mechanics I lay down in Excalibur, imo, works for any historical/legendary game translation of D&D so well that you will see more such works using these rules from me in the future (the distant future, because I am committed to at least 2 more Excalibur products, possibly more).

Some of the mechanics I think work for any historical/legendary genre you wanted to use:

Nobility- this mechanic replaces alignment, and judges a character based on his actions on a 100 point scale. Some characters will care little about their nobility, such as hedge mages and robber barons, while others, such as Knights, Priests, and especially Quest Knights gain power from nobility.

Fate/Destiny- allowing you be truly heroic within a specified area of influence, but also causing you to dread a destiny you don't want.

Both of these mechanics would make, say, a game translation of the Iliad or the Odyssey much more potent, and interesting, just to name one of many uses of these rules that are being discussed.

If you can give me more info or point me to a website I can give you a better answer to your actual question as well

Chuck

 

[Vigilance]

Hey guys, I'd like to point everyone to this gamewyrd preview of Excalibur, the most extensive to date.

As always questions and comments are welcome.

Chuck

http://www.gamewyrd.com/echoes/previews2_16.php

 

[Vigilance]

There's a preview of the game up at the Excalibur official site:

http://www.rpgobjects.com/index.php?page=ex

A downloadable PDF of the Noble core class.

Chuck

 

[zenld]

I have to say, once this game is released:

You must get this!

The game is great. The mechanics are well thought out and complete, the new classes and prestige classes really capture the flavor of the world, assisted nobly (pun intended) by the new nobility system and fate/destiny system. And with spell points, you never have to worry about memorizing spells again. Just running out of points. This is not recommended.

Buy this game, play this game, love this game! It is your fate. (and if you do, Vig will give you a small nobility increase.)

zen

 

[Vigilance]

Thanks zen!

We are currently on track for a Monday (yes THIS monday) release of the Knight's Handbook, which means I am already working on the Campaign Guide.

The print edition will be a hardback which is slated for a March/April release *I think* (early next year how's that).

I was also pleased to find out from the website that the Noble class preview was downloaded over 500 times.

As always questions and comments welcomed.

Chuck

 

[Vigilance]

As promised, a Monday release

As always questions and comments are welcome

Chuck

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2306&src=motd_rpgnow

 

[Wombat]

Saw it over at RPGNow. Looks good, both there and at the websites.

OTOH, because of my Arthurian Obsessions (tm), I think I'll wait for the print edition

I am waiting to see how it stacks up against Pendragon

 

[FoxWander]

Hey Chuck, I just picked up the Knight's Handbook yesterday. (My wife and I are going to be playing in Zen's playtest game.) Gotta tell you it looks great! Definitely captures the feel of the setting. I've got a couple of questions though. I'll send you an e-mail with this also, but Zen suggested I post it here in case others have thoughts on it as well. Let me know how you'd rather handle this kind of thing.

I was wondering why you decided to give the Robber Baron a medium attack progression instead of the full BAB, as the Knight and the Yeoman. From the class description, where they are compared repeatedly with the Knight, and their proficiency with martial weapons and all armors, they would seem to be a front-line fighting class but they don't have the attacks to back it up. Just wanted some clarification on why you built it this way.

Had another question, about the Minstrel's spell points. (By the way, I really like the magic system. It creates a nice balanced level of magic and the use of henges, leylines, etc. adds a lot of flavor.) We're a little confused about this (in bold)...

At 4th level, the minstrel is inducted into a druidic mystery cult and taught their ways, including the druidic tongue. The minstrel casts spells from this level on exactly as a druid with a caster level three less than his minstrel levels, and gains spell points exactly as a druid.

Do they get spell points as a druid of three levels lower or as a druid of equal level? The seperation of the caster level part and spell point part makes it unclear which is the case.

That's all I've got for now. Like I said, it's a really good system and I love how you've captured the setting. Let me know about the Robber Baron thing though, because it'll affect the character I make for Zen's game.

Thanks- (also) Chuck