I did actually try this some months back.....played around with it a bit, but I got annoyed having to think up powers, which is where i always get stuck in 4e. For example for dwarves' power i think i wrote 'melee weapon, Con Vs AC, [w]+con+lvl(2?) and maybe tmp hp?' Which I think is a good start, but i never bothered naming or nailing down final details. Its a hurtle that kills all my 4e creativity every time.
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Has anyone attempted to gamma world(ize) D&D?
- Thread starter Evenglare
- Start date
TikkchikFenTikktikk
First Post
Yes, I have.
I have a system I call DS4E which could stand for "the damn small version of the fourth edition of our favorite table-top rpg". It's evolved over the years and I mostly use it to free-form roleplay. Never tried a
It's much simpler than what you propose. Characters are just the six attributes and the core mechanic is used. The damage table and dc table and role-playing are used in place of powers.
No skills, no feats, no conditions. No real races or classes, players get to add +2 to any two attributes, or +2 to one attribute and +1 to non-AC defenses. Skill checks are attribute checks with liberal use of the "DM's best friend" to add bonuses or penalties up to +/-5 based on context and roleplaying. Combat is usually grid-less, let alone mini/token-less. There may be a sketch of a map to indicate general position and terrain, but it's not necessary.
It's genre-less and has worked from low-magic to high-magic heroic fantasy to space opera to western to modern urban.
It's a lot of fun. A **lot** of fun. But it is not for "power gamers" or "rules lawyers". It's for players who like are OK with roleplaying defining the parameters of the game and not the rules and for DMs that are comfortable with making up a lot of s*** as they go along.
I've been meaning to pull this together into a short doc or web page and post it. Ever time I see one of these threads it reminds me I really need to make that a priority and get it done.
I have a system I call DS4E which could stand for "the damn small version of the fourth edition of our favorite table-top rpg". It's evolved over the years and I mostly use it to free-form roleplay. Never tried a
It's much simpler than what you propose. Characters are just the six attributes and the core mechanic is used. The damage table and dc table and role-playing are used in place of powers.
No skills, no feats, no conditions. No real races or classes, players get to add +2 to any two attributes, or +2 to one attribute and +1 to non-AC defenses. Skill checks are attribute checks with liberal use of the "DM's best friend" to add bonuses or penalties up to +/-5 based on context and roleplaying. Combat is usually grid-less, let alone mini/token-less. There may be a sketch of a map to indicate general position and terrain, but it's not necessary.
It's genre-less and has worked from low-magic to high-magic heroic fantasy to space opera to western to modern urban.
It's a lot of fun. A **lot** of fun. But it is not for "power gamers" or "rules lawyers". It's for players who like are OK with roleplaying defining the parameters of the game and not the rules and for DMs that are comfortable with making up a lot of s*** as they go along.
I've been meaning to pull this together into a short doc or web page and post it. Ever time I see one of these threads it reminds me I really need to make that a priority and get it done.
Last edited:
Baz King
Explorer
Me too (3? 4?). I had a stab at a basic 4e well before GW came out. It was functional, but I never took it very far. I'd forgotten all about it as I got distracted by Essentials, and this thread brought it all back.
I think GW is a genius piece of game design actually, and I'd pay good money for a retro-fitted D&D version.
Keep it going, and if it gets any traction, punt it to WotC for DDI.
I think GW is a genius piece of game design actually, and I'd pay good money for a retro-fitted D&D version.
Keep it going, and if it gets any traction, punt it to WotC for DDI.
Evenglare
Adventurer
Awesome , thanks for the support guys ! I've been thinking about what one person said about taking half classes and making it that way.
That would probably honestly be a better fit for gamma worlding D&D . Your character would be half classes , instead of a race and a class. Although right now im doing race class combinations. I think it would be beneficial for people who played to make their own race as fluff, and then have your class origins define your character. It would be extremely simple to rip hybrid characters from PHB3, and then go from there. Either way, ill keep working on it tonight to see what i come up with.
Ill probably eventually do it both ways , half classes, and race class combinations...
That would probably honestly be a better fit for gamma worlding D&D . Your character would be half classes , instead of a race and a class. Although right now im doing race class combinations. I think it would be beneficial for people who played to make their own race as fluff, and then have your class origins define your character. It would be extremely simple to rip hybrid characters from PHB3, and then go from there. Either way, ill keep working on it tonight to see what i come up with.
Ill probably eventually do it both ways , half classes, and race class combinations...
Dice4Hire
First Post
Well, if I were to do this I would
Have five components (yeah, maybe too many)
1: Race one race power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
2: Background powers from level 1 on,
3: Theme one theme power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
4: Class 1 one class power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
5: Class 2 one class power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
The player would have to choose either of the class powers (not both) at first level. Afterwards, they would get one choice of power at each level, not multiples.
Skipping Dailies is a good idea as is doing it more encounter by encounter.
So a first level character would have A racial, theme, two class powers, plus a choice of either classes' first level power. Then at 2nd level, they would choose one utility from 5 choices (race, theme, background, class1, class2) and th same at 3rd and up.
I think it wold be interesting
But maybe too complicated. Could easily drop the background and themes for much the same effect, but easier.
I like the idea of doing the ability scores by race and class though.
Have five components (yeah, maybe too many)
1: Race one race power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
2: Background powers from level 1 on,
3: Theme one theme power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
4: Class 1 one class power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
5: Class 2 one class power plus encounters and utilities. 1/level
The player would have to choose either of the class powers (not both) at first level. Afterwards, they would get one choice of power at each level, not multiples.
Skipping Dailies is a good idea as is doing it more encounter by encounter.
So a first level character would have A racial, theme, two class powers, plus a choice of either classes' first level power. Then at 2nd level, they would choose one utility from 5 choices (race, theme, background, class1, class2) and th same at 3rd and up.
I think it wold be interesting
But maybe too complicated. Could easily drop the background and themes for much the same effect, but easier.
I like the idea of doing the ability scores by race and class though.
chris.crouch
Explorer
I really like the idea.
One point is working out how much damage powers should do for the different roles.
In Gamma World, pure damage, single-target powers (eg Pyrokinetic?) do 2d8+stat+2*level, so this seems like a good baseline for strikers.
Plenty of other GW powers do 2d6 or 1d10 +stat+2*level and impose a condition. This might be a good baseline for other role single-target powers.
Multi-target powers seem to do 1d6+stat+level. This looks like the baseline for controllers. Maybe give some non-controllers a multi-target power, but only let the controllers apply a condition along with the damage.
One point is working out how much damage powers should do for the different roles.
In Gamma World, pure damage, single-target powers (eg Pyrokinetic?) do 2d8+stat+2*level, so this seems like a good baseline for strikers.
Plenty of other GW powers do 2d6 or 1d10 +stat+2*level and impose a condition. This might be a good baseline for other role single-target powers.
Multi-target powers seem to do 1d6+stat+level. This looks like the baseline for controllers. Maybe give some non-controllers a multi-target power, but only let the controllers apply a condition along with the damage.
Last edited:
Tony Vargas
Legend
I like the idea of race as an origin + class as an origin. But, then, I've created class-like origins for Gamma World. Same thread on the WotC GW forum as I linked, above.
You'd have to pick the premier stat for each race - or have two (or three) versions of each race. For instance, post-E dwarves can have a bonus to WIS, STR or CON, so you could have a 'Mountan Dwarf' that's STR primary, a Stone Dwarf that's CON primary, and a Deep Dwarf that WIS primary. That sort of thing. Human could have it's choice of primaries, of course.
You'd have to pick the premier stat for each race - or have two (or three) versions of each race. For instance, post-E dwarves can have a bonus to WIS, STR or CON, so you could have a 'Mountan Dwarf' that's STR primary, a Stone Dwarf that's CON primary, and a Deep Dwarf that WIS primary. That sort of thing. Human could have it's choice of primaries, of course.
Evenglare
Adventurer
Ok guys update , i worked alot yesterday. I am beginning with onlyi class origins. I have taken the hybrid hp and added that, so at first level you will add your hps and con score together. So far i have created rogue, cleric, wizard, fighter, bard and a master class.
Im pretty proud of that master class because i had to ask myself, what if you roll the same class twice? So i made this master class for your second origin. For example if you roll a wizard twice, you are a master wizard. Each of the powers you get are sort of generic powers that could be easiily usefull for all classes. I think the novice power is an encounter power that lets you either add 4 to all your at will rolls for the rest of the encounter or regain an encounter power each encounter. The utility power allows you to reroll a roll you didnt like, and the expert power adds 20 to your next roll.
I havew things like that . Ill try and throw it up on the net later on . So far im pretty proud of it. I i have 3 sources, physical, arcane , and divine. So each class is a part of each source... Im not to worried about it being balanced, because most of the powers i got forom the gamma world books them selves.
Im also liking the idea of vocations in the place of alpha powers. Im thinking of making each type of vocating physical , arcane or divine. So you can pick a vocation from your primary origin power. And im thinking im going to go through the paragon paths, and add those level 11 and 16 benfits as vocation benfits. So its almost like feats but not quite. Im really excited about it.
Im pretty proud of that master class because i had to ask myself, what if you roll the same class twice? So i made this master class for your second origin. For example if you roll a wizard twice, you are a master wizard. Each of the powers you get are sort of generic powers that could be easiily usefull for all classes. I think the novice power is an encounter power that lets you either add 4 to all your at will rolls for the rest of the encounter or regain an encounter power each encounter. The utility power allows you to reroll a roll you didnt like, and the expert power adds 20 to your next roll.
I havew things like that . Ill try and throw it up on the net later on . So far im pretty proud of it. I i have 3 sources, physical, arcane , and divine. So each class is a part of each source... Im not to worried about it being balanced, because most of the powers i got forom the gamma world books them selves.
Im also liking the idea of vocations in the place of alpha powers. Im thinking of making each type of vocating physical , arcane or divine. So you can pick a vocation from your primary origin power. And im thinking im going to go through the paragon paths, and add those level 11 and 16 benfits as vocation benfits. So its almost like feats but not quite. Im really excited about it.
Evenglare
Adventurer
Fantasy World Rules v2.docx
There is what i have so far... id like feed back. Its pretty rough as far as formatting and such. Enjoy !
There is what i have so far... id like feed back. Its pretty rough as far as formatting and such. Enjoy !
Similar Threads
