UA, What variants are you using?

[Brennin Magalus]

• Totem Barbarians
• Bardic Sage
• Divine Bard
• Cloistered Cleric
• Druidic Avenger
• Wilderness Rogue
• Battle Sorcerer
• Tainted Sorcerer
• Savage Bard
• Paladin with favored enemy swap
• Barbarian with archery swap
• favored terrain
• specialty wizard variants
• aspects of nature
• terrain racial variants

 

[WanderingMonster]

Interesting how nearly every list I've read ultimately favors the DM. Talk about power-gaming.

I don't agree. Would you care to elaborate on your point?

 

[Psion]

Sir elaborated in this thread:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=77920&page=3

But to recap:
Anyways, to the question:

Already using:

• Reducing level adjustment
• Complex skill checks (been doing this informally already)
• Legendary Weapons (this came from another d20 product.)
• Taint (already using the version from OA.)
• Insanity (I always thought that using a shortcut of the confusion spell was lame. But again, this is something that other publishers have already done.)

Sort of already using a version in my Second World game:

• Action Points (was using the d20 modern version, will probably update to the UA version.)
• Class Based Defense Bonus (using the Second World Version, which is a spinoff of the d20 Modern version and IMO superior to the UA version.)

Considering using in some for eventually:

• Class Variants (on a case-by-case basis. This is really a more formalized version of what was already was mentioned in the DMG.)
• Specialist Wizard Variants (these are cool)
• Weapon Group Feats (it's about time...)
• Metamagic components (already using a version of this from another source, in this case Plot & Poison.)
• Spontaneous Metamagic (this should have been part of 3.5 AFAIAC. Most players won't touch metamagic IME.)
• Contacts (though I may opt for something more freeform... I'm not convinced I need to abide by a level schedule.)

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Interesting how nearly every list I've read ultimately favors the DM. Talk about power-gaming.

Considering that every other book WotC has put out favors the player, I'd say it's balanced.

 

[d10]

agreed. DM's finally have a book, besides the DMG, that is all for them. I love the book.

My top 3 D&D books: DMG, UA, Dungeon/Polyhedron #100

 

[Beard in the Sky]

I am using the alternate XP method in which you just give a set xp amount by the CR of the monster.

A player was going to play a Battle Sorcerer but changed his mind, so we aren't using that.

I am allowing the Traits options in a few cases.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Alternate XP System
Armor as DR
Honor
Legendary Weapons
Taint (this happened to be exactly what I was looking for on a particular point IMC)

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

These are now standard in most any campaign I run:

* Action Points

* Massive Damage Threshold ala Modern (combination of Threshold = CON and failed Fort save drops you to -1)

* Urban Ranger, Cloistered Cleric, Wilderness Rogue, Divine Bard, and Thug allowed

* Domain Wizards and Monk Fighting Styles allowed.

* Racial paragons (with Half Orc modified as per my Half Orc racial house rules)

* Reducing level adjustments

* Bloodlines (will require Sorcerors to take at least Intermediate bloodline. Pondering how to upgun them in compensation)

* Class defense bonus, but I'm going to need to rework how they're done in UA. I'm thinking something closer to Modern's, with smaller bonuses stacking with armor.

* Weapon Group Proficiencies

If my players showed interest, I might make use of Spell Points. I am strongly considering using the Gestalt rules, either for a special campaign, or as a general order, since my campaign rules already favor more powerful characters, especially as they progress in levels. (My level-based point buy is a major factor in this.)

 

[Westwind]

I'm putting together a Rokugan campaign right now and I'm going to use:

• Honor: I suppose this is a given. I'm using this in conjunction with some of the d10 tables from L5R in place of alignment.
• Wound/Vitality: One of the criticisms you hear from d10 fans is that d20 doesn't translate the threat of combat well in L5R, I think this would be a great way of getting around that.
• Flaws and Traits: I'm thinking of making a flaw mandantory, but we'll see.
• Defense Rating: I'd love to add this, but I'm worried it'll be too many differences from the d20 we know and love.
• Taint: Again, a given.
• Hero Points: Actually, it's Void points but I'm allowing them to do anything a Hero Point can do, player's choice when they use them. If they have some feat that increases the bonus given from a Void point, it's d8 instead of d6. Void points are still gained by taking the appropriate feat/s.
• Reputation: Maybe in lieu of Glory--I'm trying to find some way of merging the d10 material.
• 3d6: I wasn't considering this until reading this thread, but it would help cut down on random good/bad rolls by people who have no business rolling well/poorly on certain things. The Doji failed to negotiate? Send in the Matsu, maybe she'll get lucky...
  

 

[Zoatebix]

Anybody else like the fractional base attack and base save bonuses to keep multiple plus 0s from going nowhere? I sure do. I also like the magic rating system. Maybe I just see more multicasting than most people.

Psion has definitely convinced me, as if I wasn't tempted before, to buy the Second World Sourcebook when I have the money. I'd really like a class-based defense mechanic, but the UA version seems like merely a workable solution to a problem that could be dealt with elegantly. I'm probably going to want some damage-soaking armor to go with it, and reserve points to cut the down-time.

I missed the level-check for turning undead. I definitely need to check that one out. I might consider some version of the Variable Modifiers variant for more excitement at high-level play, or to replace that mechanic from 4CTF...

And, of course, weapon group feats, action points, the metamagic fixes, the multitude of class variants, bloodlines, generic classes, and racial classes are all nifty nifty things to think about.
-z