Using Star Wars D20 as your fantasy rules

[Romus]

I was thinkin last night, what if I took the Star Wars rules and stripped out all the Sci-Fi stuff and had Magic work just like the Force, and have the cool Wound/Vitality rules. I mean the force would be a combo of Wizard and Cleric.

Think this would work?

 

[Crothian]

I know of many people like myself who have use viatality and eounds system in fantasy, it workd great as long as big spells aren't involved. those 10 die fireballs and stuff have some interesting effects on the system.

I've never tried the force system as magic though.

 

[Ranger REG]

I dunno. Star Wars Skill-n-Feat use of the Force draws upon your Vitality, which is okay if you're Vitality Die (don't try to initial it) is d8 or d10, but d4? You may have to designate each spell by separate arcane and divine cost.

Then there is the multiclassing issue. Star Wars simplify it by using one source: Force. In D&D you have two sources: arcane and divine. You'll have to designate each spell you acquire whether it is arcane (chosen when you level up an arcane spellcaster class) or divine (chosen when you level up a divine spellcaster class).

These are but a few issues you have to work around if you wish to include it in a fantasy role-playing game.

 

[Desdichado]

I've given a lot of thought to that as well. You also need to come up with some replacement for the Jedi lightsaber -- the use of it and advancement in lightsaber skills is a core element of the Jedi classes.

And, the worst thing of it is, there really aren't very many Force powers, and even less that have a magical feel. It's unfortunate, as I really like the way the Force powers work, but I need a bigger and broader list of powers.

On the flipside, the Green Ronin Psychic Handbook, which is coming out very soon, seems to feature a psychic system that can be run with essentially the same rules as Force powers, so maybe that's a source of powers that can be cobbled together quickly into more Force powers. I dunno.

 

[PJ Mason]

I've given a lot of thought to that as well. You also need to come up with some replacement for the Jedi lightsaber -- the use of it and advancement in lightsaber skills is a core element of the Jedi classes.

And, the worst thing of it is, there really aren't very many Force powers, and even less that have a magical feel. It's unfortunate, as I really like the way the Force powers work, but I need a bigger and broader list of powers.

With all their add-on books (one of my friends has a bunch of them) they got more force powers.

The Lightsaber bonuses could be used as a bonus for the characters chosen weapon, whatever they choose.

I had thought about using the Force skill-system for fantasy a handfull of times, but always get sidetracked by one thing or another. First as an Lord of the Rings adaption (not that i really wanted to play that setting, a friend and i just got talking and started doing it.) and then just to have something different for a change.

 

[mmadsen]

You also need to come up with some replacement for the Jedi lightsaber -- the use of it and advancement in lightsaber skills is a core element of the Jedi classes.

Do you though? Or are Jedi already more powerful than other classes?

 

[Remathilis]

Do you though? Or are Jedi already more powerful than other classes?

I'm gonna find out.

My friend is running a cobbled-together game from different worlds and time perioids. I'm a jedi guardian. We made some simple mods, however.

Lightsabers ignore all DR, but don't give a str bonus (not sure if they did normally).

Force powers due subdual damage, but it can only be healed by resting.

No Repuation or Defense bonus, so I might need to find some light armor(!)

We've only played one game, but it hasn't seemed too overpowered, yet.

 

[rowport]

Jedi are not overpowered. Melee focused Jedi Knights (Guardians or Sentinals) end up taking much more abuse than most other characters, because they do close combat so much more often. Force focused Jedi Knights (Counselors) are limited by Force point availability and non-combat centered advancement. Moreover, the Jedi Code (at least when properly played and enforced) is significantly restrictive; in many ways it is similar to a Paladin Code in D&D.

 

[Desdichado]

Do you though? Or are Jedi already more powerful than other classes?

Not in d20 Star Wars, they're not.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

SW would work best in a no-magic/psi-focused setting, since the rules present just that only with a sci-fi backdrop. Otherwise, you're better off taking the components you like (ex: Armor Protection, Defense Ratings, W&V) and tweaking them to work with the D&D system (like I did). A good number of these things will also be tweaked for D&D in Unearthed Arcana (although I doubt Force abilities will).