Have I misunderstood True20 this whole time?

[elijah snow]

Can anyone clarify whether True20 statted source material can be used directly in 3.5E games?

I thought True20 was a rules light variant that is technically incompatible with 3.5, then I saw a preview of Shadows of Cthulhu with the Great Old One himself statted out 3.5-style.

 

[The_Warlock]

I'm not quite sure how to define "technically incompatible" for you.

It uses the same attribute bonuses (though it gets rid of the ruling attribute numbers for convenience), uses most of the same skill conventions, uses mostly the same feats (simplified in many instances for ease of use and prerequisites), uses a status rather than hit point system for wounds, and a skillish like magic system. The combat is more or less the same with the primary difference being: No AoOs by default; Dex to Hit regardless of attack type, Str for damage; Combat Bonus by Role (BAB, if you will) adds to your Defense to avoid being hit, and Armor effectively soaks damage by improving your roll to avoid debilitating damage status effects.

Everything uses a D20 for resolution, DCs are as the SRD, and each variant of the True20 rules released has come with a convenient conversion appendix.

A friend of mine basically uses it but put Hit Points back in and it works pretty close to board. And if you are familiar with 3/3.5, you can probably down-convert most monster stats on the fly once you are familiar with the conversion appendix.

 

[elijah snow]

This is very helpful, thanks. True20's much closer to d20 than I thought.

Is there a proper conversion appendix in the True20 core rulebook?

My interest is in purchasing some True20 setting books that look good, but only if I can easily bring NPCs and monsters into my 3.5 game.

 

[The_Warlock]

I have the True 20 Adventure Roleplaying PDF open right now...

And the last section includes a 2 page conversion appendix which includes the following:

Attributes
Damage & Injury
Toughness & Hit Points
Damage bonus & Damage Dice
Magical Healing
Damage to Objects
Feat Changes
Spell Changes
Converting Creatures

Green Ronin recently updated the Core Rules to include the "True20 Companion" which includes more info on multiple genres as well as how to make specific roles instead of the generic three, and I can only assume they retained this appendix at the end.

Additionally, there is also a PDF called Fantasy Paths which shows how to approximate D&D 3.x core classes with the True20 3-Role system.

I've found to date that it's generally very easy to use it with other 3.x products once you know the basic conversion, which really isn't that hard.

 

[elijah snow]

Cool. Any True20 settings or sourcebooks you'd recommend?

 

[The_Warlock]

It depends entirely on what you are looking for...

If you get the True20 Revised Core Book, you get a toolbox to handle multiple genres, while the original book contained multiple basic Campaign Settings: Caliphate Nights; Lux Aeternum; Mecha vs. Kaiju; Borrowed Time.

The Worlds of Adventure contains 5 more Campaign Settings: Agents of Oblivion; Blood Throne; Land of the Crane; Nevermore; and The Razor in the Apple.

Most of the other True20 source books are either extensions of the core Roles (Adept, Expert and Warrior Guides, which I haven't picked up to date), Genre toolkits (Wild West), or core source conversion/re-envisionings (True20 Bestiary).

Third party companies have taken up producing products specifically with the True20 system in mind, specifically expanding campaign settings from Worlds of Adventure, or adding new resources or campaign settings with a modern or future flair.

Here's a link to True20 systems resources on RPGNow...

Right now, I haven't needed most of them, so can't give specific recommendations for many of the additional books, as I've been using True20 as the base for an old school Forgotten Realms run with good success.

I'd double check ENWorld, as I know that Reign of Discordia and Interface Zero have gotten a lot of good comments and reviews here from people.

 

[The_Warlock]

One thing of note, the True Sorcery sourcebook isn't really a True20 book in most ways. It's a free form, construct your own spells system based on their Black Company D20 setting, and more directly applicable to Core D20 play, though it has rules for use and balancing against True20's skill/magic system.

If you are looking for something like that, it might work for you. I found its presentation to be rather dense in the reading, and quite a bit more rules heavy than I wanted, and never actually bothered to use it.

 

[elijah snow]

Thanks for the recommendations. i'm interested most in unique campaign settings and new threats to throw at my PCs. I do have the black company CS but haven't read the magic rules.

 

[davout1805]

A friend of mine basically uses it but put Hit Points back in and it works pretty close to board.

Warlock,

Does your friend anything written up for that. If I could I would really like to see it. I much prefer HP over wound systems.

Thanks.

 

[Voadam]

Thanks for the recommendations. i'm interested most in unique campaign settings and new threats to throw at my PCs. I do have the black company CS but haven't read the magic rules.

Bloodthrone and its follow up accesories by RDP then. I play 3.5, not True20 and I enjoyed the post apocalyptic fantasy Bloodthrone setting. I have not gotten the blight elves or book of bones or blighted bestiary supplements yet but they look neat. Shadows of Cthluhu by RDP looks fun as well. The idea of military memory wipes to protect the sanity of Cthulhu horror hunters is neat.

Nevermore is a kind of dream/feyis setting with a free gazetteer. I think XRP puts it and its supplements out (the different realms each have their own guide).

Lux Aeternum by Black Wyrm Games looks interesting as does Roma Imperius by Hinterwelt.