D&D 5E Masters of the Universe

[LuisCarlos17f]

Some time Hasbro and Mattel tried to negotiate a merger or acquisition but we couldn't reach a deal.

About a d20 MotU is possible but it would be a "mash-up" version. The characters are too powerful for a TTRPG with leveling-up.

And not only the nerfing of heroes and villains but Eternia is a world with magic, but also with high-technology, and weapons as ray-guns could break the power balance.

 

[MarkB]

Some time Hasbro and Mattel tried to negotiate a merger or acquisition but we couldn't reach a deal.

About a d20 MotU is possible but it would be a "mash-up" version. The characters are too powerful for a TTRPG with leveling-up.

That just means you don't start from level 1. Kicking off from around level 5-7 should be fine.

And not only the nerfing of heroes and villains but Eternia is a world with magic, but also with high-technology, and weapons as ray-guns could break the power balance.

If you give the ray-guns the same range, damage and proficiency requirements as longbows they'll be just fine, both balance-wise and thematically.

 

[Pauln6]

That just means you don't start from level 1. Kicking off from around level 5-7 should be fine.

If you give the ray-guns the same range, damage and proficiency requirements as longbows they'll be just fine, both balance-wise and thematically.

Aren't there rules on ray guns in the DMG?

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

It is not only ray-guns (they is a section of sci-fi weapons in the DMG) but also vehicles and robots.

Most of DMs haven't enough experencie to find the right power balance between firearms vs swords.

 

[MarkB]

It is not only ray-guns (they is a section of sci-fi weapons in the DMG) but also vehicles and robots.

Most of DMs haven't enough experencie to find the right power balance between firearms vs swords.

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I just don't get that. If you make the ray-guns equivalent in stats to bows and arrows (which they basically are in the cartoons) then there's nothing to balance. We already have both ranged and melee weapons in D&D, and DMs balance them just fine.

 

[Ancalagon]

I've been thinking more about He-man in a broader context. I've also been thinking about this book (it's one of the first "fantasy books", well worth the read!) The Worm Ouroboros - Wikipedia .

Basically, the idea is that the battles between Skeletor and He-man are a sort of re-occurring ritual more than real conflict. He-Man loves beating people up, and Skeletor cares much more about mischief and lording over his minions than actual victory. The PCs get recruited to assist He-Man in yet another clash with Skeletor. They are fairly brutally killed by a stray AOE effect... but are raised back from the dead via technology. Only for the same thing to happen again.

The PC's task is to break out of this cycle and stop the suffering of all the cannon fodder and hanger-ons, who regularly get hurt/killed in the pointless, almost "sport-like" confrontations between Skeletor and He-Man.

(this doesn't have much to do with the new series, which I haven't finished watching)

 

[Pauln6]

Thst sounds like a really fun idea that can give the PCs to participate in some epic fights.

I'm quite sad. I love trying to stat the Heroes of the Lance every new edition so I would like to stat the Masters. Need to decide on a campaign level before considering what level to pitch the villains. If Adam is level 5 then the Masters need to be better, so I would say levels 8-10 with 10 being Man at Arms but that's just plucked out of the air.

Evil Lynn casts Meteor Storm in episode 2 so I think that pitches her as a 17th level caster so I would say Skeletor needs to be pitched higher than that, albeit I would base him on TWF fighter/Warlock.
I'm on episode 10 and so far, apart from eldritch blast, mage hand, shield, and thunderwave, he hasn't really used much magic.

The issue with the others is to make them feel different when they are mostly mace-wielding fighters. Mechaneck has expertise in Perception but what else? How to make Stratos and Buzz Off feel different?

 

[dave2008]

He-Man actually seems pretty easy. I think a high level barbarian tricked out with high end gear or possibly supernatural gifts / boons (if you don't want to included Adam) covers him pretty well.

 

[Ancalagon]

Adam is clearly a hexblade folks

 

[Pauln6]

Adam is clearly a hexblade folks

Which spells and invocations?