Any fans of BESM d20?

[LoneWolf23]

I know Guardians of Order is defunct, but fortunetly, the Animed20 System Reference Document is still available for download off the old GoO website: http://www.guardiansorder.com/games/d20/srd/

And the BESM d20 Monstrous Manual and Advanced D20 magic sourcebooks are also available here: http://shop.rpg.net/default.php?manufacturers_id=298

That having been said, it's too bad their forum's gone. Now where am I supposed to go to for BESM d20 support?

 

[Alzrius]

Yeah, it's hard to find any love if you're a BESM d20 fan. I reviewed Advanced d20 Magic over on RPGNow and quite liked it.

I also posted the only BESM d20 NPC that the d20 NPC Wiki has. I was hoping making a category for that system would have inspired others to add NPCs, but so far it hasn't happened.

 

[LoneWolf23]

Tell me about it. I was considering a BESMd20 conversion of Eberron... Adapting the Giant Robot class to Warforged might be fun, as would replacing the Artificer with the Mechanical (Magical) Genius class...

 

[Jdvn1]

Isn't there a new edition out? My bookstore recently got in BESM Third Edition. It's a red book I hadn't heard about previously.

 

[Alzrius]

Isn't there a new edition out? My bookstore recently got in BESM Third Edition. It's a red book I hadn't heard about previously.

BESM isn't the same thing as BESM d20. By itself, BESM is its own RPG, using what it calls the Tri-Stat System for mechanics. BESM d20 is a different version of the d20 rules.

 

[Jdvn1]

BESM isn't the same thing as BESM d20. By itself, BESM is its own RPG, using what it calls the Tri-Stat System for mechanics. BESM d20 is a different version of the d20 rules.

Ah, I thought when they came out with BESM d20, they got rid of the Tri-Stat System version.

Regardless, I do prefer the d20 version as there's a less steep learning curve for me.

 

[Relique du Madde]

BESM d20 was plagued with issues. First off, 3.5 was released right after BESM d20 was placed on the shelves then when BESM D20 recieved a revision to 3.5, GoO's printer accidently printed the wrong version of the book which was then shipped without being proofed. I'm not sure if there was ever a correct Revised edition in print before GoO becmae defunct.

Luckily.. they have the SRD flouting somewhere on the net..

BTW.. Goto White-wolf.com for support for BESM since one of their imprints (Arthaus Games) now produces BESM. Arthaus's forum might have info on BESM d20.

 

[Stormborn]

BESM d20 was plagued with issues. First off, 3.5 was released right after BESM d20 was placed on the shelves then when BESM D20 recieved a revision to 3.5, GoO's printer accidently printed the wrong version of the book which was then shipped without being proofed. I'm not sure if there was ever a correct Revised edition in print before GoO becmae defunct.

I believe so. My understanding was that the original revised edition's main problem was that it had the old cover. I have one that says Revised Edition and 3.5 Compatible - looking at a few of the key differences, like Survival rather than Wilderness Lore, and it looks 3.5 to me. I got it for $5 at a Con. It includes a mecha book that had been published seperately. Looks cool, very adpatable. In some ways its unfotunate that the system was tied to BESM, I think it would have had a better market as an adaptable d20 engine. I think the people who liked BESM liked it just fine as Tri-Stat. I dont think they expanded their fan base beyond just a few of us, and I bought it mostly as a curiosity. I doubt I will ever play or run a BESM game or even use the system.

 

[Alzrius]

Yeah, there was a 3.5 BESM d20 book published. It says Revised Edition at the top of the book (as did the other book that was supposed to be 3.5 but was 3.0 instead), and also "3.5 Compatible" in the bottom right-hand corner (which is how you know that's the corrected revised version).

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I own a copy of BESM d20 and consider it worth about what you'll pay for the only version now available - the free SRD.

Under no circumstances am I a fan of the BESM philosophy that mechanical balance is only a concern for weak GMs and munchkins, neither of whom are supposed to be playing BESM. Combining that with d20, a system that does *not* take that approach, did not work for me at all. I was hoping for a d20 point-buy system with some anime flavor and instead got a mess.

On the other hand, d20 Mecha, the detailed mecha construction guide GoO put out to go with BESM d20, is an *excellent* book that I consider one of the ten best d20 supplements ever written, maybe one of the five best.