Anybody played BESM D20 yet?

[Blacksad]

Well GOO made D20 work for Anime, not Anime work for D20. I don't think this game should carry the D20 system logo because it is better served with just the OGL but GOO made their decision. We praise Green Ronin for the excellent Mutants & Masterminds because they made the system work for the genre and yet we are booing GOO for making the system work for the genre as well? That is just bullocks. GOO did an excellent job on this book... well, except for DYnamic Sorcery, that is just a glimmer of the glory that was DS in Tri-Stat...

Edit: Lastly, the DnD and D20 Modern class breakdowns were just how to break the classes down for use in BESM, not the other way around. They are also examples of how the rules can be used to create these sorts of characters.

to which I answer:

http://www.guardiansorder.com/company/press/2002-09-27.html

BESM d20 will present a flexible and easy-to-learn point-based power creation system that can be added on top of any d20 System game, while maintaining all the familiar elements, including feats, skills, levels, classes, races, and spells. Since the game handles all genres with ease, BESM d20 is a perfect addition to a fantasy, science fiction, espionage, superhero, horror, or wild west campaign

The book was advertised as an add-on to other d20 game, not the other way around. That's what put most people on nerves, even if the book is good.

 

[thundershot]

Yeah, that's what did it for me. If it was touted as an alternative to the d20 rules, I'd have no reason to complain.



Chris

 

[teitan]

to which I answer:

http://www.guardiansorder.com/company/press/2002-09-27.html


The book was advertised as an add-on to other d20 game, not the other way around. That's what put most people on nerves, even if the book is good.

WEll, with the trading of XP for attributes I don't see how it isn't, though I could see where people are worried about overpowered characters and all. Easy enough to houserule on the rank basis...

Jason

 

[tetsujin28]

As I mentioned in another post on the same topic, GOO really dropped the ball. It seems like none of the user comments on SAS d20 sunk in. The reason why M&M is such a superior game is that Green Ronin/Super Unicorn didn't attempt a clunky meshing of a point-based system with the core d20 fantasy rules -- M&M doesn't use the same XP system, doesn't have classes, &c. BESM d20, OTOH, is a half-assed cludge which doesn't mesh well with the core d20 rules, nor does it really carry over the flavour of the original that made it so much fun. Whilst I must admit that it's a gorgeous book (the deluxe version, anyways -- the b&w version's pretty ugly), it's a big fat flop

 

[d4]

that was my thought after reading their SRD.

i was thinking, "Why would i prefer this to either pure d20 or pure BESM?" i honestly couldn't answer that question.

i'm not a huge fan of Tri-Stat, being much more a d20 junkie, but i'd rather play BESM or Tri-Stat dX straight than attempt something with BESM d20. i just don't see the advantages of this over either of the systems it's based on.

 

[Blacksad]

WEll, with the trading of XP for attributes I don't see how it isn't, though I could see where people are worried about overpowered characters and all. Easy enough to houserule on the rank basis...

Jason

As mentioned by Thunsershot, it isn't that easy to house rule a whole book, from the cost of atribute:
-Str is considered more valuable in D&D, while all abilities have the same price.
-The balance of 1 feat 4 skill point typical in d20, is transformed in 1 to 8.
-the whole balance for attack and defense attribute assume that you use their combat rules
-the deafault size isn't given for giant robot, letting this free, while for a combat oriented character, reach is very important (and a minuscule character get huge hide bonus).

at this times some will be tempted to use Upper_Krust EL/CR system or the ECL calculator and use them for advancement

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46913
http://csserver.evansville.edu/~jc84/DD3/Monster_ECL.htm


Plus, the trading of Xp make the GM job way harder to assess the right challenge for the character.