Anyone picked up True Sorcery?

[bento]

As a GM for a group of novice players and someone who has taken a liking to the True 20 system, I find what's been written about True Sorcery in this post as an indication that the book would be a waste of my money. It's difficult enough to get someone to play a spellcaster because of all the details to keep track of in the D20 system, and now a new book has come out to make it even more complicated. Huzzah.

I think Green Ronin missed a great opportunity to expand on the Adept class and instead introduced (or reconfigured) yet another complicated magic system. Don't we already get these a couple of times a year from WoTC? Getting expanded spells, magic feats and new adept character paths was going to be the breakthrough I needed to get my players to convert over to the system, but it looks like I'll have to wait.

I also get tired of posters explaining to me how easy it is to port things over to True 20. It might be for you, having played variations of the system for nigh on umpteen years, but for those of us trying to get into a new hobby it's just another barrier. Why don't you do the work and I'll pay $10 for it on RPGNow?

- bento (the lazy GM)

 

[igavskoga]

Complication isn't always a bad word, sometimes over-simplified can be just as unintuitive as overly complex. Most of the learning curve with this magic system is unlearning the preconcieved notions of the old d20 system.

That being said, IMO this is the best magic system I've seen in print for d20. Perhaps when your players get a bit more experience under their belt they'll want something more substantive out of their favorite mechanics -- if so definitely pick this up.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Rob:

Will those of us who bought the pdf already have to pay again to get the revised version?

If so, will it be possible to post errata somewhere?

 

[Nikchick]

Rob:

Will those of us who bought the pdf already have to pay again to get the revised version?

If so, will it be possible to post errata somewhere?

Anyone who buys any of our PDFs (whether at RPGNow or at GreenRonin.com directly) get free access to any updates or corrections to their products. No extra charge.

 

[ValhallaGH]

Anyone who buys any of our PDFs (whether at RPGNow or at GreenRonin.com directly) get free access to any updates or corrections to their products. No extra charge.

See, this policy just made me into a loyal customer and I've only made the one purchase so far. Time to seriously peruse your product lines and see what my wallet can afford.

 

[Psion]

I don't expect too many Traveller players to be trolling this board for posts about True 20 to be confused by me calling it T20.

FWIW, I was just about to make a similar comment...

 

[ValhallaGH]

Apparently most of the people in this thread don't play d20 Modern.

Have you wonderful folks at Green Ronin looked at how Drain interacts with the Modern non-lethal damage system? Characters ignore all non-lethal damage less than their Constitution score, and make fortitude saves (DC 15) to not be rendered unconcious for 1d4 rounds when they do take enough non-lethal to notice. So a Modern caster could cast infinitely, with no danger, as long as they stick to base effects, or weak enough ones that the maximum possible Drain is less than their Con score. Alternatively, there is very little reason not to load up a spell with as much effect as practicle when you won't be unconcious for more than 4 rounds.
That system is why forced marches deal lethal damage in D20 Modern.

As a GM of a d20 Modern game, and a general fan of that system, I thought I should mention this incase you have any input for helping myself or others deal with it. Also, it should be mentioned incase you wish to change it.

 

[Henry]

I think Green Ronin missed a great opportunity to expand on the Adept class and instead introduced (or reconfigured) yet another complicated magic system. Don't we already get these a couple of times a year from WoTC? Getting expanded spells, magic feats and new adept character paths was going to be the breakthrough I needed to get my players to convert over to the system, but it looks like I'll have to wait.

It's true that it's not for everyone; anyone who wants less complexity for their spellcasters probably won't like it. Rather, I like it because the standard slot-based magic system goes against some of my sensibilities - the ones where a wizard shouldn't have a limit on the number of times per day he can cast a spell, and if he does, it's a game-reasoned limit like "that's the most his brain capacity can handle" or "he can't cast another spell without straining himself to unconscousness" and then to actually see game mechanics that demonstrate it. I also like the feel of accomplishment of a high-level caster who can toss off effects that he once struggled with.

Having used it in play, it added immeasurably to the system we used (Grim Tales and Black Company) in creating a very different feel. I loved the difference in play at the table, but there might be only a half dozen people out of the couple dozen gamers I know who would take well to this system. I'm just glad they expanded on it in another PDF, so that I can recommend it to people interested instead of the whole Black Company Book for just that one subsystem. (Don't get me wrong, I love Black Company, but $12 is more palatable than $40.00.)

 

[Henry]

Have you wonderful folks at Green Ronin looked at how Drain interacts with the Modern non-lethal damage system? Characters ignore all non-lethal damage less than their Constitution score, and make fortitude saves (DC 15) to not be rendered unconcious for 1d4 rounds when they do take enough non-lethal to notice. So a Modern caster could cast infinitely, with no danger, as long as they stick to base effects, or weak enough ones that the maximum possible Drain is less than their Con score. Alternatively, there is very little reason not to load up a spell with as much effect as practicle when you won't be unconcious for more than 4 rounds.
That system is why forced marches deal lethal damage in D20 Modern.

Oddly enough, I've never met anyone personally who uses the as-written non-lethal damage system in modern. However, to counteract it, I would probably have the system deal lethal damage, also - or keep track of the drain in the same manner as non-lethal, so that when your drain = hit points, you go unconscious for an hour, and can't cast anymore for at least 8 hours. That signifies the time a caster would have to wait to get rid of the nonlethal, anyway.

 

[rjs]

Or you could just use the Casting Buffer rules described on page 19.