As a DM, how open are you to allowing in or using d20 material?

[Gothmog]

I am pretty open to D20 stuff as long as it fits into my world and DMing style. In fact, I usually prefer D20 publishers to WotC stuff, with FFG, Green Ronin, Mystic Eye, Atlas, Bastion, Paradigm, and AEG getting most of my love. Mongoose is hit or miss sometimes (consistently getting better), but some of their classbooks are really solid and far outshine any other classbooks on the market. All of those companies have consistently produced better and more innovative products than WotC since the inception of 3E, and that shows no signs of stopping. In fact, I have banned most of the WotC PrCs from my game- they are too overpowered and high magic for my tastes.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Had to go with "other."

Partially, it depends on the campaign. But most of the time, my rule is this:

Use the core rules as a basis. If there's something else you want, be it a feat, a spell, a class, a skill, or what have you, bring it to me first. I don't care where it's from. I'll consider it on its individual merits, and if I feel it's not overpowered, and if it doesn't drastically clash with the feel of the world/setting in question, I'll allow it.

 

[Kichwas]

Use the core rules as a basis. If there's something else you want, be it a feat, a spell, a class, a skill, or what have you, bring it to me first. I don't care where it's from. I'll consider it on its individual merits, and if I feel it's not overpowered, and if it doesn't drastically clash with the feel of the world/setting in question, I'll allow it.

That sounds like:

Conservative - Will consider some d20. Won't use it myself

I myself am very open to d20 materials and get frustrated at players who don't take an interest in them. Sam and Gothmug just above have opinions that are similar to parts of my own.

I want to encourage the use of d20 material in my players with their PCs. At the same time I make a point of using the material myself as a DM. It's my policy that before every session I go through my d20 library and pick at least one thing that I will have show up and get used. In short, I make sure I get my money's worth out of the stuff I bought.

There are some things in d20 -such as the ritual systems from Relics and Rituals and Spellbound, or the herbal systems in books like Occult Lore- that are utterly vital to the genre and yet oddly missing from the core rules. Elements like this I make as strong of an effort as I can to get them into the game and used to the point that players begin to see them as a norm. Other things I want there just to spice it up, like a variant warrior class or a new monster.

 

[Mouseferatu]

That sounds like:

Conservative - Will consider some d20. Won't use it myself

I myself am very open to d20 materials and get frustrated at players who don't take an interest in them. Sam and Gothmug just above have opinions that are similar to parts of my own.

I want to encourage the use of d20 material in my players with their PCs. At the same time I make a point of using the material myself as a DM. It's my policy that before every session I go through my d20 library and pick at least one thing that I will have show up and get used. In short, I make sure I get my money's worth out of the stuff I bought.

Hmm. I considered that response, but it didn't quite fit. I'll consider any D20 material, though I'm the final arbiter on whether it's balanced or not.

And I do use some D20 material for my NPCs or PCs (on the rare occasions I get to play a PC). Not a huge amount, but more than a tiny bit.

I will admit, though, that I don't encourage D20 material. I don't discourage it, but I won't actively suggest it either, unless (as has happened) I know of something that just perfectly fits a character. This isn't out of any dislike of D20 material. I just have enough to keep track of already.

 

[d4]

i fall into the same category as Mouse.

i would have to carefully consider anything beyond the core rulebooks and my house rules before allowing it into the campaign, WOTC or 3rd party.

in my last D&D campaign, which lasted about 9 months, neither i nor any of my players used anything beyond the core rulebooks.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Personally I think the core rules make up a very robust system.

Now, having said that, I like to integrate D20 material into come NPCs in order to throw something new at my players and keep the game fresh. Also, if they have something from one of the books that they want to use for their character, I will consider it as long as it isn't overpowered. FYI, in my game, Spring Attack, the Mystic Theurge, and the Eldritch Knight are not allowed. They aren't bad feats/classes, but they are overpowered for my campaign.

Honestly I think a lot of the D20 splat is redundant and unnecessary. What I like are the campaign settings, the adventures, and the monster books. But then I am a DM, so what do you expect?

 

[Dark Jezter]

In my Forgotten Realms campaign, I'm allowing players to use races, feats, equipment, spells, and prestige classes from all of the 3e FR suppliments that have been released, although there are a few exceptions (the Peerless Archer PrC and Incantatrix PrC aren't allowed on account of being overpowered, for example).

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Had to go with "other."

Partially, it depends on the campaign. But most of the time, my rule is this:

Use the core rules as a basis. If there's something else you want, be it a feat, a spell, a class, a skill, or what have you, bring it to me first. I don't care where it's from. I'll consider it on its individual merits, and if I feel it's not overpowered, and if it doesn't drastically clash with the feel of the world/setting in question, I'll allow it.

What he said.

 

[Nightfall]

I find a little amusing that anyone calls Ari conservative. At least when it comes to gaming.

 

[Mytholder]

I'll look at anything. I'm a fairly easy-going GM anyway, and can adapt on the fly. Most of the time, I'm more concerned with flavour in my games anyway.