CoC d20 in D&D

[JoeGKushner]

So how useful is this book for D&D purposes? I understand that they slotted the mosnters and gods for D&D and that there is some information also slotted. I'm sure a lot of the role playing information will go a long way towards any campaign setting, but if one had to say how much of the book was good for a standard D&D campaign, what would it be? 10-20% I'd like to know before I go out and buy one.

 

[BlackJaw]

The game is very much like DnD. most of the monsters could be used as is.

the gods listed are as avatars, and you could use them, if your party was able to take on CR 32 monsters...

The magic system is almost exactly like DnD, only there are no spellcasting classes or spell levels. If you know a spell, then you can try and cast it when ever you want. All spells have penalties for casting... as in sanity damage, and often ability damage or even drain.

A little bit of effort could be made to convert many of them.

weapon wise, they all work.

the rule set is closer to DnD then even starwars, so its very easy to convert one way or the other. You ever wanted to run a modern setting?

Have an evil NPC that was nuts and able to use evil rituals to generate magic despite not being a spellcaster? (I sure do!)

CoC d20 is very much like DnD with sanity issues. sure you may kill zombies... but you'll go nuts if you fight them often. Sure you can cast spells, but you'll go really nuts just trying to learn one.

 

[Horacio]

CoC d20 is very much like DnD with sanity issues. sure you may kill zombies... but you'll go nuts if you fight them often. Sure you can cast spells, but you'll go really nuts just trying to learn one.

And it would work great for a Dark Fantasy Low Magic campaing, where a zombi greatest weapon isn't his (low) physical power but the fear he can inspire in adventurer's heart and the devasting effect he can have in adventurer's sanity...

 

[ruleslawyer]

The magic system is almost exactly like DnD, only there are no spellcasting classes or spell levels. If you know a spell, then you can try and cast it when ever you want. All spells have penalties for casting... as in sanity damage, and often ability damage or even drain.

A little bit of effort could be made to convert many of them.

Actually, the appendix to CoC regarding D&D/CoC crossovers lists the spells in the book by type and spell level, for those of you who don't want to play the spells using San and ability loss.

AFAICT, the Great Old Ones' stats are just there to scare the bejeezus out of high-level PCs. Monte Cook explains that in playtesting, Cthulhu (who, BTW, is one of the LESS powerful deities in the book), when faced with six 20th-level iconic characters, where each player was allowed to bring in a new 20th-level character the round after his character died, killed off THIRTEEN such characters before being imprisoned.

 

[mmadsen]

The magic system is almost exactly like DnD, only there are no spellcasting classes or spell levels. If you know a spell, then you can try and cast it when ever you want. All spells have penalties for casting... as in sanity damage, and often ability damage or even drain.

The magic system is almost exactly like DnD, only there are no spellcasting classes or spell levels, no spell slots or spell preparation, no scrolls or wands, no Magic Missiles or Fireballs...

Seriously though, I don't have the game yet, and I was wondering how you "know" a spell in d20 CoC? Is there a skill, or do you just learn any spells you find and dare to study?

 

[mmadsen]

And it would work great for a Dark Fantasy Low Magic campaign...

That's my plan. It sounds like you could have quite a bit of fun running through some core D&D adventures but using CoC rules (professions, magic, etc.). If you make the effort to refer to most monsters as "degenerate, misshapen men", voila, Conan!

 

[Horacio]

That's my plan. It sounds like you could have quite a bit of fun running through some core D&D adventures but using CoC rules (professions, magic, etc.). If you make the effort to refer to most monsters as "degenerate, misshapen men", voila, Conan!

That's also my plan
It seems a very popular plan!

 

[mmadsen]

How are Feats handled in d20 CoC? Do the professions get Bonus Feat lists? Do characters get just one Feat every three levels, or do they get them more often?

 

[ruleslawyer]

Two feats at 1st level (because all Investigators are human), then one per three levels (3rd, 6th, 9th, etc.). No bonus feats by profession.

 

[mmadsen]

It's sounding more and more like everyone's playing an Expert.