d20 backlash??

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't think we're seeing any sort of backlash. What i do think we're seeing right now is a total saturation of the market. There are few areas that either haven't been covered already or are about to be covered in the very near future (at least as far as the fantasy genre goes). This is leading the publishers that put out good product and had a viable business model to test other waters as well. It doesn't mean that D20 is dying, just that it's dropped to Mach 2 From Mach 5.

Kane

Are you sure about saturated? I'm still having trouble finding a decent-sized product on high-level fighter feats.

I think a bigger problem is packaging. It used to be easy for D20 companies (such as WotC) to throw feats, PrCs, magic items, etc into one big package and sell it. Now people are more discriminating - well, I know I am. I'd rather buy a book on fighter feats, even if it's only one third the size of Complete Warrior, since it'll be worth more to me. (It would probably be worth more to me if it cost the same as Complete Warrior compared to CW itself.)

 

[Krieg]

Are you sure about saturated? I'm still having trouble finding a decent-sized product on high-level fighter feats.

I'm sure you're already aware of it as I am guessing your "decent-sized" comment had it in mind , but just in case...

Fantasy Player's Companion: Higher Level Feats

Only seven pages long, but really how much more do you need?

 

[Psion]

I think d20 CoC does some things better than BRP CoC. The skill system is WAY better in my estimation in d20 CoC. That said, I think that BRP has a stronger chargen system.

And don't even get me started on how much better an implementation of SW d20 SW is.

Thus I feel that proclamations of D20's unsuitability for a lot of tasks are a matter of perspective, or exaggarations at the best.


I do feel that there are some genres and styles that there are many better alternatives for. Supers is one. I think M&M is a good supers game, but it only manages that by going outside of the bounds of the D20 system trademark license.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'm sure you're already aware of it as I am guessing your "decent-sized" comment had it in mind , but just in case...

Fantasy Player's Companion: Higher Level Feats

Only seven pages long, but really how much more do you need?

I own it. Good, but not big enough. I would have preffered 30 pages. It's easy to find a book with 30 pages of spells, after all.

 

[philreed]

I own it. Good, but not big enough. I would have preffered 30 pages. It's easy to find a book with 30 pages of spells, after all.

Patrick has talked a few times about creating a sequel to this.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Patrick has talked a few times about creating a sequel to this.

Size issues aside, it's a good product, and I'd love to see more tightly-focused products like it, rather than grab-bags.

 

[Krieg]

I own it. Good, but not big enough. I would have preffered 30 pages. It's easy to find a book with 30 pages of spells, after all.

I just can't imagine ever using or even needing 30 pages of high level fighter feats.

I think it would be very difficult for a publisher to put together that product and keep a high standard of quality across the board.

Of course if somebody did put it out I would probably buy it, regardless of whether I need it or not. lol

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I just can't imagine ever using or even needing 30 pages of high level fighter feats.

I think it would be very difficult for a publisher to put together that product and keep a high standard of quality across the board.

Of course if somebody did put it out I would probably buy it, regardless of whether I need it or not. lol

Well, WotC managed to put out hundreds of pages of PrCs... wait a minute, you said "quality".

Actually, I don't think it would be impossible. It's been done once before (Masters of Arms) which was a lot longer than 7 pages, and it's one of those holes in 3e that needs filling.

 

[scourger]

...I like how the old Deadlands game used card and poker chips...

DL's use of cards, chips & dice was inspired. I integrated chips into my current D&D d20 game, but the cards didn't work as well. The hard part is getting my friend to run DL Hell on Earth again. He says there's too much time investment in going back to relearn the rules, which is why we're still playing d20. For me, another game system--or even tweaks to the d20 system--has to be really simple & efficient to get my interest. Something on the level of ORK! for ease & simplicity is about as much as I want to process. I've sold many, many d20 books that presented too much new information, especially new & variant rules that weren't compelling to me to make the genre come alive. I don't even want to delve too deeply into the old rules for the 1e game that I'm playing weekly in addition to my weekly 3.5 game that I'm running.

 

[Krieg]

Actually, I don't think it would be impossible. It's been done once before (Masters of Arms) which was a lot longer than 7 pages, and it's one of those holes in 3e that needs filling.

Sure but Masters of Arms is more than just high level fighter feats. A book that encompasses the entire aspect of high level fighters would be something else entirely, and definitely interesting. A 30 page list of high level fighter feats...not as much.